AFP
13875 articles published since 08 Mar 2022
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Farmer protest party wins 'monster' Dutch vote victory
The Netherlands woke up to a political earthquake Thursday after a farmers' protest party won key elections, throwing the government's environmental policies into doubt. Dutch media said the farmers were now headed for a showdown with a bloc formed by the environmental GroenLinks (Green/Left) party and the Labour Party (PvdA), which together also won 15 senate seats.
One billion users, but trouble mounts for TikTok
TikTok's breakneck rise from niche video-sharing app to global social media behemoth has brought plenty of scrutiny, particularly over its links to China. So is TikTok a spying tool for Beijing, a fun video-sharing app, or both?
French govt to force Paris binmen back to work as trash stacks up
France's government will force Paris rubbish collectors to return to work after a days-long strike against pension reforms has left many streets in the capital piled with stinking waste. Around 7,600 tonnes of rubbish were piled on the streets of Paris by Wednesday, according to city hall figures.
Baidu shares fall after disappointing AI chatbot debut
Chinese search engine company Baidu's shares fell as much as 10 percent on Thursday after the company unveiled its ChatGPT-like AI software, with investors unimpressed by the bot's display of linguistic and maths skills. Baidu's Hong Kong-listed shares plunged immediately after the software was unveiled, sliding by more than 10 percent at one point.
French brewery attack flags Russia's tussle for influence in Africa
On a night in early March, arsonists attacked a brewery owned by the French drinks giant Castel in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. That meeting occurred just days before the Castel brewery attack on the night of March 5.
Sweden rediscovers poverty as inflation soars
It's not yet 6 am and dozens of homeless people are already queuing outside Stockholm's central station for breakfast, their numbers bigger than ever, charities say. "So many people are coming here to breakfast," said Kavian Ferdowsi who runs a charity helping the homeless.
EU to unveil green tech plans to take on US, China
The EU will reveal hotly debated proposals on Thursday to boost spending on clean tech, possibly overcoming internal divisions to include nuclear energy in the mix, to confront growing industrial competition from the United States and China.
Greek unions launch 24-hour walkout over train tragedy
Greek unions on Thursday begin a 24-hour walkout with demonstrations planned in major cities to voice outrage over last month's train disaster, which claimed 57 lives. The tragedy has exposed decades of safety failings in Greek railways and has put major pressure on the conservative government ahead of national elections.
Market turmoil tests ECB rate hike appetite
European Central Bank governors will meet Thursday, with fears over a widening banking crisis testing their resolve to raise interest rates again by a hefty half percentage point.
AFP
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