AFP
13876 articles published since 08 Mar 2022
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Tunisia struggles to grow more wheat as Ukraine war bites
Tunisian farmer Mondher Mathali surveys a sea of swaying golden wheat and revs his combine harvester, a rumbling beast from 1976 which he fears could break down at any moment. "I'd love to buy a new combine harvester, but I could only do it with help from the government," said Mathali, 65.
China mulls dipping into pork reserves to rein in costs
Chinese authorities could dip into strategic pork reserves in a bid to rein in prices of the staple meat, Beijing's top economic planner said Tuesday. In 2019, authorities said they would free up land to restore pork production to pre-swine fever levels, and officials have since released supplies from reserves to rein in rising costs.
UK museum hunts 'Windrush' migrants in forgotten pictures
The anonymous face of a new arrival towered over Prince William at the unveiling of a national memorial to the "Windrush" generation of Caribbean migrants in London last month. On the day the migrants arrived, a young London photographer named Howard Grey had an idea.
US, China discuss 'severe' economic challenges, supply chains
Top officials from the United States and China held a "candid" video call on Tuesday to discuss global economic challenges, especially regarding supply chains. Yellen and Liu "discussed macroeconomic and financial developments in the United States and China, the global economic outlook amid rising commodity prices and food security challenges", the US Treasury Department said in a readout.
Asian markets rise on talk Biden to roll back some China tariffs
Asian markets rose Tuesday on growing speculation US President Joe Biden is about to roll back some of the Trump-era tariffs on Chinese goods as he looks for ways to rein in inflation, though sentiment remains at a premium owing to fears of a recession.
Sydney floods force thousands more to flee
Rain-swollen rivers spilled mud-brown waters across swathes of Sydney on Tuesday, swamping homes and roads while forcing thousands to flee. Much of the flooding has occurred in a major river system downstream of western Sydney's Warragamba Dam, which has been forced to spill large volumes of excess water since Sunday.
Egypt family keeps alive tradition behind hajj centrepiece
Under the steady hum of a ceiling fan, Ahmed Othman weaves golden threads through black fabric, creating Koranic verses, a century after his grandfather's work adorned the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque. "For a whole year, 10 craftsmen" would work on the kiswa that covers the Kaaba which pilgrims circumambulate, using silver thread in a lengthy labour of love.
Mecca businesses see hajj boom ending pandemic slump
"Business is back", exclaims Abdullah Mekhlafi at the shop where he sells prayer mats in Islam's holiest city, which is preparing for the biggest influx of hajj pilgrims since the coronavirus pandemic began. "We had few customers (during the last two hajj seasons), but today business is back, thanks to God.
'Guerrilla' sales, crowdsourcing: Japan's game console crunch
It's still dark when the line starts forming outside an electronics store in Tokyo, as desperate gamers try to snag the latest PlayStation or Xbox despite chronic shortages in Japan. Tetsuya, 50, has been trying to get a console since February and lined up before 6:30 am with dozens of other people outside a store in the electronics district of Akihabara.
AFP
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