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Solar storm could bring auroras, power and telecoms disruptions
Solar storm could bring auroras, power and telecoms disruptions
by  AFP

A huge solar storm is heading for Earth, supercharging auroras and bringing possible disruptions to satellites and power grids as early as Friday evening, US officials say. Unlike solar flares, which travel at the speed of light and reach Earth in around eight minutes, CMEs travel at a relatively more sedate pace, with officials putting the current average at 800 kilometers (500 miles) per second.

Brazil floods strike blow to powerful agriculture sector
Brazil floods strike blow to powerful agriculture sector
by  AFP

Floodwaters in Brazil have swallowed up soybean fields and farming equipment, cutting off roads, livestock farms and warehouses in the latest extreme weather event to hit the agricultural giant. While Brazil will retain its spot as the world's largest producer of soybeans, which are used in livestock feed, the flooding is expected to hit its results this season.

Polish farmers protest 'harmful' EU environmental rules
Polish farmers protest 'harmful' EU environmental rules
by  AFP

Polish farmers on Friday rallied against EU environmental regulations they said were hurting the economy and called for a referendum on the issue. "We don't agree to all the Green Deal provisions, which are harmful to Poland's economy," said Adrian Wawrzyniak, a spokesman for the Solidarity farmers' union.

French, US drug firms team up for Covid-flu shot
French, US drug firms team up for Covid-flu shot
by  AFP

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and struggling US rival Novavax announced Friday an alliance to sell a Covid vaccine and develop another that combines with a flu shot. The French group will be able to develop a combination flu-Covid vaccine using its own flu shots with the US company's Covid jab.

Honda posts record profit, issues cautious forecasts
Honda posts record profit, issues cautious forecasts
by  AFP

Japanese auto giant Honda on Friday logged a record annual profit thanks to improving global vehicle sales, but issued a cautious outlook for the current fiscal year. On Friday, Honda said global vehicle sales were up, thanks largely to its vehicles' popularity in the United States.

UK economy exits recession ahead of election
UK economy exits recession ahead of election
by  AFP

Britain exited a shallow recession with better-than-expected growth in the first quarter, official data showed Friday, in a boost to embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of this year's election. GDP shrank by 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 after contracting 0.1 percent in the prior three months, the ONS confirmed Friday in unrevised data.

In Benin, tensions soar over cost of living
In Benin, tensions soar over cost of living
by  AFP

In the heart of Cotonou’s large Dantokpa market, Diane Makpenon's family corn shop is less busy than usual these days. "Going to the market has become torture.

Iceland's 'Mammoth' raises potential for carbon capture
Iceland's 'Mammoth' raises potential for carbon capture
by  AFP

With Mammoth's 72 industrial fans, Swiss start-up Climeworks intends to suck 36,000 tonnes of CO2 from the air annually to bury underground, vying to prove the technology has a place in the fight against global warming.