Economy

Polish farmers block roads in new Ukraine imports protest
Polish farmers block roads in new Ukraine imports protest

Polish farmers on Wednesday staged tractor blockades on roads nationwide in their latest protest against farm imports from outside the European Union, in particular Ukraine, and the bloc's environmental regulations. On Wednesday, EU member states and lawmakers reached a deal to cap duty-free imports of some Ukrainian grains in response to the complaints by Polish and other EU farmers.

'Overly rosy picture': KLM loses Dutch 'greenwashing' case
'Overly rosy picture': KLM loses Dutch 'greenwashing' case

Dutch airline KLM misled consumers with "vague and general" adverts about its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of flying, an Amsterdam court ruled Wednesday in a greenwashing case brought by a pressure group. In the case of SAF, the court ruled that while it can contribute to reducing the harmful impact of flying, "the term 'sustainable' is too absolute and not sufficiently concrete.

Polish farmers block roads to protest Ukraine imports
Polish farmers block roads to protest Ukraine imports

Polish farmers on Wednesday staged tractor blockades on roads nationwide in their latest protest against farm imports from outside the European Union and the bloc's environmental red tape. "We as farmers will not give up so long as our demands are not fully met," protest organisers said in a statement ahead of the nationwide blockade.

Chinese internet giant Tencent posts lowest annual profit since 2019
Chinese internet giant Tencent posts lowest annual profit since 2019

Chinese internet giant Tencent on Wednesday posted its lowest annual profit since 2019, despite slight improvements recently in China's economy and a more lenient attitude taken by regulators towards the tech sector. Authorities have since relaxed their approach to regulating the vital domestic tech sector as broader concerns about the health of China's economy mount.

UK inflation slows to lowest level in almost 2.5 years
UK inflation slows to lowest level in almost 2.5 years

Britain's annual inflation rate fell more than expected in February, official data showed Wednesday, fuelling speculation that the Bank of England will start cutting interest rates in the coming months. "The Bank of England has already said it's not going to cut interest rates in a hurry," Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, said following Wednesday's data.

Vietnam farmers struggle for fresh water as drought brings salinisation
Vietnam farmers struggle for fresh water as drought brings salinisation

Every day, farmer Nguyen Hoai Thuong prays in vain for rain to fall on the cracked dry earth of her garden in Vietnam's Mekong Delta -- the country's "rice bowl" agricultural heartland. I have to change to raising cows instead," 31-year-old farmer Thuong told AFP from her burning hot village, where ground that should be lush wet rice paddy stands cracked and dry.

Crisis-hit Playmobil eyes a Swift boost as it turns 50
Crisis-hit Playmobil eyes a Swift boost as it turns 50

As Playmobil turns 50, the German company behind the popular plastic figures is hoping that pop megastar Taylor Swift can help it shake off a slump in fortunes. As well as tie-ups with popular figures like Swift, the company is targeting nostalgic adults and so-called "kidults" -- grown-ups who still enjoy playing with toys.

Asian markets swing as traders await Fed policy decision
Asian markets swing as traders await Fed policy decision

Asian markets fluctuated Wednesday as traders struggled to track another record day on Wall Street, with focus squarely on the Federal Reserve's policy meeting. Still, Wall Street investors remained upbeat, pushing all three main indexes higher on the back of a tech rally, with the S&P 500 chalking up another record.