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EU set to scrap 2035 combustion-engine ban in car industry boost
EU set to scrap 2035 combustion-engine ban in car industry boost
Economy
by  AFP

The EU looks set to scrap a landmark 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars on Tuesday, as part of a package of reforms aimed at supporting Europe's embattled auto industry. Set in 2023, the ban was a cornerstone of the EU's environmental Green Deal, which has come under increased pressure from businesses and right-wing politicians as the EU seeks to bolster its industry.

'Waiting to die': the dirty business of recycling in Vietnam
'Waiting to die': the dirty business of recycling in Vietnam
Economy
by  AFP

Crouched between mountains of discarded plastic, Lanh strips the labels off bottles of Coke, Evian and local Vietnamese tea drinks so they can be melted into tiny pellets for reuse. In Minh Khai, the owner of a plant producing plastic pellets said domestic supply "is not enough".

Asian markets retreat ahead of US jobs as tech worries weigh
Asian markets retreat ahead of US jobs as tech worries weigh
Economy
by  AFP

Asian markets extended losses with Wall Street on Tuesday as investors jockeyed for position ahead of key US jobs and inflation data, while sentiment remains subdued by worries over a possible tech bubble. Worries over the tech sector were also weighing on sentiment, with recent warnings about an AI-fuelled bubble compounded by weak disappointing earnings last week from Oracle and Broadcom.

Famed Jerusalem stone still sells despite West Bank economic woes
Famed Jerusalem stone still sells despite West Bank economic woes
Economy
by  AFP

Despite the catastrophic state of the Palestinian economy, Faraj al-Atrash, operator of a quarry in the occupied West Bank, proudly points to an armada of machines busy eating away at sheer walls of dusty white rock that stretch into the distance. The physical demands of working in a quarry are intense, but for many Palestinians there are few other options as the West Bank's economy wilts.

Will OpenAI be the next tech giant or next Netscape?
Will OpenAI be the next tech giant or next Netscape?
Economy
by  AFP

Three years after ChatGPT made OpenAI the leader in artificial intelligence and a household name, rivals have closed the gap and some investors are wondering if the sensation has the wherewithal to stay dominant. Rivals Amazon, Meta and OpenAI-investor Microsoft have deep pockets the ChatGPT-maker cannot match.