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Rome to charge visitors for access to Trevi Fountain
Rome to charge visitors for access to Trevi Fountain
by  AFP

Tourists will have to pay a two-euro entrance fee to get close to Rome's famous Trevi Fountain, which draws vast crowds daily, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said on Friday. Entrance to the other five sites will cost five euros.

French court rejects Shein suspension
French court rejects Shein suspension
by  AFP

A French court on Friday rejected the state's request to suspend Shein's site in France as "disproportionate" after the Asian e-commerce giant removed illicit products sold on its platform. The state's request that Shein "at a minimum" maintain the suspension of its marketplace, which hosts products sold by third-party vendors, was not granted.

France's budget hits snag in setback for embattled PM
France's budget hits snag in setback for embattled PM
by  AFP

A joint committee of French lawmakers on Friday failed to reach a compromise on the state budget for next year, parliamentary sources said, meaning France would not have a 2026 budget by year end. "Parliament will therefore be unable to vote on a budget for France before the end of the year," Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on X after senators and members of the lower house could not agree.

Mexican low-cost airlines Volaris and Viva agree to merger
Mexican low-cost airlines Volaris and Viva agree to merger
by  AFP

Two of Mexico's top low-budget airlines said Thursday they had agreed to merge, setting up a deal that could create one of the country's largest domestic carriers. The deal, expected to close in 2026, is subject to regulatory approval in Mexico and could draw opposition from the budget airlines' main competitor, Aeromexico.

Volatile Oracle shares a proxy for Wall Street's AI jitters
Volatile Oracle shares a proxy for Wall Street's AI jitters
by  AFP

For a reading of Wall Street's shifting mood on the artificial intelligence investment boom, take a look at the daily fluctuations of Oracle stock, analysts say. Analysts bullish on the stock have emphasized its huge growth potential with the AI boom.

Japan hikes interest rates to 30-year-high
Japan hikes interest rates to 30-year-high
by  AFP

The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates to a 30-year high of 0.75 percent on Friday, the first increase since January, as it said the economy had shown signs of improvement. However, with worries about the global outlook and US tariffs growing, it paused at the start of 2025, with the last increase in January taking rates to their highest level in 17 years.