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Brazil welcomes China lift of ban on poultry imports
Brazil welcomes China lift of ban on poultry imports
by  AFP

Brazil, the world's biggest exporter of chicken meat, on Friday welcomed China's move to lift a ban on imports of the product after an outbreak of bird flu earlier this year. Brazil said in June it was free of bird flu and would resume exports.

Serbia fast-tracks army HQ demolition for Trump family hotel
Serbia fast-tracks army HQ demolition for Trump family hotel
by  AFP

Serbia's parliament on Friday moved to fast-track the demolition of the bombed-out Yugoslav Army headquarters in central Belgrade, the site of a proposed luxury hotel backed by Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Lawmakers backed the move with 130 votes in favour and 40 against.

Inside Germany's rare earth treasure chest
Inside Germany's rare earth treasure chest
by  AFP

In a World War II bunker east of Frankfurt, a steel door weighing over four tonnes protects Germany's largest reserve of rare earths, a treasure at the heart of rising geopolitical tensions. Germany's flagship automotive sector is especially affected by the restrictions because it is dependent on rare earth magnets.

Ikea profits drop on lower prices, tariff costs
Ikea profits drop on lower prices, tariff costs
by  AFP

The world's leading furniture company, Ikea, reported a sharp fall in annual profits on Friday as it focused on dropping prices to boost volume and faced higher costs due to US tariffs. "The higher sourcing costs included the costs for increased tariffs, which have been partly absorbed," Inter Ikea said in a statement, referring to import taxes imposed by US President Donald Trump.

Chinese microdrama creators turn to AI despite job loss concerns
Chinese microdrama creators turn to AI despite job loss concerns
by  AFP

Ultra-short video series "Strange Mirror of Mountains and Seas" is filled with dragon-like monsters, handsome protagonists and plenty of melodrama -- almost all of it, including the lifelike human characters, created by artificial intelligence.

Markets drop as valuations and US jobs, rates spook investors
Markets drop as valuations and US jobs, rates spook investors
by  AFP

Asian stocks tracked Wall Street losses Friday as investors weighed weak US jobs data against Federal Reserve signals suggesting no more interest rate cuts this year. All three main indexes on Wall Street ended down as tech firms, which have been at the forefront of the surge to record highs this year, took the brunt of the selling.