Economy

Sour grapes: Japan battles to protect premium fruits
Sour grapes: Japan battles to protect premium fruits

The variety of juicy grape that Yuki Nakamura is harvesting as the sun rises over his farm took scientists 33 years to develop and can sell for $100 a bunch in Tokyo department stores. Takehiko Shimada, head of NARO's fruit variety research unit, said it takes years of painstaking work to develop a new variety fit to hit stores.

Lula warns Maduro as South America nervously eyes Guyana-Venezuela row
Lula warns Maduro as South America nervously eyes Guyana-Venezuela row

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged his counterpart Nicolas Maduro Saturday against escalating Venezuela's border row with neighboring Guyana, as South American leaders nervously monitored the deepening dispute. "Lula emphasized the importance of avoiding unilateral measures that could escalate the situation," the Brazilian presidency said.

China sees progress at climate talks as OPEC fights for fossil fuels
China sees progress at climate talks as OPEC fights for fossil fuels

China said on Saturday it saw progress in reaching a climate deal at a key United Nations summit in Dubai, despite a last-minute push by the OPEC oil cartel to resist a phase-out of fossil fuels. A third draft deal released on Friday offers various ways to phase out fossil fuels but it also includes the option to not mention them at all in the final text.

Nigeria loads first crude at huge new Dangote refinery
Nigeria loads first crude at huge new Dangote refinery

Nigeria's huge oil refinery built by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote received its first crude deliveries, the company said on Saturday, in the latest step to starting up the delayed megaproject. Dangote Petroleum Refinery received an initial shipment of one million barrels of crude from Agbami deepwater field and began loading on Friday, the company spokesman said Saturday.

Nearly two years into war, is Russia's economy out of the woods?
Nearly two years into war, is Russia's economy out of the woods?

As he prepares to run for re-election in 2024, is President Vladimir Putin right to claim the worst is over for the Russian economy? "We have overcome all problems that arose after the sanctions were imposed on us and we have started the next stage of development," Putin announced in October.

Led by Taylor Swift's $1 bn tour, 2023 concerts set new record
Led by Taylor Swift's $1 bn tour, 2023 concerts set new record

Led by Beyonce and Taylor Swift, whose "Eras Tour" was the first to bring in more than $1 billion, ticket revenues from the top 100 concert tours of 2023 jumped to a record $9.17 billion, industry magazine Pollstar said Friday. Swift's tour broke new ground, becoming the first in history to surpass the symbolic $1 billion mark in ticket sales in 60 dates from March to November 2023.