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China says humanoid robot buzz carries bubble risk
China says humanoid robot buzz carries bubble risk

More than 150 Chinese companies are making humanoid robots but a market bubble risks forming in the rapidly growing futuristic industry, a Beijing official has warned. More than half of China's 150 humanoid robot companies -- a figure still increasing -- are "startups or 'cross-industry' entrants, which is a good thing for innovation", Li said.

by  AFP

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Global tourism recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2024: UN
Global tourism recovered to pre-pandemic levels in 2024: UN
by  AFP

Global tourism fully recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic in 2024 with 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals recorded worldwide due to "robust" demand from key markets, UN Tourism said Monday. The number of international tourist arrivals last year was 11 percent higher than the 1.3 billion recorded in 2023, reaching the level seen in 2019, the year before the pandemic paralysed travel.

Job cuts report worries employees at Germany's Commerzbank
Job cuts report worries employees at Germany's Commerzbank
by  AFP

Suggestions that German lender Commerzbank was considering cutting thousands of jobs as it fights off an unwanted advance from Italy's UniCredit had unsettled employees, a senior trade union official said Monday. Frederik Werning, Verdi trade union official and a member of the supervisory board at Germany's second-largest lender, said rumoured redundancies had caused "uncertainty among employees".

X and Facebook toughen EU pledge to combat hate speech
X and Facebook toughen EU pledge to combat hate speech
by  AFP

Social media giants including X and Facebook have agreed to step up efforts to tackle hate speech in the EU, the bloc said Monday as its digital rules face scrutiny with Donald Trump's return to the White House. The EU's announcement, coming on the day of Trump's inauguration, said the 12 platforms had agreed beef up a code first signed in 2016 detailing efforts to curb hate speech online.

Syria phone shops free from Assad-linked monopoly
Syria phone shops free from Assad-linked monopoly
by  AFP

Syrian phone shop owner Abdel Razzaq Hamra was thrilled to finally be working in peace after years of being harassed and detained by security personnel enforcing an Assad-linked company's monopoly. Phone shop owners said security forces linked to Branch 215 of the Military Intelligence would raid their shops, while Shabiha -- pro-Assad militiamen -- also stalked the stores.

Bitcoin hits record above $109,000 awaiting Trump 
Bitcoin hits record above $109,000 awaiting Trump 
by  AFP

Bitcoin hit a record high above $109,000 on Monday as Donald Trump, who has signalled plans to deregulate the cryptocurrency sector, prepares to be sworn in as US president. It came after he nominated cryptocurrency backer Paul Atkins to head the US securities regulator, reinforcing optimism that the new president will deregulate the sector.