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Steel decline sparks protests and a movie in Belgium
Steel decline sparks protests and a movie in Belgium
by  AFP

Thousands of steelworkers took to the streets of Brussels on Wednesday to demand EU help for a sector whose decline is the subject of a documentary on show at Belgian cinemas. On Wednesday, several thousand workers marched through Brussels, waving trade union flags and holding signs reading "European Union, wake up!"

EU seeks new import fee on e-commerce packages
EU seeks new import fee on e-commerce packages
by  AFP

The European Commission announced Wednesday it would seek to impose new fees on e-commerce imports, as part of efforts to tackle a surge of "harmful" products into the bloc -- the bulk of them from China.

Oil giants TotalEnergies, Equinor reduce low-carbon investments
Oil giants TotalEnergies, Equinor reduce low-carbon investments
by  AFP

French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies said Wednesday it would reduce its low-carbon energy investments while Norwegian peer Equinor scaled back its renewables ambitions as the companies reported sharp drops in annual profits. TotalEnergies said Wednesday it would reduce its investments in low-carbon energy, mainly for electricity, by $500 million -- from $5 billion to $4.5 billion.

China slams US 'suppression' as trade war deepens
China slams US 'suppression' as trade war deepens
by  AFP

Beijing accused the United States Wednesday of "suppression" after its postal service said it was suspending parcels from China and Hong Kong, a move that could hit e-commerce giants Temu and Shein. A postal services worker at the General Post Office in Macau told AFP that parcels could still be sent to the United States from the semi-autonomous Chinese city.

Norway's Equinor scales back renewable energy aims as profit falls
Norway's Equinor scales back renewable energy aims as profit falls
by  AFP

Norwegian oil and gas giant Equinor said on Wednesday it would scale back its renewable energy ambitions as it reported a steep drop in net profit in 2024. Like other oil and gas enterprises, Equinor has been loathe to move away from its profitable fossil fuel business and replace it with renewable energy infrastructure.