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Amazon to shut checkout-free UK grocery shops
Amazon to shut checkout-free UK grocery shops
by  AFP

Amazon plans to shut all its grocery stores in Britain, after the shops without checkout registers failed to compete with online delivery demand. It is set to completely shut 14 Amazon Fresh stores, and convert the remaining five into Whole Foods Market shops, the organic grocery chain it bought in 2017.

Germany's Merz rejects claims he is slowing green shift
Germany's Merz rejects claims he is slowing green shift
by  AFP

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday rejected claims his government was undermining the climate change fight, but insisted that industry also needed to be protected to revive the crisis-wracked economy. In a fiery debate in parliament marked by loud heckling from the opposition benches, the chancellor noted his critics claimed he was "undermining climate protection".

UK rail operators set for new EU border checks
UK rail operators set for new EU border checks
by  AFP

The Channel Tunnel's operator and train service Eurostar have expressed confidence that the European Union's much delayed new border-check system will run smoothly when launched next month. AFP journalists noted that some glitches remained ahead of the UK launch, with some Eurostar and Channel Tunnel scanners not operating smoothly. bur-bcp/ajb/lth

Race for rare minerals brings boom to Tajikistan's mines
Race for rare minerals brings boom to Tajikistan's mines
by  AFP

In a labyrinth of tunnels running beneath 4,000-metre peaks, Tajik miners are scrabbling to secure antimony, one of the metals at the centre of a worldwide race for rare minerals. The miners drill sample holes 50 metres (165 feet) long to check for minerals and can dig a 54-metre tunnel for extraction in half a day, said underground site manager Kholmakhmad Khakimzoda.

Iran's carpet industry unravelling under sanctions
Iran's carpet industry unravelling under sanctions
by  AFP

Once a symbol of cultural prestige, Iran's handmade rugs are no longer selling as fast as they once did, as sanctions weigh on an already troubled economy and buyers' tastes change. Nabizadeh moreover says that even the tourists who come "might not be interested in our work as consumer tastes have changed" and "the price tags are quite high".

Asia markets waver after Wall St retreats from record
Asia markets waver after Wall St retreats from record
by  AFP

Equities wavered Wednesday following a down day on Wall Street, where worries about high valuations were compounded by mixed messaging from the Federal Reserve on its plans for interest rates. Investors have enjoyed a months-long rally that has pushed some markets to record highs but the run-up took a pause Tuesday amid talk that the gains may have gone too far.