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China's economic growth slows amid sputtering domestic demand
China's economic growth slows amid sputtering domestic demand
by  AFP

China's economic growth slipped below five percent in the third quarter of 2025, the slowest pace in a year as trade headwinds and a domestic consumer slump continued to weigh. It also represented the slowest growth since the same quarter last year, when GDP expanded 4.6 percent.

Asian markets bounce back as China-US trade fears ease
Asian markets bounce back as China-US trade fears ease
by  AFP

Asian markets rose Monday after conciliatory comments from Donald Trump at the weekend ease worries about China-US trade tensions, while Tokyo stocks surged to a record on news of a deal to end political turmoil in Japan.

California's oil capital hopes for a renaissance under Trump
California's oil capital hopes for a renaissance under Trump
by  AFP

Every five years, the fading US town of Taft puts on a days-long "Oildorado" festival to celebrate its glory days at the center of California's black gold rush. Festival-goers can compete for the title of best welder, crane operator or backhoe loader -- or be crowned the "Oildorado Queen."

OpenAI big chip orders dwarf its revenues -- for now
OpenAI big chip orders dwarf its revenues -- for now
by  AFP

OpenAI is ordering hundreds of billions of dollars worth of chips in the artificial intelligence race, raising questions among investors about how the startup will finance these purchases. "They will need hundreds of billions of dollars to live up to their obligations," said Gil Luria, managing director at D.A. Davidson, a financial consulting firm.

Withering vines: California grape farmers abandon fields as local wine struggles
Withering vines: California grape farmers abandon fields as local wine struggles
by  AFP

For more than a century, Lodi's grape growers have supplied the old wineries that make this Californian city famous. "With wine grapes, you've really got to go out there and you've got to talk to wineries, you've got to make connections, you've got to hope that things work, you've got to hope that all the stars line up," he said.

China's power paradox: record renewables, continued coal
China's power paradox: record renewables, continued coal
by  AFP

Call it the China power paradox: while Beijing leads the world in renewable energy expansion, its coal projects are booming too. Fishman argues that "green power demand is insufficient to keep capacity expansion high", though the government has policy levers to tip the balance, including requiring companies to use more renewables.

China and US agree to fresh trade talks
China and US agree to fresh trade talks
by  AFP

China and the United States agreed Saturday to conduct another round of trade negotiations in the coming week, as the world's two biggest economies seek to avoid another damaging tit-for-tat tariff battle.