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Macron threatens China with tariffs over trade surplus
Macron threatens China with tariffs over trade surplus
by  AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has threatened China with tariffs if Beijing fails to take steps to reduce its massive trade surplus with the EU, in remarks published Sunday. During his visit to China, Macron said the EU needed to accept more Chinese direct investment as part of efforts to reduce the trade deficit.

Number's up: Calculators hold out against AI
Number's up: Calculators hold out against AI
by  AFP

The humble pocket calculator may not be able to keep up with the mathematical capabilities of new technology, but it will never hallucinate. Those attempts have accelerated with AI. - Scoring gold - In July, AI models made by Google, OpenAI and DeepSeek reached gold-level scores at the annual International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

Divided US Fed set for contentious interest rate meeting
Divided US Fed set for contentious interest rate meeting
by  AFP

While the US Federal Reserve's final interest rate meeting this year could see an unusual amount of division, financial markets view a third straight interest rate cut as nearly certain. But if appointed, Hassett could also face pressure from financial markets to buck the White House on interest rates if inflation worsens.

Will EU give ground on 2035 combustion-engine ban?
Will EU give ground on 2035 combustion-engine ban?
by  AFP

Europe's embattled auto industry and its backers are ramping up pressure on the EU to relax its planned 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales -- hoping for a decision by year end. "If we abandon the 2035 target, forget about European battery plants," President Emmanuel Macron warned after an EU summit in October.

Netflix's Warner Bros. acquisition sparks backlash
Netflix's Warner Bros. acquisition sparks backlash
by  AFP

Netflix faced fierce criticism on Friday over its blockbuster deal to acquire Warner Bros., the storied Hollywood studio. The deal's biggest loser may be Warner Bros. competitor Paramount Skydance, the Hollywood studio owned by Larry Ellison, one of the world's richest people and a close ally of US President Donald Trump.

Fresh data show US consumers still strained by inflation
Fresh data show US consumers still strained by inflation
by  AFP

US consumer pricing and sentiment reports released Friday pointed to lingering questions about affordability as the calendar moves towards the peak of the festive season. The data did not significantly move the US stock market on Friday.