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China to impose anti-dumping duties on EU pork for five years
China to impose anti-dumping duties on EU pork for five years
by  AFP

China will impose anti-dumping duties on European Union pork imports for five years, but at lower rates than temporary levies in place since September, Beijing announced Tuesday. European producers criticised the imposition of temporary duties on pork in September, denying the dumping allegations.

Economic losses from natural disasters down by a third in 2025: Swiss Re
Economic losses from natural disasters down by a third in 2025: Swiss Re
by  AFP

Global economic losses from natural disasters are projected to have dropped by 33 percent to $220 billion in 2025, despite the damage wrought by the Los Angeles wildfires, reinsurer Swiss Re said Tuesday. The Los Angeles blazes were the costliest-ever wildfire event globally, with insured losses of $40 billion.

Canada plow-maker can't clear path through Trump tariffs
Canada plow-maker can't clear path through Trump tariffs
by  AFP

For decades, Arctic Snowplows has sold its Canadian-made galvanized steel products to "anywhere there is snow" across the border in the United States, says company president Mike Schulz. But Canadian sales are only a "fraction" of what the company has historically made in the United States, he said.

Bank of Japan expected to hike rates to 30-year high
Bank of Japan expected to hike rates to 30-year high
by  AFP

The Bank of Japan is expected to hike interest rates Friday for the first time since January, pushing them to their highest level in 30 years and potentially exacerbating turmoil in debt markets. Yields on 30-year bond yields reached a record high in early December, and 10-year yields last week hittheir highest level in 19 years.

EU set to scrap 2035 combustion-engine ban in car industry boost
EU set to scrap 2035 combustion-engine ban in car industry boost
by  AFP

The EU looks set to scrap a landmark 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars on Tuesday, as part of a package of reforms aimed at supporting Europe's embattled auto industry. Set in 2023, the ban was a cornerstone of the EU's environmental Green Deal, which has come under increased pressure from businesses and right-wing politicians as the EU seeks to bolster its industry.

'Waiting to die': the dirty business of recycling in Vietnam
'Waiting to die': the dirty business of recycling in Vietnam
by  AFP

Crouched between mountains of discarded plastic, Lanh strips the labels off bottles of Coke, Evian and local Vietnamese tea drinks so they can be melted into tiny pellets for reuse. In Minh Khai, the owner of a plant producing plastic pellets said domestic supply "is not enough".

Asian markets retreat ahead of US jobs as tech worries weigh
Asian markets retreat ahead of US jobs as tech worries weigh
by  AFP

Asian markets extended losses with Wall Street on Tuesday as investors jockeyed for position ahead of key US jobs and inflation data, while sentiment remains subdued by worries over a possible tech bubble. Worries over the tech sector were also weighing on sentiment, with recent warnings about an AI-fuelled bubble compounded by weak disappointing earnings last week from Oracle and Broadcom.

Famed Jerusalem stone still sells despite West Bank economic woes
Famed Jerusalem stone still sells despite West Bank economic woes
by  AFP

Despite the catastrophic state of the Palestinian economy, Faraj al-Atrash, operator of a quarry in the occupied West Bank, proudly points to an armada of machines busy eating away at sheer walls of dusty white rock that stretch into the distance. The physical demands of working in a quarry are intense, but for many Palestinians there are few other options as the West Bank's economy wilts.