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Tree branches to fleece jackets: Chemicals plant in Germany bets on biomass
Tree branches to fleece jackets: Chemicals plant in Germany bets on biomass

Staring at a pile of freshly cut beechwood, forestry manager Johannes Brodowski wonders if he is looking at the future of Germany's chemicals industry. Germany's traditional chemicals industry has been battered by high energy prices and cheap competition from Asia, with national output now at its lowest level since 1995.

by  AFP

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Japan inflation slows in August, rice price surges ease
Japan inflation slows in August, rice price surges ease
by  AFP

Inflation in Japan slowed to 2.7 percent in August due partly to government energy subsidies, official data showed Friday, with the cost of rice easing following a huge price spike. Abhijit Surya of Capital Economics said the main factor behind the fall in inflation was "a deepening of energy price deflation... due to the resumption of electricity and gas subsidies".

US small businesses slam Trump tariffs as legal fight proceeds
US small businesses slam Trump tariffs as legal fight proceeds
by  AFP

When businessman Travis McMaster shifted more manufacturing of his products out of China, and into India, he had sought to avoid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing. Our business isn't run on a whim, and our country shouldn't (be) either," McMaster, whose firm is based in Washington state, told reporters.

Chip-maker Nvidia takes stake in rival Intel
Chip-maker Nvidia takes stake in rival Intel
by  AFP

Shares in chipmaker Intel skyrocketed on Thursday after AI giant Nvidia announced it would invest $5 billion in its struggling rival. Nvidia joins Japanese investment giant SoftBank and the US government in backing the once-dominant chipmaker, which has fallen behind in recent years after missing key technology shifts.

Canada, Mexico leaders meet amid US tariff war
Canada, Mexico leaders meet amid US tariff war
by  AFP

Mexico's president will host the leader of Canada for trade talks Thursday as they seek to navigate the tariff war launched by Donald Trump despite the existence of a three-way free-trade agreement.

IMF proposes US Treasury official as second-in-command
IMF proposes US Treasury official as second-in-command
by  AFP

The IMF has proposed appointing the US Treasury Department's chief of staff as its new number-two official, the Washington-based lender said Thursday. Katz, who is chief of staff at the Treasury Department, was a senior official in the department during Trump's first term as well.

Costs of Russian, Chinese cyberattacks on German firms on rise: report
Costs of Russian, Chinese cyberattacks on German firms on rise: report
by  AFP

Cyberattacks and sabotage, mainly from Russia and China, have caused record damages for German firms this year, the domestic spy service and a business group warned Thursday. While last year 39 percent of firms said they had been targeted by Russia, this year that number rose to 46 percent, with the same number reporting an attack from China.

New Picasso portrait unveiled at Paris auction house
New Picasso portrait unveiled at Paris auction house
by  AFP

A previously unknown portrait by Pablo Picasso of one of his lovers was revealed on Thursday after being put up for sale at auction in Paris with a reserve price of eight million euros ($9.5 million). Other paintings of Dora Maar have sold for many times more than the reserve price of $9.5 million for "Bust of a Woman With a Flowery Hat".

Trump, Starmer sign tech deal to seal 'unbreakable bond'
Trump, Starmer sign tech deal to seal 'unbreakable bond'
by  AFP

Donald Trump hailed America's "unbreakable bond" with Britain Thursday as he and Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a huge tech deal on the second day of the US president's pomp-filled state visit. Trump said the deal was "very big", and added of US relations with key NATO ally Britain that "it's an unbreakable bond we have regardless of what we're doing today."