Tomorrowland bets on Chinese dance music fans with first indoor event
“Are you ready Shanghai?!” screamed the DJ, his glowing booth nestled at the heart of a huge intricate structure of pulsating colour and sound. Thousands roared back “yes!” as Tomorrowland, one of the world’s biggest dance music festivals, made its China debut this weekend. The move is a vote of confidence in the country’s small […]
Reggae icon and ‘cultural giant’ Jimmy Cliff dead at 81
Jimmy Cliff, the iconic reggae star who helped transform the island’s rhythmic music into a global cultural phenomenon, has died, his wife said Monday. He was 81. The family announced the death in a post on Cliff’s official Instagram account, saying he “has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia.” “I am thankful […]
Snapchat begins age checks in Australia ahead of social media ban
Snapchat has begun asking teenage Australians to verify their ages, a company spokesperson said Monday, just weeks before Canberra enforces sweeping laws banning under-16s from social media. From December 10, Australia will force social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to remove users under the age of 16 or face hefty fines. “Starting this […]
Serbia’s sole refinery faces shutdown after US sanctions
Serbia’s only oil refinery prepared to shut down on Tuesday, as the country’s president set a deadline for the firm’s Russian majority-owners to sell out and end US sanctions. President Aleksandar Vucic, speaking to the press in Belgrade, said the Pancevo refinery had scaled back operations, with a “complete halt” just four days away. “It […]
US retail sales miss expectations as consumers see higher costs
US retail sales grew at a slower pace than anticipated in September, government data showed Tuesday, as higher prices added to affordability concerns while firms grappled with an uptick in business costs. Publication of official economic data has recently been delayed by a record-long goverment shutdown, and the latest figures suggest that consumer spending lost […]
How China leveraged its rare earths dominance over the US
China’s stranglehold on the rare earths industry — from natural reserves and mining through processing and innovation — is the result of a decades-long drive, now giving Beijing crucial leverage in its trade war with the United States. The 17 key elements will play a vital role in the global economy in coming years, as […]
Amazon, Microsoft cloud services could face tougher EU rules
Amazon and Microsoft cloud services could face stricter EU competition rules after Brussels on Tuesday launched probes to assess their market power. Brussels had been under pressure to include the services under the scope of a major law because of the dominance of US cloud providers, which hold around two thirds of market share in […]
Venezuelan opposition leader looks to ‘new era’ without Maduro
With US warships deployed within striking distance of Venezuela, the country’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado spoke Tuesday of her vision for “a new era” without President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro, whose last two re-elections were rejected as fraudulent by the United States and other countries, fears the naval deployment is a regime-change plot under the […]
Meta wins major antitrust case as US judge rules no monopoly
A US judge dismissed the federal government’s antitrust lawsuit against Meta on Tuesday, ruling that the tech giant’s acquisition of Instagram and Whatsapp did not constitute an illegal monopoly in social media. The ruling delivered a major victory to Meta after a five-year battle that began when the US agency filed suit claiming the company […]
South Africa to host G20 summit boycotted by US
South Africa will host the G20 summit this weekend, aiming to secure commitments on debt relief for developing countries and to tackle global inequalities as the United States boycotts the event. US President Donald Trump, who has clashed with South Africa over its G20 agenda, is skipping the summit amid a wider US retreat from […]