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Carmaker BMW to trial humanoid robots at German factory
German carmaker BMW said Friday it plans to deploy two AI-powered humanoid robots in a factory in a pilot programme for the first time this year.
For Roberto Cavalli designer, dreams come in all black
Black may have been the colour chosen by Roberto Cavalli's creative director for the new women's collection at Milan Fashion Week, but Fausto Puglisi is hardly feeling negative.
New Pokemon titles on horizon as 30th anniversary approaches
Pikachu and friends are set to return to consoles in two new games next year, the Pokemon Company said Friday, as it celebrated 30 years of the monster-collecting franchise.
OpenAI raises $110 bn in record funding round
OpenAI announced Friday a massive $110 billion funding round valuing the ChatGPT maker at $730 billion, with SoftBank, Nvidia and Amazon each making multi-billion-dollar commitments as the artificial intelligence company races to meet surging global demand.
Stocks slide, oil jumps tracking AI and Iran
US and European markets mostly fell on Friday with tech stocks suffering, while oil prices jumped as a standoff between Iran and the United States deepened.
At Milan Fashion Week, industry's darker side goes unmentioned
Artisans in white coats greeted guests at the Tod's fashion show in Milan Friday, crafting the Made in Italy leather and needlework items for which the company -- and country -- is renowned.
'Sacrificed futures': German chemical workers protest looming job cuts
Waving placards reading "Broken Agreements, Sacrificed Futures", hundreds of workers from chemical titan BASF protested in Berlin Friday over plans to axe jobs in Germany and shift them to Asia.
Kurdish Iranian groups in Iraq eye opportunity for change at home
In the Iraqi mountains near Iran, an exiled Kurdish Iranian commander told AFP that whether or not the US launches strikes on Iran, he will still seek regime change in order to win self-determination for the Kurds.
India logs 7.8 percent quarterly growth after data overhaul
India's economy grew at a faster pace than expected in the last quarter of 2025 driven by solid consumer spending, data released Friday showed, using a new framework that calculates economic output more accurately.
Chemical giant BASF to shift jobs from Germany to Asia
BASF signalled on Friday it would shift jobs from its home market of Germany to Asia, as the struggling chemical giant seeks to aggressively cut costs.
Stocks mostly rise, oil jumps tracking AI and Iran
Stock markets mostly rose Friday with traders relieved by the tech sector holding firm despite concerns over massive AI investments.
'Without ports, Ukraine will be destroyed': Odesa buckles under Russian bombs
Looking out at the blue and yellow cranes towering over the Black Sea horizon, Viktor Berestenko worries about the relentless Russian bombardment of Odesa, Ukraine's southern port city.
Iran urges US to drop 'excessive demands' to reach deal
Iran said Friday that in order to reach a deal, the United States will have to drop its "excessive demands", tempering the optimism expressed after talks seen as a last-ditch bid to avert war.
Most Asian markets rise to cap a strong week of regional tech gains
Markets mostly rose Friday as traders extended their buying at the end of a healthy week in Asia, where tech firms rallied on a reassessment of AI investments.
'Fearless' Tracey Emin gets major London retrospective
The biggest exhibition ever devoted to the decades-spanning career of provocative British artist Tracey Emin opens Friday at London's Tate Modern, celebrating her ability to transform "life's trauma" into visceral art.
Texas at heart of Amazon's AI push in United States
Tech titan Amazon is working to step out of Nvidia's shadow with custom "Trainium" chips designed specially for machine learning as billions of dollars are poured into artificial intelligence (AI).
Asian markets fluctuate after healthy week of tech gains
Markets stuttered Friday as traders took their foot off the pedal at the end of a healthy week in Asia, where tech firms rallied on a reassessment of AI investments.
'A crime scene': US researchers examine unmarked graves of dozens of Black children
Mark Davis was just 13 years old when he perished in a juvenile detention facility for Black boys in the eastern US state of Maryland some 140 years ago.
Australian supermarket giant reins in AI assistant claiming to be human
Australian supermarket giant Woolworths has been forced to rein in an AI-powered customer service assistant after users reported it had been rambling about its mother.
The sex lives of Neanderthal males - and human females
Dating out of your league? New research says it's a tale as old as time.
US plaintiff decries harmful social media addiction
The plaintiff in a blockbuster social media trial in Los Angeles took the stand Thursday, telling the jury that she could not control her use of YouTube and Instagram as a child.
Nasdaq resumes selloff as Nvidia falls despite strong results
The tech-rich Nasdaq was back in retreat Thursday as lingering worries over the artificial intelligence boom overshadowed strong Nvidia results while leading bourses in Asia and Europe hit fresh records.
Argentina, Uruguay ratify massive EU-South America trade deal
Argentina and Uruguay on Thursday ratified a massive trade deal with the European Union that has generated enthusiasm from Brasilia to Buenos Aires but sparked protests and a legal challenge in Europe.
Canada optimistic North American free trade pact will survive
The Canadian official responsible for US trade voiced optimism Thursday about the future of a North American free trade agreement, a pact derided by President Donald Trump and set for review this year.
Argentina, Uruguay ratify EU-South America trade deal
Argentina on Thursday became the second South American country to ratify a massive trade deal with the European Union that has generated enthusiasm from Brasilia to Buenos Aires but sparked protests and legal challenges in Europe.
Uruguay becomes first country to ratify EU-South America trade deal
Uruguay on Thursday became the first country to ratify a mammoth trade deal with the European Union, which also includes Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
Stocks diverge as investors digest Nvidia earnings
Stock markets diverged on Thursday as investors digested company earnings, including better-than-forecast but not stellar results from chip titan Nvidia.
Stocks mixed as investors digest Nvidia earnings
Stock markets traded mixed on Thursday as investors digested company earnings, including better-than-forecast results from chip titan Nvidia.
Mother of Greek train tragedy victim takes on politicians in bid for 'justice'
Three years after Greece's deadliest-ever train crash, the mother of one of the tragedy's 57 victims told AFP she hopes her new political party will force the country's governing elite to accept responsibility.
ECB books third straight annual loss
The European Central Bank said Thursday it booked its third straight loss in 2025 due to the lingering impact of a record run of interest rate hikes.
Booming markets propel Hong Kong exchange's profits to record high
Hong Kong's stock exchange reported record profits for the second consecutive year on Thursday, after the finance hub topped the global rankings for initial public offerings in 2025.
Stocks mostly rise as markets digest Nvidia earnings
Stock markets mostly extended gains on Thursday as investors digested company earnings, including forecast-beating results from chip titan Nvidia.