Author: AFP

Costa Rica bets on ending fossil fuel use by 2050

SAN JOSÉ: Eric Orlich and his wife Gioconda Rojas own two electric vehicles, which they charge at home in the garage thanks to solar panels on their roof. That could soon become the norm in Costa Rica, where the government launched a decarbonization plan in February to rid the country

Toyota, SoftBank Vision Fund in $1b Uber investment

TOKYO: Japanese car giant Toyota and investment fund Softbank Vision Fund on Friday unveiled an investment of $1 billion in US company Uber to drive forward the development of driverless ridesharing services. The investment, which also involves parts maker DENSO, will go to Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group in a bid

Japan, China shares climb in thin holiday trade

TOKYO: Tokyo and Shanghai stocks closed higher Friday but trade lacked direction with several major markets closed for Easter holidays. In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index added 0.50 percent, or 110.44 points, to 22,200.56, while the broader Topix index climbed 0.12 percent, or 1.96 points, to 1,616.93. The market’s

Coming soon to China : The car of the future

SHANGHAI: Global automakers are positioning for a brave new world of on-demand transport that will require a car of the future – hyper-connected, autonomous, and shared – and China may become the concept’s laboratory. With ride-hailing services booming and car-sharing not far behind, the need for vehicles tailored to these

UK retail sales surge despite Brexit uncertainty

LONDON:  British retail sales rose far more than expected in March, official data showed Thursday, despite political uncertainty over Brexit and turmoil for department stores. Total sales increased by 1.1 percent compared to February, when they rose 0.6 percent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement. The

IMF approves $118.2m rapid credit for Mozambique

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund board on Friday approved an $118.2 million credit that will be rushed out for cyclone-devastated Mozambique to help with the recovery efforts. The zero-interest, 10-year loan will help shore up the country’s budget amid the reconstruction efforts after the massive damage caused last month by

Tech startups Pinterest, Zoom soar in Wall Street debut

NEW YORK: Pinterest got off to a flying start on Wall Street Thursday in the market debut for the San Francisco-based visual discovery service, a positive sign for the wave of Silicon Valley firms planning stock listings. Pinterest shares leapt 28 percent to close at $24.40 after its initial public

No Ancelotti miracle as Napoli end season empty handed

NAPLES: Out of Europe and without a trophy, Carlo Ancelotti’s first season at Napoli has fallen short of expectations. Alexandre Lacazette’s superb curling 36th-minute free-kick from 25 metres out crushed the dream, throwing the Stadio San Paolo into despair. Napoli never gave the impression of a fightback with Unai Emery’s

Juve look to bury Champions League misery with another Serie A crown

MILAN: Juventus turn the page on yet another Champions League disappointment as they focus on sealing an eighth consecutive Serie A title at home on Saturday. Massimiliano Allegri’s side host Fiorentina needing just one more point to lift the Scudetto for a 35th time, days after a shock 2-1 defeat