The Fort Worth Press

Top producer Ivory Coast fears for cocoa output after rains

"Thirty years I've been in cocoa -- and this is the worst season yet," said Siaka Sylla as he contemplated an almost empty warehouse at his cooperative in Ivory Coast, the world's top producer of the bean.

HMV reopening raises revival hopes for London's Oxford Street

British music retailer HMV returns to the iconic site of its former flagship store in central London on Friday, in a much-needed boost to the flagging fortunes of the capital's premier shopping street.

Violence erupts in Dublin after school knife attack

Protesters on Thursday fought running battles with police, torched vehicles and looted shops in Dublin, after three young children were injured in a knife attack outside a school.

Clashes in Dublin after children injured in suspected stabbing

Protesters in Dublin on Thursday torched a car and fought police, an AFP journalist reported, after three children were injured in a suspected school stabbing that social media rumours attributed to a foreign national.

Crisis-mired Germany to blow through debt limit in 2023

Germany will seek to suspend a constitutional debt limit for a fourth straight year, its finance minister said Thursday, after a shock court ruling upended government spending plans and sparked a budget crisis.

'You are in a safe place': Israel prepares to embrace hostages

"I am here to take you home. You are in a safe place" -- Israeli soldiers are being carefully prepared to receive potentially deeply traumatised women and child hostages seized by Palestinian militants.

Polish truckers expand Ukraine border blockade as farmers join in

Polish transport companies Thursday expanded their protests against what they call unfair competition from Ukrainian truckers by blocking another border checkpoint.

Turkey delivers another major interest rate hike

Turkey's central bank on Thursday surprised the market with a larger-than-expected interest hike as it ramped up its fight against inflation and efforts to support the slumping lira.

Tesla's Musk says fallout from Sweden strike 'insane'

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk broke his silence Thursday on a strike against his company in Sweden, saying it was "insane" that it may block new car deliveries.

Oil drops further after OPEC delay as Asian stocks mixed

Oil extended losses Thursday after OPEC announced the shock delay of a key policy meeting, suggesting fresh upheaval in the bloc, while equities were mixed after two US reports dented recent euphoria over the future of interest rates.

Country Garden shares jump after China signals fresh support

Shares in heavily indebted Chinese developer Country Garden soared more than 17 percent on Thursday as signs emerge that Chinese officials are planning more concrete support for the troubled sector.

Bangladesh beauty queen brings 'dawn of hope' for trans women

Bangladeshi trans woman Yasin Ahmed Sokal always wanted the freedom to dress like her sisters, but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine being showered with applause at a beauty pageant in her conservative homeland.

Oil drops further after OPEC delay as Asian stocks struggle

Oil extended losses Thursday after OPEC announced the shock delay of a key policy meeting, suggesting fresh upheaval in the bloc, while equities struggled after two US reports dented recent euphoria over the future of interest rates.

Shear bliss for New Zealand's pampered sheep

Classical music, soft mattresses and the gentlest touch of a wool clipper: welcome to the New Zealand farm indulging what may be the world's most pampered sheep.

Indigenous Brazilians gain political power, even as prejudice remains

Indigenous lawmaker Celia Xakriaba made history when she was elected to Brazil's Congress. But she says she sometimes gets called "Indian," and asked if she is in the legislature selling handcrafts, showing how deep prejudice still runs.

Car blast near Niagara Falls shuts down US-Canada crossing, kills 2

A car erupted into a fireball at a US-Canada checkpoint near Niagara Falls on Wednesday, killing the two occupants, triggering border closures and sparking a massive security alert on the eve of a major holiday.

Oil prices fall after OPEC+ postpones meeting

International oil prices fell Wednesday after a key ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies was pushed back from Sunday to November 30.

Families of Gaza hostages, Palestinian prisoners torn between emotions

Israeli and Palestinian families were torn between hope and fear Wednesday following an overnight deal to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Eurozone markets climb on Fed outlook; London flat before budget

Eurozone stock markets advanced Wednesday on hopes of an end to the US Federal Reserve's interest rate-hiking cycle, but London flatlined before a key budget update.

Disco, dogs help Hong Kong's elderly out of post-Covid isolation

Eyes closed, hips swaying, retiree Polly Chan danced like no one was watching at a community centre in Hong Kong, where experts warn of a loneliness epidemic among the ballooning elderly population.

Sand mining in Vietnam's Mekong Delta sinks homes, livelihoods

One summer morning, Le Thi Hong Mai's home collapsed into a river in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, where shoreline erosion caused by sand mining and hydropower dams threatens hundreds of thousands of people.

Markets dip as Fed minutes suggest rates to stay higher for longer

Asian markets drifted Wednesday as traders tracked a tepid lead from Wall Street following meeting minutes showing Federal Reserve officials were inclined to keep interest rates elevated for "some time" in order to slay inflation.

Polarized world threatens open internet: ICANN

After 25 years of keeping the internet strong and stable, the nonprofit ICANN -- responsible for its technical infrastructure -- is warning that increasingly polarized geopolitics could start cracking the foundations of the online world.

Fake AI porn leads to real harassment in US high schools

When Ellis, a 14-year-old from Texas, woke up one October morning with several missed calls and texts, they were all about the same thing: nude images of her circulating on social media.

Argentine markets surge with optimism on Milei election

Argentina's stock market reacted with optimism Tuesday to the resounding election win by libertarian Javier Milei, despite the country being gripped by uncertainty over what changes the self-described "anarcho-capitalist" will bring.

The twists and turns of an OpenAI meltdown

Silicon Valley star Sam Altman was suddenly ousted from the top spot at OpenAI as it led the race to artificial intelligence, only for the ambitious tech guru to be scooped up by Microsoft.

US Fed expects interest rates to stay high 'for some time': minutes

All members of the US Federal Reserve's powerful rate-setting committee judged earlier this month that it would be appropriate to keep interest rates high "for some time" in order to tackle inflation, minutes of the meeting released Tuesday show.

Hundreds of thousands of civil servants go on strike in Quebec

Several hundred thousand school, hospital and social services workers in Canada's Quebec province walked off their jobs Tuesday for the first day of what is billed as a historic strike to demand better pay and working conditions.

Argentina's Milei may find an unexpected friend in the IMF

What will the relationship be like between Javier Milei, Argentina's new self-described "anarcho-capitalist" president, and the IMF, with which the Latin American country has an ongoing $44 billion loan agreement?

Argentine markets react with optimism to Milei election