The world economy is the healthiest it’s been in years but could still use a little help from low-interest rates and higher government spending from countries that can afford it, the International Monetary Fund says.    “There was a strong consensus that the global outlook is strengthening,” said Agustin Carstens, …

Negotiators from Canada and Mexico grappled Saturday with U.S. demands to drastically alter the North American Free Trade Agreement, as talks over renewal of the pact vilified by President Donald Trump ran through a fourth straight day. Some downcast participants said the demands, unveiled this week in line with Trump’s …

Throughout Northern California, where wildfires have raged for almost a week, killing at least 36 people and destroying about 6,000 buildings, residents are taking stock of what they have and what they have lost. Many are feeling lucky to have survived with their lives. The fire’s path of destruction lacked …

In its 19th year, the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit brought together women leaders from a variety of industries to discuss the opportunities and pitfalls for companies seeking to grow in a fast-paced business environment. VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo reports. …

Recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump have raised fears that NAFTA, the 2-decades-old trade pact between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, may be on its last legs. Proponents of NAFTA warn that scrapping the three-nation deal could cause economic shocks around the globe. But others say that’s just a …

The Trump administration Friday demanded that U.S.-made content account for half the value of the cars and trucks sold under the North American Free Trade Agreement, raising further doubts about any potential deal to renew the pact. Three sources briefed on the protectionist U.S. proposal, which is in line with …

Disaster-prone countries that keep rebuilding homes, roads and utilities are in danger of becoming uninsurable unless their new infrastructure is built to survive further catastrophe, experts said Friday at a World Bank conference. New construction must be low in carbon emissions and built on safe land at less risk of …

The euro zone economy may be building up an impressive head of steam that shows no signs of cooling, but what policymakers at the European Central Bank really want – higher inflation – is still largely absent. Industrial output in the bloc rose faster than anyone polled by Reuters expected …

China’s imports from North Korea fell 37.9 percent in September from a year earlier, marking the seventh consecutive month of decline, the customs office said Friday. China-U.S. ties have been strained by President Donald Trump’s criticism of China’s trade practices and by demands that Beijing do more to pressure North …

The wildfires burning through Northern California are sending visitors packing, threatening the $2 billion-plus spent annually by tourists on wine tours, fine food, limousine rides and much more, business leaders said. At the Inn on First bed and breakfast in the famous wine town of Napa, co-owner Jamie Cherry was …

The government of Peru’s President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said Thursday that it will request special powers to legislate economic policies from the opposition-ruled Congress, after growth slowed sharply during his first year in office. During a presentation in Congress, Prime Minister Mercedes Araoz said her cabinet wants to legislate policies …

New research finds nearly 14 million people a year are losing their homes because of sudden onset disasters such as floods and cyclones. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, which analyzed the impact of sudden onset disasters in 204 countries and territories, warns that homelessness will continue to rise unless significant …

Washington has increased tensions in talks to renew the North American Free Trade Agreement by insisting that any new deal be allowed to expire after five years, two officials familiar with the negotiations said on Thursday. Canada and Mexico both strongly oppose the concept of a so-called sunset clause, a …

Tesla Inc. is recalling 11,000 Model X SUVs worldwide because their rear seats might not lock into place. The recall involves vehicles with fold-flat second row seats made between October 28, 2016, and August 16, 2017. Tesla believes only about 3 percent of the recalled vehicles have the issue. Tesla …

The United Arab Emirates announced Thursday it would halt the issuance of visas to North Korean workers, as tensions surrounding the country’s nuclear ambitions continue to build. The move by the UAE follows similar policy changes from Kuwait and Qatar, which already have blocked visas to the country, limiting North …

The European Union’s Brexit negotiator said Thursday that that little progress was made with the U.K. in a fifth round of talks on the country’s departure from the EU in 2019, and that he cannot yet recommend broadening negotiations to include trade.   Michel Barnier said that despite the “constructive …

China has a new richest man, according to the annual Hurun rich list of the country’s top movers and shakers. Xu Jiayin, the chairman of developer China Evergrande Group, has seized top spot – beating out more familiar faces such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s Jack Ma and rival property …

The Trump administration says coal is back and nuclear energy is cool. Not at the expense of natural gas, wind and solar, insists an unusual coalition of business and environmental groups. Dow Chemical, Koch Industries and U.S. Steel Corp. are standing with environmentalists in opposing an Energy Department plan that …

The ranking of the 50 most powerful women by Fortune magazine is out. The list include such stalwarts as General Motors Mary Barra and PepsiCo’s Indra Nooyi. But it also seven newcomers, including the first foreign-born Latina CEO on the Fortune 500, Geisha Williams. VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo was at …

Billionaire philanthopist Michael Bloomberg has pledged an additional $64 million for the initiatives intended to slash the number of U.S. coal power plants. Bloomberg’s charity announced Wednesday the money will be donated to environmental groups working to replace coal-fired plants with cleaner forms of energy production. The move came after …

U.S. and Mexican CEOs gathered in Mexico City on Wednesday said it would be better to live with no North American Free Trade Agreement than be saddled with a bad deal, as industry braces for the end of a treaty that drives $1 trillion in annual trade. The CEO meeting …

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a string of energy, military and other deals with Morocco during a North Africa tour.   Medvedev met Wednesday with Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani and presided at a signing ceremony for 11 bilateral agreements.   The agreements cover cooperation in areas …

To better incorporate all of the brands it now owns, the storied Coach company of New York is changing its name to Tapestry.   The luxury goods company that came to prominence in the “Mad Men” era now owns brands like Stuart Weitzman and Kate Spade & Co. as well. …

South Sudan’s president was a no-show for the nation’s first international oil conference, a gathering that also failed to attract prospective investors from the biggest global energy companies. The turnout showed only smaller companies are risking bets on the oil sector of the world’s youngest country. South Sudan has 3.5 …

A group of 76 U.S. businesses and two professional sports teams have petitioned the Supreme Court to rule whether federal law bans workplace discrimination based on sexual preference. Some of the country’s best-known brands filed a brief with the court Wednesday, including American Airlines, Apple Computers, CBS and Starbucks Coffee, …