Viral video shows cross falling on Colombia priest, no official confirmation | WATCH

Rafale Marine fighter begins flight trials in Goa ahead of Indian Navy induction

Ranbir Kapoor apologises for Dussehra speech slip, clarifies remark at Ramayana event

Meta slapped with $25 billion fine in New Mexico over Facebook data practices, company plans appeal

WATCH: Woman IPS officer fires several rounds of AK-47, ignites debate online

WATCH | Mysterious haze grips Ohio city as toxic chemical leak forces mass evacuation – What is happening?

EU probes Booking.com under Digital Services Act

Pakistan signs another defence pact even as Makkah Alliance shows no teeth. This time, it's  with Qatar, Indonesia, Turkey

Ilhan Omar breaks silence over alleged marriage to her brother; Trump thinks it's 'really good answer'

US-Iran war: Bibi, Trump gamble on new Iran war to save themselves in polls

From Agni-V to Project Kusha: How are India’s indigenous missile systems and defence shield reshaping modern warfare

Will Rohit and Kohli play ODI World Cup 2027? BCCI president Manhas says board 'not in a position to comment'

Why websites around the world are suddenly going offline? What you need to know about PHP

US midterms 2026: What polls and prediction markets indicate about Congress

'You are a dummy, you are a stupid person': Trump loses temper with CNN, ABC reporters after questions about Russia sanctions

China's dancing robot turns violent bodyguard, lifts cars and fights intruders - Watch

16-foot doomsday fish in Chile triggers fears that the next earthquake is coming

Are the US and Israel preparing for another major attack on Iran? Here's what report claims

Priyanka Chopra celebrates Dussehra 2026 with Nick Jonas and daughter Malti Marie | See pics

New OTT releases this week (October 19-25, 2026): Gajab Raat to Chaar Yaar-8 titles to watch during Dussehra week on Netflix, Prime Video and more

‘I caution the president...’: Trump’s ex-press secretary warns after Zacharia’s exit

'Father of all bombs' vs 'mother of all bombs': Iran threatens US with new weapon as Trump hints at MOAB strike

Diljit Dosanjh's Oct 30 Delhi show hits roadblock, Delhi Police denies permission

Australia police arrest former national 100m champ Jake Doran for alleged child abuse

'Gyanu must go': CJP's Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka after release, despite Jantar Mantar protest undertaking

Kolkata airport: CISF detects ₹1.13 crore in US dollars hidden in bags of 2 Bangkok-bound passengers

Feds obtain DNA evidence that could prove Ilhan Omar married her brother: Report

US midterms 2026: Trump's approval rating hits record low as Democrats gain ground

The world's richest man has double down on his quest to acquire Twitter after the social media giant tried to adopt poison pill approach. Musk has lined up funds for a hostile takeover here's a report.

Billionaire Elon Musk has lined up $46.5 billion to buy Twitter

Workers at an Apple store in Atlanta on Wednesday filed a petition to hold a union election, seeking to become the company's first US store to unionize amid a wave of labor activity at other major firms.

Workers at Atlanta Apple store file for unionization

Fashion brand GAP has slashed its forecast for quarterly sales blaming execution challenges at its Old Navy brand and "macro-economic dynamics", sending shares of the retailer down 12% in extended trading.

Gap cuts quarterly sales forecast

Airlines are back and that's the message major US carriers are sending investors now after grappling with COVID- induced uncertainty for two years.

United States airline bookings roar back

The world economy and industries across sectors are reeling under the impact of supply chain issues that coupled with Ukraine-Russia war and recent data from EU's auto association shows that European auto industry is not immune to it.

EU car sales dip for 9th straight month

Netflix's bad year just got much worse after crashing on Tuesday, Netflix shares tumbled 30 % yesterday as well leading to 55 billion dollar wipeout in Netflix market value which is the worst since 2004.

Netflix's bad year just got much worse, $55 billion wipeout in its market value

Carmaker Stellantis on Tuesday said it was suspending production at its Russian plant due to logistical difficulties and sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Stellantis suspends vehicle production in Russia

Plane maker Embraer has delivered 14 jets in the first quarter of this year which includes six commercial and eight executive planes. Embraer plane backlog has hit 17.3 billion on March 31st.

Plane maker Embraer delivers 14 jets in Q1

Elon Musk’s start-up The Boring Company, which builds underground highways to ease traffic congestion, has raised $675 million in Series C round, bringing its valuation up to $5.7 billion.

The round was led by Vy Capital and Sequoia Capital, with participation from other investors Valor Equity Partners, Founders Fund, 8VC, Craft Ventures, and DFJ Growth, Bloomberg reported.

The Texas-based company, which specialises in shorter trips within cities, has been planning to expand its workforce in engineering, operations, and production to scale up its Loop project and accelerate the research and development of Prufrock, the company’s next generation tunnelling machine.

The fresh funding comes three years after Boring Co. raised $120 million at a valuation of $920 million.&nbsp;

Musk had earlier sold Boring Company hats and flamethrowers to raise funds.

The tunnelling company launched its commercial project in Las Vegas in June last year to transport visitors through the city's Convention Center using human-driven Tesla vehicles.

Apart from that, its other projects in Chicago, Los Angeles, and a connection between Washington and Baltimore have fizzled out.

The new funding round includes strategic investments by real estate companies, including Brookfield, Lennar Corp., Tishman Speyer and Dacra Development Corp.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musk-tweets-against-woke-netflix-days-after-twitter-takeover-announcement-472362">Elon Musk tweets against 'woke' Netflix days after Twitter takeover announcement</a>

Last week, Musk attempted a hostile takeover of Twitter Inc with his $43 billion cash offer.

His offer price of $54.20 per share was a 38 per cent premium to Twitter's April 1 close, the last trading day before his 9.1 per cent stake in the social media platform was made public.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-richest-man-elon-musk-says-he-is-homeless-472174">World’s richest man Elon Musk says he is homeless</a>

The New York Post on Tuesday citing sources said that Musk is willing to invest between $10 billion and $15 billion of his own money to take Twitter private.

Watch | Elon Musk willing to invest $15 billion of his money to buy Twitter

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-willing-to-invest-15-billion-of-his-money-to-buy-twitter-472314/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk’s start-up The Boring Company, which builds underground highways to ease traffic congestion, has raised $675 million in Series C round, bringing its valuation up to $5.

Elon Musk’s start-up The Boring Company, which builds underground highways to ease traffic congestion, has raised $675 million in Series C round, bringing its valuation up to $5.7 billion. The round was led by Vy Capital and Sequoia Capital, with participation from other investors Valor Equity Partners, Founders Fund, 8VC, Craft Ventures, and DFJ Growth, Bloomberg reported. The Texas-based company, which specialises in shorter trips within cities, has been planning to expand its workforce in engineering, operations, and production to scale up its Loop project and accelerate the research and development of Prufrock, the company’s next generation tunnelling machine. The fresh funding comes three years after Boring Co. raised $120 million at a valuation of $920 million. Musk had earlier sold Boring Company hats and flamethrowers to raise funds. The tunnelling company launched its commercial project in Las Vegas in June last year to transport visitors through the city's Convention Center using human-driven Tesla vehicles. Apart from that, its other projects in Chicago, Los Angeles, and a connection between Washington and Baltimore have fizzled out. The new funding round includes strategic investments by real estate companies, including Brookfield, Lennar Corp., Tishman Speyer and Dacra Development Corp. Also read | Elon Musk tweets against 'woke' Netflix days after Twitter takeover announcement Last week, Musk attempted a hostile takeover of Twitter Inc with his $43 billion cash offer. His offer price of $54.20 per share was a 38 per cent premium to Twitter's April 1 close, the last trading day before his 9.1 per cent stake in the social media platform was made public. Also read | World’s richest man Elon Musk says he is homeless The New York Post on Tuesday citing sources said that Musk is willing to invest between $10 billion and $15 billion of his own money to take Twitter private. Watch | Elon Musk willing to invest $15 billion of his money to buy Twitter (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk’s Boring Company’s valuation up to $5.7 billion after latest funding round

German car parts supplier Continental has temporarily resumed tyre production for passenger cars at its Russian plant in Kaluga, it said on Tuesday, to protect local workers who could otherwise face criminal charges.

Germany's Continental restarts Russian plant

As some nations look at conflict as opportunities, they try to leverage situation but there are others like India that lead from the front and providing aid in ever possible manner. India has now stepped in the market and will export almost about 7 million tons of its 107 million tons of wheat produced in the country every year.

India to export 1 million tons of wheat to Egypt

Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla is in line to receive a bonus of USD 23 billion. The billionaire is set to get the bonus after the electric car company exceeded quarterly profit and revenue predictions

The world`s most valuable automaker said revenue was $18.8 billion in the first quarter ended March 31, versus estimates of $17.8 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. This is up 81% from a year earlier

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Tesla has been posting record deliveries and earnings for several quarters when its competitors across the world were grappling with supply chain issues.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musk-tweets-against-woke-netflix-days-after-twitter-takeover-announcement-472362">Elon Musk tweets against 'woke' Netflix days after Twitter takeover announcement</a>

"Our own factories have been running below capacity for several quarters as supply chain became the main limiting factor, which is likely to continue through the rest of 2022," Tesla said in a statement.

Shares of Tesla rose 4% after the close of regular trading.

Shortages of chips and recent outbreaks of Covid have had effect on its supply chain and factory operations, said Tesla.

Tesla raised its prices in China, the United States and other countries, after CEO Elon Musk said in March the U.S. electric carmaker was facing significant inflationary pressure in raw materials and logistics amid the crisis in Ukraine.

Elon Musk sent the social media in a tizzy when he offered to buy tech giant Twitter last week. This sent shockwaves in the business world but also sparked concerns that Musk was getting distracted from the electric carmaker at a time when it is ramping up production at new factories in Berlin and Texas

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla is in line to receive a bonus of USD 23 billion. The billionaire is set to get the bonus after the electric car company exceeded quarterly profit and revenue predictions The world`s most valuable automaker said revenue was $18.

Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla is in line to receive a bonus of USD 23 billion. The billionaire is set to get the bonus after the electric car company exceeded quarterly profit and revenue predictions The world`s most valuable automaker said revenue was $18.8 billion in the first quarter ended March 31, versus estimates of $17.8 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. This is up 81% from a year earlier Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Tesla has been posting record deliveries and earnings for several quarters when its competitors across the world were grappling with supply chain issues. Also Read | Elon Musk tweets against 'woke' Netflix days after Twitter takeover announcement "Our own factories have been running below capacity for several quarters as supply chain became the main limiting factor, which is likely to continue through the rest of 2022," Tesla said in a statement. Shares of Tesla rose 4% after the close of regular trading. Shortages of chips and recent outbreaks of Covid have had effect on its supply chain and factory operations, said Tesla. Tesla raised its prices in China, the United States and other countries, after CEO Elon Musk said in March the U.S. electric carmaker was facing significant inflationary pressure in raw materials and logistics amid the crisis in Ukraine. Elon Musk sent the social media in a tizzy when he offered to buy tech giant Twitter last week. This sent shockwaves in the business world but also sparked concerns that Musk was getting distracted from the electric carmaker at a time when it is ramping up production at new factories in Berlin and Texas (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk may get USD 23 billion bonus as Tesla reports strong performance

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday slashed India's gross domestic product (GDP) forecast by 80 percentage points to 8.2 per cent for financial year 2022-23.

IMF slashes India's GDP forecast to 8.2% in 2022-23

JP Morgan Chase, the American banking giant has unveiled the design for its new global headquarters in New York City. The building is touted to be city's largest 'all-electric' tower powered fully by renewable energy.

The building will be constructed at 270, Park Avenue in New York. It will be 1388-foot (423 metres), 60 story skyscraper.

The building has been designed by Foster + Partners and will be completed by the year 2025

"The project is the first under New York City’s innovative Midtown East Rezoning plan, which encourages modern office construction and improvements to the business district’s public realm and transportation," says a press release.&nbsp;

As per the press release, the new building will house up to 14,000 employees and will replace the 'outdated facility designed in the late 1950s for about 3,500 employees'

"The concept for the new design was to create a timeless addition to Park Avenue, which celebrates the city’s iconic architectural history and serves as a powerful new symbol for the next generation of office towers in New York. Using a state-of-the-art structural system to negotiate the site constraints below and at ground level, the innovative fan-column structure and triangular bracing allow the building to touch the ground lightly across the entire block. By lifting the building about 80 feet/24 meters off the ground, it extends the viewpoint from the Park Avenue entrance through to Madison Avenue," says Foster + Partners in its press release.

JP Morgan Chase, the American banking giant has unveiled the design for its new global headquarters in New York City. The building is touted to be city's largest 'all-electric' tower powered fully by renewable energy.

JP Morgan Chase, the American banking giant has unveiled the design for its new global headquarters in New York City. The building is touted to be city's largest 'all-electric' tower powered fully by renewable energy. The building will be constructed at 270, Park Avenue in New York. It will be 1388-foot (423 metres), 60 story skyscraper. The building has been designed by Foster + Partners and will be completed by the year 2025 "The project is the first under New York City’s innovative Midtown East Rezoning plan, which encourages modern office construction and improvements to the business district’s public realm and transportation," says a press release. As per the press release, the new building will house up to 14,000 employees and will replace the 'outdated facility designed in the late 1950s for about 3,500 employees' "The concept for the new design was to create a timeless addition to Park Avenue, which celebrates the city’s iconic architectural history and serves as a powerful new symbol for the next generation of office towers in New York. Using a state-of-the-art structural system to negotiate the site constraints below and at ground level, the innovative fan-column structure and triangular bracing allow the building to touch the ground lightly across the entire block. By lifting the building about 80 feet/24 meters off the ground, it extends the viewpoint from the Park Avenue entrance through to Madison Avenue," says Foster + Partners in its press release.

JP Morgan Chase unveils design of its new global headquarter building

It has been two years since the Covid pandemic began in the March of 2020. There have been a number of changes since then in the world of human resources and hiring. The workers have worked into remote and hybrid forms of working and the recent professional changes including great resignation working from home and remote recruitment and onboarding have steered a dramatic shift in the work and management approach.

Impact of automation on jobs: Use of AI-based technology in hiring talent

The Japanese yen hit a 20-year low against the dollar on Tuesday, supported by high US Treasury yields and likely comparatively good US economic data this week.

Japanese Yen falls to fresh 20-year-low

Median pay for top US CEOs rose 31% last year to a record $20 million, a new study found, surging after a slight decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, as companies showered leaders with stock awards and cash bonuses.

US executives' pay soars 31% after a slight covid era decline

Equity benchmark indices, which resumed trading after a long holiday, faced heavy drubbing on Monday, with the Sensex plunging over 1,186 points in early trade.

The key index was dragged down by heavyweights Infosys and HDFC Bank amid weak trend in Asian markets.

Stock markets were closed on Thursday for Mahavir Jayanti and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti, as well as on Friday on account of Good Friday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amidst-row-surrounding-uk-fm-rishi-sunak-wife-akshata-indias-infosys-exits-russia-470800">Amidst row surrounding UK FM Rishi Sunak &amp; wife Akshata, India’s Infosys exits Russia</a>

The Sensex was trading 1,186.18 points lower at 57,152.75 in early trade. The Nifty tumbled 314.95 points to 17,160.70.

From the 30-share pack, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, TCS, HDFC, HDFC Bank, Wipro and HCL Technologies were among the major laggards in early trade.

In contrast, NTPC, Tata Steel, M&amp;M, Maruti and Power Grid were among the gainers.

Shares of Infosys tanked 8.95 per cent to Rs 1,592.05 on the BSE despite the country's second-largest software services firm last week reporting a 12 per cent year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit for the March quarter at Rs 5,686 crore.

Watch |&nbsp;India inflation soars to 17-month high

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-inflation-soars-to-17-month-high-470674/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

HDFC Bank declined 3.35 per cent to Rs 1,415.75 even as the largest domestic private sector lender Bank on Saturday posted a 22.8 per cent jump in its standalone net profit at Rs 10,055.2 crore for the quarter ended March 2022.

In Asia, markets were trading lower, with Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo quoting in the red in mid-session deals.

Stocks in the US had ended lower on Thursday.

International oil benchmark Brent crude gained 1.01 per cent to USD 112.83 per barrel.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indias-inflation-surges-in-march-lemon-prices-skyrocket-470675">India's inflation surges in March; lemon prices skyrocket</a>

On Wednesday, the Sensex declined 237.44 points or 0.41 per cent to settle at 58,338.93. The NSE Nifty dipped 54.65 points or 0.31 per cent to finish at 17,475.65.

Foreign institutional investors continued to offload shares worth Rs 2,061.04 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

Equity benchmark indices, which resumed trading after a long holiday, faced heavy drubbing on Monday, with the Sensex plunging over 1,186 points in early trade. The key index was dragged down by heavyweights Infosys and HDFC Bank amid weak trend in Asian markets.

Equity benchmark indices, which resumed trading after a long holiday, faced heavy drubbing on Monday, with the Sensex plunging over 1,186 points in early trade. The key index was dragged down by heavyweights Infosys and HDFC Bank amid weak trend in Asian markets. Stock markets were closed on Thursday for Mahavir Jayanti and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti, as well as on Friday on account of Good Friday. Also read | Amidst row surrounding UK FM Rishi Sunak & wife Akshata, India’s Infosys exits Russia The Sensex was trading 1,186.18 points lower at 57,152.75 in early trade. The Nifty tumbled 314.95 points to 17,160.70. From the 30-share pack, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, TCS, HDFC, HDFC Bank, Wipro and HCL Technologies were among the major laggards in early trade. In contrast, NTPC, Tata Steel, M&M, Maruti and Power Grid were among the gainers. Shares of Infosys tanked 8.95 per cent to Rs 1,592.05 on the BSE despite the country's second-largest software services firm last week reporting a 12 per cent year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit for the March quarter at Rs 5,686 crore. Watch | India inflation soars to 17-month high HDFC Bank declined 3.35 per cent to Rs 1,415.75 even as the largest domestic private sector lender Bank on Saturday posted a 22.8 per cent jump in its standalone net profit at Rs 10,055.2 crore for the quarter ended March 2022. In Asia, markets were trading lower, with Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo quoting in the red in mid-session deals. Stocks in the US had ended lower on Thursday. International oil benchmark Brent crude gained 1.01 per cent to USD 112.83 per barrel. Also read | India's inflation surges in March; lemon prices skyrocket On Wednesday, the Sensex declined 237.44 points or 0.41 per cent to settle at 58,338.93. The NSE Nifty dipped 54.65 points or 0.31 per cent to finish at 17,475.65. Foreign institutional investors continued to offload shares worth Rs 2,061.04 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

Sensex plunges 1,186 points in early trade; Nifty tests 17,160 level

Taking a look at China's GDP data and here suggesting a worsening economy as sweeping covid-19 curbs and Russia-Ukraine war take toll on economic activity. China's growth has slowed in March a bit however GDP estimates were better than expectations.

China's GDP expands 4.8% in Q1, beats all forecast

In Britain employers are offering annual pay settlements worth an average increase of just 2.8 percent to staff, it's well below the rate of inflation a survey has showed.

United Kingdom: Employers offer average 2.8% pay rise to staff - survey

In commodities markets oil prices were up today morning as concerns grew about tighter global supply with deepening crisis in Ukraine that raised the prospect of heavier sanctions by the West on top exporter Russia.

Oil prices surges on supply fears amid deepening Ukraine crisis

Gold prices rose on Monday to their highest since mid-March, as the Russia-Ukraine crisis soured risk sentiment and drove investors to the safety of bullion.

Gold hits over 1-month high as Ukraine crisis weakens risk appetite

China's economic growth accelerated in the first quarter of the year to 4.8 per cent, official data showed Monday, but the government warned of "significant challenges" ahead while massive Covid-19 lockdowns started to bite.

The world's second-biggest&nbsp;economy&nbsp;had lost steam in the latter half of last year with a property slump and regulatory crackdowns, pulling down growth.

But it exceeded expectations in the first three months of 2022, growing 4.8 per cent on-year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said, with Lunar New Year spending and factory production cajoling growth.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-first-covid-19-deaths-reported-in-shanghai-since-start-of-lockdown-471757">China: First COVID-19 deaths reported in Shanghai since start of lockdown</a>

The weeks ahead, however, appear treacherous for the&nbsp;economy&nbsp;with Beijing's unrelenting zero-Covid approach to outbreaks clogging supply chains and locking down tens of millions of people -- including in the economic dynamos of Shanghai and Shenzhen as well as the northeastern grain basket of Jilin.

Virus restrictions in March have already gouged at retail sales, as consumers shied away from shopping, and drove up unemployment.

"With the domestic and international environment becoming increasingly complicated and uncertain, economic development is facing significant difficulties and challenges," NBS spokesman Fu Linghui said on Monday.

The pandemic rebound -- as well as the sanctions binding Russia's&nbsp;economy&nbsp;-- ups the ante on officials to deliver Beijing's full-year growth target of around 5.5 per cent.

The target comes in a pivotal political year for President Xi Jinping who is eyeing another term in power at the Party Congress to be held this autumn.

Watch |&nbsp;China's zero-covid policy impacts economy, analysts predict lowest GDP in decades

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinas-zero-covid-policy-impacts-economy-analysts-predict-lowest-gdp-in-decades-471638/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The current virus outbreak is the worst since the peak of the first wave which emerged in Wuhan in late 2019, and the&nbsp;economy&nbsp;is beginning to weaken.&nbsp;

Industrial production growth eased to 5.0 per cent in March, NBS data showed, down from the January-February period.

Meanwhile, retail sales sank 3.5 per cent and the urban unemployment rate ticked up to a 22-month high of 5.8 per cent last month.

"March activity data suggests that&nbsp;China's&nbsp;economy&nbsp;slowed, especially in household consumption," Tommy Wu, lead&nbsp;China&nbsp;economist at Oxford Economics, said in a note.

Worse to come

China's government is trying to balance "minimising disruption against controlling the latest wave of Covid infections", Wu said, but he warned of a drag on economic activity into May or beyond.

Last week, carmakers including XPeng and Volkswagen warned of severe disruptions to supply chains and possibly even a halt on production completely if the lockdown on Shanghai's 25 million inhabitants persisted.

Already, goods are piling up at the world's busiest container port in Shanghai, prompting shipping giant Maersk to say it will stop taking new bookings for refrigerated containers into the city.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-scrambled-jets-over-1000-times-amid-chinese-russian-air-activity-471349">Japan scrambled jets over 1,000 times amid Chinese, Russian air activity</a>

"Further impacts&nbsp;from lockdowns are imminent," said Iris Pang, chief economist for Greater&nbsp;China&nbsp;at ING.

As Shanghai struggles to rein in an outbreak that has seen tens of thousands of daily cases, Pang said other cities may attempt to replicate Shenzhen's success in reopening swiftly by resorting to strict measures with just a few Covid patients.

The southern tech powerhouse went into full lockdown for almost a week in March, but has since eased restrictions.

Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics cautioned that "the worst is still to come".

Fu of the NBS warned of high commodity prices on Monday with the Russia-Ukraine conflict leading to a decline in the availability of commodities such as corn and wheat.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-begins-sending-its-most-advanced-fighter-plane-to-patrol-disputed-seas-471337">China begins sending its most advanced fighter plane to patrol disputed seas</a>

Although&nbsp;China's central bank has announced a reserve ratio cut, lowering the amount of cash banks must hold in a push to support small businesses, experts say officials were taking a restrained approach to stimulus.

But economists expect officials will eventually publish a growth figure consistent with official targets, as part of doubts that the numbers may be massaged for political reasons.

China's economic growth accelerated in the first quarter of the year to 4.8 per cent, official data showed Monday, but the government warned of "significant challenges" ahead while massive Covid-19 lockdowns started to bite.

China's economic growth accelerated in the first quarter of the year to 4.8 per cent, official data showed Monday, but the government warned of "significant challenges" ahead while massive Covid-19 lockdowns started to bite. The world's second-biggest economy had lost steam in the latter half of last year with a property slump and regulatory crackdowns, pulling down growth. But it exceeded expectations in the first three months of 2022, growing 4.8 per cent on-year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said, with Lunar New Year spending and factory production cajoling growth. Also read | China: First COVID-19 deaths reported in Shanghai since start of lockdown The weeks ahead, however, appear treacherous for the economy with Beijing's unrelenting zero-Covid approach to outbreaks clogging supply chains and locking down tens of millions of people -- including in the economic dynamos of Shanghai and Shenzhen as well as the northeastern grain basket of Jilin. Virus restrictions in March have already gouged at retail sales, as consumers shied away from shopping, and drove up unemployment. "With the domestic and international environment becoming increasingly complicated and uncertain, economic development is facing significant difficulties and challenges," NBS spokesman Fu Linghui said on Monday. The pandemic rebound -- as well as the sanctions binding Russia's economy -- ups the ante on officials to deliver Beijing's full-year growth target of around 5.5 per cent. The target comes in a pivotal political year for President Xi Jinping who is eyeing another term in power at the Party Congress to be held this autumn. Watch | China's zero-covid policy impacts economy, analysts predict lowest GDP in decades The current virus outbreak is the worst since the peak of the first wave which emerged in Wuhan in late 2019, and the economy is beginning to weaken. Industrial production growth eased to 5.0 per cent in March, NBS data showed, down from the January-February period. Meanwhile, retail sales sank 3.5 per cent and the urban unemployment rate ticked up to a 22-month high of 5.8 per cent last month. "March activity data suggests that China's economy slowed, especially in household consumption," Tommy Wu, lead China economist at Oxford Economics, said in a note. Worse to come China's government is trying to balance "minimising disruption against controlling the latest wave of Covid infections", Wu said, but he warned of a drag on economic activity into May or beyond. Last week, carmakers including XPeng and Volkswagen warned of severe disruptions to supply chains and possibly even a halt on production completely if the lockdown on Shanghai's 25 million inhabitants persisted. Already, goods are piling up at the world's busiest container port in Shanghai, prompting shipping giant Maersk to say it will stop taking new bookings for refrigerated containers into the city. Also read | Japan scrambled jets over 1,000 times amid Chinese, Russian air activity "Further impacts from lockdowns are imminent," said Iris Pang, chief economist for Greater China at ING. As Shanghai struggles to rein in an outbreak that has seen tens of thousands of daily cases, Pang said other cities may attempt to replicate Shenzhen's success in reopening swiftly by resorting to strict measures with just a few Covid patients. The southern tech powerhouse went into full lockdown for almost a week in March, but has since eased restrictions. Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics cautioned that "the worst is still to come". Fu of the NBS warned of high commodity prices on Monday with the Russia-Ukraine conflict leading to a decline in the availability of commodities such as corn and wheat. Also read | China begins sending its most advanced fighter plane to patrol disputed seas Although China's central bank has announced a reserve ratio cut, lowering the amount of cash banks must hold in a push to support small businesses, experts say officials were taking a restrained approach to stimulus. But economists expect officials will eventually publish a growth figure consistent with official targets, as part of doubts that the numbers may be massaged for political reasons.

China economy accelerates in Q1 but virus stalks outlook

The Brazil Government has projected that country's debt will reach over 80 percent of GDP in 2023, it will be rising to 80.3 percent in 2024 and remaining at that level in 2025

Brazil Government projects country's debt to rise to 80.3% of GDP in 2024

Luxury car BMW's CEO Oliver Zipse has said carmakers should avoid becoming too dependent on a select few countries by focusing only on electric vehicles. He added that there is still a market for combustion cars

BMW CEO warns against EV-only strategy

Louis Vuitton and Dior products boosted first quarter sales at the world's largest luxury goods maker LVMH, kicking off earning seasons for the industry kicking off earnings season for the industry with a show of resilience despite high inflation and consequences of Russia-Ukraine war

Robust demand for luxury goods: Luxury industry prices have increased