The first commercial flight of a Boeing 737 MAX since the jet was grounded 20 months ago following two deadly crashes landed safely in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre Wednesday, said AFP journalists on board.

WhatsApp on Tuesday added virtual shopping carts people can load with purchases and then use to fire off orders to businesses as the Facebook-owned messaging service pushed deeper into e-commerce.

German investor confidence jumped in December, buoyed by hopes that vaccines -- which are expected to win approval for general use in the EU imminently -- could help end the coronavirus pandemic.

Stock markets slid Tuesday in cautious trade amid vaccine rollouts and U.S. stimulus hopes.

Chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Tuesday said the EU stood united and would refuse any undue sacrifices to secure a trade deal with Britain, as post-Brexit talks remained deadlocked.

European stock markets dropped slightly at the open Tuesday as traders continued to track Covid and Brexit developments.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will meet in Brussels to try to break the deadlock in Brexit trade talks, London said on Monday.

Hopes dimmed Monday for an imminent breakthrough in post-Brexit trade talks between the EU and UK, with diplomats warning that any deal must be found before this week's European summit.

The pound tumbled more than one percent against the dollar Monday, as Britain's Sun newspaper said Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to abandon post-Brexit trade talks with the European Union.

French bank Societe Generale said Monday it planned to close 600 branches in France in the next five years as it consolidates its network around the country.