French union leaders upped their calls on Monday for President Emmanuel Macron to give ground on a planned pension overhaul, despite signs that support is flagging for a grueling transport strike now in its 26th day.

European stock markets were lower Monday following a mixed performance across Asia as investors wind down and take profits at the end of year.

Asian markets were mixed in early trade Monday, with activity thinning out as investors wind down for the end of the year, with lingering optimism over easing US-China trade tensions driving some gains.

The French government and a key trade union on Sunday exchanged bitter accusations over who was to blame for France's over three-week transport strike against pension reforms, as the stalemate showed little sign of relenting.

Dubai unveiled a 2020 budget on Sunday projecting record spending of $18.1 billion, up 17 percent on this year, as it seeks to revive its flagging economy.

As 1960 dawned, sub-Saharan Africa braced for historic change: that year, 17 of its countries were destined to gain independence from European colonial powers.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled Friday prototypes of a domestically manufactured electric car that is hoped will hit the road within three years.

Vietnam's economy notched up an "impressive" 7 percent growth this year to beat its government-set target as the sustained US-China trade war dented economies worldwide.

The boss of a hardline French trade union on Friday vowed to press on with a strike that has crippled transport in Paris for the past three weeks and is now the longest-lasting such action since the 1980s.

Britain's competition regulator on Friday launched an in-depth investigation into Amazon's bid to buy part of online takeaway delivery group Deliveroo.