Venezuela ended 2020 with inflation of nearly 3,000 percent, the central bank said Thursday.

The oil-rich country is mired in the worst economic crisis of its modern history and struggling through its seventh straight year of recession.

A U.S. appeals court refused Thursday to put on hold the extradition of two men wanted by Japan on accusations that they helped smuggle former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn out of the country in a box in 2019.

The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an emergency petition to halt Michael and Peter Taylor's extradition to give them time to challenge a lower court ruling. The U.S. government has said it could surrender the men to Japan as early as Friday, according to the Taylors' lawyers.

The Biden administration is assessing immediate steps to address the semiconductor shortage and plans an executive order to shore up critical supply chain items, a White House spokeswoman said Thursday.

The International Energy Agency warned Thursday the world oil market remains fragile, despite a recent recovery in prices, as tighter restrictions are imposed to curb  more contagious coronavirus variants. 

French luxury giant LVMH announced Wednesday that it was suspending popstar Rihanna's ready-to-wear fashion line that she launched in 2019, to focus on the cosmetics and lingerie parts of her brand Fenty. 

Europe's leading airline, Ryanair, urged Wednesday that Air France be forced to give up lucrative French airport slots if it receives more state aid.

Strong U.S. demand for trucks and SUVs boosted General Motors' fourth-quarter profits and the company on Wednesday projected higher 2021 operating earnings despite up to a $2 billion hit from the global semiconductor shortage.

U.S. stocks struck fresh record highs Wednesday as trading got underway amid stimulus hopes, while oil prices hit 13-month highs.

Russia said Wednesday it was looking to simplify entry requirements for migrant workers, to aid industries like construction and agriculture that are facing labor shortages due to the pandemic.

German exports fell more than 9.0 percent in 2020, official data showed Tuesday, with the coronavirus pandemic sparking the biggest drop in over a decade for Europe's biggest economy.