Germany 's benchmark DAX index was up almost 2% , while mid- and small-caps rose over 3% each.

The euro gained 0.5% to $ 1.0907 - taking its gains so far this month to 5% .

The trigger for the latest euphoria was a source-based report that German chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz had reached an agreement with the Greens on a massive increase in state borrowing.

Mixue Bingcheng is capitalizing on region-wide sweet tooth with affordable offerings of ice cream, coffee and bubble tea drinks.

Mixue Group had over 45,000 stores carrying its Mixue tea drinks, ice creams and Lucky Cup coffee products.

Other market stars include hotpot giant Haidilao , Fish With You sauerkraut fish restaurants, well-known beverage brands such as Luckin Coffee , Heytea and Chagee .

If Chinese food brands exploded worldwide, they might have that influence, he says.

“ China does have an uphill struggle to obtain soft power, but it’s doing an excellent job with its products,” he says. “It does have to be very careful to keep soft power in China ,’ he adds.

An airstrike by Myanmar ’s military on a central village under the control of a pro-democracy resistance group has killed at least 27 civilians and injured 30 others.

The attack occurred Friday at 3 p.m. in Let Pan Hla village in Singu township, about 65 kilometers ( 40 miles ) north of Mandalay .

Myanmar has been in turmoil since army seized power from elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021 .

China lashes out at accusations it is endangering maritime safety made by G7 diplomats.

China says statement "repeated the same old rhetoric, ignored facts and China ’s solemn position" China claims virtually the entire South China Sea , through which passes around $5 trillion in global trade.

China is not a member of the G7 but closely follows comments and references to its international status made by international organizations.

An elevated road being built in Thailand ’s capital Bangkok collapsed, killing at least five people.

The collapse also injured 24 other people at the construction site, Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit says.

The construction of the 5-kilometer ( 3-mile ) elevated road started in 2022 .

Police commander Siam Boonsom says authorities are still investigating to determine the cause of the collapse.

The spill happened on Feb. 18 when a tailings dam that holds acidic waste from a copper mine collapsed.

The collapse allowed some 50 million liters of waste containing concentrated acid, dissolved solids and heavy metals to flow into a stream.

Authorities are concerned that ground water will be contaminated as the mining waste seeps into the earth .

China is the dominant player in copper mining in Zambia , a southern African nation.

Both mines halted operations after orders from Zambian authorities.

Many Zambians are angry at the lack of environmental protection.

“They don’t seem to have any concern at all, any regard at all. And I think it’s really worrying because at the end of the day , we as Zambian people, (it's) the only land we have.”.

At least 69 airstrikes in the West Bank killed 261 people, including 41 under the age of 19 , since Oct. 7, 2023 , a human rights group says.

Israel Defense Forces said its offensive began after a “significant increase in terror attacks” in West Bank , but it maintained that there had been “no change in the rules of engagement”.

Niko Hakasalo convicted of sexual abuse of a child and possession of an indecent image.

21-year-old local football coach sentenced to nine-month suspended prison term for acts committed as a young person in 202021 .

Jyväskylä region's Finns Party denies the matter and says he has been removed from all party campaign advertising and websites.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posts on X that Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was “no longer welcome in our great country” South African ambassador is “a race-baiting politician” who hates America and President Donald Trump .

Rubio ’s post didn't explain what was behind the decision but linked to a story by the conservative Breitbart news site.

South Africa's post-apartheid government has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause.

South Africa says it wants to fix its relationship with the U.S. President Cyril Ramaphosa 's office says it remains committed to building a mutually beneficial relationship.

The South African government has expressed surprise at Trump 's sanctions.

The Biden administration accused South Africa of supporting Russia in the war in Ukraine while claiming a neutral stance.

Peru 's economy likely expanded some 4% in January , the central bank's chief economist, Adrian Armas , said in a call on Friday .

The South American nation has been bouncing back from a recession entered in 2023 , when the economy contracted 0.4% last year .

Armas said uncertainty over the United States' wide-ranging, on-and-off tariff announcements was creating a more volatile and uncertain global climate.