October 7, 2021 PRAGUE (Reuters) – Skoda Auto, part of Volkswagen and the Czech Republic’s biggest exporter, will significantly reduce or perhaps halt production from the week starting Oct. 18 until the end of the year due to the global shortage of chips hobbling the automotive sector. Carmakers around the world are struggling with a […]
U.S. weekly jobless claims fall; layoffs rise in September
October 7, 2021 WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, but layoffs increased from a 24-year low in September in part as hospitals fired unvaccinated staff and lack of workers forced closures of facilities. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits decreased 38,000 to a seasonally adjusted […]
Iran-Saudi talks have gone a ‘good distance’ – Iran’s foreign minister
October 7, 2021 DUBAI (Reuters) – Talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia have gone a “good distance”, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told a news conference in Beirut on Thursday, referring to efforts to improve ties. Iran and Saudi Arabia, the leading Shi’ite and Sunni Muslim powers in the Middle East, have been rivals for […]
Denmark charges women evacuated from Syrian detention camps
October 7, 2021 COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Danish police said on Thursday three Danish women, who were evacuated from Syrian detention camps along with their 14 children, had been charged with aiding terrorist activities and illegally travelling to and residing in conflict zones. Danish authorities decided in May to evacuate the women, who were being held […]
South Africa celebrates Archbishop Tutu as he turns 90
October 7, 2021 CAPE TOWN (Reuters) – Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and veteran of South Africa’s struggle against white minority rule, turned 90 on Thursday, celebrating his birthday with a low-key church service at Cape Town’s St. George’s Cathedral. Tutu, who has struggled with ill health in recent years, is often hailed […]
Biden’s CIA director creates high-level unit focusing on China
October 7, 2021 By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The career diplomat U.S. President Joe Biden named to lead the Central Intelligence Agency is creating a high-level unit aimed at sharpening the agency’s focus on China, at a time of tense relations between the world’s two largest economies. CIA Director William Burns said on Thursday […]
Cosy cabins appear on Sanaa hotel roofs as war curtails tourism elsewhere
October 7, 2021 SANAA (Reuters) – Hotels in Sanaa are cashing in on demand for domestic tourism in war-torn Yemen by building small cabin rooms, known as tairamana, on their roofs offering relaxation and views of the ancient city. Around a dozen of these spaces now perch on the flat roof of the Pearl of […]
Taiwan will ensure regional peace, president tells French senators
October 7, 2021 TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan will continue to play its role as a member of the international community and ensure regional peace and stability, President Tsai Ing-wen told a visiting delegation of French senators on Thursday amid escalating tensions with China. The four senators, led by former defence minister Alain Richard, arrived in Taiwan […]
U.S. Senate Democrats, Republicans haggle over short-term debt fix
October 7, 2021 By Susan Cornwell and Makini Brice WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senate Democrats and Republicans were expected to continue negotiating on Thursday to avert a debt crisis after Democrats showed openness to a Republican offer to allow an extension of the federal debt ceiling into December. Democrats called off an early Wednesday afternoon […]
Analysis-Will Washington truce stick? Wall St assesses U.S. debt ceiling risk
October 7, 2021 By Karen Pierog (Reuters) – An apparent truce in the U.S. debt-ceiling standoff in Congress has offered some relief to Wall Street investors on edge about a possible debt default, but analysts are left assessing the risk of a repeat crisis as the year closes out. The heads of major banks and […]
Biden, Xi plan U.S.-China virtual summit before year’s end, U.S. says
October 7, 2021 By John Revill and Steve Holland ZURICH/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States and China have agreed in principle for their presidents to hold a virtual meeting before year’s end, a senior U.S. administration official said on Wednesday, after high-level talks meant to improve communication between the two big powers. The closed-door meeting at […]
EU finalising ‘far-reaching’ Northern Ireland package, eyes year-end resolution
October 7, 2021 By Padraic Halpin DUBLIN (Reuters) – The European Commission will finalise measures next week it believes can lead to a resolution of post-Brexit trading issues in Northern Ireland by the end of the year or early in 2022, the top EU official dealing with the matter said on Thursday. Since Britain left […]
Google rivals call on EU to set rules for search engine preference menus
Four search engine rivals to Google have called on European Union lawmakers to address the tech giant’s continued dominance of the market by setting rules for search engine preference menus, arguing that the tech giant’s ability to set damaging defaults is continuing to limit how easily consumers can switch to a non-Google alternatives. In an […]
U.S. natgas volatility jumps to a record as prices soar worldwide
October 7, 2021 By Scott DiSavino (Reuters) – Volatility in U.S. natural gas futures jumped to a record on Tuesday on the back of an energy crunch in major world markets that has sent prices soaring globally. Natural gas prices are at record levels in Europe and Asia, as major markets like China struggle to […]
Britain’s NatWest pleads guilty to money laundering failings
October 7, 2021 By Kirstin Ridley and Iain Withers LONDON (Reuters) -NatWest pleaded guilty on Thursday to failing to prevent the laundering of nearly 400 million pounds ($544 million), the first bank in Britain to admit to such an offence. NatWest, which is 55% taxpayer owned after a 45 billion pound plus state bailout during […]
GM aims to double revenues by 2030 as it drives to pass Tesla
October 7, 2021 By Joseph White and Ben Klayman DETROIT (Reuters) -General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra told investors on Wednesday that the automaker plans to double revenue by 2030, expanding profits from combustion vehicles even as it rolls out new electric vehicles and new digitally powered services to catch up with Tesla Inc. […]
Credit Suisse looks to recoup supply chain finance fund recovery costs
October 7, 2021 ZURICH (Reuters) – Credit Suisse is looking to recoup the external costs it is incurring to recover money for investors in its insolvent supply chain finance funds linked to Greensill, the Swiss bank said on Thursday. “The recovery work that (Credit Suisse Asset Management) CSAM is doing on behalf of fund investors […]
French antitrust chief de Silva to leave watchdog on Oct. 13
October 7, 2021 PARIS (Reuters) – France’s antitrust chief Isabelle de Silva will end her five-year mandate as head of the competition watchdog on Oct. 13, she said on Twitter earlier this week. A spokesperson for the agency confirmed de Silva’s departure, which comes as the watchdog is due to make a ruling on the […]
‘Containergeddon’: Supply crisis drives Walmart and rivals to hire their own ships
October 7, 2021 By Lisa Baertlein, Jonathan Saul and Siddharth Cavale LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Flying Buttress once glided across the oceans carrying vital commodities like grain to all corners of the world. Now it bears a different treasure: Paw Patrol Movie Towers, Batmobile Transformers and Baby Alive Lulu Achoo dolls. The dry bulk […]
Futures bounce on easing debt-ceiling, inflation worries
October 7, 2021 By Shreyashi Sanyal (Reuters) – U.S. stock index futures bounced on Thursday after a temporary truce in the debt-ceiling standoff in Congress relieved concerns of a possible government debt default, while a dip in oil prices eased worries of higher inflation. Top U.S. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell on Wednesday floated a plan […]
