September 7, 2021 CAIRO (Reuters) – Qatar’s ruling emir and the visiting U.S. secretaries of state and defense discussed developments in Afghanistan and efforts to enhance security there, the emir’s court said on Monday. The emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, received U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin after […]
North Korea promotes general to ruling party’s powerful presidium – KCNA
September 7, 2021 SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea has elevated a general long seen as a rising star in the country’s powerful military and a major player in its missile programme to a position in the presidium of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) politburo, state media reported on Tuesday. Pak Jong Chon will […]
Australian court orders Allianz pay $1.1 million penalty for travel insurance sales
September 6, 2021 (Reuters) – An Australian court fined local units of Allianz SE for selling travel insurance to ineligible customers and not properly disclosing how it calculated premiums on Expedia websites, the country’s corporate watchdog said on Tuesday. Two units of German insurer Allianz were fined a total of A$1.5 million ($1.12 million) in […]
London takes aim at New York with five-year financial plan
September 6, 2021 By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) – Britain needs to ease taxes on banks and make it easier to hire staff from abroad, its financial and professional services lobby said in a blueprint to help London unseat New York as the world’s top international financial centre within five years. The strategy paper on […]
Entertainment-seeking Brits splashed out in August: Barclaycard
September 6, 2021 LONDON (Reuters) – British consumer spending jumped last month thanks to a post-lockdown splurge on holidays at home and entertainment, payment card company Barclaycard said on Tuesday. Spending rose by 15.4% last month compared with its pre-pandemic level in August 2019, marked by higher spending across all categories apart from international travel, […]
New Zealand ‘very close’ to deal for more COVID-19 vaccines
September 6, 2021 SYDNEY (Reuters) – New Zealand is “very close” to procuring more coronavirus vaccines and a deal could be announced this week, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Tuesday, as the country looks to get on top of an outbreak of the Delta variant. The government is in talks with several countries, […]
G20 urges COVID help for poor states, but short on new commitments
September 6, 2021 By Angelo Amante ROME (Reuters) – The group of 20 rich countries said on Monday more efforts were needed to help poor countries vaccinate their populations against COVID-19, but steered clear of making new numerical or financial commitments. Italy, which holds the G20 presidency this year, said after the gathering that the […]
H2O Hospitality secures $30M Series C to expedite hotel digital transformation
The pandemic has triggered more demand for contactless and staff-less operations in the hospitality sector, and now H2O Hospitality, the unmanned hotel management company, has closed a $30 million round on the back of that boost. The South Korea and Japan-based startup automates front and backend processes including accommodation reservation, room management and front desk […]
Tennis-Losing is bad enough but it now comes with death threats, say players
September 6, 2021 By Steve Keating NEW YORK (Reuters) – As if a fourth round 6-2 6-1 thrashing at the U.S. Open was not hard enough to deal with, American Shelby Rogers said that she would most likely have to contend with death threats on social media following Monday’s loss to Emma Raducanu. While death […]
In Buenos Aires downtown, a city seeks new lease of life after pandemic ‘iceberg’
September 6, 2021 By Eliana Raszewski BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – In downtown Buenos Aires, the scars of the pandemic are clear for all to see. In store windows, signs read “We’re leaving,” “Final settlement,” and “Closing down” – a reminder of the painful economic impact of COVID-19. As with city centers elsewhere, Argentina’s picturesque and […]
West Africa bloc to hold extraordinary summit on Guinea -staff memo
September 6, 2021 ABUJA (Reuters) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will hold an extraordinary summit on Guinea on Thursday, according to a staff memo shared with Reuters. Special forces soldiers ousted long-serving President Alpha Conde and dissolved his cabinet on Sunday, prompting ECOWAS to demand a return to constitutional order and […]
Islamic State says it carried out Sunday’s attack on Iraqi police near Kiruk, killing 10
September 6, 2021 KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) – Islamic State militants on Monday claimed responsibility for an overnight attack on Sunday on a guard post near the city of Kirkuk that police sources said killed 10 Iraqi policemen and wounded four. Islamic State, whose militants are active in the area, claimed responsibility for the attack through […]
Chinese beef buyers expect Brazil trade to resume soon despite mad cow cases
September 6, 2021 By Dominique Patton and Nayara Figueiredo BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese beef importers said on Monday the suspension of exports by top supplier Brazil due to two cases of mad cow disease has had no immediate market impact, with some still making purchases in anticipation of a quick resumption of trade. Brazil said […]
Tennis-Harris wins battle of big servers to reach U.S. Open quarters
September 6, 2021 NEW YORK (Reuters) – Unseeded South African Lloyd Harris stormed into his first Grand Slam quarter-final with a crushing 6-7(6) 6-4 6-1 6-3 victory over American Reilly Opelka on Monday. The 24-year-old Harris, whose previous best performance at a major was his run to the third round of the Australian Open earlier […]
Over 80% of oil output in Gulf of Mexico still offline a week after Ida
September 6, 2021 By Stephanie Kelly NEW YORK (Reuters) – More than 80% of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico remains shut in after Hurricane Ida, a U.S. regulator said on Monday, more than a week after the storm made landfall and hit critical infrastructure in the region. Energy companies have been struggling to […]
UK PM Johnson to address lawmakers on social care plan
September 6, 2021 LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson will address lawmakers on Tuesday on his plans to fix Britain’s “broken” social care system, at a time many in his own party are furious that he wants to pay for it by raising taxes, violating an election pledge. For years, British leaders have been […]
‘The Wire’ actor Michael K. Williams found dead in apartment -NY Post
September 6, 2021 By Tim Reid (Reuters) – Michael K. Williams, who played the character Omar Little in the TV series “The Wire,” was found dead in his New York apartment on Monday, the New York Police Department said. He was 54. Lieutenant John Grimpel, a NYPD spokesman, said Williams was found dead in his […]
Tennis-Raducanu’s dream U.S. Open run continues with Rogers thrashing
September 6, 2021 By Steve Keating NEW YORK (Reuters) – British teenager Emma Raducanu continued her dream run at the U.S. Open on Monday by overwhelming American Shelby Rogers 6-2 6-1 to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final. Going through qualifying to get to the last eight at a major is a stunning accomplishment by […]
Tennis-Surviving U.S. Open draw is a marathon, not a sprint
September 6, 2021 By Amy Tennery NEW YORK (Reuters) – ‘Survival of the fittest’ appears to be the mantra at this year’s U.S. Open as marathon matches dominate proceedings at Flushing Meadows to the delight of fans. While speed and skill are paramount at the year’s final major, endurance is proving just as valuable, with […]
Factbox-Pros and cons for El Salvador, the first bitcoin nation
September 6, 2021 SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – El Salvador will on Tuesday become the first country in the world to recognize bitcoin as legal tender, a move President Nayib Bukele says will save Salvadorans living abroad millions of dollars in commissions on money they send home. Despite Bukele’s popularity, the move has been greeted with […]
