September 3, 2021 BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s JD.com has told sellers that it will withdraw the sale of 87 games including Activision Blizzard Inc’s “Call of Duty” and Nintendo’s “Animal Crossing: New Horizon”, saying they were unapproved titles, local media reported. The company, one of China’s largest e-commerce platforms which also hosts third-party sellers, issued […]
European stocks slip ahead of PMI, U.S. jobs data
September 3, 2021 (Corrects index to STOXX 600 in paragraph 2) (Reuters) – European stocks slipped on Friday ahead of U.S. employment data that could influence the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook, while fresh concerns about slowing Chinese growth dented the mood. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.2% by 0723 GMT but on track […]
German climate NGOs take legal action against automakers, Wintershall
September 3, 2021 BERLIN (Reuters) – Greenpeace and German environmental NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) will take legal action against BMW, Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and gas and oil firm Wintershall Dea over their impact on climate change, DUH said on Friday. Lawyers Remo Klinger and Roda Verheyen, who represented plaintiffs in a groundbreaking case in May […]
Japan’s Yoshihide Suga: return of the one-year premier
September 3, 2021 (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Friday he would step down https://ift.tt/2Vb4fPR, setting the stage for a new premier after a one-year tenure marred by an unpopular COVID-19 response and sinking public support. Suga took over after Shinzo Abe resigned last September. Before Abe’s record eight-year tenure, the role […]
Japan LDP’s Ishiba says he is ready to take on premier’s job if conditions are right
September 3, 2021 TOKYO (Reuters) – Former Japanese Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who regularly comes in high in lists of lawmakers that voters favour as premier, said on Friday he was ready to serve as prime minister if the conditions and environment are right. Following Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s decision earlier in the day to […]
SimpliFed serves up $500,000 pre-seed toward infant nutrition support
Feeding babies can take many different forms, and is also an area where parents can feel less supported as they navigate this new milestone in their lives. Enter SimpliFed, an Ithaca, New York-based company providing virtual lactation and a baby feeding support platform. The startup announced Friday that it raised $500,000 in pre-seed funding led […]
Zloty set to pace FX gains with rate hike back in sight- Reuters poll
September 3, 2021 By Miroslava Krufova and Jason Hovet PRAGUE (Reuters) – The zloty has further space to climb after a rally this week as chances grow that Poland’s central bank will begin lifting interest rates sooner rather than later, a Reuters poll showed on Friday. The Polish currency has lagged peers in central Europe […]
Homebuilder Berkeley warns of construction cost inflation, supply chain issues
September 3, 2021 (Reuters) -UK high-end homebuilder Berkeley Group Holdings Plc said on Friday it was seeing construction cost inflation and was mindful of ongoing supply chain and labour market issues due to Brexit and the pandemic. The warning comes close on the heels of top builder Barratt Developments on Thursday flagging a 4-5% rise […]
China’s new stock exchange plans fuel fears of a bourse war
September 3, 2021 SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s plans to launch a new exchange in Beijing, announced by President Xi Jinping on Thursday, boosted shares in Chinese brokerages but knocked down Shenzhen start-up board ChiNext and shares of Hong Kong’s bourse amid fears of rising competition. Although China’s securities regulator said the planned Beijing stock exchange […]
U.S. has no plans to release billions in Afghan assets, Treasury says
September 3, 2021 By Andrea Shalal and Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration has no plans to release billions in Afghan gold, investments and foreign currency reserves parked in the United States that it froze after the Taliban’s takeover, despite pressure from humanitarian groups and others who say the cost may be the […]
Taliban co-founder Baradar to lead new Afghanistan govt – sources
September 3, 2021 (Reuters) – Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar will lead a new Afghan government that could be announced soon, sources in the Islamist group said on Friday, as it battled rebel fighters while striving to ward off economic collapse. Baradar, who heads the Taliban’s political office, will be joined by Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the […]
Putin calls for launch of regular cargo shipments via northern sea route next year
September 3, 2021 VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia should start regular container shipments via the Northern Sea Route across its northern flank from Vladivostok to St Petersburg next year. Russia is investing in infrastructure to develop the Northern Sea Route and wants it to become a major shipping […]
Zip acquisition of Payflex means Africa is ripe for BNPL disruption
Australian buy now, pay later (BNPL) company Zip this week acquired South Africa-based BNPL player Payflex for an undisclosed amount. It’s a piece of news that once again highlights the hype around BNPL services and the quest for global dominance among the leading players. This year we have covered BNPL services from the likes of […]
U.S. grounds Virgin Galactic flights pending mishap probe
September 3, 2021 By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday barred Virgin Galactic from flying its SpaceShipTwo until the agency approves its final mishap investigation report from its July flight or determines the issues do not affect public safety. The FAA confirmed on Wednesday it was investigating a deviation […]
New Zealand police kill “extremist” inspired by Islamic State – PM
September 3, 2021 By Praveen Menon WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand police on Friday shot and killed a “violent extremist” known to the police, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, after he stabbed and wounded at least six people in a supermarket. The attacker, a Sri Lankan national who had been in New Zealand for 10 years, […]
Top 25 roundup: No. 4 Ohio State rallies for win at Minnesota
September 3, 2021 In his first career start, C.J. Stroud threw for 294 yards and four second-half touchdowns as No. 4 Ohio State rallied to defeat Minnesota 45-31 on Thursday at Minneapolis in the season opener for each team. Stroud, who had never thrown a collegiate pass, was 13-for-22 with one interception for the Buckeyes, […]
Mullah Baradar to lead new Afghanistan government – Taliban sources
September 3, 2021 (Reuters) – Mullah Baradar, the head of the Taliban’s political office, will lead the new government in Afghanistan, at least three sources in the Islamist group said on Friday. Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the son of late Taliban founder Mullah Omar, and Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai will take senior positions in the government, […]
MLB roundup: Giants end skid, move into tie for NL West lead
September 3, 2021 Darin Ruf broke an eighth-inning tie with a double after video review overturned what would have been the third out and Thairo Estrada followed with a three-run home run as the San Francisco Giants salvaged one win in their four-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers with a 5-1 victory on Thursday […]
Japan seen upgrading Q2 GDP on stronger business spending: Reuters poll
September 3, 2021 By Kantaro Komiya TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s economy likely grew more than initially reported in the second quarter thanks to stronger business spending, a Reuters poll showed, though a resurgence of coronavirus infections is seen weighing on growth going forward. Separate data due next week will likely show household spending rebounded in […]
Vietnam’s biggest city proposes Sept 15 economic restart after lockdown
September 3, 2021 HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam’s coronavirus epicentre Ho Chi Minh City is proposing to resume its economic activities from Sept. 15 after a strict lockdown, in a shift from its “Zero-COVID-19” containment strategy, according to a draft proposal from the city. The city of 9 million people is targeting the full vaccination of […]