September 3, 2021 SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) -A legal reform in El Salvador that seeks to fire all judges over the age of 60 that was approved by allies of President Nayib Bukele came under criticism from a U.S. official on Thursday, in the latest American rebuke of the president’s agenda. The over-60 purge is also […]
New Zealand sees success in curbing Delta outbreak as new cases plunge
September 3, 2021 WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand reported 28 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, a big drop compared to the last few days, as authorities said the country was breaking the chain of transmission of the highly infectious Delta variant of coronavirus. Authorities said 27 new cases were in Auckland and one was in […]
DoorDash workers protest outside CEO Tony Xu’s home demanding better pay, tip transparency and PPE
California DoorDash workers protested outside of the home of DoorDash CEO Tony Xu on Thursday, prompted by a recent California Superior Court Judge ruling calling 2020’s Proposition 22 unconstitutional. Prop 22, which was passed last November in California, would allow app-based companies like DoorDash, Uber and Lyft to continue classifying workers as independent contractors rather […]
Bangkok-based insurtech Sunday banks $45M Series B from investors like Tencent
Sunday, an insurtech startup based in Bangkok, announced it has raised a $45 million Series B. Investors include Tencent, SCB 10X, Vertex Growth, Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia & India, Quona Capital, Aflac Ventures and Z Venture Capital. The company says the round was oversubscribed, and that it doubled its revenue growth in 2020. Founded in […]
Tableau launches new enterprise plans, big data tools
The cloud analytics firm Tableau has unveiled a number of new data and analytics platform capabilities in addition to new enterprise subscription plans designed to help customers' digital transformation efforts. The Salesforce-owned company aims to empower everyone in an organization by giving them access to trusted and governed data at a time when 87 percent […]
Dollar near one-month low as payrolls test looms
September 3, 2021 By Kevin Buckland TOKYO (Reuters) – The dollar sank to its lowest in almost a month against major rivals on Friday, ahead of a crucial U.S. jobs report that could spur the Federal Reserve to an earlier tapering of stimulus. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six peers, slipped 0.04% […]
Analysis-Apple’s App Store concessions fail to address top concerns of regulators, lawmakers
September 3, 2021 By Stephen Nellis (Reuters) – In the space of a week, Apple Inc made two sets of changes to its App Store rules, which are the subject of lawsuits, regulatory probes and legislation around the world, but the tweaks do not address the biggest concerns raised. Lawmakers and regulators are considering dismantling […]
Japan’s Aug service sector activity shrinks at fastest pace since May 2020 – PMI
September 3, 2021 TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s services sector activity contracted at the fastest pace in over a year in August as a resurgence of COVID-19 cases dealt a blow to the world’s third-largest economy’s recovery. Activity and new business inflows shrank at the fastest pace since May last year, with businesses hit by a […]
Theranos judge requires COVID shots for jurors, but will that skew the jury pool?
September 3, 2021 By Brendan Pierson (Reuters) – A U.S. judge this week dismissed from a jury pool nine people who were unvaccinated against COVID-19. He said his aim was to keep jurors and their families healthy but might his decision skew the jury pool? U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, presiding over the California fraud […]
Life insurers shift to pre-pandemic norms after COVID vaccine roll-outs
September 3, 2021 By Carolyn Cohn and Noor Zainab Hussain LONDON (Reuters) – The roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations is making life insurers more enthusiastic about offering cover to those with underlying health conditions – some without even knowing whether customers have been vaccinated. Life insurers were imposing waiting periods to buy cover in the early […]
Canada’s Trudeau, struggling in campaign, on defensive over election call at first debate
September 3, 2021 By David Ljunggren MONTREAL (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, struggling ahead of a Sept. 20 election, came under concerted fire at a debate on Thursday from opponents who said he had no business calling an election during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau triggered the vote last month when he was well […]
Islamic State ‘Beatle’ pleads guilty to murdering U.S. hostages
September 3, 2021 By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A British-born man who was a member of a team of Islamic State militants in Syria nicknamed “The Beatles” and accused of beheading American hostages pleaded guilty on Thursday to eight U.S. criminal charges including lethal hostage taking and conspiracy to support terrorists. London-born Alexanda Kotey is […]
Amazon to roll out its own TV in U.S. by October – Business Insider
September 3, 2021 (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc is planning to launch its Amazon-branded TV in the United States as soon as October, Business Insider reported on Thursday. The launch, involving teams from Amazon Devices and Lab126, has been in the works for almost two years, the report https://bit.ly/3t9bzrZ said, citing people familiar with the matter. […]
U.S. reconciliation energy bill slowed by flurry of Republican amendments
September 3, 2021 By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House Natural Resources Committee will extend debate on energy and environmental legislation on infrastructure into next week, Representative Raul Grijalva, a Democrat, said on Thursday after Republicans proposed scores of amendments to the bill. Democrats on the panel have proposed $31 billion of measures […]
Emergency purchases set to slow but ECB to buy bonds for years: Reuters poll
September 3, 2021 By Shrutee Sarkar and Swathi Nair BENGALURU (Reuters) – The European Central Bank will announce a cut to the pace of its emergency bond purchases from next quarter at its meeting this month but will keep buying bonds through 2024 at least under its main programme, and possibly much longer, a Reuters […]
Dollar lost for direction awaiting Fed to set its path: Reuters poll
September 3, 2021 By Hari Kishan BENGALURU (Reuters) – The dollar’s direction is in limbo as financial markets await a clearer path from the U.S. Federal Reserve, according to a Reuters poll of FX strategists who were split on where they expected the currency to trade over the next three months. On the back foot […]
Brazil’s Bolsonaro signs law that could break COVID-19 vaccine patents
September 3, 2021 BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday signed off on a law allowing for vaccine and medication patents to be broken in a public emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. But the right-wing leader vetoed the provisions that patent holders would need to transfer the knowledge and supply the raw […]
BMW Group’s Neue Klasse lineup to focus on circular economy to achieve reduction in CO2 emissions
The BMW Group announced Thursday its intentions to commit to a 50% reduction from 2019 levels in global carbon dioxide emissions during the use-phase of its vehicles by 2030, as well as a 40% reduction in emissions during the life cycle of the vehicle. These goals, including a plan to focus on the principles of […]
Startups should look to state-of-the-art tech to tackle diseases affecting women
Shahar Keinan Contributor Share on Twitter Shahar Keinan, co-founder and CEO of Polaris Quantum Biotech has over 20 years of extensive experience in computational and theoretical chemistry. Pek Lum Contributor Share on Twitter Pek Lum, co-founder and CEO at Auransa, has more than 20 years of genomics and drug discovery experience and is the chief […]
Rebels hold out in Afghan valley as Taliban set up government in Kabul
September 2, 2021 (Reuters) -Taliban forces and fighters loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud battled in Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley on Thursday, more than two weeks after the Islamist militia seized power, as Taliban leaders in the capital, Kabul, worked to form a government. Panjshir is the last province resisting rule by the Taliban, who retook […]
