September 29, 2021 By Tim Kelly TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese prosecutors asked a Tokyo court on Wednesday to send former Nissan Motor executive Greg Kelly to prison for two years for his alleged part in helping Carlos Ghosn, the carmaker’s ousted CEO, hide earnings. Prosecutors, who are also seeking a 200 million yen ($1.8 million) fine […]
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Abu Dhabi’s Etihad working on third sustainable financing
September 29, 2021 DUBAI (Reuters) – Etihad Airways is working on what would be its third financing transaction linked to sustainable investment considerations, the Abu Dhabi government-owned airline’s treasurer said on Wednesday. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns are gaining ground in the oil-rich Gulf region, with borrowers setting up ESG frameworks to transition to […]
SoftBank sinks $200M into Andela, propels company into unicorn territory
Andela, a fully remote company that helps tech companies build remote engineering teams (initially from Africa but now a global market), is currently valued at $1.5 billion following a $200 million Series E round led by SoftBank’s Softbank Vision Fund 2, the $30 billion venture fund of SoftBank Group. Joining SoftBank in the investment was […]
Withings puts its heart-monitoring ScanWatch in the body of a diver’s watch
Daniel Cooper Contributor Daniel Cooper is a senior editor at Engadget. More posts by this contributor Oh hey, Xiaomi has its own creepy robot dog now Withings is launching the ScanWatch Horizon, a dolled-up version of its ScanWatch inside the body of a diving watch. Horizon comes in a bigger, 43mm case size, but is […]
Thai central bank stands pat on rates, no easing seen this year
September 29, 2021 By Orathai Sriring and Satawasin Staporncharnchai BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand’s central bank left its policy rate unchanged at a record low on Wednesday, saying a relaxation of pandemic curbs and a steady vaccine rollout will help the economic recovery. Thailand’s worst coronavirus outbreak led to tougher restrictions in July and August, but the […]
Italy’s police arrest Stellantis manager in U.S. diesel emissions enquiry
September 29, 2021 MILAN (Reuters) – Sergio Pasini, a manager at former carmaker Fiat Chrysler, now part of the Stellantis group, was arrested in Italy, police said on Wednesday, with sources close to the matter adding the arrest was part of a U.S. inquiry into diesel emissions rigging. “We confirm the arrest,” police told Reuters, […]
Germany sees no sign of fuel shortage like in Britain
September 29, 2021 BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany does not see any sign that it could face the same kind of fuel shortages suffered in Britain, a spokesperson for the economy ministry said on Wednesday. “We do not see any shortages in Germany,” the spokesperson told a government news conference. “The supply situation is good, security […]
Electric car maker Lucid on track for 2022 production target, CEO says
September 29, 2021 CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Reuters) – Luxury electric car maker Lucid Group is on track to meet its production targets for 2022 and 2023 and is pushing to achieve this year’s goal of 577 vehicles, its chief executive said. The California-based startup, which went public via a shell company this year, has secured […]
New Besties? German Greens, FDP cosy up to build coalition
September 29, 2021 BERLIN (Reuters) – The leaders of Germany’s Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) posted a smiling selfie of themselves on Wednesday and said they were finding some common ground in preliminary talks about joining a three-way coalition after an election on Sunday. The two parties, from opposite sides of the political spectrum and […]
Women across Latin America march in favor of abortion rights
September 29, 2021 By Ana Isabel Martinez MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Thousands of women demonstrated in several Latin American cities on Tuesday to commemorate the global day of action for access to safe and legal abortion, in a region where the procedure is fully permitted only in a handful of countries. In Mexico City, women […]
Quantum computer software startup QC Ware raises $25 million
September 29, 2021 By Jane Lanhee Lee OAKLAND, Calif (Reuters) – QC Ware, a quantum computer software startup based in Silicon Valley with high profile customers like Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, said on Wednesday it raised $25 million. The funding round was led by Koch Disruptive Technologies, an investment arm of Koch Industries, and Covestro AG, […]
Drone images give hope for return of kelp on U.S. West coast
September 29, 2021 By Nathan Frandino GUALALA, Calif. (Reuters) – Tranquil images of the Pacific Ocean taken by a drone show that California’s kelp forests may be making a comeback after years of depletion, bringing good news in the fight against climate change. Kelp, which reduces global warming by soaking up carbon dioxide from […]
Putin to end COVID-19 self-isolation period with Erdogan talks – Kremlin
September 29, 2021 MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin will end his period of coronavirus-related self-isolation later on Wednesday when he meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin said. Putin said earlier this month that he would have to spend “a few days” in self-isolation after dozens of people in his entourage fell ill […]
EU to tighten visa rules for Belarus officials over migrants
September 29, 2021 By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union will tighten visa rules for Belarusian state officials, Europe’s migration commissioner said on Wednesday, in retaliation for what she called Minsk’s aggressive effort to destabilise the bloc by pushing in irregular migrants. The EU accuses President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating a sharp rise […]
Samsung Electronics close to finalising $17 billion Texas chip plant -sources
September 29, 2021 By Joyce Lee and Hyunjoo Jin SEOUL/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is close to finalising the construction of a $17 billion semiconductor factory in Williamson County in the U.S. state of Texas, three people with knowledge of the matter said. Samsung told Reuters that it is continuing due diligence in […]
Search for remains of indigenous children killed in Guatemala massacre blocked by residents
September 29, 2021 By Bill Barreto GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Residents of a Mayan community in Guatemala prevented experts on Tuesday from beginning to exhume the remains of more than 100 children believed to have been buried clandestinely in a former military garrison during the country’s civil war in the 1980s. The search efforts in […]
Analysis: Auto industry wonders whether Ford-SK battery plants will sport the union label
September 29, 2021 By David Shepardson and Ben Klayman WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters) – The plan for Ford Motor Co and Korean battery partner SK Innovation to build three battery plants in the United States, announced this week, will prompt a furious drive by labor leaders to organize the plants, potentially setting the tone for future union […]
Toronto’s underground PATH mall shops fret about hybrid work in towers above
September 29, 2021 By Nichola Saminather TORONTO (Reuters) – Business is slowly starting to percolate again at the Second Cup coffee shop franchise in Toronto’s PATH shopping mall as workers trickle back to major downtown office buildings above the world’s biggest underground retail hub. The pandemic slashed sales by 80%, said Bryan Archee, who has […]
WeChat blocks China Evergrande messaging groups, some users say
September 29, 2021 By David Kirton ZHUHAI, China (Reuters) – Tencent Holdings’ WeChat platform has blocked at least eight instant messaging groups used by people in China owed money by cash-strapped property giant China Evergrande Group, group members said on Wednesday. The groups, of around 200 to 500 people each, had discussed members’ claims and […]
Clock ticking for U.S. Congress as Friday government shutdown looms
September 29, 2021 By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress on Wednesday had just two days left before the federal government begins shutting many of its operations unless Democrats manage to pass a bill providing new funding for the fiscal year that begins on Friday. Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and […]