News

September 8, 2021 (Reuters) – The labor union representing American Airlines pilots said it will begin informational picketing in coming weeks at the carrier’s major hubs to protest their work schedule, fatigue, and lack of adequate accommodation over the summer. The Allied Pilots Association will picket at Miami International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and […]

September 8, 2021 By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. House of Representatives committee this week will attempt to advance sweeping legislation to expand healthcare benefits for the elderly and other social services as part of Democrats’ $3.5 trillion domestic investment plan. The House Ways and Means Committee plans to debate a wide-ranging measure […]

September 8, 2021 By Antoni Slodkowski TOKYO (Reuters) – Former Japanese internal affairs minister Sanae Takaichi is set to announce her bid for ruling party leadership on Wednesday, her office said, which if successful would see her become Japan’s first female prime minister. Takaichi has the backing of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, local media […]

September 8, 2021 ACAPULCO, Mexico (Reuters) -A powerful earthquake struck southwestern Mexico near the beach resort of Acapulco on Tuesday night, causing rock falls and damaging buildings, though there were no immediate reports of casualties. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said a 7.0 magnitude quake struck 11 miles northeast of the resort of Acapulco, Guerrero. […]

September 8, 2021 SYDNEY (Reuters) – New Zealand reported a further fall in locally acquired COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, as the largely coronavirus-free nation looks to eradicate an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant. New Zealand reported 15 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, down from 21 a day earlier, on the first day […]

September 8, 2021 By Kevin Buckland TOKYO (Reuters) – The dollar hovered near a one-week peak on Wednesday against major peers, buoyed by higher Treasury yields and a weaker euro amid caution before a European Central Bank policy decision. The dollar index, which measures the currency against six rivals, was little changed at 92.553, just […]

September 8, 2021 By Joori Roh (Reuters) – The coronavirus pandemic has sparked huge interest in shared virtual environments, or the “metaverse”. Here’s how it works: WHAT IS THE METAVERSE? Metaverse, a term first coined in science fiction, is a combination of the prefix “meta”, meaning beyond, and “universe”. It refers to shared virtual worlds […]

September 8, 2021 By Joori Roh SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean engineer Shaun has big plans to develop the parcels of land he has snapped up for millions of won (thousands of dollars) in recent years into long-term moneyspinners. “I’m planning to design my building which is suitable to host K-pop live performances and K-drama […]

September 8, 2021 HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police on Wednesday arrested the vice-chairwoman of a pro-democracy group that organises the annual June 4 rally to commemorate those who died in the bloody 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, in the latest blow to the opposition movement. Activist and barrister Chow Hang Tung of the Hong […]

Cao Cao Mobility, the ride-hailing unit of Chinese automaker Geely Automobile Holdings, has announced a $589 million (RMB 3.8 billion) Series B raise that the company says will help it upgrade its technology and expand its fleet, according to a statement released by the company (in Chinese). The raise, which Cao Cao announced on Monday, […]

Intudo Ventures, the “Indonesia-only” investment firm, announced today it has closed its third fund, totaling $115 million. Called Intudo Ventures Fund III, it was raised in less than three months and oversubscribed. Fund III’s limited partners include Black Kite Investments, the family office of Singaporean businessman Koh Bon Hwee; Wasson Enterprises, the family office of […]

Four months after its last funding announcement, Singapore-based e-commerce aggregator Rainforest has closed a $20 million pre-Series A round led by Monk’s Hill Ventures. Other participants included January Capital, Crossbeam Venture Partners, Amasia and Lo & Behold Group, along with returning investors Nordstar and Insignia Venture Partners. Rainforest announced in May that it had raised […]

September 8, 2021 By Charlotte Bruneau and Ahmed Rasheed HALABJA, Iraq (Reuters) – “Where we are standing right now, there should be a river,” says Nabil Musa, gesturing at a dried-up riverbed in northern Iraq.     For the environmental activist, the reason the once swirling Sirwan river has dwindled to a trickle lies across the border […]

September 8, 2021 By Tetsushi Kajimoto and Kantaro Komiya TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s economy grew faster than the initially estimated in the April-June quarter, helped by solid capital expenditure, although a resurgence in COVID-19 is undermining service-sector consumption and clouding the economy’s outlook. Revised gross domestic product (GDP) data by the Cabinet Office released on […]

September 8, 2021 SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s Victoria state reported on Wednesday 221 new locally acquired cases, down from the year’s record high of 246 a day earlier, as authorities try to ramp up vaccinations to begin easing some tough restrictions. About 62% of people above 16 in the state have had at least one […]

September 8, 2021 By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) – Hundreds of thousands of people will die of tuberculosis left untreated because of disruption to healthcare systems in poor countries caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a global aid fund said. In a few of the world’s poorest countries, excess deaths from AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) could […]

September 7, 2021 LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Jamie Spears, the father of Britney Spears, has petitioned a Los Angeles court to end the pop singer’s 13-year conservatorship, NBCNews and CNN reported on Tuesday. (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Sandra Maler) Source Link Britney Spears’ father asks court to end singer’s conservatorship – media reports […]

September 7, 2021 By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he was certain China would try to work out an arrangement with the Taliban after the Islamic insurgents seized power in Afghanistan on Aug. 15. Asked if he was worried that China would fund the group, which is sanctioned under […]

September 7, 2021 By Nick Carey LONDON (Reuters) – Self-driving software startup Oxbotica said on Wednesday it has teamed up AppliedEV to develop a fully autonomous multi-purpose vehicle that could be suitable for a variety of commercial uses. The first deployments of the self-driving electric vehicles (EVs) will be in industrial logistics and automated goods […]

September 7, 2021 By Anthony Esposito and Nelson Renteria SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – El Salvador on Tuesday rolled out cryptocurrency bitcoin as legal tender, an unprecedented move that faced some technical hiccups on its first day and left many wondering how it will work. President Nayib Bukele, who has championed the initiative, said the digital […]