Scientists see downsides to top COVID-19 vaccines from Russia, China

(This August 31 story is refiled to add dropped word founding to Ertl’s title in paragraph 13) By Allison Martell and Julie Steenhuysen TORONTO/CHICAGO (Reuters) – High-profile COVID-19 vaccines developed in Russia and China share a potential shortcoming: They... More »

Samsung leader Jay Y. Lee indicted in South Korea on allegations linked to 2015 merger

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean prosecutors indicted Samsung Group’s Jay Y. Lee on Tuesday on suspicion of accounting fraud and stock price manipulation in connection with a 2015 merger, dealing a new blow to the head of one of Asia’s most valuable companies. L... More »

Canberra says not told why Australian journalist detained in China

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia does not know why Chinese authorities have detained Australian citizen and television anchor Cheng Lei, Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said on Tuesday, adding to the mystery why the journalist has been taken into custody. The Aust... More »

Philippines says won’t stop projects with China firms blacklisted by U.S.

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines will not halt infrastructure projects involving Chinese firms blacklisted by ally the United States and will act in its own interests, not those of a foreign power, the president’s spokesman said on Tuesday. President Rodrigo... More »

Telcos get 10 years to pay India dues, pain not over for Vodafone

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Heavily indebted Indian telecoms firm Vodafone Idea (VODA.NS) won some reprieve on Tuesday as the country’s top court gave mobile carriers 10 years to settle government dues, but the company’s longer-term problems are not over. Vodafone I... More »

Betting on Asia’s debt, Europe’s hunt for yield heads east

SINGAPORE/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Low yields at home are sending some previously shy European investors into Asia’s credit markets, money managers say, lured by the promise of higher returns and a hope that rebounding economies can hold defaults at bay. Unlike i... More »

Turkey detains senior Islamic State figure, minister says

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish police have arrested the Islamic State militant group’s top figure in Turkey, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Tuesday. Soylu said on Twitter “important plans” had been seized along with the militant. No further details wer... More »

Thai police arrest student leader over anti-government protest

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai police arrested a student leader on Tuesday as part of a continued crackdown against political activists who helped organize an anti-government protest in July, a police officer told Reuters. Jutatip Sirikhan, 21, the president of the ... More »

Suga seen top contender in Japan PM race as ruling party plans slimmed-down vote

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, moved a step closer to becoming the next premier after the ruling party decided on Tuesday on a slimmed-down leadership vote that favours the long-time lieutenant of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.... More »

Former No. 1 Kerber eyeing improvement after rehiring coach Beltz

(Reuters) – Angelique Kerber has not won a title since 2018 but the former world number one is hoping better days lie ahead after rehiring compatriot Torben Beltz as her coach and restoring a partnership that helped the German win two of her three Grand Slam t... More »

Japan’s Kishida says can show strength in economic, foreign policy fields

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese ruling party heavyweight Fumio Kishida, who has declared his candidacy for the party leadership, said on Tuesday he can show strength in the economic and foreign policy fields and he wants to be a leader who listens to the people. Ki... More »

Australian government says it was not told why Australian journalist detained in China

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s trade minister, Simon Birmingham, said Canberra didn’t know why Chinese authorities had detained Australian citizen Cheng Lei, as he warned that the risks for Australian businesses engaged with China had changed. The Australian g... More »

South Korea charges intelligence officers with raping North Korean defector

SEOUL (Reuters) – Two South Korean military intelligence officers have been indicted on charges of raping a North Korean defector, the South’s defense ministry said on Tuesday. According to Yonhap news agency, the victim filed a criminal complaint last year, a... More »

Osaka keen to spread awareness about racial injustice

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Japan’s Naomi Osaka says she wants to spread awareness about racial injustice after the former U.S. Open champion walked onto court with a mask bearing the name of Breonna Taylor on Monday. Osaka, who moved to the United States as a three-... More »

Osaka allays injury fears in three-set win over Doi

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Japan’s Naomi Osaka showed no signs of discomfort from the injury that forced her to miss a final on Saturday but the former U.S. Open champion had to dig deep to beat compatriot Misaki Doi 6-2 5-7 6-2 in her opener at Flushing Meadows. A ... More »

BTS score a first for Korean band on Billboard chart with ‘Dynamite’

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – K-Pop band BTS roared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts in the United States on Monday, becoming the first Korean pop act to debut at No. 1. “Dynamite,” the first all-English language single from the seven-member boy ba... More »

Explainer: How common cold viruses are being used in vaccines from Russia, China

(Reuters) – The modified common cold viruses behind high-profile COVID-19 vaccine candidates from China’s CanSino Biologics (6185.HK) and Russia’s Gamaleya Institute have been studied for decades, but are still not widely used. The following are some details o... More »

India’s top court gives telecom firms 10 years to pay dues to government

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s top court on Tuesday gave telecom firms 10 years to pay back dues they owe to the federal government after they failed to make the payment by the January deadline. Telecom providers in India pay the Department of Telecommunication... More »

Facebook to block news on Australian sites after new law, riling lawmakers

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Facebook Inc (FB.O) on Tuesday said it would stop Australians sharing news content on its platforms if a proposal to make it pay local media outlets for their content becomes law, escalating tension with the Australian government. Under Aust... More »

Explainer: Facebook, Google battle Australia over proposed revenue-share law

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Facebook Inc (FB.O) said it will block news sharing on its platforms in Australia if the government goes ahead with a law to force it, and Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google, to pay local media outlets for featuring their content on its platfor... More »

Philippines says won’t stop projects with China firms blacklisted by U.S

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines will not halt infrastructure projects involving Chinese firms blacklisted by ally the United States and will make its own decisions, not those of a foreign power, the president’s spokesman said on Tuesday. President Rodrigo D... More »

Japan’s next premier to find pandemic eroding job market gains made by ‘Abenomics’

TOKYO (Reuters) – Whoever succeeds Shinzo Abe as Japan’s prime minister will be confronted with growing signs that the job market is deteriorating in an economy laid low by the coronavirus pandemic. Top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga is emerging as a fron... More »

Apple preparing 75 million 5G iPhones for later this year: Bloomberg

(Reuters) – Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has asked suppliers to make at least 75 million 5G iPhones for later this year, along with new Apple Watch models, a new iPad Air and a smaller HomePod, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. The company expects shipments of these n... More »

South Korean prosecutors indict Samsung leader Jay Y. Lee on stock manipulation charge: official

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean prosecutors indicted Samsung Group leader Jay Y. Lee on charges of manipulating stock prices and breach of trust in order to cement control of the group, a prosecution official said on Tuesday. Considering the gravity of manipula... More »

Highlights: U.S. Open day one

NEW YORK(Reuters) – Highlights of the first day at the U.S. Open on Monday (times ET- GMT-4). The Grand Slam, the second this year after Wimbledon was cancelled and the French Open was postponed, is being played without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic:... More »

Facebook improving hate speech detection ahead of Myanmar election

(Reuters) – Facebook Inc said on Tuesday that it was preparing for Myanmar’s general election in November by improving the detection and removal of hate speech and content that incites violence and preventing the spread of misinformation. The company said in a... More »

Australia’s COVID-19 deaths in virus hotspot fall to two-week low

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s second-most populous state Victoria, the epicentre for COVID-19 infections in the country, on Tuesday reported its lowest rise in virus-related deaths in two weeks as a second-wave outbreak eases. Victoria said five people died f... More »

Mainland China reports 10 new COVID-19 cases vs 17 a day earlier

BEIJING (Reuters) – Mainland China reported 10 new COVID-19 cases on Aug. 31, down from 17 reported a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Tuesday. The National Health Commission said in a statement that all new cases were imported infections in... More »

Why Buffett’s bet on Japan could turn on higher inflation, weakening dollar

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Berkshire Hathaway Inc’s $6.2 billion foray into Japan’s five largest trading houses may signal billionaire Warren Buffett’s expectation that inflation and a falling U.S. dollar may make international equities more attractive when economie... More »

Japan’s Toshimaen amusement park closes after 94 years, to make way for Harry Potter

TOKYO (Reuters) – A popular Tokyo amusement park on Monday closed its doors for the last time after being in business for more than nine decades, with part of the site set to make way for a “Harry Potter” theme park. Toshimaen amusement park, which opened in 1... More »

Girl, 3, survives wild skyride caught in tail of giant kite

(Reuters) – A three-year-old girl entangled in the tail of a giant kite survived a terrifying ride after being swept more than 100 feet (30 metres) into the air during a kite festival in Taiwan, video footage posted on social media on Sunday showed. Horrified ... More »

Global funds once again opt out of stocks, despite rally, Reuters polls show

BENGALURU (Reuters) – Funds recommended equity holdings be trimmed to the lowest in over four years in August, despite record-breaking gains by world stocks, as the pandemic drags on and new data suggest the nascent economic rebound is stalling, Reuters polls ... More »

Singapore battles record dengue outbreak with more mosquitoes

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – From the high balcony of a Singapore public housing block, an environment official steadies his mosquito launcher, the latest contraption authorities have devised to combat a record outbreak of the tropical disease dengue. With the click ... More »

Indians seek out fortune tellers to fight COVID-19 blues

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – In his golden-hued office, decked out with peacock feathers and crystal balls, Indian mystic healer and astrologer Sanjay Sharma is busy offering his clients a peek into their future as the COVID-19 pandemic has muddied their present. “Ri... More »

Vietnamese man with five-metre hair says lifelong grow-out is divine calling

DONG HOA, Vietnam (Reuters) – While coronavirus lockdowns caused many men across the world to grow their hair longer than usual, none compare with Vietnam’s Nguyen Van Chien who has gone almost 80 years without a trim. The 92-year-old from the southern Mekong ... More »

Payment holiday parachute might COVID-proof government bonds, top fund says

LONDON (Reuters) – The option of a one-time payment holiday during times of intense crisis might enable countries to pandemic-proof their bonds, a prominent debt fund believes. Economic fallout from COVID-19 has triggered a record number of sovereign defaults ... More »

Factbox: Quotes from court hearings for New Zealand mosque shooter

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – The gunman who killed 51 Muslim worshippers in New Zealand’s worst mass shooting faces a life prison term, possibly without parole, with multi-day sentencing hearings taking place this week. Brenton Tarrant, an Australian, has pleaded gu... More »

Haley fuels 2024 presidential speculation with Republican convention speech

(Reuters) – Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley may have fired up speculation about a 2024 presidential bid on Monday, delivering a speech at the Republican National Convention that praised President Donald Trump while touting her own accomplishments and life s... More »

China agrees with U.S. to push forward implementation of Phase 1 trade deal

BEIJING (Reuters) – China said on Tuesday it agreed with the United States to continue pushing forward the implementation of the bilateral Phase 1 trade deal reached earlier this year during a call between the two countries’ top trade negotiators. Vice Premier... More »

In China, a Trump wax statue maker laments virus impact

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – For Zeng Sheng, the manager at Shanghai Maiyi Arts, this autumn should have been a boon for business: with the U.S. presidential election, demand for the centre’s wax replicas of Donald Trump should have been off the charts. Instead, the s... More »

COVID-19 scary? Japan group offers coffins, chainsaws for stress relief

TOKYO (Reuters) – Finding the pandemic scary? A Japanese group is trying to take people’s minds off COVID-19 – by putting them in coffins surrounded by chainsaw-wielding zombies. Customers this weekend in Tokyo can lie in a 2-metre (6 1/2-foot) windowed box, l... More »

Coronavirus crisis threatens to unravel Japanese artist’s kimono ambitions

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese artist Hiroko Takahashi fought through sexism and suspicion from traditional kimono artisans to establish a globally known brand that sold hundreds of her original garments every month – until the coronavirus devastation hit. Takahas... More »

Netflix tools up in South East Asia as Disney+ Indonesia launch sets scene for streaming battle

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – U.S streaming giant Netflix is ramping up its mobile-only subscription plans in Southeast Asia and expanding local content, senior executives told Reuters, just as arch-rival Disney arrives in the fast-growing market. The world’s biggest ... More »

New Zealand’s Ardern postpones election as coronavirus flares up

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s prime minister postponed the country’s general election on Monday by a month to Oct. 17 as the city of Auckland remains in lockdown due to a growing coronavirus outbreak. Jacinda Ardern bowed to pressure to delay the polls ... More »

Belarusian opposition politician Tsikhanouskaya says she is ready to lead nation

MINSK (Reuters) – Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Monday she was ready to lead Belarus and called for the creation of a legal mechanism to ensure that a new fair presidential election could be held. Speaking in a video address... More »

Japan’s record economic plunge wipes out Abe era gains

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan was hit by its biggest economic slump on record in the second quarter as the coronavirus pandemic emptied shopping malls and crushed demand for cars and other exports, bolstering the case for bolder policy action to prevent a deeper rec... More »

Facebook faces heat from Indian lawmakers on content practices

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian politicians are trading barbs over a media report that Facebook Inc’s (FB.O) content policies favoured Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party, putting the social network at the centre of a political storm in its biggest market by use... More »

Chinese dronemaker DJI makes sweeping cuts in ‘Long March’ reforms

SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) – Chinese drone giant SZ DJI Technology Co Ltd has been making sweeping cuts to its global sales and marketing teams as it faces coronavirus headwinds and mounting political pressure in key markets, current and former staff told Reute... More »

China grants country’s first COVID-19 vaccine patent to CanSino: state media

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s vaccine specialist CanSino Biologics Inc has won a patent approval from Beijing for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate Ad5-nCOV, state media reported, citing documents from the country’s intellectual property regulator. It is the first ... More »

Back to the paddy fields. COVID smashes Indian middle-class dreams

DUTTA NAGAR, India (Reuters) – Until late March, Ashish Kumar was helping to make plastic boxes for Ferrero Rocher praline chocolates and the plastic spoons tucked inside Kinder Joy eggs to scoop out the milky sweet cream inside. With a diploma in plastic moul... More »

China’s Geely Automobile trims full-year sales outlook after profit plunge

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd on Monday booked a 43% drop in half-year profit and trimmed its full-year sales goal, sending its shares down 4%, as the coronavirus outbreak continues to trouble the world’s biggest auto market. The results c... More »

Malaysia’s Penang halts medical tourists after arrivals from Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s northern state of Penang has barred entry by overseas visitors seeking medical treatment until it finalises new health and safety procedures in light of the coronavirus crisis, the chief minister said on Monday. Authorities ... More »

Asia shares push ahead as China markets jump

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Asian shares crept back toward recent peaks on Monday as Chinese markets swung higher, while investors waited to see if the recent sell-off in longer-dated U.S. Treasuries would extend and maybe take some pressure off the beleaguered dollar.... More »

Take Five: Impasse!

1/WALL STREET WATCHES WASHINGTON U.S. lawmakers negotiating a fresh dose of stimulus have reached an impasse. Trillions of dollars injected by the Federal Reserve and huge government spending increases have stemmed coronavirus-linked economic damage, fuelling ... More »

Factbox: Oil refiners shut plants as demand losses seen continuing

(Reuters) – Oil refiners are permanently closing processing plants in Asia and North America and facilities in Europe could be next as uncertain prospects for a recovery in fuel demand after the coronavirus pandemic triggered losses. The pandemic initially cut... More »

Dollar in the doldrums- U.S. politics, Fed minutes eyed

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The dollar slipped marginally and commodity currencies inched higher on Monday as investors were relieved by a delay in the review of the U.S.-China trade pact which left the deal intact. The moves in the Asia session were modest, as weak... More »

Thai economy sees biggest contraction since Asian financial crisis in second-quarter

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s economy saw its biggest annual contraction in 22 years and a record quarterly fall in the April-June period, as the coronavirus pandemic and restriction measures hit tourism, exports and domestic activity, prompting an outlook do... More »

Australian state premier apologises for cruise ship failures after COVID-19 spike

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The leader of Australia’s New South Wales state apologised on Monday for failing to stop people carrying the novel coronavirus from disembarking from a cruise ship in Sydney in March, triggering what was at the time Australia’s worst outbrea... More »

Huawei lawyers say U.S. evidence ‘unreliable’ in Meng extradition case

(Reuters) – Evidence used by the United States to justify the extradition of Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is “unreliable and defective” and should not be considered by a Canadian court, Meng’s lawyers argued in documents released to... More »

Google says Australian antitrust law would hit small content creators

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google on Monday said a proposed antitrust law in Australia forcing tech firms to pay for news that appears on their social media websites would adversely impact individual content creators and channel operators. Goo... More »

New Zealand new wage subsidy scheme expected to cost $333 million

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Finance Minister Grant Robertson said on Monday that the new wage subsidy scheme is forecast to cost about NZ$510 million ($333.80 million) and cover 470,000 jobs. The scheme was announced last week after New Zealand locked... More »

British trade minister pledges to fight ‘unfair’ U.S. tariffs – The Telegraph

(Reuters) – British Trade Secretary Liz Truss pledged to fight U.S tariffs on Scotch whisky, calling them “unacceptable and unfair” in an op-ed in the Telegraph on Sunday. “I will fight to consign these unfair tariffs to the bin of history”, she wrote (AIR.PA)... More »

Nishikori tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of U.S. Open

(Reuters) – Japan’s Kei Nishikori said on Sunday he had tested positive for COVID-19 while in Florida – just two weeks ahead of the U.S. Open that begins in New York on Aug. 31. The 30-year-old former world number four has been staying at the IMG Academy in Br... More »

Motorcycling: Rossi urges riders to control aggression after ‘terrifying’ crash

(Reuters) – Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi has urged riders who make their way up to the premier class to exercise caution when fighting for track positions to avoid a repeat of the horror collision that halted the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday. The red flag came ou... More »

Trump gets verified account on TikTok competitor Triller

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump now has a verified account on TikTok competitor Triller, another sign of the White House’s disfavor toward the ByteDance-owned video-sharing app. Triller is one of several TikTok alternatives that have experie... More »

Pelosi considering recalling Congress over Post Office woes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may recall lawmakers from a summer recess to address changes at the Postal Service that have prompted anger among Democrats and alarm about possible impact on the 2020 election. A Democratic congressional ... More »

Trump says looking at pressuring other Chinese companies after Bytedance

BEDMINSTER, N.J. (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he could exert pressure on more Chinese companies such as technology giant Alibaba (BABA.N) after he moved to ban TikTok. Asked at a news conference whether there were other particular C... More »

K-Pop group BTS’ label Big Hit posts profit as it prepares for IPO

(This August 13 story corrects to show that 2019 and 2020 H1 results are based on different accounting standards in paragraph 3, changes percentage change to profit figure in paragraph 1) By Joyce Lee SEOUL (Reuters) – Big Hit Entertainment, the management lab... More »

Stocks dip on lukewarm data- oil falls

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks fell on Friday as data out of China, the euro zone and the United States put a lid on expectations for a sustained global rebound, with traders already worried about a delay in U.S. fiscal stimulus. A review of the U.S.-China trade ... More »

U.S. equity funds post $5.6 billion weekly inflow: Lipper

(Reuters) – U.S. equity, municipal and taxable bond funds posted inflows in the week ended on Wednesday, while money market fund saw outflows, according to Lipper. U.S. equity funds registered $5.6 billion in inflows in the week ended on Wednesday, according t... More »

Remove masks, celebrate freedom: fashion grannies return to Beijing street ‘catwalk’

BEIJING (Reuters) – Four famous amateur model grandmothers took off their masks during a saunter down the streets of Beijing on Thursday to demonstrate life returning to normal as the COVID-19 pandemic eases. Glamma Beijing, a group of four women who met durin... More »

Chemical signal for locust swarming identified in step toward curbing plagues

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Scientists have identified a chemical compound released by locusts that causes them to swarm, opening the door to possible new ways to prevent these insects from devouring crops vital to human sustenance as they have for millennia. Resea... More »

Back from the dead? Stem cells give hope for revival of Malaysia’s extinct rhinos

KUANTAN, Malaysia (Reuters) – Some skin, eggs and tissue samples are all that remain of Malaysia’s last rhino, Iman, who died last November after years of failed breeding attempts. Now scientists are pinning their hopes on experimental stem cell technology to ... More »

Humanity versus disease showcased as London’s Science Museum reopens doors

LONDON (Reuters) – Exhibits showcasing humanity’s battle with infectious disease will greet visitors recently emerged from coronavirus lockdowns when London’s Science Museum re-opens its doors next week after its longest closure since World War II. “Medicine: ... More »

Official results hand Belarusian leader Lukashenko re-election victory, opposition protests

MINSK (Reuters) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko won a landslide re-election victory, the central election commission said on Monday, after bloody clashes between riot police and thousands of protesters who said the poll was rigged. Figures from the... More »

Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai arrested under security law, bearing out ‘worst fears’

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai became the highest-profile person arrested under a new national security law on Monday, detained over suspected collusion with foreign forces as around 200 police searched the offices of his Apple Daily ne... More »

Explainer: Microsoft’s TikTok bid spotlights Windows maker’s history with China

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp has emerged as the most likely buyer of the U.S. operations of TikTok, the popular Chinese short-video app that U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to effectively ban on national security grounds. A deal would be in lin... More »

China sends fighter jets as U.S. health chief visits Taiwan

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Chinese air force jets briefly crossed the mid-line of the Taiwan Strait on Monday and were tracked by Taiwanese missiles, Taiwan’s government said, as U.S. health chief Alex Azar visited the island to offer President Donald Trump’s support.... More »

China imposes sanctions against U.S. lawmakers over Hong Kong

BEIJING (Reuters) – China said it would apply sanctions against 11 U.S. citizens including officials from Monday in response to Washington’s move on Friday to impose sanctions on 11 Hong Kong and Chinese officials whom it accused of curtailing political freedo... More »

Global commercial insurance rates up 19% in second quarter – Marsh

LONDON (Reuters) – Global commercial insurance rates rose 19% in the second quarter, driven higher by claims related to COVID-19 and other large losses, insurance broker Marsh said on Monday. The rate rise was the highest since Marsh began its commercial insur... More »

Hong Kong reports 69 new coronavirus cases as local transmissions stay high

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong reported 69 new coronavirus cases on Monday, of which 67 were locally transmitted, as authorities battled to contain a resurgence of the virus over the last six weeks. Since late January, over 4,000 people have been infected in ... More »

Iran says Beirut blast should not be politicised

DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran said on Monday that countries should refrain from politicising the massive blast in Beirut last week, and that the United States should lift sanctions against Lebanon. “The blast should not be used as an excuse for political aims … the c... More »

China ex-regulator warns on bank funding risk as NCD issues boom

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The former head of China’s securities regulator has raised concern about banks addressing funding shortages by ramping up issues of short-term interbank debt instruments that have in the past attracted regulatory scrutiny. Xiao Gang, forme... More »

India to promote manufacturing of some products to boost market share

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s government plans to promote the manufacturing of selected products, especially lines in which China enjoys a big share in the global market, as part of efforts to reduce imports and push exports, a cabinet minister said on Monday.... More »

Global shares climb as China industrial data offers hope for coronavirus recovery

LONDON (Reuters) – European shares rose on Monday as industrial activity in China gained strength, another sign of recovery from the coronavirus pandemic that added to hopes the global economy would also return to health. The broader Euro STOXX 600 rose 0.6%, ... More »

Indonesia reports 1,687 new coronavirus cases, 42 more deaths

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia reported 1,687 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing its total to 127,083, data from government’s COVID-19 task force showed. The Southeast Asian country also added 42 new deaths, taking that total to 5,765, data showed. Sourc... More »

Afghan president to sign release of Taliban prisoners, peace talks expected in days

KABUL (Reuters) – Long-awaited peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban were expected to start in Qatar within a week once the final batch of Taliban prisoners were released, the U.S. special envoy and Afghan government sources said on ... More »

Dollar rally regains some momentum- Aussie and Kiwi fall

LONDON (Reuters) – The dollar rose in early London trading on Monday, including versus the euro and Swiss franc, with investors focusing on fiscal stimulus in the United States and U.S.-China tensions ahead of key trade talks on August 15. After talks in Washi... More »

Australia says COVID-19 outbreak shows signs of peaking

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia recorded its biggest one-day rise in COVID-19 deaths on Monday although a slowdown in new cases gave hope that a second wave of new infections in the state of Victoria may have peaked. Nineteen people had died from the virus, all i... More »

Pay out or stay out? Dividends in doubt as Australian profits catch virus

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian companies are likely to deliver smaller dividends in what is forecast to be the country’s worst earnings season in a decade because of the coronavirus pandemic, with even firms that benefited from the upheaval expected to show cau... More »

Saudi Aramco’s profit plunges, sees signs of oil market recovery

DUBAI (Reuters) – State oil giant Saudi Aramco’s profit plunged 73% in the second quarter of the year, as a slump in energy demand and prices due to the coronavirus crisis hit sales at the world’s biggest oil exporter. But the company stuck with plans to pay $... More »

China’s factory deflation slows in July as recovery gains strength

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s factory deflation eased in July, driven by a rise in global oil prices and as industrial activity climbed back towards pre-coronavirus levels, adding to signs of recovery in the world’s second-largest economy. The producer price ind... More »

Hyundai expects new family of Ioniq vehicles to drive global EV sales

(Reuters) – Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) is creating a family of electric vehicles it will sell under the Ioniq brand as part of its drive to become the world’s third-largest seller of EVs by 2025, the company said on Sunday. Hyundai said the ... More »

Hyundai Motor shares rise as much as 10% on Ioniq EV plan

SEOUL (Reuters) – Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) stock jumped as much as 10.2% on Monday to its highest price since May 2018, after the automaker said it would create a family of Ioniq-brand electric vehicles (EVs) as it aims to become the third-largest EV maker... More »

China reports 49 new coronavirus cases in mainland on August 9

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China reported on Monday 49 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for August 9, compared with 23 cases a day earlier, the health authority said. The National Health Commission said in a statement 35 of the new infections were imported case... More »

China targeting U.S. election infrastructure with cyberattacks, says O’Brien

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chinese government-linked hackers have been targeting U.S. election infrastructure ahead of the 2020 presidential election, White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said on Sunday, indicating a more active level of alleged Ch... More »

Exclusive: India data-curb plan ‘anathema’, U.S. tech giants plan pushback

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s plan to regulate “non-personal” data has jolted U.S. tech giants Amazon, Facebook and Google, and a group representing them is preparing to push back against the proposals, according to sources and a letter seen by Reuters. A gove... More »

Indian food delivery company introduces ‘period leave’ for employees

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Indian food delivery company Zomato said on Saturday it would give female employees up to 10 days of “period leave” per year, as part of an effort to combat what it said was stigma around the issue. Zomato is the most high profile organis... More »

Huawei to stop making flagship chipsets as U.S. pressure bites, Chinese media say

SHANGHAI/SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) – Huawei Technologies Co [HWT.UL] will stop making its flagship Kirin chipsets next month, financial magazine Caixin said on Saturday, as the impact of U.S. pressure on the Chinese tech giant grows. U.S. pressure on Huawei’s ... More »

Swapping shorts for thermals, ‘I’m A Celebrity’ moves to UK from Australia

LONDON (Reuters) – British broadcaster ITV will this year hold its reality TV show “I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here” in a ruined English castle in winter instead of the heat of the Australian jungle, as COVID-19 restrictions make global travel all but imp... More »

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