Bloomberg About 2,000 demonstrators marched to Thailand’s Government House to demand a delay in a ban due from December 1 on three pesticides, as a dispute over the plan escalates. The protesters submitted a letter to prime minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha asking for time to assess scientific evidence, the economic impact and whether alternatives are available. Outlawing the chemicals will hurt ...
Read More »International News
China, US reach consensus on resolving ‘relevant issues’
Bloomberg China and the US “reached consensus on properly resolving relevant issues†and agreed to stay in contact on the remaining points for a “phase one†trade deal during a phone call, the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin discussed core concerns, according ...
Read More »Hong Kong exports fall for 12th straight month
Bloomberg Hong Kong’s exports declined for a 12th straight month in October with the financial hub mired in recession under the ongoing US-China trade war and pro-democracy protests. Exports contracted to HK$348.5 billion ($44.5 billion), a 9.2% drop from a year ago, according to a government release. The median forecast was for a 8.4% retreat, according to economists surveyed by ...
Read More »Google fires four employees including protesting staffer
Bloomberg Google fired four employees for what the technology giant said were violations of its data-security policies, escalating tension between management and activist workers at a company once revered for its open corporate culture. Alphabet Inc’s Google sent an email describing the decision, titled “Securing our data,†to all employees, according to a copy of the document obtained by Bloomberg ...
Read More »Striking rail workers in Canada served with lay-off notices
Bloomberg Workers are receiving lay-off notices and chemical companies face shutdowns as the effects of Canada’s largest rail strike in a decade ripples through the economy. The strike by about 3,200 conductors and railyard operators at Canadian National Railway Co (CN) is entering its seventh day, disrupting cargoes of everything from wheat to propane. In Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada’s ...
Read More »Jewels worth $1.1 billion stolen from historic German museum
Bloomberg Thieves made off with jewellery and artifacts worth a reported $1.1 billion after an early-morning burglary at a German museum. The robbers stole three sets of jewellery from Dresden’s Grunes Gewolbe — or Green Vault — after entering through a window just before 5 am local time on November 25, Joerg Kubiessa, the head of Dresden’s police, told reporters. ...
Read More »UK to reduce reliance on China’s Huawei
Bloomberg Britain’s dominant phone company is looking for a new broadband equipment supplier to reduce its reliance on China’s Huawei Technologies Co as it prepares to connect millions of homes to optic fibre. BT Group Plc’s infrastructure division Openreach has started an evaluation process to seek a third strategic vendor alongside Huawei and Finland’s Nokia Oyj for the full-fibre roll-out, ...
Read More »Intel seeking buyers for its chips unit
Bloomberg Intel Corp is seeking buyers for its connected home division, a unit that makes chips used in home internet access gear, according to people familiar with the matter. The chipmaker has hired a financial adviser and is seeking to sell the unit that has annual sales of about $450 million, said the people, who asked not to be identified ...
Read More »Londoners take to canal boats to beat high property costs
Bloomberg In London, which suffers from one of the most expensive property markets in Europe, thousands have found alternative housing for less than the cost of a parking space — though it helps if you can repair an engine or plug a leaky hull. Narrowboats, which aren’t much wider than a king-sized bed, have gained in popularity for those willing ...
Read More »Uber loses London license over concerns for rider safety
Bloomberg London’s transit authority refused to grant Uber Technologies Inc a new license in the capital, endangering the ride-hailing company’s future operations in the city. While the company has made some progress in addressing Transport for London’s (TfL) concerns, the regulator is still concerned that unauthorised drivers can manipulate the app to carry passengers, it said in a statement. Uber ...
Read More »