Bloomberg HNA-Caissa Travel Group Co. plans to raise as much as 8 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) through a private share sale as the Chinese tourism and catering company seeks funds to expand its cruise and global-travel services. The company’s controlling shareholder HNA Tourism Group and as many as nine other investors will buy the shares, HNA-Caissa said in a …

  Bloomberg London’s delivery companies are experimenting with electric vehicles to curb the smog spewed by vans distributing parcels packed with goods purchased on the Internet. The UK capital’s transport authority is catalysing the transition from diesel to battery-powered vehicles by funding Gnewt Cargo Ltd., which operates London’s largest all electric delivery fleet. Gnewt is part owned by shipping DX …

  Madagascar / AFP The sweet flavours of vanilla are taking on a bitter edge for buyers in Madagascar as prices have almost quadrupled but quality has declined, with experts blaming speculation, money laundering and a poor harvest. Madagascar, producer of 80 percent of the world’s vanilla, has seen the spice’s price jump from about $60 per kilogramme (2.2 pounds) in …