August, 2021

• 3 August

  India’s jobless rate drops to four-month low as virus ebbs

  Bloomberg India’s jobless rate fell to the lowest level in four months in July, adding to signs of a nascent recovery in the economy where sales tax collections and demand for some commodities have signaled a rebound. The unemployment rate dropped to 6.95% last month from 9.17% the previous month, according to latest data from private research firm Centre for ...

  Read More »
• 3 August

  Methane cloud spotted near gas pipeline, supplying China

  

  Bloomberg A massive methane plume detected last month over Kazakhstan occurred near a major pipeline that supplies natural gas to China. The cloud was observed roughly 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of the largest Kazakh city of Almaty on July 24, and had an emissions rate of more than 200 tons of methane an hour, according to an estimate from ...

  Read More »
• 3 August

  Indonesia exempts yachts from ‘tax’

  Bloomberg Indonesia will exempt yachts and cruise ships used for tourism from a 75% luxury tax as the world’s biggest archipelago looks into ways to revive its vacation industry amid the pandemic. Similar sailing vessels built for public transport are also exempted, while those imported for other uses are still subject to the levy, the tax office said in a ...

  Read More »
• 3 August

  Thailand expands quasi-lockdown to cover 40% of population

  

  Bloomberg Thailand is set to expand its quasi-lockdown measures to its regions that are hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic and home to about 40% of the population. The most stringent restrictions in 13 provinces, including the capital Bangkok and its surrounding regions, will be extended to August 31, and those curbs will be expanded to 16 additional provinces from Tuesday, ...

  Read More »
• 2 August

  North Korea threatens week-old detente over US-led exercises

  

  Bloomberg Kim Jong Un’s sister warned that upcoming US-South Korea military drills could jeopardise talks with Seoul, raising doubts about a diplomatic breakthrough less than a week after both sides announced a resumption of communications. Kim Yo Jong said the plan to hold annual allied exercises this month “seriously undermines” efforts to restore ties, according to the official Korean Central ...

  Read More »
• 2 August

  Bolsonaro rouses supporters in protests against voting system

  Bloomberg Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro lashed out against the country’s electronic voting system, rousing supporters who took to the streets in major cities over fears of cheating in next year’s election. The 2022 presidential contest should use paper ballots and have a public vote count to assure fraud doesn’t occur, Bolsonaro said in an address to backers that was posted ...

  Read More »
• 2 August

  Nigeria suspends senior officer over US fraud case

  Bloomberg The Nigerian Police Service Commission has suspended a senior officer pending the outcome of an investigation into US charges against him for allegedly aiding an Instagram influencer’s scam to steal more than $1 million. Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner in the Nigeria Police Force and head of Nigeria’s Intelligence Response Team, which tracks suspected kidnappers and terrorists, was relieved ...

  Read More »
• 2 August

  China orders Henan flood probe after death toll surges

  

  Bloomberg China’s State Council has decided to launch a probe after the death toll from the flooding in Henan province surged from 99 to 302, according to official media reports. The State Council decided to carry out a “comprehensive and objective assessment” of Henan’s disaster response, which will be led by the Ministry of Emergency Management, in a bid to ...

  Read More »
• 2 August

  Hungarian finance minister Varga revives debate on EU membership

  

  Bloomberg Hungary’s membership in the European Union may be assessed in a new light once the country becomes a net contributor to the bloc’s budget towards the end of the decade, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said. The comments, made by one of the most moderate voices in Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s cabinet, revived concerns that an increasingly bellicose relationship with ...

  Read More »
• 2 August

  Nonfungible tokens get popular thanks to Shopify’s latest move

  

  Bloomberg Nonfungible tokens have shot to popularity in the past year. Shopify Inc’s move to facilitate sales might bring them even further into the mainstream. NFTs have become popular in industries from sports memorabilia to fashion and art, where their ability to provide authentication and uniqueness is prized. Last week, Shopify started allowing merchants on its platform to sell NFTs ...

  Read More »