June, 2021

• 23 June

  UK retail property is ‘turning the corner’

  Bloomberg Retail property in the UK “is turning the corner” following years of decline for the sector, according to analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. A series of “encouraging trends” are emerging in terms of the number of people who are planning to visit malls and retail parks after the pandemic and in consumer behaviour on e-commerce and mall apps, ...

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• 23 June

  Taliban besiege key Afghan city with US troops set to exit

  

  Bloomberg Civilians in Afghanistan have taken up arms to push back against the Taliban as the militants fight for control of a crucial northern city and make deeper territorial inroads with the US set to withdraw all troops by September. The insurgents are battling to take control of strategic cities in the country’s north, including its regional hub Mazar-e-Sharif, after ...

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• 23 June

  Kim’s sister says US has ‘wrong’ views on talks with Pyongyang

  

  Bloomberg Kim Jong Un’s sister said the US has “wrong” views in thinking North Korea might be offering an opening to return to talks, in comments coming shortly after an envoy for President Joe Biden said the US was ready for dialogue “anywhere, anytime” with Pyongyang. The official Korean Central News Agency released a statement from Kim Yo Jong on ...

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• 23 June

  Thai parliament allows referendum as protesters plan a comeback

  

  Bloomberg Thailand’s parliament has unlocked a process for an overhaul of the constitution, one of the key of demands by a youth-led protest movement that has swept the nation in the past year. Lawmakers in the Senate and the Lower House voted to endorse a bill that would pave the way for a public poll on rewriting the charter. The ...

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• 22 June

  Duterte threatens to ‘jail those who refuse Covid-19 vaccines’

  

  Bloomberg Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to jail those who refuse Covid-19 vaccines as the nation ramps up inoculations to prevent the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. “If you’re a person who’s not vaccinated and a potential carrier, to protect the people, I have to sequester you in jail,” Duterte said. Village leaders should keep a list of ...

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• 22 June

  France narrows gap with UK in financial investments

  

  Bloomberg The UK remains Europe’s most attractive destination for financial services investment but its lead has narrowed, according to a survey by the consultants EY. The UK attracted 56 financial services projects in 2020, still the highest in Europe yet down 43 projects from 2019, marking the largest year-on-year decline in a decade. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in financial services ...

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• 22 June

  EU wants US metal  duties halt by year-end: Envoy

  

  Bloomberg The European Union (EU) is working towards having the US lift its national-security tariffs on metal imports by the end of the year, EU Ambassador to Washington Stavros Lambrinidis said. “We’re going to be sitting down in the next five months until the end of the year — we’re going to try to address the fundamental issue of overcapacity ...

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• 22 June

  Italy imposes quarantine on UK tourists in blow to economy

  

  Bloomberg Italy introduced a five-day quarantine and mandatory testing for travellers from the UK, a restriction that will weaken an economic rebound reliant on summer tourism. The UK is one of the biggest sources of travellers to Italy during normal times, though its role has been diminished as a rise in coronavirus cases slowed its travel reopening. Britons will now ...

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• 22 June

  Nokia to redesign its offices across world

  Bloomberg Nokia Oyj plans to redesign its offices globally, adapting workplaces in 130 countries to a more flexible post-pandemic work environment. The Finnish company is seeking to capture the benefits of having had virtually all staff work remotely for the past 15 months. Starting next year, roughly 70% of office space will be dedicated to collaboration and team work and ...

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• 22 June

  Google shuts London startup hub in home working pivot

  

  Bloomberg Google’s parent firm plans to close its seven-story hub devoted to helping startups in London’s Shoreditch district and replace it with virtual services following the shift to home-working. The move comes after the pandemic showed Alphabet Inc that it could serve young firms across the country without the need for a physical space, according to a statement. Google was ...

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