Diplomatic efforts to forestall Russia’s threatened attack on Ukraine still aren’t over — and it appears that discussing Ukraine’s future relationship with Nato isn’t quite as unthinkable as the US and its allies have maintained. That’s good. Making a success of any such approach won’t be easy but, if the alternative is war, it’s worth a try. Shuttling between Moscow ...
Read More »3M adds yet another legal worry
One frequent criticism of conglomerates is that their complex structures can make it more difficult to get proper credit from investors for all of their good assets and growth opportunities. But the axiom can also work in the reverse, apparently. 3M Co has so many problems at the moment — a potentially mammoth liability tied to legacy manufacturing of per- ...
Read More »Taxpayers miss out on ‘pandemic profit deals’
Container-shipping companies have found lots of ways to spend their enormous pandemic profits. They’re lifting staff pay, making acquisitions and returning heaps of cash to shareholders. One person who won’t benefit much is you, the taxpayer. Based on their recent financial filings, I calculate big European container lines AP Moller-Maersk A/S, CMA CGM SA and Hapag-Lloyd AG owe just ...
Read More »Joe Biden’s $7 billion betrayal of Afghanistan
Out of all the actions the Biden Administration could have taken on Afghanistan, commandeering the nation’s foreign currency reserves is, to put it mildly, unhelpful. In an executive order, President Joe Biden began the process of releasing the $7 billion in Afghan Central Bank funds held in the Federal Reserve. It froze those assets last August when the Taliban ...
Read More »SpiceJet returns to profit after seven coronavirus-hit quarters
Bloomberg SpiceJet Ltd delivered on its chairman’s word and posted a surprise profit after making losses for seven straight quarters as ebbing Covid-19 cases paved the way for a relaxation in movement curbs and boosted domestic air travel. India’s third-largest budget airline posted a net income of 232.8 million rupees ($3.1 million) in the three months ended on December ...
Read More »US’s Joby, ANA team up to bring flying taxis to Japan
Bloomberg Flying from Japan’s Osaka station to Kansai International Airport could take just 15 minutes based on plans laid out by flying-taxi startup Joby Aviation Inc. and the country’s biggest airline. Joby and ANA Holdings Inc will work together to bring aerial ridesharing to Japan for the first time, according to a statement. Toyota Motor Corp will join the ...
Read More »Boeing is converting even more aircraft into cargo freighters
Bloomberg Boeing Co, which has almost doubled its capacity to turn passenger jets into freighters since the pandemic began, is considering adding even more as demand for air cargo extends into 2022. “There could be additional lines in the Asia region,†Ted Colbert, head of Boeing’s global services division, said during an interview with Bloomberg at the Singapore Airshow ...
Read More »Airline plans new squeeze on legroom with more seats
Bloomberg A Philippine airline that holds the record for cramming the most seats into a plane is set to do it again with a new Airbus SE jet. Cebu Air Inc, the biggest carrier in the Southeast Asian nation, plans to configure its newest and upcoming A321 XLR aircraft with the highest seat-density possible, doubling down on a strategy ...
Read More »Levi brand boss exits after dispute
Bloomberg A top Levi Strauss & Co executive said she left the denim maker after more than two decades because her outspoken opposition to Covid-19 policies in schools created a fraught work environment for her. Jennifer Sey, who was the company’s global brand president, said she passed up a $1 million severance package that would have come with a ...
Read More »Russia says some troops are returning to base after drills
Bloomberg Russia announced the start of a pullback of some forces after drills that raised US and European alarm about a possible military assault on Ukraine. Markets rallied on news of the withdrawal as investors took the move as a sign of possible de-escalation by Russia amid a major diplomatic push following weeks of warnings from the US and Europe ...
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