Bloomberg Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the Russian businessman who spent nearly a decade in prison in Russia on what he said were politically motivated charges by the Kremlin, won a second victory at Europe’s top human rights court. The Russian trial judge’s refusal to “allow the defense to examine prosecution and defense witnesses and to submit important expert or exculpatory evidence†violated ...
Read More »Xi strikes optimistic tone after riding out trade war with US
Bloomberg With China on the verge of signing a deal with Donald Trump to defuse a nearly two-year trade war, Xi Jinping is exuding confidence. After he warned last year about threats to Communist Party rule and “changes unseen in 100 years,†Xi began 2020 touting “extraordinary Chinese splendour and Chinese strength.†“In the face of severe and complex domestic ...
Read More »India opens antitrust probe into Amazon, Walmart’s Flipkart
Bloomberg India’s Competition Commission has opened an antitrust probe into Amazon.com Inc and Walmart Inc’s Flipkart Online Services Pvt, over exclusive arrangements between the retailers and mobile phone brands and preferential treatment given to some sellers. A complaint by a New Delhi-based traders’ body cited “instances of several vertical agreements between Flipkart with their preferred sellers on the platform†and ...
Read More »South Korea to rein in surging property prices
Bloomberg South Korean leader Moon Jae-in ramped up his commitment to rein in rising property prices on Tuesday, pledging an “endless†stream of stronger measures if soaring housing prices in some neighbourhoods don’t cool. “Excess liquidity and low rates around the globe are behind the rise in property prices, drawing speculative money into real estate and causing large price jumps ...
Read More »Indonesia cuts crude imports by top refiner
Bloomberg Indonesia ordered its top refiner to limit the purchase of crude oil from overseas this year as the former OPEC member seeks to source more fuel locally to tackle a persistent current account deficit. The energy and mineral resources ministry issued PT Pertamina with a permit to import only 50 million barrels of crude this year, below the 80 ...
Read More »India court allows seizing JPMorgan’s assets in realty case
Bloomberg India’s Supreme Court has allowed the federal anti-money laundering agency to seize assets of JPMorgan Chase & Co’s India unit, if needed, for allegedly violating foreign investment rules, according to a lawyer who was part of the proceedings. The court had in July asked Enforcement Directorate to probe JPMorgan’s role in allegedly helping property developer Amrapali Group divert 1.4 ...
Read More »Renault alliance is here to stay, Nissan says
Bloomberg Nissan Motor Co said it is in no way considering the dissolution of its alliance with Renault SA, which was shaken even further by the dramatic escape of former chairman Carlos Ghosn from trial in Japan. “The alliance is the source of Nissan’s competitiveness,†the Yokohama-based company said in a statement on Tuesday, pushing back against reports that its ...
Read More »Johnson hints he won’t ban Huawei from 5G networks
Bloomberg Boris Johnson suggested his government may be ready to allow Huawei Technologies Co to supply at least some equipment for its 5G broadband networks even in the face of strong pressure for a ban from the US. “The British public deserve to have access to the best possible technology,†Johnson said when asked about Huawei in a BBC TV ...
Read More »Huawei helps China overtake Germany in getting US patents
Bloomberg Huawei Technologies Co broke into the top 10 recipients of US patents last year, according to an analysis of filings with the US Patent and Trademark Office, the latest sign that Chinese companies are aggressive in pursuing the US lead in global technology. The telecom company’s 2,418 patents, along with 2,177 new patents issued to display-screen maker BOE Technology ...
Read More »The deregulation battle
The fate of government regulation — or deregulation — hangs in the balance. President Trump and his allies have vowed to dismantle much of the government’s regulatory superstructure, arguing that the costs are burdening US business and slowing economic growth. Not so, respond Trump’s critics. They argue that he’s jettisoning crucial environmental and consumer safeguards, with the savings channelled into ...
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