Latin America and the Caribbean after Covid-19
Latin America and the Caribbean suffered from several regional preconditions in advance of the Covid-19 crisis, including weak health infrastructure, low growth, and inefficient taxation. Now the pandemic threatens to leave the region with even higher poverty levels, greater inequality, and debts across virtually all countries.
Polish watchdog says eyeing legal steps over PKN Orlen newspaper deal
WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish antitrust regulator UOKiK said on Tuesday it was examining further legal steps after a court suspended its approval of state-owned refiner PKN Orlen’s takeover of newspaper publisher Polska Press. The planned takeover has been criticised by opposition political parties, which say it is part of a wider effort by the ruling […]
Ramadan decorations up in Jerusalem as Palestinians prepare for Muslim holy month
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Colourful lanterns and ornate Ramadan decorations filled the streets of Jerusalem on Monday as Palestinians prepared for a holy month freer of COVID-19 restrictions than at the height of the pandemic.
Grab agrees world’s biggest SPAC merger, valued at $40 billion
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-hailing and food delivery firm, Grab Holdings, agreed a merger on Tuesday with U.S.-based Altimeter Growth Corp in a deal that gives Grab an initial proforma equity value of about $39.6 billion and will lead to a public listing.
How computer mapping could help Biden find and fix polluted neighborhoods
(Reuters) – Diagnosed with asthma at 8 years old, Karlaine Francisco grew up thinking everyone had it. Her friends in south Stockton, California, also carried inhalers and suffered coughing and wheezing fits. “I would tell people, ‘Oh yeah, I have asthma,’” said Francisco, now a 17-year-old high school senior. “And then, my friend would be […]
It’s time for a green social contract
The green transformation will have far-reaching socio-economic implications. Action is needed to ensure domestic and international social equity and fairness.
Microsoft to buy AI firm Nuance Communications in $19.7 billion deal in healthcare push
(Reuters) -Microsoft Corp said on Monday it would buy artificial intelligence and speech technology firm Nuance Communications Inc in a $19.7 billion deal including net debt, as it seeks to bolster its cloud strategy for healthcare. The deal comes as both companies, which partnered in 2019 to automate clinical administrative work such as documentation, gain […]
Analysis – A tale of two tapers: This time is different for a Fed focused on jobs
WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Eight years ago this month Jerome Powell, still in his rookie year as a Federal Reserve governor, surveyed the U.S. job market and declared it was good enough for the central bank to reduce the support for the economy it had rolled out to fight the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis.
Middle Eastern stability as risk as Jordan’s monarchy experiences malicious drama
The US government, under Biden’s administration, has stepped in to address the ongoing drama within Jordan’s royal family that the government has labled as a “malicious plot” questioning the king’s administration. As a global reliable ally, Jordan’s monarchy has been the US government’s asset as it is geographically surrounded by unstable zones like Saudi Arabia, Israel, Syria and Iraq.
Analysis: With quick fixes, Biden’s agencies reverse Trump’s Wall Street-friendly rules
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden’s interim regulators are wasting no time unraveling Wall Street-friendly measures introduced under former Republican President Donald Trump, using quick-fix legal tactics. They have spiked or stalled more than a dozen contentious Trump-era measures that critics said eroded consumer protections, weakened enforcement, and curbed investors’ ability to push for […]
