Month: September 2021

Ireland to Back Global Tax Deal If Concerns Met: Minister

DUBLIN—Ireland will likely sign up to an overhaul of global corporate tax rules if certainty is brought to bear on its concerns when an updated text of the OECD’s proposals is published shortly, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said on Thursday. Ireland, the low-tax European headquarters for a number of the world’s largest multinationals, has so…


Olympic Gold Medalist Pleads Guilty in Jan. 6 US Capitol Case

A former Olympic swimmer who won gold two times for the United States pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a felony charge in relation to his participation in the U.S. Capitol breach earlier this year. Klete Keller of Colorado Springs admitted to the count of obstruction and agreed to fully cooperate with law enforcement in the…


‘One Last Ride’: Biker Lost in Tragic Accident Gets Coffin Side-Car, Escorted to Funeral by 100 Bikers

A popular young biker who died at age 35 was given “one last ride” as he made his final journey in a glass hearse sidecar—escorted by dozens of motorcyclists. Dad-of-two Nick Bennell was killed following a tragic crash involving multiple vehicles on the A448 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, on Aug. 18. Following his death, his sister…


Liberals to Revive Controversial Proposed Laws When Parliament Resumes

If the Liberals’ election platform is anything to go by, several pieces of controversial legislation that died when the election was called will be reintroduced when Parliament resumes. The platform promised to, “within the first 100 days, reintroduce legislation to reform the Broadcasting Act to ensure foreign web giants contribute to the creation and promotion of…


Japan’s Factory Output Extends Declines on Car Production Cuts

TOKYO—Japan’s industrial output fell for the second straight month in August as COVID-19 outbreaks elsewhere in Asia disrupted supply chains for carmakers already facing headwinds from a prolonged chip shortage. Separate data out on Thursday showed retail sales in August slipped for the first time in six months as households cut spending amid a coronavirus…


UK Government Hails ‘Huge Success’ as COVID-19 Furlough Scheme Ends

The British government has hailed its COVID-19 job retention scheme as a “huge success” as it is due to close at the end of Thursday. The £70 billion ($94 billion) Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, commonly known as furlough, has supported 11.6 million UK workers over the past 18 months. On the last day of the…


European Shares Rebound, but Set to End Volatile September With Losses

European stocks continued their rebound on Thursday from a bruising sell-off earlier this week, but were set for monthly declines on worries about a slowing global economy and higher inflation. The pan-regional STOXX 600 index rose 0.6 percent, led by technology stocks, which were at the centre of the market rout, while miners rose from…


US and Qatar Sanction Iran-backed Hezbollah Financial Network

The U.S. Treasury Department and Qatar have issued joint sanctions on members of the networks that finance the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. In a statement on Sept. 29, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Director Andrea M. Gacki said Hezbollah had “abus[ed] the international financial system by developing global networks of financiers to fill its coffers…


Dollar Hovers Near 1-year High as Fed Tightening in Focus, Iron Ore Prices Boost Aussie

LONDON—The dollar hovered near its highest levels in a year against a basket of peers on Thursday on rising expectations the Federal Reserve will taper stimulus from November, while a bounce in iron ore prices boosted the commodity-linked Australian dollar. The safe haven greenback has made sharp gains over the last two sessions on concern…


BOJ Kuroda Vows to Keep Easy Policy on Weak Consumption, Inflation

TOKYO—Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda on Thursday stressed the bank’s readiness to maintain massive stimulus, as the fallout from the pandemic weighs on consumption and keeps inflation distant from its 2 percent target. Kuroda said the world’s third-largest economy is expected to show clearer signs of recovery as robust corporate profits and capital expenditure…