Newsletter Feb 24, 2023

Britain scraps interviews for 12,000 asylum seekers to speed up process

Britain will scrap the requirement for around 12,000 asylum seekers to undergo face-to-face interviews and instead ask them to fill out a questionnaire, the government said on Thursday, in an attempt to clear record levels of backlogs.

Russia's war in Ukraine drags into second year with no end in sight

The war in Ukraine dragged into its second year on Friday, with no end in sight to a conflict launched by Russia that has killed tens of thousands of people, flattened cities and towns, forced millions to flee and brought a Cold War chill to global ties.

Britain's salad crisis could last another month

Britons may face shortages of salad staples, including tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, for up to another month, the government said on Thursday.

World Bank hopes to select new chief by May

The World Bank said Wednesday it hopes to find a successor by early May to chief David Malpass, who has announced he will step down nearly a year early.

EU Commission, citing security, bans TikTok on staff phones

The European Commission has banned Chinese short video-sharing app TikTok from its employees' corporate phones for cybersecurity reasons, EU industry chief Thierry Breton said on Thursday, the first EU institution to do so.

EU eyes Big Tech as it seeks feedback on who should pay network costs

The European Commission on Thursday launched a consultation on the future of Europe's telecoms sector, starting a process that could lead to requiring Alphabet's Google, Apple, Meta Platform and Netflix to pay some network costs.

Germany bids to clear the rocky path for foreign talent

Costa Rican Alex Madrigal, a trained economist, had his visa approved in May last year in just six hours, although that was just the beginning of the hurdles he faced in settling in Germany, despite the country's chronic skills shortage.

Earthquake will keep Turkish inflation above 40%, additional budget needed - official

Turkey's devastating earthquake will keep inflation above 40% in the run-up to elections scheduled for June and will necessitate an additional budget, a government official and four economists said.

Oil prices stabilise, but rise in U.S. inventories looms

Oil prices stabilised on Thursday after Brent crude posted its biggest one-day loss for seven weeks in the previous session, with gains on Russian supply curbs capped by an expected rise in U.S.

Economists urge China to think 'beyond GDP' to head off climate risks

A team of influential economists has urged China to adopt a new development model based on "wellbeing" rather than GDP growth in order to fulfil its 2060 net-zero emissions goals and head off the mounting threats of climate change.

Australia plans to limit early access to retirement funds, cut tax breaks

Australia's centre-left government said on Thursday it would push ahead with plans to change superannuation rules, including restricting early access to funds until retirement and limiting tax breaks for high-earners.

Star Entertainment raising $545 mln after record loss, suspends dividends

Star Entertainment Group Ltd said it was raising A$800 million ($545 million) to repay debt and suspending dividend payments, as it turned in a record statutory loss for the first half of the year amid tough business conditions in Sydney.

Nvidia results show its growing lead in AI chip race

As the artificial intelligence boom takes off, Nvidia Corp is expected to emerge as the biggest - though not the only - winner among chipmakers after years of focusing on the technology has made it a go-to supplier for tech firms.

Realme C55 officially confirmed to get iPhone's Dynamic Island-like feature

Realme's Vice President Madhav Sheth recently showed off the brand's version of Dynamic Island which could make its debut on the Realme C55.

Tens of millions still use Instagram in Iran despite crackdown: Meta

Meta on Thursday said that tens of millions of people in Iran are using Instagram despite government efforts to block the service due to months-long protests.

Goal-shy Chelsea eye Spurs win as Man City seek consistency

Potter is under mounting pressure to produce results with his expensively assembled Chelsea squad.