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International News

Battery fires put BMW and Ford on back foot just as electric vehicles take off

While EVs don’t invoke the same instinctual distrust as self-driving cars or flying taxis might, they do require a leap of faith for some consumers. A younger, tech-savvier population is one reason why China is the world’s biggest EV market, Jato Dynamics analysts said in a report earlier this week, with consumers in Europe and the US more likely to stick with what they know.Chemical Cocktail

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World trade rebounding slowly, outlook uncertain: U.N. report

Global trade recovered somewhat in the third quarter, when it was estimated at about 4.5% less than in the same period a year ago, the agency said in its latest update.

“Trade in home office equipment and medical supplies has increased in Q3, while it further weakened in the automotive and energy sectors,” UNCTAD said. Growth in the textiles sector was also strong.

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Less carbon, more electric vehicles: automakers prepare for potential Biden win

Trump’s and Biden’s policies for autos and transportation diverge, presenting automakers with very different sets of risks and rewards.
f elected, Biden is expected to quickly reinstate the legal basis for California’s zero-emission vehicle rules and begin the process of reversing the Trump administration’s decision to ease fuel efficiency and carbon emission requirements through 2025.

Automakers could also face sharply higher penalties for failing to meet fuel-efficiency requirements. The Trump administration rolled back those penalties, which the industry said saved at least $1 billion in annual compliance costs, but a federal appeals court in August reversed the administration action.

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Further rate hardening expected,cyber insurance market to surpass $ 7bn in 2020:Munich Re

Recent experiences following the lockdown of public life and the business world in many countries have been a wake-up call regarding the staggering potential for systemic risks to result in losses that subsequently trigger many different repercussions. Yet it is by definition impossible to insure risks that lead to losses everywhere at the same time, thus violating the fundamental criterion of insurability, said Munich Re. 

Interest rates have dropped to record lows once again in 2020. Against the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis, it is increasingly likely that the current interest-rate environment will continue to affect low-risk investments for the foreseeable future. These circumstances mean that sustained profits, in long-tail business and elsewhere, will only be possible if prices match the assumed risks, explained Munich Re..

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AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial volunteer has died, Brazil health authority says

The regulator said testing of the vaccine would continue after the volunteer’s death. It provided no further details, citing medical confidentiality of those involved in trials.

The Federal University of Sao Paulo, which is helping coordinate phase 3 clinical trials in Brazil, separately said that the volunteer was Brazilian but did not say where the person lived.

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IMF cuts Asia’s growth forecast, warns of pandemic-driven risks

India’s economy is likely to shrink 10.3% this year in stark contrast to China, which is set to expand 1.9%, the IMF said.

Asia’s economy is likely to grow 6.9% in 2021 thanks to the boost from expected stronger recoveries in China, the United States and the euro area, it said.

But the IMF said there were “considerable” risks such as the chance of a second wave of infections, escalating U.S. tensions and a potential return to tighter financial conditions.

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Japan will take steps to guard against Olympics cyberattacks

Olympics organizers reported no significant impact on their operations for the 2020 Games, which were postponed until next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Britain and the United States on Monday condemned what they said were a series of malicious cyber attacks orchestrated by Russian military intelligence, including attempts to disrupt the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

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