Here is a brief summary of today’s key news highlights:
- Japan successfully launched an H-IIA rocket carrying the Lunar Exploration Smart Lander (SLIM) by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) after multiple weather-related delays last month.
- Russia has strongly criticized the United States’ plans to provide depleted uranium ammunition to the Ukrainian military as part of a new $1 billion aid package. Russia called the decision inhumane.
- Germany’s statistical office reported a 0.8% decline in industrial production for July, surpassing analysts’ expectations. This data reflects ongoing challenges faced by Germany’s industrial sector following the country’s economic slowdown.
- The UK’s largest mortgage lender, Halifax, disclosed that UK house prices registered a 4.6% year-on-year decline in August, marking the largest drop since 2009. The decline is attributed to the impact of rising interest rates.
- Tencent, a major Chinese technology company, announced the launch of its “Hunyuan” artificial intelligence (AI) model for business applications at its annual summit.
- Research firm BMI predicts that India’s consumer market will become the third-largest in the world by 2027, trailing only the United States and China, driven by a growing number of middle-to-high-income households.
- China’s Customs Administration (GAC) reported a significant 8.8% year-on-year drop in China’s August exports, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline due to reduced demand for Chinese goods overseas.
- The European Commission (EC) has given technology giants Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and Bydance six months to enhance their services on key platforms to comply with the EU Digital Market Act (DMA).
- Mike Gallagher, Chairman of the US House of Representatives China Committee, has called for the US Commerce Department to halt technology exports to companies like Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) amid concerns over trade restrictions and Huawei’s mobile phone chips.
- Moderna Inc. has reported that clinical trial results indicate its COVID-19 vaccine remains effective against the highly mutated BA.2.86 strain of the virus, easing concerns about a resurgence of the outbreak.
These headlines provide a snapshot of today’s global news landscape, reflecting developments across various sectors and regions.