Here is a concise summary of today’s key news highlights from around the world:
- Chinese Seafood Imports Plunge: China’s imports of Japanese seafood plummeted by two-thirds in August year-on-year. The sharp decline follows China’s suspension of all seafood imports from Japan due to concerns over treated radioactive water release from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
- Passport-Free Travel in Singapore: In the near future, some travelers departing from Singapore’s Changi Airport may no longer require passports. Singapore has updated immigration laws to allow identity verification through facial scans, fingerprints, or iris scans.
- US Companies in China Less Optimistic: A survey by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Shanghai reveals that geopolitical issues and an economic slowdown have led to a record low level of optimism among US companies operating in China regarding the country’s five-year economic outlook.
- Driverless Taxis in Beijing’s Suburb: Yizhuang District in Beijing, China, has introduced a robotaxi service, offering fully driverless taxi rides without human employees inside the vehicle. This innovation aims to reduce operating costs.
- Record Electricity Demand in South Korea: South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy reports record-high electricity demand for August due to extreme heatwave conditions in the country.
- ASEAN Joint Military Exercise: Armed forces from ASEAN countries commence joint military exercises in Indonesia’s South Natuna Sea amid growing global geopolitical tensions and protests against China’s activities in the South China Sea.
- UK Banks Face Increased Bad Debts: Mr. Sam Woods, Deputy Governor of the Bank of England (BoE), warns that British commercial banks are at risk of accumulating more bad debts as a result of government measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Eurozone Inflation Moderates: The European Statistics Office (Eurostat) reports that consumer inflation in the Eurozone for August was slightly lower than anticipated. However, it still exceeds twice the European Central Bank’s target of 2%.
Stay updated with these global developments shaping our world today.