Technology

Magic Leap tried to create an alternate reality – its founder was already in one

Reality finally set in for Rony Abovitz in May. The augmented reality headset that had been under development for nine years inside his company, Magic Leap Inc, had been a colossal flop.

World

Australia's Victoria state reports 12 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's coronavirus hot spot of Victoria state on Thursday reported two deaths from the coronavirus and 12 new cases, compared with five deaths and 15 cases a day earlier.

Corporate News

Singapore to trial business traveller pass as virus curbs ease

SINGAPORE: Singapore will pilot a new travel pass for senior executives in the city-state who need to travel regularly for business, authorities said Wednesday, as they further eased some coronavirus-related restrictions.

World

U.S. stocks resume sell-off on weaker data, dim outlook

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks saw the return of heavy sell-off on Wednesday amid weakening of macroeconomic indicators and overshadowed recovery outlook.

World

Biden urges protests be peaceful after prosecutors clear police of criminal charges in Breonna Taylor death

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden urged that protests be peaceful after prosecutors on Wednesday cleared police officers of criminal charges in the death of Breonna Taylor, a Black medical worker killed in March in her Louisville, Kentucky, apartment.

Energy

Seadrill, Sapura latest firms to be targeted in Brazil's 'Car Wash' probe

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilian and Dutch police executed dozens of search warrants on Wednesday as part of a corruption probe into offshore oil rig company Seadrill Ltd and Malaysia's Sapura Energy Bhd, as Brazil's famed 'Car Wash' corruption investigation eyes an increasing number of international firms.

Energy

PDVSA's customers schedule last oil cargoes amid U.S.-imposed wind-down

MEXICO CITY/NEW DELHI: A handful of long-term customers of Venezuela's PDVSA have begun winding down oil trade with the state-run company by scheduling the last cargoes to depart from the sanctioned country ahead of a U.S. deadline, five sources close to the decisions told Reuters.

World

COVID-19 pandemic spreading throughout Argentina, government warns

BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Argentine government warned on Wednesday that the novel coronavirus pandemic is spreading throughout the country, with a higher incidence of cases and deaths in provinces outside of Buenos Aires.

Energy

Oil edges higher after US crude, fuel stockpiles draw down

NEW YORK: Oil prices edged higher on Wednesday, supported by U.S. government data that showed crude and fuel inventories dropped last week, though concerns about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic capped gains

World

Houston study: More contagious coronavirus strain now dominates

(Reuters) - The first study to analyze the structure of the novel coronavirus from two waves of infection in a major city found that a more contagious strain dominates recent samples, researchers from Houston Methodist Hospital said on Wednesday.

Markets

GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks slide, US$ gains

NEW YORK: Shares fell on Wednesday and the US dollar hit its strongest level in two months as data cast a pall on the economic outlook, reaffirming concerns that new restrictions to counter coronavirus infections will hurt the recovery.

Social media

Facebook to reject political ads prematurely claiming election victory

Facebook Inc will not accept political ads that seek to claim victory before the results of the 2020 U.S. election are declared, a company spokesman tweeted on Wednesday.

World

U.S. Missouri governor tests positive for COVID-19

CHICAGO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. state of Missouri Governor Mike Parson has tested positive for COVID-19, the governor's office announced on Wednesday.

Football

Luis Suarez joins Atletico Madrid from Barcelona

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid have signed striker Luis Suarez from Barcelona, the Spanish clubs said on Wednesday, bringing to an end his six-year stint at the Camp Nou.

World

Central African Republic MPs vote to keep Dec. 27 election on track

BANGUI (Reuters) - Central African Republic's parliament voted on Wednesday to grant the electoral body extra time to register voters, an amendment that keeps a presidential election on track for a first round on Dec. 27 despite opposition resistance.

World

Roundup: Lawmakers, experts call for coordinated efforts in saving European tourism

BRUSSELS, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Tourism industry in Europe and the world has suffered drastic losses this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and all relevant parties need to learn to coexist with coronavirus and take coordinated measures to minimize the damage, it was concluded from a video meeting organized by the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament.

World

Crews make headway against massive California wildfire

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Firefighters notched a victory in their battle to beat back a massive blaze raging outside Los Angeles, more than doubling containment in the past 24 hours, the U.S. Forest Service said on Wednesday.

World

Brazil's jobless number hits 12.9 million in August

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The number of people in the ranks of the unemployed in Brazil grew to 12.9 million in August, an increase of 27.6 percent compared to May, when 10.1 million Brazilians were jobless, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) said on Wednesday.

World

Exclusive: Top adviser steps aside from FDA COVID-19 vaccine reviews over potential conflict

(Reuters) - A physician who heads the influential U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisory committee recused herself from the panel's review of COVID-19 vaccines because of her role overseeing a clinical trial for Moderna Inc's candidate, her spokeswoman told Reuters.

World

Yosemite National Park in U.S. California to reopen

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Yosemite National Park in U.S. state of California will reopen to park visitors at 9:00 a.m. Friday with limited visitor services, according to a news release from the National Park Service on Wednesday.