Tech News

Keystone pipeline partly reopens after oil spill

Canada's TC Energy has restarted a portion of the Keystone Pipeline, which was shut down last week following a large spill of heavy crude oil in Kansas.. The company on Wednesday night resumed the flow of diluted bitumen, a heavy crude oil, from Hardisty, Alberta to Wood River/Patoka, Illinois, TC Energy said on its website.

Heathrow ground handling staff suspend strike set for Friday

Heathrow Airport baggage handlers have suspended a planned strike, their union said on Thursday, as industrial action continues across the UK. Around 400 members of the Unite union employed by private contractors Menzies had been due to walk out for 72 hours from 4:00 am (0400 GMT) on Friday in a months-long dispute over pay.. Security guards employed by the contractor Mitie on the cross-Channel rail link Eurostar were due to strike on Friday and Sunday.

Rafael Nadal launches hotel brand with Spain's Melia Group

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal on Thursday announced the launch of a new hotel brand with Spain's Melia group that is planning to open some 20 hotels across the globe in the next five years. . Nadal, one of the world's two top-ranked tennis players, and Melia, Spain's leading hotel group which operates more than 400 establishments across the globe, will jointly own the company. 

US places Chinese chipmakers on trade blacklist

The US Commerce Department on Thursday blacklisted 36 Chinese companies including top producers of advanced computer chips, severely restricting their access to American technology.. In October more than 30 Chinese high-tech companies were placed on the US Entity List, with officials saying they did not want American technology helping the Pentagon's top rival, the Chinese military.

US financial sanctions target one of Russia's richest men

The US announced financial sanctions targeting one of Russia's wealthiest men, Vladimir Potanin, the Treasury Department and State Department said Thursday, adding to efforts that curb Moscow's ability to fund its war in Ukraine.. Meanwhile, the designation of Rosbank and other entities related to Russia's financial sector "are part of the US government's efforts to further limit (Russia's) ability to fund its unconscionable war of choice against Ukraine," the Treasury Department added in a statement.

US industrial output slips in November

Industrial production in the US slumped in November with "broad based" decreases, the Federal Reserve said Thursday, as output for bigger-ticket consumer products and manufacturing fell.. "Decreases were broad based across market groups," the report said.

Israeli technology aims to curb male chick culling

Israeli scientists have created a species of egg-laying hens that only produce females, a breakthrough that could help end the annual culling of around seven billion male chicks globally. . A team at the Israeli Agricultural Research Organization-Volcani Center has used gene editing to develop a new species of hens that only gives birth to females.

US retail sales contract in November on auto and other goods

Retail sales in the US turned negative in November as the holiday shopping season got underway, dragged by auto, furniture and building supplies, according to official data released Thursday.. The numbers, which follow a bounce in October, came as auto sales plunged 2.6 percent in November from the month before, while sales of goods related to furniture and building materials dropped by a similar rate.

ECB opts for smaller rate hike but inflation still 'far too high'

The European Central Bank opted for a smaller interest rate rise of half a percentage point on Thursday but warned it expects "significantly" further hikes as red-hot inflation was still "far too high".. "Interest rates will still have to rise significantly at a steady pace," they said.

Bank of England lifts interest rate to 14-year high

The Bank of England on Thursday hiked its interest rate by half a point to 3.5 percent, the highest level in 14 years, in a bid to cool sky-high inflation.. Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said on Thursday that he expected the BoE to keep on hiking up to a peak of 4.5 percent early next year, as inflation remains at historically-high levels. bcp/rfj/raz