Business life, stock market, French politics, international news… All the news from this Friday, September 6 can be followed here.
> The main news from this Thursday
6:43 – War in Ukraine: UK to supply hundreds of missiles to kyiv
The British Ministry of Defence announced in a press release that a first delivery of 650 “light modular missile systems (LMM)” will take place by the end of the year, as part of a contract worth 162 million pounds (192 million euros). These “highly versatile” missiles will be built by the French group Thales in its factory in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
The new missile delivery will be officially announced later today by Defense Secretary John Healey, who is attending a meeting of the Contact Group of Ukraine’s allies at the US airbase in Ramstein, Germany. Along with the United States, the United Kingdom has been one of kyiv’s main military supporters since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
6:31 a.m. – West Bank: Israeli troops have withdrawn from Jenin
The IDF is no longer in Jenin in the occupied West Bank or the refugee camp there, after ten days of “violent aggression,” according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 22 people were killed in the Israeli operation in Jenin. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement posted on Facebook, accused Israel of transferring the brutal destruction and devastation carried out in the Gaza Strip to the occupied West Bank.
6:23 – North Korea continues to send trash balloons to the South
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said North Korea launched more than 260 balloons filled with trash toward South Korean territory overnight, the third day in a row. About 140 batches of balloons were found in Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Most of them contained waste paper and plastic bottles. No hazardous materials were detected, the JCS said.
6:21 a.m. – Distribution: Seven & i Holdings rejects Couche-Tard’s initial takeover offer
The Japanese giant “has unanimously concluded (…) that the proposal is not in the best interests of 7 & i shareholders,” it said in a letter to Canadian group Couche-Tard. “We are open to sincere discussions if you present a proposal that fully recognizes our intrinsic stand-alone value (…). However, we do not believe, for several essential reasons, that the proposal you have presented constitutes a basis for us to engage in substantive discussions regarding a potential transaction,” the directors continued in this letter.
The acquisition project, announced on August 19, would be, if successful, potentially the largest acquisition of a Japanese company by a foreign group in several years. It would create a retail giant, with the 85,000 stores owned in 19 countries by Seven & i, operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores, and the 16,700 stores in 31 countries owned by Couche-Tard, including the Circle K brand.
6:17 a.m. – Schools closed, flights canceled… southern China on alert for super typhoon Yagi
Among the strongest storms to hit Asia this year, with winds of up to 245 km/h, Yagi brought thunder and thunderstorms overnight after passing through the northern Philippines earlier in the week. Most transport networks in southern China are closed today. Many flights have been cancelled in the Hainan region, Hong Kong and Macau. The vast sea bridge linking Hong Kong with Macau and Zhuhai in the Guangdong region has also been closed.
In Hong Kong, local authorities have announced that alert level 8 – on a scale of 10 – will be in effect until at least midday, with the effect of closing most businesses and significantly reducing the frequency of public transport.
6:14 a.m. – US presidential election: Donald Trump proposes six-part plan to combat inflation
The Republican candidate wants to halve the price of energy in twelve months, reduce taxes, and introduce tariffs across the board. He is counting on strong growth to solve the problems of the American economy.
6:14 – China creates brokerage powerhouse worth nearly $230 billion
Shanghai-based Haitong Securities said it has agreed to be acquired by rival Guotai Juan Securities in a share swap deal, in one of the largest mergers in China’s securities history. The deal will create a $225.6 billion industry leader. The merger is part of Beijing’s push to shore up the $1.7 trillion sector amid tough markets.
6:11 a.m. – Telegram boss considers his arrest in France inappropriate
Speaking for the first time since his detention and indictment in late August, Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app, denied accusations that Telegram was an “anarchic paradise.” Via the messaging app, he expressed surprise at the French authorities’ investigation into Telegram, saying that Paris had access to a “hotline” that he had helped set up.
French authorities could have contacted Telegram’s representative in the European Union at the time, he added. “If a country is unhappy with an internet service, the established practice is to take legal action against the service itself.”
6:07 – World’s largest indoor ski slope opens in Shanghai
The world’s largest indoor ski slope opened today in Shanghai, the latest mega-project aimed at satisfying China’s growing love of winter sports. Shaped like a glacier and covering 90,000 square metres, the L*SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort is located about an hour and a half from central Shanghai. The indoor slope is certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest, ahead of the one in Harbin, also in China.
6:00 a.m. – Washington announces new aid for Haiti
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $45 million in new humanitarian aid for Haiti, urging other countries to help fund the international force in the country ravaged by gang violence. “At this critical moment, we need more funding. We need more personnel to support and achieve the objectives of this mission,” the US secretary of state said at a press conference, adding in French: “We are with you!”