Author: admin@primenews

A private survey of business activity in China’s services sector fell to its lowest level in eight months in August, as a flurry of economic stimulus measures seemed unable to reignite consumption demand. The Caixin China general services purchasing managers index (PMI) slipped to 51.8 last month from 54.1 in July, according to data released Tuesday by Caixin Media and S&P Global. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while anything below that level shows contraction. “The slowdown in business activity coincided with a weaker increase in overall new business. New orders increased modestly, and at a pace that was below the average…

Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled new “close-to-production” concept vehicles that could outdo Tesla cars by going more than 466 miles on a single charge. That’s compared with a range of less than 380 miles for any Tesla model. The German automaker’s Concept CLA Class, revealed Sunday at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich, comprises four new models: a sedan, a station wagon and two SUVs. The company did not specify when exactly they would enter production. The vehicles will each have a range of more than 750 kilometers (466 miles), versus Tesla’s (TSLA) Model 3 and Model S, which have the brand’s highest ranges and…

A Russian helicopter pilot who defected to Ukraine last month has revealed details of the daring operation to fly across the border in his Mi8 combat helicopter, in an interview published by Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence. The pilot, named by Ukrainian officials as Maxim Kuzminov, explained in the interview how he planned his defection and why he felt compelled to do so. “I contacted representatives of Ukrainian intelligence, explained my situation, to which they offered this option: ‘Come on, we guarantee your safety, guarantee new documents, guarantee monetary compensation, a reward,’” the pilot said, in a recording released Monday. The head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence,…

The bulldozers and government officials arrived just before dawn, tearing down the row of shanties as its bewildered residents watched inconsolably nearby. “We were so frightened,” said 56-year-old Jayanti Devi as she attempted to salvage what was left of her belongings in the heart of New Delhi. “They destroyed everything. We have nothing left.” For the past 30 years her home had stood on a decrepit pavement, next to an open sewage drain, opposite the sprawling Pragati Maidan complex, a prominent convention center in the Indian capital that will this week host leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) nations. But the dwelling…

Organisers have given the go-ahead for large numbers of revellers to leave the Burning Man festival in Nevada after wet conditions eased. They said people could begin leaving the desert site at noon (19:00 GMT) but suggested delaying until Tuesday to prevent congestion. Heavy rain had created a mud bath. Of some 72,000 people stranded, 62,000 were still there at noon. Organisers also said a man’s death on Friday was unrelated to the weather. Emergency services were called to help the man, said to be about 40 years old, but he could not be resuscitated, they said. The local sheriff’s…

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un plans to travel to Russia this month to meet President Vladimir Putin, a US official has told the BBC’s US partner CBS. The two leaders will discuss the possibility of North Korea providing Moscow with weapons to support its war in Ukraine, the official said. The exact location of the planned meeting is not clear. There was no immediate comment on the report, also carried by other US media, from North Korea or Russia. Sources told the New York Times that Mr Kim was most likely to travel by armoured train. The possible meeting comes…

Russian forces attacked Ukrainian port facilities on the Danube River used for food exports on Sunday, a day before Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to discuss reviving a grain export deal with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. At least two people were injured in the strikes, a regional military spokesman said. Port infrastructure was hit, causing a fire that was quickly extinguished. Ukraine’s Air Force said 25 drones were used in overnight attacks on the Odesa region, 22 of which were shot down. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement that it was targeting fuel storage facilities in…

India’s lunar lander and rover have been put to bed as the Sun begins to set on the Moon, the country’s space research agency Isro has said. They have been put in “sleep mode” and “will fall asleep next to each other once the solar power is depleted and the battery is drained”, it said. Isro added that it hoped they would reawaken “around 22 September” when the next lunar day starts. The lander and rover need sunlight to charge their batteries and function. The Vikram lander – carrying a rover called Pragyaan in its belly – touched down on the Moon’s…

Barbie has officially become the year’s biggest box office hit, after the doll’s big-screen earnings overtook the Super Mario Bros Movie’s total. The Barbie movie, which sees Margot Robbie’s titular toy swap her pink fantasy home for the real world, has now made $1.38bn (£1.1bn) globally. That has taken it past the $1.36bn taken by the Super Mario Bros Movie. Barbie has also helped the US summer box office reach the $4bn (£3.2bn) mark for the first time since the pandemic. Analysts did not expect cinemas to reach that milestone, but the success of Barbenheimer – Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s…

This summer, Aperol Spritz has been flowing from the counters of the most enchanting venues in New York City, from the rooftop of the Independent Art Fair in Tribeca to the flamingo-themed new bakery on my Brooklyn block. In Singapore, you can take an Aperol Spritz bar crawl, and in Paris, it’s now a fixture at most cafes next to the local pastis and kir. It seems that aperitivo (Italy’s cherished pre-dinner drink) has become the new happy hour. And yet, the current popularity of Aperol Spritz leaves us Venetians slightly perplexed. How did a drink that, until 20 years ago could only be found in…