Town Hall News

By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed a new cabinet, including real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin as the country’s new prime minister and finance minister, according to a Royal gazette published on Saturday, months after the May elections. Srettha’s Pheu Thai party, backed by the billionaire Shinawatra family, will oversee defence, transport, commerce, health and the foreign ministry portfolios. Thailand has had a […]

By Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed a new cabinet, including real estate tycoon Srettha Thavisin as the country’s new prime minister and finance minister, according to a Royal gazette published on Saturday, months after the May elections. Srettha’s Pheu Thai party, backed by the billionaire Shinawatra family, will oversee defence, transport, commerce, health and the foreign ministry portfolios. Thailand has had a […]

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan supports the Vatican’s efforts at engagement with China and hopes it improves that country’s “worsening” religious freedom and human rights, the island’s foreign ministry said after Pope Francis messaged Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Vatican is one of only 13 countries to maintain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Taipei has watched nervously as Francis seeks to improve ties with Beijing. The Vatican is Taiwan’s […]

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan supports the Vatican’s efforts at engagement with China and hopes it improves that country’s “worsening” religious freedom and human rights, the island’s foreign ministry said after Pope Francis messaged Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Vatican is one of only 13 countries to maintain formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, and Taipei has watched nervously as Francis seeks to improve ties with Beijing. The Vatican is Taiwan’s […]

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Trade Commission won an administrative ruling against TurboTax tax software maker Intuit after the commission said the company misled consumers with deceptive advertisements pitching “free” tax filing products that millions of consumers were unable to use, the company said on Friday. Intuit said it will appeal the decision, saying it is “confident that when the matter ultimately returns to a neutral body […]

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Trade Commission won an administrative ruling against TurboTax tax software maker Intuit after the commission said the company misled consumers with deceptive advertisements pitching “free” tax filing products that millions of consumers were unable to use, the company said on Friday. Intuit said it will appeal the decision, saying it is “confident that when the matter ultimately returns to a neutral body […]

By Harold Isaac PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) -Thousands of Haitians prepared to sleep in schools and a theater around the main square of Port-au-Prince on Friday, after fresh attacks by armed gangs pushed already displaced people downtown to seek shelter wherever they could. The Gran Ravine gang, led by Renel Destina, has besieged the densely populated neighborhood of Carrefour Feuilles for weeks, forcing aid workers to withdraw and thousands of people to […]

By Xie Yu HONG KONG (Reuters) -Embattled Chinese property developer Country Garden has won approval from creditors to extend payments for a 3.9 billion yuan ($540 million) onshore private bond, two people familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The development buys time for the firm to avoid default in what will likely be a major relief for financial markets and the Chinese government, which has announced a raft of […]

By Xie Yu HONG KONG (Reuters) -Embattled Chinese property developer Country Garden has won approval from creditors to extend payments for a 3.9 billion yuan ($540 million) onshore private bond, two people familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The development buys time for the firm to avoid default in what will likely be a major relief for financial markets and the Chinese government, which has announced a raft of […]