EIB freezes fossil fuel funding
The European Investment Bank will phase out nearly all lending for fossil fuel-based projects by the end of 2021. Some low emission gas projects will still be eligible. The move will free up funds for more green energy lending. The EU development bank lent €1.83bn for fossil fuel projects last year and a total of €13.4bn since 2013. Sources: BBC, Bloomberg, CNN, Deutsche Welle, Financial Times and Reuters.
Amazon to contest “Jedi” contract
The e-commerce giant Amazon will challenge a $10bn US defence department cloud computing contract that was granted to Microsoft, citing “unmistakable bias” in the process. Sources: BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Financial Times, NPR and Reuters.
Germany avoids technical recession
The German economy grew, by just 0.1%, in the third quarter. Sources: CNBC, Financial Times, Deutsche Welle and the Guardian.
Daimler chief announces redundancies
The carmaker Daimler will cut jobs as it looks to reduce expense by more than €1bn a year while it transitions to electric and self-driving vehicles. Sources: BBC, Bloomberg, Deutsche Welle and Financial Times.
Alibaba Hong Kong listing
The e-commerce giant Alibaba is set to raise roughly $13bn-$14bn in a secondary listing in Hong Kong that could start trading later this month. Sources: AFP, CNBC, Financial Times and South China Morning Post.
Hong Kong bosses warn staff
Employers in Hong Kong are letting staff work from home and warning them to avoid trouble spots after a Citigroup banker was arrested in front of the firm’s offices. Sources: Bloomberg, Financial Times and South China Morning Post.
EU acts against UK for failing to name commissioner
The European Commission launched infringement proceedings against the UK after London refused to appoint an EU commissioner ahead of Britain’s general election. Sources: BBC, Deutsche Welle, Euractiv, Financial Times and Sky News.
European Parliament OKs Breton
MEPs approved France’s second choice for its European commissioner, Thierry Breton, who will hold the internal market portfolio. Sources: Euractiv, Euronews and France 24.
Kremlin allegedly linked to MH17
Dutch investigators claim to have connected senior Russian officials with the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine. The Russian foreign ministry cast doubt on the inquiry, which a rep labelled “fake news”. Sources: BBC, Deutsche Welle, the Guardian and Telegraph.
Southern California school shooting
A 16 year old student shot and killed two and injured three at his high school north of Los Angeles. Sources: BBC, the Guardian, Los Angeles Times and NBC News.
Agenda
Tuesday 19 November: Digital construction conference Bimlux 2019. Wednesday 20 November-Friday 22 November: European Microfinance Week 2019. Tuesday 26 November-Wednesday 27 November: Fund industry pros talk private equity and real estate funds. Tuesday 26 November, 8:15am: Nicolas Mackel of Luxembourg for Finance talks recruitment at this Delano Breakfast Talk. Wednesday 27 November, 6pm: Women in Digital Empowerment event on female startup founders.
Here are 7 science & technology stories you may have missed
Mental health: The suicide rate of people in same-sex relationships in Denmark and Sweden dropped by nearly half after those countries introduced marriage equality, although the rate is still higher than the population at large, explained the Guardian. Public health: The pharmaceutical giant Merck received authorisation to market its Ebola vaccine, per Nature; its rival Johnson & Johnson is trialling a second Ebola vaccine, per the BBC. Public health: The vaping-related illness that has killed at least 37 people and made more than 1,800 sick in the US appears to be linked to an additive used in illegal cannabis cartridges, per Observer.com. Medical engineering: Researchers have tested a “liquid in liquid printing” technique that could eventually be used to 3D print organs, per Science magazine. Privacy: Researchers developed a T-shirt that confuses video monitoring AI into making the wearer invisible, per Vice. Privacy: Facial recognition technology has improved significantly over the past five years, and although it still is far from perfect, its use will only increase in the near future, argues New York magazine. Home electronics: the headline of this Cnet product review is pretty clear: “No one should buy the Facebook Portal TV”.
Winter fashion
It’s getting chilly out there, so naturally GQ has its 19 “best cardigans” for men.
Boiled breakfast
A British woman was fined £1,500 for threatening a fellow train passenger who was eating smelly eggs at 6am, per the Register.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Aaron Grunwald