Jul 29, 2019

Ride-hailing giant Grab to invest $2 billion into Indonesian business

SoftBank Chairman Masayoshi Son (R) and Grab CEO Anthony Tan (L) during the SoftBank World 2019 conference on July 18, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

Southeast Asian ride-hailing giant Grab said on Monday that it will use $2 billion of its funds from SoftBank to invest in developing transportation and other services, like healthcare, in Indonesia over the next five years.

Why it matters: For Japan-based SoftBank, this is a way to get even deeper investment into the Indonesian market. Chairman Masayoshi Son also said he plans on investing more funds into the online marketplace Tokopedia and look for additional investment opportunities in the country.

Go deeper

Barak Ravid, author of from Tel Aviv
2 hours ago - World

U.S. policy shift will allow taxpayer funding for projects in West Bank settlements

Friedman (L) with Netanyahu. Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. and Israel will announce tomorrow that they are expanding three agreements on scientific cooperation to include Israeli settlements in the West Bank, Israeli and U.S. officials tell me.

Why it matters: This is a substantial policy shift for the U.S., which did not previously allow its taxpayers' money to be spent in the Israeli settlements.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Politics: Obama: Trump is "jealous of COVID's media coverage" — Axios-Ipsos poll: Federal response has only gotten worse.
  2. Health: Hospitals face a crush — 13 states set single-day case records last week.
  3. Business: Winter threat spurs new surge of startup activity.
  4. Media: Pandemic causes TV providers to lose the most subscribers ever.
  5. States: Nearly two dozen Minnesota cases traced to three Trump campaign events.
  6. World: Putin mandates face masks.
Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Oriana Gonzalez
3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

McConnell: Confirming Amy Coney Barrett will help GOP retain Senate

Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) expressed no regrets about Judge Amy Coney Barrett's controversial confirmation, telling Politico in an interview that he believes the decision to place her on the Supreme Court just a week before the election will help Republicans retain the Senate.

Why it matters: With a week to go until Election Day, many Republicans are concerned that President Trump's unpopularity could cost them the Senate. McConnell has long viewed the transformation of the federal judiciary through the confirmation of young conservative judges as his defining legacy.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow