LONDON/MILAN (Reuters) - Surging technology stocks are increasing their influence over European stock markets, with Prosus ( PRX.AS ) poised to snatch a key spot in the continent’s leading index.

Prosus, one of the world's largest technology

DUBAI, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia on Wednesday gave permission for all flights to and from the United Arab Emirates to use its airspace, its state news agency reported, ahead of the expected launch of scheduled Israel-UAE flights.

An Israeli airliner chartered to carry U.S. and Israeli delegations from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi flew over Saudi Arabia this week, the first official flight by an Israeli carrier over the kingdom.

STOCKHOLM/HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish club Jokerit will travel to Dynamo Minsk on Thursday to open their Kontinental Hockey League campaign, it said, despite continued protests in Belarus over the results of August’s presidential election and criticism of the decision at home.

OSLO (Reuters) - The Norwegian central bank’s monetary policy committee is unlikely to adopt negative interest rates as a means of stimulating the economy, Deputy Governor Ida Wolden Bache said on Wednesday.

Followings two cuts in March and one in May, Norges Bank’s key policy rate stands at zero, down from 1.5% earlier. It has lowered borrowing costs to help cushion the economy from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the current assessment of the outlook and balance of risk

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria aims to have 50 mines in operation by 2023 and can make up for time lost because of the impact of COVID-19 on development of the nascent sector, the country’s mining minister said in an interview.

Africa’s largest oil producer is banking on mining to diversify its income and revive its finances following a collapse in crude prices, which earlier this year hit two-decade lows.

“The pandemic has slowed things down, but we can still

* Equities rise, dollar recovers from multi-year low

* Fundamentals for gold still positive, say analysts

* India gold imports rise in August

* Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: open tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser (Updates prices)

By Diptendu Lahiri

Sept 2 (Reuters) - Gold backtracked on Wednesday from a near two-week high in the prior session as the dollar rebounded and strong U.S. manufacturing data raised hopes of a swifter global economic recovery.

Spot gold fell

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union states could buy potential COVID-19 vaccines through a procurement scheme co-led by the World Health Organization, the EU Commission said in what appears to be a change in position.

The move could allow EU governments to secure vaccines from companies that are not negotiating with Brussels, such as U.S. firms Merck, Inovio and Novavax. They are all in talks with the WHO scheme, dubbed COVAX, but have so far not been reported to be involved in negotiations with

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump’s attempt to make civil unrest a central theme of his re-election campaign has yet to boost his political standing, as most Americans do not see crime as a major problem confronting the nation and a majority remain sympathetic to anti-racism protests, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday.

The Aug. 31-Sept. 1 national opinion poll showed that 40% of registered voters support Trump, a Republican, compared with 47%

SOFIA (Reuters) - Thousands of Bulgarians rallied in front of the parliament in Sofia on Wednesday in one of the biggest protests so far in two months of demonstrations calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

Tensions rose in the late hours after some protesters threw firecrackers and small bombs at police. Officers brought a water cannon and cordoned off the square in front of the parliament.