(Reuters) - Gold dropped to its lowest in over a week and was en route to its second straight weekly decline, as a strong rebound in the dollar and a resurgence in U.S. business activity dented bullion’s allure.

Spot gold fell 0.2% to $1,939.73 per ounce by

BOSTON (Reuters) - Distressed investment firm Marble Ridge Capital LP plans to wind down its funds after a government report called into question the actions of its managing partner, Dan Kamensky, during the Neiman Marcus Group bankruptcy, the firm said on Thursday.

“After much consideration, and in light of the operating environment, we have made the difficult decision to commence an orderly wind-down of the Marble Ridge funds,” the firm told clients in a letter seen by Reuters.

“Marble Ridge will manage the liquidation in

SYDNEY/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia headed for its lowest daily increase in coronavirus infections in five weeks on Friday as the hotspot state of Victoria neared the midway point of lockdown, prompting the prime minister to hail “a week of increased hope”.

While the rest of Australia eases restrictions, the home state of a quarter of its population is in a six-week lockdown due to a second wave of virus infections.

Victoria reported 179 new cases in the past 24 hours, from 240

BRASILIA (Reuters) - The head of Brazil’s national parks service has been removed, according to the official government gazette on Friday, in the latest management change under the right-wing government, which has sought to weaken environmental protections.

The notice in the gazette confirmed a Reuters report late on Thursday that cited two sources familiar with the matter.

Homero Cerqueira was dismissed from the top job at ICMBio, which oversees Brazil’s parks and other protected nature reserves, by Environmental Minister Ricardo Salles, one of the

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday classified teachers as essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic as the Trump administration presses schools nationwide to bring students back to class.

The move comes

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese artist Hiroko Takahashi fought through sexism and suspicion from traditional kimono artisans to establish a globally known brand that sold hundreds of her original garments every month - until the coronavirus devastation hit.

Takahashi has tried to regroup by selling handmade masks sewn from kimono fabric.

“My designs are kind of strong, so there are people who resist the idea of wearing them in something full body,” the 42-year-old said. “But they’d love to wear it as a mask

(Reuters) - A top U.S. health regulator who will help decide the fate of a coronavirus vaccine has vowed to resign if the Trump administration approves a vaccine before it is shown to be safe and effective, Reuters has learned.

TAIPEI (Reuters) - China should not underestimate Taiwan’s resolve to defend itself, and China’s military threats will only cause Taiwan’s people to be even more resolute, the island’s defence ministry said in a new video responding to repeated Chinese threats.

China has stepped up its military activity around the democratic island Beijing claims as sovereign Chinese territory, sending fighter jets and warships on exercises close to Taiwan, including last week when the U.S. health secretary was in Taipei.

Taiwan’s

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ghislaine Maxwell’s chance of a fair trial on criminal charges she aided Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of girls could be destroyed by substantial negative publicity if a deposition she gave four years ago were publicly released, her lawyers said.