Reserve Bank of Australia
At its meeting today, the Payments System Board discussed a number of issues, including:
The Bank’s Review of Retail Payments Regulation. The Board discussed some recent industry developments that are relevant to the Review, particularly relating to dual-network debit cards, least-cost routing, and scheme fees. The staff are continuing to gather information and consulting with stakeholders. It is expected that the Board will agree on draft conclusions for the Review at its May meeting, for publication soon afterwards.
Cyber risks to the Australian payments system. Members were briefed on the work being undertaken by the Bank (together with other CFR agencies) to oversee the management of cyber security risks in the financial sector. They discussed how the Bank can best support cyber resilience in the payments system in the context of the Government’s recently announced Cyber Security Strategy.
Norwich Harbor Freight Tools will open its new store in the former Surplus Unlimited space at 381 W. Main St. at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 6.
The 16,000-square-foot Norwich store is the 11th Harbor Freight Tools store in Connecticut and will employ 25 to 30 people. The store will have extended hours during the COVID-19 pandemic, open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
It will resume its regular hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday after the COVID-19 crisis has passed, store officials said in a news release announcing the grand opening.
"Kroger's bullying tactics will not work because the people of Seattle stand in solidarity with our frontline workers," Seattle City Council President M. Lorena González said.
Gains for equities in Canada s biggest market were subdued on Friday as weak monthly retail sales raised worries over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while delays in vaccine rollouts and weak jobs data weighed on weekly performance.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong s Health Secretary said on Friday that the government had not politicised any coronavirus vaccine, as she sought to reassure residents worried about China s Sinovac, due to be rolled out in the global financial hub from next week. Chan told Reuters that standards had not been lowered to accept the Sinovac vaccine and there was no pressure from Beijing to get it approved in the Chinese special administrative region. The government has not politicised any vaccine. In fact, we really think that one should not politicise any of the vaccination process, because really the COVID-19 vaccine is our hope, she said in an interview at her office in government headquarters. (This story refiles to add dropped s in first paragraph) (Reporting by Farah Master; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and John Stonestreet)