News Headlines - 17 July 2019

▽Workers protest and strike as Amazon doubles Prime Day length and halves delivery times | Sky News

Amazon warehouse workers around the world are protesting and striking today to demand fairer working conditions as the company begins its Prime Day sales promotion.
Prime Day was launched in 2015 as a promotional day for Amazon's subscribers - offering them discounts and sales deals, alongside the company's accelerated delivery service.
The event is set to run over two days this year, on 15 and 16 July, during which the company is also offering same-day shipping.

▽Lagarde resigns as IMF chief, starting race for her successor - Reuters

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde submitted her resignation from the global crisis lender on Tuesday, citing more clarity about her nomination to lead the European Central Bank as European legislators approved a new top bureaucrat.
Lagarde said in a statement her resignation was effective Sept. 12, firing the starting gun for the IMF’s search for her successor, which is likely to be another European.

▽Toyota, China's CATL in partnership for new energy vehicle batteries - Reuters

Toyota Motor Corp has agreed to partner with China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) to supply and develop batteries for new energy vehicles.
The Japanese automaker said on Wednesday that the firms had also started talks covering a range of areas including new technology development and the reuse and recycling of batteries.

▽IAEA chief Amano intends to step down: source - The Mainichi

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano has expressed his intention to step down, a diplomatic source said Wednesday.
Since last year, the 72-year-old has been in poor health. A former Japanese diplomat, Amano became the first Asian to be elected to the IAEA's top post in 2009 and is currently in his third term, which expires in 2021.

▽Don't block ex-SMAP members, watchdog warns talent agency - Nikkei Asian Review

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has warned talent agency Johnny's & Associates over suspected pressure on television stations to keep three former members of popular boy band SMAP off the air, in a sign of the watchdog's broadening application of antitrust law.
The commission had investigated reports that the powerful agency -- whose founder, John Hiromu Kitagawa, died on July 9 -- had pushed stations not to invite Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and Shingo Katori onto TV shows.
The investigation did not find sufficient evidence to confirm a violation of Japan's antimonopoly law.