Reuters - Morning Digest

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Thursday, February 21, 2019

Barclays income boost cheers investors, makes Brexit provision

Barclays reported a lower than forecast attributable profit of 3.5 billion pounds ($4.56 billion) for 2018, as it set aside cash to cushion against Brexit losses and its trading business weathered a difficult fourth quarter.

Taiwan unveils Asia's first draft law on same-sex marriage

Taiwan on Thursday proposed a draft law to allow same-sex marriage in Asia's first such bill, but the legislation was criticized by rights activists and conservative groups amid a heated debate over marriage equality.

Exclusive: RWE to win EU okay to buy E.ON, Innogy renewables businesses

German utility RWE will win unconditional EU antitrust approval to buy the renewables businesses of E.ON and Innogy in a deal that will reshape the German energy market, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Google's new cloud boss has big task to catch rivals, Reuters data show

Google has a new cloud computing boss and big ambitions to someday produce more revenue from that business than from advertising.

Exclusive: SpaceX, Boeing design risks threaten new delays for U.S. space program

NASA has warned SpaceX and Boeing Co of design and safety concerns for their competing astronaut launch systems, according to industry sources and a new government report, threatening the U.S. bid to revive its human spaceflight program later this year.

Golf: McIlroy to skip Irish Open to focus on Open Championship

Rory McIlroy is set to skip the Irish Open at Lahinch in July to focus on the Open Championship in his native Northern Ireland later that month, the four-times major winner has said.

'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett charged with faking racist attack

Actor Jussie Smollett was charged on Wednesday with lying to police when he claimed he was attacked and beaten on the streets of Chicago by two masked men shouting racist and homophobic slurs, police said on Wednesday as they sought his arrest.