Asian stocks were mostly negative on Tuesday as the Delta coronavirus variant spread in key markets and Chinese officials took aim at video game producers, once more rattling investor confidence in the mainland’s markets. In Asia, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat in the afternoon session after opening in negative territory. Japan’s Nikkei was off 0.52% later on Tuesday.

The European Union has agreed to pay a premium on new orders of COVID-19 vaccines because it is requiring tougher terms to be met, European officials said, as the bloc tries to protect supplies after a rocky start to its vaccination campaign. On Sunday, the Financial Times reported the EU has agreed to pay Pfizer and BioNTech 19.5 euros ($23.1) for each of their COVID-19 shots under a contract signed in May for up to 1.8 billion doses, up from the 15.5 euros per dose under two initial supply contracts for a total of 600 million vaccines. The price for Moderna shots went up to $25.5 a dose, the newspaper said, referring to a 300 million vaccine deal, up from $22.6 in its initial deal for 160 million jabs.

The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday asked the Chinese team for a report on why two of its medallists appeared on the podium wearing badges featuring the head of the country’s former leader Mao Zedong. Gold medal cyclists Bao Shanju and Zhong Tianshi wore the badges during a medal ceremony on Monday, in a potential breach of Olympic rules on the display of political paraphernalia. “We contacted the Chinese Olympic Committee and asked them for a report on the situation,” IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said.

BEIRUT (AP) — After the massive explosion at Beirut’s port a year ago, only a small part of Ibrahim Hoteit’s younger brother was identified: his scalp. Hoteit buried his brother — a large man, a firefighter, a martial arts champion — in a container the size of a shoebox. Since then, Hoteit has sold his business, a perfume and accessories shop. He sleeps only a few hours a night. Black circles ring his eyes. One thing drives him now: winning justice for the victims of the Aug. 4, 2020, explosion

BP said on Tuesday it will lift its dividend by 4% and ramp up share buybacks after second-quarter profits rose to $2.8 billion on the back of higher oil and gas prices, beating expectations. That compares with $2.63 billion in profit in the first quarter of the year and a loss of $6.68 billion a year earlier when it took large non-cash charges.

Western Australia is preparing to take a bigger slice of the booming global battery market, forecast to grow to $150 billion by 2030, as it moves beyond mining lithium and nickel into chemical processing. Three big battery chemicals plants are set to come on line in coming months, while Germany’s BASF is part of a pilot project with a state government research body to build a precursor chemical plant to blend the feeds used by battery makers. As investors and electric vehicle makers look for supply chains away from dominant producer China, Australia believes it can compete on price and is banking on what it says are its solid credentials in responsible production.