Business

The Latest: Florida county orders employees to be vaccinated
31Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, China, World

The Latest: Florida county orders employees to be vaccinated

ORLANDO, Fla. — All the 4,200 nonunion employees of Orange County in Florida will be required to get their first coronavirus vaccine shot by the end of August and the second by the end of September. Mayor Jerry Demings issued the order Wednesday. He also ordered all county employees to wear masks at indoor county facilities when in the presence of others. County officials are negotiating with unions to extend the vaccine requirement to the county’s more than 3,000 unionized workers. The county is home to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, and the mayor is urging all private employers in the county to require their employees to get vaccinated and to their workers and patrons customers masks indoors. Demings acknowledged that he can’t mandate such things under laws passed by
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Muslims mark Eid al-Adha holiday in pandemic’s shadow
31Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, World

Muslims mark Eid al-Adha holiday in pandemic’s shadow

CAIRO (AP) — Muslims around the world were observing Tuesday yet another major Islamic holiday in the shadow of the pandemic and amid growing concerns about the highly infectious delta variant of the coronavirus. Eid al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” is typically marked by communal prayers, large social gatherings, slaughtering of livestock and distributing meat to the needy. This year, the holiday comes as many countries battle the delta variant first identified in India, prompting some to impose new restrictions or appeal for people to avoid congregating and follow safety protocols. The pandemic has already taken a toll for the second year on a sacred mainstay of Islam, the hajj, whose last days coincide with Eid al-Adha. Once drawing some 2.5 million Muslims from across the globe
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Anti-vaxxer propaganda spreads in Asia
30Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, Business, China, Singapore, World

Anti-vaxxer propaganda spreads in Asia

Anti-vaxxer propaganda spreads in Asia A woman who has received her first dose of Sinovac Biotech's CoronaVac vaccine for the coronavirus disease drops her entry for the weekly raffle draw of sacks of rice for vaccinated residents at the Barangay Sucat Covered Court, in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on June 21. (Reuters photo) Though Gerry Casida is on the priority list for a free Covid-19 vaccine in the Philippines because of his asthma, he isn’t planning to get the shot any time soon. A video he found on social media of a woman claiming vaccines are being used for genocide helps explain why. "I’ve read a lot of posts on Facebook about how many died in other countries because of vaccines, and how that’s being concealed," said the construction worker, 43, from Manila. "My
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Myanmar dependent on Chinese vaccine amid the deadly 3rd wave of COVID-19
30Jul By News DeskNo Comments
Business, China, World

Myanmar dependent on Chinese vaccine amid the deadly 3rd wave of COVID-19

Myanmar is facing the deadly 3rd wave of COVID-19 in the country in which hundreds of people are dying every day. In the struggle to arrange the vaccine for the people by military regime in Myanmar ended the search on Chinese vaccine. The Air China planes were landing at Yangon International Airport all through the rainy nights last week.   With hundreds of people believed to be dying daily from COVID-19 in Yangon, the military regime has struggled to source vaccines from any other country than China, a reflection of how much of the rest of the world regards the junta as an illegitimate government. So far, Beijing has dispatched three million vaccine doses to Myanmar: two million of the Sinopharm vaccine – donated free by China – and one million Sinovac vaccines purchased by th
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SNNP announces IPO to fund new factory, pay debt
30Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, World

SNNP announces IPO to fund new factory, pay debt

SNNP announces IPO to fund new factory, pay debt Srinanaporn Marketing Plc (SNNP), the manufacturer and distributor of soft drinks and snacks, announced its initial public offering (IPO) yesterday at a price of 9.20 baht per share with the subscription period set for today until Friday. Chayut Leehacharoenkul, the company's chief financial officer, said the company's debut on the Stock Exchange of Thailand is scheduled for the third week of July. SNNP plans to sell 240 million shares through the IPO, which will be allocated to retail investors, institutional investors and company employees. The subscription period for institutional investors is set for July 12-14. SCB Securities serves as the lead underwriter for the IPO along with five other co-underwriters: Maybank Kim Eng Securitie...
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First double-dip recession since 1998 looms
30Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, Singapore, World

First double-dip recession since 1998 looms

First double-dip recession since 1998 looms A man walks at the empty Karon beach on Phuket Island on April 1 this year. (Reuters photo) Thailand will likely be the worst economic performer in Southeast Asia this year, with economists continuing to slash the country’s growth forecast amid surging Covid-19 infections, mounting political tensions and fading hopes for a tourism revival. The Finance Ministry on Thursday cut its 2021 gross domestic product forecast to 1.3% growth, from the 2.3% it expected in April. With new Covid infections and deaths continually breaking records since the latest surge began in April, some economists are flagging the possibility of a technical recession in the second half of the year, or even a second straight annual contraction, something the country hasn’
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The Latest: Mississippi hospital to require masks
29Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, China, World

The Latest: Mississippi hospital to require masks

JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi’s only level-one trauma hospital and academic medical center will require all employees and students who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 to wear an N95 mask while inside, a decision that a top official acknowledged would not be popular with everyone in the country’s least vaccinated state and may result in the loss of employees. University of Mississippi Medical Center Vice Chancellor Dr. LouAnn Woodward said the university has responsibility and an obligation as “the place that takes care of the sickest patients” to set the example for others in health care across the state. “I feel strongly that this is the right thing to do,” she said, emphasizing that the vaccines are safe and offer strong protection against contracting the potentially life-threatenin
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China jabs deal hailed as leaders tackle Covid economic woes
29Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, China, Politics, World

China jabs deal hailed as leaders tackle Covid economic woes

China jabs deal hailed as leaders tackle Covid economic woes Covax has delivered more than 100 million jabs so far, well short of its aims after expected supplies from India failed to materialise. GENEVA: A global initiative to distribute coronavirus vaccines to poorer countries was boosted on Monday by a deal to buy more than 100 million Chinese jabs, as Asia-Pacific leaders agreed to address the Covid-induced economic slump. European countries were also facing a reckoning with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson expected to announce further details of England's plans to do away with most restrictions on July 19, and French President Emmanuel Macron set to address the nation on his ideas for weathering the onslaught from new variants. The virus has killed more than four million people sin...
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Racing for super app supremacy
29Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, Singapore, World

Racing for super app supremacy

Grab and Gojek have diversified their services. A push by corporates to become super app operators like the case of Malaysian-based airline AirAsia casts light on their determination to create ecosystems that could drive down costs and expand customer bases through integrated services, say business pundits. On Wednesday, AirAsia announced it would acquire Indonesian ride-hailing and payments firm Gojek's Thailand business, saying the deal is the right move to leverage the know-how of Gojek and integrate it with the stronger brand of AirAsia which is looking to expand into food deliveries and fintech services. A series of companies are striving to achieve merger and acquisition deals to expand their reach to boost revenue streams as existing businesses run out of steam. Business experts...
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Telenor announces Myanmar exit
29Jul By Desk TeamNo Comments
Business, World

Telenor announces Myanmar exit

This file photo shows customers queue to buy Telenor sim cards at a mobile shop in Yangon. (AFP photo) OSLO: Norwegian telecoms firm Telenor ASA has sold its Myanmar business, blaming the difficulties of operating under the military junta and dealing a blow to activists who say they relied on the only Western operator for communications. Telenor, one of the biggest foreign investors in Myanmar, sold its operations to Lebanese investment firm M1 Group for $105 million, announcing its retreat from a country that slid into chaos after a military coup in February. It was one of the few Western companies to bet on the Southeast Asian country after it emerged from military dictatorship a decade ago. Myanmar accounted for 7% of Telenor's earnings last year. "There are three reasons why we th...
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