Business Archives - Page 9 of 40

Sikh youth distribute care packages to Toronto’s homeless

24Jan

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Sikh youth distribute care packages to Toronto’s homeless

Most years, Sikh youth hit the streets of Toronto around the holiday season to distribute warm wishes and clothing to people experiencing homelessness. While this year’s rise in COVID-19 cases has hampered some of their efforts, organizers are determined to carry on the tradition. The initiative is part of a religious tradition called Seva, which encourages service to others. “Seva literally means selfless service in Punjabi,” says Gurjot Singh, one of the main youth event organizers. Sadly, the meteoric rise in COVID-19 cases is forcing organizers to dial things back. “This year, we were planning on 100 care packages that will include necessities that we take for granted,” says Singh. But because of the Omicron spike, “we are keeping it small and we might even postpone or cancel this

23Jan

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FTI warns of ‘big wave’ risks

A nurse prepares a Covid-19 vaccine for use at Bang Sue Central Station which is currently serving as a venue for mass vaccinations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nutthawat Wicheanbut The Omicron Covid-19 variant will form part of a "big wave" posing a great challenge to industrial operators who need nothing but urgent adjustment to the rapid changes of the world, says the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Besides the highly contagious virus which caused many European countries to reinstate strict measures to curb disease transmission, digital disruption, climate change, an ageing society and conflicts between giant economies will continue to keep manufacturers anxious and busy in 2022 and following years, said Kriengkrai Thiennukul, vice-chairman of the FTI. "These factors are like a...

Myanmar junta replaces air force chief amid bombing campaign

23Jan

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Myanmar junta replaces air force chief amid bombing campaign

Myanmar junta replaces air force chief amid bombing campaign Refugees, who have fled a flare-up in fighting between the Myanmar army and insurgent groups and settled temporarily on the Moei River Bank, are seen under makeshift tents on the Thai-Myanmar border, in Mae Sot, Tak province, January 7, 2022. (Reuters photo) Myanmar's military leader has removed the head of the air force, local media and four sources close to the armed forces said, replacing one of the most senior figures in a junta that has carried out bombing raids to try to crush resistance. The sources told Reuters that 57-year-old Maung Maung Kyaw, a general from an elite military background, had been ousted from the post he had held since 2018. Two of the sources said he was replaced on Monday by Htun Aung, who had been...

23Jan

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Why Moei River has become a war zone

Why Moei River has become a war zone Villagers seeking refuge cross the Moei River into Thailand on Dec 19 just after the Myanmar military launched attacks in Karen State opposite Tak province in Thailand. (Photo: Jittrapon Kaicome) This week's exodus of thousands of people fleeing for their lives from Myanmar's Karen State into Thailand's Mae Sot district in Tak was not unexpected. Prior to this, several agencies including those in Thai security, community leaders along the border, and military leaders of the Karen National Union (KNU) shared the opinion that this dry season -- the end of November to late April -- will see a fierce offensive from the Myanmar junta army aimed at suppressing armed ethnic organisations, particularly the KNU. Since early this year, the Myanmar army has ca...

China locks down city as Covid cases surge around the world

22Jan

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China locks down city as Covid cases surge around the world

China locks down city as Covid cases surge around the world China is on high alert for Covid-19 ahead of February’s Winter Olympics. BEIJING: China shut down a city of 13 million people on Thursday in a bid to extinguish a tiny Covid outbreak and chase its zero-case goal, as other nations around the globe battled huge infection surges driven by Omicron. Stock markets rose in Asia, following Wall Street's lead, partly due to preliminary studies from Britain indicating Omicron infections were less likely to result in hospitalisation compared with the Delta. The cautious optimism was also lifted by news that the US Food and Drug Administration had authorised Pfizer's anti-Covid pill, providing fresh tools to battle the disease. But with Omicron driving record infection numbers in many co

Hong Kong suspends officials, isolates some 170 party guests

19Jan

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Hong Kong suspends officials, isolates some 170 party guests

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities on Friday suspended several government officials from duty and will order about 170 people to be quarantined at a government facility after they attended a birthday party where two guests later tested positive for the coronavirus. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said in a statement late Friday that the officials who were at the party and who are subject to quarantine would be suspended from their duties and must use their vacation days while they are isolated for 21 days. Fears of a new virus cluster were sparked when a second guest at the Jan. 3 party preliminarily tested positive. On Friday, health authorities said all party guests would be classified as close contacts and be sent to mandatory quarantine if the second guest was confirmed as a positive

Myanmar coup-fuelled poverty pushes thousands to Thailand

17Jan

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Myanmar coup-fuelled poverty pushes thousands to Thailand

Myanmar coup-fuelled poverty pushes thousands to Thailand In this file handout photo from the Royal Thai Army released on Oct 25, 2021, a Thai military personnel in protective gear checks the temperature of Myanmar migrants apprehended by Thai military personnel in Kanchanaburi province. (AFP) Trekking through dense jungle and mountainous terrain at night to avoid arrest, one couple from Myanmar endured a gruelling journey to Thailand -- grasping for an economic lifeline as jobs dry up in their coup-hit home. Myo Chit and his wife are among thousands of migrants who have made the crossing in recent months, spurred by the twin crises of a pandemic-hit economy and turmoil triggered by the junta's ousting of Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government. Their two-day journey from Myanmar's coas...

17Jan

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China lets Nepal down

Six years down the line from Kathmandu signing with Beijing a Transportand Transit Agreement and two years after the signing of the protocol onimplementation of the agreement, the treaty has turned into a non-starter.Businessmen in Nepal have been left with only protesting against Chinaat the two main trading points on the Nepal – China border ---Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani ---- accusing Beijing of imposing an unofficialblockade as container trucks loaded with importable consumer items havenot been allowed to cross the border into Nepal, according to reports fromKathmandu. To harass Nepalese traders, Chinese transporters have evenincreased freight charges over four times along the nearly 25 km stretchbetween the Chinese border point and the Nepalese border. The reasonsfor this Chinese betray

Walmart’s China Dilemma is Every Western Company’s, Too

17Jan

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Walmart’s China Dilemma is Every Western Company’s, Too

If relations — and Chinese consumption — don't improve, more foreign companies might decide to focus on greener pastures A Walmart's Sam's Club store in Beijing in August. (Photo: Bloomberg) Walmart is struggling with a public outcry in China after the country's netizens accused the company of failing to stock products from China's Xinjiang region, where the government has imprisoned large numbers of the Turkic Uyghur minority. On the face of it, this is nothing new: Foreign companies in China have faced periodic boycotts for years. But that fact conceals profound changes in the political and economic environment in China. If they persist, longstanding assumptions about consumer companies' need to invest in China -- or be left behind globally -- could start to unravel. Politically ting

17Jan

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TAT puts dampener on New Year hopes

TAT puts dampener on New Year hopes People browse New Year decorative items on sale at Sampeng market in Bangkok. Apichart Jinakul The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects a weak New Year period with just 8.04 billion baht in tourism revenue, due to concerns over the Covid-19 Omicron variant. "Concerns over a possible outbreak of the new Omicron variant have affected local tourists' plans for the New Year holiday, but younger generations continue to travel as they have confidence in preventive measures," said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn. According to the TAT forecast, tourism spending between Dec 31 and Jan 3 reflects weaker travel sentiment compared to previous holidays, mainly due to the emergence of Omicron and economic slowdown. Local tourists are expected to take 2.63 m...