Singapore said Tuesday the “double mutant” coronavirus variant first detected in India has been found among locally transmitted cases in the city state. The B.1.617 variant is widely blamed for India’s second wave of infections that has seen total cases surge above 20 million. The World Health Organization classified it as a variant of interest last week. As […] Read more
Hongkongers have used 2 billion disposable masks since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, a local green group has said, urging the government to issue guidelines to encourage the use of reusable variants. Greeners Action surveyed 1,095 people and found that 92 per cent of respondents habitually wore disposable masks. More than half of them […] Read more
President Donald Trump announced early Friday he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for coronavirus, plunging the United States into further upheaval and uncertainty just over a month away from Election Day. The White House physician said the president and first lady were “both well” at the moment. In a tweet shortly before 1 a.m. ET, Trump […] Read more
Not all of China is recovering from the economic hit from coronavirus at the same rate, survey finds
The economic recovery in China from the shock of the coronavirus is only happening in part of the country, according to an independent survey by the China Beige Book released Thursday. The world’s second-largest economy was the first country to get hit by the coronavirus pandemic. More than half the country shut down in early February […] Read more
China reported that the country’s GDP grew by 3.2% in the second quarter of this year, compared to a year ago — beating analysts’ expectations and rebounding from the first quarter’s contraction. It comes as lockdowns to contain the coronavirus outbreak in China eased, and as Beijing rolled out stimulus measures to prop up its economy. Economists […] Read more
An extended rally in shares in mainland China lifted spirits across the Asian region on Thursday. Gains however were limited as the number of coronavirus cases globally soared above three million, with little sign of the virus peaking. China’s Shanghai Composite index closed 47.15 points or 1.39% higher at 3,450.59 points Thursday, while the blue-chip […] Read more
As China grapples with rising unemployment and slowing growth, some say a needed economic boost could come from new business approaches to hiring. The systemic challenges run deep. In one indication, a Chinese reality TV show featuring female contestants in their 30s to 50s jumped to the top of the charts after premiering last month. The show […] Read more
Despite countries around the world taking differing approaches to manage the coronavirus, all of them agree on one thing: The only way out of this pandemic is to develop an effective vaccine. How do vaccines work? Vaccines generally work by injecting parts of a pathogen into the human body; these parts are called antigens as […] Read more
News that Beijing has ordered state firms to halt purchases of farm products could well be an opportunistic political maneuver stemming from fundamental weakness on the demand side in China, said analysts. On Monday, Reuters reported that China has asked main state firms to suspend large-scale purchases of major U.S. farm products like soybeans and […] Read more
China’s parliament, the National People’s Congress, on Thursday approved the proposal to impose a new national security law for Hong Kong, and paves the way for the legislation to be finalized and implemented in the city. The NPC voted 2,878 to 1 in favor of the bill, which will pave the way for its Standing […] Read more
