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Eco/Invest/Demography

Law without order: investors grapple with China’s regulatory risk

The Chinese Communist Party’s uneasy relationship with private business has always weighed on the minds of Western investors who seek legal and regulatory certainty to place their bets.

Yet Beijing’s recent moves are unsettling even seasoned investors who are otherwise used to navigating corporate China’s murky auditing and poor governance in order to chase growth in the world’s second-largest economy.

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Checking Delta-Unvaccinated most at risk

“The biggest risk to the world at the moment is simply Delta,” said microbiologist Sharon Peacock, who runs Britain’s efforts to sequence the genomes of coronavirus variants, calling it the “fittest and fastest variant yet.”

Viruses constantly evolve through mutation, with new variants arising. Sometimes these are more dangerous than the original.

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Scientists update forecasts on extreme weather and climate change 

“It’s not so much that climate change itself is proceeding faster than expected — the warming is right in line with model predictions from decades ago,” said climate scientist Michael Mann of Pennsylvania State University. “Rather, it’s the fact that some of the impacts are greater than scientists predicted.”

That suggests that climate modeling may have been underestimating the “the potential for the dramatic rise in persistent weather extremes,” Mann said.

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Virus variant and disasters strike strain global supply chains

Events have conspired to drive global supply chains towards breaking point, threatening the fragile flow of raw materials, parts and consumer goods, according to companies, economists and shipping specialists.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus has devastated parts of Asia and prompted many nations to cut off land access for sailors. That’s left captains unable to rotate weary crews and about 100,000 seafarers stranded at sea beyond their stints in a flashback to 2020 and the height of lockdowns.

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Global insurance recovery will be faster, stronger than in 2008: Swiss Re

Writing new policies was more difficult in 2009 and 2010 when insurers were reeling from capital losses, slow economic growth and depleted incomes of companies and individuals.

In contrast, businesses and individuals now have more money from government stimulus and support programs, and are more conscious of the need to buy protection against risks, he added.

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India urges G20 countries to fulfill emission targets

The Indian delegation in the G 20 meeting said that India has already achieved an emission reduction of 28 per cent over 2005 levels and is all set to exceed its NDC(Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)) commitments before 2030, the press release further stated

India has achieved 38.5 per cent installed capacity from renewables, said the Indian delegation.

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Delta infecting even the fully vaccinated at a greater rate

Genomics expert Eric Topolnoted that Delta infections have a shorter incubation period and a far higher amount of viral particles. “That’s why the vaccines are going to be challenged. The people who are vaccinated have got to be especially careful. This is a tough one,” Topol said. reuters
“The biggest risk to the world at the moment is simply Delta,” said microbiologist Sharon Peacock. Until there is more data on its transmission, experts say masks, social distancing and other measures set aside in countries with broad vaccination campaigns may again be needed.

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IFC lends USD 250 mn to HDFC to promote affordable green housing finance

Green and energy-efficient housing can help cut emissions, as residential housing accounts for about 24 percent of the nation’s electricity consumption, IFC said.

”Green housing is largely regarded as a luxury market in the country, but given its climate benefits, IFC intends to challenge that perception and help boost green affordable housing by partnering with HDFC, with its deep penetration in the Indian housing market and significant commitment to promoting green,” IFC said.

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