Category:

Eco/Invest/Demography

Latest

SoftBank’s PayPay surges ahead in Japan’s digital payments race

PayPay is emerging as a key driver of a government-supported consumer shift away from cash as Japan grapples with deepening labour shortages and the need for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Late to payments, SoftBank drove the uptake of PayPay through cash-back campaigns. In one prominent example, it gave away 10 billion yen ($90 million) in 10 days.

read more

Indian state sharply raises COVID-19 death toll prompting call for wide review

India has the second-highest tally of COVID-19 infections in the world after the United States, with 29.2 million cases and 359,676 deaths, according to health ministry data.But the discovery of several thousand unreported deaths in the state of Bihar has raised suspicion that many more coronavirus victims have not been included in official figures. The health department in Bihar, one of India’s poorest states, revised its total COVID-19 related death toll to more than 9,429 from about 5,424 on Wednesday.

read more

Covid-19: Delta variant ‘poised to take hold’ in Europe, warns WHO

During a press briefing on Thursday, WHO’s Dr Hans Kluge said the variant also known as the delta variant, has shown signs of being able to evade some vaccines and warned that many vulnerable populations, particularly those over age 60, remain unprotected.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday warned that COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations are “very clearly” on the rise in the country and that he continues to assess the vaccination data to decide on whether to end all lockdown measures by June 21.

read more