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Global banks show tantalising signs of stability: S&P

S&P said its base case is that the global banking sector will continue to slowly stabilise as the economic rebound gains momentum and as support is gradually withdrawn. Should a re-intensification of risks occur, this will require more support from public authorities for the real economy.For 11 of the top 20 banking jurisdictions, S&P estimates that a return to pre-Covid-19 levels of financial strength will not occur until 2023 or beyond. For the other nine, it estimates that recovery may occur by year-end 2022.

Progress on tobacco fight, but new nicotine products pose increasing threat

Of particular concern, new data shows that children who use electronic nicotine delivery systems, such as ‘e-cigarettes’ are up to three times more likely to use tobacco products in the future.

WHO is concerned that these products are often being marketed to children and adolescents by the tobacco and related industries that manufacture them, using thousands of appealing flavours and misleading claims about the products.

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala plans 70 planes for new ultra-low cost airline

The ultra-low cost airline will be called Akasa Air and the team, which includes a former senior executive of Delta Air Lines Inc., is looking at planes that can carry 180 passengers, he said.
hunjhunwala, who is considering investing $35 million and would own 40% of the carrier, expects to get a no-objection certificate from India’s aviation ministry in the next 15 days, he said in a Bloomberg Television interview Wednesday.

Pfizer raises 2021 COVID-19 vaccine sales forecast to $33.5 billion

The company also said on Wednesday it could apply for an emergency use authorization for a potential booster dose as early as August, reiterating that a booster shot will likely be needed in the future. The raised sales forecast of the vaccine is based on signed deals for 2.1 billion doses, and the company could increase it if it signs additional contracts.

Guj govt to start evening clinics for labourers, daily wagers in cities

The clinics will be opened soon in collaboration with municipal corporations, and an honorarium will be given to private doctors who are willing to provide their services, he said.

”The idea is to provide free treatment to poor people near their homes. As labourers and daily wagers leave their homes in the morning for work and are away all day, these clinics will remain open for four to five hours in the evening, when they return home,” the deputy chief minister said.

World faces shortage of merchant sailors to crew ships -study

The Delta variant of the coronavirus has hit hard in 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 when over 200,000 merchant sailors were stuck on ships. read more

New York city to offer 100 dollars for vaccination

The announcement comes just days after the mayor said all city workers would have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by mid-September or face weekly testing. De Blasio also announced that more than 9.9 million doses of vaccine have been administered in the city so far. Sixty-six per cent of adults have been fully vaccinated and 71 per cent have received at least one dose, according to the New York City health department, The Hill reported.

COVID-19 infections rise, Delta variant spreads to 132 countries: WHO

An average of around 540 000 cases was reported globally each day over the past week as compared to 490 000 cases reported daily the week before.
Of the four COVID-19 mutations that WHO has designated “variants of concern”, the UN agency said that the Alpha variant is present in 182 countries, Beta is in 131, Gamma in 81 and after reaching eight new countries in the past week, the Delta variant is now in 132 countries. 

England scraps quarantine for fully vaccinated EU, U.S. visitors

Top of the list is a reopening of the UK-U.S. travel corridor which is still affected by a ban on all non-U.S. citizens who have been in Britain. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told LBC Radio earlier on Wednesday that he wanted U.S. citizens to come to England “freely” and was discussing making changes.

Travellers also still have to take an expensive COVID-19 test before departure and shortly after arrival in England. BA Chief Executive Sean Doyle said the company’s trials had proved it could check travellers for vaccination status quickly and safely.