July, 2021

• 27 July

  Can Arizona grow EVs in the desert?

  

  I am practical, and probably boring, about cars. I have never owned one that makes people on street corners and outdoor cafes stare at me. But recently I was ogled in a vehicle that wasn’t particularly flashy or expensive. I think people were gawking because the car I was test-driving, an ElectraMeccanica Solo, is delightful, unusual and impossible to figure ...

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• 27 July

  Will we ever be able to travel with young kids?

  As countries around the world attempt to reopen their borders, officials have come up with an ever-changing list of labyrinthine polices to allow travel. A range of entry restrictions have been deployed, from home quarantines for vaccinated adults to spending up to three weeks in government-authorized facilities, with multiple tests along the way. The best strategy isn’t yet clear, but ...

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• 27 July

  Jerome Powell, just don’t say the ‘T’ word

  It’s pretty unusual for a central banker in a consequential economy to get outflanked by politicians. That is the risk confronting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell when it comes to the pace of rising prices, with potentially significant implications for the American and global economies. The White House is shifting the way it talks about inflation, using plainer language that ...

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• 27 July

  Duterte pushes Congress on more foreign investments

  

  Bloomberg Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte pushed for opening the economy to more foreign investments in his final address to Congress, where he also pledged pandemic support to help businesses bounce back and defended his much-criticised drug war. Duterte called on lawmakers to amend laws to ease restrictions on international retailers and professionals, as well as to allow foreigners greater ownership ...

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• 27 July

  India’s Byju’s buys Great Learning for $600 million

  

  Bloomberg India’s digital learning pioneer Byju’s is buying professional training and higher education platform Great Learning for $600 million, accelerating an acquisition spree to expand globally. The cash-and-stock purchase marks an entry to the higher education segment for Byju’s, the company said on Monday in a statement. The sellers of Singapore-based Great Learning will receive certain payments based on its ...

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• 27 July

  Sri Lanka to repay $1bn bond, ending default threat

  Bloomberg Sri Lanka plans to repay a $1 billion bond by the Tuesday deadline, keeping intact its reputation for honouring debt as concern mounts about the nation’s overseas financing. Authorities will transfer the required funds on Monday, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the state minister for money and capital markets, said. Moody’s Investors Service placed Sri Lanka’s ratings under review for a ...

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• 27 July

  Astra mulls vaccine imports to SE Asia as Thai supply hit

  

  Bloomberg AstraZeneca Plc is planning to import Covid-19 vaccines to Southeast Asia as its only manufacturing facility in the region struggles to ramp up output to meet demand from countries hit hard by the delta variant. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker is scouring more than 20 supply chains in its global manufacturing network to find additional vaccines for Southeast Asia, including Thailand, ...

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• 27 July

  Tesla’s India plant ‘quite likely’: Musk

  Bloomberg A Tesla Inc factory to produce cars in India is “quite likely” if the electric automaker can first begin sales with imported vehicles, according to Elon Musk. The California-based car producer is currently lobbying for lower taxes on imports as it considers plans to expand into India, one of the world’s biggest emerging car markets, people with knowledge of ...

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• 27 July

  Indonesia to extend restrictions amid rising Covid cases

  

  Bloomberg Indonesia is extending its mobility curbs for another week until August 2 as coronavirus cases remain high following near month-long restrictions. Adjustments are made in order to allow small businesses to operate under strict health protocols, President Joko Widodo said in a briefing broadcast on YouTube. Traditional markets selling staple foods will open as normal, while shops selling non-food ...

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• 27 July

  US, China leave room open to talk after contentious meeting

  

  Bloomberg The US and China left open the possibility of a summit between their presidents despite a contentious day of talks between officials from both sides in city of Tianjin. Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng told visiting Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman during a meeting on Monday that the relationship was “in a stalemate and faces serious difficulties.” Xie ...

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