October, 2020

• 14 October

  Sharjah conducts over 35,000 inspections on businesses

  

  SHARJAH / WAM The Commercial Officers at Sharjah Economic Development Department (SEDD) carried out 35,971 inspections on establishments since the beginning of coronavirus pandemic until September, to ensure they are adhering to precautionary measures. These campaigns were held periodically to ensure the safety of all establishments and practices across the Emirate of Sharjah. Likely, SEDD intensified its role during the ...

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• 14 October

  UAE reports 1,452 new recoveries from Covid-19

  Abu Dhabi / WAM The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it conducted 96,989 additional Covid-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment. In a statement, the ministry stressed its aim to continue expanding the scope of testing nationwide to facilitate the early detection of coronavirus cases and carry out the necessary treatment. As ...

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• 14 October

  UAE researchers develop biodegradable face mask

  

  Abu Dhabi / WAM Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced a team of researchers has successfully developed the first working prototypes of NavaMASK, a fully ‘biodegradable’, ‘biocompatible’, environment-friendly and novel anti-viral adaptive face mask with nanofibers that will have strong anti-microbial properties. The researchers have already filed for a patent license for the mask’s bio-material. NavaMASK will offer ...

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• 14 October

  Dewa launches online campaign for World Energy Day

  

  DUBAI / WAM Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) launched an online campaign for World Energy Day, which is observed on October 22 every year. This is part of its continuous efforts to engage the public in achieving sustainable development and raise awareness on the importance of energy conservation, increasing energy efficiency and supporting energy sustainability. World Energy Day is ...

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• 13 October

  Scotland’s SSE to sell energy waste plant stakes for $1.3b

  

  Bloomberg SSE Plc rose after it agreed to sell its 50% stakes in two energy from waste ventures as part of its plan to focus on renewable generation. The Scottish utility will sell its holdings in Multifuel Energy Ltd and Multifuel Energy 2 Ltd to the European Diversified Infrastructure Fund III, a fund managed by First Sentier Investors, for a ...

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• 13 October

  New Zealand gives US a lesson in ‘democracy’

  

  What if the coronavirus pandemic delayed an election and no one cared? That’s pretty much what’s happening in New Zealand, where Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appears to be cruising towards victory in an election this Saturday after rival politicians sought postponement from the original September 19 date. At a time when America is tearing itself apart over the crises of ...

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• 13 October

  Italy is suddenly looking very French

  

  The pandemic has prompted governments to take a more active role in managing their economies. Politicians are giving out generous loan guarantees and subsidising wages to reduce the risk of a wave of bankruptcies and mass unemployment. The next step is taking over companies directly. After a spree of recent acquisitions — from payment systems to airlines — Italy appears ...

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• 13 October

  HK market finds hope in Xi Jinping’s tea leaves

  China’s leaders recognise the importance of symbolism. Decisions such as the positioning of officials at public events, even the order in which names are read out on news bulletins, delineate relative power relationships. Those who can interpret the arcane signals of communist protocol have built careers out of it. The discipline even has a name: tea-leaf reading. In this light, ...

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• 13 October

  Currency traders are betting against Trump

  With pollsters predicting that Donald Trump will soon be out of the picture, global investors can finally breathe a big sigh of relief. Foreign policy could become more predictable, so they can start buying Chinese government bonds, which actually pay interest. They can also invest in the mainland, where a successful Covid-19 containment strategy has allowed businesses to resume. Money ...

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• 13 October

  Amazon’s Prime Day steals rivals’ Black Friday spotlight

  

  Bloomberg Amazon.com’s two-day Prime Day sale kicked off on Tuesday, which is expected to give the world’s largest e-commerce company an early advantage over brick-and-mortar rivals still contending with pandemic-spooked consumers wary of battling Black Friday crowds. With Prime Day delayed to October from July this year, Amazon single-handedly could yank the pivotal holiday season forward — a long-predicted “Christmas ...

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