HSBC’s 1H profit more than doubles as economies rebound
HONG KONG/LONDON: HSBC Holdings on Monday reported forecast-beating first-half pretax profit that more than doubled from a weak performance last year when it made huge provisions for pandemic-related bad loans. Encouraged by an economic rebound in Hong Kong and Britain, its two biggest markets, HSBC reinstated dividend payments and released $700 million that had been […]
Nokia names Rauf Nasir to lead operations in Malaysia, Maldives & Sri Lanka
KUALA LUMPUR: Nokia has appointed Datuk Mohd Rauf Nasir as its new managing director for Malaysia, Maldives and Sri Lanka effective from August 1. In a statement today, the company said Rauf would oversee Nokia’s business and operations for the countries in his new role. “Rauf has more than 30 years of experience in Malaysia’s […]
Scuffles in Berlin as Covid sceptics defy protest ban
BERLIN: Thousands of anti-lockdown demonstrators defied a court-ordered protest ban on Sunday and gathered in the streets of Berlin, resulting in scuffles with police. Police said some protesters had “harassed and attacked” officers and ignored roadblocks, disrupting traffic in parts of the German capital. “They tried to break through the police chain and pull out our […]
S. Korea says no decision on joint US military drills, but exercises should not create N. Korea tension
SEOUL, Aug 2 — South Korea said today no decision has been made on its joint military exercises with the United States but they should not create tension, after North Korea warned the South against holding the exercises amid signs of a thaw in relations. South Korea and the United States regularly stage military exercises, […]
Death toll in Turkey wildfires rises to eight, coastal resorts affected
ISTANBUL, Aug 2 — The death toll from wildfires on Turkey’s southern coast rose to eight yesterday as firefighters battled for a fifth day to contain blazes still raging in coastal resort towns. Two more people died yesterday due to wildfires in the southern town of Manavgat, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said, adding that 10 […]
Australia tightens COVID curbs as Brisbane extends lockdown, army patrols Sydney
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia’s Queensland state on Monday extended a COVID-19 lockdown in Brisbane, while soldiers began patrolling Sydney to enforce stay-at-home rules as Australia struggles to stop the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus spreading. Queensland said it had detected 13 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours – the biggest […]
Op Surge Capacity ends, 1.65 million Covid-19 vaccine appointments given
KUALA LUMPUR: Op Surge Capacity, conducted between July 26 and Aug 1 saw a total 1,655,217 Covid-19 vaccination appointments given to residents in the Klang Valley. Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme (NIP) Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) reported 96.7 per cent of the adult population in the Klang Valley had […]
Man charged with spreading fake news on Covid-19 vaccination
KUALA KANGSAR: A former production manager of a Singapore-based engineering company was charged at the Sessions Court today with spreading fake news regarding the death of a policeman, allegedly due to a Covid-19 vaccine in April. The accused, Muhammad Zaki Omar, 36, however pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him before judge […]
Opposition lawmakers gather at Merdeka Square as authorities shut Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — Opposition federal lawmakers gathered at the Merdeka Square this morning in a symbolic protest against the authorities’ move to shut and adjourn the special Parliament sitting amid mounting pressure for Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to resign. Today’s protest, attended by all Opposition MPs, including those not from the […]
