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BANGKOK: Incomplete and prospective hydropower dam projects in Southeast Asia, particularly along the Mekong River and its tributaries, are at risk of major delays and shutdowns as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts major industries, energy markets and worker safety. The government of Laos has already ordered a temporary halt to all hydropower construction in the country, after a mining company worker tested positive for the virus. Planning consultations about future works, including the major Luang Prabang dam, have also been postponed. Amid possibly the worst regional drought in four decades and the worsening impacts of climate change, observers say the virus-driven impacts have further put the viability of large scale projects in question. “Everyone is affected. The global economy is affected. The hydro sector is affected. The pandemic will hamper global supply chains, delay construction and temporarily reduce demand,” the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat told CNA. … [Read more...] about Southeast Asia’s hydropower boom grinds to a halt as COVID-19 stalls projects

Paulie's robot Sico has been axed from Sylvester Stallone's new cut of Rocky IV , and the creator of the machine believes it was a cost-cutting measure. In the works to honor the 35th anniversary of the release of the hit sequel, Stallone's Rocky IV Director's Cut has a lot of excitement surrounding the project. With so many fans asking about it, Stallone has been speaking about its progress on social media. When one fan questioned Sico's involvement, Stallone revealed that he cut the robot's scene, stating that poor Sico was "going to the junkyard forever." Word of Sico getting the boot made its way back to the robot's creator, International Robotics founder Robert Doornick , who also provided the voice of the robot. Speaking about the news in a new interview with Empire, Doornick explained what he believes to be the reasoning behind Stallone cutting the scene. Here's what he said in the publication's November issue. RELATED: Rocky IV Director's Cut Will Axe … [Read more...] about Rocky IV Robot Creator Fires Back After Stallone Cuts SICO from Director’s Cut

SINGAPORE: The authorities on Monday (Sep 14) announced guidelines to help dormitory operators and employers come to a mutual agreement on their existing rental contracts. This comes amid the option for employers to rehouse their workers in order to comply with the COVID-19 safe restart criteria set out by sector agencies and prevent transmission of the virus between work sites and living spaces. For example, employers may wish to cohort those working on the same project from different accommodations to a dedicated accommodation or reshuffle those living in the same accommodation. The guidelines were set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Building and Construction Authority and Economic Development Board in view of such movements, and aim to help dormitory operators and employers work out contractual arrangements on dormitory rentals fairly and reasonably. IN FOCUS: The long, challenging journey to bring COVID-19 under control in migrant worker dormitories Guidelines for … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Guidelines to help dorm operators, employers come to mutual agreement on existing rental contracts

WASHINGTON: Eight years ago, as the United States struggled through the aftermath of a deep recession, the Federal Reserve set an unemployment rate it felt would be a good benchmark to show the economy was getting back to normal. The 6.5per cent number the Fed set in 2012 was almost double the unemployment rate the U.S. eventually hit https://br.reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy-idUSKBN1WJ0C4 during a record-setting economic expansion, leaving many convinced the Fed had misjudged the willingness of those on the economic sidelines to get back to work. This week, the Fed will revive that debate under drastically different circumstances as it begins to put into practice a revised approach to monetary policy at its meeting on Sept. 15 and 16. Mistakes about job creation are a thing of the past, the Fed is promising, with an expansive commitment to "broad-based and inclusive" employment announced in late August. What's unclear is just what the Fed plans to do to speed a return to … [Read more...] about Fed meeting may give clues to coronavirus-era jobs plans

REUTERS: SoftBank Group Corp announced on Monday the sale of chip designer Arm to Nvidia Corp for as much as US$40 billion in a deal set to reshape the semiconductor landscape. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approvals including in Britain, the United States and China, will be putting a long-neutral technology vendor to Apple Inc and others under the control of a single player. It could face potential pushback from regulators, as the ongoing U.S.-China tech spats have put any global deal in the semiconductor sector under much tighter scrutiny. Below are a list of prominent global deals that collapsed due to regulators' rejection in the last five years: * U.S. President Donald Trump in March, 2018, blocked microchip maker Broadcom Ltd's proposed takeover of Qualcomm Inc on national security grounds. * Qualcomm Inc walked away from a US$44 billion deal to buy NXP Semiconductors after failing to secure Chinese regulatory approval in July, 2018 amidst China-U.S. trade … [Read more...] about Global technology deals that failed to get regulatory approval