International emergency medical insurance

Deepak Parekh (File Image) We remain optimistic about the resilience of the Indian economy despite the high volatility in the global environment, said Deepak Parekh, Chairman, HDFC Life Insurance, at the firm's 22nd Annual General Meeting. He added that t he world’s largest COVID vaccination drive has allowed India to swiftly move beyond the acute phase of the pandemic that was witnessed at the start of the last financial year. "W e are now witnessing early signs of a sustainable economic revival. High growth in non - oil and non - gold imports reflects a pickup in domestic demand. Domestic economic activity is fuelled by private consumption and rising discreti onary spending," Parekh observed. Furthermore, the forecast for normal southwest monsoon this year is expected to support rural consumption, he said. Talking about the life insurance industry, he said that d espite the pandemic, the Indian life insurance industry’s new business … [Read more...] about HDFC Life 22nd AGM | Optimistic about resilience of Indian economy, says Deepak Parekh

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin More is not necessarily better when it comes to new and emerging technologies designed to help drivers. Many consumers have a strong interest in partially automated driving systems, but prefer those that require them to keep their hands on the wheel, stay engaged and have attention safeguards. Those are the highlights of a new survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety , a nonprofit financed by the insurance industry. “Automakers often assume that drivers want as much technology as they can get in their vehicles,” Alexandra Mueller, a research scientist at the Insurance Institute and the survey’s primary designer, said in a statement. “But few studies have examined actual consumer opinions about partial driving automation.” For the nationwide survey, which was released on Thursday, more than 1,000 drivers were asked about three common systems: lane centering, automated lane changing and … [Read more...] about ‘No Thanks’ To Hands-Free Driving, Consumers Say

- A + A SERI KEMBANGAN (June 30): Country Heights Holdings Bhd (CHHB) is allocating RM100 million in capital expenditure (capex) to expand and strengthen its wellness business segment, one of its top performing pillars during the Covid-19 pandemic. The group's founder and major shareholder Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew said the Malaysian government had been championing medical tourism since before Covid-19 and had done very well in this segment even during the pandemic. The group’s healthcare subsidiary GHHS Healthcare recorded a profit of RM3.23 million in 2021 on a turnover of RM26.72 million. There is huge potential in this segment and hence the group targets to grow it by three or four times, he told reporters after the group’s annual general meeting here on Thursday (June 30). “We want to reposition our group wellness business as a new branch of wellness tourism, which is a bigger market compared to medical tourism,” Lee said. He said if one were to consider the … [Read more...] about Country Heights allocates RM100m in capex to expand wellness business

This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on June 20, 2022 - June 26, 2022. - A + A ALL eyes are on RHB Banking Group’s newly minted group managing director (MD) and group CEO Mohd Rashid Mohamad as he steers the fourth-largest banking group by assets forward in a tough operating landscape. “It’s very challenging, especially now in a fast-changing market environment, and as we face potential risks such as geopolitical and inflationary,” acknowledges Rashid in his first exclusive interview as group MD/CEO. Competition has intensified, given new entrants into the market, which are not just new banks but also technology companies that compete for the same pie. Rashid adds that this has partly affected the profitability of the industry, along with many other factors. He notes that banks globally no longer see “high ROEs” as before. For RHB Bank Bhd, its return on equity (ROE) in the past 10 financial years hit a high of 13.4% in FY2012 before … [Read more...] about Cover Story: RHB’s Game Plan in ‘fast-changing’ new normal

T Rabi Sankar has taken over as the new deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Following this, the central bank has redistributed the portfolios of the deputy governors. RBI has four deputy governors. Rabi Sankar, who was serving as an executive director, has been given important portfolios such as  department of currency management, external investments and operations, government and bank accounts, Information Technology and Payment and Settlement Systems. Besides, he has also been given foreign exchange department, internal debt management department and right to information, the RBI said. Rabi Sankar has been appointed for a period of three years. On May 2, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet cleared the name of T Rabi Sankar as a Deputy Governor. This was after B Kanungo retired on April 2. RBI has four deputy governor posts, one of which fell vacant due to Kanungo's retirement. The other three deputy governors are Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Patra and … [Read more...] about T Rabi Sankar takes over as deputy governor, RBI reshuffles portfolios

In response to the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, the Public Health Ministry plans to decrease the time between the first and second AstraZeneca vaccines for people. The Delta variant is more contagious and spreads more quickly than the original Coronavirus so the decision was made to accelerate the vaccination process to protect against it. Just a few days ago, plans to stretch the gap between first and second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to 16 weeks were scrapped. The plan was thought to buy time for the government to give more first doses to push up the number of (partially) vaccinated people in Thailand more quickly. It was called off as no clinical data exists on whether a second vaccine that far after the first would still be effective at all. After conceding the 16 week plan and dropping the gap to 10 to 12 weeks, they are hastening the process further, to just 8 weeks between vaccines. The longer spacing had been chosen based on British research, but that … [Read more...] about Gap between AstraZeneca vaccines cut from 16 to 12 to 8 weeks

In announcing what is expected for the first arrivals in the Phuket Sandbox plan on July 1, Governor Narong Woonsew mostly reconfirmed the rules set out , though a few details and additions came to light. Thailand will welcome back international travellers with the first international flights arriving next Friday. The first arrivals to Phuket will be fully vaccinated Europeans from low- and medium-risk countries. They will fly on Thai Airways flights from London, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Paris, and Zurich on July 1. As has been established during the constant evolution of the Phuket Sandbox reopening rules, all travellers must be fully vaccinated and have a negative Covid-19 test as well as US $100,000 worth of Covid-19 insurance. They will be required to stay in a Safety and Health Administration Plus certified hotel and must stay within Phuket province for at least 14 days before travelling elsewhere in Thailand. (Shorter stays are allowed if the passenger is leaving Thailand … [Read more...] about Phuket governer reviews rules, new details for July 1 arrivals

MANILA, Philippines — As the United Nations faces the COVID-19 pandemic, — its “biggest test” since World War II — President Rodrigo Duterte called on the international body to implement reforms to better address the challenges presented by the worldwide medical crisis. “The invisible enemy that is COVID-19 has brought about an unfamiliar global landscape and unleashed a crisis without precedent. It is the biggest test the world and the United Nations faced since World War II,” Duterte said in a pre-taped speech aired Wednesday at the UN General Assembly. “While the United Nations has brought relief and hope to so many countries and peoples around the world, it now finds itself saddled by a virus that has taken many lives and wrecked economies and social order,” he added. The President challenged the UN and its member states to reassess whether they had been true to the international organization’s principles and ideas. While the United Nations remains to be “humanity’s … [Read more...] about Duterte calls for UN reforms to address challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic

- A + A (June 30): All emerging Asian currencies were set for half-yearly losses on Thursday, with the South Korean won set to lose the most, as policy tightening by the US central bank and concerns over global economic outlook spurred selling in Asian assets. The won dropped 8.4% so far this year, while the Philippine peso and Indian rupee were on track to post half-yearly losses of 7.3% and 5.8%, respectively. Emerging markets in the six-month period were battered by capital outflows due to the US Federal Reserve kicking off its tightening cycle, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and inflation from higher commodity prices. Among local drivers, China's insistence on a zero-Covid policy also spurred selling as the country's repeated imposition of restrictions means a slower economic recovery for the region's largest economy. "The broader market ... they need some more convincing because I think at the back of their mind, they've still got this hesitancy due to the … [Read more...] about Asian currencies set for half-year losses on rate hikes, inflation woes

- A + A MOSCOW (June 30): Western fashion brands are conspicuous by their absence at a gleaming new shopping centre on the outskirts of Moscow - and customers say they scarcely miss them. Following Moscow's decision to send thousands of troops into Ukraine at the end of February, international fashion brands from Adidas to Zara have paused operations in Russia, while Nike is one of the handful to commit to a definitive exit from the market. "I am neutral on this, whether we have them or not," shopper Alexandra Moskunova told Reuters at the mall in Khovrino. "I can happily do without them." Another customer, Irina Stakhanova, said: "I only really liked H&M and another one that I can't remember. It's not that I need foreign things, I just need something that fits me and looks good, to lift the mood." There are few overt signs in the Russian capital that the mood needs lifting. Buskers sing and play, restaurant terraces spill onto the pavement and, as … [Read more...] about Moscow mall opens for Russian business after big brand exodus