1.BOEING: -Boeing Co’s Starliner space capsule launch could be delayed by several months as it will likely need to be removed from atop a rocket for repairs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Earlier this month, Boeing scrubbed the launch of its much awaited CST-100 Starliner to the International Space Station after discovering a glitch in its propulsion system valves during pre-launch checks.
Boeing declined to comment on the WSJ report when contacted by Reuters.
The delay in CST-100 Starliner’s launch is the latest setback for a U.S. aerospace giant reeling from back-to-back crises – a pandemic that crushed demand for new jetliners and a safety scandal caused by two fatal 737 MAX crashes – that have damaged Boeing’s finances and engineering reputation.
The uncrewed test flight’s delay also throws into question the timing of its follow-on mission with a crew onboard, which Boeing has said would take place no earlier than December.
Separately, Boeing said late on Thursday it fixed nine of its 13 CST-100 Starliner propulsion system valves and the remaining four still remained closed.
The announcement comes after Boeing said earlier this week it was assessing multiple dates for the launch of its space capsule.
2.AT&T:AT&T Inc said on Thursday it will require management employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before entering a work location, amid growing concerns about the Delta variant of the virus.
A spokesperson for the U.S. wireless carrier said the company will begin discussions with labor unions “to jointly align on a path forward for our union-represented employees.”
The company said it will make exceptions for employees who can not receive the vaccine for medical or other reasons.
The move comes as other major companies including Facebook are also requiring vaccinations for U.S. employees before they step into offices.
3.AIRBNB:- Airbnb Inc said on Thursday its current-quarter bookings could be hit by the Delta variant of the coronavirus and a slowing pace of vaccination in the United States, sending its shares down more than 4%.
The company expects nights and experiences booked in the current quarter to slow from the second quarter and remain below 2019 levels.
“As we exit the second quarter and come into the third, we have a combination of fewer bookings for the fall, just given the nature of some of the seasonality and any kind of impact potentially on COVID concerns,” Chief Financial Officer Dave Stephenson said on a post-earnings call with investors.
The hugely popular global app, which has fought back strongly since being hit hard early in the pandemic last year, posted a more than four-fold rise in bookings to $13.4 billion in the second quarter.
It expects the third quarter to be its strongest on record as more people check into its vacation rentals after the easing of COVID-19 curbs in most major economies.
Active listings have been roughly stable throughout the health crisis and grew during the quarter, especially in non-urban destinations across Europe and North America, the company said.
“In popular leisure markets you’re seeing platforms offer increasingly generous incentives to hosts to secure quality inventory in order to meet demand,” wrote Dan Thomas, analyst at Third Bridge.
4.MC DONALD:-A McDonald’s Corp franchise in Oakland, California, has agreed to take steps to protect workers from COVID-19 to settle a 2020 lawsuit claiming managers gave employees dog diapers and coffee filters to use as face masks.
The franchise said in the settlement announced on Thursday that it would provide employees with paid sick leave, masks and gloves, maintain social distancing, regularly disinfect surfaces and require workers with COVID-19 symptoms to stay home.
The franchise will also establish a worker safety committee, requiring the owner and managers to meet monthly with employees to discuss ways to maintain a safe workplace.
Fight for $15 and a Union, a labor organizing group that is involved in the lawsuit, said the safety committee was the first of its kind and would create a national model for giving more leverage to workers.
The company denied wrongdoing, and it was not clear if the settlement included a financial component.
The settlement comes amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the United States due to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. An increasing number of companies are requiring workers to be vaccinated, or considering doing so, in response to the increase.
McDonald’s on Wednesday said it will require its U.S.-based office workers to be vaccinated.
Michael Smith, the Oakland franchise’s operator, said in a statement that the restaurant began implementing the measures outlined in the settlement more than a year ago.
“We will continue to take all necessary steps to ensure that our stores remain as safe as possible,” Smith said.
.5.ADIDAS – Adidas is selling Reebok to Authentic Brands Group(ABG) for up to 2.1 billion euros ($2.5 billion) as the German sporting goods company concentrates on its core brand after a deal that did not deliver.
Adidas bought Reebok for $3.8 billion in 2006 to help compete with arch-rival Nike , but its sluggish performance prompted repeated calls from investors to sell the U.S. and Canada focused brand.
In the meantime, Adidas managed to eat into Nike’s dominance in the United States with its own brand, helped by partnership with celebrities like Kanye West, Beyonce and Pharrell Williams.
Reebok will keep its headquarters in Boston and continue operations in North and Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Russia, the U.S. brand management firm said in a statement, adding it will work closely with Adidas during the transition.
Over 11 years, ABG has amassed more than 30 labels sold in some 6,000 stores. Its brands include apparel chains Aéropostale and Forever21, as well as and Sports Illustrated magazine.
