Raphael Stevens

Shaquille O’NealScott Mlyn | CNBCShaquille O’Neal is firing back at Lebron James over his criticism of the league and its schedule this year. In an interview with CNBC, the former Lakers star and TNT broadcaster said he thinks players need to stop complaining about the busy playing schedule this season.”When you’re living in a world where 40 million people have been laid off and I’m making $200 million, you won’t get no complaining from me,” O’Neal said. “I’d play back to back to back to back to back,” he added.”I’m not knocking what anybody said, but me personally, I don’t complain and make excuses because real people are working their tail off and all we gotta do is train two hours a day, and then play a game for two hours at night and make a lot of money…So my thought process is a little different.”O’Neal’s comments come after James’ criticism that the schedule was at fault for the plethora of high profile injuries this year, a claim the league has disputed.”They all didn’t wanna listen to me about the start of the season. I knew exactly what would happen…These injuries isn’t just “PART OF THE GAME”. It’s the lack of PURE RIM REST,” James said in a series of tweets on June 16.James’ Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Phoenix Suns.”This is the first time in a while that juggernauts have been gone,” O’Neal said.Despite this, he still likes the potential storylines of two small market teams (Atlanta and Phoenix), or a scenario pitting the strength of a young Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee) versus an aging Chris Paul (Phoenix).”May the best team win,” he said.In addition to talking basketball, O’Neal shed light on his newest business venture: esports. The big man was a key player in laying the groundwork for a new partnership between The General and NRG’s team for the popular game Rocket League. Shaq is a part-owner of NRG and a longtime brand ambassador of The General.In April, The General bought naming rights for NRG’s Rocket League team and is now called, “The General Insurance NRG.” The company says it’s the first Rocket League naming rights agreement. Financial terms of the deal were not released and O’Neal didn’t disclose the size of his stake.O’Neal said while he is not a gamer he has seen the success of esports first hand through his children, who are active players. He said he got his first taste of esports at a Staples Center event that he attended with his kids and immediately was attracted to the excitement, energy and competitive spirit and knew it would be a good investment.”I like what the esports community is doing — a lot of scholarships, people are making a real living from it and you know, some of these esports guys are already legend,” he said.O’Neal has investments in nearly every sector from food and beverage to health to automobiles. He said he looks at three things when deciding to invest: will it change people’s lives, does he believe in it and will it have longevity?”My system has been safe and proven and I haven’t lost a lot,” he added.See the the full interview below: More

Aiden Arthurs receives the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine from Pharmacist Andrew Mac (R) at the Jewish Federation/JARC’s offices in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on May 13, 2021.Jeff Kowalsky | AFP | Getty ImagesThe delta variant is the most closely watched coronavirus mutation yet and with good reason: It’s more contagious than previous variants and there’s evidence it increases the risk of hospitalization and is more resistant to vaccines.The delta variant, first discovered in India late last year where it caused a second wave of infections and thousands of deaths, is now rapidly spreading throughout the world.Last week, the World Health Organization warned that delta is the fastest and fittest coronavirus strain yet, and it will “pick off” the most vulnerable people, especially in places with low Covid-19 vaccination rates.The U.K. is being closely watched by other countries, particularly the U.S., because it has seen the delta variant become dominant despite its high vaccination rate. It has also proved to be a harbinger of things to come during the pandemic, for good and bad.Who’s most at risk?Now, data has been released in England showing just how far the delta variant has spread — and which groups are most vulnerable to the mutation.Delta is dominant in the U.K., comprising 95% of all sequenced cases, according to the latest data from Public Health England, with younger people, the unvaccinated and the partially vaccinated (with many people belonging to one or more of those categories) more at risk from infection while older people are still most at risk of dying from an infection.Number crunching the latest data from England, 92,029 cases were analyzed between early February and mid-June and were attributed to the delta variant.Almost 82,500 of these total cases were recorded in people under 50 years old and a majority (53,822 cases) were found in unvaccinated individuals.Among those cases in the unvaccinated cohort, the vast majority were in the under-50 age group (52,846 cases) and only 976 cases were in the over-50s.Nonetheless, the data showed that there have been 117 deaths among people in England who had the delta variant with the majority being in the over-50 age group.There have been eight fatalities among the under-50s with six of them in unvaccinated individuals and the other two in people who had received one dose.What about vaccinations?The data from England shows that cases of the delta variant were found in both partially and even fully-vaccinated people, to a lesser extent, showing the importance of being fully vaccinated.Out of the 92,029 total infections attributed to delta, almost 20,000 were recorded in people who had received one dose of a Covid vaccine (both before and following 21 days after a first dose) and 7,235 infections were confirmed in people who had received two doses.The data serves as a reminder that no Covid vaccine currently on offer provides 100% protection, although most authorized vaccines currently come very close and experts are urging anyone not yet vaccinated to come forward, as well as the importance of having both doses to achieve the best protection possible.Separate data from Public Health England has shown that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca-Oxford University shot are highly effective against hospitalization from the delta variant.CNBC Health & Science Read CNBC’s latest global coverage of the Covid pandemic:How the delta variant ‘exploded’ in the UK could be a blueprint for the U.S.FDA adds warning about rare heart inflammation to Pfizer, Moderna Covid vaccinesCDC says more than 4,100 people have been hospitalized or died with Covid breakthrough infections Covid is already deadlier this year than all of 2020. So why do many in U.S. think the problem’s over?The U.K. has vaccinated its population according to age and health needs. Its vaccination program started with health care workers and the elderly last December, progressing through the older age groups until the under-50s began to be offered Covid shots in mid-April.Currently, all over-18s are being offered their first doses while others in their 30s and 40s are tending to receive their second doses; almost 85% of U.K. adults have now received one dose of a vaccine and 61.9% have received two doses, making it one of the most rapid vaccination programs in the world.’Delta is predominant’Updating its risk assessment on the delta variant published Friday, PHE said that the delta variant is “predominant” and “continues to demonstrate a substantially increased growth rate” compared to the alpha variant first discover in the U.K. which itself went on to dominate globally.On just a weekly basis, data released by PHE last Friday showed that the number of cases caused by delta in the U.K. had risen by 35,204 since the previous week (representing a 46% increase) to a total of 111,157 cases.PHE noted that the delta variant also brings with it an increased risk of hospitalization compared to the alpha variant and there are now analyses from England and Scotland supporting earlier evidence that delta reduces vaccine effectiveness compared to the alpha variant, and that this is more pronounced when someone has received only one dose.On a positive note, PHE reiterated that “analysis continues to show vaccine effectiveness against Delta is high after 2 doses” and that the evidence continues to suggest that vaccines are effective against hospitalization. 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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Abu Dhabi will deny entry into nearly all public spaces, as well as schools, to people who are unvaccinated against the coronavirus, the emirate’s government announced late Monday night.The oil-rich United Arab Emirates announced its consideration of the plan in April, but did not impose the restrictions. Now, they are set to be enacted in its capital of 1.5 million people beginning on Aug. 20.”The Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has approved allowing only those vaccinated to enter some public places, after vaccinating 93 per cent of target groups in the emirate and to preserve public health,” a tweet from the Abu Dhabi media office read.The entry restrictions will apply to shopping centers, restaurants, cafes, gyms, recreational facilities, sports activities and all other retail businesses that aren’t within shopping centers or malls. An exception will remain for entry to “essential” businesses like pharmacies and supermarkets, a subsequent tweet read.”The decision also applies to health clubs, resorts, museums and cultural centres, theme parks, universities and institutes, schools and nurseries,” the Twitter post continued.Children under the age of 15 and those with special exemptions from vaccination will be exempt from the new rule.Nearly everyone vaccinatedAbu Dhabi boasted its high vaccination rate, which its health ministry says is now at 93% of the emirate’s population, as part of its justification for the move.The UAE as a whole has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, with more than 15 million vaccine doses administered across its majority-expatriate population of just over 10 million. Since all the vaccines available in the UAE require two doses, that is sufficient to have fully vaccinated about 77% of the Gulf country’s population, according to a calculation by Reuters.An Emirati man, wearing a protective mask, walks at al-Barsha Health Centre in the Gulf Emirate of Dubai on December 24, 2020.GIUSEPPE CACACE | AFP via Getty ImagesThe announcement from Abu Dhabi still faced some criticism, at least online.”They never clarify how will it effect visitors? They cannot register their vaccines on al hosn if taken in another country. Does it mean that visitors can not go anywhere in Abu Dhabi? Good luck tourism !!!” wrote one Twitter user in response to the news, referring to the UAE’s Al Hosn tracking and vaccination registration app.Abu Dhabi has not specified whether this will apply to tourists, and did not immediately reply to a CNBC request for comment. The impending bans on entry for the unvaccinated so far only apply in Abu Dhabi. In Dubai, the UAE’s commercial and tourism capital, some businesses like bars and restaurants require proof of full vaccination, but the restrictions aren’t universal.The desert sheikhdom has registered 631,160 infections and 1,807 deaths from the virus since the pandemic began, according to Johns Hopkins University, and current daily infections are on average around 2,100, roughly half the level of its peak in late January.But the figures don’t specify in which emirates or cities the cases or deaths are identified. And Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the UAE’s most populous emirates, have approached their vaccination campaigns somewhat differently.Abu Dhabi from late 2020 onward offered only the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine, in line with its plan to manufacture the vaccine locally thanks to a joint venture between Sinopharm and Abu Dhabi-based technology company Group 42, commonly known as G42.Dubai, meanwhile, offered Sinopharm, the American and German developed Pfizer-BioNTech shot, the U.K.’s Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and Russia’s Sputnik V. Most of the vaccines that have been administered in the country are China’s Sinopharm, which was offered to all groups of people far earlier than the other shots. All vaccinations in the country are free.Uncertain vaccine efficacyBut some countries and residents aren’t convinced by the UAE’s efforts. It remains on the “red list” for travel — meaning a strict quarantine required upon arrival or entry barred altogether — for several countries including the United Kingdom, a major trading and tourism partner.And Abu Dhabi is now offering Pfizer shots as well as a third, or booster, shot of Sinopharm to residents after news emerged that an undisclosed number of people did not produce sufficient antibodies against Covid-19 after receiving both Sinopharm doses. Neighboring Gulf country Bahrain is offering the same. Several recipients of the Chinese vaccine have reported contracting Covid, despite being fully vaccinated.The UAE government announced in December that an “interim analysis” conducted by the China National Biotec Group (a subsidiary of Sinopharm) of the vaccine’s phase 3 trials in Abu Dhabi found it to be 86% effective. But the announcement was thin on details and did not disclose how that 86% figure was calculated.In the same month, China announced the vaccine as 79.34% effective based on what it said was “interim trial data” without releasing phase 3 results, conflicting with the UAE’s figures. Sinopharm did not reply to multiple CNBC requests for comment.The World Health Organization in May approved Sinopharm for emergency use, making it the first non-Western vaccine to get the organization’s green light. It is one of China’s two main shots that have been administered to millions of people in China and elsewhere, particularly in the developing world. More

United Airlines pilots wearing protective masks walk inside a terminal at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020.David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesUnited Airlines plans to add 25,000 union jobs by 2026, a hiring spree aimed at supporting a massive jetliner order it announced Tuesday as the industry’s worst-ever crisis starts to fade.United has about 68,000 unionized workers currently, the airline said. The new jobs would be a more than 36% increase.The airline is planning to add 500 jets in the coming years, including 270 Boeing and Airbus planes it announced on Tuesday, along with new interiors that have seat-back screens, larger overhead bins and other amenities.The jobs will be focused at United’s major hubs like those at Newark, where it will add 5,000 positions, as many as 4,000 at San Francisco, 3,000 in each Washington Dulles, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.United and other carriers received $54 billion in federal coronavirus relief in exchange for not furloughing workers or cutting pay rates. But airlines urged employees to take early retirement packages and other voluntary options during the pandemic to cut their payrolls.Airlines have since turned their attention to hiring again, adding pilots and reservations agents, and in some cases have faced staffing shortages, leading to canceled or delayed flights or long hold-times on customer-service lines. More

In this articleUALBAUnited Airlines unveiled Tuesday its largest-ever aircraft order: 270 narrow-body jetliners from Boeing and Airbus as the carrier charts its post-pandemic growth.The fleet plan is central to United’s goal of capturing more travelers, particularly high-paying ones in major coastal hubs like San Francisco and Newark, New Jersey. The Max 10 and A321neo planes are the largest models in their families and United will use them to grow in those markets, which have capacity constraints, said Andrew Nocella, United’s chief commercial officer.It also plans to expand in hubs like Denver and Chicago and have annual systemwide growth of about 4% to 6% in the next few years, Nocella said.In a wide-ranging growth plan, the airline said it plans to add more roomier seats and seatback entertainment, a departure from a previous strategy.The airline also announced a hiring spree that it expects to total about 25,000 employees for the new planes, including pilots, flight attendants and mechanics.The order shows United’s optimism about the recovery in air travel, which so far has been concentrated in domestic leisure flights. United said Monday it expects to post positive, adjusted pretax income next month for the first time since January 2020.United and other airlines took $54 billion in federal payroll aid in exchange for keeping workers employed. CEO Scott Kirby said the airline’s strategy that kept pilots trained and flying similar planes allowed it to be ready for the demand rebound.Boeing shares were up 1% in premarket trading after the announcement. United’s were little changed.Several analysts had expected the airline to announce a large order.The order includes 200 Boeing Max jets. Of those planes, 150 are Max 10s, the largest in the family. Boeing completed the first Max 10 test flight earlier this month.The remaining 50 Boeing planes are the manufacturer’s most-popular model, the Max 8.The large purchase on top of United’s existing order book for Max planes is another vote of confidence in the airplane maker, which has struggled to regain its footing after two Max crashes and several production problems.United also plans to buy 70 Airbus 321neos, adding to an order for dozens of the long-range version of the plane.The sale is worth more than $30 billion at list prices, but airlines, particularly for large orders, generally receive substantial discounts. United declined to disclose what it is spending on the aircraft.The carrier now has about 500 narrow-body aircraft arriving starting next year.About 200 of the planes will be used to grow the airline’s fleet of 500 aircraft, while 300 will go to replace older jets such as its Boeing 757-200 planes, which it will retire, said Nocella.Premium travelersSome of those planes will replace older single-class, 50-seat regional jets. That’s part of United’s push for higher-paying travelers. Larger planes with more seats and amenities will make United more competitive, the airline said in an investor presentation.United executives said flying the larger mainline jets means it will be able to add more first-class and economy-plus seats, or coach seats with more legroom. It also unveiled new interiors for the planes that include seatback screens and larger overhead bins, which it says will fit every passengers carry-on bag.United said it will offer larger overhead bins on its new planes.Source: United AirlinesThat focus on higher-priced seats — and the customers who will pay more for them — is a shot at rival Delta Air Lines. Before the coronavirus pandemic, Delta was heavily focused on those travelers — particularly in coastal hubs — adding more legroom and roomier jets between cities that traditionally have drawn valuable business travel.Business travel demand was decimated in the pandemic but has recently crept back, according to analysts’ reports.United CEO Kirby told reporters that he expects business and international travel demand to recover “100%.” He said business travel demand is still down 60% from pre-pandemic levels but has been improving.Seatback screen comebackUnited plans to outfit new jetliners with seat-back screens.Source: United AirlinesAnother shift in United’s strategy is that it will outfit its planes with seatback entertainment, something United had moved away from. Rival American Airlines — where Kirby worked before joining his current carrier five years ago as president — had taken seatback screens out of older planes while also taking in new narrow-body planes without them.Executives had argued that many travelers would use their personal electronic devices instead to stream movies.Other airlines like Delta and JetBlue Airways still offer seatback entertainment systems. More

In this articleWMTA diabetic draws insulin from vial.CNBC | Adam IsaakWalmart said Tuesday it will offer a less expensive version of insulin that could better fit into the budgets of millions of Americans who don’t have health insurance or struggle to pay for the lifesaving diabetes drug.Starting this week, the retailer will sell an exclusive private-label version of analog insulin, ReliOn NovoLog, to adults and children who have a prescription. The drug will be available at its membership-based Sam’s Club in mid-July. The insulin will cost about $73 for a vial or about $86 for a package of prefilled insulin pens.The insulin is the latest addition to Walmart’s private brand of diabetes products, ReliOn. It already sells a low-price version of insulin for about $25 as part of the line, but that is an older formulation that some doctors and advocates say is not as effective at managing blood sugar swings as newer versions of insulin, called analogs.With the move, Walmart will bring its longtime focus on “everyday low price” to a drug that is a medical necessity for a growing number of Americans. More than 34 million people in the U.S. — or nearly 11% of the population — have diabetes, and about 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed every year, according to the American Diabetes Association. That percentage is about 14% among Walmart shoppers, said Warren Moore, Walmart’s vice president of health and wellness, on a call.As the number of people with diabetes climbs, the cost of the 100-year-old drug has soared rather than fallen and drawn scrutiny from lawmakers. The annual cost of insulin for people with Type 1 diabetes in the U.S. nearly doubled from $2,900 in 2012 to $5,700 in 2016, according to the most recent data available from the Health Care Cost Institute. Some of the top manufacturers of insulin, including Sanofi and Eli Lilly, have been grilled by politicians during congressional hearings for hiking prices of the critical drug. In some cases, the companies have responded to criticism by rolling out limited, reduced price programs.Dr. Cheryl Pegus, Walmart’s executive vice president of health and wellness, said Walmart’s version of the drug will expand access to care as it undercuts the typical price and puts analog insulin within reach of more people. She said Walmart worked directly with manufacturer Novo Nordisk to reduce costs. The price difference with branded competitors will be as much as $101 per vial of insulin or up to $251 per pack of prefilled insulin pens, Pegus said.”This price point, we hope, will improve and hopefully revolutionize the accessibility and affordability of insulin,” she said on a call with reporters. “We know that many people with diabetes struggle to manage this chronic condition because of its financial burden.”Walmart, already the nation’s largest employer and grocer, has made a bigger push into health care as it tries to leverage its massive reach for other money-making opportunities. It has opened 20 clinics next to its stores with budget-friendly medical care, such as $30 annual checkups or $25 dental cleanings. It bought a telehealth company, MeMD, in May for an undisclosed amount as a way to provide care virtually. And it has pressured the pharmacy industry on price before by launching a prescription program that sells monthly supplies of many widely used generic drugs for $4.Yet the retail giant is treading in a complex industry that has tripped up other large, influential corporate players. Haven, a joint venture of Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase, disbanded early this year about three years after the companies heralded plans to disrupt health care with lower costs and improved outcomes.Walmart has lost some of the key talent it recruited to lead and expand its health and wellness efforts, including Sean Slovenski, formerly senior vice president of Walmart health and wellness; and Dr. Tom Van Gilder, who had become its first full-time chief medical officer. More