HO CHI MINH CITY -- A trade group representing Gap, Adidas and other global fashion brands is asking the U.S. and Vietnamese governments to help vaccinate workers in the Southeast Asian country's vital garment industry against COVID-19.

In a pair of letters sent Tuesday, the American Apparel & Footwear Association asked U.S. President Joe Biden to ship more vaccines to Vietnam, and for Hanoi to prioritize jabs for the garment and shoe sector, which has seen a wave of factory shutdowns due to

TOKYO -- The Tokyo Olympics have finally opened after a long journey filled with controversy, and an unprecedented one-year postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proceedings officially began with Friday's opening ceremony at the National Stadium , a mostly subdued affair mixed with joyous moments like a high-tech drone show, and capped by tennis star Naomi Osaka lighting the Olympic cauldron.

We're tracking the latest medal count .

Read our breakdown of the events to watch .

Here are the latest developments:

HONG KONG -- Didi was a lifeline for Cindy Zhu. The 29-year-old software engineer at Tencent Holdings in Shenzhen relied on China's largest ride-sharing app to get to work every day. But two weeks ago she started to try four other apps after colleagues told her their rates are cheaper than Didi's.

And they were right. Zhu often received 50% discounts for rides ordered through Alibaba-backed AutoNavi, also known as Gaode. As a new user, she also

TOKYO -- The Tokyo Olympics have finally opened after a long journey filled with controversy, and an unprecedented one-year postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proceedings officially began with Friday's opening ceremony at the National Stadium , a mostly subdued affair mixed with joyous moments like a high-tech drone show, and capped by tennis star Naomi Osaka lighting the Olympic cauldron.

We're tracking the latest medal count .

Read our breakdown of the events to watch .

Here are the latest developments:

SYDNEY -- The highly contagious delta strain of COVID-19 is threatening to upend an Australian economy that has weathered the pandemic well, forcing an extension of Sydney's lockdown on Wednesday and raising the possibility of a double-dip recession.

Half the country's 25 million people have been under strict stay-home orders across the state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide after infections leaked into the community from returning citizens. A botched vaccine rollout, meanwhile, has further exposed the island nation even as

TOKYO -- The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics gave companies a stage on which to showcase their products and technologies to the world.

U.S. semiconductor company Intel created a light show with a fleet of 1,825 drones above the Olympic Stadium on July 23, while the highly symbolic Olympic flame was fueled by hydrogen from Japan's Eneos Holding and lit by the nation's brightest tennis star, Naomi Osaka.

The drones were initially arrayed in the emblem of the 2020

Boonsithi Chokwatana is the Chairman of Saha Group, Thailand's leading consumer products conglomerate. This is part 8 of a 30-part series.

My job as a buyer at Kyoko opened my eyes to the thrill and excitement of business. I started working for my father's business because he told me to do so. But my six-year stint in Osaka helped me find my purpose in life. Everything about life in Osaka came as a new experience to me. Let me tell you a little about

Nikkei Asia is tracking the spread of the coronavirus that was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Cumulative global cases have reached 195,199,879, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The worldwide death toll has hit 4,175,769.

For more information about the spread of COVID-19 and the progress of vaccination around the world, please see our interactive charts and maps.

-- Global coronavirus tracker charts

-- Status of

TOKYO -- With spectators barred from much of the Olympics over coronavirus concerns, takeout businesses and suppliers of official gear are enjoying a windfall as fans of Team Japan root from home.

The strong start by Japanese Olympians, who have won 10 golds through Tuesday among 18 medals, has spurred sales of related goods.

Royal Host reports that during the four-day weekend ended Sunday, daily sales of takeout and deliveries were 30% above the average for Sundays in July. Meanwhile, in-store dining declined