Day: March 20, 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Spain orders closure of all hotels due to coronavirus
News Business Article
MADRID: Spain has ordered all hotels in its territory to close to help stem the spread of coronavirus, under a new measure announced in the state official bulletin on Thursday (Mar 19). The measure orders “the suspension of opening to the public of all hotels and similar lodgings, tourist accommodation and other short-term accommodation … situated
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
India bans incoming international flights for a week over coronavirus
News Business Article
NEW DELHI: All incoming international flights to India will be banned for one week starting on Sunday, the government said on Thursday (Mar 19) as it announced the latest raft of measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Ahead of a national address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi late Thursday, the government said in
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Commentary: COVID-19, the once-in-a-generation, global emergency the world faces
News Business Article
LONDON: Once in a generation, maybe once in a century, political leaders must light a bonfire of contemporary preconceptions to confront a shared emergency. This is such a moment. History may ultimately define the 21st century by the strong geopolitical rivalry between the US and China. For the immediate future the national interests of these
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
US urges citizens to avoid all international travel, return home
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday warned against any international travel due to the coronavirus pandemic and advised citizens to return home if possible. “In countries where commercial departure options remain available, US citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Commentary: Organisers may have little choice than to cancel the Tokyo Olympics
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: On Tuesday (Mar 17), it was announced that one of the biggest sporting events in the world, football’s European Championships, will be postponed from this summer to June 2021. The decision to postpone the quadrennial tournament, which was due to be staged in 12 European cities and had received 28.3 million ticket requests by
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Thailand to require all travellers to obtain health certificate for entry
News Business Article
BANGKOK: From Sunday (Mar 22), all travellers – both Thai and foreign – will need to acquire a health certificate before entering Thailand as the country stepped up its efforts to control the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. On Mar 19, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) issued guidelines for air operators that provide services to passengers travelling
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
UK can turn tide of coronavirus spread ‘within 12 weeks’: PM Johnson
News Business Article
LONDON: Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday (Mar 19) said he was confident the country can slow the spread of coronavirus in the next three months through tough measures to cut social contact. The government earlier this week called for more people to work from home, and avoid public transport, pubs, clubs and restaurants, to try
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Exhausted Dutch minister leading coronavirus fight quits
News Business Article
AMSTERDAM: The minister leading the Dutch government’s fight against the coronavirus resigned on Thursday (Mar 19), a day after collapsing from exhaustion during a parliamentary debate on the epidemic. Medical Care Minister Bruno Bruins, 56, fell to the floor in parliament on Wednesday while taking questions. He said he had fainted after weeks of intense
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Prince Albert of Monaco tests positive for coronavirus
News Business Article
NICE, France: Prince Albert of Monaco has tested positive for coronavirus but his health is not a cause for concern, his office said on Thursday (Mar 19). “Prince Albert is continuing to work from the office in his private apartments,” it said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement The office said that Prince Albert is in
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Slovakia gets face masks, coronavirus test kits from China
News Business Article
BRATISLAVA: A Slovak government plane with a million surgical face masks and 100,000 rapid-result test kits for the new coronavirus arrived in Bratislava on Thursday (Mar 19) to alleviate the shortage faced by local authorities, social and health workers. Slovakia, a country of 5.5 million, has reported 124 cases of the virus and has taken
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
32 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, 75% of which are imported
News Business Article
Singapore Returning residents and long-term pass holders accounted for all 24 of the new imported COVID-19 cases in Singapore today, MOH said. Commuters wearing face masks on an MRT train in Singapore, Mar 18, 2020. (Photo: Catherine Lai) 19 Mar 2020 08:42PM(Updated: 19 Mar 2020 09:58PM) Bookmark SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday (Mar 19)
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
‘Special arrangement’ made to fly Singaporeans, PRs back home from UK amid COVID-19 outbreak
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: A “special arrangement” has been made between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) to fly Singaporeans and Singapore permanent residents (PRs) home amid the COVID-19 outbreak. In a Facebook post on Thursday (Mar 19), the Singapore High Commission in London said it has struck an “exclusive ticket arrangement” with SIA to
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 20, 2020
Indonesia’s COVID-19 deaths jump to 25, the highest in Southeast Asia
News Business Article
JAKARTA: Indonesia announced six more COVID-19 deaths on Thursday (Mar 19), taking the death toll to 25, a health ministry official said. This is the highest COVID-19 death toll in Southeast Asia. Advertisement Advertisement “There are five new deaths in Jakarta and one in Central Java,” Mr Achmad Yurianto, the government’s spokesperson for the COVID-19 pandemic, said
Commentary: How prepared are parents for suspension of schools if that happens?
SINGAPORE: Parents were slightly spooked last week. After the Singapore Government announced a fresh round of border restrictions, Minister for National Development and co-chair of the multi-ministry taskforce Lawrence Wong had said on Wednesday (Mar 11) he would not rule out the possibility of closing schools to stem the spread of COVID-19 here. Advertisement Advertisement However,