Month: March 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Man arrested for coughing on police officers in Northern Ireland after claiming to have COVID-19
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DUBLIN: A Northern Ireland man has been charged with attempting to commit grievous bodily harm after claiming to have COVID-19 and deliberately coughing on police officers, the police service said Thursday (Mar 26). The man was held for common assault following a domestic incident in north Belfast on Wednesday, according to the Police Service of
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Malaysia reports 235 new COVID-19 cases, death toll rises to 23
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Thursday (Mar 26) reported 235 new COVID-19 cases, taking the national total to 2,031 – the highest in Southeast Asia. The health ministry also said the country’s death toll increased to 23, as of 5pm on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Sixty of the new cases are related to a cluster linked to a
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
COVID-19: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, top ministers to take pay cut
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, ministers and deputy ministers will take a two-month pay cut and the money will be donated to the country’s COVID-19 fund. The Prime Minister’s Office in a statement on Thursday (Mar 26) said the matter was decided in a Cabinet meeting the day before to prove the government’s commitment to helping those badly affected
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Singapore’s reserves are for rainy days, COVID-19 already a ‘mighty storm’: DPM Heng
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SINGAPORE: The COVID-19 pandemic is the sort of event Singapore has been accumulating its reserves for, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said, as he explained the need to draw up to S$17 billion from the reserves for measures to protect jobs and support the economy. “We have saved up for a rainy day,” Mr Heng told
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
COVID-19 Budget: Income tax payments for companies, self-employed people delayed for 3 months
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SINGAPORE: Companies and self-employed people will get an automatic deferment of income tax payments for three months, announced Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat in Parliament on Thursday (Mar 26), amid an economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. The deferment is part of a slew of measures under a S$48 billion Resilience Budget announced by Mr
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
President Halimah Yacob gives ‘in-principle support’ to draw on reserves for second COVID-19 assistance package
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SINGAPORE: President Halimah Yacob has given her in-principle support for Singapore to draw on its past reserves, as part of a second assistance package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a message to Parliament – delivered by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin on Thursday (Mar 26) – the President said her support was given
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
India’s coronavirus cases tick up despite immense lockdown
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NEW DELHI: Three more people infected with coronavirus died overnight in India as the government sought on Thursday (Mar 26) to improve basic services to 1.3 billion people locked indoors to slow the spread of the disease. Streets were silent across India’s cities and towns on the second day of a three-week, 24 hour shutdown as
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Singapore’s economy contracts by 2.2% in Q1 as COVID-19 outbreak hits construction, services sectors
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SINGAPORE: The Singapore economy contracted by 2.2 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, as the COVID-19 outbreak and global measures to prevent its spread threw a wrench in the construction and services industries, according to flash estimates released on Thursday (Mar 26). This is the worst contraction since the global financial crisis in 2009, and compares with the
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Nine doctors die from coronavirus in Philippines
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MANILA: Nine doctors have died in the Philippines from the coronavirus, the country’s top medical association said Thursday (Mar 26), as hospitals were overwhelmed and medics complained about a lack of protection on the front lines. The announcement of the doctors’ deaths heightened fears that the scale of the health crisis in the Philippines is
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Malaysia’s king, queen under quarantine after 7 palace staff test positive for COVID-19
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PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s king and queen have been placed under quarantine, after seven palace staff tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement on Thursday (Mar 26), the Istana Negara said that all seven staff members are currently receiving treatment at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. They are in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement The Health Ministry is currently
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Foreign workers who flout gathering size rules may lose work passes if they refuse to disperse: MOM
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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday (Mar 26) warned that foreign workers who do not comply with gathering size rules could have their work passes revoked if they fail to disperse when told to by the authorities. This comes after Singapore on Tuesday announced stricter measures limiting gatherings outside school and work to
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Some Singapore court hearings to take place via video conference as judiciary rolls out COVID-19 measures
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SINGAPORE: As part of its measures to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, Singapore’s judiciary will be enabling certain court hearings to be heard via teleconference or video conference, the Chief Justice said in a speech on Thursday (Mar 26). Pilots have been run for selected hearings in the Court of Appeal and High Court to be
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
UK deaths from COVID-19 outbreak climb to 463
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LONDON: The number of coronavirus deaths in the United Kingdom rose to 463 as of Wednesday (Mar 25) from 422 on Tuesday, the British government said. The total number of coronavirus cases in the UK were at 9,529 as of Wednesday, compared to 8,077 cases as of Tuesday, the statement added. Advertisement Advertisement The government
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Woman jailed, fined for running sex escort business after learning from Sammyboy Forum
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SINGAPORE: A woman who ran a sex escort business with seven women under her was jailed for 14 months and fined S$4,700 on Thursday (Mar 26). Eunice Leow Ye Chian, 34, pleaded guilty to five charges under the Women’s Charter, with another six charges taken into consideration. Advertisement Advertisement The court heard that Leow, an
