Month: March 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
Singapore stocks plunge amid global sell-off after COVID-19 pandemic declared
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SINGAPORE: Singapore’s stock market plunged more than 4 per cent on Thursday (Mar 12) after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic and the United States announced a 30-day ban on travel from Europe over the coronavirus. The benchmark Straits Times Index fell as much as 4.2 per cent to 2,666.05
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
India suspends tourist visas over COVID-19
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NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday (Mar 11) suspended all tourist visas until Apr 15 and said it would quarantine travellers arriving from seven coronavirus-hit countries as it attempts to contain the spread of COVID-19. The move comes as the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic, and as countries worldwide scramble to contain the spread
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
South Korea adds 114 virus cases, warns on Seoul cluster
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SEOUL: South Korea reported fewer than 120 new coronavirus cases on Thursday (Mar 12), but authorities warned that a new cluster in Seoul could see the infection spread in the capital. Around 100 people linked to a call centre in the city have tested positive for the virus in recent days. Advertisement Advertisement “This could
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
NBA to suspend season after Utah Jazz player tests positive for COVID-19
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LOS ANGELES: The NBA will suspend play starting on Thursday (Mar 12) after a Utah Jazz player preliminarily tested positive for the new coronavirus, the league said Wednesday. The test result was reported shortly before Utah’s game against the Thunder in Oklahoma City was to begin, and that game was abruptly postponed. Advertisement Advertisement The league said
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
From opposition to Cabinet: PAS politicians pledge to prove mettle in Muhyiddin administration, call for racial unity
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KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) politicians have pledged to prove their mettle as administrators in the new Cabinet under Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, while saying that they want to work towards less religious divisions in Malaysia. Analysts interviewed by CNA, however, noted that the political office holders from the Islamist party have their work
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
China’s coronavirus epicentre Hubei sees single-digit cases for first time
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BEIJING: China confirmed only eight new coronavirus infections in Hubei province, the first time the epicentre of the epidemic recorded a daily tally in single-digits, as tough containment measures dramatically slow the spread of the virus in mainland China. The capital of Hubei, Wuhan, reported all eight new cases on Wednesday, the National Health Commission
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
Denmark shuts schools and universities after surge in COVID-19 cases
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COPENHAGEN: Denmark will close all schools and universities and will start sending home all employees in the public sector with non-critical jobs in the coming days to curb the spread of the coronavirus, the prime minister said on Wednesday (Mar 11). Denmark had 514 people diagnosed with the coronavirus as of Wednesday, rising 10-fold since
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
COVID-19 disrupts US schools, sports, late-night television
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WASHINGTON: COVID-19 spurred more disruptions to US daily life on Wednesday (Mar 11) as the largest public school district in Washington state announced a two-week closure, and the governor banned public gatherings of more than 250 people in the Seattle region. The greater Seattle area is the epicentre of the deadliest, and one of the largest, clusters
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
COVID-19: Hotels rolling out more staycation packages for Singaporeans
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SINGAPORE: With more Singaporeans unsure about travelling overseas due to the spike in COVID-19 cases across the world, hotels here are gearing up to entice people to take staycations instead. Graphic designer Shermin Sim, 25, and her boyfriend were considering going to Japan for Sakura season in late March this year. However, they decided against it after the
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
Italy unveils US$28b coronavirus rescue plan
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ROME: Italy vowed on Wednesday (Mar 11) to spend up to 25 billion euros (US$28 billion) to fight a coronavirus epidemic that has already killed 827 people and put the country’s hospitals and economy under intense strain. Analysts noted that the size of Rome’s rescue was the same as one the European Union announced for the
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
Italy shuts stores across country to fight coronavirus
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ROME: Italy on Wednesday (Mar 11)shut all stores except for pharmacies and food shops in a desperate bid to halt the spread of a coronavirus that has killed 827 in the the country in just over two weeks. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced the latest wave of restrictions in a dramatic appeal to the nation that
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
Commentary: Can vitamin C really help with your cold or even COVID-19?
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ABERDEEN: Vitamin C is a common remedy that some people believe will cure the common cold and flu. Although it helps us maintain good immune function, however, there’s little evidence that it can prevent or substantially reduce either of these diseases. Advertisement Advertisement Yet, in the midst of the novel coronavirus outbreak, some “influencers” are
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 12, 2020
‘Holistic support system’ required as S$30,000 grant receives mixed reviews from HDB homeowners without direct lift access
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SINGAPORE: At 66, Mr Osman Omar has to climb two flights of stairs between his third-floor flat to get to the lift on the fourth floor. This requires some physical effort as he has asthma and a leg that aches. His block at Jurong West is one of 150 blocks where the Lift Upgrading Programme –
Commentary: The perfect storm for a COVID-19 outbreak lies in North Korea
SEOUL: On Tuesday (Mar 10), North Korea’s state media issued a report decrying the damage COVID-19 is doing not to its public health, but to its economy. Uriminzokkiri, a state outlet, reported that government-mandated measures put in place to stop the virus, such as large-scale quarantines, have caused huge economic losses. Advertisement Advertisement The tone