Month: March 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 7, 2020
Two teenagers arrested over assault on Singaporean student in London
News Business Article
LONDON: Two teenage boys, one 15 years old and the other 16, have been arrested in relation to a case of “racially aggravated assault” against a Singaporean student in Oxford Street last month, said police on Friday (Mar 6). In a news release posted on its website, the Metropolitan Police (Met Police) said its officers
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 7, 2020
MOH investigating possibility of COVID-19 transmission within SGH ward
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is investigating the possibility that there was transmission of COVID-19 within a ward at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH), the health authority said on Friday (Mar 6). Case 109, a 70-year-old Singaporean man, and a new case announced on Friday – Case 126 – had been at the same ward at SGH
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 7, 2020
First week in office: Muhyiddin has hands full with Cabinet line-up, political coalitions and COVID-19
News Business Article
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has been in office for less than a week, but the 72-year-old already has a lengthy to-do list. Having been sworn in after the uncertainty of Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s resignation and the collapse of Pakatan Harapan (PH), Mr Muhyiddin’s urgent priority is to steady the ship and steer
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 7, 2020
Malaysia confirms 28 new COVID-19 cases
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KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Health Ministry has confirmed 28 new COVID-19 cases on Friday (Mar 6), bringing the total number of positive cases to 83. In a statement, Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said patients 56 to 83 have all been hospitalised for further treatment, and contact tracing for the new cases is underway. Advertisement
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 7, 2020
Italy coronavirus deaths near 200 after biggest daily jump
News Business Article
ROME: The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has risen by 49 to 197, the Civil Protection Agency said on Friday (Mar 6), the largest daily increase in fatalities since the contagion was uncovered two weeks ago. Italy is currently reporting more deaths from the virus than any other country in the world
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
South Korea to void visas of Japanese visitors in virus retaliation
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SEOUL: Seoul suspended a visa-waiver programme for Japanese nationals on Friday (Mar 6) in retaliation for what it called an “irrational” plan by Tokyo to deal with the coronavirus outbreak, escalating a diplomatic row over their containment measures. The two countries have close economic ties and are both major US allies, democracies and market economies
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
Adviser to Iran’s foreign minister dies of COVID-19
News Business Article
TEHRAN: An adviser to Iran’s foreign minister who took part in the 1979 US embassy hostage crisis has died from coronavirus, the official IRNA news agency reported. Hossein Sheikholeslam, “a veteran and revolutionary diplomat” died late Thursday (Mar 5), IRNA said. Advertisement Advertisement READ: Iran announces 15 new COVID-19 deaths, raising total to 107 Iran has been
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
Vote against Muhyuddin akin to vote against King: PAS president
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MARANG: Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has criticised Pakatan Harapan’s move to propose a motion of a vote of no-confidence against Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting. The party’s president, Abdul Hadi Awang, said the vote was akin to a vote against King Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who appointed the Bersatu
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
‘This is not a drill’: WHO urges world to take COVID-19 more seriously
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BEIJING: World health officials have warned that countries are not taking the coronavirus crisis seriously enough, as outbreaks surged across Europe and in the United States where medical workers sounded warnings over a “disturbing” lack of hospital preparedness. Global markets tumbled again over concerns about the impact on the economy and as countries took more
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
Temperature screening ‘important’ but not ‘foolproof’ in detecting COVID-19: Gan Kim Yong
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Temperature screening is an important tool in detecting COVID-19 cases, but it is not a foolproof measure and should not be regarded as the only way to identify people who are unwell, health authorities said on Friday (Mar 6). “Temperature tests are very important because many of our COVID-19 patients eventually develop a temperature, a fever,”
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
South Korea’s central bank burns, quarantines cash in COVID-19 precaution
News Business Article
SEOUL: South Korea’s central bank said on Friday (Mar 6) it was quarantining bank notes for two weeks to remove any traces of coronavirus and even burning some as part of efforts to stem the outbreak. The Bank of Korea (BOK) said it is also putting currency notes through a high-heat “laundering” process, as it always
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
Thailand outlines US$3.2 billion stimulus to alleviate COVID-19 impact
News Business Article
BANGKOK: Thailand on Friday (Mar 6) outlined a stimulus package, estimated to be worth more than US$3.2 billion, to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on activity in an already-flagging economy. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy is growing at its weakest pace in years due to soft exports and investment. The epidemic continues to hit
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 6, 2020
Bill to amend Wild Animals and Birds Act introduced in Parliament
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: A Bill to amend the Wild Animals and Birds Act was introduced in Parliament on Friday (Mar 4), with stiff penalties for the feeding, releasing or trapping and killing wildlife. Introduced by Nee Soon Member of Parliament Louis Ng, the amended Bill seeks to strengthen the protection, preservation and management of wildlife for the
Commentary: Reaching net-zero emissions will be ‘very challenging’. But watch Singapore try anyway
SINGAPORE: The announcement of Singapore’s vision for a “low-carbon and climate resilient Singapore” on Friday (Feb 28) was a timely one. Singapore’s mitigation vision has two stated goals. First, an absolute peak emission level of 65 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 and second, an aspiration to halve the emissions peak emissions to