Month: April 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Indonesia’s economic stimulus not enough to stop layoffs, focus should be to contain COVID-19: Experts
News Business Article
JAKARTA: Indonesia’s US$24.2 billion healthcare budget and economic stimulus package may not be enough to weather the impact of COVID-19 and prevent millions from losing their jobs, analysts warned on Thursday (Apr 2). They also told CNA that it is more important for the government to focus on containing the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement President Joko
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Global coronavirus cases top a million as Spain, UK see record deaths
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WASHINGTON: Confirmed coronavirus cases around the world topped one million on Thursday (Apr 2) and the number of deaths soared past 50,000 as Europe reeled from the pandemic and the United States reported record numbers of people out of work. Despite more than half the planet imposing some form of lockdown, the virus claimed thousands more
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
100 Keppel Shipyard workers who had ‘direct contact’ with COVID-19 cases placed on leave of absence
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: About 100 Keppel Shipyard personnel who had “direct contact” with a cluster of COVID-19 patients linked to the shipyard have been placed on a 14-day leave of absence. On Thursday (Apr 2), the authorities identified Keppel Shipyard as a new COVID-19 cluster, linking three previously announced cases to it. Advertisement Advertisement In response to CNA’s
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
UN adopts resolution calling for ‘cooperation’ on COVID-19
News Business Article
UNITED NATIONS, United States: The UN General Assembly on Thursday (Mar 2) approved a resolution calling for “international cooperation” and “multilateralism” in the fight against COVID-19, in the first text to come out of the international body since the pandemic’s outbreak. The resolution, which was approved by consensus, also stresses “the need for full respect for
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Hong Kong orders bars to close as it ramps up social distancing
News Business Article
HONG KONG: Hong Kong has ordered pubs and bars to close for two weeks from 6pm on Friday as the financial hub steps up social distancing restrictions and joins cities around the world in the battle to halt the spread of coronavirus. Anyone who violates the new law faces six months in jail and a fine
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Trump negative for coronavirus again, orders military to New York
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump said he underwent a second coronavirus test on Thursday (Apr 2), using a rapid diagnostic that produced a result in less than 15 minutes, and it determined that he has not been infected. “I think I took it really out of curiosity to see how quickly it worked,” said Trump,
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Politics aside, US relies on China supplies to fight COVID-19: Experts
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WASHINGTON: US politicians have voiced fury over Beijing’s handling of the coronavirus crisis but they face a harsh truth – the United States desperately needs China’s supplies, some experts say. China before the crisis produced nearly half of the face masks imported into the United States – which in normal times cost less than a
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Australia grapples with coronavirus case tracing as state border controls bolstered
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SYDNEY: The leader of Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, said on Friday (Apr 3) that authorities did not plan to impose further lockdown restrictions, despite concerns more coronavirus cases were emerging without a known source. New South Wales (NSW) remains the epicentre of the disease in Australia, although the rate of infection has
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Trump invokes Defence Production Act for ventilator manufacturing
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Apr 2) invoked the Defence Production Act to aid companies building ventilators for coronavirus patients to receive the supply of materials they need. In a memo released by the White House, Trump directed the US Health and Human Services secretary to use his authority to help facilitate the supply of
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Italy’s coronavirus deaths push higher, new cases hold steady
News Business Article
ROME: The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has climbed by 760 to 13,915, the Civil Protection Agency said on Thursday (Apr 2), slightly higher than the daily rise of 727 registered a day earlier. The number of new cases was steady, growing by 4,668 from a previous 4,782, bringing total infections
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
World Bank approves initial US$1.9b in emergency coronavirus funds
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: The World Bank on Thursday (Apr 2) said it had approved an initial US$1.9 billion in emergency funds for coronavirus response operations in 25 developing countries, with more than half the aid earmarked to help fight the fast-spreading disease in India. Action on projects in scores of emerging market countries is expected in the coming
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
White House likely to advise people in virus hot spots to wear masks
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: The White House is expected to issue guidance for people in areas hard hit by the coronavirus to wear face masks to help stop the spread of the virus, an administration official said on Thursday (Apr 2). The announcement was not planned for Thursday, the official said, and would be targeted at areas with high community
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 3, 2020
Commentary: Japan hasn’t declared a state of emergency over COVID-19. That’s bad news
News Business Article
OSAKA: A piece of shocking news came a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the reluctant announcement to delay the Tokyo Olympics. Last Wednesday (Mar 25), the city of Tokyo reported 41 new infections, more than double the 17 the day before. Among them, more than 10 were unlinked cases. Advertisement Advertisement In response
Commentary: Even with low prices, this is not the end of oil
KUALA LUMPUR: To say that we are witnessing an era of extreme oil price volatility could be considered something of an understatement. And we may not have seen the worst of it yet. The remarkable collapse of talks between major oil producers, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia in March had contributed