Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
Coronavirus fails to dampen South Korea’s fever for exam success
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SEOUL: Choi Young-eun is so concerned about her teenagers’ education as South Korea’s schools stay shut that she has been sending them to a private tuition centre to make sure they don’t miss out. Choi, a stay-at-home mum of two high schoolers, is one of the millions of parents keeping South Korea’s cut-throat “hagwon”, or
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
Indonesia confirms 129 new COVID-19 cases and 8 more deaths
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JAKARTA: Indonesia confirmed 129 new COVID-19 cases on Monday (Mar 30), taking the total to 1,414 in the country. There were also eight more deaths, taking the total to 122, said health ministry official Achmad Yurianto. He added that 75 patients had recovered. Advertisement Advertisement Indonesian President Joko Widodo said earlier on Monday that he plans to
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
COVID-19: ComfortDelGro Taxi extends daily rental relief to September in move costing up to S$80 million
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SINGAPORE: ComfortDelgro Taxi announced on Monday (Mar 30) it was extending its daily rental relief until September to hirers affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Hirers currently receive a total of S$46.50 per taxi per day in rental relief, which comprises S$36.50 from the the company and S$10 from the Government’s Special Relief Fund. Advertisement Advertisement The relief
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
India says no plan to extend COVID-19 lockdown as poor struggle
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NEW DELHI: India has no plans to extend a 21-day lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the government said on Monday (Mar 30), as it struggled to keep essential supplies flowing and prevent tens of thousands of out-of-work people fleeing to the countryside. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered the country’s 1.3 billion people
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
Singapore’s fundamentals still strong although COVID-19 could slow foreign investments: DPM Heng
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SINGAPORE: The COVID-19 outbreak could slow down foreign investments but the country’s fundamentals remain strong and the reasons why global firms will want to invest in Singapore are still “intact”, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Monday (Mar 30). Mr Heng was responding to a question on how the rapid spread of the
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
COVID-19: Malaysia to implement enhanced measures for second phase of movement control order
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PUTRAJAYA: Malaysian authorities are set to implement enhanced measures to better contain the spread of COVID-19, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on Monday (Mar 30). Speaking at a press conference in Putrajaya, Mr Ismail Sabri, who is also defence minister, explained that these enhanced measures will kick in during phase two of the movement control order (MCO) from
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
High Court judge dismisses all three challenges to Section 377A
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SINGAPORE: Three men have failed in their challenges against section 377A of the penal code, after a High Court judge dismissed their court actions against the law that criminalises sex between men on Monday (Mar 30). Justice See Kee Oon will release his full judgment grounds at a later date, lawyers told CNA outside the chambers
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
Ardern’s online messages keep spirits up in New Zealand’s coronavirus lockdown
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WELLINGTON: Hours after New Zealand imposed a nationwide lockdown to beat a coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern took to Facebook, livestreaming in a sweater from bed, to “check in” on citizens and tell them of the day’s events. Ardern’s news conferences for more than 30 minutes a day, taking queries, streaming Facebook videos and
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
COVID-19: UK trials new breathing aid developed by Mercedes Formula One
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LONDON: A new version of a breathing aid that can help coronavirus patients has been developed in less than a week by a team involving Mercedes Formula One, and is being trialled at London hospitals. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices have been used in China and Italy to deliver air and oxygen under pressure
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
Police site crashes as New Zealanders turn into shutdown snitches
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WELLINGTON: New Zealanders have become so keen to report their neighbours for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules that police on Monday (Mar 30) said a website dedicated to addressing the issue crashed soon after going live. The South Pacific nation is in the midst of a four-week COVID-19 lockdown, with residents under orders to stay at
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
COVID-19: Malaysia’s Chinese community urged to observe Qing Ming festival at home amid movement control order
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KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s Chinese community has been urged by the government, as well as religious and grassroots associations, to observe this year’s Qing Ming festival at home amid an extended movement control order (MCO). In a Facebook post on Sunday (Mar 29), Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said the Chinese tradition of performing rituals and paying
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
US and China swapping insults, blaming each other for COVID-19 won’t help solve the problem: PM Lee
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SINGAPORE: US-China ties were already “complicated” before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the blame game between them over the outbreak will not help “solve the problem sooner”, particularly in a time when countries need to work together, said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Mr Lee was speaking on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, which aired on Sunday
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 30, 2020
Commentary: Is loss of smell or taste an early sign of the COVID-19?
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Commentary Commentary There is no hard evidence yet that the loss of smell is a COVID-19 symptom, but this may change, says an observer. A German doctor takes a sample from a car driver at a drive-through testing point for the coronavirus in Halle, eastern Germany AFP/Ronny Hartmann 30 Mar 2020 01:25PM(Updated: 30 Mar 2020
Commentary: Sweden’s COVID-19 approach has been too relaxed. But this decision is justified
LUND: A growing number of Swedish doctors and scientists are raising alarm over the Swedish government’s approach to COVID-19. Unlike its Nordic neighbours, Sweden has adopted a relatively relaxed strategy, seemingly assuming that overreaction is more harmful than under-reaction. Advertisement Advertisement Although the government has now banned gatherings of more than 50 people, this excludes