Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
COVID-19: All of Italy to be placed under lockdown, says PM
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ROME: Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday (Mar 9) extended measures to tackle the new coronavirus across the whole country, telling people to “stay at home” and banning public gatherings as well as Serie A football matches. The unprecedented measures covering the entire Mediterranean nation of more than 60 million people came after Italy reported 97 more
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
Malaysia’s new Cabinet ministers sworn in
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PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s new Cabinet ministers were sworn in before king Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin at Istana Melawati on Tuesday (Mar 10). Queen Azizah Aminah Maimunah was also present to witness the 31 ministers taking their oaths of office, loyalty and secrecy. Advertisement Advertisement READ: Muhyiddin’s Cabinet a safe lineup accommodating coalition partners, people’s expectations – Analysts READ: Malaysia’s new Cabinet ‘oversized’, lacks
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
6 arrested, S$143,000 worth of drugs seized in CNB operation
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SINGAPORE: Six suspected drug traffickers were arrested and S$143,000 worth of drugs were seized on Monday (Mar 9) during an operation carried out by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). The suspects, aged between 24 and 44, are all Singaporeans, said CNB in the media release on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement At about 3pm on Monday, CNB officers
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
Too much information? Privacy questions over South Korea COVID-19 details
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SEOUL: Allegations of affairs, revelations of membership of religious sects: South Korea’s openness about infected patients has been key in its fight against the coronavirus but raised uncomfortable questions over privacy and stigmatisation. South Korea has confirmed more than 7,500 infections, one of the largest totals outside China, where the virus first emerged, although new
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
Costa Fortuna cancels next 2 cruises out of Singapore due to ‘restrictive’ COVID-19 measures by other ports
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SINGAPORE: The Costa Fortuna cruise ship docked in Singapore has had its next two trips cancelled following “restrictive measures” by ports in the ship’s itineraries. Cruise operator Costa Crociere told CNA on Tuesday (Mar 10) that the cruise was due to depart on Tuesday for a seven-day trip from Singapore to Thailand and Malaysia; and on Mar 17 for a 21-day, one-way
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
Indonesia arrests six over COVID-19 internet hoaxes
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JAKARTA: Six Indonesians have been arrested for allegedly spreading misinformation online about the deadly coronavirus, police said Tuesday (Mar 10), as the Southeast Asian nation’s confirmed infection cases jumped. A woman in Indonesia’s second-biggest city Surabaya was arrested Monday for spreading inaccurate claims on Facebook a patient was being treated for the virus in the city,
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
Malaysia’s new Cabinet ‘oversized’, lacks diversity: Pakatan Harapan MPs
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KUALA LUMPUR: The newly-unveiled Malaysian Cabinet is bloated and oversized, said politicians from former ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan (PH) in response to the line-up announced by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. They claimed that positions were created so that there would be enough seats to be divided among political parties in the new coalition that brought down PH
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
South Korea probes offices after COVID-19 infects call centre workers, dance teachers
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SEOUL: South Korea was on alert on Tuesday (Mar 10) for COVID-19 infections in small clusters such as workplaces and dance classes, as a downward trend in new cases raised hopes that Asia’s biggest outbreak outside mainland China may be slowing. New cases over the past few days include about 40 call-centre workers for an insurance
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
IKEA sells through third party for the first time, on Alibaba’s Tmall in China
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STOCKHOLM: IKEA on Tuesday (Mar 10) started selling its products on Alibaba’s Chinese e-commerce platform Tmall, the first time the world’s biggest furniture retailer has sold through a third party in its 77-year history. The move is aimed at reaching more shoppers in a country where shoppers to a larger extent than elsewhere favor multi-brand online
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
System malfunction, dislodged pipe led to fatal Jalan Buroh fire: MOM
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SINGAPORE: A malfunction on a conveyor system and dislodged pipeline supplying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) led to a fatal fire at Summit Gas Systems’ LPG facility last June, according to a report by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) published on Tuesday (Mar 10). The fire that broke out at the 43 Jalan Buroh facility on Jun 21 last year killed one worker
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
Malaysia’s new senators pledge to do their best, ask for more time to be acquainted with Cabinet portfolios
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KUALA LUMPUR: The six new Malaysian senators who were sworn in on Tuesday (Mar 10) have pledged to do their best in their Cabinet roles, while asking for more time to be acquainted with their new portfolios. Speaking to CNA after the swearing-in ceremony for senators held in parliament, Deputy Education Minister Mah Hang Soon
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
Gates, other charities pledge US$125m towards COVID-19 treatments
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CHICAGO: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and two other large charities on Tuesday pledged up to US$125 million to help speed the development of treatments for the fast-spreading coronavirus, which the World Health Organization said on Monday (Mar 9) was nearing pandemic proportions. The effort, known as the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, will focus on
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 10, 2020
In Malaysia’s Silicon Valley, fortunes flip as COVID-19 wrecks trade war gains
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GEORGE TOWN, Penang: Tech firms at Malaysia’s one-time Silicon Valley of the East, swimming in orders from customers fleeing trade war-hit China, have seen fortunes turn again in the space of just a year as the coronavirus outbreak cuts them off from Chinese suppliers. Semiconductor test equipment manufacturer Pentamaster saw its shares more than double last
Commentary: Italy’s ‘darkest hour’: How a country-wide lockdown is generating divisions
SALFORD: The Italian government’s decision to expand its lockdown from two small areas of the north to encompass the entire country is a sign of its increasing desperation to control the spread of novel coronavirus. The number of positive cases by the evening of Mar 9 stood at at over 9,000 with more than 460 people having