NEW DELHI (BLOOMBERG) – High levels of chronic disease in India, such as diabetes and hypertension, helped stoke the brutal coronavirus waves that hit the country during the pandemic, researchers said. The findings from one of the few large-scale studies of Covid-19 in the world’s second-most populous nation showed patients from the southern district of […]
MANILA/JAKARTA – In days or weeks, Afghanistan’s capital Kabul is expected to fall. The Taleban would have by then completed its stunning advance to seize control of the entire country, even before the United States officially ends its military mission there on Sept 11. By Friday (Aug 13), the militant group had captured Kandahar in […]
Several of his close political associates have surrendered to the Taliban without a fight, or fled into exile. His army has all but collapsed and the warlords he was counting on have proved ineffectual, or are bargaining for their lives. Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, is more isolated than ever, facing pressure to step aside — […]
SINGAPORE – A woman who is accused of failing to wear a mask on numerous occasions in public is expected to plead guilty in a district court on Sept 6. This emerged following Phoon Chiu Yoke’s pre-trial conference on Friday (Aug 13). Phoon made headlines in May when she was captured on video not wearing […]
SINGAPORE – Parts of Singapore Expo have been remodelled amid flagging demand for physical meetings and events. A new outdoor go-kart track, an indoor badminton hall, and a new Timbre+ food village are slated to open there in the coming weeks, The Straits Times has learnt. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the […]
MANILA (REUTERS) – The Philippines reported on Friday (Aug 13) its second-largest daily increase in Covid-19 infections, providing more evidence of how the virulent Delta variant may be spreading and ramping up pressure on the country’s already stretched healthcare system. Hundreds of hospitals in the country are nearing full capacity, with some facilities reporting they […]
SINGAPORE – The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has warned of a spate of recent calls from scammers claiming to be its officers. In a statement on Friday (Aug 13), ICA said it was aware that people had been receiving calls from the number +65 6812-5555, which is similar to ICA’s SafeTravel Enquiries Helpline, 6812-5555. […]
Flooding caused by torrential rain killed 21 people in China’s Hubei Province, officials said on Thursday, the latest deadly downpour in a summer of extreme weather that has killed hundreds of people across the country’s central region. The heavy rainfall, expected to continue through Friday night, has brought about 20 inches of rain to areas […]
SHANGHAI (REUTERS) – China announced scores of new carbon-intensive coal and steel projects in the first half of 2021, research showed on Friday (Aug 13) just days after a key UN report urged immediate global action to curb use of fossil fuels and prevent runaway climate change. The push comes as climate experts exhort governments […]
SINGAPORE – A 59-year-old man appeared in a district court on Friday (Aug 13) as he is said to have repeatedly committed sexual acts on his adult daughter. The Singaporean father is accused of four counts of incest after he allegedly performed sexual acts on the woman, who was 27 years old at the time. […]