NEW DELHI (BLOOMBERG) – Hundreds of thousands of seafarers risk being stuck at sea beyond the expiry of their contracts because of India’s surging coronavirus outbreak, according to one of the world’s largest independent crude ship owners. The situation suggests that a maritime labour crisis sparked by the pandemic is continuing into 2021, as a […]
WELLINGTON (REUTERS) – New Zealand wants a more mature relationship with China that goes beyond trade ties and gives room for disagreement, particularly on issues of human rights, the Pacific nation’s foreign minister said on Friday (May 7). Ms Nanaia Mahuta’s comments come after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said this week that differences with its […]
BENGALURU (REUTERS) – India on Friday reported a record daily rise in coronavirus cases of 414,188, while deaths from Covid-19 swelled by 3,915, according to health ministry data. India’s total coronavirus infections now stands at 21.49 million, while its total fatalities have reached 234,083. The South Asian nation has added 1.57 million cases and nearly […]
KATHMANDU (XINHUA) – Another record high of 9,070 Covid-19 infections were reported in Nepal on Thursday (May 6) though most people are obeying a government order to stay at home. The Ministry of Health and Population said a total of 8,970 cases were confirmed through the polymerase chain reaction tests and the remaining 100 infections […]
TOKYO (REUTERS) – The Japanese government is seeking to extend a state of emergency in Tokyo and three other areas until the end of May, in an effort to curb a surge in coronavirus cases with fewer than three months before the start of the Tokyo Olympics. Japan had hoped a “short and powerful” state […]
SYDNEY (REUTERS) – Australian citizens stranded in Covid-ravaged India will be able to return home from May 15, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday (May 7), as Sydney remains on high alert for a potential outbreak. Morrison stood by his decision to impose a biosecurity order barring flights to and from India, a ban […]
SINGAPORE – There were two Covid-19 cases in the community announced on Thursday (May 6), with one unlinked and the other linked to the Pasir Panjang Terminal cluster. The unlinked case was a fully-vaccinated cleaner who works at Changi Airport Terminal 3, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). The 88-year-old Singaporean has not returned work […]
SINGAPORE – The move to restructure Singapore Press Holdings’ media business as a not-for-profit entity is timely, said several analysts, though the Securities Investors Association (Singapore) raised some questions about the proposal. Sias president and chief executive David Gerald asked, for example, why the media business could not be profitable and queried the upfront capitalisation of […]
SINGAPORE – A woman with no qualifications as a medical practitioner performed beauty treatments including a nose threadlift on customers, a court heard on Thursday (May 6). Malaysian Tan Shu Min, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of doing an act as a medical practitioner without being registered and with no valid practising certificate. She […]
MANILA (AFP) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the police to arrest anyone not wearing a mask properly, including having it below the nose, as the country battles to contain surging coronavirus infections. Mr Duterte issued the directive after a meeting with his Covid-19 task force – where everyone except him can be seen […]