SINGAPORE – Attorney-General Lucien Wong acknowledged on Monday (Jan 11) that imperfections in the past year exposed his organisation to intense scrutiny and criticism. But he pledged that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will do better in carrying out its fundamental duty to assist the court in making the correct decision. At the same time, he […]

SINGAPORE – Recognition for Singapore’s hawkers is getting a boost, with a new set of awards lauding new entrants, innovators and family members who have taken over the business. On Monday (Jan 11), a total of 15 hawkers were presented with the first Singapore Hawkers Awards for their efforts in shaping the country’s prized hawker culture, […]

JAKARTA – Indonesian food and drug monitoring agency (BPOM) on Monday (Jan 11) issued emergency use authorisation for the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech, after local clinical trials found it is 65.3 per cent effective against the coronavirus.  This paves the way for the world’s fourth-most populous country, which is the worst hit by […]

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Cabinet is considering an emergency order for the second time in less than three months as coronavirus infections in the country continue to rise unabated. The Straits Times understands a special meeting was called on Monday morning (Jan 11), where the proposal that was first mooted in October was revived. “Yes, […]

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Cabinet is considering an emergency order for the second time in less than three months as coronavirus infections in the country continue to rise unabated. The Straits Times understands a special meeting was called on Monday morning (Jan 11), where the proposal that was first mooted in October was revived. “Yes, […]

HONG KONG (AFP) – Hong Kong’s original stock market tracker said Monday (Jan 11) it would make no new investments in firms listed by Washington as having links to China’s military as it also recommended Americans no longer invest in the fund. The announcement is the latest stark illustration of how tensions between the world’s […]

BEIJING (AFP) – Ten World Health Organisation (WHO) scientists will visit China from Thursday (Jan 14) to probe the origins of Covid-19, authorities said, more than a year after the pandemic began and amid accusations Beijing delayed the investigation.  The WHO team “will conduct joint research cooperation on the origins of Covid-19 with Chinese scientists,” […]

BANGKOK (NYTIMES) – As the coronavirus pandemic cleared Indonesia’s skies of airline traffic, Captain Afwan, an experienced Boeing 737 pilot for Sriwijaya Air, waited. A former Indonesian Air Force pilot who was widely admired and had more than 30 years of flying experience, he filled his time with Sriwijaya flight simulator sessions meant to ensure […]

SEOUL (REUTERS) – South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday (Jan 11) he remains committed to engaging with North Korea, and that cooperation on issues such as anti-epidemic work could help lead to a breakthrough in stalled talks in the last years of his term. Seoul will make efforts to jumpstart talks between the […]

NUR-SULTAN (AFP) – Kazakhstan’s ruling party swept to victory in an opposition-free parliamentary election Sunday (Jan 10), cementing the Central Asian country’s authoritarian trajectory despite promises of reform. An exit poll by government-sanctioned pollster Public Opinion gave the Nur Otan party nearly 72 per cent of the ballot and showed two other pro-government parties crossing […]