Monday, 7 Oct 2024

Asia

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This week's top reads from The Straits Times

Good evening! Catch up on some of the week’s top reads. Covid-19 vaccination drive kicks off in private healthcare sector 50 staff from the Parkway Pantai group received the Pfizer-BioNTech shot. READ MORE HERE What it would take to impeach a US president in 12 days President Donald Trump is accused of inciting a mob of […]

China to provide Covid-19 vaccines to its people for free, says government official

BEIJING (REUTERS) – China will provide Covid-19 vaccines free of charge once they become available to the general public, government authorities said on Saturday (Jan 9). National Health Commission official Zheng Zhongwei said that while manufacturing and transport of vaccines have costs, the government can provide vaccines for free to individuals. “Our people don’t have […]

NKF launches new initiative to raise awareness of kidney health

SINGAPORE – The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) launched a new initiative on Saturday (Jan 9) to encourage people to undertake projects raising awareness of kidney health and to reduce the number of kidney-related diseases. Known as the Kidney We Care Movement, the initiative was launched in the light of the rising number of kidney failure cases in […]

India's masks choke lakes and beaches as treatment facilities fall short

BANGALORE – Since September last year, Mr Subhash Chandran, 32, has been diving off Rushikonda Beach to clean up its seabed in the coastal city of Vishakapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Last year, the scuba diving instructor and his friends removed over 21 tonnes of plastic in 61 four-hour-long dives. Please subscribe or log in to […]

Bring your umbrella out this weekend – and next week too, as rainy weather continues

SINGAPORE – Singaporeans heading out this weekend should be prepared for heavy and persistent rain over the weekend, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said. A developing northeast monsoon surge in the region is bringing periods of showers to Singapore on Friday (Jan 8). As the monsoon surge strengthens, widespread rain, heavy at times, is forecast […]

Taiwan's population fell for first time in 2020

TAIWAN (AFP) – Taiwan’s population shrank for the first time ever in 2020, government data showed on Friday (Jan 8), as the island faces a burgeoning demographic crisis similar to that affecting South Korea and Japan. Births last year plunged to 165,000, down 7 per cent from 2019. Deaths also overtook births for the first time, […]

Migrant workers suffer as coronavirus cases surge in Thailand

BANGKOK (REUTERS) – Migrant workers in Thailand are struggling to find work and survive after coronavirus cases in the South-east Asian nation reached record highs and employers imposed new restrictions, human rights groups said on Friday (Jan 8). In Samut Sakhon, a province south of Bangkok where the current outbreak began at a seafood market […]