Monday, 7 Oct 2024

Asia

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Thai activists stage crop top protest against lese majeste law

BANGKOK (REUTERS) – Some of Thailand’s highest profile protest leaders dressed in crop tops and paraded at a Bangkok shopping mall on Sunday (Dec 20) in a jibe against King Maha Vajiralongkorn to demand the repeal of the law against insulting the monarchy. The crop top is a reference to pictures showing the King dressed […]

Mother tongue plays crucial role in anchoring Singaporean identity, says Alvin Tan

SINGAPORE – Mother tongue languages play a crucial role in anchoring Singaporean identity and strengthening community bonds, forming a common thread which binds earlier generations with future ones. For this reason, organisations like the Tamil Language Council (TLC) and Singai Tamil Sangam are important in the nation-building journey, said Minister of State for Culture, Community […]

Postcards from Wuhan: One year on, residents share lockdown memories, hopes for 2021

WUHAN, CHINA (REUTERS) – In China’s Wuhan, the original epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak, the city’s residents are returning to normal life, even as they continue to grapple with memories of the early outbreak, which struck fear in the city. It’s been almost seven months since the city recorded a locally transmitted case of the […]

China reports 23 new Covid-19 cases versus 17 a day earlier

BEIJING (REUTERS) – Mainland China recorded 23 new Covid-19 cases on Dec 19, up from 17 a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Sunday (Dec 20). The National Health Commission said in its daily bulletin that 22 of the new cases were imported. A single local transmission was in the northeastern province of […]

100 trees to be planted over next 5 years at Tanjong Pagar community green

SINGAPORE – Sixteen trees were planted at the Discover Tanjong Pagar Community Green on Saturday (Dec 19), as part of efforts to make the area greener and more liveable. A total of 100 trees will be planted in the 1,650 sq m open space over the next five years, under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) […]

Food for thought at AskST@NLB talk on home-based businesses

More home-based food businesses are opening amid the coronavirus pandemic as Covid-19 restrictions are being eased. Mr Xavier Lee, who runs Flourcrafts from his home, welcomes the competition, which he sees as healthy. But just as important is uplifting one another, he said. “A lot of us say #SupportLocal but I’d add the hashtag #SupportOneAnother,” […]

$88k raised for couple air-ambulanced back to Singapore for Covid-19 treatment

SINGAPORE – Mr Abdul Rashid Sahari and his wife Madam Safiah Rawi Abed had planned to fly home to Singapore this month from Jakarta, where Mr Rashid works, to celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary with their daughters and grandchildren. Never did they expect to have to make the journey back separately – and by air […]

Thailand reports jump in local coronavirus infections linked to shrimp market

BANGKOK (REUTERS) – Thailand has nine new local coronavirus infections, the biggest one-day rise in local transmissions in more than seven months, health officials said on Saturday (Dec 19). The nine cases are connected to a shrimp market in Samut Sakhon province, near Bangkok, where four infections were reported on Friday, officials told a briefing. […]

Hong Kong manhunt under way for escaped Covid-19 patient

HONG KONG (REUTERS) – Hong Kong authorities are searching for a Covid-19 positive patient who escaped one of the city’s largest hospitals while undergoing treatment, according to health officials. The 63-year old man, identified as patient 7379, was admitted to the isolation ward of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Dec 14 after it was confirmed […]