JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) has driven off a Chinese coast guard vessel that entered Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea near Riau Islands without authorisation. The vessel, Chinese coast guard ship 5204, was detected by Bakamla patrol ship KN Nipah 321 through […]
TAIPEI (REUTERS) – Taiwan has been holding since last month five people from Hong Kong who fled the Chinese-run city by boat and were picked up by Taiwan’s coast guard in the South China Sea, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. Taiwan has opened its doors to people from Hong Kong, which has been […]
TOKYO (REUTERS) – Japan suspended imports of pork and live pigs from Germany after a case of African swine fever (ASF) was confirmed in a wild boar in eastern Germany, the agriculture ministry said. The suspension took effect on Friday (Sept 11). China and South Korea also banned such imports after Germany said on Thursday […]
TOKYO (NYTIMES) – This was supposed to be the era when Japan finally stepped beyond its centuries of patriarchal dominance and empowered women in the workplace. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the country’s prosperity depended on it and promised policies to help women “shine.” He even gave the push a name: Womenomics. Sayaka Hojo has […]
It is highly unlikely that bats in Singapore are carrying the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, but people who come into contact with one should still take precautions, two experts said. For example, residents who have bats flying into their homes should look out for any secretions and contamination from the animal and clean them as […]
Malaysia’s relative success in managing the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a gradual reopening of its borders to medical tourism, as the country prepares to make a comeback as the world’s top spot for such travellers. The country’s governing body for medical tourism, the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council, is proposing to allow patients from specified […]
When he was 16, Mr Matthew Wong-Stewart, also known on social media and YouTube as Fish, found himself struggling with mental health issues and tried to take his own life. But a message from a friend to the former actor of the popular Wah!Banana YouTube channel here made him take a step back. He realised […]
The Olympic Games as we know it will not happen next year, how helpful vaccines may be is still in question, and another lockdown like Singapore’s circuit breaker period would reflect a failure in public health response. So, people have to learn to live with the fact that Covid-19 will constantly be in their midst […]
MUMBAI (REUTERS) – India said on Sunday (Sept 13) it was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a Covid-19 vaccine, particularly for the elderly and people in high-risk workplaces, as the country’s number of reported infections passed 4.75 million. India, which has consistently reported over 1,000 Covid-19 deaths daily this month, has now recorded 78,586 […]
SINGAPORE – There were 49 new coronavirus cases confirmed as at noon on Sunday (Sept 13), the majority migrant workers in dormitories. Those outside the dorms comprised one community and eight imported cases, said the Ministry of Health, in its daily update. The sole community case is a 42-year-old work permit holder who is unlinked […]