DUBAI (Reuters) – When Kapil left his Nepali village for an airport job packing cargo in the United Arab Emirates, he thought he was securing a future for himself and his family. But less than a year after arriving in the Middle East trade and tourism hub, he questions whether it was the right decision […]
TOKYO (Reuters) – The dollar nursed losses against most currencies on Wednesday, undermined by concern that Republicans and Democrats are struggling to reach consensus on the next round of U.S. economic stimulus measures. The euro traded near its strongest level in more than a year after European leaders agreed a stimulus plan to fuel recovery […]
TOKYO (BLOOMBERG) – Japan’s push to help revive its virus-ravaged economy with a “Go To” travel campaign has dealt a double blow to Tokyo, whose residents were cut off from promised travel subsidies and businesses are set to miss out on tourists. The programme, promoting domestic travel by offering discount vouchers to boost an ailing […]
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has signed a presidential regulation to form a national Covid-19 mitigation and economic recovery committee to resuscitate the economy amid a surge in new cases. State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir will head the new team, which is a merger of two former task forces. Mr Erick’s deputy Budi Gunadi Sadikin will […]
SYDNEY (REUTERS) – Residents of Australia’s second most populous city Melbourne must wear masks when leaving home from Wednesday (July 22), as tougher border restrictions were put in place with neighbouring New South Wales state to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Cross-border travel between Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) will now only be permitted […]
PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – The Malaysian government is considering whether to go with a fine or jail time for those refusing to “mask up” once the use of face masks is made mandatory in public places, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. He said the growing number of infections was […]
Differences in cultures and backgrounds will always exist in an urbanised society like Singapore, and there is a need to continue having discussions about race and diversity beyond Racial Harmony Day, Ambassador-at-Large Ong Keng Yong said yesterday. Mr Ong, who was speaking at a virtual book launch, said he is often asked why there is […]
NEW DELHI – A countrywide lockdown which lasted for more than two months from its imposition on March 25 has been merciless on millions of India’s migrant workers. But it is amid the despair that Mr Duleswar Tandi found his voice – and the elusive fame he had coveted. The 27-year-old Tandi returned home to Odisha’s […]
(Reuters) – European shares closed above four-month highs on Tuesday, with Germany’s blue-chip DAX erasing almost all its losses for the year, after EU leaders agreed on a landmark stimulus package to revive the bloc’s economies from a coronavirus-induced slump. The pan-European STOXX 600 jumped as much as 1.3% before ending 0.3% higher at its […]
HONG KONG (REUTERS) – The Hong Kong government said on Tuesday (July 21) that Taiwan had rejected the visas of two of its officials, underscoring rising bilateral tensions after Taipei criticised a security law imposed on the financial hub by Beijing. The two Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office (HKETCO) staff members have returned […]