WASHINGTON (AFP) – A US government panel on Tuesday (April 28) called for India to be put on a religious freedom blacklist over a “drastic” downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering an sharp rebuttal from New Delhi. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommends but does not set policy, and there is virtually […]
ROME (Reuters) – Fitch’s downgrade of Italy does not take proper account of the important economic decisions taken by the European Union and the European Central Bank, the Italian economy minister said. Fitch cut Italy’s credit rating to ‘BBB-‘ on Tuesday, saying the downgrade reflects the significant impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the country’s […]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will sign an executive order later in the day that addresses employer liability issues that have arisen from the coronavirus outbreak. Trump, taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office as he met with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, said the order would have to […]
LONDON/MOSCOW (Reuters) – From Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan to Nigeria and Angola, oil majors are haggling with national governments over how to share out deep production cuts that add to their pain from low oil prices and depressed fuel sales because of the coronavirus pandemic. Oil majors have traditionally escaped big cuts in OPEC nations, such […]
SINGAPORE – The Republic has had to expand its healthcare capacity with the surge in patient numbers brought about by Covid-19, with several premises converted in a short space of time to house recovering or stable patients. This ensures that the acute beds in hospitals remain reserved for those who need them most, and works […]
SINGAPORE – The sales exercise for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in May will be deferred until further notice, said the Housing Board (HDB) last Friday (April 24). Some 3,700 BTO flats in Choa Chu Kang, Tengah, Pasir Ris and Tampines and about 160 assisted living flats for seniors in Bukit Batok were supposed to launch next […]
GEORGE TOWN (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – The hotel industry is facing the full brunt of the Covid-19 pandemic and the prolonged movement control order (MCO). At least three hotels in Penang – Jazz Hotel, Hotel Penaga and Jerejak Island Resort – along with the Kinta Riverfront Hotel & Suites in Ipoh, Perak, have announced […]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Visits to U.S. retail stores ticked up last week as some states began lifting restrictions imposed to fight the coronavirus pandemic, according to cellphone location information aggregated by data firm Unacast. Nationwide traffic at retail “points of interest” jumped on Saturday to the highest level since March 20, when stay-at-home orders and […]
BEIJING (REUTERS) – A North Korean economic delegation is due to arrive in Beijing this week to discuss food supplies and trade issues as the coronavirus pandemic has severely disrupted the country’s food supply, two people with direct knowledge of the situation told Reuters. The delegation is headed to the Chinese capital amid conflicting reports […]
BANGKOK – Thailand is extending the state of emergency for a month, until May 31, announced Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday (April 28), even though new coronavirus cases have been on a decline for the past few weeks. “The extension is necessary. Many orders will remain the same, while there will be some changes […]