Cinmpring kici

Senin, 20 Juli 2020

Britain will be haven for city fugitives, Hong Kong officials and politicians say - South China Morning Post

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Britain will be haven for city fugitives, Hong Kong officials and politicians say South China Morning Post
UK poised to suspend Hong Kong extradition treaty: British newspapers CNA
Britain poised to suspend Hong Kong extradition treaty: British newspapers The Straits Times
Bullying Xi, predatory Trump: where does Britain turn in a divided world? The Guardian
Editorial: The UK should rethink its hostile relationship with China The Independent
View Full coverage on Google News

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNjbXAuY29tL25ld3MvaG9uZy1rb25nL3BvbGl0aWNzL2FydGljbGUvMzA5MzkwNi9uYXRpb25hbC1zZWN1cml0eS1sYXctYnJpdGFpbi13aWxsLWJlLWhhdmVuLXByb3Rlc3TSAXBodHRwczovL2FtcC5zY21wLmNvbS9uZXdzL2hvbmcta29uZy9wb2xpdGljcy9hcnRpY2xlLzMwOTM5MDYvbmF0aW9uYWwtc2VjdXJpdHktbGF3LWJyaXRhaW4td2lsbC1iZS1oYXZlbi1wcm90ZXN0?oc=5

2020-07-20 08:00:18Z
52780937075977

Partial lockdown eyed as part of tougher measures to contain Covid-19 in Hong Kong - The Straits Times

HONG KONG - Civil servants in Hong Kong returned to working from home on Monday (July 20) as the city struggles to contain a surge in cases of the coronavirus that is spreading out of control in the territory.

Health experts are calling for tougher measures, with at least one pressing the government for a partial lockdown.

Hong Kong microbiology expert Yuen Kwok Yung warned on Monday in a local radio programme that the city might have to go into a partial lockdown if coronavirus cases continue to surge for the next one to two weeks.

"We might possibly need to lock down, not a lockdown of the whole city, but... close to a lockdown," Prof Yuen said.

The current outbreak could be due to failure of the border controls, including quarantine exemptions, he said, adding that numbers rose after Father's Day when social distancing restrictions were relaxed.

Other infectious disease experts said the onus is on people to take preventive measures to bring the situation under control.

Professor David Hui of the Chinese University of Hong Kong said members of the public had let their guard down recently and warned that public hospitals would be under immense pressure if the daily number of new Covid-19 cases hit three digits.

Despite the precarious outlook, new cases could drop within a week if anti-epidemic measures are tightened, Prof Hui told RTHK.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong University microbiologist Ho Pak Leung cautioned that the quarantine centres are almost full, with only 196 units left for immediate use.

The warnings from the experts who advise the government on the pandemic come after Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Sunday described the situation as "really critical", with more than 500 infections confirmed in the past two weeks.

She announced a slew of measures, including a mandatory requirement to wear face masks when visiting indoor venues such as supermarkets and wet markets, as well as having civil servants work from home for a week.

This, after Hong Kong hit a record number of coronavirus cases in a single day at 108 on Sunday, of which 83 were local transmissions.

This brings the total confirmed cases to 1,885, including 12 deaths.

Last week, the government tightened measures as more clusters formed comprising eldercare centres, eateries and cab drivers.

These include shutting 12 types of venues, such as gaming centres, bars, gyms and nightclubs, for seven days. People have to wear masks on public transport or risk being fined, while restaurants can offer only takeaway services from 6pm to 5am. These measures have been extended for another week.

PM Muhyiddin to speak on Malaysia's virus recovery at 4pm - The Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR - Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will update Malaysians on the progress of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) at 4pm on Monday (July 20), midway through the relaxed phase of the government's nationwide battle to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of new daily cases since the RMCO replaced stricter curbs on June 10 has mostly been in single digits, despite restarting nearly all social, economic and religious activities while adhering to strict social distancing protocols and safety measures.

Malaysia's borders are also set to reopen soon, and talks with Singapore have been ongoing to allow travel between the two neighbours for work purposes to resume by Aug 10.

Contact sports, cinemas and larger-scale gatherings were given the green light on July 15 to restart activities, even as the country braces for a recession.

Last month, the government announced a fourth stimulus package this year, bringing the total spending from public coffers to cushion the blow of the pandemic to RM45 billion (S$14.7 billion).

But the injections have not stopped unemployment from reaching 5.3 per cent, the highest since the 1980s.

The Malaysian economy is likely to be dealt another blow soon, as a six-month loan moratorium will end in September. The moratorium has allowed all borrowers to defer debt payments, as many businesses and individuals have been struggling to meet their commitments.

Last Saturday, Tan Sri Muhyiddin urged the public to "spend for Malaysia" to help the nation's economic recovery.

"Spending can increase the multiplier effect on the economy, create job opportunities and subsequently boost the people's income," he said.

The RMCO is expected to end on Aug 31, but the government has repeatedly exhorted members of the public to remain vigilant in practising social distancing and good hygiene, warning that stricter measures could be reintroduced if cases spike.

Malaysia has averaged 14 new cases daily since last Friday.

Since the RMCO was put in place, Malaysia has recorded only six deaths from Covid-19, out of the 123 recorded so far in total.

Malaysia on Sunday reported the cumulative number of infections at 8,779, out of which more than 97 per cent have recovered.

Minggu, 19 Juli 2020

Kim Jong Un berates officials over troubled flagship North Korean hospital - CNA

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un berated officials for their "careless" construction of a flagship hospital in Pyongyang and ordered those responsible to be sacked, state media reported Monday (Jul 20).

The North has long used giant infrastructure projects to try to burnish the government's credibility, including housing developments in Pyongyang and the continuing Wonsan-Kalma tourism development, but critics say speed is often prioritised over quality.

The latest scheme is the Pyongyang General Hospital, in a prime location across the Taedong river from Mansu hill, where giant statues of the North's founder Kim Il Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong Il - father of the current leader - look out over the capital.

Completion is scheduled for Oct 10 to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party, and Kim called its construction a "crucial task" for the country's public health programme at a groundbreaking ceremony in March.

But after being briefed on the progress during a visit to the construction site, Kim "pointed out serious problems", the official KCNA news agency reported.

The commission in charge had organised the finances "in a careless manner with no budget for the construction properly set up", Kim was quoted as saying.

The project had been initiated for the "good of the people" but was "burdening" them with demands for "assistance", Kim said.

No details were provided, but Kim ordered the ruling party's Central Committee to investigate and "replace all the officials responsible".

The report did not give the exact date of Kim's visit.

It comes amid speculation that construction is being hampered by the North's difficulties securing materials due to tightened border controls over the coronavirus pandemic.

The already isolated, nuclear-armed North quickly shut down its borders after the virus was first detected in neighbouring China in January, and imposed strict containment measures.

Pyongyang insists it has not had a single case of COVID-19 despite the virus having infected more than 14.3 million people around the world and killing more than 601,000.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMic2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9hc2lhL2tpbS1qb25nLXVuLWJlcmF0ZXMtb2ZmaWNpYWxzLW92ZXItdHJvdWJsZWQtbm9ydGgta29yZWEtaG9zcGl0YWwtMTI5NDYzMzDSAQA?oc=5

2020-07-20 04:17:59Z
52780932375658

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam says COVID-19 spreading 'out of control', tightens restrictions - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's leader said Sunday (Jul 19) that COVID-19 was spreading out of control in the city as she announced a record daily high of more than 100 cases and ordered new social distancing measures.

The finance hub was one of the first places to be struck by the virus when it emerged from central China.

But the city had impressive success in tackling the disease, all but ending local transmissions by late June.

However, in the last two weeks, cases have begun to spike once more and doctors fear it is spreading undetected in the densely packed territory of 7.5 million people.

READ: COVID-19: Travellers entering Singapore from Victoria in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong to serve stay-home notice at dedicated facilities

On Sunday, chief executive Carrie Lam said more than 500 infections had been confirmed in the last fortnight, bringing the city's total tally to 1,788 cases with 12 fatalities.

More than 100 were confirmed on Sunday alone, a record daily high for the finance hub.

"I think the situation is really critical and there is no sign the situation is being brought under control," chief executive Carrie Lam told reporters.

Lam announced new social distancing measures last week, shuttering many businesses including bars, gyms and nightclubs, and ordering everyone to wear masks on public transport.

Restaurants were ordered to only offer takeout services in the evenings.

On Sunday, Lam announced new measures including plans to make it compulsory to wear masks inside any public indoor venue - and a new order for non-essential civil servants to work from home.

READ: Return to lockdown: Why 5 cities, regional states have re-imposed tighter COVID-19 measures

As hospital wards fill up, officials are also scrambling to build a further 2,000 isolation rooms on barren land near the city's Disneyland resort to monitor and treat those who test positive, she added.

Hong Kong was already mired in recession when the pandemic hit thanks to the US-China trade war and months of political unrest last year.

The new partial lockdown has compounded the economic misery.

On Sunday, Lam called for landlords to look at lowering rents.

She said further social distancing measures would be rolled out if the daily infection rate did not ease in coming days.

However, she said she was keen to avoid ordering people to remain at home.

"We can't just make a simple and extreme move to cut everything at once," Lam said.

Authorities say testing will be ramped up, targeting high-risk populations such as taxi drivers and restaurant workers after clusters were found within their ranks.

Some of the new infections have swept through elderly care homes, a major cause of concern given how deadly the coronavirus is to older people.

So far, 12 people have died after contracting the virus in Hong Kong -- four in the last fortnight.

Lam said officials would try to strike a balance between protecting health and keeping the economy partially afloat.

"It's hard to tell what kind of measures we will need to roll out... many places have ordered people to stay home," she said.

"We haven't adopted that in the last six months because we wanted to maintain a normal life for everyone."

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMia2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vbmV3cy9hc2lhL2NvdmlkLTE5LWhvbmcta29uZy1jcml0aWNhbC1zb2NpYWwtZGlzdGFuY2luZy1jYXJyaWUtbGFtLTEyOTQ0OTE40gEA?oc=5

2020-07-20 00:03:09Z
52780935254290