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Rabu, 05 Mei 2021

India accounts for 46% of world's new COVID-19 cases, quarter of deaths - CNA

GENEVA: India accounted for 46 per cent of the new COVID-19 cases recorded worldwide last week and one in four deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday (May 5).

The surge of the coronavirus in India, including of a highly infectious new variant first identified there, has seen hospitals run out of beds and oxygen, and morgues and crematoriums overflowing. Many people have died in ambulances and car parks waiting for a bed or oxygen.

Worldwide, 5.7 million new cases were reported last week and more than 93,000 deaths, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report. India reported nearly 2.6 million new cases, a 20 per cent increase on the previous week, and 23,231 deaths.

The figures are based on official tallies, so India's proportion could be even larger if, as many experts believe, a large number of cases and deaths are not being recorded there as the system becomes overwhelmed. India accounts for almost 18 per cent of the world's population.

READ: India posts record daily rise in COVID-19 deaths

READ: Virus variants from India detected in Singapore: What you need to know

There are signs that India's outbreak is spreading to its neighbours. Nepal recorded a 137 per cent increase in cases to 31,088 last week, while Sri Lanka's COVID-19 outbreak was also growing, the WHO said.

On Tuesday India became the second country to record 20 million infections, after the United States. India's coronavirus deaths rose by a record 3,780 during the last 24 hours, with daily infections rising by 382,315 on Wednesday, health ministry data showed.

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

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2021-05-05 08:04:16Z
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Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble: The real cost of travelling to Hong Kong - AsiaOne

With the Singapore-Hong Kong Travel Bubble, travelling will soon be within reach. But how much does it really cost to go on a week-long vacation in Hong Kong? We've added it all up for you, so you can make that decision yourself.

A new date has been set for the long-awaited Singapore-Hong Kong travel bubble — and it seems that both city-states are doing their best to ensure that this time, all air travel plans go through.

Before you take that dusty ol’ suitcase out and start packing, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on the various requirements for travel, as well as an estimated amount to set aside, just in case you were wondering.

How does the SG-HK travel bubble work?

Good news! Travellers from Singapore will not be required to get vaccinated before leaving for Hong Kong. However, you must have remained in Singapore in the last 14 days before departure (this excludes any time spent in quarantine or SHN).

Also, you are required to be on the direct designated flights (operated by Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific) to travel under the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble.

Passengers transiting through Singapore, and those not included under the air travel bubble, will not be allowed on the designated flights.

From May 26 to June 9, there’ll only be one flight going into Hong Kong from Singapore and one flight going out from Hong Kong to Singapore. Each flight will carry a maximum of 200 passengers. Come June 10, there’ll be two flights going from each country daily.

ALSO READ: Travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong won't go ahead if Covid-19 threshold is breached

SG-HK travel bubble – in a nutshell

Common Questions	For Singaporeans Travelling to Hong Kong
Which are the designated airlines?	Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
Frequency of flight	One flight per day from Singapore to Hong Kong and vice-versa, with up to 200 passengers per flight.
Before leaving	Take PCR test 72 hours before the scheduled flight and have negative test results for Covid-19. Submit an online Health & Quarantine Information Declaration Form within 48 hours before arrival. Get the relevant QR code. Remember to book and pay for your post-arrival PCR test before leaving Singapore. Download the LeaveHomeSafe app on mobile devices.
Upon arrival	Take pre-booked on-arrival PCR test. To remain at the Hong Kong airport while waiting for negative test results. To scan QR codes at all places visited with the LeaveHomeSafe app — remember to keep the app for 31 days after leaving Hong Kong.
Before returning	Book and take pre-departure PCR test at any of the recognised testing institutions in Hong Kong, unless you’re returning within 72 hours of taking your arrival test Remember to pre-book your on-arrival PCR test. Complete SG Arrival Card health declaration within three days before your return.
Upon return	Take pre-booked on-arrival PCR test. Self-isolate at home until the test is confirmed to be negative.
How many PCR tests must you take?	Four
Vaccination requirements	None
Estimated total cost	From S$1330

ALSO READ: 7 ways to deal with travel deprivation

Calculating potential costs

Items	Estimated Cost
Return ticket (as of 26 May)	From S$307
Travel insurance (with Covid-19 shield)	S$52
Pre-departure PCR swab test	S$150
Arrival swab test	HK$499 (S$86)
Pre-departure PCR swab test	HK$499
Return swab test	S$150
Hotel accommodation	From S$500 for seven nights
Grand total	S$1330

*Do note: the authorities have reminded potential travellers that should they test positive whilst in Hong Kong, the individual will have to shoulder the full cost of all medical treatments.

ALSO READ: 10 best countries to travel to after vaccination: Covid-19 resilience ranking revealed

Fortunately, if you managed to get travel insurance coverage, you’ll receive up to S$100,000 for medical expenses if you’re hospitalised due to Covid-19 while overseas, and S$200/day for up to 14 days after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

There’ll also be up to S$1,000 for additional transport expenses if your trip is disrupted because you’re diagnosed with Covid-19, as well as up to $100,000 for emergency evacuation and repatriation back to Singapore if required.

Stay cautiously optimistic

While the SG-HK travel bubble is a monumental step towards sweet leisure international travel, CNA cautions that should the seven-day average of the daily number of unlinked local Covid-19 cases exceed five in either city, the air travel bubble will be suspended for at least 14 days.

This article was first published in YouTrip.

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2021-05-05 02:26:04Z
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Selasa, 04 Mei 2021

MOH official elaborates on COVID-19 variants detected in Singapore - Yahoo Singapore News

South China Morning Post

Hong Kong police officer smashes car window, arrests driver during anti-narcotics operation in Pok Fu Lam

A police constable used a baton to smash the window of a car and arrest its driver, who refused to leave the vehicle after being intercepted during an anti-narcotics operation in a Hong Kong public housing estate on Tuesday. The 27-year-old man was spotted driving his white Toyota around Wah Fu Estate in Pok Fu Lam and circling two of the housing blocks under surveillance by officers from the Western special duty squad at about 12.30am. When the car pulled over outside Wah On House minutes later, officers approached and asked him to get out.Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. After the driver refused to comply, a police constable pulled out his baton and warned him verbally. HK$2.25 million in liquid cocaine labelled ‘health food’ latest airport drug bust “When the man ignored the warnings and tried to flee, the officer used his baton to smash the car window and subdue the suspect,” a police source said. No illegal drugs were found in the car, but a plastic bag carrying six grams of suspected ketamine was lying on the ground near the vehicle. There were no passengers. The man, a warehouse worker, was arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal drugs. As of midday, he was still being held for questioning and had not been charged. Police seize HK$900 million worth of cocaine in biggest such bust in nearly a decade In a separate operation, police arrested a suspected drug trafficker and seized HK$250,000 (US$32,000) worth of illegal drugs along with packaging equipment in Cheung Sha Wan on Monday. Officers intercepted the man, 25, at the lift lobby of a residential block on Lai Chi Kok Road around 1pm. About 300 grams of suspected ketamine was found on him. In a follow-up raid on his flat in the same building, officers seized 37 grams of suspected crack cocaine along with some packaging equipment. The man was arrested for trafficking in a dangerous drug – an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of up to HK$5 million.More from South China Morning Post:Hong Kong police seize HK$900 million worth of cocaine in biggest such bust in nearly a decadeHK$2.25 million in liquid cocaine labelled ‘health food’ latest Hong Kong airport drug bust; two men arrestedThis article Hong Kong police officer smashes car window, arrests driver during anti-narcotics operation in Pok Fu Lam first appeared on South China Morning PostFor the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2021.

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2021-05-04 12:50:46Z
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China calls for 'basic etiquette' after Philippine foreign minister's outburst - CNA

BEIJING: China urged the Philippines on Tuesday (May 4) to observe "basic etiquette" and eschew megaphone diplomacy after the Southeast Asian nation's foreign minister used an expletive-laced Twitter message to demand that China's vessels leave disputed waters.

The comments by Teodoro Locsin, known for occasional blunt remarks, follow Manila's protests over what it calls the illegal presence of hundreds of Chinese boats inside the Philippines' 370km Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In a statement, China's foreign ministry urged the Philippines to respect the nation's sovereignty and jurisdiction and stop taking actions that complicate the situation.

"Facts have repeatedly proved that microphone diplomacy cannot change the facts, but can only undermine mutual trust," it said.

"It is hoped that relevant people in the Philippines will comply with basic etiquette and their position when making remarks."

READ: Philippines' top diplomat swears at China online, tells nation to leave disputed waters

READ: Philippines' Duterte refuses to stop South China Sea patrols

The ministry cited comments by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte that differences between the countries on individual issues should not affect friendship and cooperation.

"China has always worked, and will continue to work with the Philippines, to properly resolve differences and advance cooperation through friendly consultations," it said.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which about US$3 trillion of ship-borne trade passes each year. In 2016, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled that its claim was inconsistent with international law.

"I won't plead the last provocation as an excuse for losing it; but if Wang Yi is following Twitter then I'm sorry for hurting his feelings but his alone," Locsin said on Twitter on Tuesday, referring to the Chinese government's top diplomat.

Duterte has reminded his officials that there is no room for cursing in the matter of diplomacy. "Only the president can cuss," his spokesman, Harry Roque, told a regular news conference.

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2021-05-04 09:53:22Z
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Philippines' Duterte says China still a benefactor, rejects minister's 'rude' comments - The Straits Times

MANILA – The Philippines is walking back caustic remarks made by its top diplomat, who told China in an expletives-laced Twitter post to get out of the South China Sea.

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman, Mr Harry Roque, on Tuesday (May 4) said in a news briefing that Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin was told to avoid using profanities in his public remarks, especially when it concerns diplomacy.

"The President's message was, in diplomacy, there is no room for profanities. The President told members of his Cabinet that only he is allowed to swear," said Mr Roque.

Mr Locsin on Monday demanded that China withdraw its boats and ships from disputed waters in the South China Sea.

"China, my friend, how politely can I put it? Let me see… O…GET THE F*** OUT," he tweeted on his personal account.

"What are you doing to our friendship? You. Not us. We're trying. You. You're like an ugly oaf forcing your attentions on a handsome guy who wants to be a friend; not to father a Chinese province," he added.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which about US$3 trillion (S$4 trillion) of ship-borne trade passes each year. In 2016, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled that these claims were inconsistent with international law.

Mr Roque said Mr Locsin had apologised for what he said. "He told me that he had personally apologised to the Chinese ambassador, and that whatever he said was because of things that set him off," he said.

The Philippines' Foreign Ministry did not issue an official statement. But Mr Locsin, again taking to Twitter on Tuesday, said he had apologised to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi "for hurting his feelings, but his alone".

"I won’t plead the last provocation as an excuse for losing it; but if Wang Yi is following Twitter then I'm sorry for hurting his feelings but his alone… His opinion alone matters," he said.

Mr Locsin fired off his profanity-laced tweet just hours after the Foreign Ministry accused China's coast guard of "shadowing, blocking, dangerous manoeuvres, and radio challenges" on Philippine ships that patrolled and trained last month around a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

It also protested the “incessant, illegal, prolonged and increasing presence” of China’s fishing vessels and maritime militia in its economic zones.

The Philippines had been firing off a barrage of diplomatic protests since reports surfaced last month that over 200 militia boats were "swarming" the boomerang-shaped Whitsun Reef around 320km west of the country’s coastline.

Most of these boats had left Whitsun, but Philippine defence officials said they merely dispersed around other disputed reefs and islands in the South China Sea.

Mr Duterte late on Monday evening sought to diffuse the fallout from Mr Locsin’s remarks.

He said China "remains a benefactor".

"Just because we have a conflict with China doesn't mean to say that we have to be rude and disrespectful," he said.

Days earlier, Mr Duterte had called China "a good friend". "We owed it a big debt of gratitude, among others for the vaccines (it has donated to us)," he said in his weekly televised address.

On Tuesday, he also sought to dial back speeches he made concerning the South China Sea when he was campaigning for presidency.

"I never, never in my campaign as president promised the people that I would retake the West Philippine Sea," he said, referring to parts of the South China Sea the Philippines regards as inside its exclusive economic zone.

"I did not promise that I would pressure China. I never mentioned (anything) about China and the Philippines in my campaign because that was a very serious matter," he said.

But in an often-quoted remark he made in a campaign speech in 2016, he had vowed to ride a jet ski to one of the disputed islands in the South China Sea to plant the Philippine flag there.

Indonesian woman sends poisoned satay to ex-boyfriend, ends up killing delivery man's son instead - AsiaOne

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned — a vengeful 25-year-old in Indonesia recently tried to kill her ex-boyfriend by sending poisoned food to him.

While the cyanide-laced satay never reached him, the delivery man took the food home and shared it with his family on April 25.

His 10-year-old son died from poisoning after consuming the satay.

The woman, identified as Nani Aprilliani, was arrested on April 30 for premeditated murder, Yogyakarta police said at a press conference on Monday (May 3).

"Her motive was heartbreak because the target married someone else, not her," said the police chief.

Nani was found to have purchased potassium cyanide, meant for use in rat poison, three months prior to the incident from an e-commerce platform.

On April 25, she bought a packet of chicken satay and sprinkled some cyanide into the accompanying sauce.

The young woman then approached a delivery man named Bandiman and asked him to deliver the food to her ex-boyfriend Tomy, instructing him to tell the recipient that the satay was from a man named Hamid.

As Tomy was out of town, his wife answered the door and refused to accept the delivery as she didn't know anyone by the name Hamid.

Hence, Bandiman took the food home to break fast with his family.

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His wife and son dipped the satay into the sauce and both vomited moments after eating the tainted food.

Speaking with local news outlet Tribun Joga, Bandiman recalled his son saying there was a bitter taste in his mouth. The boy went to the kitchen to fetch some water to drink but collapsed on the way there.

Unconscious and foaming at the mouth, he was rushed to the hospital but died during treatment.

Nani will be charged with premeditated murder. If convicted, she will face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

The police are also on the hunt for an accomplice who allegedly encouraged her to carry out the act of revenge.

Investigations are still ongoing.

rainercheung@asiaone.com

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2021-05-04 08:30:00Z
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Senin, 03 Mei 2021

Hong Kong ends longest recession in decades - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's economy jumped back into growth in the first quarter of the year, official figures showed on Monday (May 3), ending the city's most pronounced period of recession in its modern history.

The international financial hub has been battered in the last 18 months by a triple whammy of the United States-China trade war, months of social unrest and then the COVID-19 pandemic.

It recorded six consecutive quarters of negative growth, a more prolonged downturn than during both the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2007 to 2008 global crash.

That came to an end on Monday when the government announced that the city's economy grew by 7.8 per cent on year in the first three months of 2021.

Hong Kong was one of the few places in the world unlucky enough to enter the coronavirus pandemic already mired in a deep recession.

In 2019, months of huge and often violent protests coincided with swirling trade tensions between Beijing and the US, pummelling the economy that acts as an international gateway to China.

The city was among the first places outside mainland China to record a COVID-19 infection, and the economy plunged by a record-breaking 9.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2020.

Since then, Hong Kong has managed to keep the virus' spread down to a little more than 11,000 infections thanks to strict quarantine and economically punishing social distancing measures.

READ: Residents vaccinated against COVID-19 ready to party till 2am as bars reopen in Hong Kong

READ: Asia-focused HSBC profits double as credit losses reversed

This year's economic rebound was largely sparked by a sharp resurgence in exports fuelled by recoveries in both China and the US.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan has forecast full-year growth of 3.5 to 5.5 per cent in 2021.

But the city has warned that the economy remains below its pre-pandemic levels and that the recovery will be uneven.

Coronavirus restrictions are keeping Hong Kong all but closed to those without work permits, and people who do arrive need to undergo three weeks of compulsory hotel quarantine.

The tourism and retail sectors remain on their knees, and unemployment is at around 7 per cent, its highest rate in years.

While political stability has returned, an ongoing crackdown on dissent and moves to make semi-autonomous Hong Kong more like the mainland continue to rattle business confidence.

A quick journey out of the pandemic looks unlikely as well.

The city has managed to secure ample doses of coronavirus vaccines, but many residents are hesitant to listen to a government that suffers from a palpable trust deficit.

So far, just 12 per cent of the city's 7.5 million residents have taken one or more vaccine doses.

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2021-05-03 10:04:01Z
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Rabu, 05 Mei 2021

How does the SG-HK travel bubble work?

SG-HK travel bubble – in a nutshell

Calculating potential costs

Stay cautiously optimistic

Selasa, 04 Mei 2021

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Senin, 03 Mei 2021