Pierre-Henry Deshayes (AFP) PREMIUM Oslo, Norway ● Tue, November 30, 2021 A polar bear chases a reindeer into the water, drags it ashore and devours it, in a striking scene caught on film for the first time. With sea ice melting, the king of the Arctic may be changing its diet. The dramatic spectacle played out in Norway's Svalbard archipelago on August 21, 2020 -- in summer, the sea ice retreats and takes with it the seals that make up the polar bear's main source of food. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login ... » Learn More about Rare hunting scene raises questions over polar bear diet
Australia delays border reopening as Omicron cases rise
SYDNEY - Australia said on Monday (Nov 29) it would delay the reopening of its international border by two weeks after reporting its first cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Prime Minister Scott Morrison convened a meeting of his national security committee and said it received advice from Australia's chief health officer to delay the reopening after the first cases of the new variant were detected on Sunday. Morrison said earlier this month Australia would reopen its border to foreign visa holders on Dec 1, in the latest steps to restart international travel. The country shut its borders in May 2020 and allowed only restricted numbers of citizens and permanent residents to enter. "The temporary pause will ensure Australia can gather the information we need to better understand the Omicron variant, including the efficacy of the vaccine, the range of illness, including if it may generate more mild symptoms, and the level of transmission," Morrison said in an emailed ... » Learn More about Australia delays border reopening as Omicron cases rise
Bracing for Omicron
Editorial board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta ● Tue, November 30, 2021 2021-11-30 01:17 0 7c8de5fbfa8fecad7676baf1830412e5 1 Editorial COVID-19,third-wave,Omicron-variant,genome-sequencing,South-Africa,mobility,curbs,travel-ban,vaccination,WHO Free The government’s decision to curb mobility around the year-end holiday could be the right step at the right time, especially when the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, is sending shockwaves across the globe. In its technical advice on Monday, the World Health Organization warned that the new strain posed a “very high” global risk. Just a few days before, the WHO declared Omicron a new variant of concern and would come up with detailed recommendations in the next few weeks. We are not certain whether Omicron is more or less dangerous than the other COVID-19 variants that we have fought against, but the earlier we are prepared, the better. Certainly, this latest development should give a cause for caution, or all ... » Learn More about Bracing for Omicron
Fixing jobs law after Constitutional Court ruling
Alexander Hutauruk (The Jakarta Post) PREMIUM Jakarta ● Tue, November 30, 2021 The recent Constitutional Court decision on the Job Creation Law has created commotion among legal experts and practitioners. The court declared the legislative process of the law conditionally unconstitutional for several reasons. The court said the law had adopted the omnibus method (i.e. issuing one new law to amend several types of laws), which was not recognized under the prevailing system. In addition, the court highlighted that the law that had been promulgated was substantially different from the final draft that was agreed upon by the government and the House of Representatives. Finally, the court found a lack of meaningful public participation in the law-making process. Notwithstanding the procedural issues above, the court still found the law to be valid with a caveat that the government and the House are to rectify the issues within two years. Otherwise, the law will ... » Learn More about Fixing jobs law after Constitutional Court ruling
Britain open to law to combat rise in online scams – minister
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain is open to legislating to stop an explosion in scam adverts online being a significant source of fraud, financial services minister John Glen has told lawmakers. Victims' groups and campaigners have called for fraudulent adverts to be incorporated in the government's planned Online Safety Bill, which currently only covers user-generated content. "We are very sympathetic to that," Glen told the Treasury Select Committee. "This is a massive problem. This is a significant opportunity in the absence of a better solution." A British record of 754 million pounds ($1 billion) was stolen in the first six months of this year, up 30% from the same period in 2020, according to data from banking industry body UK Finance, and up more than 60% from 2017, when it began compiling the figures. Several government departments are involved in trying to stop online scams, raising concerns among committee members that solutions are too slow to emerge. "You're being very ... » Learn More about Britain open to law to combat rise in online scams – minister
Dutch Covid hotel saga raises quarantine questions
Sixty-one people from who had travelled from South Africa to the Netherlands tested positive for coronavirus, with 14 having the Omicron variant BADHOEVEDORP (NETHERLANDS) - Welcome to the "Hotel Omicron" in the Netherlands, where a couple of quarantine fugitives have just discovered that you can check out any time you like, but you can't leave. There is little outward sign that the boxy, concrete Ramada hotel near Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is home to the world's biggest confirmed cluster of cases of the new Omicron variant. The clientele is usually passengers whose flights are late or conference attendees, says Dicky, an experienced local taxi driver who also dubs it the "Coronahotel". No police presence is visible in front of the hotel, and the only sign of any security are two guards who politely ask journalists to stop filming, without success. In this country which prides itself on its respect for personal freedoms, the dozens of people quarantined here are in theory ... » Learn More about Dutch Covid hotel saga raises quarantine questions
1,103 new Covid-19 cases & 9 deaths reported in S’pore
Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 1,103 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore on Monday (Nov. 29). Here are the important numbers you should be aware of: Situation update New cases on Nov. 29: 1,103 New community cases: 1,070 New imported cases: 8 New cases in migrant worker dormitories: 25 Weekly infection growth rate: 0.69 Total number of cases reported thus far: 263, 486 Deaths New deaths reported on Nov. 29: 9 Age: Between the ages of 58 and 91. All of them, except for an unvaccinated case, had various underlying medical conditions. Total deaths reported thus far: 710 Recovery Require oxygen supplementation in the general ward: 221 Unstable and under close monitoring in the ICU: 17 Critically ill and intubated in the ICU: 62 Current overall ICU utilisation rate: 51.2 Vaccination progress Percentage of total ... » Learn More about 1,103 new Covid-19 cases & 9 deaths reported in S’pore
Najib reunites with family in S’pore, might be among the first to fly via KL-S’pore VTL
Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak has finally been reunited with his family in Singapore. Najib might also be one of the few travellers from Malaysia entering Singapore via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) launched on Nov. 29. Family reunion The UMNO politician visited Singapore, apparently together with his wife, Rosmah Mansor, and his son, Norashman Najib, to be with his daughter Nooryana Najib who had just given birth. Nooryana welcomed her second child, Aidan Najib Daniyar on Nov. 1. View this post on Instagram A post shared by yananajib (@yananajib) Nooryana also posted a heartwarming family photo of Najib, someone who appears to be Rosmah, and their grandson, with the caption "#firstmeeting between baby Aidan Najib and Atok ... » Learn More about Najib reunites with family in S’pore, might be among the first to fly via KL-S’pore VTL
COVID-19 vaccine makers start work on Omicron-tailored shots
BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are working on vaccines that specifically target Omicron in case their existing shots are not effective against the new coronavirus variant, the companies said on Monday, November 29. The variant's emergence has triggered a strong global response as countries worried that it could spread fast even in vaccinated populations impose travel curbs and other restrictions. BioNTech SE said it had started work on a vaccine tailored to Omicron, along with partner Pfizer. Meanwhile, Moderna Inc said it could take months to begin shipping such a vaccine, Chief Executive Officer Stéphane Bancel told CNBC. Bancel said the effectiveness of existing COVID-19 vaccines against the variant was currently not known, adding there should be more clarity in about two weeks. Johnson & Johnson is also evaluating the effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine against Omicron, while also pursuing a vaccine specific to the variant. ... » Learn More about COVID-19 vaccine makers start work on Omicron-tailored shots
Wall Street rebounds after virus-related sell-off
NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks closed higher on Monday, regaining some of the ground they lost in Friday's sell-off, as investors were hopeful that the Omicron coronavirus variant would not lead to lockdowns after reassurance from U.S. President Joe Biden. The Nasdaq led gains among the major averages with help from the technology sector, while the S&P and the Dow advanced after suffering their biggest one-day percentage declines in months in Friday's holiday-shortened session as investors worried that the latest COVID-19 variant would cause economic disruption. Biden said on Monday that Omicron-related lockdowns were off the table for now and he urged Americans not to panic about the variant. However, he did recommend vaccination and mask wearing indoors to combat the virus and said the United States was working with pharmaceutical companies to make contingency plans if new vaccines were needed. Those comments and indications from drug companies that they are taking the ... » Learn More about Wall Street rebounds after virus-related sell-off