Republic day violence

SINGAPORE - Hand sanitiser vending machines said to be the first of their kind in the world went into action across Singapore on Monday (April 12). Every household in the Republic is allowed to collect 500ml of zero-alcohol cleanser for free. Retiree Liong Lai Fong, 79, visited Block 565, Choa Chu Kang Street 52 to pick hers up. She said in Mandarin: "I came to collect the hand sanitiser today because it was written on the utilities bill." The Temasek Foundation initiative - the second of its kind - uses machines that mix sanitiser concentrate with clean water and dispense the ready-to-use product into reusuable bottles. The vending machines were designed by the foundation, which said that they were the first in the world to automate the entire process. A spokesman told ST that the zero-alcohol sanitiser being distributed had a new formulation with a higher concentration of benzalkonium chloride, which is recognised by the National Environment Agency as being effective ... » Learn More about Singapore-designed hand sanitiser vending machines in operation across the island

BACOLOD CITY—More government offices and health facilities in Negros Occidental are going on lockdown as COVID-19 cases continued to surge in the province. Mayor Neil Lizares said the new Talisay City Hall would be closed on Monday (April 12) and Tuesday (April 13) while contact tracing and disinfection are underway. An employee assigned to the Talisay City Public Market tested positive for SARS Cov2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and contact tracing showed that the person had gone to the Talisay City Hall. Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson, who tested positive for SARS Cov2, also ordered the lockdown of the Himamaylan City Hall, the city healtho office and village health centers for seven days starting last Saturday (April 10) to prevent coronavirus transmission. Mayor Rhumyla Nicor Mangilimutan said the La Castellana municipal hall will be closed from Monday (April 12) to Wednesday (April 14) for disinfection as government employees were instructed to work from home after ... » Learn More about Coronavirus infections continue to spread in Negros Occidental

Meat vendors at Commonwealth Market, Quezon City adhere to the price ceiling order of the government for pork products in this February 9, 2021, photo. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE MANILA, Philippines—Prices of pork are expected to go down when imported pork products “out of the lowering of tariff” start arriving in the Philippines in two months’ time, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said on Monday. “I understand, ang pagpasok po ng imported ay nasa 40 to 60 days [the entry of imports is from 40 to 60 days],” Dar said, responding to Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto’s query during a hearing of the Senate Committee of the Whole. “Ok siguro ano pa, by June [Ok maybe what, by June]?” Recto then said as he also asked about the possibility of pork prices hitting as much as P500 per kilo. Recto was asking Dar when the prices of pork are expected to go down following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order lowering tariff on importation. “Ay sana hindi hahantong ... » Learn More about Cheaper pork out of reduced tariff rates to be felt in June — DA chief

MANILA, Philippines — Strict quarantine rules in Metro Manila and the neighboring provinces of Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal will be eased slightly starting Monday up to April 30 as hospitals have committed themselves to provide more beds for patients with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Sunday. President Rodrigo Duterte approved the less stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for Metro Manila and the four provinces — dubbed “National Capital Region (NCR) Plus” — from the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), even as COVID-19 cases continued to rise and swamp hospitals. Total detected cases surged to 864,868 after laboratory tests confirmed 11,681 new infections on Sunday, the third straight day of breaching the 10,000 mark, according to the Department of Health (DOH). The death toll climbed to 14,945 after 201 more fatalities were reported. More than 200 deaths had been reported daily in five of the ... » Learn More about Quarantine restrictions eased in Metro Manila, 4 adjacent provinces

Naga Sadhus (Hindu holy men) take a holy dip in the waters of the Ganges River on the day of Shahi Snan (royal bath) during the ongoing religious Kumbh Mela festival, in Haridwar on April 12, 2021. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) NEW DELHI — Hundreds of thousands of Hindu devotees flocked on Monday to take a holy bath in India’s Ganges river, even as the nation racked up the world’s highest tally of new daily coronavirus infections . With 168,912 new cases, India accounts for one in six of all new infections globally, although the figure is still well below the U.S. peak of nearly 300,000 new cases on Jan. 8. In the northern city of Haridwar, nearly a million devotees thronged the banks of the Ganges, a river many Hindus consider holy, to participate in the months-long ‘Kumbh Mela’ or pitcher festival. “The crowd here is surging…the police are continuously appealing to people to maintain social distancing,” police official Sanjay Gunjyal told Reuters at the site. By ... » Learn More about India’s daily coronavirus infections are world’s highest but crowds gather for festival

BACOLOD CITY –– Amid requests for a stricter quarantine status, Negros Occidental will remain under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until April 30. Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he was informed that Negros Occidental could not revert to general community quarantine (GCQ) because its COVID-19 infections had not reached the required level for that classification. Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III relayed to him the message that the COVID-19 average daily attack rate should be seven percent and above, and the two-week daily growth rate should be 200 percent to be considered at high risk. Densing said Negros Occidental’s average daily attack rate as of April 8 was at 1.97 percent, and its two-week daily growth rate was 107 percent which was considered moderate. Lacson, however, pointed out that the COVID-19 situation in the province had been alarming and that the number of infections was rising. “Why do we have to wait for 200 percent (growth rate) or a ... » Learn More about Negros Occidental remains under MGCQ despite rising COVID-19 cases

SEOUL (REUTERS) - South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun arrived in Iran on Sunday (April 11) to help try to restore a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and free up US$7 billion (S$9.4 billion) in Iranian funds trapped in South Korea, Seoul officials said. Mr Chung is the first South Korean prime minister to visit Iran in 44 years amid icy relations between the two countries due to Iran's military cooperation with North Korea. Tension rose after Iran seized a South Korean ship and its sailors in the Strait of Hormuz in January, accusing them of polluting the waters, and demanded that Seoul release US$7 billion in assets frozen in South Korean banks under US sanctions. Mr Chung's trip comes days after Iran released the tanker and its captain, the last member of its 20-strong crew, with South Korea vowing to help secure the release of the funds. Iran and world powers held talks last week aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal that former US president ... » Learn More about South Korean PM arrives in Iran to help try to revive nuclear deal

SINGAPORE - It has dragged on for more than a year. But despite the nation's weariness with the pandemic, at least Singaporeans appear to be still washing their hands properly. Of the 53 people surveyed by The Straits Times on Monday (April 12), around three-quarters said that they have developed better hygiene habits over the past 12 months. Their main reasons included the impact of public health campaigns and the fear of contracting Covid-19. Almost all the respondents washed their hands more than three times a day, and had made a habit of doing so before meals and after returning home. Madam Chua Yan Fang, 63, who works in merchandising, ensures that she keeps sanitiser on hand in case her hands get dirty throughout the day. "Especially at my age, I have children and grandchildren who visit me every week, so I must take care of myself and think for them too," she said. Most respondents also agreed that hand-washing with soap was still the "gold standard" for hygiene. ... » Learn More about Singaporeans still washing hands frequently after a year of Covid-19, ST poll suggests

MELAKA: Melaka police arrested two women who are on the wanted list for cheating, criminal intimidation and drug offences in separate raids in Alor Gajah here. State Narcotics chief Supt Zulkiflee Rashid said in the first arrest, a 28-year-old woman who is wanted for cheating and criminal intimidation, was nabbed along with her husband and cousin. He said the three suspects, who tested positive for drugs, were found in a hotel room in Alor Gajah at 2.50pm on Sunday (April 11). “All three work as car salespersons and the wanted woman has three previous criminal records, while her husband and her 21-year-old cousin each have one prior drug offence," Supt Zulkiflee said on Monday (April 12). He said his men also confiscated syabu from the suspects during the raid. In the second raid, conducted on the same day, a 26-year-old woman with five previous drug offences was detained. Supt Zulkiflee said the woman, who was caught at Pulau Sebang near the Negri Sembilan border, also ... » Learn More about Melaka cops nab two women on wanted list in separate raids, seize syabu from suspects

A year ago, amid the chaotic background of a global pandemic, medical student Ian Soh launched an international movement that gathered youths from around the world to combat misinformation on Covid-19. The movement, dubbed #moreviralthanvirus has since reached more than 1.5 million people across the world and attracted the attention of the World Health Organisation (WHO). “One year ago, the world was chaotic. You heard about doctors being on the frontline trying to treat patients. “As a medical student and a young adult, I didn’t really know what I could do to help, ” said Soh. “The movement was initially launched to unite medical students to help correct misinformation in a way that is relevant to the local context of their respective countries. “There was a lot of medical jargon in the media and I thought as medical students, we would be able to break down the complex terms into simple words that people could understand. “As mentioned by WHO deputy director-general Dr ... » Learn More about Movement works to localise Covid-19 medical jargon