Schedulers and dispatchers 2021

The figure of 6.5 percent represents a significant rebound from the 1.7-percent contraction registered last year, said the report titled "Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress," citing data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). South Asia will see its economy grow 9.7 percent this year, the fastest growth in the region, the report said, citing the IMF. East Asia is expected to see its economic growth hit 6.5 percent during the same period, the report showed. The report attributed the relatively high growth rate to effective epidemic control and orderly production and work resumption in China and the Republic of Korea, among other factors. The Asian economy has taken up a growing share of the world economy. Measured by purchasing power parity, the region's economy is expected to account for 47.9 percent of the world's total in 2021, up from 45.3 percent registered in 2017, according to the IMF data the report cited. Despite the impact of the Covid-19 ... » Learn More about Special Focus: Asian economy to grow 6.5 % in 2021, says report

THE 2021 Asia Leaders Awards (ALA) gala night will be held at the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, Bonifacio Global Center, Taguig on November 11. The awards committee members are: HE Gerard Ho, ambassador of Singapore; HE Jaroslaw Szczepankiewicz, ambassador of Poland; HE DongMan Han, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Korea; HE Rizany Irwan, deputy ambassador of Malaysia; Ebb Hinchliffe, executive director, American Chamber of Commerce; Ricardo Sobreviñas, chairman, American Association of the Philippines; Grace Bondad Nicolas, vice president, American Association of the Philippines; Elton See Tan, president, BNI Premier; Robert Laurel Yupangco, vice president, Philippine Korean Chamber; Andrew Troy Nicolas, group chief executive officer, Tag Media Group; Edward Ling, president, Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Inc.; Tan Yu 3rd, secretary general, Makati Tourism Foundation Inc.; and James Jimenez, spokesman and director, Commission of Elections. The objective of the Asia Leaders ... » Learn More about Singapore embassy hosts ALA 2021

The Queen of Caldecott Hill once again proved why she is showbiz royalty by snagging one of the highest honours at Star Awards 2021. At the end of the awards ceremony held on Sunday (April 18), the 53-year-old walked away with the Best Actress award for her role in the 2020 drama My Guardian Angels. She was nominated alongside other formidable actresses - Felicia Chin, Rebecca Lim, Rui En, Chen Liping, Kym Ng, and Carrie Wong. Speaking to local media over Zoom, the Mediacorp Ah Jie said of her win: "All the other nominees are really good. It's not that they're not. Maybe the judges like my role more." Since Star Awards was cancelled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this marked her second consecutive win in the Best Actress category after clinching it in 2019. This will also be her fourth Best Actress award overall. However, just because she's besties with Chen Hanwei - who has snagged six Best Actor trophies - doesn't mean Zoe wants to match up to him. "I'm not ... » Learn More about Zoe Tay snags second consecutive Best Actress award at Star Awards 2021

As a result, many fans of the country and people working in Thailand's tourism industry have been hoping vaccinated travellers would soon be returning to the country. In March, Phuket presented plans according to which vaccinated travellers might be allowed to holiday on the island quarantine-free from July onwards. However the future of these plans is now uncertain in light of rising infection numbers and renewed restrictions in mid-April. There is a bit of a panic in the country at the moment. Thai authorities have ordered the closure of bars, schools and entertainment venues in an effort to curb the latest coronavirus outbreak, which has led to record numbers of new daily infections. Officials say the latest outbreak, which includes the more contagious variant of the virus first discovered in Britain, started spreading in nightclubs in Bangkok. Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesperson for the government's coronavirus task force, announced that the new measures also include a ... » Learn More about Hopes of mid-2021 Thailand getaways dim under renewed restrictions

Star Awards is back and with it, it's once again time to assess the red carpet looks. As the yearly awards show took a break last year because of the pandemic, it seems that our artistes are working extra hard this year with their outfits. And it shows, as there were a number of really outstanding looks that rocked our world. Let's take a look at a few of them. Quan Yi Fong The veteran TV host went vintage this year with this ruby red gown that gave us matronly vibes that are certainly befitting of her position in the industry. With that platinum blonde pixie hairdo and her smoky eye makeup, Yi Fong was looking fierce and serving face . Ian Fang Decked in his own creation — yes, he designed this Chinese tunic-inspired jacket — Ian was looking sleek on the red carpet. He also made a wise decision to keep a clean look with the classic black and used a Chanel brooch to add some bling and detail. It would have been a perfect look, too, if it weren't for his hair. The ... » Learn More about Star Awards 2021: A night of elegant and classic looks on the red carpet

PETALING JAYA: Empathy for fellow humans despite their creed to fight the invisible enemy during the Covid-19 pandemic has proven that everyone of us is an agent of the nation’s unity, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin ( pic ). In his virtual launching speech of the National Unity Policy and National Unity Blueprint 2021-2030 on Monday (Feb 15), the Prime Minister also said that such an attitude has also managed to put aside politicians who manipulate racial sentiments for their political gains. Muhyiddin, who was accompanied virtually by National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Sadique and her deputy Datuk Ti Lian Ker, said that the National Unity Policy by the National Unity Ministry and based on Rukun Negara, was formulated to invest long term in unity between the races, cultures and religion to create a strong nation. “The quest for unity is a journey, not a destination. “We must put our intention right and strengthen our efforts to ensure the country is united, not only for ... » Learn More about We are all agents of national unity, Muhyiddin tells M’sians

A staff member places a full-scale model of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on a table ahead of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover landing on February 18, 2021 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Patrick T. FALLON / AFP) WASHINGTON — NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter could make its first flight over the Red Planet as soon as Monday, the US space agency reported, following a delay of more than a week due to a possible technical issue. The mini-helicopter’s trip will mark the first-ever powered, controlled flight on another planet, and will help NASA reap invaluable data about the conditions on Mars. “NASA is targeting no earlier than Monday, April 19, for the first flight of its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter,” the space agency reported Saturday. Data will return to Earth “a few hours following the autonomous flight,” which would take off at approximately 3:30 am, NASA said. Ingenuity’s first trip was initially set for last Sunday, but was ... » Learn More about NASA’s Mars copter flight could happen as soon as Monday

MANILA, Philippines – Female passengers are in for a treat as the Light Rail Transit-2  (LRT) line is set to give them free train rides on Monday (March 8), International Women’s Day. In a Facebook post on Friday, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) announced that women passengers can ride the LRT-2 line for free from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. “JUANA FREE RIDE? G! In celebration of International Women’s Day, LRT-2 offers FREE RIDE for women passengers boarding the LRT-2 trains on Monday, March 8, 2021, during the peak hours indicated below. Wishing our passengers a fine and meaningful #InternationalWomensDay!” the LRTA’s Facebook post read. As per the International Women’s Day (IWD) website, the day is marked to celebrate the “social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.” “The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements ... » Learn More about Female passengers to get free LRT-2 rides on International Women’s Day

Some of the 67 olive ridley sea turtle hatchlings freed in the waters of Tayabas Bay from shores of Sariaya town in Quezon province early in the morning of March 3, 2021 by local officials and fisherfolk. Photo from Sherwin Rosales LUCENA CITY –– At least 1,723 baby sea turtles, locally known as “pawikan,” had been freed to their natural habitat in Tayabas Bay off Sariaya town in Quezon province since the start of this year. On March 3, another 67 newly hatched olive ridley sea turtles were released in the coastal village of Bignay 1 of the town, according to Sherwin Rosales, a fisheries technician at the municipal government’s agriculture office. Rosales said it was the last batch of baby turtles that were returned to the bay this hatching season. Similar events took place in other coastal villages, but some have not been documented by the municipal agriculture office, he said. Late last year, more than 1,000 baby sea turtles were also freed in Tayabas Bay. During the ... » Learn More about 1,723 baby turtles released in Tayabas Bay

DUBAI (AFP) - The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan made crossover visits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this weekend, after it was revealed the Gulf nation has been mediating between the hostile neighbours. "Good to be in the #UAE," Pakistan's Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted late Saturday (April 17), after announcing a three-day trip which ends Monday. His Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited the emirate of Abu Dhabi on Sunday, a spokesman for New Delhi's ministry of external affairs tweeted. Pakistan's foreign ministry said there was no scheduled meeting between the two ministers. Islamabad suspended trade and diplomatic ties with India in 2019 after New Delhi revoked the special status of the part of divided Kashmir that it rules. But in February, Islamabad and New Delhi pledged to end all firing along the disputed frontier, after months of violence between the nuclear-armed rivals. Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE's envoy to Washington, ... » Learn More about Pakistan and Indian FMs in crossover visits to UAE