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Singapore’s GDP contracts 5.4 pct in 2020, forecast for 2021 maintained
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s economy contracted by 5.4 per cent in 2020, a reversal from the 1.3 per cent growth in 2019, said the republic’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). For the fourth quarter of 2020, Singapore’s economy contracted by 2.4 per cent
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Strong earthquake strikes Sumatera in Indonesia
KUALA LUMPUR: A strong earthquake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, hit southwest Sumatera, Indonesia tonight. The Malaysian Meterological Department (MetMalaysia) said in a statement that the quake occurred 8.52 pm, with its epicentre at 228 kilometres (km) south of Bengkulu, Indonesia and at
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India to be biggest driver of global energy demand growth in next two decades
NEW DELHI: India will be the main driver of rising demand for energy over the next two decades, accounting for 25% of global growth, and is set to overtake the European Union as the world’s third-biggest energy consumer by 2030,
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Thailand to receive 2 mln doses of COVID-19 vaccine by end of April – PM Prayuth
BANGKOK: Thailand is expected to receive two million doses of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of April, says Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o-cha. He said the first batch of 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine was expected to arrive late this month while another
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New Zealand suspends ties with Myanmar
ANKARA, Feb 9 — New Zealand on Tuesday suspended all high-level political and military contact with Myanmar following last week’s military coup in the Southeast Asian nation, its foreign minister said. In a statement, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said her country will not recognise the legitimacy
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Facebook says its services limited in Myanmar after military coup
MOSCOW, Feb. 4 — Facebook said on Thursday that its services had been limited in Myanmar following the military takeover in the southeastern Asian nation, reported Sputnik news agency. “We are aware that access to Facebook is currently disrupted for some people,”
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Bangladesh sees rise in deaths from toxic liquor
DHAKA, Feb 4 — At least 16 people have died since Jan 31 in northern Bangladesh’s commercial hub of Bogra after consuming toxic liquor, according to officials and media reports. They include eight people who died between Sunday and Tuesday. Md
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S. Korea faces record import curbs in 2020 amid protectionism
SEOUL: South Korea faced a record number of import restrictions from trade partners in 2020 amid growing protectionism, a trade body said Thursday. The country was subject to 228 import regulations from 26 countries as of end-December, up 18 from
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COVID: Three Malaysians among 17 new imported cases in Singapore on Wednesday
SINGAPORE: Three Malaysian men were among 17 new COVID-19 imported cases reported in Singapore on Wednesday, according to the republic’s Ministry of Health. The ministry, in its full data released here late last night, said that all three were work
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Japan aims to start COVID-19 vaccinations mid-February – Suga
TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday the government aims to start COVID-19 vaccinations for health workers in Japan in mid-February, earlier than late February as previously targeted, Kyodo News reported. The announcement comes as Suga struggles to bring the
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