QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Member of Parliament, Ginny Andersen, discusses with EBC’s Alma Angeles, New Zealand’s economic stimulus plan. Plus encouraging Kiwis’ to continue to stay home during the lockdown.
ASEAN IN FOCUS
Singapore eases monetary policy as virus slams economy
SINGAPORE (AFP) — Singapore’s central bank eased monetary policy Monday as the city-state, seen as a bellwether for the health of global trade, heads for a deep recession due to the coronavirus pandemic. The easing echoes moves made by other countries and comes after data last week showed the city-state suffered its sharpest contraction in the first quarter since the global financial crisis. The Monetary Authority of Singapore said it had flattened the slope of […]
Indonesian volcano spews massive ash cloud
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia’s most active volcano Mount Merapi erupted Friday, shooting a column of ash some 5,000 metres (16,000 feet) into the air in its second major eruption this month. Ash and sand covered areas several kilometres (miles) away from the peak of the rumbling crater near Indonesia’s cultural capital Yogyakarta. But authorities did not raise Merapi’s alert level. “There has been no reports of damage from the eruption. We urge people […]
Myanmar confirms first coronavirus cases
by Sun Myat Mon and Richard Sargent YANGON, Myanmar (AFP) — Myanmar confirmed its first cases of the deadly novel coronavirus late Monday after weeks of increasing skepticism over the under-developed southeast Asian nation’s claims to be free of the disease. The country of 54 million people had been the world’s largest country by population not to report a single case of the pandemic that has confined more than 1.7 billion to their homes. With […]
Thailand virus cases rocket to 600 as crisis fears grow
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Thailand’s confirmed coronavirus cases rose by a third to nearly 600, the kingdom announced Sunday, as fears of a full-blown crisis take hold in a country largely spared until now. Thailand’s health ministry announced the spike was mainly in the capital, but warned residents of Bangkok not to leave and risk spreading the virus around the country. “We would like you to stay at home. Do not travel upcountry,” said health […]
Malaysia to deploy army to enforce virus restrictions
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia will deploy the army to support the police in enforcing tough restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus because many people are flouting isolation rules, a minister said Friday. People have been told to stay at home and all schools and most businesses have closed, while Malaysians are barred from traveling overseas and foreigners from entering the country. But some are ignoring the measures introduced this week, with […]
6.3-magnitude quake strikes south of Indonesia’s Bali
BALI, Indonesia (AFP) — A strong earthquake jolted Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali early on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued. The quake struck at 1:45 am (1745 GMT) with an epicenter 255 kilometers south of the town of Nusa Dua, the US Geological Service reported. The epicenter was a relatively shallow 10 kilometers deep. Indonesia’s weather and geophysics bureau said there was no tsunami threat. No casualties or infrastructure damage have been reported […]
WHO says, ‘aggressive’ action needed in SEAsia to stop virus
NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — The World Health Organization called for “aggressive” action in Southeast Asia to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus, warning Tuesday that some countries were heading towards community transmission of the deadly disease. Infections have soared across the region in recent weeks, forcing several countries to introduce drastic measures ranging from closing their borders to foreign arrivals and imposing nighttime curfews to closing schools and cancelling sports events. There are concerns that weaker […]
British woman dies in Bali from coronavirus
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — A British woman has died in Bali from coronavirus, authorities said Wednesday, marking Indonesia’s first confirmed death from the rapidly spreading illness. The 53-year-old died early Wednesday in a hospital on the Indonesian holiday island, but it was unclear if she contracted the virus before or after arriving in Bali late last month, local officials said. She was taken to hospital last week. Indonesian health authorities said Wednesday the woman had […]
Thai immigration officers at Bangkok airport diagnosed with COVID-19
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Two immigration officers at Bangkok’s main airport have coronavirus and may have handled the passports of visitors to Thailand, a health official said Wednesday. The men, both working at Suvarnabhumi airport, fell ill on March 7 and 8 respectively and potentially came into contact with arriving passengers in the days before their diagnosis. One of the officers was among a team-leading health screening of Thai returnees from South Korea — which […]
No compulsory quarantine of visitors to Thailand: health ministry
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP ) — Thai health authorities on Friday said they would not order the compulsory quarantine of visitors from four countries hit hard by a coronavirus, as the kingdom struggles to balance health fears with the needs of its flatlining economy. The holidays of possibly tens of thousands of people were cast into doubt on Tuesday when the health minister insisted a quarantine of all entrants from nine countries including China — its […]
Thai man dies from coronavirus infection complications
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — A Thai man has died from complications doctors say were due to the deadly coronavirus, though health officials were reluctant Monday to conclusively confirm the cause of his death. The 35-year-old was diagnosed with dengue fever in January before doctors detected the virus two weeks later and transferred him to Bamrasnaradura Hospital, where many confirmed coronavirus patients are being treated. He tested negative for COVID-19 by February 16 but the […]
