The athletes’ village for the Tokyo Olympics officially opened on Tuesday, 10 days before the start of the world’s largest sporting event, with a renewed coronavirus surge dampening the otherwise festive mood.Daily coronavirus testing and the wearing of masks are among the strict precautions being enforced on some 18,000 athletes and officials when they stay at the 44-hectare village in Tokyo’s Harumi waterfront district to prevent the spread of the virus.The village, which houses 21…
US out to counter China in Asia with proposed digital trade deal
White House officials are discussing proposals for a digital trade agreement covering Indo-Pacific economies as the administration seeks ways to check China’s influence in the region, according to people familiar with the plans.Details of the potential agreement are still being drafted, but the pact could potentially include countries such as Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the process…
UK government announces further anti-pension scams plans
The UK government has again committed to tackling pension scams, pledging to release a Fraud Action Plan and review its planned flag system for pension transfers regularly.
Which drugs are most effective to treat Covid-19 patients?
As nations around the world race to vaccinate citizens against Covid-19, medical experts are still working to identify the best treatments for those who become ill.Several large-scale clinical trials are still under way around the globe to assess and determine the most promising drugs that can be used to treat Covid-19 even when most people are fully vaccinated.Why treatments are neededVaccination remains a key priority for many countries in managing and reopening after the pandemic, but…
After acquiring Gojek’s Thai operations, can an AirAsia superapp soar in Southeast Asia?
Low-cost carrier AirAsia has stepped up its digital ambitions by acquiring tech behemoth Gojek’s operations in Thailand, but industry watchers say the airline faces an uphill battle in Southeast Asia’s heated superapp competition.The all-share deal will see AirAsia take Gojek’s ride-hailing and payments businesses in Thailand, which are worth a combined US$50 million, while the Jakarta-based unicorn will get a 4.76 per cent stake in AirAsia Digital.That digital venture, previously named RedBeat…
Coronavirus: Singapore-Australia travel bubble delayed; cases fall in South Korea
Sydney’s virus outbreak means plans for an Australia-Singapore travel bubble have been delayed until at least the end of the year, the Australian trade minister said on Sunday.While opening up the travel corridor remains a priority, the scale of the outbreak that has forced the country’s largest city into a renewed lockdown means plans are on hold, Dan Tehan told The Sydney Morning Herald.“It has been put back due to the third wave of the virus,” he said. “The hope might be towards the end of…
Pacquiao vs Duterte for president: a title bout the Philippines can’t stop watching
Eight years ago, world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao set his sights on a goal outside the ring: the Philippine presidency. Little did he know that in President Rodrigo Duterte, he would face his toughest opponent yet.He couldn’t do it immediately; he was in his mid-30s at the time, and the country’s constitution specifies that presidential candidates must be at least 40 years old on election day. So he took his time, preparing for the upcoming political battle as methodically as he had for his…
As Asian economies take on public debt to combat Covid-19, who will foot the bill?
In May, when Singapore tightened its measures for four weeks to combat a surge in Covid-19 cases, it cost the government S$800 million (US$591 million) in relief measures. The money helped businesses, including fitness studios, performing arts organisations and eateries, survive that month of harsher rules.Across the border, Malaysia recently unveiled a 150 billion ringgit (US$35 billion) package, made up of cash aid and wage subsidies, after extending a nationwide lockdown indefinitely.In…
Is Covid-19 terminal for the rising middle classes of Malaysia and Indonesia?
Before Covid-19 hammered the Malaysian economy, Kuala Lumpur native Jeremy Johnson, 43, made 7,000 ringgit (US$1,670) a month as the general manager of a coffee company and even had a car as part of his work benefits. His family of six were firmly entrenched in the middle class – what Malaysia calls the M40, for the 40 per cent of households considered ‘middle income’, defined as those earning 4,850 ringgit to 10,959 ringgit a month.But movement restrictions forcing people to work from home and…
Bonus pay gap in energy sector significant, gender pay reporting shows
The UK energy sector has a 46% difference in mean bonus payments to men and women, a gap which is more significant than in other sectors.