The Lunar New Year is traditionally a time when communities across Southeast Asia celebrate with large family gatherings, communal meals.In other words, exactly the kind of activities that the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing measures have made difficult.It’s not just that restrictions on international travel mean visits from relatives overseas are out of the question – even small family gatherings (and over enthusiastic salad tossing) could be off the menu in countries where…
Harvard professor under fire for ‘negating’ Korean ‘comfort women’ forced to work as sex slaves in Japan army’s WWII brothels
A Harvard University professor who argued that the Japanese army did not force Korean “comfort women” to work in brothels for the military but that they were willingly recruited as prostitutes has come under increasing fire from Koreans, with a group of Harvard students demanding he apologise and retract his paper.“It is a wrong conclusion based on grounds very biased and lacking trustworthiness,” the statement on the website of the Harvard Korean society said of Professor J. Mark Ramseyer’s…
Is Singapore’s pleasant chill a hint of coming climate change?
In the early weeks of January, unusually cool weather descended on Singapore and its neighbouring countries. While the dip in temperatures came with heavy downpours of rain, it was a change Jessie Tay embraced. The marketing executive, 32, took the opportunity to break out her cosy knits and hoodies, which she once reserved for autumn holidays. “For once, we can leave our homes and not be plastered in sweat by the time we get to the bus stop or railway station,” Tay said. “It was raining badly…
Scottish court confirms use of English sentencing guidelines in fire safety cases
A court has confirmed that the English sentencing guidelines for health and safety cases should also be applied when sentencing fire safety cases in Scotland.
India glacier collapse: rescuers search for hundreds missing in disaster’s wake
Rescuers searched for more than 200 people missing in the Indian Himalayas on Monday, including some trapped in a tunnel, after part of a glacier broke away, sending a torrent of water, rock and dust down a mountain valley.Sunday’s violent surge below Nanda Devi, India’s second-highest peak, swept away the small Rishiganga hydro electric project and damaged a bigger one further down the Dhauliganga river being built by state firm NTPC.Eighteen bodies have been recovered from the mountainsides,…
Malaysian-Chinese see red over Lunar New Year reunion dinner policy flip-flop
The Malaysian government’s hasty policy U-turn regarding an important Lunar New Year family dinner event has done little to mollify its ethnic Chinese citizens, who have criticised not just the measures but also the government’s policy inconsistency on the matter.The government on Sunday loosened its policy regarding the so-called reunion dinners, which are held on Lunar New Year’s eve, saying that as many as 15 people, all of whom must live within 10km of the dinner venue, could attend any…
Coronavirus: Malaysia to move migrant workers to hotels; Japanese doctors warn of long-lasting aftereffects
Malaysia’s government has kicked off a plan to temporarily house migrant workers in near-empty hotels across the nation to tackle the worsening spread of Covid-19 cases due to workplace clusters.Malaysia’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry said in a statement that the programme will help curb the virus outbreak and indirectly assist hotel operators hurt by the pandemic.“The initiative is the best alternative at the moment,” the ministry said. The plan is a collaboration between the ministry…
Red tide in Indonesia as flooding hits batik dye centre
An Indonesian village was inundated by crimson-coloured water after flooding hit a fabric dyeing centre in central Java, sparking a social media frenzy.Residents of Jenggot, near the town of Pekalongan, were seen wading through blood-red water on Saturday and many shared images of the rare phenomenon online.Officials later confirmed the unique colour came from harmless fabric dye used by several batik factories in the area.Pekalongan itself is well known for its batik textiles industry, with…
Indonesia’s coronavirus vaccine roll-out complicated by mistrust, broken fridges and fears of a ‘global Antichrist conspiracy’
Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the nation’s first coronavirus vaccine live on television last month, but despite the fanfare, his ambitious inoculation campaign is already facing glitches from refrigeration, distrust and disinformation.Meanwhile, infections and deaths are rising faster than ever. Even if the vaccination programme goes smoothly, it will be months before the general population starts to be inoculated, health experts say.“Disaster,” said Pandu Riono, a University of…
Hong Kong kingpin’s arrest in Thailand tightens screws on US$70 billion Asia-Pacific drug trade
A second senior leader of a vast drug syndicate has been arrested, a Thai narcotics official said, as a transnational dragnet tightens on the Sam Gor group, which police say dominates the US$70 billion annual Asia-Pacific drug trade.The October arrest of Hongkonger Lee Chung-chak in Bangkok preceded last month’s high-profile arrest in the Netherlands of Tse Chi Lop, a China-born Canadian national who police suspect is the top leader of the syndicate, also called “The Company”.Lee, 65, a former…