Year: 2022

Bodies left in homes as funeral parlors seek extra staff amid COVID-19 onslaught

Chin@Strategy

Bodies were piling up in people’s homes awaiting cremation across China, as funeral homes recruited more staff to transport the dead amid a nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 since the loosening of pandemic restrictions. Mortuaries and funeral homes in Beijing have been overwhelmed in recent days with a weeks-long backlog of bodies awaiting cremation. There was anecdotal evidence on Tuesday that a similar bottleneck is occurring across the country. “The most terrifying thing is how many dead bodies are being left in their homes for a day, two days, three days,…

China’s move to ease Covid travel restrictions lifts hopes for global economy

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China’s decision to ease rules on travel in and out of the country, the world’s second-largest economy, has offered investors hope that it could soften the toll from higher interest rates on global stock markets and unblock supply chains amid a dark outlook for 2023. Chinese authorities said late on Monday that inbound travellers would not have to quarantine on arrival, from 8 January onward. The announcement marked the latest in a series of steps to reopen the country, which is home to vital global supply chains and 1.4 billion…

US-China Rivalry Increases Tension in Southeast Asia

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Washington —  As the United States and China compete for influence worldwide, tension is rising between the superpowers in Southeast Asia over economic policies, territorial disputes in the South China Sea and Taiwanese independence. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) came into effect on January 1. RCEP is a China-led free-trade agreement among 15 Asia Pacific nations including all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. It is the largest free trade agreement in the world. At…

Taiwan to extend mandatory military service from 4 to 12 months

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Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen announced on Tuesday that mandatory military service will be extended from four months to one year to strengthen the island’s army amid security threats from China. The new system, which also boosts conscripts’ starting monthly salary threefold, will become effective on Jan. 1, 2024, Tsai announced during a press briefing where she unveiled the government’s “Strengthening the National Defense Force Structure Adjustment Plan.” Since 2013, Taiwan has required men over 18 to serve four months in the military. The armed forces will be divided into four…

UN Urges Countries to Help Rohingya at Sea as Hundreds Land in Indonesia

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PIDIE, Indonesia —  The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) urged countries Tuesday to help Rohingya Muslims stranded at sea, as at least 20 reportedly died and hundreds more landed in Indonesia after weeks adrift in the Indian Ocean. Nearly 500 Rohingya have reached Indonesia in the past six weeks while “many others did not act despite numerous pleas and appeals for help,” the UNHCR said in a statement. It said Monday that 2022 could be one of the deadliest years at sea in almost a decade for the Rohingya with…

Taiwan Extends Compulsory Military Service to 1 Year

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Advertisement Taiwan will extend its compulsory military service from four months to a year starting in 2024, President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday, as the self-ruled island faces China’s military, diplomatic and trade pressure. Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949 during a civil war, is claimed by China. The decades-old threat of invasion by China into the self-governed island has sharpened since China cut off communications with the island’s government after the 2016 election of Tsai, who is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party and seen by Beijing…

South Korea Pardons Jailed Ex-President Lee

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Seoul —  Jailed former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak received a presidential pardon Tuesday, cutting short his 17-year sentence on corruption charges, the justice minister said. Lee was on a list of more than 1,300 people who received special pardons “from the perspective of broad national unity through reconciliation, tolerance and consideration”, Han Dong-hoon told reporters after a Cabinet meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol. The 81-year-old Lee, who in June was granted a temporary release from jail due to his age and deteriorating health, is serving 17 years for bribery…

Tesla to Run Reduced Output in Shanghai in January, Plan Shows

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Tesla plans to run a reduced production schedule at its Shanghai plant in January, extending the reduced output it began this month into next year, according to an internal schedule reviewed by Reuters. Tesla will run production for 17 days in January between Jan. 3 to Jan. 19 and will stop electric vehicle output from Jan. 20 to Jan. 31 for an extended break for Chinese New Year, according to the plan seen by Reuters. Tesla did not specify a reason for the production slowdown in its output plan. It…

Djokovic Back in Australia a Year After Being Deported

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Former world number one Novak Djokovic arrived in Australia on Tuesday almost one year after he was deported for refusing to be vaccinated against Covid-19, tennis officials said. The nine-time Australian Open champion was initially banned from the country for three years after losing a high-stakes legal battle in January over his vaccine status. Australia has since lifted its requirement for visitors to show proof of vaccination against Covid. The government confirmed in November that the unvaccinated Serb was no longer barred and had been granted a visa allowing him…