‘We are not the culprit’: Beijing tells US to stop blaming China for coronavirus pandemic

China on Monday called on the United States to stop blaming it for the coronavirus pandemic, saying it was "also a victim", as international pressure mounts on Beijing over its handling of the crisis. Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the global community should work together instead of casting blame or demanding compensation. "The international community can...

Hong Kong to extend coronavirus-related restrictions by 14 days

Hong Kong's government will extend social restrictions aimed at tackling the coronavirus for another 14 days, the China-ruled city's leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday (April 21). Hong Kong recorded zero new coronavirus cases on Monday for the first time since early March. The city has confirmed 1,025 total cases and four deaths since the outbreak began...

Project on coronavirus in Wuhan shows faces behind the masks

While they were busy treating Covid-19 patients in Wuhan, their faces were hardly recognizable under surgical masks and goggles. In order to have a record of all the 42,000-plus medical workers who risked their lives to come to the aid of Hubei, the region of China hardest hit by the epidemic, a group of volunteer photographers...

Chinese pupils’ unique homework assignment goes viral

Pupils fired up their imaginations for a unique school assignment at home in Wuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Since the primary school has not resumed classes because of the coronavirus epidemic, pupils were asked to submit replicas of famous paintings, using themselves as models, to tap their creativity. Their homework went viral online with creative performances and...

Malaysia needs more blood donors

As the blood bank levels at hospitals in the state fall with the number of blood donors decreasing during the movement control order (MCO), thalassaemia patients are now facing a shortage of supply for their monthly blood transfusions. Abu Mansor Muhamad, 46, who receives two pints of blood (600 to 800cc) for transfusion monthly, said that...

Upsurge in dengue cases recorded in Malaysia

There is so much attention on Covid-19 that many people forget that the nation is battling another deadly disease at the same time - dengue. Many Covid-19 hotspots are also hotspots for dengue, especially in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. On Sunday, the number of new dengue cases outnumbered those of Covid-19. That day, 139 new cases of...

Psychologists: The world is not going to end soon

People who are preparing for the end of the world are triggered by uncertainty, fear and anxiety in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, say psychologists. In the eyes of the doomsday preppers, the pandemic portrays apocalyptic scenes of deserted cities and panic buying of essentials. The psychologists advised the group to remain calm. Monash University and ReGen Rehab...

Adorable girl speaks perfect Hokkien, reminds Ah gong, Ah ma to stay home and be good

If your grandparents are having trouble staying home, perhaps this adorable little reminder would do the trick. "Ah gong, ah ma, don't walk around outside!" a young girl in twin tails chirps in fluent Hokkien in an Instagram on April 14. The video, re-shared by Facebook group All Singapore Stuff on April 19, has since melted the...

Gone overboard? Couple yell at youths visiting Tampines block during circuit breaker

We're halfway into a month-long circuit breaker and being stuck at home has left many of us with frayed nerves. So much so that some people have taken the task of 'disciplining' others flouting the safe distancing rules upon themselves. In a video clip circulating on Facebook, a pair of residents were heard speaking harshly to a group...