China shortens COVID-19 quarantine times, eases flight curbs

Under the new rules, quarantine for inbound travellers and close contacts of COVID-19 cases will be shortened by two days. The suspension of international flight routes due to the detection of infected passengers will also be abolished.

ASEAN agrees in principle to admit Timor-Leste as 11th member

Timor-Leste will be granted observer status at ASEAN meetings, including at summit plenaries, and there will be an “objective criteria-based roadmap” for its full membership.

Police officer investigated over Seoul Halloween crowd crush found dead

The 55-year-old had been accused of ordering the destruction of an intelligence report – which had warned of a potential accident over Halloween in Itaewon – among other infractions, reported local media.

HDB residents call for more to be done about littering, cleanliness at public sky gardens

“I think people treat it as a public park, but it lacks the common facilities like a public park has,” said a resident of SkyVille @ Dawson. “So there’s no place that people can either wash up or answer nature’s call, so sometimes I would find that the stairwell reeks of urine.”

Repeat COVID-19 is riskier than first infection, study finds

The risk of serious health issues from COVID-19 jumps significantly with reinfection compared with a first bout with the virus, regardless of vaccination status, according to the new study.