In this photo taken on June 30, 2010, Mr Benigno Aquino is waving to the crowd after delivering his inaugural speech at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.PHOTO: AFP

This Week's News Spotlight:

Indonesia hits 2 million coronavirus cases, tightens curbs - Reuters | ‘Vaccine or jail’, Philippines’ Duterte threatens; Singapore expands testing after finding new clusters - SCMP | Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and Russia agree to strengthen ties - SCMP | China’s falling unemployment masks a lack of jobs for the young - Straits Times| New S’pore MVNO Gorilla Mobile lets you turn unused mobile data into digital crypto tokens - Vulcan Post

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Indonesia hits 2 million coronavirus cases, tightens curbs - Reuters

The World Health Organization urged Indonesia to tighten its restrictions last week amidst an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospital occupancy rates.

Indonesia surpassed 2 million COVID-19 cases on Monday after a record number of new daily cases, with the government announcing a tightening of restrictions. The country reported 14,536 new infections on Monday, bringing its total to 2,004,445. There were also 294 new deaths.

The stricter regulations will be in effect for two weeks in areas where infection rates are high, such as the capital of Jakarta. These new restrictions include suspension of religious activities at places of worship, and restaurants, cafes, and malls are to operate at 25% capacity.

‘Vaccine or jail’, Philippines’ Duterte threatens; Singapore expands testing after finding new clusters - SCMP

The Philippines has reported more than 1.3 million cases and more than 23,000 cases, one of Asia’s worst outbreaks.

In contrast to what health officials have said, Duterte has threatened to jail citizens who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In a televised statement addressing low turnout rates at vaccination sites in the capital of Manila, Duterte said, “You choose, vaccine or I will have you jailed.”

The Philippines has fully vaccinated 2.1 million people as of June 20, and aims to vaccinate up to 70 million people by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Singapore has identified two more COVID-19 clusters. Residents in the Redhill neighbourhood had to undergo mandatory testing as viral fragments were discovered in wastewater samples collected from the area. Authorities continue to remain cautious regarding the loosening of restrictions, though more than half of the country’s population has received a first dose.

Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and Russia agree to strengthen ties - SCMP

Myanmar has been in crisis since Feb 1, when the military overthrew democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her government in a coup.

Myanmar’s junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and a senior Russian security official have committed to strengthen ties between their countries, following the junta leader’s visit to Moscow for a three-day international security conference. The officials “reaffirmed their desire to further strengthen bilateral cooperation” between the two countries, said Russia’s Security Council in a statement. This is Min Aung Hlaing’s second trip abroad since seizing power.

China’s falling unemployment masks a lack of jobs for the young - Straits Times

About 44 percent of industrial firms pointed to recruitment of workers as their biggest obstacle, according to a survey of 90,000 companies published by China’s statistics bureau in April.

China’s jobless rate is steadily dropping, with the urban unemployment rate hitting a two-year low of 5 percent in May. However, there remains a lack of jobs for graduates, with unemployment for those between the ages of 16 and 24 at 13.8 percent, which hints at underlying structural problems. Reports suggest that there is a mismatch between jobs and skills in the market, as service industries, which are more suited for graduates, are slower to recover tha manufacturing.

New S’pore MVNO Gorilla Mobile lets you turn unused mobile data into digital crypto tokens - Vulcan Post

Gorilla Mobile operates on the M1 network for network coverage

Singapore’s new mobile virtual network operator Gorilla Mobile hopes to revolutionise the telco industry with the country’s first service-on-demand model and, notably, a SwitchBack feature. Unlike other telcos, Gorilla Mobile users pay only for what they use. The blockchain-powered SwitchBack feature automatically lets users convert unused mobile data into digital tokens — GorillaGo — which are powered by Ethereum. These tokens can be used to offset future bills, redeem other services, or passed on to others, essentially transforming mobile data into a digital currency.