Asia

Super typhoon Chanthu threatens Philippines, Taiwan

Published

3 years ago

10 September 2021

A super typhoon that rapidly formed in just 48 hours is threatening both the Philippines and Taiwan with destructive winds and torrential rains over the coming days.

Chanthu was about 580 kilometres (360 miles) southeast of Taiwan’s southernmost tip on Friday morning, packing gusts of up to 234 kilometres (145 miles) an hour, according to Taiwan’s central weather bureau.

The Philippine state weather agency said the typhoon was expected to graze the northeastern tip of the country later Friday.

The agency warned of “destructive” winds in Santa Ana town, where around 35,000 people live, and the eastern part of the remote Babuyan Islands.

Rough seas will throw up 2.5 to 10-metre waves, it added.

The Cagayan governor has ordered government and private sector workers, except those in frontline services, to stay home and “fortify” their houses, said Rogelio Sending, the provincial information officer.

Most projections forecast the storm will then continue to swing northeast and could hit Taiwan directly over the weekend.

“It will be closest to Taiwan on Saturday and Sunday. (The public) should take precautions against strong winds and downpours,” said Taiwanese forecaster Hsu Chung-yi.

Meteorologists have marvelled at how quickly Chanthu morphed into a powerful storm after it first emerged on Monday in between Guam and the Philippines.

“Chanthu went from a depression to a cat(egory)-5-equivalent typhoon in 48 hours,” Sam Lillo, a researcher at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, wrote on Twitter.

Only five other storms, all this century, have done that, he added.

Over just two days, Chanthu’s wind speeds went from 30 miles per hour to 160 miles per hour at their height.

Scientists have long warned that typhoons are becoming more powerful, and strengthening more rapidly, as the world becomes warmer because of man-made climate change.

“This week, Super Typhoon Chanthu provided another stark example of how quickly a storm can strengthen,” NASA wrote in an article about the storm on its Earth Observatory blog.

A super typhoon is also known as a category five hurricane in the US. The Earth tends to experience around five storms of that power a year.

Meteorologists say that while Chanthu is powerful, it is small in size and will be unpredictable.

“Small tropical cyclones are capable of very rapid intensity changes, both strengthening and weakening,” hurricane scientist Jeff Masters wrote on Yale Climate Connections.

Taiwan is regularly hit by tropical storms in the summer months.

In a rare exception to the rule, not a single typhoon made landfall last year, the first time in 56 years.

That helped fuel the worst drought in decades until heavy rains set in a few months ago and brought needed relief.

The Hong Kong Observatory’s projection has Chanthu reducing from a super to a severe typhoon on Sunday as it nears Taiwan’s southeastern coast.

— AFP

Asia

Up to 200 athletes tested for doping so far at Asian Games

Between 150 and 200 Asian Games athletes tested for doping, yielding no positive results. Anti-doping efforts emphasized for a clean event, focusing on record-breakers.

Published

1 year ago

25 September 2023

Agencies

HANGZHOU, CHINA — Between 150 and 200 Asian Games athletes have already been tested for doping, the Olympic Council of Asia said on Monday, with no positive results so far.

Speaking at an anti-doping press conference on the second full day of the Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, the OCA said dope-testing was “gaining momentum” at the event.

Mani Jegathesan, an adviser to the OCA anti-doping committee, warned that drug cheats would be rooted out.

Up to 200 athletes have been tested so far, he said, but any positive results will take several days to come through.

“Every athlete participating in these Games must understand that they could be picked at any time,” Jegathesan warned.

“That is the best step to ensuring we have a clean event.”

There are about 12,000 athletes at the 19th Asian Games, more competitors than the Olympics, and Jegathesan admitted it would be impossible to test them all.

Instead, they will prioritise, including picking out those who break world or Asian records.

— AFP

Asia

Foodpanda’s restructuring amid sale speculations

Food delivery giant Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, announces staff layoffs in the Asia-Pacific region, aiming for increased efficiency. This move coincides with ongoing talks about potentially selling parts of its 11-year-old business.

Published

1 year ago

24 September 2023

June Moh

Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Delivery Hero, is initiating undisclosed staff reductions in the Asia-Pacific region, as discussions continue regarding the potential sale of a portion of its 11-year-old food delivery business.

In a memorandum circulated to employees on 21 September, Foodpanda CEO Jakob Angele conveyed the company’s intent to become more streamlined, efficient, and agile.

Although the exact number of affected employees was not disclosed, the emphasis was on enhancing operational efficiency for the future.

No mention was made in the memo regarding the reports of Foodpanda’s potential sale in Singapore and six other Southeast Asian markets, possibly to Grab or other interested buyers.

Foodpanda had previously conducted staff layoffs in February and September 2022. These actions come as the company faces mounting pressure to achieve profitability, particularly in challenging economic conditions.

The regulatory filings of Foodpanda’s Singapore entity for the fiscal year 2022, ending on 31 Dec, indicated a loss of S$42.7 million despite generating revenue of S$256.7 million.

Angele further explained that Foodpanda intends to review its organizational structure, including both regional and country teams, with some reporting lines being reassigned to different leaders. Additionally, certain functions will be consolidated into regional teams.

Expressing regret over the challenging decisions, Angele assured affected employees of a severance package, paid gardening leave, and extended medical insurance coverage where feasible.

Foodpanda will also forego the usual waiting period for long-term incentive plan grants, and vesting will continue until the last employment date. Employees will retain all vested shares as of their last day of employment.

Foodpanda, established in 2012 and headquartered in Singapore, became a part of Delivery Hero in 2016. The company operates in 11 markets across the Asia-Pacific region, excluding its exit from the Japanese market last year.