ORCHARD Road was as busy as ever on Friday, with shoppers eager to enjoy the Labour Day weekend even as Singapore intensified efforts to contain the Influenza A (H1N1) virus on Thursday.

Despite the new orange alert declared Thursday evening by the Health Ministry, Singaporeans generally remained calm - no one was spotted wearing face masks.

HONG KONG - THE first confirmed case of swine flu in Asia was recorded in Hong Kong on Friday after a Mexican man who arrived via Shanghai tested positive, Chief Executive Donald Tsang announced.

Guests and staff at the hotel where the patient had briefly stayed were placed under quarantine for seven days as officials announced 'draconian' measures in a bid to contain the disease.

BERLIN - GERMAN and Turkish police clashed with demonstrators on Friday as huge crowds angered by the worst global recession in decades took to the streets worldwide for traditional labour day rallies.

In Germany, on course for its biggest slump since World War II, Berlin police made 49 arrests as young demonstrators hurled bottles and rocks and set fire to cars and rubbish bins in the early hours.

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday announced new help measures for white collar workers and companies as part of efforts to save jobs during this severe recession.

'We will do more for middle-income earners. Many are PMETs who are also affected,' he said, referring to the category of Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians, who are bearing the brunt of job losses.