Day: March 26, 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
President Halimah Yacob gives ‘in-principle support’ to draw on reserves for second COVID-19 assistance package
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: President Halimah Yacob has given her in-principle support for Singapore to draw on its past reserves, as part of a second assistance package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a message to Parliament – delivered by Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin on Thursday (Mar 26) – the President said her support was given
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
India’s coronavirus cases tick up despite immense lockdown
News Business Article
NEW DELHI: Three more people infected with coronavirus died overnight in India as the government sought on Thursday (Mar 26) to improve basic services to 1.3 billion people locked indoors to slow the spread of the disease. Streets were silent across India’s cities and towns on the second day of a three-week, 24 hour shutdown as
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Singapore’s economy contracts by 2.2% in Q1 as COVID-19 outbreak hits construction, services sectors
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The Singapore economy contracted by 2.2 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, as the COVID-19 outbreak and global measures to prevent its spread threw a wrench in the construction and services industries, according to flash estimates released on Thursday (Mar 26). This is the worst contraction since the global financial crisis in 2009, and compares with the
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Nine doctors die from coronavirus in Philippines
News Business Article
MANILA: Nine doctors have died in the Philippines from the coronavirus, the country’s top medical association said Thursday (Mar 26), as hospitals were overwhelmed and medics complained about a lack of protection on the front lines. The announcement of the doctors’ deaths heightened fears that the scale of the health crisis in the Philippines is
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Malaysia’s king, queen under quarantine after 7 palace staff test positive for COVID-19
News Business Article
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s king and queen have been placed under quarantine, after seven palace staff tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement on Thursday (Mar 26), the Istana Negara said that all seven staff members are currently receiving treatment at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. They are in stable condition. Advertisement Advertisement The Health Ministry is currently
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Foreign workers who flout gathering size rules may lose work passes if they refuse to disperse: MOM
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday (Mar 26) warned that foreign workers who do not comply with gathering size rules could have their work passes revoked if they fail to disperse when told to by the authorities. This comes after Singapore on Tuesday announced stricter measures limiting gatherings outside school and work to
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Some Singapore court hearings to take place via video conference as judiciary rolls out COVID-19 measures
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: As part of its measures to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak, Singapore’s judiciary will be enabling certain court hearings to be heard via teleconference or video conference, the Chief Justice said in a speech on Thursday (Mar 26). Pilots have been run for selected hearings in the Court of Appeal and High Court to be
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
UK deaths from COVID-19 outbreak climb to 463
News Business Article
LONDON: The number of coronavirus deaths in the United Kingdom rose to 463 as of Wednesday (Mar 25) from 422 on Tuesday, the British government said. The total number of coronavirus cases in the UK were at 9,529 as of Wednesday, compared to 8,077 cases as of Tuesday, the statement added. Advertisement Advertisement The government
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Woman jailed, fined for running sex escort business after learning from Sammyboy Forum
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: A woman who ran a sex escort business with seven women under her was jailed for 14 months and fined S$4,700 on Thursday (Mar 26). Eunice Leow Ye Chian, 34, pleaded guilty to five charges under the Women’s Charter, with another six charges taken into consideration. Advertisement Advertisement The court heard that Leow, an
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Government has responsibility to parents to ‘maintain high standards’ across pre-schools: Desmond Lee
News Business Article
SINGAPORE:The Government owes parents a responsibility to “maintain high standards” across all pre-schools so that they can have “peace of mind” when they go to work, said Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee on Thursday (Mar 26). “Pre-schools are an essential service in Singapore. Parents entrust their children to our pre-school sector so they
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
World leaders to hold crisis talks as COVID-19 toll tops 21,000
News Business Article
MADRID: World leaders are to hold online crisis talks Thursday (Mar 26) on the coronavirus pandemic that has forced three billion people into lockdown and claimed more than 21,000 lives. With the disease tearing around the globe at a terrifying pace, warnings are multiplying over its economic consequences, with experts saying it could cause more damage
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
Singapore’s factory activity plunges 22.3% in February from previous month amid COVID-19 outbreak
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Factory activity in Singapore plunged more than 20 per cent in February from the previous month amid a deepening global coronavirus outbreak, adding to a grim economic outlook for the trade-reliant hub. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, manufacturing output fell 22.3 per cent in February, according to data released by the Economic Development
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 26, 2020
COVID-19: Vehicle Entry Permit for Malaysia-registered vehicles extended until Jun 30
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The validity period for a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for Malaysia-registered vehicles will be extended until Jun 30 to help Malaysians who have opted to stay in Singapore during period of Malaysia’s movement control order, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Thursday (Mar 26). “Many Malaysian workers have chosen to remain in Singapore as
Commentary: The problem with reusing the 2009 global financial crisis playbook to deal with COVID-19
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut: In an effort to get a handle on the economic and financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first instinct is to search for precedents and remedies in earlier crises. Many have pointed to the 2008 global financial crisis (GFC) as the most relevant example, especially in the aftermath of the extraordinary