Month: March 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
COVID-19: PM Lee explains why schools remain open
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Children may be at “more risk” of contracting COVID-19 if schools are closed and parents are not at home to take care of their children, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday (Mar 27). Speaking to reporters at the Istana, Mr Lee said school was a “controlled environment”, and not all parents can look
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
COVID-19: PAP says will adjust ground outreach activities, as opposition parties put them on hold
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party (PAP) will tweak ground outreach activities to comply with more stringent safety distancing requirements due to COVID-19. “The People’s Action Party will abide by the guidelines that the taskforce has imposed and make adjustments to its usual outreach activities,” a party spokesperson told CNA on Friday (Mar 27). Advertisement Advertisement “This
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
Singapore’s ‘bazooka’ stimulus to cushion COVID-19 pain, but recession still on the cards: Economists
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: With bigger wage offsets, property tax rebates of up to 100 per cent and more help for badly-hit sectors, Singapore’s newly announced fiscal “bazooka” will help to alleviate the strain that businesses and households are feeling from the COVID-19 outbreak, said economists. But it will not be able to prevent a recession in Singapore,
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
Korean Air chief defeats ‘nut rage’ sister’s challenge
News Business Article
SEOUL: The “nut rage” heiress who forced a plane to turn back over her macadamias failed Friday (Mar 27) to wrest control of the family airline from her brother, in what analysts said illustrated the power of incumbents at South Korea’s chaebols. Cho Hyun-ah, 45, whose family control the Hanjin group that includes flag-carrier Korean Air,
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
Jail terms, fines for those who breach COVID-19 safe-distancing rules, stay-home notice
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Individuals, event organisers and owners of premises who break rules meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore could face jail terms and fines under new regulations that came into effect at 11.59pm on Thursday (Mar 26). Those who breach their stay-home notice will also face similar penalties. Advertisement Advertisement The regulations, which come under
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
COVID-19: Hotels in Hong Kong see spike in occupancy rates as thousands return
News Business Article
HONG KONG: As thousands of Hong Kong citizens and expatriates return to the city, many are seeking refuge in hotels, fearful that cramped apartments in one of the world’s most expensive property markets could put families or flatmates at risk. Social distancing is tough in Hong Kong, where the bulk of the city’s 7.4 million
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
China’s Xi, speaking with Trump, calls on US to improve relations
News Business Article
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping told US President Donald Trump during a phone call on Friday (Mar 27) that he hopes the United States will take substantive action to improve bilateral ties, China’s foreign ministry said. Xi also told Trump that cooperation between their countries was the only correct choice and China was willing to support
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
India’s COVID-19 heroes come under attack
News Business Article
NEW DELHI: They have been hailed as India’s coronavirus “heroes”, but doctors, nurses, delivery drivers and other frontline workers have been attacked and in some cases evicted from their homes by panicked residents. Some e-commerce giants have even halted deliveries partly due to the harassment of staff, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi said abuse of
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
US has most COVID-19 cases in the world
News Business Article
NEW YORK: The number of US coronavirus infections climbed above 82,000 on Thursday (Mar 26), surpassing the national tallies of China and Italy, as New York, New Orleans and other hot spots faced a surge in hospitalisations and looming shortages of supplies, staff and sick beds. With medical facilities running low on ventilators and protective masks and
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
‘Printing money’: Booming mask producers in China meet global demand
News Business Article
BEIJING: As the coronavirus pandemic that originated in a central Chinese city has gone global, thousands of factories in China have nimbly turned to a new and very profitable market – face masks for export. At the height of China’s outbreak in early February, Guan Xunze’s company created a new mask factory in just eleven
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
COVID-19: Self-employed hit by slowdown look forward to details on cash support
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Shortly after Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced on Thursday (Mar 26) that eligible self employed workers would get financial support of S$1,000 a month for nine months, Facebook and Telegram groups made up of potential beneficiaries were abuzz with questions. READ: COVID-19 Budget: Self-employed people, firms, first-time jobseekers to receive more support Advertisement Advertisement
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
Australia introduces enforced quarantine for returning citizens
News Business Article
SYDNEY: Australia is introducing enforced quarantine by midnight on Saturday (Mar 27) for citizens returning home from overseas and will deploy armed forces to ensure people already subjected to self-isolation measures are complying. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said everyone arriving by plane would be detained in a hotel in the city of their arrival for
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
MOH warns of scammers impersonating its employees, COVID-19 contact tracing teams
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) said it was aware of scammers using automated voice calls or impersonating its staff members and COVID-19 contact tracing personnel. Fraudsters have requested personal information from people, including financial details; or have asked them to collect documents from the ministry, MOH said in an advisory on Friday (Mar 27). Advertisement Advertisement
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 27, 2020
Movie-inspired teenager who robbed 7-Eleven store gets almost 3 years’ probation
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: A teenager who robbed a 7-Eleven store, as he felt hungry and wanted to mimic movie scenes, was sentenced to two years and nine months’ probation on Friday (Mar 27). Jacob Seow, now 19, has to undergo a violence prevention programme and perform 150 hours of community service. He had pleaded guilty last month to one
