Month: March 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Arrangements being made for Malaysian workers who slept at Kranji MRT station after travel restrictions kicked in
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SINGAPORE: More than a dozen Malaysian workers who were found sleeping rough at Kranji MRT station have been taken to an “evacuee assistance centre” in Jurong East, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement on Thursday (Mar 19). The statement follows a TODAY report about how some Malaysian workers who had crossed over
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
HSA takes down online listings of products claiming to ‘prevent and cure’ COVID-19
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SINGAPORE: Online listings of products making false or misleading health claims, such as being able to prevent and cure COVID-19, have been taken down by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) as part of an Internet-based enforcement exercise coordinated by Interpol. Operation Pangea, which lasted from Mar 3 to Mar 10, saw more than 2,500 product
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
NATAS travel fair in May cancelled as COVID-19 outbreak continues
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Amid a COVID-19 outbreak that has prompted various countries to issue travel advisories, the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) has cancelled a fair scheduled for May and will “decide in due course” whether to do the same for another event later this year. The association typically organises two massive travel fairs a
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
‘Broad support’ for Singapore’s plan for new interest rate benchmark: Committee
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SINGAPORE: Singapore’s plans to adopt a new interest rate benchmark called the Singapore Overnight Rate Average (SORA) has received “broad support”, a steering committee overseeing the change said in an update on Thursday (Mar 19), as it laid out key initiatives ahead. It was announced in August last year that Singapore would transition from the use
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Discussions about allowing 300,000 Malaysians to continue working in Singapore under way: Ismail Sabri
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PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is in discussions with Singapore over allowing about 300,000 citizens to continue working on the island while the movement control order is in force, said Senior Minister (Health Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Thursday (Mar 19). Malaysia is proposing the idea on the condition that Singapore provides accommodation for the affected workers, he
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Internet under strain from streaming services during COVID-19 crisis: European Commission
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BRUSSELS: EU Industry Chief Thierry Breton has called on video streaming platforms such as Netflix and Alphabet unit YouTube to take measures to prevent Internet gridlock caused by people teleworking and streaming at home due to the coronavirus outbreak. The European Commission said abnormal traffic distribution risks straining the Internet infrastructure at a time when it
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
STI dives to near 2,300 as US dollar soars
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s stock market joined yet another global sell-off on Thursday (Mar 19), while the US dollar surged, as massive stimulus and emergency central bank measures in Europe, Japan, the United States and Australia failed to halt a fresh wave of panic-selling over the coronavirus pandemic. The Straits Times Index came close to falling below
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Japan’s cherry blossom viewing parties wither away due to COVID-19 outbreak
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TOKYO: Japan’s famed cherry blossom season is in full bloom but parks in Tokyo are empty of traditional “viewing parties” this year, part of efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Cherry blossom viewing known “hanami” is a beloved part of the Japanese social calendar, with friends, family and work colleagues gathering for picnics,
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Italy to extend lockdown measures over virus: Conte
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ROME: Lockdown measures taken in Italy over the coronavirus pandemic will be extended beyond their original deadlines, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Thursday (Mar 19). Imposed nationally on Mar 12, the shutdown of most businesses and a ban on public gatherings in Italy, the European country worst hit by the pandemic, are due to expire
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Former teacher jailed for sexually abusing secondary school student
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: A former teacher who sexually exploited his underage student, abusing her in his bedroom during “remedial lessons”, was sentenced on Thursday (Mar 19) to three years and seven months’ jail. The 33-year-old man and the school cannot be named due to gag orders protecting the victim’s identity. Advertisement Advertisement The man had taught the girl
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Italy reports 475 new virus deaths, highest one-day toll of any nation
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ROME: Italy on Wednesday (Mar 18) reported 475 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, the highest one-day official toll of any nation since the first case was detected in China late last year. Total deaths in Italy have reached 2,978, more than half of all the cases recorded outside China, while the number of infections stood
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
COVID-19: Australia to ban all arrivals of non-residents, says PM
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SYDNEY: Australia on Thursday (Mar 19) unveiled an unprecedented ban on any non-residents arriving into the country, ratcheting up efforts to seal the country off from transborder COVID-19 infections. “A travel ban will be placed on all non-residents, non-Australian citizens coming to Australia, and that will be in place from 9pm tomorrow evening,” Prime Minister Scott
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
COVID-19: Malaysia may deploy soldiers to enforce movement control order
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PUTRAJAYA: Military troops may be mobilised if Malaysians do not comply with the movement control order introduced by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Thursday (Mar 19). Ismail Sabri, who is also defence minister, said this was among the proposals brought up at the meeting of the newly formed Special Ministerial
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 19, 2020
Fiji city sealed off as first COVID-19 case confirmed
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SUVA, Fiji: Fiji confirmed its first coronavirus case Thursday (Mar 19) and immediately moved to seal off the city where the patient – a flight attendant – was based, as panic buying gripped the Pacific island nation. The announcement of Fiji’s first COVID-19 case followed rampant speculation across the country of 930,000 that the global
