Month: April 2020
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
Man arrested for money laundering offences linked to S$10 million COVID-19 scam for surgical masks, hand sanitisers
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: A 39-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in money laundering offences linked to a business email impersonation scam related to COVID-19. The police said in a news release on Saturday (Apr 4) that they were alerted in mid-March to a case of an overseas pharmaceutical company being defrauded of €6.64 million – about
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
Malaysia reports 4 more COVID-19 deaths, more cases linked to religious gathering
News Business Article
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Saturday (Apr 4) recorded four more COVID-19 deaths and reported 150 new cases, of which 80 are linked to the Sri Petaling mosque cluster that was sparked by a religious gathering. This brings the national tally to 3,483 cases. In total, 57 people in Malaysia have died from the coronavirus. Advertisement Advertisement The four
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
COVID-19: Safety measures in place for reusable mask distribution from Apr 5
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Several measures will be put in place as households gear up to collect reusable masks from Sunday (Apr 5) as part of efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore. On Friday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Government will no longer discourage people from wearing face masks and will be distributing reusable
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
F&B businesses to receive support for food delivery orders with new Enterprise Singapore booster package
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Food and beverage (F&B) businesses with delivery orders will receive support from a new Enterprise Singapore booster package. The package comes as the COVID-19 situation in Singapore develops, impacting the sales and profitability of such businesses, Enterprise Singapore said in a news release on Saturday (Apr 4). Advertisement Advertisement The Food Delivery Booster Package
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
Tax filing deadlines extended, counter services by appointment only: IRAS
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) is providing an automatic extension of tax filing deadlines for individuals and businesses as part of its support for taxpayers in light of the COVID-19 situation. The filing deadlines for income tax for individuals, including sole proprietors and partnerships, will be extended until May 31, said IRAS
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
Jump in Jakarta funerals raises fears of unreported COVID-19 deaths
News Business Article
JAKARTA: The number of funerals in Jakarta rose sharply in March, a development the governor of Indonesia’s capital city said suggested that deaths from COVID-19 may be higher than officially reported. Nearly 4,400 burials occurred in March, 40 per cent higher than any month since at least January 2018, according to a Reuters review of statistics
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
South Korea extends intensive social distancing to reach 50 daily coronavirus cases
News Business Article
SEOUL: South Korea said on Saturday (Apr 4) it will extend its intensive social distancing campaign scheduled to end on Monday by two weeks in a bid to curb the rate of coronavirus infections to around 50 a day. The country has largely managed to bring under control Asia’s largest epidemic outside China with around 100
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
Americans urged to wear masks as virus toll mounts around world
News Business Article
WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday (Apr 3) advised all Americans to wear masks in public to protect against the coronavirus, fearing the illness that has infected more than 1 million people worldwide may be spreading by normal breathing. President Donald Trump said the US government recommendation for all 330 million Americans to wear non-medical
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
COVID-19: Singapore makes ‘decisive move’ to close most workplaces and impose full home-based learning for schools, says PM Lee
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Amid concerns over escalating COVID-19 infections in Singapore, the time has come for the country to make a “decisive move”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in an address to the nation on Friday (Apr 3). This includes closing most workplaces islandwide and moving to full home-based learning for schools, said the Prime Minister, adding
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
China mourns thousands who died in country’s coronavirus epidemic
News Business Article
BEIJING: China on Saturday (Apr 4) mourned the thousands of “martyrs” who have died in the new coronavirus outbreak, flying the national flag at half-mast throughout the country and suspending all forms of entertainment. The day of mourning coincided with the start of the annual Qing Ming tomb-sweeping festival, when millions of Chinese families pay
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
ERP charges to be suspended at all gantries alongside COVID-19 workplace closures
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges will be suspended at all gantries across Singapore from Monday on expectations that traffic will be significantly reduced following the closure of schools and most workplaces next week. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in a live telecast on Friday that all schools and workplaces – except for those providing
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
Most workplaces to close for one month from Apr 7 to curb spread of COVID-19
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: All workplaces except for those providing essential services and those able to operate remotely will be suspended from Apr 7 to May 4 during a month-long “circuit breaker” campaign to curb further spread of COVID-19, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo on Friday (Apr 3). Previously, employers were still allowed to have some employees work physically
Written by Gabriel HerveyApril 4, 2020
‘Right time’ to close schools now, says Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: School will be suspended for about a month from next Wednesday (Apr 8) as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Friday stricter measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Students across all levels, from primary school to universities, including those in special education schools, will shift to full home-based learning until May 4, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the
Commentary: A ‘my country first’ contagion is threatening Europe
BERLIN: Under President Donald Trump, the United States is not actively seeking cooperation with other countries in combating COVID-19, leaving the global fight against the coronavirus fractured. Far more than the US-European dispute over the role of NATO, the silence surrounding the pandemic between the two sides shows that one can hardly speak of a