COVID-19: Enforcement officers in HDB estates to ensure compliance of safe distancing measures
SINGAPORE: Officers will be deployed in HDB estates to enforce safe distancing measures during the month-long “circuit breaker” period, said the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) on Monday (Apr 6). From Tuesday, the Government will deploy enforcement officers to discourage loitering and gatherings in public places, and to ensure there is no consumption of food and
COVID-19: SAF suspends Basic Military Training until May 4
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will suspend Basic Military Training (BMT) from Apr 7 to May 4, in line with the nationwide COVID-19 safe distancing measures. “With the increase in transmission of local cases, the SAF reviewed the impact of suspension and concluded that there would be little impact on operations as active units would be
WP’s Pritam Singh calls for ‘thorough review’ of Singaporean living wage following ‘useful lessons’ from COVID-19
SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh called for “a thorough review of what a living wage in Singapore ought to be” for Singaporeans, following the announcement of the Solidarity Budget on Monday (Apr 6) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking in Parliament, Mr Singh and other WP Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed their support
COVID-19: All pre-school operators to provide 50% off school fees for one month for Singaporean children
SINGAPORE: Parents of Singaporean pre-schoolers will get 50 per cent off their nett school fees for a month, for children who are not attending classes during the “circuit breaker” period. “The offset will be effected from the May 2020 invoice for parents,” said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministry of Education
Malaysia identifies 2 new COVID-19 clusters resulting from mass gathering events
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has identified two COVID-19 clusters as a result of mass gathering events, health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said at a press conference on Monday (Apr 6). The clusters were from a church gathering at Kuching, Sarawak and a wedding held in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor. Advertisement Advertisement Dr Noor Hisham said that
‘Severely overcrowded’ Serangoon Road electronics shop ordered to close amid concerns of COVID-19 transmission
SINGAPORE: An overcrowded electronics shop along Serangoon Road was ordered to close on Monday (Apr 6) for violations under the Infectious Diseases Act, as Singapore fights to contain the spread of COVID-19. In a news release, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said officers from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) conducted safe distancing checks on UniverCell
Spain to widen coronavirus tests as hopes rise for easing lockdown
MADRID: Spain said on Monday (Apr 6) that it plans to widen coronavirus testing to include people without symptoms as a first step towards slowly easing a lockdown in the nation with the second-highest death toll from the global pandemic. As with worst-hit Italy, Spain has seen the rate of new infections and deaths slow in
ComfortDelGro board, top management to take pay cuts amid COVID-19 outbreak
SINGAPORE: ComfortDelGro Group on Monday (Apr 6) announced that its board of directors and senior management would be taking voluntary fee and pay reductions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Directors of the group’s three listed companies – ComfortDelGro, SBS Transit and VICOM – will take a voluntary 20 per cent cut in directors’ fees until
Maid who stabbed employer almost 100 times convicted of lesser murder charge
SINGAPORE: A maid on trial for stabbing her employer to death was convicted on Monday (Apr 6) of a lesser murder charge, and might escape the death penalty. Indonesian Daryati, now 27, was convicted of one charge of slashing 59-year-old Seow Kim Choo multiple times with the intention of injuring her in a manner sufficient to
More aid for Malaysian SMEs as Muhyiddin unveils additional RM10 billion package amid COVID-19
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government on Monday (Apr 6) announced an additional stimulus package worth RM10 billion (US$2.3 billion) to help struggling small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. In a live televised address, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin noted that SMEs contributed to 40 per cent of the economy, adding that it
Japan to declare state of emergency for about a month: PM Abe
TOKYO: Japan is to declare a state of emergency in Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as Tuesday (Apr 7) in a bid to stop the coronavirus, the prime minister said, with the government preparing a stimulus package to soften the economic blow. More than 3,500 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in
Highlights: Heng Swee Keat announces third round of COVID-19 support measures in new ‘Solidarity Budget’
SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced on Monday (Apr 6) a third round of support measures to help tide businesses, workers and households through the COVID-19 outbreak. The new “Solidarity Budget” follows the Unity Budget announced on Feb 18 and the Resilience Budget of Mar 26, and comes amid what Mr Heng
UK PM Boris Johnson ‘still in charge’ while in hospital with COVID-19
LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spent the night in hospital after being admitted for tests following 10 days of persistent symptoms of coronavirus, but the government insisted on Monday (Apr 6) he remained in charge. The Conservative leader announced on Mar 27 that he had tested positive for COVID-19, and has been self-isolating in his
Singapore must be ready for supply disruptions due to global COVID-19 lockdowns: Chan Chun Sing
SINGAPORE: Singapore needs to plan and be ready for more disruptions to its supply of food and other essentials, as lockdowns continue in exporting countries, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing. Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Apr 6), Mr Chan noted COVID-19 has “severely diminished global production capacities and disrupted global supply chains”
