Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
MFA urges Singaporean students overseas to consider returning home soon amid evolving COVID-19 situation
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has encouraged Singaporean students studying overseas to consider returning home soon amid COVID-19 concerns. In a statement on Tuesday (Mar 17), MFA said that Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore have begun recalling their students who are currently on overseas internships or exchange programmes. Advertisement Advertisement “Many countries are
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
South Korea dials up COVID-19 testing with hospital ‘phone booths’
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SEOUL: A South Korean hospital has introduced phone booth-style coronavirus testing facilities that allow medical staff to examine patients from behind the safety of a plastic panel, the latest innovation in the country’s drive to track down infections. The row of four booths – which use negative air pressure to prevent harmful particles from escaping
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Philippines reports 45 new COVID-19 infections, airlines suspend operations
News Business Article
MANILA: The Philippines’ health ministry on Tuesday (Mar 17) reported 45 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the country’s total to 187. President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered most of the 55 million people on the main island of Luzon, which includes the capital Manila, to stay at home for the next month after social distancing
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Singapore has months’ worth of stockpiles, planned for disruption of supplies from Malaysia for years: Chan Chun Sing
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SINGAPORE: Singapore has months’ worth of stockpiles at the national level, and has planned for a disruption of supplies from Malaysia over many years, Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing said on Tuesday (Mar 17). Currently, Singapore has more than three months’ worth of carbohydrates like rice and noodles, and more than two
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Schools in Thailand to close for two weeks to curb COVID-19 spread: PM Prayut
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BANGKOK: All educational institutions in Thailand including local and international schools, universities and tuition centres will be closed from Mar 18 to Mar 31 as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday (Mar 17). “Regarding venues where people regularly gather to conduct activities together and could thus
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Purchase limits imposed at FairPrice supermarkets on vegetables, rice, toilet paper and other products
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: New purchase limits were implemented across NTUC FairPrice stores from Tuesday (Mar 17), following Malaysia’s announcement on travel restrictions in and out of the country. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Monday night there would be a ban on Malaysians travelling overseas and on visitors entering the country under a restricted movement order imposed
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
StanChart robbery: David Roach charged in Singapore almost 4 years after alleged offences
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SINGAPORE: Almost four years after he fled the country following an alleged robbery of a Standard Chartered bank branch, Canadian national David James Roach was charged with the offences in Singapore’s courts. Roach, whose escape to Thailand and subsequent extraditions were widely publicised in international media, was denied bail after the prosecution made arguments on
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
StanChart robbery: Suspect David Roach extradited to Singapore from UK
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Canadian David Roach, a suspect in the robbery of a Standard Chartered bank branch in Singapore, has been extradited from the UK, the Attorney-General’s Chamber (AGC) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Tuesday (Mar 17). “With the assistance of the Metropolitan Police Service, Roach was handed over to the Singapore Police Force’s custody on Mar
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Vietnam to halt issue of all visas in coronavirus battle
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HANOI: Vietnam will suspend the issue of new visas for all foreign nationals to curb the spread of coronavirus in the Southeast Asian nation, state media said on Tuesday (Mar 17). Weeks after declaring the recovery of all 16 of its virus sufferers, Vietnam has confirmed 61 infections, but no deaths, after authorities announced a
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Coronavirus cluster in Japan’s Nagoya tied to elderly day care centre
News Business Article
TOKYO: A cluster of coronavirus cases in Japan’s Nagoya city has been linked to an elderly day care facility, underscoring the difficulty of shielding the aged from the outbreak in a country with the world’s oldest population. Elderly people are especially susceptible to serious illnesses caused by the virus and aged care facilities have been
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Amidst uncertainty over restricted movement order, Malaysians working in Singapore look to temporary housing
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Some Malaysians who make the daily commute to Singapore for work began making preparations on Tuesday (Mar 17) for temporary housing, following Putrajaya’s announcement barring citizens from leaving the country as part of a restricted movement order to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. On Monday night, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that all Malaysians
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Valencia had stringent precautionary measures, but still not a surprise players tested positive for COVID-19: Club president Anil Murthy
News Business Article
SINGAPORE: Given the spread of COVID-19 in Spain, it was “not alarming nor surprising” that players from Spanish top flight side Valencia tested positive for the disease, said Singaporean club president Anil Murthy. Speaking to CNA in an exclusive interview, Mr Murthy said that club began taking precautions in February, adding that the club had been proactive in applying “kiasu” standards
Written by Gabriel HerveyMarch 17, 2020
Employers to receive more than S$600m this month in Wage Credit Scheme payouts: MOF, IRAS
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SINGAPORE: Employers in Singapore will receive more than S$600 million in payouts under the Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) by Mar 31, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) said on Tuesday (Mar 17). More than 90,000 employers will receive the payouts, with small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) receiving the bulk of the
Commentary: How inadequate testing capabilities has hampered the US in its COVID-19 fight
SAN DIEGO: “That escalated quickly!” is a common trope used in popular culture to describe when a situation gets out of hand before you’ve even had a chance to think about it. We don’t often use this trope in medicine, but I can think of nothing better to describe what has been going on in