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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Oct 17

aseanpr 17 10 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, Oct 17. Active Covid-19 cases fall below 100 for the first time in Singapore since March 12 30 patients remain in hospital while 59 are recuperating in community facilities. READ MORE HERE Temporary wage cuts: Enduring short-term pain to protect long-term jobs The NWC recommends that employers could cut wages temporarily to minimise retrenchments. READ MORE HERE Thai police pushback against protesters could harden positions Analysts say the Friday crackdown may narrow chances of a political resolution. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn says people should love country and monarchy The King's comments were aired as protesters gathered in Bangkok for a third straight day. READ MORE HERE Polls open as New Zealanders decide PM Jacinda Ardern's fate in 'Covid election' Pre-election opinion polls put support for Ms Ardern's party at 46 per cent. READ MORE HERE Singapore and Hong Kong's travel bubble: How Covid-19 rules differ between the cities In Hong Kong, masks do not have to be worn in outdoor public places. READ MORE HERE ...

Genetic scissors from bacteria, a tool to slice and dice code of life

aseanpr 17 10 月

8 minutes

SINGAPORE - "When will YOU win a Nobel Prize?" Scientists receive regular reminders of how important this prize is in their relatives' (and the public's) mind. For many, the Nobel Prize is their idea of science. Indeed these are the most famous awards in medicine, chemistry and physics. Scientists also pay attention to the Nobel Prizes because we love science. It is only natural to chat and debate about the most significant recent discovery in our field. This requires broad perspective and context. With only one prize each year, how can a breakthrough in cancer therapy be compared with or ranked against a fundamental discovery about infections? This must be particularly stressful for the group that meets regularly in Sweden to decide who is to win the most coveted prize in science. Last week, the 2020 Nobel Prizes were announced for the discovery of the Hepatitis C virus (physiology or medicine), advancing our understanding of black holes (physics), and a technology for editing genomes (chemistry). As a scientist studying the genomes or genetic make-up of bacteria, I want to provide a broader perspective on the latter to give some insight into where we might fruitfully invest in mo...

Community heroes hailed for kind acts amid Covid-19

aseanpr 17 10 月

5 minutes

With the coronavirus pandemic raging, Ms Sherry Soon, 39, founder of local ground-up movement Be Kind SG, wanted to give front-line healthcare workers an extra boost. In early February, she galvanised corporate sponsors, schools, non-profit groups and the Singapore Prison Service to put together 7,000 care packs containing items such as snacks, toiletries and thank-you notes for healthcare staff. That was one of more than 10 initiatives led by Ms Soon amid the Covid-19 period. For her efforts, Ms Soon was among 31 recipients presented with an award by President Halimah Yacob at this year's President's Volunteerism and Philanthropy Awards (PVPA) ceremony held at the Istana yesterday. A record 236 nominations were submitted for the PVPA this year, more than twice the number received in 2018. In her address at the ceremony, Madam Halimah noted that despite the Covid-19 pandemic posing a great challenge, it has also brought out the best in many Singaporeans. "Over the past few months, I have seen many Singaporeans from all walks of life coming together to help others. It inspires me greatly to know that in the most difficult of times, humanity still prevails," she said. "This is why I ...

Social distancing rules in Singapore and Hong Kong

aseanpr 17 10 月

4 minutes

Singapore and Hong Kong have adopted different social distancing norms to curb the Covid-19 pandemic. Here is a look at the rules implemented by the authorities at present. Any changes will be subject to future announcements. Singapore's rules • It is mandatory for everyone to wear a mask when they are outside their homes. Only those engaging in strenuous exercise or eating and drinking can remove their masks. But they must mask up promptly when done. • All individuals are required to keep a distance of at least 1m from one another in public. • Social gatherings of up to five people are allowed, and they can be from different households. The number of visitors to a household is also capped at five. Households with more than five people can go out together, but they are not allowed to sit in groups bigger than five at food and beverage outlets. • Shopping centres, F&B outlets and cinemas must have temperature checks at entrances. Nightclubs remain closed. The sale and consumption of liquor is not allowed at F&B outlets after 10.30pm. Cinemas have capacity limits. For instance, large cinema halls with more than 300 seats can admit up to 150 patrons. • Places of interest can apply to ...

43 schools to get new principals in 2021, including 9 from MOE headquarters

aseanpr 16 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - An annual reshuffle of principals will see 43 schools next year with new leaders, including nine from the Ministry of Education (MOE) headquarters. It is the highest number of officers to be moved from the headquarters to head schools in recent years, according to checks by The Straits Times. The number of such transfers ranged from three to seven in the past five years. Mr Melvin Cher Teck Yiang, deputy director of MOE's pre-school education branch in the schools division, will become principal of Northoaks Primary School. The 42-year-old said that being familiar with policy work will come in handy in his new and first appointment as principal. "I have a better sense of how policies are made and I think this will help in communicating changes to school staff," he added. He will also continue to be involved in pre-school matters to some extent, as Northoaks Primary houses an MOE kindergarten. "I will work with the pre-school teachers and support them in running the centre," he said, adding that he hopes to get a chance to try out ideas that could help ease the transition of pre-school children into primary school. "We have a lot to learn from how pre-school environments...

First fully virtual 3-day summit held on shaping a more sustainable future

aseanpr 16 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Over 1,000 delegates from all around the world participated in an unprecedented, fully virtual three-day summit organised by Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS) from Tuesday to Thursday (Oct 13 to 15). The summit, which is into its 12th edition, featured a series of panel discussions and virtual site visits led by leaders in the fields of corporate sustainability. An average of 575 viewers globally tuned in daily for the live sessions. The purpose of this annual summit is to facilitate conversations on the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For the first time, GCNS also organised a youth track at the summit to engage young people aged between 18 and 35. The young men and women discussed food sustainability issues, such as food security and the circular economy. Nearly 500 participated in the youth track, approximately half of whom hailed from Singapore. Delivering the opening keynote address on Tuesday, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee spoke about how the Covid-19 pandemic has led to significant global shifts, pushing everyone to re-examine how they work and live. He also highlighted how Singapore set up the Emerging Stronger Tas...

Airfares jump after S’pore-Hong Kong travel bubble announcement

aseanpr 16 10 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - The cost of air tickets between Singapore and Hong Kong jumped within 24 hours of the two places unveiling plans for a travel bubble that wouldn't require people to quarantine upon arrival. The cheapest price for a Singapore Airlines return economy seat to Hong Kong was $558 on Friday morning (Oct 16) up until the end of December, versus around $400 on Thursday afternoon as the news was announced, the airline's website showed. Return business-class fares rose about HK$5,000 (S$878) to HK$19,000. Cheaper flights were still available on travel websites including Skyscanner. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the flag carriers of Singapore and Hong Kong especially hard because they don't have any domestic market to fall back on. Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, around one million trips were made between the two regional centres every year, data from the Singapore and Hong Kong tourism boards show. Hong Kong-listed Cathay Pacific Airways closed up 6.1 per cent on Thursday and rose as much as 6.4 per cent on Friday as investors digested the news. The agreement could lift Cathay Pacific's monthly revenue by HK$90 million and reduce cash burn by as much as 6 per cent,...

Duo charged with stealing $300 grocery vouchers by breaking into letterboxes in Tampines

aseanpr 16 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A man and woman linked to a series of thefts of Budget 2020 Grocery Vouchers from HDB letterboxes across Singapore have been charged in court. Miqheul Wahyudean Abdullah, 24, was charged with three counts of theft, while Irwani Nur Amira Azami, 23, was charged with two counts of theft. Miqheul and Irwani were arrested on Wednesday (Oct 14) for allegedly stealing Budget vouchers from HDB letterboxes. They had allegedly worked together sometime between 8pm on Oct 6 and 3.30am on Oct 7 to pry open letterboxes at Block 872 Tampines Street 86. The duo stand accused of stealing 15 grocery vouchers valued at $10 each from the letterboxes of two victims. The total amount allegedly stolen totalled $300. Miqheul had allegedly stolen vouchers at the same location on a separate occasion, and was charged for an additional count of theft. The duo are set to appear in court again on Nov 6, as investigations into their case are still ongoing. If convicted of theft, an offender may be jailed up to three years, fined, or both. Separately, the police also arrested five others - three men and two women - for their suspected involvement in the theft of these grocery vouchers at other locati...

Reusable plastic bags most eco-friendly option in Singapore: Study

aseanpr 16 10 月

5 minutes

SINGAPORE - Being an eco-friendly shopper in Singapore means opting for and using a reusable plastic bag many times instead of using a cotton one, a new study has found. Forgot the plastic reusable bag? Then the next best option would be to use a single-use plastic bag, instead of a paper one or one made of biodegradable polymers. These findings by researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and their colleagues in Finland were published in August in the Journal of Cleaner Production. In the paper, the researchers noted that while plastic grocery bags are one of the most common single-use packaging products, other options have been gaining traction. They include single-use bags made of paper or biodegradable plastic; or reusable bags made of cotton or polypropylene non-woven plastic. But how do they stack up against each other in terms of how environmentally friendly they are here? The latest study provides the answer, with the researchers modelling the environmental impact of each type of bag based on a host of factors, such as how the bags are made, transported, distributed, collected as waste, treated and disposed of. For example, the study took into account the quan...

Parliament: No decision yet to lower road tax when ERP 2.0 rolls out

aseanpr 15 10 月

2 minutes

SINGAPORE - There is no decision yet to adjust road tax or dole out special concession for high-mileage users such as taxi and private-hire drivers when the next-generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system kicks in from 2023. Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said it would be "premature" to address questions posed by Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) on the system, dubbed ERP 2.0. Mr Giam had asked if ERP 2.0 would be "revenue neutral", if road tax would be reduced when distance-based charging is turned on, and whether there would be concessionary rates for people who drive for work such as cabbies and delivery riders. Distance charging was "several years away", Dr Khor said, echoing what Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced in February. "We need to give the next-gen ERP time to settle and, actually, also gives us time to collect information on traffic patterns, travel patterns, distance travel impact, for instance, on the different types of motorists," she said. "Then we can study the different options and approaches and come to a decision." On Mr Giam's question on whether ERP 2.0 would have a coupon-less parking function in its initial phas...

S’pore, HK set to launch air travel bubble which may allow leisure travel without need for quarantine: Sources

aseanpr 15 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore has announced its first two-way air travel bubble with Hong Kong, paving the way for leisure and other forms of travel between both places. This means that people will be able to travel between the two locations without the need to be quarantined, subject to conditions including testing negative for Covid-19. Details are still being worked out, but people could be travelling between both places in several weeks. Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung on Thursday (Oct 15) called the move a small but significant step for the two aviation hubs, adding that the agreement set the model for more partnerships to come to revive air travel. Noting that both countries posed a low risk of Covid-19 transmission, he said that the risk of a Hong Kong traveller bringing the virus in to Singapore was not very different from that of a resident in Jurong. Under the agreement, travellers will likely be tested before they depart. There will be no restrictions on segments of the population, itinerary or purpose of travel. Hong Kong is the 10th place that Singapore has made special travel arrangements with under the landmark agreement. There are different types of agreements. The first is ...

Parliament: Employers given warnings for illegally deploying maids could be fined instead, under MOM review of guidelines

aseanpr 15 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is reviewing its guidelines to see if employers who have received warnings for illegal deploying their maids to work at a different place should get a fine instead, said Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang on Thursday (Oct 15). "This is so that employers will take their responsibility towards their foreign domestic workers (FDWs) seriously," she said in her reply to Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) in Parliament. The ministry, however, has no plans to review the maximum penalty for the illegal deployment of FDWs, she said, adding that the number of such cases has remained relatively stable in the past few years. The issue of illegal deployment of FDWs came under the spotlight after Indonesian Parti Liyani, a former domestic worker employed by Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family, was acquitted in September of stealing from them. Ms Parti had been told by Mr Liew's wife, Madam Ng Lai Peng, to go and help at the home of her son Karl. She said she also cleaned his office once a week for a year. The ministry said it had consulted the Attorney-General's Chambers and, in May 2018, issued a caution to Madam Ng and an ad...

Youth allegedly operated drone over no-fly zones, including Mindef Gombak Base, Stagmont Camp

aseanpr 15 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A youth who allegedly flew a drone over military bases was hauled to court on Thursday (Oct 15). Russell Wong Shin Pin, 20, faces eight charges including four under the Air Navigation Act. Three of the charges are under the Air Navigation Order, involving flying a drone without a proper permit. The eighth charge under the Infrastructure Protection Act involves flying a drone over Gali Batu Depot, which is a protected place. Wong allegedly operated the drone for recreation at a park near Upper Bukit Timah Road and Cashew Road from 6.11pm to 6.43pm on Oct 8 last year, even though he did not have a Class 2 activity permit to do so. During that period, he is said to have flown the unmanned aircraft (UA) over the Ministry of Defence's (Mindef) Gombak Base and used it to snap a picture of the protected area. Wong allegedly went to a carpark near Stagmont Ring off Woodlands Road the next day and flew the drone within 5km of Tengah Airbase aerodrome from 6.49pm to 6.56pm. He is said to have operated the device over Gombak Base and Stagmont Camp within that time. He is also accused of snapping a picture of another protected place, the Gali Batu Depot, that evening using his dron...

Parti Liyani has decided to go ahead with complaint against 2 DPPs for misconduct: NGO

aseanpr 15 10 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Former domestic worker Parti Liyani has decided to go ahead with her bid to start disciplinary proceedings against two prosecutors, after being granted two weeks to consider whether she wanted to proceed. In response to media queries, a spokesman for migrant workers group Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) said Ms Parti has "resolved to proceed" with the case. The non-governmental organisation (NGO) declined further comment. Ms Parti, 46, filed the application in June this year before she was acquitted last month by the High Court on appeal for stealing from the family of prominent businessman Liew Mun Leong. Earlier this month, her application was heard in chambers by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon. At the hearing, her lawyer, Mr Anil Balchandani, said that his client considered withdrawing the complaint, as she was "torn" about whether she wanted to proceed with the case. On the one hand, Ms Parti believes that the two deputy public prosecutors (DPPs) should answer the allegations she has raised in her affidavit, said the lawyer. However, she also wished to return to Indonesia as soon as possible, as she has not been home for the last four years. ...

MRT power fault: I was stuck on train for almost three hours, says commuter

aseanpr 14 10 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Finance executive Ryan Koh, 29, spent nearly three hours in a train after a power trip disrupted service along stretches of three MRT lines on Wednesday (Oct 14). He was heading home from Clementi to Yew Tee when the power fault occurred. The train he was on came to a halt inside the tunnel between Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak stations. "Some lights went out immediately and the train came to a stop slowly. I was expecting a minor delay but now I am stuck for almost three hours," he said. When The Straits Times spoke to him at around 9pm, he said the majority of people in the train had left after SMRT staff started evacuating commuters at around 8pm. Senior citizens were asked to move to the back of the train to disembark, he said, estimating that about 70 people opted to stay on the train. He decided to stay on board as "the queue was long and slow". Most commuters remained calm and informed family members about the delays, he added. However, SMRT staff stopped detraining passengers at around 9pm due to heavy rain and lightning risk, he said. At around 9.40pm, the staff told the commuters to be seated and confirmed that the train would be moving to Bukit Batok. Mr Koh, ...

Singapore, Hungary ties underpinned by mutual respect, says foreign minister Szijjarto

aseanpr 14 10 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - Continued diplomatic ties between Singapore and Hungary for 50 years now have been underpinned by "mutual respect", according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who noted there has been a practical side to the cooperation as well in an interview with The Straits Times Wednesday (Oct 14). "We represent a similar kind of approach when it comes to patriotism, when it comes to the approach to the nation itself," said Mr Szijjarto, who was on a one-day stop in Singapore as part of a whirlwind visit to South-East Asian countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST PREMIUM. Enjoy unlimited access to ST's best work Exclusive stories and features on multiple devices In-depth analyses and opinion pieces ePaper and award-winning multimedia content Subscribe Now

2 schoolchildren among 5 new confirmed coronavirus cases

aseanpr 14 10 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 13-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl are the two new Covid-19 cases in the community reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Oct 14). Both patients are school students and had last been at their respective schools on Oct 2. They were both quarantined from Oct 3, and were swabbed on that day but tested negative, said MOH in a statement on Wednesday night. Both later developed symptoms during quarantine and subsequently tested positive on Oct 13. There were no new local cases from workers' dormitories on Wednesday, said MOH. This was the second day in a row that no new cases from dormitories were reported. On Wednesday morning, Education Minister Lawrence Wong cautioned against complacency and said that Singapore will likely see new cases. In a Facebook post, Mr Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19, acknowledged the fatigue that has set in for the current measures but reiterated that "the virus had not been eradicated", adding that "it's still circulating in our community". "We still need to keep our guard up and stay very disciplined in complying with all the necessary safeguards. That's the mindset that will enable us to...

In Pictures: Evening rush-hour commute hit by MRT disruptions due to power fault

aseanpr 14 10 月

0 min

From the gallery: Several options to refresh and strengthen the social compact

aseanpr 14 10 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - As Covid-19 continues to batter economies and decimate jobs, governments around the world are seeking to share the fruits of labour more widely, and ensure that their citizens are not exposed to unbearable losses. One strategy some societies have adopted to safeguard workers' welfare is a minimum wage, calls for which surfaced in Parliament in September. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST PREMIUM. Enjoy unlimited access to ST's best work Exclusive stories and features on multiple devices In-depth analyses and opinion pieces ePaper and award-winning multimedia content Subscribe Now

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