Singapore

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 102 new COVID-19 cases as of noon on Thursday (Aug 13), including five in the community and six imported infections, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). This brings Singapore's total number of cases to 55,497, with fatalities remaining at 27. Four of the imported COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday are seafarers who arrived in Singapore on a vessel from India on Aug 8. The four Philippine nationals, who are special pass holders, are also linked to another Filipino seafarer reported in Wednesday's update. The four men, aged between 24 and 33, had not disembarked from the vessel after arriving in Singapore, said MOH. They reported having symptoms between Aug 9 and 12 and were swabbed while on the vessel, where they had remained until their test results c...

SINGAPORE: The names of companies that are potentially biased in their hiring processes should be released, said a union leader, after the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that 47 firms have been placed on its Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) watchlist. On Wednesday (Aug 5), MOM released a statement saying that 47 employers had been placed on its watchlist of companies believed to have discriminatory hiring practices. The ministry did not name the companies. Most of them are from financial and professional services sectors, while the remaining come from a variety of sectors including those in administrative and support services, manufacturing and education firms as well. In a statement on Friday, the National Trades Union Congress’ assistant secretary-general Patrick Tay said t...

The dangers of the explosive material have been in the spotlight since the Beirut blast on Aug 4 which killed more than 170 people. SINGAPORE: Ships passing through Singapore ports occasionally carry ammonium nitrate, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (Aug 12) as it outlined how the explosive chemical is regulated for safety. Vessels carrying ammonium nitrate have to inform port authorities of their cargo before arrival. They will only be able to unload or store the material when approval is given, MPA said in response to queries from CNA. "MPA carries out inspections on-board vessels to ensure that regulations are being complied with," it added. The dangers of ammonium nitrate have been in the spotlight since Aug 4 when 2,750 tonnes of the ch...

SINGAPORE: Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) firefighters battling a raging industrial blaze can spend hours doing backbreaking work while enduring intense heat. Their body temperatures spike, not helped by the bulky protective equipment they have to wear. These responders work in 30- to 40-minute shifts before rotating with another team. This is when they remove their gear, have a drink and rest under shade. But because they are so acclimatised to the heat, they might not realise their body temperatures have hit alarming levels. Some can exceed 39.5 degrees Celsius, putting them at a higher risk of heat stroke. Left unchecked, heat injuries can have serious consequences, including multiple organ failure and death. The key is to reduce the body temperature as quickly as possib...

SINGAPORE: Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs Motegi Toshimitsu will make a three-day official visit to Singapore from Wednesday (Aug 12). He will call on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana and be hosted to lunch by Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Tuesday. This will be Mr Motegi's first official visit to Singapore as foreign minister. It comes after Japan announced last month that it will proceed with discussions on the resumption of essential travel with 12 places, including Singapore. "Singapore welcomes the Japanese government’s decision to include Singapore as one of its partners to commence such negotiations," MFA had said on Jul 23. It added then that the establishment of a "reciprocal ...