World

SINGAPORE: China’s latest move to scrap COVID-19 quarantine rules for entry into the country will be a boost to Singapore’s aviation sector, said experts who described the easing of stringent border controls by the world’s second-largest economy as “the last big missing jigsaw” in the sector’s recovery picture. But a full return to pre-pandemic levels may take some time given the possibility of China adopting a gradual approach to reopening and the presence of other uncertainties, they added. In a major step towards reopening borders that have been shut for nearly three years, China said on Monday (Dec 26) that it will do away with quarantine requirements for overseas arrivals starting from Jan 8. Travellers will only need to present a negative test result taken 48 hours before departure...

NEW YORK : Sam Bankman-Fried may find it hard to argue the fraud charges against him should be tossed because of uncertainty as to how U.S. law treats cryptocurrency, as other high-profile defendants in criminal cases involving digital assets have done. That is because Manhattan federal prosecutors' charges against the founder of now-bankrupt crypto exchange FTX have largely sidestepped an ongoing debate as to whether cryptocurrencies should be regulated as securities or commodities, legal experts told Reuters. Bankman-Fried, 30, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud and six conspiracy counts last month in Manhattan federal court for allegedly stealing FTX customer deposits to pay debts from his hedge fund, Alameda Research, and lying to equity investors about FTX's financial conditio...

Seow was assigned as lead resident technical officer at the Rivervale project, overseeing the work of contractors and subcontractors at all 16 HDB flats in the project from June 2018. His responsibilities included overseeing 10 other resident technical officers who oversaw works carried out by contractors and subcontractors, ensuring their work progressed accordingly and by HDB's standards. Seow was also tasked with physically inspecting and approving the work stated in the contractors and subcontractors' monthly progress reports and progress claims if he found the work to be satisfactory. He was to direct the contractors and subcontractors to redo work or perform additional work if necessary. Seow knew that if he withheld approval for the work, there would be delays in payments due to ...

The regulator was concerned with Amazon's dual role as both a marketplace and a competitor to merchants selling on its platform. Nathan Stirk | Getty Images Amazon on Tuesday agreed to make some significant changes to its business in Europe as part of a settlement of antitrust investigations that could have resulted in a hefty fine for the e-commerce titan. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, announced Tuesday that Amazon had made a series of commitments to address allegations that the company was using independent sellers' data to its advantage. The regulator had expressed concerns with Amazon's dual role as both a marketplace and a competitor to merchants selling on its platform. Amazon, for its part, says it is an enabler of small businesses in the region. watch now In N...

Fashion stores (multiple locations) You may have heard of Levi’s’ trade-in programme, where old jeans can be exchanged for store discounts; or UNIQLO’s recycling initiative, which distributes your used but wearable UNIQLO clothing to refugees and the less privileged. But there are other brands that accept pre-loved clothing of all brands, too. You can drop them off at H&M in exchange for a voucher, Love Bonito, or stores under Wing Tai Asia Retail like G2000 and FOX Kids & Baby. Bras in new or good condition can be donated to local lingerie retailer Perk By Kate, which redistributes them to the less privileged. Now, the second pile can be hard to part with. You can do a clothes swap on platforms like Swapaholic and The Fashion Pulpit, but your wardrobe would be back to square one. Carou...

China will soon ease its COVID-19 entry rules, after nearly three years of strict pandemic border restrictions. On Monday (Dec 26), the country’s National Health Commission (NHC) announced that from Jan 8, 2023, COVID-19 will be downgraded from Class A - its top tier of infectious diseases - to Class B, a class that also includes HIV, viral hepatitis and H7N9 bird flu. This means that quarantine will no longer be enforced. If you’re planning a trip to China, here’s what you need to know. NEW ENTRY RULES Under the new rules, which will take effect from Jan 8, travellers will no longer be subjected to quarantine requirements. However, they will need to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test 48 hours pre-flight in order to enter the country. Currently, all passengers arriving in Chi...

Located a two-and-a-half hour drive from Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport — a lifetime for those who want to hit the road running — Lost Lindenberg wouldn’t be the first choice for the typical tourist. Not unless you relish meatless meals, daily surfs and convos with strangers over a bonfire and the dining table. This eight-key treehouse-style boutique is the latest addition of the Frankfurt-based Lindenberg Collective and a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection. A stay in this leafy paradise, located in the quiet town of Pekutatan along the west coast of Bali, is characterised by misty walks on soft black lava sand, surf lessons and hyperlocal excursions such as a jungle hike to a hidden river and rapids, whose guide lives just down the road. Being lost takes ...

SINGAPORE: Oil prices slid on Tuesday (Jan 3) from their highest levels in a month after Chinese economic data dampened market sentiment and the head of the International Monetary Fund warned of a tougher 2023. Brent crude futures had fallen by 25 cents, or 0.29 per cent, to US$85.66 a barrel by 4am GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was at US$80.06 a barrel, down 20 cents, or 0.25 per cent. Weaker factory data from China, the world's largest crude importer and second-largest oil consumer, weighed on prices. The Caixin/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers' index fell to 49.0 in December from 49.4 in November. The index has stayed below the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction for five straight months. Yet there was a return to regular activity in China on Mo...

Whether you've recently bought a house and want to make some adjustments or have been a homeowner for quite some time and think you're long overdue for some renovations, you'll want to make sure you have the financial means to take on such project. Home improvement costs can vary depending on what part of the home you're fixing, but according to Rocket Mortgage, Americans spend an average of $15,000 on a single home improvement project. If you don't have the savings to float your entire improvement project, you might consider applying for a personal loan since it can be used for a variety of expenses and typically carry lower interest rates compared to credit cards. Personal loans must be paid back in regular increments over a set period of time. The longer your loan term, the lower your m...

TAIPEI : Taiwan's economy likely expanded much more slowly in the fourth quarter compared to the prior quarter due to increased global economic headwinds denting demand for technology which is a key export, a Reuters poll showed on Tuesday. Gross domestic product (GDP) likely grew just 1.3 per cent in October-December versus a year earlier, the poll of 20 economists shows, after it expanded 4.01 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter. Policymakers have said they expect full-year 2022 growth of around or less than 3 per cent, slower than the 6.45 per cent logged for 2021. That was the fastest rate in over a decade since it expanded 10.25 per cent in 2010. Economists' forecasts for preliminary GDP data due on Wednesday varied widely from a contraction of 0.1 per cent to growth of 3.5 ...