Current Affairs / News Thread

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Stay home, Singapore

 

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The making of Stay At Home, Singapore | The Straits Times

 

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Seismic intensity 4 in Kanto region (20/04/12)
Highest recorded 5.2 at the moment.

 

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Government Failures On Coronavirus: Faulty CDC Tests, FDA Roadblocks | Meet The Press |
NBC News

 

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MOM officers conducting enforcement operations on April 12

 

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Expert: Circuit breaker should be extended by two weeks

 

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PM Lee: Asean to mount united response to Covid-19 pandemic

 

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PM Lee Hsien Loong addresses Singapore on COVID-19 situation | Apr 21
LIVE

Circuit breaker will be extending for 4 more weeks till June 1

More workplaces will closed down. Only most essential places will be opened.

 

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COVID-19: Hairdressers, confectioneries, standalone beverage outlets to close as essential services list trimmed

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...-confectioneries-standalone-beverage-12662304

Click on link to learn more.
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SINGAPORE: Standalone outlets that sell only beverages, packaged snacks, confectioneries or desserts will have to close their shops as the authorities further tightened the list of essential services to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Businesses are still allowed to sell these products online if they are fulfilled from a licensed central kitchen, manufacturing facility or warehouse.

This is provided the manufacturing plant is allowed to run, as sites that make items items like cakes, ice-cream and chocolate are also banned from operating.

Food and beverage outlets that sell meals, cooked snacks and bread, as well as hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops will be allowed to continue delivery and takeaway services, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in a press release on Tuesday (Apr 21).

If the store sells a mix of items, then staying open or shutting its doors depend on what it predominantly offers, according to the press release.

Hairdressers and barbers will also have to close their outlets, the ministry said.

 

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June school holidays brought forward, GCE Mother Tongue exams rescheduled

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...ys-brought-forward-covid19-gce-exams-12662408

Click on link to learn more
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SINGAPORE: The June school holidays will be brought forward to May 5 in light of the extension of the “circuit breaker” period to Jun 1, announced the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Tuesday (Apr 21).

This will apply to all MOE kindergartens, primary, secondary and pre-university students, including students from special education schools.

“While HBL (home-based learning) has been going well, it has been an intense period of hard work and adjustment for parents, students and teachers,” said the ministry in a press release.

“An early June holiday will give everyone a respite. It also buys us time for a less restrictive school opening in June.”

Lessons will resume on Jun 2, and more details on the format of these lessons - whether they will be physical classes or partial or full home-based learning - will be released at a later date.

These changes mean that Term 3 will be longer, but a one-week mid-term break will be instituted between Jul 20 and 26. The third school term will end on Sep 6.

 

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New tsunami estimates for megaquakes off Japan

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200421_30/amp.html

A Japanese government panel says tsunami waves measuring more than 20 meters high could hit northern Japan if a megaquake of magnitude 9 or stronger occurs in one of two deep-sea trenches.

 

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COVID-19 vaccine protects monkeys from new coronavirus, Chinese biotech reports
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/202...keys-new-coronavirus-chinese-biotech-reports#

For the first time, one of the many COVID-19 vaccines in development has protected an animal, rhesus macaques, from infection by the new coronavirus, scientists report. The vaccine, an old-fashioned formulation consisting of a chemically inactivated version of the virus, produced no obvious side effects in the monkeys, and human trials began on 16 April.
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Coronavirus and pets: How does COVID-19 affect cats and dogs?
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/coronavirus-and-pets-how-does-covid-19-impact-cats-dogs/

Coronaviruses have lived and thrived in animals for thousands of years, but only a handful have been known to make the jump from animal to human and cause illness. The coronavirus at the center of the current pandemic, SARS-CoV-2, did just that and has proven to be incredibly successful at spreading from person to person. As of the third week in April -- over four months after the virus was first detected -- it had infected over 2.6 million people and spread to over 180 countries.

It turns out SARS-CoV-2 can hijack animal cells, too. Scientists believe the disease originated in Chinese horseshoe bats before it jumped into an intermediary animal and, from there, found its way into humans. The virus is able to inject itself into cells by binding to a cell surface protein known as ACE2, which is present in many species of animal.
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Please click on link to learn more.

It seems patient zero really a lot here. It is not just affecting human as suspected.
2nd report suggest evidence of animals to human transmission at the moment.

 

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Community groups in Singapore race to help foreign workers

 

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NTUC on wheels in action.

• Block 109 and Block 110 in Commonwealth Link
• Loading/unloading bay between Block 1 and Block 4 in Telok Blangah Crescent;
• Carpark between Block 29 and Block 32 in Telok Blangah Rise;
• Carpark in front of the post office at Block 15 near Kampong Glam Community Club;
• Carpark in front of Block 2 in Jalan Kukoh.

 

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Police investigating unnatural death of migrant worker

 

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Farmers throw out milk, produce as schools, restaurants remain shut down

 

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傾牛奶砸雞蛋埋蔬菜現象 04132020

 

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山東捐給武漢的蔬菜，被直接拉去埋了。这些菜难道也是违法的吗，天理难容啊 2020 03 14 22 14 21

 

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Malaysians leaving Singapore via land to Malaysia require entry permit from April 27
https://www.edgeprop.my/content/167...e-land-malaysia-require-entry-permit-april-27
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SINGAPORE (April 25): Malaysians who wish to return home from Singapore by land are required to obtain an entry permit from the High Commission of Malaysia here from April 27.

According to a public notice posted on its Facebook, the applicants need to email their particulars - name, both identity card and passport numbers, departure date - to stmsg@mhc.org.sg, at least two days before their departure date.

A copy of their passes - Singapore permanent resident, long term pass, work permit, student and social visit – should be appended as well.

Once approved, the High Commission will reply their email which includes a unique reference number.

They then need to present the printed or phone screenshot reply email to the Malaysian Immigration Checkpoint in Johor Bahru.
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Rules changed to allow people to display Singapore flag from now until Sept 30
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...-display-national-flag-from-now-until-sept-30
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SINGAPORE - The rules for displaying the national flag have been amended so that people can fly the crescent and five stars from now until September, the Government said on Saturday (April 25).

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said that the move is in response to public requests to display the flag during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak as a rallying symbol.

MCCY Minister Grace Fu said the flag is "a call for us to work together and stand resilient in the face of a crisis like this".

President Halimah Yaacob has agreed to the change in the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Rules, bringing forward the period in which the flag may be displayed.

Annually, people are already allowed to fly the flag in this manner from July 1 to Sept 30 during the usual period of National Day celebrations.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Madam Halimah said she is "heartened" by the desire of Singaporeans to show their solidarity.

"The days ahead will remain challenging for a while, as we continue to fight the Covid-19 virus. However, I am confident with our collective courage and tenacity, we will be able to pull through this together.

"Like it did during our early years of independence, I am certain that our flag will inspire the best from us," she said.

All organisations and households may display the flag at their offices, buildings, and homes, although the MCCY reminded people to use the flag in an appropriate and dignified manner and treat it with respect.