Thursday, 14 Nov 2024

Asia

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Eligible SMEs, non-profit organisations in commercial properties to get rental relief

SINGAPORE – Eligible retail shops, gyms, restaurants, cinemas, tuition centres, kindergartens and medical clinics will get more help with their rental costs, amid tighter restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the community. Rental relief will be offered to small and medium-sized enterprises as well as eligible non-profit organisations with an annual revenue of […]

Glad the truth is out, says police officer accused of bullying elderly woman in Yishun

SINGAPORE – A police officer who was accused of bullying an elderly woman in Yishun has spoken out, saying that while the accusations were upsetting at first, he will not stop helping members of the public when duty calls. Station Inspector Jeff Lim Kok Hwee, 45, a deputy team leader at Yishun South Neighbourhood Police Centre, shared […]

Ex-chairman of Malaysia's rail firm questioned by anti-graft agency

PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, the former chairman of state-owned public transport firm Prasarana Malaysia, was called by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Thursday (May 27) to assist in a probe. It is understood that he was at the MACC headquarters for questioning late in the morning on […]

No new coal plants in Indonesia in another bid to cut emissions

JAKARTA (BLOOMBERG) – Indonesia will not approve any new coal-fired power plants as it steps up efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The government will only allow the completion of plants that are already under construction or have reached their financial close, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry director-general Rida Mulyana told a parliamentary hearing on Thursday (May […]

Singapore pilgrims' haj to be deferred for second year due to Covid-19 pandemic: Muis

SINGAPORE – For the second consecutive year, Singaporean pilgrims will have to defer undertaking the haj pilgrimage to Mecca due to the Covid-19 pandemic, said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) on Thursday (May 27). Muis will facilitate the re-allocation of haj places for the 900 affected pilgrims to next year. This will, however, […]

Coal giant wins mine feud with 86-year-old nun and teenagers

SYDNEY (BLOOMBERG) – Australia’s pro-coal government and one of the country’s largest producers of the fossil fuel won a court battle against an 86-year-old nun and eight teenagers seeking to block a mine expansion over climate change. The ruling paves the way for Whitehaven Coal to develop a project that will produce as much as […]

IMDA orders offensive poll on female Islamic teachers to be removed from social media platforms

SINGAPORE – The authorities have asked that an offensive online poll that asked people to rank a list of ustazah, or female Islamic religious teachers, according to their sexual attractiveness be removed from social media platforms here. On Friday (May 28), the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said that the poll constitutes prohibited content under Singapore’s […]

Canada probes forced labour claims in Malaysian palm oil, glove-making industries

KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) – Canada is investigating allegations of forced labour in Malaysia’s palm oil and glove manufacturing industries, the government said on Friday (May 28). Malaysian firms, which includes some of the world’s biggest palm oil and rubber glove producers, have faced increasing scrutiny in recent years over reports of labour abuses. Employment and […]