FILE PHOTO: A patient arrives outside Maimonides Medical Center, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 4, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidWASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Congress is likely to consider a one-week funding measure to provide additional time for negotiations aimed at hammering out a new COVID-19 relief […]

SINGAPORE – Job seekers can look forward to better hiring prospects in the new year, with a survey revealing one in five Singapore employers expects to increase recruitment. Around 20 per cent are likely to hire more staff in the first three months of 2021 than in the current quarter, said the employment outlook survey […]

SINGAPORE – Public health and economic rejuvenation will be on the agenda on Tuesday (Dec 8), when the highest-level bilateral meeting between Singapore and China takes place. At the Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Chinese Vice-Premier Han Zheng will also discuss cooperation on China’s regional development strategies. […]

SINGAPORE – A former assistant sales manager of Singapore Straits Wine Company was fined $3,000 on Monday (Dec 7) after pleading guilty to a corruption charge. Malaysian Ee Chay Wea, 39, admitted to giving a bribe of $822 to David Ang Wei Xiong, 34, in May 2018. Ang, a Chinese national, was then a marketing […]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Members of the U.S. Congress are expected as early as Monday to unveil bipartisan legislation to send a long-awaited infusion of federal aid to American families and businesses reeling from the resurgent coronavirus pandemic.FILE PHOTO: U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., […]

SINGAPORE – Motor workshop technicians will be able to learn about servicing electric and hybrid vehicles at a new training facility as Singapore moves to phase out those with internal combustion engines by 2040. About 1,000 of the 10,000 technicians in Singapore should be trained over the next three years at the facility, said the […]

SYDNEY (AFP) – An Australian surfer spoke on Monday (Dec 7) about how he managed to paddle back to shore and walk hundreds of metres to get help after being attacked by a great white shark. The 29-year-old said he had been enjoying a “normal day’s surfing” on Sunday on Kangaroo Island – off Australia’s […]

WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) – The US is preparing to sanction at least a dozen more Chinese officials over their role in the recent disqualification of Hong Kong legislators, according to two people familiar with the plans.  The latest round of sanctions over Hong Kong could be rolled out as soon as Monday (Dec 7), said the […]

KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) – Malaysia’s energy giant Petronas said on Monday (Dec 7) it had agreed to a commercial settlement that grants Sarawak state a higher revenue share of oil and gas produced in the state. Under the agreement, Sarawak state will also be given more active involvement in the state’s oil and gas industry […]

NEW DELHI (REUTERS) – The Serum Institute of India has sought emergency use authorisation from India’s drug regulator for AstraZeneca Plc’s Covid-19 vaccine on Sunday (Dec 7), according to several reports in Indian media, citing PTI. The company applied to the Drugs Controller General of India, citing unmet medical needs due to the pandemic and […]