TOKYO (REUTERS) – After more than three centuries in business, the Onuma department store in northern Japanese city of Yamagata began bankruptcy proceedings this year – one of many distinguished department stores across the country in dire straits. Known for fancy food halls, luxury items, impeccable service and, in their heyday, rooftop attractions to entertain […]

All foreign workers who have resumed full-time work must be paid their prevailing salaries, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in response to queries from The Straits Times. However, it would be unrealistic to impose a uniform requirement across all employers, especially for workers who cannot resume work, it added. The MOM’s position is that […]

BEIJING (REUTERS) – About 90 per cent of Sinovac Biotech employees and their families have taken an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by the Chinese firm under the country’s emergency use programme, its chief executive said on Sunday (Sept 6). The extent of inoculations under the emergency programme, which China launched in July but has released […]

SINGAPORE – The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will study the High Court judgment by Justice Chan Seng Onn following the acquittal of a former domestic worker of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family. This is to assess what further action, if any, ought to be taken in this case, the […]

SINGAPORE – There were 40 new coronavirus cases confirmed as of Sunday afternoon (Sept 6), including four community cases and 13 imported cases. The four community cases announced on Sunday are all work pass holders, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update. The 13 imported cases had been placed on stay-home notice […]

SEOUL (REUTERS) – South Korea on Sunday (Sept 6) reported the smallest rise in coronavirus infections in three weeks, remaining under 200 for a fourth consecutive day as tighter restrictions cap a second wave. The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 167 cases of the new coronavirus for the 24 hours through midnight […]

JAKARTA – Make no mistake: the name helps. For Ms Rahayu Saraswati Djojohadikusomo, or Sara to her friends, it’s one of the biggest names in Indonesian politics. The 34- year-old’s father is tycoon Hashim Djojohadikusomo, which Forbes estimates is worth US$800 million (S$1.1 billion). Ms Rahayu’s uncle is Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, the two-time presidential […]

SINGAPORE – Three new clusters of coronavirus infections – all in dormitories – were announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (Sept 5). Cochrane Lodge I, Mandai Lodge I and Tuas South Dormitory were linked to nine, 17 and 11 earlier confirmed cases respectively. There were three community cases reported on Saturday, comprising […]

SINGAPORE – Forty-one Covid-19 cases which had been added mostly “due to administrative errors” were removed from the country’s total tally on Wednesday (Sept 2), said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Saturday (Sept 5) evening. On Wednesday, the ministry had said they were removed “as they were verified to be negative for Covid-19 following further investigations”. […]

SEOUL/BANGALORE/KUALA LUMPUR/HONG KONG/BEIJING – Once a core part of the thriving Itaewon nightlife in central Seoul with queues up to 1.5 hours, Mexican-Korean restaurant bar Vatos Urban Tacos has been whipped once and again by the coronavirus outbreak that has kept people away since February. An Itaewon club cluster in May turned the area into […]