India’s massive exercise called 'Vande Bharat Mission' to bring back lakhs of its citizens stranded abroad is currently underway. Watch this video to know more.

Vande Bharat Mission: 8 flights to arrive back in India today

An Indian-origin man in Singapore has been sentenced to seven months in prison for verbally abusing the police who were urging compliance with the measures enforced during the coronavirus lockdown.

Ravi Sinathamby Subramaniam, who prosecutors said continues to be a menace to the society&nbsp;due to his involvement in a long list of offences spanning decades, committed the offences over two days last month, reported Channel News Asia.

Ravi Subramaniam pleaded guilty to two charges of verbally abusing police and health officers, and a third charge of threatening to "break" the faces of three health officers.

Another five charges were taken into consideration for the sentencing.

The 53-year-old accused first went to a convenience store where he stood in the queue, holding an open can of beer and reeking of alcohol while complaining loudly about why the queue was not properly organised.

When the police spoke to him, he turned aggressive and spoke loudly to them, trying to leave and refusing to cooperate, drawing a crowd. He hurled abuses at the police and was arrested.

He reoffended four days later at a coffee shop. When approached by a health officer enforcing safe-distancing measures as he was wearing his face mask over his chin and not over his nose and mouth, Ravi turned aggressive.

He cursed at the officers, and threatened them of breaking their face.

The prosecution had pushed for at least 10 months' jail, saying that the case presents an important opportunity for this court to send a clear message that such conduct against frontline officers in the coronavirus fight will not be tolerated.

Ravi's crime records now show a trend of intimidating behaviour towards public servants, he said.

Ravi, who was unrepresented, apologised to the court, to the civil servant and to the government.

The judge also directed a session for Ravi to be given counselling for his underlying behaviour and for treatment plans to be formulated.

(with inputs from PTI)

An Indian-origin man in Singapore has been sentenced to seven months in prison for verbally abusing the police who were urging compliance with the measures enforced during the coronavirus lockdown.

An Indian-origin man in Singapore has been sentenced to seven months in prison for verbally abusing the police who were urging compliance with the measures enforced during the coronavirus lockdown. Ravi Sinathamby Subramaniam, who prosecutors said continues to be a menace to the society due to his involvement in a long list of offences spanning decades, committed the offences over two days last month, reported Channel News Asia. Ravi Subramaniam pleaded guilty to two charges of verbally abusing police and health officers, and a third charge of threatening to "break" the faces of three health officers. Another five charges were taken into consideration for the sentencing. The 53-year-old accused first went to a convenience store where he stood in the queue, holding an open can of beer and reeking of alcohol while complaining loudly about why the queue was not properly organised. When the police spoke to him, he turned aggressive and spoke loudly to them, trying to leave and refusing to cooperate, drawing a crowd. He hurled abuses at the police and was arrested. He reoffended four days later at a coffee shop. When approached by a health officer enforcing safe-distancing measures as he was wearing his face mask over his chin and not over his nose and mouth, Ravi turned aggressive. He cursed at the officers, and threatened them of breaking their face. The prosecution had pushed for at least 10 months' jail, saying that the case presents an important opportunity for this court to send a clear message that such conduct against frontline officers in the coronavirus fight will not be tolerated. Ravi's crime records now show a trend of intimidating behaviour towards public servants, he said. Ravi, who was unrepresented, apologised to the court, to the civil servant and to the government. The judge also directed a session for Ravi to be given counselling for his underlying behaviour and for treatment plans to be formulated. (with inputs from PTI)

Singapore court jails Indian-origin man for abusing police

Singapore has recorded 447 new positive coronavirus cases, Singapore's health ministry on Saturday confirmed.&nbsp;This is the country's smallest rise in the past two weeks.&nbsp;

Following the decline in number of cases, the country is set to ease down some restrictions during the partial lockdown.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-approves-remdesivir-as-several-states-ease-lockdown-296248">Also read:&nbsp;US approves Remdesivir as several states ease lockdown</a>

Few selected activities such as small home-based businesses, laundry services and barbers will be allowed to operate from May 12.&nbsp; The step has been taken to tackle the economic crisis that is overshadowing the whole world right now.

Singapore is facing the deepest recession in its 55-year history, compounded by restrictions called 'circuit breakers' due to last until June 1, which include the closure of most workplaces and shops.

"We are preparing for the safe and gradual resumption of economic and community activities after the end of the circuit breaker period on 1 June 2020," the ministry of health said in a statement.

Unlike other countries, Singapore will also allow some students to return back to school from May 19. However, only small groups will be allowed and all precautions of social distancing will have to be followed.

"Even as we ease and adjust some of these measures, the bottom line is this - this is not the time to slacken and let our guard down," Singapore minister Lawrence Wong, who co-heads the country's virus fighting taskforce, told a media briefing.

Singapore's total tally of cases now stands at&nbsp;17,548 with 16 virus-related deaths.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Singapore has recorded 447 new positive coronavirus cases, Singapore's health ministry on Saturday confirmed. This is the country's smallest rise in the past two weeks.

Singapore has recorded 447 new positive coronavirus cases, Singapore's health ministry on Saturday confirmed. This is the country's smallest rise in the past two weeks. Following the decline in number of cases, the country is set to ease down some restrictions during the partial lockdown. Also read: US approves Remdesivir as several states ease lockdown Few selected activities such as small home-based businesses, laundry services and barbers will be allowed to operate from May 12. The step has been taken to tackle the economic crisis that is overshadowing the whole world right now. Singapore is facing the deepest recession in its 55-year history, compounded by restrictions called 'circuit breakers' due to last until June 1, which include the closure of most workplaces and shops. "We are preparing for the safe and gradual resumption of economic and community activities after the end of the circuit breaker period on 1 June 2020," the ministry of health said in a statement. Unlike other countries, Singapore will also allow some students to return back to school from May 19. However, only small groups will be allowed and all precautions of social distancing will have to be followed. "Even as we ease and adjust some of these measures, the bottom line is this - this is not the time to slacken and let our guard down," Singapore minister Lawrence Wong, who co-heads the country's virus fighting taskforce, told a media briefing. Singapore's total tally of cases now stands at 17,548 with 16 virus-related deaths. (With inputs from Reuters)

'We are not out of the woods': Singapore government warns people

Researchers in Singapore have come up with data-driven timelines predicting the end of the Coronavirus pandemic. India is projected to end 97% of the outbreak by 25th May.

Gravitas: When will this pandemic end? Here are some possible dates

India plans to get more than a million personal protective equipment kits from Singapore and has already 100,000 COVID-19 testing kits from the south-east Asian nations in a donation have been received.

India plans to get more than a million personal protective equipment kits from Singapore and has already 100,000 COVID-19 testing kits from the south-east Asian nations in a donation have been received. Speaking to our principal diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, India's envoy to Singapore Jawed Ashraf spoke extensively on how Indian mission is reaching out to infected Indian workers and stranded Indian nationals. Of the 11,000 cases of COVID-19 positive migrant foreign workers, 25% of them are Indians. It is interesting to know, Singapore's govt is providing all infected foreigner worker full salaries, three meals, full medical support and free wifi to connect them with their families. Also read | COVID-19 death toll touches 779 as number of cases rises to 24,942 in India Sidhant Sibal: What do you think about the Singaporean model to contain the spread of the virus? Jawed Ashraf: The whole situation in Singapore has evolved in three different phases, one is that they were early to start the process of strategizing in containing the spread of the virus once it became evident that there is a new virus spreading in Wuhan, China because of very close economic and cultural and people to people links between China and Singapore. On a given day, there used to be 14,000 arrivals from China. They started very early and the first case was confirmed on January 23, initially itself when social distancing measures were taken, testing was quite rapid, they developed a sound system of contact tracing, very vigorous and quick and were able to contain the spread, until the beginning of March and essentially they were able to stop the ingress from China and were able to stop the spread. After that, sometimes in the middle of March when people were returning, Singaporeans were returning from abroad particularly from Europe, US as the pandemic started spreading throughout the world and then we saw a big spike in the incident and spread and it began to average around 50 a day and then starting at the beginning of April, there has been a steep increase in a number of cases among the foreign workers living in the dormitories. There are about 200,000 construction workers including from India who live in dormitories and another 90,000 who live in smaller dormitories throughout the country and there has been a big spread after that. From about 1,100 at the end of March, we have about 12,000 in the last 25 days. There were some important steps, worth recognizing, having experienced SARS, they have set up a sound system, of dealing with the spread of infectious diseases, in particular, the nature of pandemic, so the healthcare infrastructure is sound and it is very extensive and no capacity constraint, which is why despite the numbers, the mortality rate is extremely low. Till today, we have only 12 cases of death in the course of the past 3 months. The focus was on contact tracing and remember it is a relatively smaller place though it is quite dense, it has 5.6 million resident. These 2 important factors, and the restrictive measures quite incremental unlike in our case and many others, so they have only escalated it in response to the extent of spread of the infection. So they eventually went into lockdown, which is kind of a circuit breaker. A number of essential services were working,, but all places of work have been stopped and socializing has been prohibited. Restaurants have been opened, hawker centres are open, but no one can sit there and eat. In a sense, it is a lockdown but not as strict as in other places. but the important point is it is incremental in nature and it has now been extended. It was instituted for 4 weeks starting April 7 but now has been extended to June 1. The situation in Singapore is they have a very rapid spread in dormitories but the relatively stable situation in the rest of the city. They have been able to create a partition between the 2 but how they treating foreign workers is remarkable in the sense, while they have instituted isolation and social distancing measures in the dorms, the healthy ones are taken out after testing and they have set up an extensive new facility to help foreign workers who are healthy. SS: Talking about the Indian worker, what is the mission doing for them.. JA: We have today, 11000 cases of foreign workers about 25% of them are Indians. So we have 2600 Indians who are infected. What Singapore govt has done that they are paid full salaries, given 3 meals and they are given full medical support, and they have also distributed masks and sanitizers to all the workers, not just those who are sick but to everyone. They cant leave the dorms, they are in isolation, they have been provided with free WIFI in all the dorms, and were wifi was weak they have strengthed it, so that they can speak to families, watch movies, they can download other content. So they have taken very strong welfare measures for all, foreign workers including Indians. PM Lee has said, that we will treat foreign workers, the way we treat Singaporeans. They have set up a very extensive facility for isolation and for recuperation. That is as far as the Singapore govt is doing. As far as the mission is concerned, let us divide it into 2 parts, what is happening with worker and what is happening with others over here. A large number of stranded Indians here, who were here on a short visit, whose jobs had ended and they wanted to go back. As far as workers are concerned, we are working with Singapore govt very closely, in fact, PM Lee had mentioned it to our PM when they had a conversation that we are collaborating very closely, High commission doing a good job. We are working with them very closely, we have gone and visited the dorms and I have recorded a video message in Tamil since most workers are Tamil speakers, we have also engaged with them on Tamil New Year on April 14th. So they have a helpline and we have given a reassurance that Singapore govt will be looking after the healthcare, interest, welfare, salaries but we are present if they need any help of any kind, and second we are working with communities as well. A large number of NGOs who are working with Dorms and we have helped the community at large, connect with them, many of them, for example, are raising resources to supplement efforts in providing soaps, personal hygiene products, sometimes also, providing food to supplement and especially for foreigner workers who are living in smaller establishments at the construction sites etc. Very few of them, they have been looked after, though the NGOs with mobilisation of the communities. If the challenge of food, the accommodation we will directly provide it. The mission is present in all aspects and I have been in touch with ministers over here. The second part of the Indians stranded here, we have about let us say, close to about 2900 people who have registered with us because we have opened the page on our website so that they can register with names and places in India asking passport number. There were those who were here on tourist visas, on business purposes, who got stranded when we had a lockdown and suspended flights. We have people here, visiting family members, means parents visiting children who work here, siblings, so these are social visitors, and many who have lost jobs, who were here on employment and they and families are stranded here. Many students here, but most continue to remain in the hostel, facilities, and a large number of students have registered because you know working way through education. So we are providing accommodation, we are providing dry rations, we have provided food delivery also at the places of residence and we have arranged with a number of Indian restaurants over here. So they go deliver food as and when people request us, so we have instituted a system in which meals are delivered regularly. There are those who are living in little India so that we have connected with restaurants and a couple of temples and mosques who are arranging meals for some of them, so they found it more convenient to walk across these places. So in different ways, food accommodation has been arranged for them. We have also, arranged for medicines and doctors. A lot of people who are stranded here are now short of medicines, chronic illness, diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions other aliments, so we have arranged for 2 ways, we have got who supplies from India but we have also arranged for our own embassy panelled doctors to provide consultations and write prescriptions to procure medicines over here. For students, we have appointed councillors, people who can counsel them, students living alone in isolation, especially those who are young, its a kind of sense of stress. We have got counsellors who can provide support to them and we have got an extreme situation where we had 5 people who died here, not linked to COVID, couple of people who were here for treatment from India for cancer. So they died over here and we arranged for last rites. We had to work with Singapore govt, for the burial of a Muslim lady and 3 who required last rites according to Hindu customs so all this. A number of diverse needs, we even had to look at counsellors, trained professionals. SS: How both countries cooperating to tackle with the crisis? JA: Both Singaporean and Indian PM Modi spoke, it was a very good conversation. Singapore temasek foundation has donated 70,000 COVID test kits for testing, 30,000 additional kits were given through bill gates and Melinda gates foundation and they have given us so far free of charge, 100,000 test kits. That is the first point, number 2, test kits we making in India, supplies of reagents and enzymes from here, some of the labs based here that make the enzymes. They have a massive biotech industry, and labs over here, they have been able to develop and scale up the production of reagents, enzymes for making test kits. They are prepared to supply test kits to India, as and when needed, both in commercial terms. They have done it for a number of other countries. Research and collaboration is very strong because of the proximity. Agency for Science, Technology and Research or A Star, has a large number of Indian scientist and some of the collaborations are getting more intensified particularly in terms of finding cheaper test kits, vaccines, so on and so forth. This is happening across the world, I mean, it is a global movement in which scientist from all parts of the world are collaborating in the race against time and develop cheaper test kits that is available throughout the world. We have also got a large number of commercial offers from here which are being evaluated by Indian companies as well. Science and tech collaboration between Indian and Singapore universities and research labs are always strong, that part will go on and we hope it will succeed somewhere in the world. We are also talking about maintaining supply chain during this period because even as the world is dealing with the pandemic, we have to remember that there are issues of food supplies, issues of medical supplies that world has to work towards maintaining. Another thing we are working with Singapore is that there procurement of food supplies from India which is quite significant continues without any hindrance, we are also talking about collaborating and making masks and other PPE kits. Singapore has come capacity over here and our mission is also part of this network which has been tasked by the government for the procurement of PPE kits because Singapore has a large number of global traders in everything, it is one of the global trading hubs and one of the financial centres, so are working with our ministry and ministry of health and HLL for procurement of more than a million PPE kits though a Singapore based company, and several other suppliers here who source it from different parts of the world and this PPE and we have connected them to govt and private sector in India so that things move parallelly between the govt and private sector. This is an important hub for everyone, for traders who deal with PPE kits. Singapore has placed a request for hydroxychloroquine to buy on commercial terms, we will evaluate it and it will be approved soon. SS: How are Indian diplomats faring in the country? JA: It is much easier for us here to be honest, you see till April 7th there was no lockdown over here, except for social distancing measures, there weren't any measures. If u see my tweets, I have met various ministers as late as April 2nd and 3rd, and we were not doing any major social events but we were doing our diplomatic activities. I was meeting senior officials. Since then we have also started instituting measures in our mission, in the sense that we are allowed to come to work, all these officers come to the mission daily, we are sitting in the mission, because of all the issues of looking after workers and stranded Indians of procurement keeps us busy, the supply chains between the 2 countries. Fortunately in Singapore, they have been successful, other than in the dorms, the spread was relatively stable and we are all observing social distancing fully and we are confident even in cases of the dorms, they have managed to prevent any leakage, so firewall the dorms to prevent any spread to the city, but within the dorms in last 4 days, we have seen the numbers peaking, new cases being constant, so if that is the case, we will start to see a decline in the daily new cases, so that will also come in the control and most of them, in any case, is very mild symptoms and they don't require hospitalization, because they have managed to keep capacity for treatment and intensive case units ahead of the curve, so they distinguishing between those that require hospitalization and those that require isolation and they have done it very well, so we are cautious and we take all precautionary measures, we all have our temperature screening. We have our minimised public contact to nothing but we in the mission continue to come and work over here. Singapore had no problem with the supply of food or any other essential items and our consular services continue to operate on very very skeletal biases, so if there is a death and requires certification, renewal of passport, to revalidate work permits over here. We have continued to work outside the embassy and we are fortunate enough we are in Singapore where the situation is not that difficult, supplies are normal and we can procure everything over here, food and anything we need on regular basis and shops is fully stocked. Hospitals are not overwhelmed over here, in case anyone requires to go for regular or any other cause, we are all over here, we are just here officials and essential India based support staff. Local staff, we have told them to stay at home, work from home, so we are functioning normally. SS: Many stranded Indians are keen to come back, what will you say to them? JA: There is lot of pressure from the stranded Indians to now get back, for all the measures we take over here to look after the welfare, naturally imagine people who are stranded here, came here for a week, 10 days and that has been extended for over a month. Those who have lost jobs and need to go back, we have cases like, a couple here and one 11 years old child from Pune who is here by himself, and cases where someone has come here and stuck here and lost a family member and they can't go home, if you were to leave home for a week or 10 days, you will leave a lot of things to lose and lot of things you will not care, and u suddenly find yourself stranded, so a lot of pressure, as there is in rest of the world and as there is within India for migrants to go back home, so we have to deal with that pressure and that requires one to be patience, requires counselling, we have to be on email, phone with them, we have set up helplines in the mission which are attended round the clock. Those that require special treatment get up the filter to a higher level. I personally answer a lot of mail my self because I feel it should be reassuring and connect with them. My deputy does it, so all of us are trying to give it a personal touch, but yes we dealing with a lot of stress, so that message here, it has been from rest of the world. The thing we explained to them is, look, massive lockdown in India and people not able to move from one house to the next, how do we organise movement in the country and each city may say I have 3000 people, if we look at across the world we might end up with hundreds and thousands of Indians wanting to come back and we also have a situation where people may ask migrant workers are stuck, we have not made arrangement for them to return, and we making arrangements for them. It is a very complex task and this is why we individually engage with people and try to explain to them and make them understand, patience is important in our collective fight beside making arrangement for so many people and testing them is a huge task. When you explain to them they understand what they dealing with and we deal with and risk that exists for so many people travelling in a large group, imagine an aircraft of 200 people and one of them is infected, so people who are safe might find themselves as infected on the way. But human psychology being what it is, it is always there. We doing quite well so far. And let us hope.... but no one really knows where we are on this curve and if 2nd and 3rd waves will come and frankly, it will take a long time for things to return normal because unless.. because when we reopen how do u allow international travel and what kind of protocol you introduce that enable people that those coming in and out for business and work are safe, who does the testing, you do testing after departure or before departure, temperature means nothing, asymptomatic cases are 80%, the issue will have to be worked out because it will be a long haul before we even before we see a semblance of normalcy. SS: Back on sourcing from Singapore, the role played by the mission to get medical equipment sourced JA: As I told you because it is a global trading hub, a lot of international trading firm are based in Singapore, many of them have Indian lineage and like for example olam international is an agro commodity company present in 70 countries and is based out of Singapore, it has been co-founded by Indians and not 5 generations ago, these are Indians who are graduates of IIMs and all. The government essentially looked at let us diversify to different sources and ultimately they procured from various places--it could be Korea, china and it could even be some other places, and one of the sense is always that Singapore based companies always do a lot of due diligence and since they have experience in international trading, they have good logistics and all arranged with them and as I said when we were looking at a quotation for test kits and things, we had so many companies here even for PPEs, so many companies came up with offers, because being a trading hub, they have networks of supply chains that work extremely well, so that is one of the reasons, govt asked us to look at arranging for procurement, a lot of these factories are in china but masks are made in many countries. It is a question of getting the right source because speed is essential and working of supply of china is also necessary.

EXCLUSIVE- We will get a million PPEs from Singapore: Indian envoy

Singaporean Reverend Samuel Gift Stephen originally intended to donate just a lunch to thousands of migrant workers undergoing quarantine for Good Friday (April 10).

Coronavirus Outbreak: Singapore pastor battles food crisis for migrants

Singapore is now witnessing resurgence of the coronavirus, in the form of a second wave. Watch this video to know more.

Singapore braces for second wave of COVID-19

The number of coronavirus cases has spiked across Asia, crushing hopes that the region had contained the outbreak.

Big blow for Singapore since COVID-19 Pandemic: 728 new coronavirus cases

Second wave of Coronavirus hits Singapore

Another wave of coronavirus outbreak threatens Singapore as the country reported late on Thursday a record jump in the number of cases.

The Ministry of Health reported 728 new cases, the biggest rise on a daily basis, taking the toll number of infections to 4,427, including 10 deaths. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-once-chinas-coronavirus-epicentre-raises-death-toll-by-50-293040">Wuhan, once China's coronavirus epicentre raises death toll by 50%</a>

"The number of new cases amongst Work Permit holders residing in dormitories has increased significantly, in line with our continued efforts to actively test and isolate the infected workers," the ministry said.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-economy-shrinks-suffers-huge-drop-in-face-of-coronavirus-battle-293039">China's economy shrinks, suffers huge drop in face of coronavirus battle</a>

It further said that around 90 per cent of the new cases were linked to people living in dorms and another 26 foreign workers living outside the facilities.&nbsp;

Earlier, Singapore was the part of a smaller group of countries that have well-fought the coronavirus crisis with praises coming from the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, the virus is spreading rapidly from migrant workers, which form a major part of the country's workforce.

Around 200,000 workers, mostly from South Asia, live in 43 dorms across Singapore.&nbsp;

A large part of this workforce is involved in construction activities and their poor living conditions in the dorms were sharply criticised, following which the government moved thousands of them in areas that are not densely populated to lessen the spread of infection.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, veteran Singapore diplomat hit out at the government on Facebook describing it as a "the disgraceful way" &nbsp;of treating foreign workers.&nbsp;

It should be a "wake-up call to treat our indispensable foreign workers like a first world country should", he said. &nbsp;

(With AFP, Reuters inputs)

Another wave of coronavirus outbreak threatens Singapore as the country reported late on Thursday a record jump in the number of cases. The Ministry of Health reported 728 new cases, the biggest rise on a daily basis, taking the toll number of infections to 4,427, including 10 deaths.

Another wave of coronavirus outbreak threatens Singapore as the country reported late on Thursday a record jump in the number of cases. The Ministry of Health reported 728 new cases, the biggest rise on a daily basis, taking the toll number of infections to 4,427, including 10 deaths. Also read | Wuhan, once China's coronavirus epicentre raises death toll by 50% "The number of new cases amongst Work Permit holders residing in dormitories has increased significantly, in line with our continued efforts to actively test and isolate the infected workers," the ministry said. Also read | China's economy shrinks, suffers huge drop in face of coronavirus battle It further said that around 90 per cent of the new cases were linked to people living in dorms and another 26 foreign workers living outside the facilities. Earlier, Singapore was the part of a smaller group of countries that have well-fought the coronavirus crisis with praises coming from the World Health Organization (WHO). However, the virus is spreading rapidly from migrant workers, which form a major part of the country's workforce. Around 200,000 workers, mostly from South Asia, live in 43 dorms across Singapore. A large part of this workforce is involved in construction activities and their poor living conditions in the dorms were sharply criticised, following which the government moved thousands of them in areas that are not densely populated to lessen the spread of infection. Earlier this month, veteran Singapore diplomat hit out at the government on Facebook describing it as a "the disgraceful way" of treating foreign workers. It should be a "wake-up call to treat our indispensable foreign workers like a first world country should", he said. (With AFP, Reuters inputs)

Second wave of coronavirus wave threatens Singapore as country witnesses record infections

Singapore is battling the second wave of pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19). It has reported the highest single day surge of 142 positive cases.

Singapore battles second wave of pandemic COVID-19, reports highest single day surge of 142 cases

Singapore teachers have stopped using Zoom, a video-conferencing app, after intruders made lewd comments in an online class, officials said on Friday.

The city-state's schools were shut down earlier this week as a part of measures to control the novel coronavirus outbreak, but students are attending classes via so-called "home-based learning".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belgium-records-496-coronavirus-related-deaths-in-24-hours-toll-crosses-3000-291800">Belgium records 496 coronavirus related deaths in 24 hours; toll crosses 3,000</a>

During a session on geography on Zoom that involved teenage girls too, two men intruded into the livestream, displayed obscene photographs and made lewd remarks, Singapore's Straits Times newspaper reported.

Zoom's popularity has risen amid lockdown that is put in place in most countries to check COVID-19 spread, but widespread concerns over privacy and security still continue.&nbsp;

Singapore's education ministry is probing the "very serious incidents" and teachers have suspended the use of the app till the security issues are settled, aid Aaron Loh, from the ministry's educational technology division.

"We are already working with Zoom to enhance its security settings and make these security measures clear and easy to follow," Loh said in a statement.

However, he added that home-based teaching would continue.&nbsp;

Zoom, in a statement, said that it "strongly condemns" such behaviour, adding it was "committed to providing educators with the tools and resources they need on a safe and secure platform".

(With AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

Singapore teachers have stopped using Zoom, a video-conferencing app, after intruders made lewd comments in an online class, officials said on Friday. The city-state's schools were shut down earlier this week as a part of measures to control the novel coronavirus outbreak, but students are attending classes via so-called "home-based learning".

Singapore teachers have stopped using Zoom, a video-conferencing app, after intruders made lewd comments in an online class, officials said on Friday. The city-state's schools were shut down earlier this week as a part of measures to control the novel coronavirus outbreak, but students are attending classes via so-called "home-based learning". Also read | Belgium records 496 coronavirus related deaths in 24 hours; toll crosses 3,000 During a session on geography on Zoom that involved teenage girls too, two men intruded into the livestream, displayed obscene photographs and made lewd remarks, Singapore's Straits Times newspaper reported. Zoom's popularity has risen amid lockdown that is put in place in most countries to check COVID-19 spread, but widespread concerns over privacy and security still continue. Singapore's education ministry is probing the "very serious incidents" and teachers have suspended the use of the app till the security issues are settled, aid Aaron Loh, from the ministry's educational technology division. "We are already working with Zoom to enhance its security settings and make these security measures clear and easy to follow," Loh said in a statement. However, he added that home-based teaching would continue. Zoom, in a statement, said that it "strongly condemns" such behaviour, adding it was "committed to providing educators with the tools and resources they need on a safe and secure platform". (With AFP inputs)

Singapore teachers stop teaching via Zoom app after intruders gatecrash online session

Singapore’s strict surveillance and quarantine regime helped slow the COVID-19 outbreak when the virus first spread from China in January, but recent rises in locally transmitted cases have raised fresh concerns.

Singapore’s strict surveillance and quarantine regime helped slow the COVID-19 outbreak when the virus first spread from China in January, but recent rises in locally transmitted cases have raised fresh concerns. Singapore reported 142 new infections on Wednesday. Infections are rising sharply and authorities this week introduced tough new curbs. The health ministry on Wednesday reported 142 new cases -- Singapore's biggest daily increase since the outbreak began. Forty of the new cases were linked to foreign worker dormitories. Tens of thousands of blue-collar foreign workers live in close quarters in the city-state. The city-state, which is battling a worsening outbreak, this week quarantined four large dormitory complexes housing tens of thousands of mostly South Asian workers, where more than 200 cases have so far been detected. Infections have also been recorded in a handful of other facilities. "Migrant workers living in crowded quarters, without opportunities to self-isolate and protect themselves, are at particular risk of exposure to the virus," said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Amnesty's Singapore researcher. Alex Au, vice president of migrant rights group Transient Workers Count Too, called on the government to temporarily house some workers in other locations such as army barracks. "We fear that if the density of the dorms is not lowered... if the men are not thinned out, infections in many of the dorms will rise," he said. Singapore has reported more than 1,600 virus cases including six deaths, relatively low by global standards, and has won praise for its handling of the outbreak. (With inputs from AFP)

Rise in locally transmitted COVID-19 cases raises concern in Singapore 

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down economies, and rendered many people without wages, especially in the unorganised sector. One country has stepped up efforts to deal with this!

The Singapore government has rolled in relief measures to ease the economic fallout from lockdowns induced by the coronavirus pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-drugs-to-life-saving-paraphernalia-how-the-dark-web-is-capitalising-on-pandemic-panic-291049" hreflang="en">From drugs to life-saving paraphernalia: How the dark web is capitalising on pandemic panic!</a>

Almost the whole world is currently shut down, with economic and industrial activity resuming only in China, the original epicentre of COVID-19.

The government intends to pay over 75 per cent salaries of all local and permanent resident workers for April to compensate for losses.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealands-health-minister-calls-himself-an-idiot-for-circumventing-lockdown-directives-gets-demoted-291065" hreflang="en">New Zealand's health minister calls himself 'an idiot' for circumventing lockdown directives; gets demoted</a>

Additionally, as expressed by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, people would also receive money under the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS). It will be fast tracked for this month to avoid shortage of cash!

According to local news portal Straits Times, this is the third attempt in a series of relief measures aimed at workers.

Almost 2 million workers in the country will receive wage subsidies and assistance from the government.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-extends-coronavirus-lockdown-till-april-30-291067" hreflang="en">Philippines extends coronavirus lockdown till April 30</a>

The lockdown has halted most industries, with no firms operating in the country right now. “Circuit breaker measures” were announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday.

As part of this circuit-breaking, only essential services will operate for a month, with everything else ordered to remain shut.

Heng reiterated that employers should pay their workers even during the period, otherwise operations will not resume smoothly after the lockdown is lifted.

(With inputs from agencies)

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down economies, and rendered many people without wages, especially in the unorganised sector. One country has stepped up efforts to deal with this!

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down economies, and rendered many people without wages, especially in the unorganised sector. One country has stepped up efforts to deal with this! The Singapore government has rolled in relief measures to ease the economic fallout from lockdowns induced by the coronavirus pandemic. Also read: From drugs to life-saving paraphernalia: How the dark web is capitalising on pandemic panic! Almost the whole world is currently shut down, with economic and industrial activity resuming only in China, the original epicentre of COVID-19. The government intends to pay over 75 per cent salaries of all local and permanent resident workers for April to compensate for losses. Also read: New Zealand's health minister calls himself 'an idiot' for circumventing lockdown directives; gets demoted Additionally, as expressed by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, people would also receive money under the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS). It will be fast tracked for this month to avoid shortage of cash! According to local news portal Straits Times, this is the third attempt in a series of relief measures aimed at workers. Almost 2 million workers in the country will receive wage subsidies and assistance from the government. Also read: Philippines extends coronavirus lockdown till April 30 The lockdown has halted most industries, with no firms operating in the country right now. “Circuit breaker measures” were announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday. As part of this circuit-breaking, only essential services will operate for a month, with everything else ordered to remain shut. Heng reiterated that employers should pay their workers even during the period, otherwise operations will not resume smoothly after the lockdown is lifted. (With inputs from agencies)

This Asian country is paying 75% wages of 2 million workers this month to beat economic slowdown

From global leaders' conference to weddings, coronavirus outbreak has forced people to take their daily lives online. School, colleges to even birthday parties everything is now happening over video conference.&nbsp;

Amid all this, "cloud-clubbing" parties are starting to gain popularity in Singapore, where DJs are live-streaming their performances through a live streaming app while others confined at their homes parties to the thumping music.

Speaking to news agency AFP, DJ Nash conceded that he did find it weird to pay for an online audience, however, positive comments helped him to through it.

"When you play for a dance floor with a room full of people, you can feel the energy come back, and I like to DJ off that energy," the DJ, real name Dhanish Nair said.

"Whatever song requests that they had actually guided me in a certain direction," he added.

As well as the comments which came in via live-streaming app Bigo Live, clubbers sent virtual gifts to the DJs such as bells and snowflakes that can later be exchanged for cash.

The nightclub partnered with gaming equipment company Razer and the live-streaming app, attracting 200,000 total views for the three-hour event. At its peak, 5,600 people were watching via the app.

The trend is another example of how the virus, which has left some 3.6 billion people stuck at home under lockdowns, is upending daily life in ways unthinkable until recently as governments impose social-distancing curbs to stem its spread.

(With inputs from AFP)

From global leaders' conference to weddings, coronavirus outbreak has forced people to take their daily lives online. School, colleges to even birthday parties everything is now happening over video conference.

From global leaders' conference to weddings, coronavirus outbreak has forced people to take their daily lives online. School, colleges to even birthday parties everything is now happening over video conference. Amid all this, "cloud-clubbing" parties are starting to gain popularity in Singapore, where DJs are live-streaming their performances through a live streaming app while others confined at their homes parties to the thumping music. Speaking to news agency AFP, DJ Nash conceded that he did find it weird to pay for an online audience, however, positive comments helped him to through it. "When you play for a dance floor with a room full of people, you can feel the energy come back, and I like to DJ off that energy," the DJ, real name Dhanish Nair said. "Whatever song requests that they had actually guided me in a certain direction," he added. As well as the comments which came in via live-streaming app Bigo Live, clubbers sent virtual gifts to the DJs such as bells and snowflakes that can later be exchanged for cash. The nightclub partnered with gaming equipment company Razer and the live-streaming app, attracting 200,000 total views for the three-hour event. At its peak, 5,600 people were watching via the app. The trend is another example of how the virus, which has left some 3.6 billion people stuck at home under lockdowns, is upending daily life in ways unthinkable until recently as governments impose social-distancing curbs to stem its spread. (With inputs from AFP)

'Cloud-clubbing' in Singapore as coronavirus shuts nightspots

A fresh bid to overturn a Singapore law banning gay sex failed Monday as a court dismissed several challenges, a setback for efforts to promote greater LGBT rights in Asia.

Inherited from the British colonial era, the law is rarely enforced but campaigners say it nevertheless jars with the affluent city-state's increasingly modern and vibrant culture.&nbsp;

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Others, however, argue that Singapore remains at heart conservative and is not ready for change, while officials also believe most would not be in favour of repealing the legislation.

The latest attempt to overturn the law was spearheaded by three people -- a retired doctor, a DJ and an LGBT rights advocate -- who lodged court challenges seeking to prove the law is unconstitutional.

But the High Court dismissed all three after hearing them together behind closed doors, ruling the law does not violate articles of the constitution regarding equality and freedom of speech.

The court also found the fact the legislation was not enforced did not "render it redundant".&nbsp;

"Legislation remains important in reflecting public sentiment and beliefs," according to a summary of the judgement.

M Ravi, a lawyer for one of the complainants, told reporters outside court he was "very disappointed".

"It's shocking to the conscience and it is so arbitrary. It is so discriminatory this legislation," he said.

The first challenge to the law was dismissed in 2014. The repeated failure to overturn it contrasts sharply with progress made elsewhere in the region on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights.

In 2018, India's Supreme Court decriminalised gay sex by overturning legislation from its own period under British rule -- a decision that spurred campaigners in Singapore to renew their efforts.

And in Taiwan, lawmakers took the unprecedented step last year to legalise same-sex marriage, making the island the first place in Asia to do so.&nbsp;

Singapore's ban, introduced in 1938, carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail for homosexual acts.

A fresh bid to overturn a Singapore law banning gay sex failed Monday as a court dismissed several challenges, a setback for efforts to promote greater LGBT rights in Asia.

A fresh bid to overturn a Singapore law banning gay sex failed Monday as a court dismissed several challenges, a setback for efforts to promote greater LGBT rights in Asia. Inherited from the British colonial era, the law is rarely enforced but campaigners say it nevertheless jars with the affluent city-state's increasingly modern and vibrant culture. Also read | Many LGBTQ people in China forced into illegal 'conversion therapy': Groups Others, however, argue that Singapore remains at heart conservative and is not ready for change, while officials also believe most would not be in favour of repealing the legislation. The latest attempt to overturn the law was spearheaded by three people -- a retired doctor, a DJ and an LGBT rights advocate -- who lodged court challenges seeking to prove the law is unconstitutional. But the High Court dismissed all three after hearing them together behind closed doors, ruling the law does not violate articles of the constitution regarding equality and freedom of speech. The court also found the fact the legislation was not enforced did not "render it redundant". "Legislation remains important in reflecting public sentiment and beliefs," according to a summary of the judgement. M Ravi, a lawyer for one of the complainants, told reporters outside court he was "very disappointed". "It's shocking to the conscience and it is so arbitrary. It is so discriminatory this legislation," he said. The first challenge to the law was dismissed in 2014. The repeated failure to overturn it contrasts sharply with progress made elsewhere in the region on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. In 2018, India's Supreme Court decriminalised gay sex by overturning legislation from its own period under British rule -- a decision that spurred campaigners in Singapore to renew their efforts. And in Taiwan, lawmakers took the unprecedented step last year to legalise same-sex marriage, making the island the first place in Asia to do so. Singapore's ban, introduced in 1938, carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail for homosexual acts.

Singapore court rejects challenge to gay sex ban

&nbsp;Singapore's opposition parties are calling on the government to not hold a general election during the coronavirus outbreak, with one party saying such a move would be "irresponsible".

Singapore, which must hold a national ballot by early 2021, revised its electoral boundaries on Friday, in a move typically seen as a precursor to calling a vote imminently.

The government had two choices for timing the election - either hope the virus situation will stabilise before the end of its term or to call for a vote early, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday.

Lee's People's Action Party has ruled Singapore since independence over half a century ago.

Opposition parties said the government should wait for the virus outbreak to end before calling elections in the city-state where voting is compulsory.

Singapore has confirmed 212 cases of the virus.

More than 2.6 million voters could be exposed to the virus at polling stations and at large rallies during campaigns, said Tan Cheng Bock, leader of the newly launched Progress Singapore Party (PSP).

"There is this potential mass exposure to this virus. So holding a general election at this time should not be considered," said Tan, a prominent opposition figure and a former PAP lawmaker.

The Singapore Democratic Party said on Friday an election during the outbreak would "take away valuable resources needed to combat the virus outbreak and jeopardise the public's health and well-being".

"The SDP calls on the PAP to refrain from such an irresponsible act," it said.

Neither party currently holds seats in parliament.

On Friday, Singapore authorities issued new virus-fighting measures for people to reduce close contact, including cancelling or deferring ticketed events with more than 250 participants.

While the government has not yet set a date, polling day in the previous two general elections followed within three months of the release of the electoral boundaries report .

Other countries have been postponing their elections due to the pandemic.

Local and mayoral elections, previously scheduled for May, in England have been postponed for a year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Georgia elections officials have delayed the U.S. state's presidential primary set for March 24 until May 19.

Singapore's opposition parties are calling on the government to not hold a general election during the coronavirus outbreak, with one party saying such a move would be "irresponsible".

Singapore's opposition parties are calling on the government to not hold a general election during the coronavirus outbreak, with one party saying such a move would be "irresponsible". Singapore, which must hold a national ballot by early 2021, revised its electoral boundaries on Friday, in a move typically seen as a precursor to calling a vote imminently. The government had two choices for timing the election - either hope the virus situation will stabilise before the end of its term or to call for a vote early, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday. Lee's People's Action Party has ruled Singapore since independence over half a century ago. Opposition parties said the government should wait for the virus outbreak to end before calling elections in the city-state where voting is compulsory. Singapore has confirmed 212 cases of the virus. More than 2.6 million voters could be exposed to the virus at polling stations and at large rallies during campaigns, said Tan Cheng Bock, leader of the newly launched Progress Singapore Party (PSP). "There is this potential mass exposure to this virus. So holding a general election at this time should not be considered," said Tan, a prominent opposition figure and a former PAP lawmaker. The Singapore Democratic Party said on Friday an election during the outbreak would "take away valuable resources needed to combat the virus outbreak and jeopardise the public's health and well-being". "The SDP calls on the PAP to refrain from such an irresponsible act," it said. Neither party currently holds seats in parliament. On Friday, Singapore authorities issued new virus-fighting measures for people to reduce close contact, including cancelling or deferring ticketed events with more than 250 participants. While the government has not yet set a date, polling day in the previous two general elections followed within three months of the release of the electoral boundaries report . Other countries have been postponing their elections due to the pandemic. Local and mayoral elections, previously scheduled for May, in England have been postponed for a year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Georgia elections officials have delayed the U.S. state's presidential primary set for March 24 until May 19.

Singapore opposition parties urge government against elections amid coronavirus

Singapore's prime minister warned on Saturday that the negative economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak will likely be deeper and more prolonged than the 2008 financial crisis.

"The economic hit will likely be more serious than the global financial crisis, and longer-lasting too, even beyond the end of the pandemic," Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post. He said the pandemic will likely last at least this year, and possibly longer.

With 200 infections, the Asian travel hub has signalled that there is a chance of a recession this year and has cut its growth forecasts.

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Lee's comments came a day after Singapore revised its electoral boundaries, in a move usually seen as a precursor to calling a vote.

Singapore must hold elections by early 2021. Before the virus hit the Asian city-state late in January, the government had been expected to call a vote within a few months.

Lee said the government could hope that the situation will stabilise before the end of its term so that it can hold elections "under more normal circumstances".

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"Or else call elections early, knowing that we are going into a hurricane, to elect a new government with a fresh mandate and a full term ahead of it, which can work with Singaporeans on the critical tasks at hand," he added.

If the elections have to be held before the outbreak is over, he said the government would take necessary precautions for parties to campaign and people to vote.

Singapore's prime minister warned on Saturday that the negative economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak will likely be deeper and more prolonged than the 2008 financial crisis.

Singapore's prime minister warned on Saturday that the negative economic effects of the coronavirus outbreak will likely be deeper and more prolonged than the 2008 financial crisis. "The economic hit will likely be more serious than the global financial crisis, and longer-lasting too, even beyond the end of the pandemic," Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post. He said the pandemic will likely last at least this year, and possibly longer. With 200 infections, the Asian travel hub has signalled that there is a chance of a recession this year and has cut its growth forecasts. Also read: World markets plunge deepens as coronavirus panic worsens Lee's comments came a day after Singapore revised its electoral boundaries, in a move usually seen as a precursor to calling a vote. Singapore must hold elections by early 2021. Before the virus hit the Asian city-state late in January, the government had been expected to call a vote within a few months. Lee said the government could hope that the situation will stabilise before the end of its term so that it can hold elections "under more normal circumstances". Also see: Tanker rates surge as traders hunt for ships to store cheap oil "Or else call elections early, knowing that we are going into a hurricane, to elect a new government with a fresh mandate and a full term ahead of it, which can work with Singaporeans on the critical tasks at hand," he added. If the elections have to be held before the outbreak is over, he said the government would take necessary precautions for parties to campaign and people to vote.

Singapore PM: Virus hit to economy likely worse than 2008 crisis

Singapore will allow cruise ship Costa Fortuna to dock in the city-state on Tuesday, authorities said, after it was turned away from ports in Malaysia and Thailand over coronavirus fears.

Costa Fortuna departed from Singapore, where it is home-ported, on March 3.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-allows-cruise-ship-to-dock-after-jamaica-cayman-islands-refuse-over-coronavirus-fears-283151">Mexico allows cruise ship to dock after Jamaica, Cayman Islands refuse over coronavirus fears</a>

Italian cruise line Costa Crociere said there were no suspected virus cases among its guests, which includes Italians. Italy has the largest number of cases of the virus outside China with 7,375 infections.

The operator said the ship was not allowed to enter Penang port in Malaysia due to restrictions on Italian travellers and it was not allowed to stop in Thailand due to unspecified travel restrictions.

However, the ship, which was on the first leg of the trip, did make a first stop in Langkawi, Malaysia, last week, local media reported.

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Costa Crociere said it would cancel a cruise due to depart on March 10 from Singapore.

All passengers entering Singapore would have to undergo temperature screening, while some may have to do a swab test for the virus, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and Singapore Tourism Board said in a joint statement.

Singapore's cruise terminals remain open to scheduled cruise calls out of Singapore. Unscheduled calls have not been allowed since Feb. 24, the authorities said.

In recent weeks, journeys on other cruise ships have also been disrupted due to worries over the spread of the virus.

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MS Westerdam, operated by Carnival Corp's Holland America Line, was allowed to dock in Cambodia's Sihanoukville in mid-February having been turned away at five other ports after it set sail from Hong Kong on Feb. 1.

Diamond Princess, another cruise ship owned by Carnival, had been quarantined off the coast of Japan in February and was for a time the largest concentration of coronavirus cases outside China.

Singapore will allow cruise ship Costa Fortuna to dock in the city-state on Tuesday, authorities said, after it was turned away from ports in Malaysia and Thailand over coronavirus fears.

Singapore will allow cruise ship Costa Fortuna to dock in the city-state on Tuesday, authorities said, after it was turned away from ports in Malaysia and Thailand over coronavirus fears. Costa Fortuna departed from Singapore, where it is home-ported, on March 3. Also Read: Mexico allows cruise ship to dock after Jamaica, Cayman Islands refuse over coronavirus fears Italian cruise line Costa Crociere said there were no suspected virus cases among its guests, which includes Italians. Italy has the largest number of cases of the virus outside China with 7,375 infections. The operator said the ship was not allowed to enter Penang port in Malaysia due to restrictions on Italian travellers and it was not allowed to stop in Thailand due to unspecified travel restrictions. However, the ship, which was on the first leg of the trip, did make a first stop in Langkawi, Malaysia, last week, local media reported. Also Read: Japan to quarantine cruise ship after Hong Kong man tests positive for coronavirus Costa Crociere said it would cancel a cruise due to depart on March 10 from Singapore. All passengers entering Singapore would have to undergo temperature screening, while some may have to do a swab test for the virus, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and Singapore Tourism Board said in a joint statement. Singapore's cruise terminals remain open to scheduled cruise calls out of Singapore. Unscheduled calls have not been allowed since Feb. 24, the authorities said. In recent weeks, journeys on other cruise ships have also been disrupted due to worries over the spread of the virus. Also Read: US to evacuate American citizens aboard quarantined cruise ship in Japan MS Westerdam, operated by Carnival Corp's Holland America Line, was allowed to dock in Cambodia's Sihanoukville in mid-February having been turned away at five other ports after it set sail from Hong Kong on Feb. 1. Diamond Princess, another cruise ship owned by Carnival, had been quarantined off the coast of Japan in February and was for a time the largest concentration of coronavirus cases outside China.

Entry banned in Malaysia and Thailand amid virus fears, Ship returns Singapore

An Indonesian maid was jailed for two years in Singapore Thursday for giving money to an Islamic State-linked terror outfit blamed for a string of attacks in her home country.&nbsp;

The affluent city-state is home to over 250,000 maids from neighbouring Indonesia and has seen a string of cases where foreign domestic helpers have allegedly been radicalised.&nbsp;

Anindia Afiyantari donated Sg$130 (US$94) last year to charities used as fronts by Indonesia-based Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), described by prosecutors as among "the most dangerous terrorist organisations" in Southeast Asia.

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It has been blamed for attacks, including the stabbing of President Joko Widodo's chief security minister Wiranto and deadly suicide bombings at several churches.

"The accused's actions of plotting to finance terrorist acts... strike at the very heart of Singapore's harmony," prosecutors said, according to court documents.

The 33-year-old who earned Sg$600 a month was introduced to radical religious teachings by other Indonesian domestic helpers in Singapore.

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As well as donating to charities, she uploaded videos of bombings and killings by the Islamic State group on Facebook and created new accounts when her posts were blocked, prosecutors said.

The jihadists controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria until their defeat last year.

Two other Indonesian maids were jailed in Singapore last month one for 18 months and the other 45 months after pleading guilty to charges of financing terrorism.

An Indonesian maid was jailed for two years in Singapore Thursday for giving money to an Islamic State-linked terror outfit blamed for a string of attacks in her home country.

An Indonesian maid was jailed for two years in Singapore Thursday for giving money to an Islamic State-linked terror outfit blamed for a string of attacks in her home country. The affluent city-state is home to over 250,000 maids from neighbouring Indonesia and has seen a string of cases where foreign domestic helpers have allegedly been radicalised. Anindia Afiyantari donated Sg$130 (US$94) last year to charities used as fronts by Indonesia-based Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD), described by prosecutors as among "the most dangerous terrorist organisations" in Southeast Asia. Also read: Indonesia seizes half a million virus masks amid panic buying It has been blamed for attacks, including the stabbing of President Joko Widodo's chief security minister Wiranto and deadly suicide bombings at several churches. "The accused's actions of plotting to finance terrorist acts... strike at the very heart of Singapore's harmony," prosecutors said, according to court documents. The 33-year-old who earned Sg$600 a month was introduced to radical religious teachings by other Indonesian domestic helpers in Singapore. Also see: Indonesia: Two hurt in suspected grenade blast near presidential palace As well as donating to charities, she uploaded videos of bombings and killings by the Islamic State group on Facebook and created new accounts when her posts were blocked, prosecutors said. The jihadists controlled large areas of Iraq and Syria until their defeat last year. Two other Indonesian maids were jailed in Singapore last month one for 18 months and the other 45 months after pleading guilty to charges of financing terrorism.

Singapore jails Indonesian maid for funding IS-linked group

From a boat on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar, Than Zaw Oo pointed to a brown stretch of water he said was once full of lush paddy fields.

"This used to be my land," said the 51-year-old farmer, frowning at the murky waves.

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All but six of the 24 acres where he used to grow rice and vegetables have slipped into the water in recent years, he said. Another farmer, Than Tun, said he had lost 15 acres of his land to erosion. While official records were not available, other villagers backed their accounts.

Farmers and politicians in Chaungzon township, just outside the southern town of Moulmein, worry that erosion in the area is being exacerbated by the ships that dredge its bed for sand each night.

The sand is mainly bound for Singapore, the world's biggest importer, for use in reclamation and construction projects.

Both the Myanmar government and the company whose ships do the dredging in Chaungzon deny the dredging is causing the erosion. But the dispute highlights the fractious issue of sand-mining in Southeast Asia as Singapore is forced to look farther afield to slake its thirst for the mineral following bans on the trade-in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia over environmental concerns.

Sand mining has been blamed by scientists for damaging sensitive ecosystems around the world, accelerating coastal and riverine erosion, and exacerbating the frequency and severity of floods and droughts, according to a 2019 report by the UN Environment Programme.

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Malaysia, formerly the biggest source of sand for Singapore, in 2018 introduced an outright ban on the export of sea sand, used for land reclamation, and imposed tighter controls on river sand, used mostly in construction.

Cambodia made a similar move in 2017, while Indonesia banned exports to Singapore in 2007, causing a "sand crisis" that brought building activity almost to a halt. Singapore, an island state that has grown 25 per cent since its independence in 1965 thanks largely to aggressive land reclamation, has since bolstered its stockpiles, according to sand traders.

Officials in Myanmar and industry sources in Singapore say the bans have prompted Singapore to seek new supplies from countries like Myanmar.

Almost 1 million tonnes of sand went from Myanmar to Singapore in 2018, earning over $6 million, according to the most recent UN data on the trade. That amount is expected to have increased substantially following the Malaysia bans, according to the Myanmar government.

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"Since the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam almost completely stopped exporting sand to Singapore, the sand from Myanmar has become much more in demand," said Aye Lwin, joint secretary-general of the Myanmar Port Authority, which grants licenses for sand-mining operations.

The benefits of the mining,&nbsp;including tax revenues for the government, outweighed the costs, he said.

"I believe it only causes little environmental damage," Aye Lwin said. "But it generates funds for the government."

The Singapore-registered company dredging in Chaungzon, Star high Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., has extracted hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sand since 2013, according to the local member of Parliament, Kyi Kyi Mya. She said at least 150,000 tonnes were extracted in 2018-2019 but did not have the exact number for other years.

Star high dredges the sand legally through a licence with the local government that does not limit the amount of sand the company can extract.

Most of the sand Starhigh extracts is sent to Singapore. The company last year bid to supply sand to JTC Corporation, a Singapore government agency for infrastructure development, according to a tender on a government procurement site.

Star high also supplied sand for a JTC reclamation project in Singapore completed in 2018, according to Starhigh's managing director, Si Thu Phyo. He said the sand for that project came from Myanmar as well as Vietnam and the Philippines.

JTC referred questions from Reuters to Singapore's Ministry of National Development, which said the country imports sand on a commercial basis and that suppliers are expected to abide by laws and regulations in source countries.

The Myanmar government says the environmental impact of the dredging is minimal and necessary to clear waterways of built-up sediment.

In 2014, the company paid compensation to local farmers who claimed that mining too close to the shore had led to landslides, according to Kyi Kyi Mya, the MP in Chaungzon.

Star high did not comment on any compensation paid to farmers but said: "whenever it is possible, we will help locals with small landfill work at our own cost."

Si Thu Phyo, the Star high managing director, told Reuters that erosion was present in the area before dredging work started.

"Dredging is always an easy target when it comes to environmental complaints," he said. "People don't understand and are worried."

Riverbank erosion along the Salween is not an entirely new phenomenon, with factors including climate change worsening the problem by contributing to higher levels of flooding and siltation, said Vanessa Lamb, a geography lecturer at the University of Melbourne who has studied the river.

She said that a lack of baseline data about the river made it difficult to track just how much sand dredging was affecting riverbank erosion. But in a 2019 research paper, Lamb said locals blamed accelerating erosion on the rise in sand-mining. It was not possible to verify those claims from local records or old photographs.

Dr Aung Naing Oo, deputy speaker of the Mon state parliament and the author of a parliamentary report on sand extraction in the region, said there was little transparency around the industry.

He said that there was no consistent monitoring process and that authorities were not checking how much sand was being extracted or whether companies were taking material only from agreed sites.

For now, the government says it does not have plans to end the dredging or compensate farmers for lost land.

From a boat on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar, Than Zaw Oo pointed to a brown stretch of water he said was once full of lush paddy fields. "This used to be my land," said the 51-year-old farmer, frowning at the murky waves.

From a boat on the Salween River in southeastern Myanmar, Than Zaw Oo pointed to a brown stretch of water he said was once full of lush paddy fields. "This used to be my land," said the 51-year-old farmer, frowning at the murky waves. Also read: Illegal sand mining still ongoing in Madhya Pradesh, says Mineral Resources Minister All but six of the 24 acres where he used to grow rice and vegetables have slipped into the water in recent years, he said. Another farmer, Than Tun, said he had lost 15 acres of his land to erosion. While official records were not available, other villagers backed their accounts. Farmers and politicians in Chaungzon township, just outside the southern town of Moulmein, worry that erosion in the area is being exacerbated by the ships that dredge its bed for sand each night. The sand is mainly bound for Singapore, the world's biggest importer, for use in reclamation and construction projects. Both the Myanmar government and the company whose ships do the dredging in Chaungzon deny the dredging is causing the erosion. But the dispute highlights the fractious issue of sand-mining in Southeast Asia as Singapore is forced to look farther afield to slake its thirst for the mineral following bans on the trade-in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia over environmental concerns. Sand mining has been blamed by scientists for damaging sensitive ecosystems around the world, accelerating coastal and riverine erosion, and exacerbating the frequency and severity of floods and droughts, according to a 2019 report by the UN Environment Programme. Also read: Illegal sand mining: Central Bureau of Investigation conducts raids in North India Malaysia, formerly the biggest source of sand for Singapore, in 2018 introduced an outright ban on the export of sea sand, used for land reclamation, and imposed tighter controls on river sand, used mostly in construction. Cambodia made a similar move in 2017, while Indonesia banned exports to Singapore in 2007, causing a "sand crisis" that brought building activity almost to a halt. Singapore, an island state that has grown 25 per cent since its independence in 1965 thanks largely to aggressive land reclamation, has since bolstered its stockpiles, according to sand traders. Officials in Myanmar and industry sources in Singapore say the bans have prompted Singapore to seek new supplies from countries like Myanmar. Almost 1 million tonnes of sand went from Myanmar to Singapore in 2018, earning over $6 million, according to the most recent UN data on the trade. That amount is expected to have increased substantially following the Malaysia bans, according to the Myanmar government. Also read: Nepal protester shot dead after boy dies in mining pit "Since the Philippines, Cambodia, and Vietnam almost completely stopped exporting sand to Singapore, the sand from Myanmar has become much more in demand," said Aye Lwin, joint secretary-general of the Myanmar Port Authority, which grants licenses for sand-mining operations. The benefits of the mining, including tax revenues for the government, outweighed the costs, he said. "I believe it only causes little environmental damage," Aye Lwin said. "But it generates funds for the government." The Singapore-registered company dredging in Chaungzon, Star high Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., has extracted hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sand since 2013, according to the local member of Parliament, Kyi Kyi Mya. She said at least 150,000 tonnes were extracted in 2018-2019 but did not have the exact number for other years. Star high dredges the sand legally through a licence with the local government that does not limit the amount of sand the company can extract. Most of the sand Starhigh extracts is sent to Singapore. The company last year bid to supply sand to JTC Corporation, a Singapore government agency for infrastructure development, according to a tender on a government procurement site. Star high also supplied sand for a JTC reclamation project in Singapore completed in 2018, according to Starhigh's managing director, Si Thu Phyo. He said the sand for that project came from Myanmar as well as Vietnam and the Philippines. JTC referred questions from Reuters to Singapore's Ministry of National Development, which said the country imports sand on a commercial basis and that suppliers are expected to abide by laws and regulations in source countries. The Myanmar government says the environmental impact of the dredging is minimal and necessary to clear waterways of built-up sediment. In 2014, the company paid compensation to local farmers who claimed that mining too close to the shore had led to landslides, according to Kyi Kyi Mya, the MP in Chaungzon. Star high did not comment on any compensation paid to farmers but said: "whenever it is possible, we will help locals with small landfill work at our own cost." Si Thu Phyo, the Star high managing director, told Reuters that erosion was present in the area before dredging work started. "Dredging is always an easy target when it comes to environmental complaints," he said. "People don't understand and are worried." Riverbank erosion along the Salween is not an entirely new phenomenon, with factors including climate change worsening the problem by contributing to higher levels of flooding and siltation, said Vanessa Lamb, a geography lecturer at the University of Melbourne who has studied the river. She said that a lack of baseline data about the river made it difficult to track just how much sand dredging was affecting riverbank erosion. But in a 2019 research paper, Lamb said locals blamed accelerating erosion on the rise in sand-mining. It was not possible to verify those claims from local records or old photographs. Dr Aung Naing Oo, deputy speaker of the Mon state parliament and the author of a parliamentary report on sand extraction in the region, said there was little transparency around the industry. He said that there was no consistent monitoring process and that authorities were not checking how much sand was being extracted or whether companies were taking material only from agreed sites. For now, the government says it does not have plans to end the dredging or compensate farmers for lost land.

As Myanmar farmers lose their land, sand mining for Singapore is blamed

Irish singer Ronan Keating removed a social media post about ships near Singapore not being allowed to dock because of the coronavirus after several online users said it was misleading. 
 
"You say it best when you say nothing at all," Instagram user Gweezilla commented on Keating`s post, referring to his hit song made famous by the romantic comedy film "Notting Hill". 
 
Keating, who shot to prominence in the 1990s as a member of boyband Boyzone, posted a photograph of about two dozen ships anchored off the city on Instagram and Twitter, with a caption that said the traffic was related to the coronavirus. 
 
But ships at sea off the world`s second-busiest port are a common sight and many social media users were quick to tell him so. 
The city-state`s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) also responded to Keating`s post on Monday, saying a ship arrives or leaves Singapore every 2-3 minutes and that there can be about 1,000 ships there at any one time.

"#WeCouldntSayNothingAtAll," the MPA added. 
 
Keating`s posts were not available on Tuesday. Keating on Saturday performed at an event in Jakarta, Indonesia, but it was not immediately clear if he was in Singapore. 
 
Singapore has had just over 100 cases of the coronavirus.

Irish singer Ronan Keating removed a social media post about ships near Singapore not being allowed to dock because of the coronavirus after several online users said it was misleading.

Irish singer Ronan Keating removed a social media post about ships near Singapore not being allowed to dock because of the coronavirus after several online users said it was misleading. "You say it best when you say nothing at all," Instagram user Gweezilla commented on Keating`s post, referring to his hit song made famous by the romantic comedy film "Notting Hill". Keating, who shot to prominence in the 1990s as a member of boyband Boyzone, posted a photograph of about two dozen ships anchored off the city on Instagram and Twitter, with a caption that said the traffic was related to the coronavirus. But ships at sea off the world`s second-busiest port are a common sight and many social media users were quick to tell him so. The city-state`s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) also responded to Keating`s post on Monday, saying a ship arrives or leaves Singapore every 2-3 minutes and that there can be about 1,000 ships there at any one time. "#WeCouldntSayNothingAtAll," the MPA added. Keating`s posts were not available on Tuesday. Keating on Saturday performed at an event in Jakarta, Indonesia, but it was not immediately clear if he was in Singapore. Singapore has had just over 100 cases of the coronavirus.

Ronan Keating chided for Singapore coronavirus post

Singapore aims to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, making a bigger bet on electric cars as part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gases and fight climate change, the finance minister said on Tuesday.

Singapore aims to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, making a bigger bet on electric cars as part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gases and fight climate change, the finance minister said on Tuesday. The wealthy city-state of 5.7 million, which is hiking investment in flood defences, joins Norway, Britain and others in setting a target to cut the use of vehicles with combustion engines. Also Read: Legal challenge to Singapore misinformation law rejected "Our vision is to phase out ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles and have all vehicles run on cleaner energy by 2040," Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said in his budget speech. Singapore, which has been criticised by Tesla CEO Elon Musk as not being supportive of electric vehicles, is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a car and there are few electric vehicles on the roads. In Tuesday's budget, Heng said measures to encourage electric vehicle adoption included a registration fee rebate on purchases of fully electric car and taxis. The country, an oil-refining hub, will also expand public charging infrastructure to 28,000 points by 2030 from 1,600 now. "As a low-lying island nation, rising sea levels threatens our very existence," Heng said, adding that he was setting aside a coastal and flood protection fund with an initial injection of S$5 billion ($3.6 billion). Last year, the prime minister said protecting Singapore against rising sea levels could cost S$100 billion ($72 billion) or more over 100 years.

Singapore aims to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040

Singapore aims to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, making a bigger bet on electric cars as part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gases and fight climate change, the finance minister said on Tuesday.

The wealthy city-state of 5.7 million, which is hiking investment in flood defences, joins Norway, Britain and others in setting a target to cut the use of vehicles with combustion engines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-wants-petrol-diesel-vehicles-out-by-2035-proposes-switching-to-hybrid-vehicles-278805">UK wants petrol &amp; diesel vehicles out by 2035, proposes switching to hybrid vehicles</a>

"Our vision is to phase out ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles and have all vehicles run on cleaner energy by 2040," Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said in his budget speech.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinese-aerobatic-team-amazes-spectators-at-singapore-airshow-280354">Singapore</a>, which has been criticised by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/musk-hands-over-first-tesla-model-3-electric-cars-to-early-buyers-18373">Tesla </a>CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/musk-hands-over-first-tesla-model-3-electric-cars-to-early-buyers-18373">Elon Musk</a> as not being supportive of electric vehicles, is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a car and there are few electric vehicles on the roads.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/musk-hands-over-first-tesla-model-3-electric-cars-to-early-buyers-18373">Musk hands over first Tesla Model 3 electric cars to early buyers</a>

In Tuesday's budget, Heng said measures to encourage electric vehicle adoption included a registration fee rebate on purchases of fully electric car and taxis.

The country, an oil-refining hub, will also expand public charging infrastructure to 28,000 points by 2030 from 1,600 now.

"As a low-lying island nation, rising sea levels threatens our very existence," Heng said, adding that he was setting aside a coastal and flood protection fund with an initial injection of S$5 billion.

Last year, the Finance&nbsp;Minister said protecting Singapore against rising sea levels could cost S$100 billion or more over 100 years.

Singapore aims to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, making a bigger bet on electric cars as part of its efforts to cut greenhouse gases and fight climate change, the finance minister said on Tuesday. The wealthy city-state of 5.7 million, which is hiking investment in flood defences, joins Norway, Britain and others in setting a target to cut the use of vehicles with combustion engines. Also read: UK wants petrol & diesel vehicles out by 2035, proposes switching to hybrid vehicles "Our vision is to phase out ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles and have all vehicles run on cleaner energy by 2040," Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said in his budget speech. Singapore, which has been criticised by Tesla CEO Elon Musk as not being supportive of electric vehicles, is one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a car and there are few electric vehicles on the roads. Also read: Musk hands over first Tesla Model 3 electric cars to early buyers In Tuesday's budget, Heng said measures to encourage electric vehicle adoption included a registration fee rebate on purchases of fully electric car and taxis. The country, an oil-refining hub, will also expand public charging infrastructure to 28,000 points by 2030 from 1,600 now. "As a low-lying island nation, rising sea levels threatens our very existence," Heng said, adding that he was setting aside a coastal and flood protection fund with an initial injection of S$5 billion. Last year, the Finance Minister said protecting Singapore against rising sea levels could cost S$100 billion or more over 100 years.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force's Bayi aerobatic team put on a spectacular performance Tuesday, the opening day of the biennial Singapore Airshow.

Chinese aerobatic team amazes spectators at Singapore Airshow

The first&nbsp;legal&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-singapore-democratic-party-to-challenge-fake-news-notices-in-court-271645">Singapore</a>'s&nbsp;law&nbsp;against online&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapores-fake-news-law-takes-effect-as-critics-sound-alarm-253218">misinformation&nbsp;</a>was&nbsp;rejected&nbsp;Wednesday, a blow to opponents who say it is being used to stifle dissent before elections.

The controversial legislation gives authorities the power to order corrections be placed next to posts they deem false.&nbsp;

It has been slammed by rights groups and tech giants, including Facebook, who claim it curbs free speech.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-singapore-democratic-party-to-challenge-fake-news-notices-in-court-271645">Singapore Democratic&nbsp;Party to challenge fake news notices in court</a>

Since the&nbsp;law&nbsp;came into force in October, several opposition figures and activists have been ordered to place a banner next to online posts stating they contain inaccurate information.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapores-fake-news-law-takes-effect-as-critics-sound-alarm-253218">Singapore&nbsp;Democratic Party</a> (SDP), one of a handful of small opposition groups in the country, mounted the&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;after a government minister told it to correct three online posts about employment.

The posts, on Facebook and the party's website, said many Singaporeans had been displaced from white-collar jobs by foreigners claims the government said were "false and misleading".

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapores-fake-news-law-takes-effect-as-critics-sound-alarm-253218">Singapore's 'fake news' law takes effect as critics sound alarm</a>

Immigration is a hot-button issue in the city-state, where the government is regularly criticised for the large presence of foreign workers.

But the High Court dismissed the&nbsp;challenge, with Justice Ang Cheng Hock ruling that the SDP's statements were "false in the face of the statistical evidence against them".

"The appellant has not challenged the accuracy of the statistical evidence, and has instead sought to critique it on other grounds," he added.

The government insists the&nbsp;misinformation&nbsp;law&nbsp;is necessary to stop falsehoods from circulating online that could sow divisions in the multi-ethnic, multi-faith country.

But political activists and opposition parties such as the SDP say it is being used to suppress criticism ahead of elections, expected to be called within months.

While it is praised for its economic management, affluent&nbsp;Singapore's government is also regularly criticised for curbing civil liberties.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapores-fake-news-law-takes-effect-as-critics-sound-alarm-253218">People's Action Party</a> has ruled&nbsp;Singapore&nbsp;for decades and looks set to comfortably win the next polls, with a fragmented opposition seen as little threat.

The first legal challenge to Singapore's law against online misinformation was rejected Wednesday, a blow to opponents who say it is being used to stifle dissent before elections.

The first legal challenge to Singapore's law against online misinformation was rejected Wednesday, a blow to opponents who say it is being used to stifle dissent before elections. The controversial legislation gives authorities the power to order corrections be placed next to posts they deem false. It has been slammed by rights groups and tech giants, including Facebook, who claim it curbs free speech. Also read: Singapore Democratic Party to challenge fake news notices in court Since the law came into force in October, several opposition figures and activists have been ordered to place a banner next to online posts stating they contain inaccurate information. The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), one of a handful of small opposition groups in the country, mounted the challenge after a government minister told it to correct three online posts about employment. The posts, on Facebook and the party's website, said many Singaporeans had been displaced from white-collar jobs by foreigners claims the government said were "false and misleading". Also read: Singapore's 'fake news' law takes effect as critics sound alarm Immigration is a hot-button issue in the city-state, where the government is regularly criticised for the large presence of foreign workers. But the High Court dismissed the challenge, with Justice Ang Cheng Hock ruling that the SDP's statements were "false in the face of the statistical evidence against them". "The appellant has not challenged the accuracy of the statistical evidence, and has instead sought to critique it on other grounds," he added. The government insists the misinformation law is necessary to stop falsehoods from circulating online that could sow divisions in the multi-ethnic, multi-faith country. But political activists and opposition parties such as the SDP say it is being used to suppress criticism ahead of elections, expected to be called within months. While it is praised for its economic management, affluent Singapore's government is also regularly criticised for curbing civil liberties. The People's Action Party has ruled Singapore for decades and looks set to comfortably win the next polls, with a fragmented opposition seen as little threat.

Legal challenge to Singapore misinformation law rejected

Singapore said on Monday that the coronavirus outbreak will hurt its economy this year, as it announced new measures to tackle the disease which originated in China and has spread to the city-state and several other countries.

The Southeast Asian travel and tourism hub, which recorded its lowest growth rate in a decade last year at 0.7 per cent, has reported four cases of the coronavirus that has killed 80 people in China so far.

"We certainly expect there to be an impact on our economy, business, and consumer confidence this year especially as the situation is expected to persist for some time," trade minister Chan Chun Sing said.

The government is considering support measures for hard-hit sectors like tourism which could include property tax, rebates and worker levy cuts, he added.

Chinese nationals make up the largest share of visitors to Singapore, one of the worst-hit countries outside of China in the 2003 outbreak of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sars-like-virus-spreading-across-china-amid-140-new-cases-third-death-275342">Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome</a> (SARS) which killed 800 people globally.

Singapore is currently forecasting growth in a wide range of 0.5-2.5 per cent&nbsp;this year.

Chan is part of a government task force set up to tackle the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-declares-coronavirus-emergency-halts-official-visits-to-mainland-china-276488">coronavirus</a> spread in Singapore.

The task force also announced a raft of new measures on Monday to halt the spread of the virus, including urging all school students and staff with a recent travel history to China to stay at home for a fortnight. Families in Singapore, many of which are ethnically Chinese and have relatives in mainland China, are currently traveling for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/paris-cancels-lunar-new-year-parade-due-to-chinas-viral-outbreak-276669">Lunar New Year</a> holidays.

It also issued a new advisory for travelers to defer all non-essential travel to mainland China and said it will start temperature screening all inbound flights to Singapore.

The death toll in China from the coronavirus grew to 80 on Monday as residents of the Hubei province, where the disease originated, were banned from entering Hong Kong amid global efforts to halt the rapid spread of the outbreak.

The virus has so far spread to more than 10 countries including the United States, Japan, and France.

Singapore said on Monday that the coronavirus outbreak will hurt its economy this year, as it announced new measures to tackle the disease which originated in China and has spread to the city-state and several other countries.

Singapore said on Monday that the coronavirus outbreak will hurt its economy this year, as it announced new measures to tackle the disease which originated in China and has spread to the city-state and several other countries. The Southeast Asian travel and tourism hub, which recorded its lowest growth rate in a decade last year at 0.7 per cent, has reported four cases of the coronavirus that has killed 80 people in China so far. "We certainly expect there to be an impact on our economy, business, and consumer confidence this year especially as the situation is expected to persist for some time," trade minister Chan Chun Sing said. The government is considering support measures for hard-hit sectors like tourism which could include property tax, rebates and worker levy cuts, he added. Chinese nationals make up the largest share of visitors to Singapore, one of the worst-hit countries outside of China in the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which killed 800 people globally. Singapore is currently forecasting growth in a wide range of 0.5-2.5 per cent this year. Chan is part of a government task force set up to tackle the coronavirus spread in Singapore. The task force also announced a raft of new measures on Monday to halt the spread of the virus, including urging all school students and staff with a recent travel history to China to stay at home for a fortnight. Families in Singapore, many of which are ethnically Chinese and have relatives in mainland China, are currently traveling for the Lunar New Year holidays. It also issued a new advisory for travelers to defer all non-essential travel to mainland China and said it will start temperature screening all inbound flights to Singapore. The death toll in China from the coronavirus grew to 80 on Monday as residents of the Hubei province, where the disease originated, were banned from entering Hong Kong amid global efforts to halt the rapid spread of the outbreak. The virus has so far spread to more than 10 countries including the United States, Japan, and France.

Singapore says China virus outbreak will hit its economy this year

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-singapore-democratic-party-to-challenge-fake-news-notices-in-court-271645">Singapore</a>'s interior minister was sued Friday by a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amid-the-palm-oil-import-row-malaysias-top-refiner-says-it-will-buy-more-indian-sugar-276186">Malaysian</a> human rights group in a bid to prevent the city-state from enforcing its law against false information in Malaysia.

Home Affairs Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-speaks-exclusively-to-singapore-home-minister-k-shanmugam-246928">K. Shanmugam</a>, wielding a new law to fight misinformation, had ordered Lawyers for Liberty to correct last week's post alleging the city-state used a brutal "coup de grace" to finish off botched executions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/singapore-adds-bengaluru-to-its-global-innovation-alliance-255771">Singapore </a>has denied the allegations as "untrue, baseless and preposterous" but the Malaysian rights group stood by its claims and refused to issue a correction notice.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-singapore-democratic-party-to-challenge-fake-news-notices-in-court-271645">Singapore: Singapore Democratic&nbsp;Party to challenge fake news notices in court</a>

Under <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-tells-facebook-to-correct-users-post-under-new-fake-news-law-265168">Singapore</a>'s law, failure to comply with a correction directive is an offence punishable with a fine and jail term.

N. Surendran, an advisor for Lawyers for Liberty, said the group were asking the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysian-court-tells-former-pm-najib-to-defend-himself-in-1mdb-linked-case-261264">Malaysian High Court</a> to declare the Singapore directive "null and void" and unenforceable in Malaysia.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapores-fake-news-law-takes-effect-as-critics-sound-alarm-253218">Singapore's 'fake news' law takes effect as critics sound alarm</a>

"This is an attempt by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-to-raise-retirement-age-to-65-years-prime-minister-243941">Singapore</a> to encroach upon or to stifle or to crackdown on freedom of speech in our country," Surendran told reporters.

"It is an attempt to reach out their tentacles and impose their own oppressive fake news act on Malaysians issuing statements in Malaysia."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fake-phone-law-dupes-many-in-singapore-but-wins-support-too-269124">Fake phone law dupes many in Singapore, but wins support too</a>

Under the law, Singaporean authorities can order corrections placed next to posts they deem false. Malaysia repealed a similar power in 2019.

Singapore home affairs ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

Separately, the country's information minister directed the media regulator to block access in the city-state to the Malaysian rights group's website, where the allegations were originally posted.

The city-state imposes the death penalty -- carried out by hanging -- for crimes such as drug trafficking and murder, and hanged 13 people in 2018, according to official data.

Many of the inmates on death row are from Malaysia, Surendran said.

In a first, a Singapore opposition political party challenged the law in court earlier this month but a judge reserved judgement on the case.

Activists say the Singaporean law is used to stifle criticism ahead of elections.&nbsp;

Since it came into force in October, several opposition figures and activists have been ordered to place a banner next to online posts stating that they contain false information.

Singapore's interior minister was sued Friday by a Malaysian human rights group in a bid to prevent the city-state from enforcing its law against false information in Malaysia.

Singapore's interior minister was sued Friday by a Malaysian human rights group in a bid to prevent the city-state from enforcing its law against false information in Malaysia. Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, wielding a new law to fight misinformation, had ordered Lawyers for Liberty to correct last week's post alleging the city-state used a brutal "coup de grace" to finish off botched executions. Singapore has denied the allegations as "untrue, baseless and preposterous" but the Malaysian rights group stood by its claims and refused to issue a correction notice. Also read: Singapore: Singapore Democratic Party to challenge fake news notices in court Under Singapore's law, failure to comply with a correction directive is an offence punishable with a fine and jail term. N. Surendran, an advisor for Lawyers for Liberty, said the group were asking the Malaysian High Court to declare the Singapore directive "null and void" and unenforceable in Malaysia. Also read: Singapore's 'fake news' law takes effect as critics sound alarm "This is an attempt by Singapore to encroach upon or to stifle or to crackdown on freedom of speech in our country," Surendran told reporters. "It is an attempt to reach out their tentacles and impose their own oppressive fake news act on Malaysians issuing statements in Malaysia." Also read: Fake phone law dupes many in Singapore, but wins support too Under the law, Singaporean authorities can order corrections placed next to posts they deem false. Malaysia repealed a similar power in 2019. Singapore home affairs ministry officials were not immediately available for comment. Separately, the country's information minister directed the media regulator to block access in the city-state to the Malaysian rights group's website, where the allegations were originally posted. The city-state imposes the death penalty -- carried out by hanging -- for crimes such as drug trafficking and murder, and hanged 13 people in 2018, according to official data. Many of the inmates on death row are from Malaysia, Surendran said. In a first, a Singapore opposition political party challenged the law in court earlier this month but a judge reserved judgement on the case. Activists say the Singaporean law is used to stifle criticism ahead of elections. Since it came into force in October, several opposition figures and activists have been ordered to place a banner next to online posts stating that they contain false information.

Malaysian rights group sues Singapore minister over false news law

Asia equities extended a global rally on Tuesday, with the US decision to no longer designate China a currency manipulator a further sign of easing tensions between the economic titans.

The Treasury announcement came days before the two sides are due to sign off on the first part of a wider trade agreement that has helped fan a rally in world markets.

It also led to a sell-off in safe-haven assets with the yen at a seven-month low and gold down almost one per cent, while oil was also struggling with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-us-iran-conflict-whats-next-273195">US-Iran</a> flare-up seemingly in the rear window for investors.

Asia was given a firm lead from Wall Street, where all three main indexes ended higher with the Nasdaq and S&amp;P 500 hitting fresh records on reports the US was about to remove the manipulator label from China.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-stocks-rattled-after-donald-trump-says-no-deadline-on-us-china-trade-deal-266025">Donald Trump</a> accused Beijing in August of weakening its yuan currency "to steal our business and factories", re-stating a long-standing grievance.&nbsp;

But soon after the end of trade on Monday, the Treasury said in its semi-annual report to Congress that the unit had strengthened and Beijing was no longer keeping it artificially weak.

The yuan jumped more than one per cent at one point Tuesday before easing slightly. The currency is up more than four per cent from an 11-year low touched in September.&nbsp;

"The yuan is the purest and best barometer to gauge the market's view on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/us-china-trade-conflict-lack-of-trust-hobbling-the-ability-to-reach-a-deal-198533">US-China</a> trade tension," said AxiTrader's Stephen Innes. "With the yuan strengthening ahead of the 'phase one' deal signing, it's indicating the potential for further improvement in trade relations."

The US reversal of China's status as a manipulator "is a most precise and definitive de-escalation of trade tension to date and provides a less congested road as we pivot to phase two of the broader trade agreement", he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/more-tokyo-olympic-events-rescheduled-due-to-heat-concern-266444">Tokyo</a> was among the biggest gainers, rising 0.7 per cent by the break as the dollar advanced against the yen owing to a rush out of safety giving a boost to Japan's exporters.

Hong Kong and Shanghai both gained 0.2 per cent, while Singapore put on 0.3 per cent and Seoul 0.7 per cent.

Sydney was up 0.6 per cent, Wellington and Taipei both gained 0.5 per cent and Jakarta put on 0.2 per cent.

Improving confidence also hit gold, which is a popular go-to asset in times of turmoil. The yellow metal last week broke $1,600 for the first time in seven years on the Iran crisis but the lowering of expectations for a conflict with the US has seen it tumble more than four per cent from its recent high.

The improving China-US outlook saw it drop by 0.9 per cent on Tuesday.

As well as Wednesday's signing, investors are also looking forward to corporate earnings season, which kicks off in earnest this week with the release of reports from top banks including Citibank, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan.

"Our expectation is a solid earnings season nothing extraordinary but nothing really terrible," Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco told Bloomberg TV.&nbsp;

"The environment is so accommodative that it really is supportive of risk assets, including equities, even if we have a lacklustre earnings season."

Asia equities extended a global rally on Tuesday, with the US decision to no longer designate China a currency manipulator a further sign of easing tensions between the economic titans.

Asia equities extended a global rally on Tuesday, with the US decision to no longer designate China a currency manipulator a further sign of easing tensions between the economic titans. The Treasury announcement came days before the two sides are due to sign off on the first part of a wider trade agreement that has helped fan a rally in world markets. It also led to a sell-off in safe-haven assets with the yen at a seven-month low and gold down almost one per cent, while oil was also struggling with the US-Iran flare-up seemingly in the rear window for investors. Asia was given a firm lead from Wall Street, where all three main indexes ended higher with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 hitting fresh records on reports the US was about to remove the manipulator label from China. Donald Trump accused Beijing in August of weakening its yuan currency "to steal our business and factories", re-stating a long-standing grievance. But soon after the end of trade on Monday, the Treasury said in its semi-annual report to Congress that the unit had strengthened and Beijing was no longer keeping it artificially weak. The yuan jumped more than one per cent at one point Tuesday before easing slightly. The currency is up more than four per cent from an 11-year low touched in September. "The yuan is the purest and best barometer to gauge the market's view on US-China trade tension," said AxiTrader's Stephen Innes. "With the yuan strengthening ahead of the 'phase one' deal signing, it's indicating the potential for further improvement in trade relations." The US reversal of China's status as a manipulator "is a most precise and definitive de-escalation of trade tension to date and provides a less congested road as we pivot to phase two of the broader trade agreement", he added. Tokyo was among the biggest gainers, rising 0.7 per cent by the break as the dollar advanced against the yen owing to a rush out of safety giving a boost to Japan's exporters. Hong Kong and Shanghai both gained 0.2 per cent, while Singapore put on 0.3 per cent and Seoul 0.7 per cent. Sydney was up 0.6 per cent, Wellington and Taipei both gained 0.5 per cent and Jakarta put on 0.2 per cent. Improving confidence also hit gold, which is a popular go-to asset in times of turmoil. The yellow metal last week broke $1,600 for the first time in seven years on the Iran crisis but the lowering of expectations for a conflict with the US has seen it tumble more than four per cent from its recent high. The improving China-US outlook saw it drop by 0.9 per cent on Tuesday. As well as Wednesday's signing, investors are also looking forward to corporate earnings season, which kicks off in earnest this week with the release of reports from top banks including Citibank, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan. "Our expectation is a solid earnings season nothing extraordinary but nothing really terrible," Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco told Bloomberg TV. "The environment is so accommodative that it really is supportive of risk assets, including equities, even if we have a lacklustre earnings season."

Asian markets, yuan rise as US-China tensions ease further

Institute for Economics and Peace ranks the most peaceful countries

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/last-year-was-marked-by-defiance-dissent-2020-is-likely-to-be-no-different-271611">Singapore</a>&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;party&nbsp;said on Thursday it was prepared to legally&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;a government order to attach correction&nbsp;notices&nbsp;to its online posts, accusing the government of using a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fake-phone-law-dupes-many-in-singapore-but-wins-support-too-269124">fake&nbsp;news&nbsp;law</a> to stymie political debate.

It marks the first time such a case could head to&nbsp;court&nbsp;since the law came into effect in October.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-stopped-accepting-political-advertisements-in-singapore-month-before-the-elections-266126">Singapore&nbsp;Democratic&nbsp;Party</a>, which has no current representation in parliament, was last month told to issue the&nbsp;notices&nbsp;on an article on its website and related Facebook posts that discussed white-collar jobs in the city-state.

It attached the&nbsp;notices, but on Thursday said it stood by its content and asked for the correction&nbsp;notices&nbsp;to be retracted by the labour ministry.

"We call on the Minister to not only retract the Correction Directions but also issue an immediate, unambiguous and public apology to the SDP failing which we will be obliged to pursue the matter in a&nbsp;court&nbsp;of law," SDP said in a statement on its website.

The law requires recipients of correction orders to comply even if they intend to appeal.

The labour ministry did not have an immediate comment on the SDP's post.

The law empowers ministers to ask online media platforms and users to carry corrections or remove content the government deems false and harms public interest.

Rights groups fear the law may curb free speech, and&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;politicians say it could give the government too much power as elections loom.

Singaporean diplomats have recently defended the law in letters sent to global media outlets like the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/persist-in-2020-hong-kong-gears-up-for-new-year-countdown-unrest-271143">South China Morning Post</a> and Britain's The Economist, saying the correction directions did not restrict debate and gave readers more information.

SDP accused the labour ministry of using the law for "political-partisan purposes to stymie legitimate criticism".

"That the general election is not far away makes our case even more salient," it added.

The three-month-old law has been used four times since November&nbsp;25 with figures linked to other&nbsp;opposition&nbsp;parties who were also told their online posts must carry a banner stating they contain false information.

Singapore's next general elections must be held by early 2021, but the government is widely expected to call for a vote in the next few months.

A Singapore opposition party said on Thursday it was prepared to legally challenge a government order to attach correction notices to its online posts, accusing the government of using a new fake news law to stymie political debate.

A Singapore opposition party said on Thursday it was prepared to legally challenge a government order to attach correction notices to its online posts, accusing the government of using a new fake news law to stymie political debate. It marks the first time such a case could head to court since the law came into effect in October. The Singapore Democratic Party, which has no current representation in parliament, was last month told to issue the notices on an article on its website and related Facebook posts that discussed white-collar jobs in the city-state. It attached the notices, but on Thursday said it stood by its content and asked for the correction notices to be retracted by the labour ministry. "We call on the Minister to not only retract the Correction Directions but also issue an immediate, unambiguous and public apology to the SDP failing which we will be obliged to pursue the matter in a court of law," SDP said in a statement on its website. The law requires recipients of correction orders to comply even if they intend to appeal. The labour ministry did not have an immediate comment on the SDP's post. The law empowers ministers to ask online media platforms and users to carry corrections or remove content the government deems false and harms public interest. Rights groups fear the law may curb free speech, and opposition politicians say it could give the government too much power as elections loom. Singaporean diplomats have recently defended the law in letters sent to global media outlets like the South China Morning Post and Britain's The Economist, saying the correction directions did not restrict debate and gave readers more information. SDP accused the labour ministry of using the law for "political-partisan purposes to stymie legitimate criticism". "That the general election is not far away makes our case even more salient," it added. The three-month-old law has been used four times since November 25 with figures linked to other opposition parties who were also told their online posts must carry a banner stating they contain false information. Singapore's next general elections must be held by early 2021, but the government is widely expected to call for a vote in the next few months.

Singapore: Singapore Democratic Party to challenge fake news notices in court

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