COVID-19 outbreak forces Singapore to close all entertainment outlets
Singapore announced on March 24 that it will close bars, cinemas and all other entertainment outlets from 11:59pm on March 26 till April 30 to curb the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
People wear face masks to precent SARS-CoV-2 (Source: AFP/VNA)
Singapore (VNA) – Singapore announced on March 24 that it will closebars, cinemas and all other entertainment outlets from 11:59pm on March 26 tillApril 30 to curb the spread of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
In its latest announcement, the COVID-19 multi-ministry taskforce said that during the period, gatherings outside school and work will belimited to a maximum of 10 people.
Retail malls, restaurants and museums are allowed to remainopen, but must reduce operating capacity.
On March 24, Singapore reported 49 new infection cases,raising the total to 558, including two fatilities.
On the day, scientists in Singapore say they have developeda way to track genetic changes that speeds up testing of vaccines against theSARS-CoV-2 that has killed more than 18,000 people worldwide.
The scientists, at the city-state’s Duke-NUS Medical School,say their technique needs just several days to evaluate potential vaccines provided byArcturus Therapeutics, an American biotech firm the school has partnered withfor the trials.
That timeframe compares with the months usually required fortesting based on human responses.
Ooi Eng Eong, deputy director of the school’s emerginginfectious diseases programme, said he plans to start testing vaccines in micein about a week, with human trials expected in the second half of the year./.
Singaporean Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on March 21 confirmed two persons died from the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the country due to complications.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will cut 96 percent of its scheduled capacity until the end of April as border controls around the world are tightened over the past days to curb the COVID-19 outbreak.
Singapore’s core inflation fell sharply to -0.1 percent in February, from 0.3 percent in January, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said on March 23.
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A participant in the Malaysia Economic Forum 2025 said despite challenges, there are significant opportunities in AI, digital transformation, and green technologies, requiring the country to balance both risk and potential thoughtfully.
Themed “emerging trends in terrorism and violent extremism”, the event drew over 200 participants from domestic and international agencies, discussing the rapid evolution of terrorism and the need for stronger regional and global cooperation.
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The package, endorsed on June 24, comprises 481 projects designed to boost GDP by an additional 0.4% and generate temporary employment for about 7.4 million people nationwide.
An Indonesian official emphasised that energy security is extremely essential amid global geopolitical and economic fragmentation, highlighting the need for the energy industry to strengthen resilience and responsiveness in the face of fluctuating oil prices and the shift to clean energy.
ASEAN must deepen collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to ensure regional responses keep pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Speaking at the launch of the Indonesia Economic Prospects June 2025 edition on June 23 in Jakarta, Turk noted that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Anti-dumping duties will continue to be imposed on producers from China and Japan while those on relevant exporters from the RoK and Vietnam will be terminated, starting from June 23.
A specialist police unit has acquired a fleet of off-road vehicles to help officers navigate rough, unpaved terrain – and flood waters – to respond more quickly to public security incidents.
People wear face masks to precent SARS-CoV-2 (Source: AFP/VNA) 
