Singapore morning news for February 21, 2020

Singapore’s household income inequality falls to 18-year low
HOUSEHOLD income inequality in Singapore has fallen to its lowest level in almost two decades, according to figures released by the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat) on Thursday.
— The Business Times

1 new COVID-19 case in Singapore, 3 more patients discharged
Singapore reported one new confirmed COVID-19 case on Thursday (Feb 20), bringing the number of cases in the country to 85, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a daily update.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

S’pore sends 2nd batch of humanitarian aid to China
Singapore dispatched a second round of humanitarian aid, inc-luding medical supplies, to China on Wednesday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singdollar declines to near 3-year low on coronavirus fears
The Singapore dollar fell along with most Asian currencies on concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Coronavirus: ICA issues 77 stay-home notices within 12 hours of scheme kicking in
These notices were issued to Singapore residents, long-term pass holders and foreign workers who have travelled to mainland China in the last 14 days.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Coronavirus: Five Singaporeans on quarantined cruise ship well amid rising infections and two deaths
More than 600 passengers have tested positive for the Covid-19 disease.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

ANZ cuts Singapore’s 2020 growth outlook to 0.4%
ANZ has become the latest bank to downgrade Singapore’s 2020 economic forecast, no thanks to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak that has spread across the globe.
— The Business Times

Indonesian Coronavirus Patient in Singapore Declared Cured
An Indonesian migrant worker in Singapore treated for the coronavirus at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has been declared free of the infection and released from the hospital.
— Tempo.co

Coronavirus: Private hospitals see big drop in foreign patients
Private sector hospitals and clinics have seen a huge drop in foreign patients in the past month, as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Fine-tune new measures to help seniors: Experts
New Budget measures aimed at boosting the retirement incomes and employability of seniors are a step in the right direction but may not go far enough, say observers.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

6 SAF servicemen charged in military court over death of NSF Dave Lee
Six Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen were charged in military court on Thursday (Feb 20) over the death of Corporal First Class (CFC) Dave Lee.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Coronavirus: ‘It was similar to having a cold’ – Wuhan tourist whose father was Singapore’s first case
When Mr Wang, a tourist from China, was admitted to hospital on Jan 24, he only had a slight cough but felt well otherwise.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Coronavirus: Case 48’s roller-coaster of emotions in isolation and joy as a Covid-19 survivor
The coronavirus patient known as case 48 was sent on a week-long emotional roller coaster when he was isolated in hospital for Covid-19 on Feb 10.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Want to help out during COVID-19, but don’t know where to start? Try SG United’s one-stop portal
A new portal for Singaporeans looking to support community efforts for the COVID-19 outbreak was launched on Thursday (Feb 20) by Social and Family Development Minister Desmond Lee.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Coronavirus: S’pore confirms first patient with both Covid-19 and dengue, all warded with her quarantined at Ng Teng Fong
MOH said the 57-year-old Singaporean was not misdiagnosed and that her symptoms and lab results were consistent with dengue.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

COVID-19: Tenants at Changi Airport to receive 50% rental rebate for 6 months
Retail, food & beverage (F&B) and service outlets at Changi Airport will receive a 50 per cent rental rebate for six months effective from Feb 1, the airport said on Thursday (Feb 20).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

1 in 2 critically ill patients prefer to die than have a relapse; many fear mounting bills and loss of independence
Patients suffering from a critical illness worry not just about their health, but also their financial ability to pay their bills, and many also struggle with emotional and psychological distress.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Coronavirus: Social service agencies to get $3,000 from ComChest to cope with outbreak-related expenses
Social service agencies will each be getting $3,000 from the Community Chest to help them cope with coronavirus-related expenses.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

$30 million grant to optimise work in environment services sector extended to next year
Amid the increased emphasis on cleaning public spaces following the coronavirus outbreak, an existing grant that improves productivity in the environmental services sector has been enhanced and extended.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

$5 million ‘Hope’ fund set up by prominent Singapore business families to help SMEs
More help is on the way for companies hit by the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak with six business families in Singapore setting up a $5 million kitty to extend short-term loans.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Financial firms in Singapore and Hong Kong delay hiring amid coronavirus fallout
Financial firms operating in Singapore and Hong Kong are delaying hiring as the coronavirus outbreak disrupts their businesses.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Coronavirus: The healthcare workers who answer the call for front-line volunteers
There will be no Monday blues next week for Dr Melissa Tien when she gets to have her long-awaited cuddle time with her two children, aged 12 and nine.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Buzz convenience store apologises after last-minute cancellation of face mask sales
The Buzz convenience store chain has apologised after cancelling the planned sale of face masks at 14 locations islandwide, prompting angry comments from netizens and some customers at its outlets.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Coronavirus: Passenger boat operators hit by Covid-19 fears get over $1m in relief to keep business afloat
Business has been slow for Mr Ryden Fang Yiyang since the coronavirus outbreak hit Singapore.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Fintech investments in Singapore more than double to $1.2 billion in 2019: Accenture
The financial technology sector here saw investments more than double last year to US$861 million (S$1.2 billion) from US$365 million in 2018, according to an Accenture study released on Thursday (Feb 20).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

2 women arrested after S$30,000 worth of cannabis found in car
Two Malaysian women have been arrested after officers at Tuas Checkpoint found more than 3,000g of cannabis hidden in an arriving car on Wednesday (Feb 19).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Coronavirus: Grace Assembly church gets ready to re-open; it is disinfected and cleaned more often
The Grace Assembly of God church is getting ready to reopen its doors in a few days, after an emotional week when several of its staff and members tested positive for the coronavirus.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Babysitter accused of poisoning 2 babies had been prescribed similar drugs
A babysitter accused of administering potentially harmful medications to two babies under her care had been prescribed the drugs later found in the infants’ bodies.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Jail and caning for man who instigated youth to sexually assault intoxicated girl
An intoxicated 18-year-old girl agreed to go home with a 22-year-old man she met at a nightclub, unaware that he then offered her to an 18-year-old as an incentive to let them have sex in his flat.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Someone spat on lift buttons at Rumbia LRT in Sengkang, police investigating
Singaporeans have become hyper-aware of the importance of hygiene over the last few weeks.
— Mothership

Police aim to get to the heart of crime by referring offenders to in-house social workers
After getting into a dispute with his family members, a man used a hammer to repeatedly knock on a door in his home to get their attention.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Woman and lover plotted to kill her husband by sabotaging his car
With her marriage in tatters after her husband found out about her extramarital affair, an administrative assistant conspired with her boyfriend to sabotage her spouse’s car so that he would be killed in a traffic accident.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Former president, staff member of student care centre charged with cheating nearly S$50,000 in subsidy payouts
The former president and a staff member of a student care centre were charged on Thursday (Feb 20) with cheating more than S$48,000 in subsidy payouts from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Fintech investments in Singapore more than double in 2019
FINTECH investments in Singapore more than doubled to US$861 million in 2019 from the year before, led by big gains in funding to payments and insurtech startups.
— The Business Times

Firms can turn to chatbot for queries on help
Employers who are anxious about the coronavirus outbreak can turn to an official chatbot to find out about the help available to them.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Hyflux has till March 10 to get court okay for scheme meeting
HYFLUX’S new lawyers from Clifford Chance have until March 10 to apply for leave from the High Court to convene its scheme meeting.
— The Business Times

2 ex-staff of student care centre charged with cheating MSF
Two former personnel of Welcare Student Care Centre were charged in court yesterday with cheating the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) of more than $48,000 – using subsidy applications made under the Student Care Fee Assistance (SCFA) scheme.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Car driver taken to hospital after accident involving bus, trailer
A 48-year-old man was taken to hospital after an accident along Woodlands Road on Thursday morning (Feb 20).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Feature photo Malay Language Academy

This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo focuses on International Mother Language Day, February 21.

Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

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Singapore morning news for February 21 added by Justhine De Guzman Uy on February 21, 2020
View all posts by Justhine De Guzman Uy →

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Justhine De Guzman Uy

Writer at AEC News Today

Justhine De Guzman Uy completed a Bachelor of Arts Major in Mass Communication at New Era University, Quezon City, the Philippines in 2016

After graduation she worked at the Philippine Broadcasting Service performing transcription and business news writing, before moving to Eagle Broadcasting Corporation where she worked as a news editor, translator and production assistant.