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SINGAPORE - Singapore's statutory boards, companies and Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) made some progress in appointing more women to their boards last year, according to the Council for Board Diversity (CBD). In an update issued on Sunday (April 11) on women's participation on boards, the CBD said statutory boards showed the most improvement, followed by companies and then IPCs. But the increases still fell short of the council's short-term targets set in 2019, when it was established by the Ministry of Social and Family Development to promote a sustained increase of women on boards in Singapore. In 2019, the council's goal for statutory boards and IPCs was set at 30 per cent "as soon as possible". For companies, the goal was set at 20 per cent by the end of last year, 25 per cent by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030. Statutory boards showed the most improvement, with an increase of 2.4 percentage points as at December last year, compared with end-2019. The rate of ... » Learn More about More women in S’pore named to boards in public, private and people sectors

Come with creative investment proposals on tourism products and services to make Putrajaya an iconic ecotourism draw. That is the message from Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa to the private sector, as a way to increase the number of visitors to the administrative capital. “As Putrajaya is already a planned city with iconic buildings and complete facilities, private companies can readily utilise them, ” he said during a press conference to announce a glamping project in Putrajaya Wetlands Park. “This means they will not need big capital expenditure but just add value and run promotion programmes to draw attention to their tourism products and services. “We will be open and transparent so that these companies can help make Putrajaya a major recreational city that is eco-friendly and family-oriented, ” he said during the event held in Precinct 3. Annuar noted that Putrajaya was lacking in pull factor, which explained why the 25-year-old administrative capital ... » Learn More about Putrajaya keen to attract ecotourism projects

SINGAPORE - Lucky Plaza and Peninsula Plaza shopping centres were buzzing for the first time in months on Sunday (April 11) after restrictions limiting entry to the two malls on weekends were lifted the day before. The tills rang as workers on their day off, mainly from the Philippines and Myanmar, flocked to their popular hangout spots to shop, eat and get their hair done. "I'm tired but happy," said Ms Sanda Kyaw Naint, owner of Ye Yint Cafe in Peninsula Plaza. The 51-year-old could hardly catch a break on Sunday as she served, during breakfast and lunch hours, almost twice as many customers as she had the previous weekend. Mr Bob Kok, 60, who owns a grocery store in Lucky Plaza, told The Straits Times that the weekend entry restrictions imposed from Aug 29 last year made business even worse for shop owners already struggling with the pandemic. Under the restrictions, those whose identification numbers end in even digits could visit the two malls only on even dates, while ... » Learn More about Crowds return to Lucky Plaza, Peninsula Plaza after lifting of weekend entry curbs

SINGAPORE - Singapore's tightened circuit breaker measures will remain in place for another week, with businesses like barbers, home-based bakers and laundry services allowed to resume operating on May 12. Some measures will also be adjusted next week. But the multi-ministry task force handling the outbreak took pains to stress that this did not mean the battle with the disease was won. "We are making good progress but we are not yet at single digits when it comes to local transmission, so it is not time to lift the tighter measures we have in place," said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Saturday (May 2). "We still need to continue for another week. But we can start making some adjustments." Mr Wong stressed, however, that the situation remains fluid and plans may need to be adjusted further, depending on how the situation unfolds in the coming weeks. "The bottom line is, this is not the time to slacken and let our guard down. We may be easing some measures ... » Learn More about Tightened circuit breaker measures extended for another week; some activities allowed to resume from May 5

SINGAPORE - From June 2, pre-schools will start to resume general services for children in stages, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee said on Tuesday (May 19). Kindergarten 1 and Kindergarten 2 children - five- and six-year-olds - will be the first to return from June 2, while Nursery 1 and Nursery 2 children may go back a week later, from June 8. From June 10, the youngest group of children in infant care and playgroups may return. In tandem with circuit breaker measures, pre-schools have been closed  since April 8 to most children except for a small group who need care support. When they reopen, centres will have to adhere to safe management measures such as compulsory mask or shield wearing for all staff and children aged two years and older, having smaller groups of children during activities, as well as staggering drop-off and pick-up timings of children. Speaking at a press conference by the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19 in Singapore, ... » Learn More about Pre-schools in Singapore to open from June 2 in stages, with K1 and K2 kids returning first

SINGAPORE - Lucky Plaza has been the go-to spot for Filipina domestic worker Ludivina Ellorengco and her pals on days off but new entry restrictions that kicked in this weekend have taken much of the buzz away. New rules to reduce overcrowding on weekends meant the usually thriving Orchard Road mall was much quieter when she dropped in on Saturday (Aug 29). The restrictions - they also apply at Peninsula Plaza in North Bridge Road - allow people with ID cards ending in an odd number to enter odd dates, and those with ID cards ending with even numbers to enter only on even dates. "All my friends' (identification cards end in) even numbers, so I can't meet them here," said Ms Ellorengco, who has been working here for five years. Ms Glyda Lopez, 34, is another fan of Lucky Plaza. She usually spends her regular Saturday days off there meeting friends and buying clothes and food. Popular Philippine fast food chain Jollibee at the mall's basement and sixth floor is another draw ... » Learn More about Quieter affair at Lucky Plaza, Peninsula Plaza as odd-even Covid-19 entry restrictions kick in

Health workers sort patients' files at a triage area in Santa Ana Hospital, where a sign indicating that the hospital's coronavirus disease (Covid-19) facility is at full capacity is displayed, in Manila, Philippines, on Friday. (Reuters photo) MANILA: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has approved placing the capital region and four adjacent provinces under a less restrictive community quarantine status from April 12, his spokesman said on Sunday. Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite, which have been in a strict lockdown due to Covid-19 infections, will be under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine status until April 30, spokesman Harry Roque said. Private and public hospitals have added 3,156 beds for Covid-19 patients, he said. Metro Manila and the four surrounding provinces were placed under enhanced community quarantine, the nation’s most stringent movement restriction, for two weeks through April 11 as a record surge in cases filled ... » Learn More about Manila to loosen quarantine curbs from Monday

The gender pay gap in Singapore will remain an issue unless social mindsets change, said Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills). "There is still a gap in pay, in the amount of household work that men and women do, and the proportion of senior positions going to men," he said. "I am not sure if those gaps will ever close, unless there is a shift in social norms and in the expectations placed on women." Mr Ong was speaking at Snow (Say No to the Oppression of Women), the Singapore Committee for UN Women's annual gala fund-raising dinner at Capella Singapore yesterday. The organisation launched the #stoptherobbery campaign, which will raise awareness of the gender pay gap here through various events. For instance, it hopes to work with the Singapore Exchange on the Ring the Bell for Gender Equality initiative. The Straits Times had reported last month that the median gross monthly income of women was 19 per cent lower than men's in 2006. ... » Learn More about Mindsets must shift to close gender pay gap

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India on Sunday banned the export of anti-viral drug Remdesivir and its active pharmaceutical ingredients as demand rocketed due to a record surge in COVID-19 infections, leading to a crippling shortages in many parts. Authorities have blamed the ferocious resurgence of the virus mainly on crowding and a reluctance to wear masks. Still, religious gatherings have continued and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have themselves addressed election campaigns attended by tens of thousands of people, many without masks and hardly any following social distancing. As new COVID-19 cases surged to 152,879 on Sunday, the sixth record rise in seven days, harried relatives of patients made a kilometre-long queue to buy Remdesivir outside a big hospital in the western state of Gujarat, witnesses said. India, known as the pharmacy of the world, has already stalled major exports of coronavirus vaccines though its supply too has run short in some ... » Learn More about India bans Remdesivir exports as coronavirus rages on; rallies continue

MANILA has urged all parties with overlapping claims in the South China Sea (SCS) to adhere to the rule of law and exercise self-restraint. The Spratly Islands in the SCS are claimed in whole by China and in part by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), made the appeal during the virtual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) held on April 7. Acting Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and Asean Affairs Elizabeth Buensuceso underscored Manila’s commitment to the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea that is being negotiated between Asean member-states and China. The Philippines is the country coordinator for Asean-China Dialogue Relations. “The continued deployment and lingering presence of a large swarm of maritime militia vessels within the Philippines’ maritime zones remains a serious concern and we reiterate that a conducive environment is ... » Learn More about PH calls for restraint in maritime dispute