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All 156 close contacts of a port worker who tested positive for Covid-19 after he was vaccinated have tested negative while in quarantine. They will be tested again before being discharged. More than 1,500 workers staying in the infected worker's dormitory in Brani Terminal Avenue have also been cleared of the virus, Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said yesterday when he provided an update on the case three days after it was reported. The 23-year-old Indian work permit holder received his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Jan 25 and the second one on Feb 17. He tested positive on April 7, was immediately isolated and taken to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. The Ministry of Health has said that the vaccine doses "likely account" for his lack of symptoms prior to the test on April 7. Mr Ong yesterday described the case as a reminder that it is possible for vaccinated individuals to be infected. However, he emphasised that vaccines are still very ... » Learn More about Vaccinated worker who caught virus: Close contacts test negative

Dear Lloyd, I have this experience of reaching heights and becoming successful in what I do. Recently, it was a totally different story. When success is no longer there — and failure suddenly meets me face to face — what do I do? Mar Mar, A few years ago, I did a motivational talk before two real estate giants in Manila during their sales kickoff rally. Most companies do this every year. Back in the prepandemic days, there were face-to-face meetings. They gathered their sales people and hired a motivational speaker to speak and try to encourage their people to sell more this time as the speaker tried to equip them with knowled ge, wisdom and stories. Hopefully after the one-hour program or so, participants would leave the venue with inspiration and drive to face the new year and yes, painful or not as it was, make the best effort to hit their quota for that period. It’s amazing to see their mix of emotions — from being happy to being excited to being afraid to being ... » Learn More about Success causes us to fail

Good evening! Catch up on some of the main headlines on Wednesday, April 14. S'pore economy expands 0.2% in Q1 in surprise growth: Flash data GDP growth this year is likely to top the official 4-6% forecast range, says MAS. READ MORE HERE MOH appoints 12-member committee to address health insurance issues The committee will recommend improvements to manage rising costs in the healthcare insurance system. READ MORE HERE Former deputy lead of MOH data unit charged under OSA with leaking Covid-19 numbers 22 times Zhao Zheng allegedly shared the information with members of a chat group who were not authorised to receive it. READ MORE HERE Aetos officer charged with robbing Jurong East shop of over $24,000 with a gun Staff were shown a note that said: "This is a robbery, don't shout. I got a gun in my pocket." READ MORE HERE S'pore and HK 'finalising details' of air travel bubble, hope to announce plans soon Transport ... » Learn More about Evening Update: Today’s headlines from The Straits Times on April 14

LONDON: The chief executive of British airline easyJet criticised some of the government's plans to restart travel, saying COVID-19 tests should not be required for passengers travelling to low-risk destinations. Britain's airlines and travel industry were left disappointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's warning on Monday that it was too soon to say when international holidays could resume, meaning the re-opening could be pushed later than the current date of May 17. EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said on Tuesday that there were a lot of details missing from the previous day's announcement. He said the government's proposed traffic light system of ranking low risk countries as green and higher risk countries as red made sense, but travel to green countries should not require passengers to take two COVID-19 tests. "That doesn't make sense for me...because this could add to cost and complexities," he told BBC Radio. He said the cost of COVID-19 tests sometimes ... » Learn More about EasyJet CEO criticises testing requirements in Britain’s travel restart plan

SINGAPORE: With better-than-expected data showing the economy back in expansion mode for the first quarter of 2021, economists said “green shoots” of recovery are emerging for Singapore following a year in the doldrums due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.2 per cent year-on-year in the January to March period, according to flash estimates from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Wednesday (Apr 14). The gains, albeit marginal, marked the economy’s first quarterly growth since the pandemic erupted and beat expectations for a 0.2 per cent contraction in a Reuters poll. READ: Singapore economy grows 0.2% in Q1, first expansion since COVID-19 outbreak Economists also noted more optimism from the Singapore central bank, which released its half-yearly policy review on the same day. While the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) left its monetary policy stance unchanged , it said Singapore’s economy is “likely to exceed the upper end” of ... » Learn More about ‘Green shoots’ of recovery for Singapore’s economy, although uncertainties remain: Economists

Singaporeans will likely have to wait longer for a new leader to succeed Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who has ruled the island city since 2004. The potential successor that Lee had groomed, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, announced his resignation as a candidate for the premiership on April 8. The devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are among the reason for Heng’s early exit, while there are also views that Lee himself is not fully prepared for the carefully choreographed succession. According to the original plan, next year, Singapore’s fourth-generation (4G) leadership, with Heng as the leader, would end the third generation’s leadership under Lee. The second generation was under Goh Chok Tong, who ruled Singapore for 14 years and handed over the power to Lee Hsien Loong in 2004. The country’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who was Prime Minister Lee’s father, was in power from 1965 until 1990. Heng’s announcement ended the long ... » Learn More about Singapore’s failed plan

Nas Daily (left) and Wil Dasovich (Image: Instagram/@nasddaily; @wil_dasovich) Online content creator Nuseir Yassin, popularly known as Nas Daily, told fellow vlogger and friend Wil Dasovich that it is “impossible” for influencers like them to just stay away from politics. Dasovich joined Yassin in the second episode of the latter’s podcast titled “Nas Talks,” available on Spotify since July 15, to talk about the positive and negative impact of social media on Filipinos. Discussing the recent denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal bid, the two acknowledged how the internet-loving Filipinos will now turn to content creators like them for information. Dasovich admitted, however, that he was not updated with current affairs as he had been choosing to stay away from news and politics, in accordance with his “golden rule.” “I just have to stay more away from politics. I kind of have a golden rule, it’s I try to limit and not talk about politics because you’re always going to upset ... » Learn More about Vlogger Nas Daily to Wil Dasovich: Influencers cannot stay away from politics

INDIANAPOLIS: Bobby “Slick” Leonard was selected as the ABA’s greatest coach. Hall of Fame player George McGinnis considered him a genius. On Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), the Indiana Pacers announced that the man who led them to three ABA championships during a Hall of Fame coaching career and was selected a 1963 NBA All-Star had died. No details about the 88-year-old Leonard were provided but he had been in failing health in recent years. “He was the greatest,” McGinnis said in March. “He loved all of his guys and, yes, he had his days. If you got on the wrong side of him, it wasn’t going to be a good deal for you.” ... » Learn More about Pacers Hall of Fame coach Leonard dies

SINGAPORE: More than 1,500 workers living in the same dormitory as a vaccinated migrant worker who was infected with COVID-19 have tested negative for the virus, said Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung on Wednesday (Apr 14). In a Facebook post, Mr Ong also said that 156 of the worker's close contacts were quarantined, and all of them have tested negative so far. All of them will be tested again before they are discharged from quarantine. The 23-year-old man from India, identified as Case 61822, was one of 20 COVID-19 cases reported on Sunday. He was Singapore's first dormitory case since Feb 28. He is a lashing specialist employed by Seafront Support Company, and resides in a dormitory located at Brani Terminal Avenue. READ: Migrant worker who tested positive for COVID-19 completed vaccination According to MOH, the worker had completed the full COVID-19 vaccination regimen. He received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on Jan 25 and the second on Feb 17. "His job ... » Learn More about Vaccinated worker infected with COVID-19: More than 1,500 in same dorm test negative