15 10 月, 2020

Fujitsu, JCB, and Mizuho Bank to Test Digital Identity Interoperability

TOKYO, Oct 15, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited, JCB Co., Ltd. and Mizuho Bank, Limited. today announced a joint demonstration trial aimed at further advancing a digital society in which digitally managed information attributable to individuals (i.e. ID information) can be safely and securely transacted online, distributed and linked between different industries.Image of the demonstration systemIn the demonstration, JCB and Mizuho Bank will verify mechanisms to securely exchange and link participant ID information, such as names, addresses, and employers, on a cloud platform built by Fujitsu. Approximately 100 Fujitsu Group employees in Japan will participate in the program, which is scheduled to last for approximately four months. Fujitsu has built a self-sovereign and decentralized digital identity exchange technology(1), which utilizes a blockchain solution from Fujitsu Laboratories.Through this demonstration trial, Fujitsu, JCB, and Mizuho Bank will confirm the accuracy of ID information held by multiple business operators and verify the mechanism by which customers can safely and securely control the distribution of ID information. Going forward, JCB, Mizuho Bank, and Fujitsu will consider innovative service models best suited to ID information management, regardless of the industry or sector.[Background]In recent years, much thought has been given to how individual data - which is acquired and managed by one service provider - can be utilized and distributed among other service providers to enable more convenient services. However, the importance of identity verification has been demonstrated many times over, as misappropriation of personal data, privacy risks, and damage caused by the unauthorized use of such data has become widespread. There is also a growing demand for business operators to be able to definitively prove the reliability of their business partners.With the continued proliferation of digitization and circulation of personal ID information, it is essential to manage data with greater security and reliability, while also increasing the convenience of its shared usage.JCB and Fujitsu have been conducting a joint research project on digital identity since 2019. From the viewpoint of improving the management and reliability of information held by multiple parties, we are conducting a demonstration trial on an interoperability model of identity information together with Mizuho Bank.[Outline of the demonstration trial]1. Details of implementation(1) Verification of self-sovereign and decentralized digital identity exchange technology via the demonstration system- JCB and Mizuho Bank will automatically issue the participants' ID information as electronic certificates.- Participants will freely combine or encrypt the electronic certificates they receive from JCB and Mizuho Bank, in order to link their own identities online in a secure and reliable method to other businesses (JCB or Mizuho Bank).The usefulness of ID information distribution technology will be verified by experiencing the mechanism described above.(2) Verification of platform requirements and operational practices for self-sovereign and decentralized digital identityThe demonstration system will be used to verify the requirements for building the system and show how to operate it to implement the identity platform.2. When: Four months from October 2020 to January 2021 (Scheduled)3. Role of the three companies(1) JCB and Mizuho BankThrough the demonstration system, information on participants held by JCB and Mizuho Bank will be disclosed to the participants from each company. At the same time, the system will receive personal information disclosed by participants through the system. The companies will also examine the service requirements, operational practices, and new service models for self-sovereign and decentralized digital identities.(2) Fujitsu GroupDeveloping and providing the demonstration system and applications used by participants and operating the demonstration and the system. Fujitsu will also design and evaluate the functions of the system for a self-sovereign and decentralized digital identity exchange platform.[Future Developments]JCB, Mizuho Bank, and Fujitsu are considering a new service model that will make utilization of customer ID information more convenient for both business operators and customers. This new service model will enable each company to mutually cooperate, authenticate and update customer ID information held by each company under customer sovereignty. The aim is to build a safe, secure and customer-centric digital ecosystem in order to contribute to the realization of a society that uses data with greater convenience.Note(1) Identity exchange: A proprietary, decentralized identity technology developed by Fujitsu Laboratories that enables the safe and voluntary distribution of identity information provided by businesses and other third parties. Used for the distribution of identity information to a service provider and a user related to online transactions and capable of judging the authenticity of personal information of the transaction partner. For details, please refer to the Fujitsu Laboratories Press Release, "Fujitsu Develops Digital Identity Technology to Evaluate Trustworthiness in Online Transactions" dated July 4, 2019: https://bit.ly/2FdhSpJPress ContactsKumiko Kida, Ayaka NakajimaCorporate CommunicationsTel: +81-3-5778-8353Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

15 10 月, 2020

WIMI’s Dr. Guo Songrui: The development and application prospect of holographic technology: light field collection

BEIJING, China, Oct 15, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Holography comes from the Latin vocabulary, and its meaning is: all, compound. According to the current common knowledge in mainstream technology filed, holography specifically refers to "holographic technology", which is a technology for reproducing diffracted light emitted by objects. Holographic technology uses the principle of interference to record the light wave messages of the object, and uses the principle of diffraction to reproduce the light wave messages of the object, helping users to store all the light information of the object. Thus, the observer can observe the different positions of the object in all directions, and the stored light information records all the light distribution in the three-dimensional space. Therefore, holographic technology is also a kind of optical storage and reproduction technology.The earliest holographic technology was discovered by Denise Gabor (1900-1979), a Hungarian physicist, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1971. However, this technology was first used in electron microscopes to record and display electronic holograms. The earliest use in the field of optics was after the invention of laser technology in 1960.The holographic recording is different from ordinary photography. An ordinary camera only records the intensity of the object's light field. The hologram records the intensity of the reference light and the object light after interference. When it needs to be reproduced, it is only necessary to use the reference light to show the amplitude of the object light that fully characterizes the object information.The hologram production process uses a laser. The laser beam is strictly split 1:1 by a beam splitter. One beam of light shines on the surface of the object to be photographed, and the other beam directly shines on the photosensitive film (holographic dry plate). Moreover, this light is also called the reference beam. When the object beam is reflected by the object, its reflected beam is also irradiated on the film, completing the hologram shooting process.There are several major characteristics of holograms: 1. Omni-directional information recording. The holographic picture records the omnidirectional and comprehensive illumination information of the object, so that the object can be observed from different angles during observation. 2. Learning the whole picture from the parts. When part of the holographic picture is damaged, the whole picture of the object can still be seen from the remaining part. 3. The amount of stored information is huge, and multiple holographic photos can be recorded hierarchically on the holographic film. Moreover, they will not interfere with each other when displaying the picture.Based on the characteristics of holograms mentioned above, the application prospects of holograms are quite broad, but it is not an easy task to collect light fields to form a hologram in the early stage of technological development. Early technical methods were either expensive, such as using the aforementioned laser to irradiate objects, or using camera arrays; or collecting information was limited and inefficient, for example, the light field acquisition systems based on a fixed turntable. After 2000, with the development of digital camera shooting technology and light field shooting technology gradually attracted the attention of researchers, the light field collection technology of the single camera came into being. Until now, the light field collection technology has truly reached the civilian level.The common light field shooting techniques are divided into two categories: integral imaging and aperture coding imaging.Integral imaging is achieved by adding a microlens array or a micromirror array in front of the sensor to realize the collection of images of the light field viewpoints in different directions. There are more well-known integral imaging devices, including the lens array lens launched by Adobe, the Pelican lens array camera on the mobile phone, the Lytro light field camera, the R series light field camera of Raytrix, and so on.The shooting based on the compressed light field is to add an optical mask between the camera lens and the sensor to achieve compression encoding of the light entering the camera aperture. The more well-known equipment is the prototype of the light field camera developed by Babacan et al. They proposed to use the method of encoding mask and programmed aperture to capture light field viewpoints in different directions, which can obtain light field with high spatial resolution.The microlens array has the advantages of low cost and small size, but its disadvantage is that the image resolution loss is serious. The coding imaging technology has the advantages of small size, no loss of resolution, but its advantages are low signal-to-noise ratio and low light field quality.From the perspective of the development of light field cameras, encoding-based light field acquisition equipment breaks the mutual restriction between angular resolution and viewpoint image resolution. The redundant information in the light field can be removed through machine learning, and the light field can be restored from a small amount of information. In the future 4K era, the advantage of not losing resolution will be the focus of this technology.In the near future, when light field acquisition equipment develops to a sufficiently high resolution, as well as has fast enough acquisition speed, and cheap, the light field data, as a kind of rich media data, is stored in a large amount of non-overlapping data that can be passed through a single point. The complete picture of data information will become a new data treasure house for data scientists to research and mine. In particular, unexpected achievements may be obtained in many fields, such as holographic recognition, holographic payment, holographic authentication, and so on.Guo Songrui:Doctor of Computer Science and Technology Engineering from Hunan University, studied mixed reality and augmented reality technology at the State Key Laboratory of Scientific Computing of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and participated in the research and development of multiple key projects.About WIMI Hologram Cloud Inc.WiMi Hologram Cloud, Inc. (NASDAQ: WIMI), whose commercial operations began in 2015, operates an integrated holographic AR application platform in China and has built a comprehensive and diversified holographic AR content library among all holographic AR solution providers in China. Its extensive portfolio includes 4,654 AR holographic contents. The company has also achieved a speed of image processing that is 80 percent faster than the industry average. While most peer companies may identify and capture 40 to 50 blocks of image data within a specific space unit, WiMi collects 500 to 550 data blocks. For more information, please visit http://ir.wimiar.com/.WIMI Hologram Cloud Inc.Name: Tim WongE-mail: pr@wimiar.comTele: +86 10 89913328 Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

15 10 月, 2020

New Survey Shows Philippines Among Highest in Online Piracy in Southeast Asia

MANILA, Oct 15, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - A new study of the online content viewing behaviour of Filipino consumers has found that 49% access streaming piracy websites or torrent sites. The levels of piracy went as high as 53% within the 25-34 age demographic. The survey commissioned by the Asia Video Industry Association's Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) and conducted by YouGov, found that 47% of consumers who accessed piracy sites cancelled their subscriptions to both local and international content services.The levels of piracy in the Philippines now dwarfs neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia which have both seen substantial reductions in online piracy over the last 12 months. In Indonesia a similar YouGov survey found a massive 55% reduction in Indonesians accessing piracy services with 28% of consumers admitting to accessing piracy websites compared to 63% in 2019. In Malaysia, a YouGov survey found a 64% decline in users accessing piracy sites when compared to a similar YouGov survey in 2019.In both countries, a key variable for the decline in online piracy levels was the government's proactive piracy site blocking initiative. In Malaysia more than half (55%) of online consumers noticed that a piracy service had been blocked by the Malaysian government, which subsequently influenced viewing habits with 49% stating that they no longer accessed piracy services and 40% saying that they now 'rarely accessed' piracy services as a result of the site blocking.A Bill currently before the Philippine Senate (Bill #497) entitled the 'Online Infringement Act' proposes a regulatory site blocking mechanism which would empower the authorities to ensure that ISPs take "reasonable steps to disable access to sites whenever these sites are reported to be infringing copyright or facilitating copyright infringement."The recent YouGov survey suggests that a regulatory site blocking mechanism would be supported by the majority of Filipino consumers. When given choices of what they thought were effective measures of reducing piracy behaviour, 53% of Filipinos agree that a "government order or law for ISPs to block piracy websites" would be the most effective.Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu said, "The ill effects of online piracy cannot be underestimated. We have been an advocate of content streaming through legal sites only through our #PlayItRight program. This advocacy educates people on the impacts of online piracy and on making the right choices when it comes to online consumption."For his part, Atty Teodoro Pascua, Deputy Director General, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said, "The wide variety of legal services in the Philippines which provide premium entertainment content are reliable and importantly are legal. The piracy alternatives fund crime groups put consumers at risk of malware infection and are unreliable. Piracy only benefits the criminal organisations who are behind these illegal websites."Neil Gane, the General Manager of AVIA's Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) commented, "We are confident that Indonesia and Malaysia will rise to become market leaders in video IP protection in the region, as a result of their site-blocking strategies. We are also confident that other countries in Asia, such as the Philippines, will take note and follow suit, boosting the growth of legal consumption of Filipino and international content."When asked about the negative consequences of online piracy, Filipino consumers placed funding crime groups (55%), loss of jobs in the creative industry (50%) and malware risks (49%) as their top three concerns.YouGov is an international research and data analytics group. For further information visit https://hk.yougov.com. Study conducted in September 2020. All data is weighted to be representative of the online population. Sample size: Philippines n=1,098About the Asia Video Industry AssociationThe Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) is the trade association for the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific. It serves to make the video industry stronger and healthier through promoting the common interests of its members. AVIA is the interlocutor for the industry with governments across the region, leads the fight against video piracy through its Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) programme and provides insight into the industry through reports and conferences aimed to support a vibrant video industry.Contact AVIAFor media contacts and additional background:Charmaine KwanHead of Marketing and CommunicationsEmail: charmaine@avia.orgWebsite: www.avia.orgLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/asiavideoiaTwitter: @AsiaVideoIA Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

15 10 月, 2020

Man, 20, sentenced to 1 year RTC for molesting his underage cousin over 4 years

SINGAPORE - A 20-year-old man was sentenced on Thursday (Oct 15) to 12 months at a Reformative Training Centre (RTC) for sexually assaulting his female cousin on multiple occasions between 2016 and 2019. He first molested his cousin in an apartment unit when she was 10 and he was 15. He continued to molest her on multiple occasions throughout the years, the last time being in May last year, when the man was 19 and the victim was 13. The man cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim's identity. The court heard that on multiple occasions, he would lock himself in a bedroom with the victim and instruct her to lie down on a mattress. He would then remove her shorts and underwear and proceed to rub his exposed genitals against her lower body and buttocks. The first time he assaulted his cousin, he was paired with her during a game of "hide-and-seek", during which he isolated her from the others they were playing with. He then locked her in a bedroom and proceeded to molest her. Most pertinently, in May last year, the accused dragged the victim - then 13 - out of the shower she was in. Despite the victim's efforts to rebuff his advances, he made her lie down on a bed and he proceeded to rub his exposed genitals against hers for around two minutes. Deputy Public Prosecutor Kor Zhen Hong noted that the accused and the victim's families shared a "close relationship", and that the victim did not confide in anyone as she was "afraid of spoiling the relationship between their families". DPP Kor added that the victim did not put up a struggle, as she respected him and "did not wish to upset him". This pattern of sexual abuse finally came to light in late May last year, when the victim's elder brother noticed that the accused and the victim were frequently spending time together in a locked bedroom. More on this topic Related Story Paedophile, 22, gets jail, caning for molesting sister when she was 5 and raping her at age 12 Related Story Man gets 14 months' jail and 2 strokes of the cane for molesting teenage stepdaughter Related Story Bus driver admits to molesting stepdaughter multiple times over more than 20 years He conveyed his concerns to their mother, who questioned the victim. The girl then revealed that she had been a victim of her cousin's sexual advances since 2016. A police report was finally lodged on May 30, 2019 at the Hougang Neighbourhood Police Centre, where the victim told officers that she had been "sexually assaulted". DPP Kor asked that the man be sentenced to time in an RTC, rather than given probation, as the offences had been committed over an extended period of four years. "The age gap between the accused and the victim was quite significant, and we recommend that a structured environment such as the RTC would reduce his risk of re-offending," DPP Kor said. The man was sentenced based on three proceeded charges of outrage of modesty. The first one took place between May and June 2016, the second between November and December 2018, and the third one occurred in May 2019. Four other charges of outrage of modesty were taken into consideration in the man's sentencing. More on this topic Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories District Judge May Mesenas told the man prior to his sentencing that she hoped the victim would be able to "overcome and deal with what you have done to her". "I hope that after your time in RTC you will make sure that this does not happen to anyone else," Judge Mesenas said. Judge Mesenas also called on the Ministry of Social and Family Development to locate and contact the victim to follow-up with the necessary counselling. The court heard that the victim now lives with her mother - who has since remarried - and that there has been no contact between her and her cousin since the police report was made. "I would like to ask for the MSF to reach out to the victim so that the after-effects and consequences of what has occurred do not stay with her and manifest in other consequences for her down the road," Judge Mesenas said.

15 10 月, 2020

More library services to resume from Oct 20

SINGAPORE - Those visiting libraries to read, study and work can now look forward to more services resuming from Tuesday (Oct 20) at the National Library Building, 25 public libraries and the Oldham Theatre in the National Archives of Singapore Building. The National Library Board (NLB) said in a statement on Thursday (Oct 15) that it would open up seating and study areas in public libraries, including eNewspaper and multimedia stations, with a timed entry system and safe distancing measures still in place. It will also gradually resume public programmes, apart from guided tours. More information about those programmes can be found at NLB's GoLibrary site. The Study Lounge at Level 5 of the National Library Building will also be re-opened with a three-hour visit limit. Library users will be able to visit the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library for up to three hours, up from the two hour limit in September. Regional libraries in Jurong, Tampines and Woodlands will be open for up to three hours, a significant increase from the previous 30-minute limit. For all other public libraries, the length of stay will be increased from 30 minutes to two hours. Entries will be timed to manage crowds. Library users can make online bookings for their preferred slots. More on this topic Related Story Public libraries to resume regular opening hours from Sept 1, but capacity controls remain Related Story All books returned to libraries to be set aside for 24 hours before going back on the shelves: NLB Related Story Plans for 3rd phase of reopening to be revealed in weeks Bookings are limited to one per day, with slots released daily for the following day. The Asian Film Archive's public screenings of films at Oldham Theatre will have an increased capacity of 50 persons per screening for both the theatre and the atrium, with safe distancing measures continued for seating in the theatre and to limit intermingling between groups, NLB said. There will be one to two screenings per screening day. The gradual resumption of library services comes after public libraries here resumed regular opening hours from Sept 1. Safe distancing measures, capacity controls and frequent disinfection of high touch points will continue to be implemented in all NLB premises. Library users must continue to wear masks at all times. With programmes resuming, additional cleaning, sanitising and ventilation of programme areas will also be carried out between sessions, NLB added. Due to capacity restrictions, library users might have to queue and wait before entering the premises. Those who are heading to the library can check the website or the NLB mobile app for real-time crowd capacity in libraries and archives before visiting.

15 10 月, 2020

3 MRT lines hit by power fault: Other major train breakdowns in Singapore

SINGAPORE - A power fault shut down train service on parts of the North-South and East-West MRT Lines at around 7pm on Wednesday (Oct 14), severely disrupting the evening rush-hour commute for many commuters. At 7.30pm, the fault disrupted service along a 16-station stretch of the Circle Line. Preliminary investigations indicate that a faulty power cable had caused the breakdown, which is one of the most serious power-related incidents to hit the MRT network in recent years. Here are some other serious breakdowns: Dec 15 and 17, 2011 A sagging power-supply rail brings the North-South Line to a standstill on the evening of Dec 15, and then again on the morning of Dec 17, as SMRT fails to detect and rectify the damage completely. July 7, 2015 A power-supply trip causes both the North-South and East-West lines to fail, affecting about half a million commuters. The Land Transport Authority later blames a salt-caked insulator near Tanjong Pagar station, but is unable to replicate the fault. April 25, 2016 A power trip at one of the network's substations causes the western sector of the North-South and East-West lines, parts of the Circle Line, as well as the Bukit Panjang LRT system to fail. The trip is suspected to have been triggered by cable works on the East-West Line's Tuas West Extension. June 28, 2017 The entire North-South Line ceases to operate just after 5pm due to a fault on a newly-installed signalling system. The same fault also affected service on the East-West Line Tuas West Extension. About 10 minutes later, SMRT was able to get the train moving again but at lower speeds. SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) had said similar disruptions may persist for "a few more months". The pair attributed the latest twin faults to "a signalling fault on the new communication-based train control (CBTC) system". The entire North-South Line ceased to operate just after 5pm due to a fault on a newly-installed signalling system on June 28, 2017. PHOTO: ST FILE July 12, 2017 A power fault causes train services on the North-Line and East West line to fail late at night. In a tweet just after midnight on July 12, SMRT said that there were no train services between Jurong East and Kranji on the North-South Line, as well as between Tuas Link and Queenstown on the East-West Line. SMRT tweeted at 1.20am that train and bridging bus services have ended and that their engineers are still working to rectify the fault. More on this topic Related Story Train services return to normal following Wednesday's widespread disruption Related Story MRT power fault: I was stuck on train for 3 hours, says commuter Aug 17, 2017 A new signalling system fault near Ang Mo Kio causes two hour delays during peak hour on Thursday evening. Commuters were asked to disembark from at least one train at Toa Payoh station. A fault in a track point disrupted rush-hour services on the East-West Line on Sep 19, 2018. PHOTO: ST FILE Sept 19, 2018 A fault in a track point disrupted rush-hour services on the East-West Line on Sep 19, causing thousands of MRT commuters to face delays of up to 40 minutes during rush hour service. The glitch occurred between the Jurong East and Clementi MRT stations. Oct 9, 2019 The North-East Line (NEL) service was delayed by about 20 minutes at one point due to a signalling fault at Sengkang Station. SBS Transit tweeted at 7.50pm that the service on NEL was delayed and commuters could expect an additional travel time of about 10 minutes before introducing amending it several times. Commuters were stuck in trains for more than 15 minutes.

15 10 月, 2020

Train services return to normal following Wednesday’s widespread disruption

SINGAPORE - A day after one of the worst power-related disruptions in years that hit three MRT lines and left thousands stranded, train services on the lines resumed, with commuters saying that their morning rides were uneventful. At about 6.45am at Yew Tee MRT station on Thursday (Oct 15) morning, train services were running as usual, and commuters who spoke to The Straits Times said nothing was amiss when they took their daily morning rides to work, school and camp. A power fault shut down train service on parts of the North-South and East-West MRT lines at around 7pm on Wednesday, severely disrupting the evening rush-hour commute for many travellers. Half an hour later, the fault disrupted service along a 16-station stretch of the Circle Line. Preliminary investigations indicate that a faulty power cable had caused the breakdown, which is one of the most serious power-related incidents to hit the MRT network in recent years. Service resumed at all stations along the North-South and East-West lines at 10.35pm. On Thursday morning, some were unaware of the previous night's disruptions, as services were back to normal. Mr Muhammad Nur Nazrul, a full-time national serviceman, said that his commute from Hougang to Yew Tee went without a hitch. He arrived at the latter at about 6.45am. "I only found out about the disruptions this morning through the news. It was quite surprising to me, especially as so many stations were affected," said the 22-year-old. Commuter Suresh Kumar said he left the house about five minutes earlier. Business as usual at Buona Vista MRT station The project manager, who is in his 60s, said his ride to Jurong East from Yew Tee was without delay. Over at Jurong East MRT station at 7.40am, a steady stream of commuters made their way to and from the bus interchange and the train platform during the morning peak hour. More on this topic Related Story Train services restored on North-South, East-West, Circle lines after disruption due to power fault Related Story MRT power fault: I was stuck on train for 3 hours, says commuter Describing the situation that she experienced at Jurong East station the night before, Ms Jane Tan, a public servant, said on Thursday morning that the bus interchange had been packed as commuters streamed out of the MRT station after it was announced that there was no train service. She took a bus towards Serangoon where she lives, and got off at Clementi MRT station to see if she could hop onto Pasir Ris-bound train. But she was out of luck. "It was like a choked toilet," she said of the crowd that had formed around the station. The 26-year-old added that she had to forgo a dinner appointment at Nex with her friend, and instead had a meal at Clementi before heading home. However, she was not upset. Commuters at Jurong East MRT station at 7am on Oct 15, 2020. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH "It could have been a lot worse if the full workforce was out, so I'm thankful that I eventually got home okay," she said. Her commute from Serangoon to Jurong East on Thursday went smoothly. Ms Siti Hasna, a housewife, said she had heard about the disruptions on Wednesday night, but it did not bother her as she went about her plans on Thursday morning. "I take public transport pretty often, and things have been okay, so far so good… I guess I'm lucky," she said. The 34-year-old, who took the train from Choa Chu Kang to Jurong East on Wednesday, said the ride was without issue. "I guess breakdowns are inevitable. The trains are always moving and I'd expect them to breakdown… it's just matter of time." Commuters on an East-West Line MRT train on at 6.50am on Oct 15, 2020. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH One commuter who was affected by the disruptions on Wednesday night said he had to take a private-hire car home after trains stopped running from Jurong East. He got to the station at about 8pm. "I ended up taking a Grab car home to Sembawang, but it's not an issue. There's no need to get angry, it won't change anything," said Mr Alan Tan, 33, who works in the food distribution industry. When ST reached Serangoon MRT station at 7.30am on Thursday, crowds were seen streaming in at both the North East Line (NEL) and Circle Line exit points. A commuter, who wanted to be known only as Ms So, 24, said she felt as though the station was more packed on Thursday morning - following Wednesday's breakdown. She usually takes the NEL from her home to Serangoon, where she changes trains to get to Botanic Gardens, which is en route to her workplace. "I left at the same time, because I thought that everything would have been fixed by now, and I didn't think I'd be so unlucky twice," she said, half in jest. "There was a brief moment when the train suddenly stopped on the purple line (NEL), causing slight panic, but thankfully it was nothing," said Ms So, who works in operations. More on this topic Related Story 3 MRT lines hit by power fault: Other major train breakdowns in Singapore Her commute home the night before had been met with a disruption at Bishan station at around 7.30pm, when the train she was on stopped at the station. Fearing the worst, Ms So decided to search for alternative routes to get home, and managed to get a bus from Bishan to Woodleigh, which connected her to the NEL. Though the disruptions delayed her travel time by an hour, she was thankful that the delays she experienced were not as bad, compared to the ones on the East-West Line, which allowed her to get home at a reasonable time.

15 10 月, 2020

Football: Portugal brush off Ronaldo absence to outclass Sweden in Nations League; Belgium wins 2-1 against Iceland

LISBON/REYKJAVIK (REUTERS) - Goals from Bernardo Silva and a brace from Diogo Jota gave Portugal a comfortable 3-0 win over Sweden in the Nations League on Wednesday (Oct 14) as the hosts made light of the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo due to a positive Covid-19 test. Silva opened the scoring in the 21st minute as Portugal won the ball back in the middle of the field and quickly countered, with Jota firing a precise pass to Silva in the penalty area for a perfect first-time finish. Jota got on the scoresheet just before halftime, lashing home Joao Cancelo's cross from deep on the right to make it 2-0, and he added a superb third with a solo run and thumping shot in the 71st minute. With 10 points from four games, Portugal top Group 2 in League A on goal difference ahead of France, who beat Croatia 2-1 in Zagreb. The Swedes are bottom of the group after slumping to four straight defeats. Meanwhile, stand-in captain Romelu Lukaku scored twice as Belgium got back to winning ways with a 2-1 away triumph over Iceland in the Nations League on Wednesday. Lukaku opened the scoring inside 10 minutes and added a penalty after Birkir Saevarsson had levelled for Iceland to give Belgium the three points. They moved to the top of the League A Group 2 standings following England's defeat at home to Denmark that dropped Gareth Southgate's side down to third. Iceland, who had lost all their previous games in the competition, equalised within eight minutes of Lukaku's opener and full back Saevarsson had other chances in a sprightly performance. The hosts were without coach Erik Hamren and his entire backroom team on the bench after an unnamed staff member contracted Covid-19 and they had to go into isolation. More on this topic Related Story Football: Mbappe strike gives France 2-1 win over Croatia in Nations League Related Story Football: Eriksen penalty earns Denmark win over England in Nations League Belgium, however, proved too powerful and moved to nine points from their four games in the group, two above Denmark and England. Belgium's 13-match unbeaten run ended on Sunday when they lost to England at Wembley and they travelled to Iceland with an injury-depleted squad, missing captain Eden Hazard and his deputy Kevin De Bruyne.

15 10 月, 2020

Football: Low faces the heat after Germany struggle to latest draw

COLOGNE • Joachim Low's 14-year reign as Germany head coach is under pressure after his side's run of poor results continued on Tuesday, as they had to come from two goals down to limp to a 3-3 draw against Switzerland in the Nations League. Germany have drawn four of their last five games - surrendering the lead on three occasions - to leave them second in their Nations League group behind Spain. They squeezed past Ukraine 2-1 with a full-strength side in Kiev on Saturday and after a 3-3 friendly home draw against Turkey last Wednesday, Low's side were once again guilty of poor defending. "Sure, when you concede three goals, the defence isn't good," admitted Toni Kroos, who was at fault for the second Swiss goal. The 60-year-old Low has a German FA contract until the 2022 World Cup. However, his popularity among fans has plummeted - from the heights of winning the 2014 World Cup title - since Germany's debacle at the Russia 2018 finals when they failed to get out of their group. Dinamo Zagreb striker Mario Gavranovic scored goals either side of a deft chip by Remo Freuler as all three Swiss goals came from German mistakes. Germany fought back behind closed doors with goals by Timo Werner, his Chelsea teammate Kai Havertz and Serge Gnabry. "We always came back, despite a lot of setbacks, so we showed some good morale," said Havertz, putting a positive spin on a disappointing evening for the Germans. On the eve of the game, Low said he expected "concentration, precision, courage", but it was the Swiss who showed those character traits to take a 2-0 lead. The German defence was caught napping with just five minutes gone. Right-back Robin Gosens lost the ball, which led to Gavranovic heading over German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into goal. A weak clearance by Neuer then invited Gavranovic to claim his second, but the striker fired just wide. 20% Germany's win rate in their last five games. The Swiss grabbed their second however when Kroos surrendered possession. Haris Seferovic flicked the ball across the box to Freuler, who had the time and space to chip Neuer on 26 minutes to leave Low fuming on the sidelines. The third Swiss goal was scored when Gavranovic slammed home a shot after the German defence had again been pulled apart. It meant the Germans have conceded six goals in Cologne in the space of seven days. But Low remained defiant, saying: "We started badly but showed great attitude in coming back. "That was positive. In defence we made our share of mistakes which we have to stop. But we showed that the team is ready to fight." AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

15 10 月, 2020

Next 48 Hours

TODAY BADMINTON Denmark Open Day 3: Rd of 16 (StarHub Ch201, 3pm & 11pm). GOLF European Tour Scottish C'ship: Day 1 (StarHub Ch204, 7.30pm). TOMORROW BADMINTON Denmark Open Day 4: Q-finals (StarHub Ch201, 8pm). GOLF European Tour Scottish C'ship: Day 2 (StarHub Ch204, 7.30pm). MOTORCYCLING MotoGP Aragon Grand Prix Practice 1 (2.55pm) & 2 (7.10pm) - Singtel TV Ch114 & StarHub Ch208. SWIMMING International Swimming League Match 1: Day 1 (Singtel TV Ch109 & StarHub Ch213, 10pm). For updates go to singteltv.com.sg & starhubtvplus.com or check the on-screen TV guide.

15 10 月, 2020

Football: Strict protocols in place ahead of SPL restart on Oct 17

Strict safety protocols will be implemented on match days when the Singapore Premier League (SPL) resumes on Saturday after a suspension of more than 200 days due to the coronavirus pandemic. At a virtual meeting with officials from the nine clubs yesterday, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) disclosed these measures - as advised by the Health Promotion Board, Ministry of Health (MOH) and Sport Singapore. On Saturday, Tampines Rovers will host Hougang United at Our Tampines Hub, while Tanjong Pagar take on Balestier Khalsa at Jurong East Stadium. Both games will kick off at 5.30pm behind closed doors with just under 100 people, including players, officials, medical and match day staff, and broadcast and media workers, allowed inside. In order to avoid congregation at any point at the stadiums, entry to the venues will be staggered across a five-hour period before kick-off. Similarly, departure after the match will also be spread over a one-hour period after the final whistle. Five zones - broadcasting, stands (staggered areas in spectator stands), entrance, official area (tunnel, dressing room) and field of play - are also established at stadiums, where access will be controlled to prevent intermingling. Except for players and match officials who are in action during the game or warm-up, everyone else are to wear masks while they are in the stadiums. While all 223 local-based players and match officials tested negative for Covid-19 on Oct 4, they will undergo swab tests every two weeks. Anyone who tests positive from this group will have to immediately self-isolate and follow the standard operating procedures established by MOH. All clubs are required to complete and submit declaration forms to FAS for all players, coaches and officials a day before a match. They will have to check their temperature twice - two days and one day before the match - and anyone with a temperature of 38 deg C or higher will not be allowed to participate. More on this topic Related Story Football: Singapore Premier League to restart on Oct 17, swab tests for 223 players and officials all negative Related Story Football: Uncertainty over champions Brunei DPMM's participation in S'pore Premier League restart Likewise, anyone who has travelled out of Singapore 14 days before a match, or who has been in contact with anyone who is Covid-19 positive or serving a stay-home notice, will also be barred. FAS chief of the general secretary's office Gerard Christopher said: "It is imperative that every single person involved on match days upon the SPL's resumption strictly adheres to these protocols, as they are necessary in order to safeguard the well-being of everyone. What's new MATCH-DAY PROTOCOLS • Just under 100 essential people - including players, officials, medical staff, and broadcast and media workers - are allowed in the stadiums • Staggered entry across a five-hour period before kick-off; controlled departure within an hour after final whistle • Masks to be worn by everyone except players and match officials who are in action during the game or warm-up • Anyone with a temperature of 38 deg C or higher will not be allowed to participate • Anyone who has travelled out of Singapore 14 days before a match, or who has been in contact with anyone who is Covid-19 positive or serving a stay-home notice, will be barred. LAWS OF THE GAME AMENDMENTS • Teams may make a maximum of five substitutions, up from three • Outside of the half-time break, teams are allowed a maximum of three substitution windows during the first and second halves • Mandatory water breaks - each lasting 60 seconds - will take place in the 25th and 70th minutes; players are to drink from personalised bottles "As the first local professional league competition to be allowed to resume, the FAS recognises the responsibility it bears to ensure that the league is able to function as smoothly and safely as possible, with the inherent safety measures." In addition, the FAS also told the clubs about several amendments made to the laws of the game for the rest of the SPL season which are aligned with leagues across the world. One key change is that the maximum number of substitutions teams can make during a game has been increased from three to five. Outside of the half-time break, teams will be allowed a maximum of three substitution windows during the first and second halves. Mandatory water breaks will also be introduced to help players as they return to the full rigours of action after a hiatus of almost seven months. The one-minute breaks will take place in the 25th and 70th minutes, and players are to drink from personalised bottles. Geylang International coach Noor Ali feels the measures are adequate in ensuring a safe return to the SPL. More on this topic Related Story October return of Singapore Premier League, One Championship crucial to next year's calendar Related Story Coronavirus microsite: Get latest updates, videos and graphics He added: "We are resuming the league with a preseason that is not normal. The players may be physically fit, but not match fit as we did not have any friendly matches." The increase in the number of substitutions is important to reduce the possibility of injuries in "a fast and furious season", particularly in the first round, he said. "It will be a different experience and it will be interesting to see the effects on each club and how each club adapt to the changes." Due to the coronavirus-enforced break, the SPL season will be shortened from three rounds of matches to two rounds, while the Singapore Cup has been cancelled.

15 10 月, 2020

Alonso comes to grips with F1 surprises

LONDON • Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso said he was ready for a fresh start as he tested the latest Renault Formula One car in Barcelona on Tuesday. The Spaniard, also a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner, has not competed in a grand prix since he left McLaren at the end of 2018 but is returning next year as the replacement for the departing Australian Daniel Ricciardo. "It's going to be like a new beginning, getting surprised about the speed of the car, the braking performance, the corner speed, a lot of things that will surprise me once again," the 39-year-old said before the filming day for a promotional video. The drive in the RS20 car came 20 years after Alonso first tested with Benetton - the team who then became Renault - at the same circuit. He scored two of his 32 F1 victories in the Spanish Grand Prix, in 2006 and 2013, and had five further podium finishes on the track. Alonso said preparing for the limited mileage outing had been complicated by Covid-19 restrictions, with fewer days in the simulator to adjust, but the run was worth it. "It was really very special for me to get back into an F1 car. The feeling was good. I think the car is obviously outperforming me at the moment, because I cannot extract the maximum from the car," he said after completing the maximum 100km allowed under the testing rules in a session officially being used to make a promotional film. "Getting back to the F1 speed is not so easy. I was improving lap after lap, and trying to give feedback to the engineers. Also we had some filming to do, so there were cameras, there were drones following on track." Team boss Cyril Abiteboul said after Sunday's Eifel Grand Prix at Germany's Nurburgring, where Ricciardo finished third for Renault's first podium since their return as a constructor in 2016, that Alonso was champing at the bit to return. "We received a message before, during and after the race," said the Frenchman. "I think Fernando is like a big shark. And as soon as he starts to feel the blood he wants to attack. That's what I see - I see a shark very hungry." Alonso agreed in July to rejoin Renault next season when the team will compete as Alpine, the French manufacturer's sports car brand. "I'm comfortable here with Renault," he said. "Everything is a bit easier when you know the faces and the team." 2 F1 drivers' championships Fernando Alonso won with Renault. The Spaniard, who won his titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, raced in the Le Mans 24 Hours as well as the endurance world championship, all with Toyota, since leaving F1. This year, he was 13th in the Dakar rally and 21st in his second Indianapolis 500 race. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

15 10 月, 2020

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Oct 15

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Thursday, Oct 15. Train services restored on 3 MRT lines after power fault disruption The engineering team will work through the night to rectify the problem, said Ong Ye Kung. READ MORE HERE MRT power fault: I was stuck on train for 3 hours, says commuter Most commuters remained calm and informed family members about the delays. READ MORE HERE Mass air travel's return at least two years away: Ong Ye Kung Singapore will need to review its plans for Changi's Terminal 5, he said. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Macron orders curfew in 9 cities to curb Covid-19 spread A third of France’s population will be put under nightly curfew. READ MORE HERE 2 schoolchildren among 5 new confirmed Covid-19 cases Both patients had last been at their respective schools on Oct 2. READ MORE HERE Mediacorp's former Caldecott Hill home put up for sale The sale, via a public tender exercise, will close on Dec 9. READ MORE HERE 'Right to Disconnect' law guarantees workers protected time to rest, says labour MP Melvin Yong Critics of his proposal have questioned the feasibility of having such a law for essential service workers. READ MORE HERE Umno president Zahid emerges as unlikely kingmaker in Anwar's bid to be PM He heads the most powerful faction in deeply divided Umno. READ MORE HERE Trump, Biden to hold rival TV town halls instead of debate The two were originally meant to meet for their second debate on Thursday evening. READ MORE HERE Melania Trump says son Barron had Covid-19 but is negative now Mrs Trump has also tested negative for the virus since. READ MORE HERE

15 10 月, 2020

Green Care Solutions’ national Hemp Avenue Skincare campaign is the next big move in CBD

LOS ANGELES, CA., Oct 15, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - For many companies, the COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating impact. However, despite 2020's unfavorable circumstances, CBD manufacturer Green Care Solutions is not only staying afloat, but thriving with record sales throughout the duration of the pandemic. C.E.O. Freddy Rashid attributed the company's success to the existing national brand recognition they received during their 2019 marketing campaign. The company is now accelerating their retail expansion for 2021 and shows no signs of slowing down.Green Care Solutions C.E.O. Freddy Rashid Green Care Solutions is launching its first CBD skincare line, Hemp Avenue Skincare, which caught the attention of 'As Seen on TV' founder Kevin Harrington, who will be debuting the new line across the digital platform. When asked about the success of the launch, Rashid notes "We have over 160,000 followers on Instagram so our audience anticipates every time we're about to launch a new product. Lastly, our formulations are top of the line and the packaging looks incredible so when people see this brand and how it's packaged, it really grabs their attention."Green Care Solutions was set to launch it's flagship store GCS Market in Fall of 2020, but due to Covid-19 plans to open its doors have been temporarily put on hiatus until LA County reopens. "COVID-19 has affected us in both a negative and positive way for the grand opening, but in a positive aspect we've seen a huge increase in sales over the past few months and over the duration of this period. However due to the shutdown, LA County has put restrictions on permits and when we'll be allowed to open so we're not sure when our doors will be open." GCS market will carry all the standard products of a pharmacy/convenience store in addition to a plethora of Green Care Solutions CBD products.Even with the temporary pause on the store openings, 2020 has been a year of incredible progress for the brand. The hit show and podcast Green Talk by Green Care Solutions will now be available for viewing on Roku. "We are making some huge changes in regards to the expansion of our platform. Right now Green Talk is available on every single listening platform you can think of. Some people prefer to listen on iHeart radio, some prefer iTunes, some prefer Spotify, some prefer to listen to the radio so they tune in to us on NBC Radio, and now we've partnered with Roku to air our show there as the next outlet available for our listeners. People will now be able to watch Green Talk on Roku or YouTube."Green Talk boasts an impressive line up of celebrity guests, including names like Montel Williams, Tommy Chong, Xzibit, John Salley, and more. "The beauty of our platform with Green Talk is that we get to tap into completely different demographics of listeners every time we have a new guest. We had Tito Ortiz come on the show and tapped into the MMA audience by bringing his fans over to listen, we recently had Fox Sports analyst and former NBA star Jim Jackson on the show and were able to reach a new audience of sports fans who are now coming back to listen. These new listeners are all learning about Green Care Solutions products from our show."Rashid never expected the show to become the success it is today, saying "when we first started we were asked to do 1 show per week, now because of how rapidly we've grown we're doing 2 shows per week with over 3.4 million listeners per show and that number is continuing to grow. I'm still just as active in the production of the show now as I was in the beginning, but now things run so much smoother because we have production down perfectly, like a well oiled machine. We also plan on bringing on some new hosts this season as well so we're really looking forward to announcing who that will be in the near future."With the new commercial starring Kevin Harrington now playing across various media platforms, it seems that the Green Care Solutions marketing strategy is truly setting them apart from other CBD brands. The commercial is finishing post-production and is set to air on Apple TV and across movie theatres and all digital platforms offered through Kevin's media channels. When asked what it was like to work with Kevin and his team Rashid said, "It was an absolutely amazing opportunity and experience. Kevin is one of the best in the world at what he does, being the original shark from Shark Tank and having generated over 5 billion dollars in global sales. When his team approached us to work it was a situation that worked out well for both sides. His Sr. Vice President Lisa Vrancken is exceptional, his staff was incredibly professional and so great to work with, so we're really excited to share the final products and begin airing our commercials soon."To learn more about Green Care Solutions visit www.greencaresolutions.com, and to learn more about Hemp Avenue Skincare visit www.hempavenueskincare.comMedia Contact:Freddy Rashid, CEOGreen Care Solutions, LLCRancho Cucamonga | CA 91739e:: info@greencaresolutions.comu:: https://greencaresolutions.com/ Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

15 10 月, 2020

Green Care Solutions’ national Hemp Avenue Skincare campaign is the next big move in CBD

14 10 月, 2020

MRT power fault: I was stuck on train for almost three hours, says commuter

SINGAPORE - Finance executive Ryan Koh, 29, spent nearly three hours in a train after a power trip disrupted service along stretches of three MRT lines on Wednesday (Oct 14). He was heading home from Clementi to Yew Tee when the power fault occurred. The train he was on came to a halt inside the tunnel between Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak stations. "Some lights went out immediately and the train came to a stop slowly. I was expecting a minor delay but now I am stuck for almost three hours," he said. When The Straits Times spoke to him at around 9pm, he said the majority of people in the train had left after SMRT staff started evacuating commuters at around 8pm. Senior citizens were asked to move to the back of the train to disembark, he said, estimating that about 70 people opted to stay on the train. He decided to stay on board as "the queue was long and slow". Most commuters remained calm and informed family members about the delays, he added. However, SMRT staff stopped detraining passengers at around 9pm due to heavy rain and lightning risk, he said. At around 9.40pm, the staff told the commuters to be seated and confirmed that the train would be moving to Bukit Batok. Mr Koh, who received a complimentary train ride voucher for one ride, said he was tired and hungry. "I just want to go home as soon as possible." The power fault had disrupted service between Woodlands and Jurong East on the North-South Line, between Gul Circle and Queenstown on the East-West Line, and between HarbourFront and Serangoon on the Circle Line. A major breakdown during the Covid-19 pandemic raised fears among commuters like Mr R. Fong. The 28-year-old concept artist, who was stuck on the train at Kranji from 7.04pm to 8.24pm, said he was "definitely worried about Covid-19 because social distancing on the train is non-existent". Some commuters posted photos on social media of stations with the lights out, including at Yew Tee, Boon Lay and Joo Koon. Mr Leslie Lim, 23, was withdrawing money at an ATM at Boon Lay station when the power fault occurred. He walked to the station after the machine went off, but realised commuters were not being allowed into the station. The national serviceman then checked SMRT's Twitter page, which told commuters to expect additional travelling time. This confused him, he said, as station staff had informed commuters that services were not available. He then took a private-hire ride home to Sengkang - a journey that he said cost him $36 instead of the usual $24 due to surge pricing. There were 30 to 40 people around who were confused, he added. "There really wasn't any (safe distancing measures) and neither was it really being enforced because of the chaotic situation. Some of the staff were busy answering questions such as what buses to take, sometimes surrounded by two to three people." Shops on the ground floor of Jurong East MRT station were also affected by the power outage. While the lights outside the shops had come back on, staff at the darkened Mr Bean outlet were using their handphone torchlights to serve customers. At 9.30pm, one staff member who wanted to be known only as Madam Chang, 47, told ST that the electricity went off suddenly at about 7pm and had not been restored since. "This is the first time this happened... We might have to throw all the drinks inside the fridge and the pancakes are all cold already," she said.

14 10 月, 2020

Singapore, Hungary ties underpinned by mutual respect, says foreign minister Szijjarto

SINGAPORE - Continued diplomatic ties between Singapore and Hungary for 50 years now have been underpinned by "mutual respect", according to Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who noted there has been a practical side to the cooperation as well in an interview with The Straits Times Wednesday (Oct 14). "We represent a similar kind of approach when it comes to patriotism, when it comes to the approach to the nation itself," said Mr Szijjarto, who was on a one-day stop in Singapore as part of a whirlwind visit to South-East Asian countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Learn more about ST PREMIUM. Enjoy unlimited access to ST's best work Exclusive stories and features on multiple devices In-depth analyses and opinion pieces ePaper and award-winning multimedia content Subscribe Now

14 10 月, 2020

Motor racing: Tsunoda set for Imola test debut with AlphaTauri

LONDON (REUTERS) - Japanese Formula Two driver Yuki Tsunoda will test with the Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri Formula One team at Imola next month, they said on Wednesday (Oct 14). Tsunoda, currently third in the F2 standings, will drive a 2018 Toro Rosso car - the latest allowed for such a test - on Nov 4 after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Italian circuit. The Honda-backed 20-year-old is a contender to race for AlphaTauri next season and the 300km test will qualify him to take part in a grand prix practice session. The team's Twitter feed showed the Japanese having a seat fitting at their Faenza factory in Italy. AlphaTauri have said their driver lineup for 2021 will be based on talent, regardless of the fact that Honda are quitting as an engine provider at the end of 2021. They currently have Frenchman Pierre Gasly and Russian Daniil Kvyat. "A driver comes to AlphaTauri because of his sporting success. It has nothing to do whether Honda continues or not," team boss Franz Tost told Formula One television. "Yuki Tsunoda is doing a fantastic job in F2, he won two races - one in Spa, one in Silverstone and in Austria in wet conditions he was leading for a long time and because of radio problem, he finished only second. "He has the natural speed, he has the skills and the rest, we will see." Tsunoda's current F2 team boss Trevor Carlin told Reuters on Tuesday that he saw the Japanese as a shoe-in for the AlphaTauri drive.

14 10 月, 2020

2 schoolchildren among 5 new confirmed coronavirus cases

SINGAPORE - A 13-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl are the two new Covid-19 cases in the community reported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Oct 14). Both patients are school students and had last been at their respective schools on Oct 2. They were both quarantined from Oct 3, and were swabbed on that day but tested negative, said MOH in a statement on Wednesday night. Both later developed symptoms during quarantine and subsequently tested positive on Oct 13. There were no new local cases from workers' dormitories on Wednesday, said MOH. This was the second day in a row that no new cases from dormitories were reported. On Wednesday morning, Education Minister Lawrence Wong cautioned against complacency and said that Singapore will likely see new cases. In a Facebook post, Mr Wong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19, acknowledged the fatigue that has set in for the current measures but reiterated that "the virus had not been eradicated", adding that "it's still circulating in our community". "We still need to keep our guard up and stay very disciplined in complying with all the necessary safeguards. That's the mindset that will enable us to continue on this path of progressive re-opening in a safe and sustainable manner," he said. Imported cases made up the remaining three of the five new coronavirus cases announced on Wednesday. They were a Singaporean returning from the United Kingdom, one short-term visit pass holder returning from Russia and one student's pass holder returning from India. All the imported cases were placed on stay-home notices upon arrival in Singapore. They tested positive while serving their notices at dedicated facilities. Hi Five, an Indian Muslim food outlet in the Rochor area, was the sole new location added on Wednesday to a list of places visited by infectious Covid-19 patients. MOH provides the list of locations that such patients visited for at least 30 minutes and the times they visited to get people who were at those places to monitor their health closely for two weeks from the date of their visit. 5 new Covid-19 cases confirmed on Oct 14; none in dorms | THE BIG STORY The full list of locations and times can be found on the gov.sg website. The ministry has said that close contacts would already have been notified and that there is no need to avoid these places as they would have been cleaned if necessary. The average number of new daily cases in the community in a week has decreased from one case per day two weeks ago to fewer than one per day in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community in a week has also decreased from a daily average of fewer than one case per day to none in same period. With 12 cases discharged on Wednesday, 57,737 patients have fully recovered from the disease. Related Story Coronavirus microsite: Get latest updates, videos and graphics A total of 39 patients remain in hospital, with none in intensive care, while 70 are recuperating in community facilities. Singapore has had 28 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 15 who tested positive have died of other causes. Related Stories: Related Story 5 new Covid-19 cases in S'pore, including 2 in community Related Story 31-year-old man from India tests positive for Covid-19 after completing SHN Related Story Australia in travel talks with Singapore, Japan, South Korea as coronavirus cases ease Related Story Trump back in Oval Office, aims to return to campaign trail next week despite Covid-19 Related Story Former Thai PM Thaksin had coronavirus but recovered: Source Related Story Malaysian leaders draw flak after post-election coronavirus jump Related Story Interactive: How the world lost one million lives to Covid-19 Related Story Experts in Britain warn coronavirus is out of control Related Story Coronavirus super spreaders drove explosive outbreak in India Related Story South Korea's new Covid-19 cases in triple digits again as Chuseok holiday travels begin Related Story 'Lockdown Lite' is the new strategy for fighting Covid-19

14 10 月, 2020

Football: Cristiano Ronaldo flies back to Italy after positive test

LISBON (AFP) - Cristiano Ronaldo, who has tested positive for Covid-19, left the Portuguese team camp near Lisbon on Wednesday (Oct 14) to fly back to Northern Italy on his private jet, local media reported. The Juventus player's jet took off in the afternoon from the Tires airfield, in the outskirts of Lisbon, according to images broadcast by CMTV. The Portuguese Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Ronaldo tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, the day after Portugal drew 0-0 with France in Paris and would not be in the squad for Wednesday's Nations League match against Sweden in Lisbon. The 35-year-old five-time Ballon d'Or winner was "asymptomatic" and had been placed in isolation after the positive test at the national team's training centre in Oeiras, a suburb of Lisbon. Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini said on Tuesday that he had spoken to Ronaldo. "He's fine and was sunbathing, he'll be back when he's ready," Chiellini said Last week, before the trip to France, two other Portuguese players tested positive, Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes and Lille defender Jose Fonte. Ronaldo is the latest star footballer to test positive for coronavirus following Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Related Story Football: 'Sunbathing' Cristiano Ronaldo may miss Lionel Messi showdown Related Stories: Related Story 5 new Covid-19 cases in S'pore, including 2 in community Related Story 31-year-old man from India tests positive for Covid-19 after completing SHN Related Story Australia in travel talks with Singapore, Japan, South Korea as coronavirus cases ease Related Story Trump back in Oval Office, aims to return to campaign trail next week despite Covid-19 Related Story Former Thai PM Thaksin had coronavirus but recovered: Source Related Story Malaysian leaders draw flak after post-election coronavirus jump Related Story Interactive: How the world lost one million lives to Covid-19 Related Story Experts in Britain warn coronavirus is out of control Related Story Coronavirus super spreaders drove explosive outbreak in India Related Story South Korea's new Covid-19 cases in triple digits again as Chuseok holiday travels begin Related Story 'Lockdown Lite' is the new strategy for fighting Covid-19