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Nineteen people died and more than 170 were injured after a tanker truck exploded on a highway in China's eastern Zhejiang province over the weekend. Video footage showed buildings with their windows blown out from the blast and thick black plumes from the flaming wreckage.
More details on rent relief for tenants and the criteria that financially strapped landlords must meet to be exempt from giving the full rental waiver will be announced in the next few weeks. This comes after Parliament passed a landmark law on June 5 to help 260,000 small and medium-sized enterprises cope as the economic outlook worsens.
Beijing yesterday declared an area surrounding a wholesale market "high risk" after dozens of new coronavirus cases emerged, sparking fears of a second wave of infections in the capital. Health authorities reported 44 new infections in the city, all of whom were linked to the market.
Indonesia saw around 1,000 fresh coronavirus infections in a single day last week. Experts warn this may continue until at least the end of the month as the authorities boost testing and contact tracing. The number of cases rose to 38,277 yesterday.
Statues are now targets of anger for various injustices. Instead of pushing historical figures off their pedestals, consider what Singapore did in dealing with Raffles' place in its history, says global affairs correspondent Jonathan Eyal.
Concerned about the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the needy and vulnerable, two sisters decided to pitch in, creating hopebound (www.hopebound.one), a website that collates resources for people affected by the pandemic, including those who have lost their jobs, domestic abuse victims, as well as the young and the elderly.
Since March 12, more than 4,000 companies have informed the Ministry of Manpower of their cost-saving measures. More than 120 companies have applied to implement time banking, which allows employees to be paid for work to be done later. This is a sharp jump from last year, when only six did so.
The pandemic is not over, and volatility will intensify as the market heads higher. Cyclical and growth plays could be the names to watch. Firms best placed for a recovery next year will be those with strong balance sheets, sound businesses, good management, proven strategies and leaders in their segments, says associate editor Ven Sreenivasan.
La Liga vowed to take legal action against the pitch invader wearing Lionel Messi's Argentina shirt who managed to evade security and run onto the field in Barcelona's away game at Mallorca on Saturday. The French Mallorcan resident was not wearing a mask or gloves, and was chased before being caught and escorted away.
Hong Kong actor Kenneth Ma has been linked to an actress whose surname is Tong since he broke up with actress Jacqueline Wong last year. It turned out to be Roxanne Tong instead of Natalie Tong as previously rumoured. He was photographed last Friday by the media driving to Roxanne Tong's house. He said they have been dating for about two months and have met each other's parents.
StraitsTimes Digital
VIDEO
How much more would you pay?
Around eight in 10 Singaporeans are willing to pay more for essential services such as cleaning and security if the extra amount goes to the workers themselves, according to a survey. str.sg/blurb425
VIDEO
Transforming 'wasted' space
Check out Bangkok's new skypark, which connects two parks on the river banks of the city's historic district. It features sheltered nooks, terraced lookout points over the water, as well as local plants specially selected for their hardy qualities. str.sg/blurb426
