THE BIG STORY
No year-end bonus for S'pore's civil servants
Singapore's 85,000 civil servants will not receive any year-end bonus this year amid the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Public Service Division said. This means that they will not be receiving any annual variable component payment for the entire year as mid-year bonuses were also not paid out earlier this year.
WORLD
AstraZeneca to run fresh vaccine trial
AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine looks like it is headed for an additional global trial as the drugmaker tries to clear up uncertainty and confusion surrounding favourable results in its current study. It wants the new test to confirm the 90 per cent efficacy rate that the shot showed in a portion of an existing trial.
THE BIG STORY/SPORT
Clashes and poignant scenes mark Maradona's burial
Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona was laid to rest in a private ceremony on Thursday in Buenos Aires, a day after fans who were unable to pay their respects at the presidential palace clashed with riot police.
In Naples, his former club Napoli beat Croatia's Rijeka 2-0 in the Europa League, with the entire team wearing his iconic No. 10 jersey.
INSIGHT
Vaccine effort shows how to tackle climate change
Covid-19 has reminded countries of the need for more coordination. If the multilateral effort to vaccinate the world and enable economic recovery succeeds, one hopes this will also provide the impetus for continued cooperation to tackle other global problems such as the climate challenge, says Singapore editor Zakir Hussain.
SINGAPORE
HDT exits taxi business in Covid-19 fallout
HDT Singapore Taxi has become the first taxi business to fold under the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, with the Land Transport Authority this week accepting its application to close. About 90 taxi drivers and four back-end staff were let go, a spokesman for the electric taxi operator said.
LIFE
New folks on the block at Lau Pa Sat
Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat, a 7,000 sq ft space which champions local retailers and food and beverage (F&B) concepts, is breathing new life into the Central Business District hawker centre. Food Folks houses 10 F&B brands and a retail area with more than 800 food-related items from over 120 brands.
