[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/latest-news-22-january-2021\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/latest-news-22-january-2021\/","headline":"Latest News: 22 January 2021","name":"Latest News: 22 January 2021","description":"1. Singapore to host first ATP 250 tennis tournament from 20 to 28 February Singapore will be hosting an ATP 250 tennis tournament next month from 20 to 28 February. The tournament will be a hardcourt event and is scheduled to take place at the Singapore Sports Hub. SportsSG will be working with the Singapore […]","datePublished":"2021-01-22","dateModified":"2022-04-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/nurhuda-a-bakar\/#Person","name":"THG Team","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/nurhuda-a-bakar\/","identifier":192,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc34876b3fb3590dc3c3af86fecb433aaaadfb1c38122c5a851f730f44b6a43d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/dc34876b3fb3590dc3c3af86fecb433aaaadfb1c38122c5a851f730f44b6a43d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"TheHomeGround Asia","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","width":640,"height":640}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1611284340945_TON_1280X626_28229.png","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1611284340945_TON_1280X626_28229.png","height":626,"width":1280},"url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/latest-news-22-january-2021\/","about":["Community","Local","Singapore"],"wordCount":1172,"articleBody":"1. Singapore to host first ATP 250 tennis tournament from 20 to 28 FebruarySingapore will be hosting an ATP 250 tennis tournament next month from 20 to 28 February. The tournament will be a hardcourt event and is scheduled to take place at the Singapore Sports Hub.SportsSG will be working with the Singapore Tennis Association and the Singapore Sports Hub to ensure that strict COVID-19 safe management measures are in place at the venue, and that travel protocols for players and officials adhere to prevailing government guidelines.The announcement comes after the ATP, the governing body of men\u2019s professional tennis, awarded single-year licenses for the 2021 season to Singapore and Spain\u2019s Marbella. These new ATP 250 events are part of measures to increase playing opportunities that were curtailed by the pandemic.\u00a0The ATP 250 tournament category ranks after the four Grand Slams, ATP Masters 1000 events, and ATP 500 events.\u00a0More information on the tournament, including the line-up of players, schedule, COVID-19 protocols, and ticketing details will be announced at a later date.2. 2021 Joint Admissions Exercise posting results to be released on 28 JanuaryPosting results for the 2021 Joint Admission Exercise (JAE) will be released at 9 a.m. on 28 January 2021. Students will be able to obtain these results through the JAE Internet System or SMS.\u00a0Subsequently, students who are posted to a junior college (JC) or Millennia Institute (MI) should report to these institutions at 7.30 a.m. on 29 January. Students who are unable to report on the first day of school due to valid reasons may contact the school to confirm and reserve their placement.Meanwhile, students posted to polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) will receive a letter with enrolment details later on.\u00a0If students wish to appeal for a transfer to another JC or to MI, they should contact the institutions of their choice directly by phone or email. The schools will then have the discretion to consider the application if it has available vacancies, and if the applicant meets this year\u2019s cut-off point.Students who wish to appeal for a transfer to another polytechnic or ITE Higher Nitec course may do so via the JAE Online Appeal Portal, which will also be open for those who were not posted to any course during the JAE.\u00a0Applicants can submit appeals from 9 a.m. on 28 January until 4 p.m. on 2 February. Appeal outcomes will be released at 9 a.m. on 17 February.3. Industry leaders to mobilise other employers in their sectors to uplift capabilitiesAt the fourth SkillsFuture Fellowships and SkillsFuture Employer Awards Ceremony, Minister of Education Lawrence Wong spoke about how the Singapore Government is partnering with industry leaders (which they termed \u2018Queen Bee\u2019 companies) to uplift the capabilities of their sectors by engaging in workforce developments.\u00a0Mr Wong addressed the next bound of SkillsFuture, where the government intends to continue encouraging employers to \u201ctake ownership of the skills development of their staff and workers\u201d.\u00a0To do this, Mr Wong hopes that the \u2018Queen Bee\u2019 companies will help to mobilise other employers in their respective sectors or industries to engage in workforce developments. This can be done by \u201ctraining beyond [their] own needs, or aggregating demand across the sector for skills development programmes.\u201dAt the ceremony, 18 workers were awarded S$10,000 for skills mastery in their fields and commitment to mentorship and the skill development of others. The recipients come from various industries, such as healthcare, design, and landscape.Meanwhile, 22 firms (seven small and medium enterprises (SME) and 15 non-SMEs) were recognised as exemplary employers which have made significant efforts in the skills development of their employees and developed skills-based career pathways for them.Mr Wong encouraged businesses and employers to emulate the award winners of the ceremony in having a \u201cpassion for lifelong learning, the continuous pursuit of skills mastery and excellence, and the willingness to adapt and prepare for change.\u201dHe said that amid the current uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the above are \u201cevergreen traits that will stand us in good stead, regardless of what challenges await us in the future.”4. Compulsory Covid-19 test for cargo drivers at Woodlands and TuasCargo drivers entering Singapore from the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints will now have to take a compulsory COVID-19 antigen rapid test (ART). Those who test negative will be allowed to enter Singapore\u2019s borders.\u00a0In the initial phase, drivers who will have to undergo the test will be selected at random, but the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has announced that they \u201cintend for all cargo drivers and accompanying personnel to undergo the testing in the coming weeks.\u201dThis new requirement is part of Singapore\u2019s strengthened border controls, to manage the risk of imported cases.\u00a0Anyone who tests positive will not be allowed to enter Singapore, said the MTI spokesman. The individual will be asked to return home, and be advised to take a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.\u00a0If the result is positive, they can only enter Singapore after recovering completely from COVID-19 \u2013 at least 21 days after the date of diagnosis.\u00a05. COVID-19 vaccinations begin for SAF personnel; NCID staff receive their second doseSingapore Armed Forces (SAF) personnel have started receiving their vaccinations yesterday, with plans made to vaccinate the majority of SAF\u2019s active forces by mid-2021 \u2014 which includes regulars and full-time national servicemen.\u00a0Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad were also vaccinated alongside the first batch of SAF personnel on 14 January. They will get their second dose 21 days later.This initial phase of the vaccination programme for SAF medical and COVID-19 frontline personnel is expected to be completed within six weeks, inclusive of the second dose.Meanwhile, 39 out of 40 healthcare workers from the National Centre of Infectious Diseases (NCID) received the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week. They were the first in Singapore to receive the vaccine on 30 December.\u00a0Thus far, none of the staff who received the first dose of the vaccine to date have reported adverse effects.\u00a06. Authorities mulling over new COVID-19 restrictions ahead of Chinese New Year as community cases creep upIn view of the increasing number of community cases ahead of Chinese New Year, co-chair of the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force and Education Minister Lawrence Wong has announced that the authorities are currently considering introducing new restrictions and safeguards.\u00a0Mr Wong noted that the increased number of community cases has been \u201ccreeping up\u201d, which could be due to the higher number of interactions from year-end festivities.\u00a0\u201cTherefore, we are considering now whether or not there might be additional restrictions and safeguards that might be necessary to keep infections under control. Exactly what they are, whether they pertain to house visitations, what kinds of measures \u2013 we are still studying, and when we are ready, we will highlight them,\u201d said Mr Wong, without providing further details.He also emphasised that the measures against the virus are \u201cnever static\u201d, with the possibility of being changed even during Phase 3 itself. Join the conversations on THG’s\u00a0Facebook\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram, and get the latest updates via\u00a0Telegram."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Destinations","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Singapore","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/\/singapore\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Latest News: 22 January 2021","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/latest-news-22-january-2021\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]