SINGAPORE: Singapore launched a contact-tracing smartphone app to allow authorities to identify those who have been exposed to people infected with coronavirus as part of efforts to curb the spread of the disease.
Governments around the world have turned to technology to battle the virus.
The TraceTogether app will work by exchanging short distance Bluetooth signals between phones to detect other participating users in close proximity of 2 meters.
Records of the encounters will be stored locally on each phone with the app, developed by Singapore’s Government Technology Agency (GovTech) and the health ministry.
Users will need to send their logs when requested by the health ministry, which will otherwise not have any knowledge of the data, according to an official statement.
Singapore has won international praise for its fastidious approach in tackling the virus — which has included using police investigators and security cameras to help track suspect carriers.
The data stored on users’ phones will be encrypted and the app will not access other information, such as a user’s location.
“The engineering has preserved the privacy of the users from each other,” Janil Puthucheary, a senior minister of state, told reporters.
Singapore has stringent rules to deal with infectious diseases — last month it charged a Chinese couple with giving false information about their movements to authorities looking to trace their contacts.
While downloading the app is not compulsory, the government said it would encourage people to do so.
TraceTogether’s functionality will be suspended after the epidemic subsides, according to its description in the Apple App Store.
Singapore launches contact tracing mobile app to track coronavirus infections
https://arab.news/vtfns
Singapore launches contact tracing mobile app to track coronavirus infections
- The TraceTogether app will work by exchanging short distance Bluetooth signals between phones to detect other participating users in close proximity of 2 meters
- Users will need to send their logs when requested by the health ministry, which will otherwise not have any knowledge of the data
List Magazine launches The List Awards
RIYADH: Luxury travel and lifestyle magazine List has announced the launch of The List Awards, in association with Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille.
The List Awards are a first-of-its-kind recognition celebrating excellence across travel, wellness, culture, and fine dining in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf region.
Winners will be officially announced in the Winter 2026 edition of the magazine and across its social and digital platforms.
The awards aim to define what world-class excellence looks and feels like in a new era of Saudi hospitality, creativity, and experience-driven living by recognizing establishments and cultural experiences shaping modern luxury in the region.
The selection process is not based on submissions, paid placements or public voting. Instead, List’s editorial team and a panel of independent judges personally experience each venue, brand or experience.
Each entry is then explored, debated, and verified against key criteria: originality, precision, consistency, and relevance to the modern Saudi traveller.
Nóirín Hegarty, List’s editor-in-chief, said: “Saudi Arabia is in the midst of an extraordinary cultural and creative transformation. The List Awards were born from a desire to recognise that energy and define what excellence truly looks like today.
“These awards are not about prestige for its own sake — they are about experience, authenticity, and intent. Every name on the list earned its place because it represents the best of the best and the future of luxury in the region and beyond.”
