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<ul class="summary-list"><li>China recently fined several businesses, including a KFC, for refusing to accept cash.</li><li>These are some of the most established companies in China, showing just how quickly cash has fallen from favor there.</li></ul>China's central bank fined seven businesses last week — including a KFC and branches of state-owned corporations — for rejecting cash payments, all as Beijing pushes to make spending more accessible for foreign tourists.The People's Bank of China has meted out such punishments for years. But the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pbc.gov.cn/goutongjiaoliu/113456/113469/5349613/index.html">employees caught this time</a> worked for some of the country's largest and most established businesses, showing how cashless payments have grown so ubiquitous there.The bank said it fined a KFC in Wuxi, Jiangsu, about $4,140 for refusing to take cash from a customer who ordered breakfast.The employee responsible was fined about $410. According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wuxi.gov.cn/doc/2023/06/21/3993298.shtml">latest government data</a>, the average wage in Wuxi is about $18,000 annually.Other fined businesses include branches for state-run conglomerates such as an Inner Mongolia branch of China Post, an office in Gansu for New China Life Insurance, and a Jiangsu office for insurance firm PICC Property and Casualty.China has mandated that local businesses leave the door open for cash payments as it tries to attract foreign investment and tourism after the pandemic.People in the country already relied heavily on cashless and QR code payments before the pandemic, and the practice accelerated in popularity during the country's lockdown years. By the end of 2023, 86% of all payments in China were made through mobile phones, <a target="_blank" href="https://english.news.cn/20240301/d2a6c41ee2af41968025224a9507c541/c.html#:~:text=After%20years%20of%20rapid%20growth,first%2Dtime%20visitors%20to%20China.">per state media.</a>That's become an issue for outsiders arriving in a newly reopened China, where they struggled <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3251523/china-travel-cashless-society-shift-hits-foreign-tourists-who-really-want-open-wallets-and-spend">to find vendors </a>who would accept cash or even credit cards.Hungry for foreign business, China has <a target="_blank" href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-03-22/China-further-boosts-ease-of-payment-for-foreigners-1sbh7CsHZxC/p.html#:~:text=Among%20recent%20measures%2C%20the%20People's,overseas%20travelers%20using%20mobile%20payments.">rushed to bridge the gap</a>. Major payment platforms Alipay and WePay started allowing visitors to link their international bank cards to their Chinese accounts. Single-transaction limits for foreigners were also raised from $1,000 to $5,000.This year, Beijing has been telling businesses such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-09/china-tells-mid-to-high-end-hotels-to-accept-foreign-bank-cards?leadSource=reddit_wall">three-star hotels</a> and cab companies to start accepting international credit cards.The wider transition has so far been slow — a taxi company in Shanghai, for example, announced in April that it would arrange for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shine.cn/news/metro/2404132242/">50 taxis to accept foreign credit cards</a>. Travel companies say there are over <a target="_blank" href="https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/shanghai/transportation/taxi.htm">50,000 licensed taxis in the city.</a>Tourism is a major source of revenue for China, with state-affiliated researchers predicting the sector will bring in about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202312/1303989.shtml">$800 billion in 2024.</a>But international arrivals have been lagging. Only about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-68982645">35 million foreign visitors</a> traveled to China in 2023, or around 30% of pre-pandemic levels.China's cashless wave has also prompted concerns for the elderly, with a central bank survey finding that <a target="_blank" href="http://www.news.cn/fortune/20240308/666176e15deb43859b351fabb0a5b084/c.html">75% of the country's seniors still use banknotes.</a>It's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202311/01/WS65419443a31090682a5ebc34.html">illegal in China to reject cash for purchases</a>, and the central government's crackdown has intensified in the last several years. Regulators have been <a target="_blank" href="http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-01/21/c_139687310.htm">fining companies</a> such as car dealerships that refuse cash, while state media promotes the paper bill as the "most basic instrument of payment."Investor relations for Yum China, which operates KFC in China, did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.

It's so tough to pay cash in China that the government had to fine a KFC for not accepting banknotes

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Boris Johnson said he has paid a fine for attending a party that broke COVID-19 lockdown rules.</li><li>Chancellor Rishi Sunak paid a fine for being at the party, as has Carrie Johnson, the PM's wife.</li></ul>UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised and paid a fine for attending a party to mark his birthday that breached UK lockdown rules at the time."Today I've received a fixed penalty notice from the Metropolitan Police relating to an event in Downing Street on 19 June 2020. Let me say immediately I have paid the fine and I once again offer a full apology," he said Tuesday evening.The fine was issued for an event on June 19, 2020, held in the Cabinet Room of 10 Downing Street to celebrate Johnson's birthday, <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2022-01-24/boris-johnson-had-birthday-bash-during-lockdown-itv-news-understands">ITV News reported</a>. Johnson described the gathering as "brief.""It did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules. But of course the police have found otherwise and I fully respect the outcome of their investigation."I understand the anger that many will feel that I myself fell short when it came to observing the very rules which the government I led had introduced to protect the public. I accept in all sincerity, that people had the right to expect better."Chancellor Rishi Sunak also received a fine for attending the birthday party, and in a statement issued Tuesday evening said he had paid it. "I know people sacrified a great deal during Covid, and they will find this situation upsetting. I deeply regret the situation and anger caused and I am sorry," he said.Carrie Johnson, the prime minister's wife, has also paid a £50 fine issued to her for attending the birthday party.On Tuesday evening, Johnson suggested the gathering was with "people I work with," despite his wife's attendance."Whilst she believed that she was acting in accordance with the rules at the time, Mrs Johnson accepts the Met Police's findings and apologises unreservedly," a spokesperson for Carrie Johnson said.<div type="image" title="Carrie and Boris Johnson" height="1285" width="1713" msid="90804213" hostid="261"></div>The London Metropolitan Police have been investigating 12 events held by government officials that may have broken the rules, known as "partygate."The events under investigation include the gathering at the 10 Downing Street Cabinet Room; a garden party at 10 Downing Street; and an event at 11 Downing Street, the prime minister's residence.A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Met Police have now explained that the FPN [fixed penalty notice] issued to the PM will be in relation to the following incident: 'On 19th June 2020 at the Cabinet Room 10 Downing Street between 1400 and 1500 you participated in a gathering of two or more people indoors in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street.'"<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/39-times-the-government-denied-partygate-allegations-broke-rules-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">The government had said 39 times that no rules had been broken</a> within the first two weeks of the first partygate allegations.<div type="image" title="Rishi Sunak" height="776" width="1200" msid="90804211" hostid="261"></div><keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">News</keyword> of the fines came during parliament's Easter recess. MPs are due to return on April 19. A senior Conservative MP, who was given anonymity to speak frankly, swore upon being told of the news by Insider.Afterwards, they said: "Gosh. Wow. I am extraordinarily pissed off about that. I'll get over it eventually."But given all the pain so many people went through and the continuing fallout of lockdown on people's wellbeing, right now, forgiveness is not high up on the list of emotions."Asked if Johnson and Sunak should resign as a result of receiving the fines, the MP said: "Whether they stay or go is a decision for them to make. We are all responsible for our own actions."The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, said: "Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have broken the law and repeatedly lied to the British public. They must both resign."The Conservatives are totally unfit to govern. Britain deserves better."Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for Parliament to be recalled from its Easter recess for a vote of no confidence."The country cannot have criminals and liars leading our Government, especially at a time of national and international crisis," he said."Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak took the country's sacrifices for granted, while they broke the law to party in Downing Street. They are not fit to hold office. If they had a shred of decency, they would resign. "Parliament should be recalled immediately so that MPs can hold a vote of no confidence. Conservative MPs must do their patriotic duty and kick these criminals out of Government once and for all."<h2>'Failures of leadership'</h2>No sitting prime minister has been found guilty of <keyword id="11896059" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="breaking" source="Orion">breaking</keyword> the law before.Partygate has dealt a big blow to Johnson's government, with a report published in January finding that "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-sue-gray-report-partygate-published-what-it-says-2022-1">failures of leadership and judgment</a>" enabled the culture of drinking and partying under him.As of Tuesday, the Met has issued a total of 50 fines, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/12/partygate-police-have-issued-50-fixed-penalty-notices-says-met">The Guardian reported</a>. The force issued 20 fines in late March and 30 more on Tuesday.Cabinet Secretary Simon Case — who was forced to recuse himself from leading an investigation into the gatherings after it emerged that a Christmas quiz was held at his department — has not received a fine, a Cabinet Office spokesperson told Insider.

Boris Johnson fined for attending lockdown-breaking party to celebrate his birthday

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The first set of "partygate" fines will be issued by the Metropolitan Police on Tuesday.</li><li>Around 20 fixed penalty notices are expected to be issued for lockdown-busting parties.</li></ul>The first fines for the lockdown-busting parties held in Whitehall and Downing Street will be issued on Tuesday, the London Metropolitan Police has confirmed. Around 20 fixed penalty notices will be issued for COVID-19 breaches following the police investigation into so-called partygate. More are expected to follow Tuesday's initial flurry.The police said in a Tuesday morning statement: "The investigation into allegations of breaches of COVID-19 regulations in Whitehall and Downing Street has now progressed to the point where the first referrals for fixed penalty notices (FPN) will be made to ACRO Criminal Records Office."We will today initially begin to refer 20 fixed penalty notices to be issued for breaches of Covid-19 regulations. The ACRO Criminal Records Office will then be responsible for issuing the FPNs to the individual following the referrals from the MPS."The Met Police spokesman stressed that the team was "making every effort to progress this investigation at speed and have completed a number of assessments". However, he said more work will be undertaken to assess the "significant amount of investigative material that remains", which could result in further fines being issued. The force has issued more than 100 questionnaires about the possible breaches of COVID-19 regulations, including Prime Minister <keyword id="11911533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson" source="Orion">Boris Johnson</keyword> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rishi-sunak-receives-police-questionnaire-for-partygate-probe-2022-2?r=US&amp;IR=T">Chancellor Rishi Sunak</a>, with the Met formally investigating 12 events, including three that Johnson attended.According to a leaked copy of the generic questionnaire, which was published by ITV News, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/johnson-first-uk-prime-minister-interviewed-under-police-caution-docs-2022-2?r=US&amp;IR=T">recipients were informed at the outset that they have an opportunity to provide "a written statement under caution"</a>. The police would not confirm the names or numbers of people receiving fines. However, Johnson is not expected to be among the initial set of fines issued, as the prime minister has denied any wrongdoing. Downing Street previously said it would confirm if the prime minister has received a fine, which could see a return to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-mps-stil-plotting-despite-ukraine-sources-2022-3?inline-endstory-related-recommendations=&amp;r=US&amp;IR=T">leadership challenge that has been driven underground since the start of the invasion of Ukraine</a>.Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, said: "After over two months of police time, twelve parties investigated and over a hundred people questioned under caution, Boris Johnson's Downing Street has been found guilty of breaking the law."The culture is set from the very top. The buck stops with the Prime Minister, who spent months lying to the British public, which is why he has got to go."Asked whether Johnson should resign if he receives a fine Will Quince, an education minister, told Sky News: "There is an ongoing, live, Metropolitan Police investigation – it is just not appropriate for me to comment."Pressed on when the Sue Gray report will be published, Quince said: "The prime minister has been clear that as soon as the Metropolitan Police have concluded their investigation, Sue Gray's report was handed to the goverment will be published."The prime minister also said he would make a full statement to the House as well."

Met Police to issue first set of fines for multiple lockdown-busting bashes held at Downing Street and Whitehall

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11910350" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="spain" source="Orion">Spain</keyword> was one of the first countries to go into a nationwide <keyword id="91743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lockdown" source="Orion">lockdown</keyword> in March 2020. </li><li>It also had one of the strictest stay-at-home measures, and issued millions of fines for violations.</li></ul>Spanish citizens who were fined for violating a nearly three-month <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> lockdown last spring will be reimbursed, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-europe-health-spain-59be7c26d2a76255119743f23541d310">Associated Press</a> reported.In the announcement Friday, the Ministry of Territorial Affairs said the measure would apply to the 1.1 million fines that were issued to hundreds of thousands of people for violating stay-at-home orders that began in March 2020, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/10/23/world/covid-vaccine-boosters/spain-will-reimburse-thousands-of-people-fined-during-2020-lockdown">The New York Times</a> reported.Not every fine that was issued has been paid, AP reported. Spain said it collected around 115 million euros, or $134 million, in fines as of July, The Times reported.In March 2020, Spain ordered its 47 million residents to stay home as the novel <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> spread across the country, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/coronavirus-spain-nationwide-lockdown/2020/03/14/3bec8690-6619-11ea-8a8e-5c5336b32760_story.html">The Washington Post</a> reported. It was the second European country, after Italy, to order a nationwide lockdown. The measure, initially a 15-day state-of-emergency, was extended as the virus continued to spread.Spain's lockdown was one of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/18/world/europe/spain-children-lockdown-coronavirus.html">strictest in the world,</a> prohibiting even children from going outside to play, The Times reported."I've forgotten what it's like to be on a street," 9-year-old Lia Aparicio Cenador told The Times in April 2020. The decision to reimburse the fines that were paid came after a July ruling by Spain's Constitutional Court that said the government had overstepped its powers and violated freedom of movement rights, The Times reported.Spain has recorded close to 5 million COVID-19 cases and at least 87,000 deaths, according to data compiled by <a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">Johns Hopkins University</a>.

Spain is reimbursing residents who were fined for violating COVID-19 lockdown rules

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Conservative peer Lord Wolfson has quit the government as a justice minister.</li><li>His resignation follows <keyword id="11911533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson" source="Orion">Boris Johnson</keyword> and <keyword id="12981896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="rishi-sunak" source="Orion">Rishi Sunak</keyword> receiving fines for lockdown-breaching parties.</li></ul>Conservative peer Lord David Wolfson has become the first minister of Boris Johnson's government to resign after the prime minister was handed a fine by the Metropolitan Police for attending lockdown-breaching parties in violation of coronavirus laws.Wolfson, a barrister, quit his role in the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday afternoon. He was appointed by Johnson in December 2020.Both Johnson and his most senior minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-rishi-sunak-fined-attending-lockdown-breaching-parties-2022-4?r=US&amp;IR=T">received and paid fines Tuesday</a> for their criminal breaches of the law. Johnson and Sunak were fined for attending a party to mark Johnson's birthday, one of 12 lockdown-breaching events in Downing Street and Whitehall investigated by the Metropolitan Police. The controversy is known as "<keyword id="13495783" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="partygate" source="Orion">partygate</keyword>".Johnson is the first sitting prime minister to be sanctioned for breaking the law.<a href="https://twitter.com/DXWQC/status/1514280176636633090">Wolfson shared his resignation letter to Johnson on Twitter</a>, blasting <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/39-times-the-government-denied-partygate-allegations-broke-rules-2022-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">Johnson and the response of his government to the partygate allegations</a> since they first emerged in December 2021.In it, he said that the fines lead to the "inevitable conclusion that there was repeated rule-breaking, and breaches of the criminal law, in Downing Street.""It is not just a question of what happened in Downing Street, or your own conduct," he added. "It is also, and perhaps more so, the official response to what took place. As we obviously do not share that view of these matters, I must ask you to accept my resignation."Wolfson ended his letter by citing what he felt were his "ministerial and professional obligations to support and uphold the rule of law", which left him no option but to resign.

Boris Johnson's justice minister becomes first person to resign after the prime minister was fined for lockdown-breaching parties

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11911533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="boris-johnson" source="Orion">Boris Johnson</keyword> will receive no further fines for breaches of lockdown rules.</li><li>The Metropolitan Police said their investigation into <keyword id="13495783" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="partygate" source="Orion">partygate</keyword> had concluded with 83 people receiving fines.</li></ul>Boris Johnson will receive no further fines for breaches of lockdown rules, Downing Street said Thursday.It came after the Metropolitan Police announced the conclusion of their investigation into the series of lockdown-breaching events in Westminster known as partygate.<a href="https://news.met.police.uk/news/mets-investigation-into-alleged-breaches-of-covid-regulations-op-hillman-concludes-448148">In a statement issued Thursday</a>, the force announced 83 people had received a total of 126 fines, a tally that included an earlier fine against Johnson and his wife, Carrie.Fines were issued for events on eight different dates, the police said, and 28 people received between two and five penalties.A Downing Street source said that Carrie Johnson also wouldn't face further fines. The Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, is not yet believed to have received a fine.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-rishi-sunak-fined-attending-lockdown-breaching-parties-2022-4?r=US&amp;IR=T">Johnson received a £50 fine</a> on April 12 for attending a party to celebrate his birthday. Johnson attended several other events that were investigated by the force for which fines have been handed out to others.Johnson now faces the daunting prospect of the publication of the full Sue Gray report, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gray-report-so-damning-boris-johnson-will-have-to-quit-2022-4?r=US&amp;IR=T">which one official told the Times was "excoriating"</a> for Johnson. It is likely the report will be published early next week before Parliament rises for recess on Thursday.A Cabinet Office spokesperson told Insider: "Now that the Met Police's investigation has concluded, Sue Gray's findings will be updated, as we have said previously, and published as soon as possible."Johnson is expected to address Parliament upon the publication of the report.With the Metropolitan Police's investigation concluded, a probe into comments made by Johnson in Parliament denying any rules had been broken is now free to begin.Parliament voted on April 21 to order the Privileges Committee to investigate if Johnson's conduct was a "contempt of the House" by misleading the House of Commons.

Boris Johnson won't get more fines for breaking lockdown, Downing Street says as police end 'partygate' investigation

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.odetterestaurant.com/">Odette</a> was named <keyword id="6356662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="singapore">Singapore</keyword>'s best restaurant and the second-best in Asia in <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/list/1-50">Asia's 50 Best Restaurants</a> 2021 ranking.</li><li>Owner Julien Royer said "revenge dining" helped Odette after last spring's coronavirus lockdown: "People were so happy to get back something they took for granted."</li><li>To stay afloat during the pandemic, Royer pivoted to offering casual dishes like chicken rice for the first time.</li></ul>Singapore is famous for its <keyword id="6181" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Food">food</keyword> scene, be that cheap street food at a <a href="https://www.insider.com/singapore-hawker-center-food-michelin-photos-tips-cost-2021-3">beloved hawker center</a> or haute cuisine at a Michelin-starred restaurant.But according to <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/">Asia's 50 Best Restaurants</a>, an annual restaurant ranking published by William Reed Business Media, the city-state's absolute best eatery is an upscale French restaurant with three Michelin stars.<a href="https://www.odetterestaurant.com/">Odette</a>, which 38-year-old French chef Julien Royer opened in 2015 with <a href="https://www.lobehold.com/">Lo &amp; Behold Group</a>, ranked second overall in <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/">Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2021</a>. In both 2019 and 2020, <a href="https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/the-list/1-10/Odette.html">Odette was ranked the No. 1 restaurant in Asia,</a> but this year Hong Kong restaurant The Chairman took the top spot.The restaurant sits inside the National Gallery Singapore, an art museum in the downtown core neighborhood. Odette's lunch menu starts at 248 Singapore dollars, or about $187, while the six-course dinner menu starts at SG$358, or $270. The priciest menu is the eight-course Epicure dinner menu, which is SG$398, or $300.<div type="image" title="odette singapore" height="1251" width="1668" msid="82289006" hostid="261"></div>Earlier this month, Insider spoke to Royer on the phone about leading a high-end restaurant through the pandemic, how growing up on a farm in central France fostered his love for food, and his next restaurant venture.<h2>On "revenge dining" after lockdown</h2>When Singapore's restaurants reopened last summer after a two-month lockdown, people <a href="https://www.insider.com/singapore-rich-spending-travel-luxury-hotels-pandemic-2021-3">jumped at the opportunity to dine out</a> again. Many Singaporeans put <a href="https://www.insider.com/singapore-rich-spending-travel-luxury-hotels-pandemic-2021-3">money they otherwise would've spent on international travel</a> toward eating out, often at Michelin-starred restaurants. Over the December holidays, many high-end restaurants were <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/life/food/many-new-fine-dining-restaurants-all-booked-up-till-next-year">fully booked</a> weeks in advance. Since reopening, Odette has had some of its most successful months ever, Royer said."I read a couple of times in the papers this expression 'revenge dining,' which is exactly what we experienced," he said. "People were so happy to get back something that they took for granted."Even the lack of <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> tourists (Singapore's borders are still closed to most foreign tourists) hasn't been too dire for the restaurant, Royer said. Before the pandemic, Odette's clientele was about 70% locals and 30% tourists. Even though it's now 100% locals, it's been enough to sustain the restaurant, he said - partially because it only has 35 seats to fill.<div type="image" title="Odette singapore restaurant" height="1668" width="2223" msid="82289008" hostid="261"></div>Throughout the pandemic, Royer has seen a shift in some of Odette's customers' habits: "The wine spend has grown quite a bit."<h2>The 'panic' of closing the doors of a Michelin-starred restaurant </h2>Prior to Singapore's two-month "circuit-breaker" lockdown that started in April 2020, during which all restaurants <a href="https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/circuit-breaker-to-minimise-further-spread-of-covid-19">had to close</a> except for takeaway and delivery, Odette had never offered either option."When someone tells you to physically close your restaurant, you start to first panic," Royer told Insider.To keep his team of nearly 45 people employed, the team pivoted from "putting food into beautiful plates with beautiful cutlery" to "putting food into boxes" with a new takeaway and delivery program called "Odette at Home," Royer said.They had to create an entirely new menu because most of their dishes were too complicated to duplicate for takeaway. "We came up with a range of dishes that were a lot more doable at home," Royer said. "For example we did a very kind of posh version of a chicken rice. Very yummy, very gourmand, and very convivial to share with your family."<div type="image" title="odette restaurant food singapore" height="1666" width="2222" msid="82289010" hostid="261"></div>Royer had initially worried about tarnishing Odette's brand by offering meals that were "not really nice enough," he said. But ultimately, the takeaway program helped Odette stay afloat. "It kind of saved us," Royer said. "Whether it's a fancy piece of lobster with caviar and a beautiful beurre blanc sauce or a simple piece of roast chicken that brings the same amount of joy, I think it's fine," he said.<h2>How growing up in a farm in central France fostered his love for food</h2>Royer grew up in a quiet part of central France called Auvergne, where his family had a farm in the town of Cantal."It's a very rich area when it comes to agriculture, tradition, and heritage," he said. "I started loving food and produce and being outside in the garden with my family."Royer has fond memories picking berries and helping his grandmother - Odette's namesake - in the kitchen and in the garden. <div type="image" title="auvergne france countryside" height="1410" width="1875" msid="82289013" hostid="261"></div>"We didn't have much money, but we always ate very well," he said.This environment inspired Royer to pursue a cooking career when he was 14 years old. After six years studying the culinary arts, he got his first experience in a Michelin-starred kitchen with chef Michel Bras in southern France. He then worked for two years with another Michelin-starred French chef, Bernard Andrieux.Royer spent the following years traveling with his wife in French Polynesia, the Caribbean, London, and finally Singapore in 2008, where he cooked at the St. Regis Hotel. After a brief stint back in London, he returned to Singapore in 2011 to helm the kitchen at Jaan, a restaurant in the five-star Hotel Swissôtel The Stamford.In 2015, Royer left Jaan to open Odette, his first restaurant, with the Lo &amp; Behold Group. In Singapore's inaugural Michelin guide in 2016, Odette scored <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/news-and-views/2016-michelin-guide-singapore-launches">two stars</a>. In 2019, it attained the <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/news-and-views/michelin-guide-singapore-2019-selection">rare three Michelin stars</a>, a distinction it shared with only one other restaurant in Singapore.<div type="image" title="singapore" height="1666" width="2223" msid="82289014" hostid="261"></div>Next up, Royer is slated to open a new eatery in Singapore's upscale Dempsey Hill in the third quarter of 2021.Like Odette, the new restaurant will focus on French cuisine, but in a more casual setting."I think this kind of food has really bright days ahead," Royer said. "People are looking for authenticity and simplicity with less fuss but the same amount of precision and care when it comes to produce sourcing, good ingredients, and cooking techniques."

The owner of Singapore's best restaurant on 'revenge dining,' the panic of being told to close up shop in 2020, and selling upscale street food to stay afloat during lockdown

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some Chinese cities are majorly cash-strapped as the economy grapples with debt and deflation.</li><li>Local governments have resorted to handing out bizarre tickets and shirking bills to make money.</li></ul>China's economic troubles have some cities so tight on funds that they're starting to dole out bizarre tickets, shirk their bills, and even slash health benefits for the elderly.That' in part because municipalities have struggled over the past few years to keep up with the costs of China's strict COVID-control protocols. Pandemic-related costs were a huge catalyst in propelling China's national debt balance to 123 trillion yuan, or $18 trillion last year, according to analysts' estimates cited by <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/economy/china-debt-crisis-zoo-cucumber-fines-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>.Those costs have left landed some cities in a precarious financial situation. Guangdong province, one of the largest provinces in China economically, said it spent a total $22 billion on testing, vaccines, and other COVID-fighting measures since 2020, according to <a href="http://www.gd.gov.cn/gdywdt/zwzt/2023gdlh/lhqz/content/post_4080838.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">government documents</a>. Meanwhile, Beijing said it spent around $4.5 billion in 2022 alone on COVID-fighting measures, while Shanghai said that its residing district spent around $664 million last year.That's led some cities to start imposing bizarre fines in the hopes of scraping together enough cash to meet their obligations. Earlier this summer, three Shanghai restaurants went viral online after they were each slapped with a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-11/esoteric-fines-pile-up-as-china-s-provinces-hunt-for-revenue#xj4y7vzkg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5,000 yuan fine for serving cucumber in dishes without a license</a>. Chinese truck drivers have also been vulnerable to more ticketing. One driver told the Chinese state-owned news outlet <a href="https://m.jiemian.com/article/9417033.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jieman</a> that he had received 58 tickets for heavy cargo spanning the past few years, totaling around 275,000 yuan in costs. And that trend appears to be several years in the making: At least 15 cities in China saw their income from fines and confiscations double or more in year of 2021, according to an analysis from the brokerage Yuekai Securities. Meanwhile, other sources of government revenue have declined: Income tax revenue dropped 3.5% last year, marking the largest drop since 1993, according to a CNN analysis of Chinese government data.Some local governments have also decided to make drastic budget cuts in attempt to square their finances. The state-funded China's Endangered Species Fund, for instance, says it hasn't received cash from the government for about half a year."There are still bear cubs in the park that need to be fed, the mare is about to give birth and her food has been reduced by half, and the zoo's staff have not been paid for six months," the fund said in a post on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media platform.In some cases, those cuts are affecting critical public expenditures, like health benefits for the elderly. The province Wuhan, for instance, has started slashing the amount of money it transfers to retirees' personal health accounts by more than two-thirds, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/business/china-health-insurance-protests.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times</a> reported in February, as well as increasing retirees' deductibles.Experts have warned of a bleak future ahead for China's economy, which is straddled with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-economy-debt-deflation-housing-market-demographics-japan-morgan-stanley-2023-8">big debt loads, a deflation problem</a>, and still-sluggish demand from its two-year COVID-lockdown. The nation could be at risk of a "<a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/china-economy-lost-decade-global-growth-driver-xi-jinping-gdp-2023-6#:~:text=China's%20economy%20is%20stumbling%20and,will%20eat%20our%20economic%20lunch.%22">lost decade</a>," some economists say, a period of stagnation similar to the one that slammed Japan's economy in the 1990s.

China's economic troubles have left some cities so cash-strapped they're resorting to bizarre fines, skipping bills, and slashing health coverage

Johannesburg, Apr 22 (AFP) South Africa's communications minister has paid an "admission of guilt" fine for lunching at a friend's house during lockdrgown, the national prosecuting authority said Wednesday.Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams was placed on special leave earlier this month for flouting a stay-at-home order meant to curb the spread of coronavirus.She was suspended after a picture posted on Instagram showed her having lunch at the home of a former deputy minister during the second week of lockdown -- which came into force on March 27 and is set to run through to the end of April.A statement from the National Prosecuting Authority said Ndabeni-Abrahams had paid an admission of guilt fine of 1,000 rand ($53) for failing to confine herself to her home.Ndabeni-Abrahams has also been summoned to appear before a court next month.The state alleges her lunch stop was "unlawful" under lockdown regulations, which only allow citizens to leave their homes for groceries, pharmaceuticals and medical appointments.The minister issued a public apology shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa placed her on a two-month leave.To date South Africa has recorded 3,465 cases of coronavirus, making it the second worst-affected country on the continent after Egypt.(AFP) AMSAMS

S Africa minister fined over lockdown lunch visit

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two men were sunbathing naked on a remote <keyword id="15748" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Beach">beach</keyword> in <keyword id="5629" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Sydney">Sydney</keyword> and got lost after fleeing from a deer.</li><li>A search team was dispatched and the two were fined $1,000 for breaking <keyword id="91743" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="lockdown">lockdown</keyword> rules. </li><li>NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller called it "embarrassing," and said, "it's difficult to legislate against idiots."</li></ul>A pair of naked sunbathers who ended up getting lost after fleeing from a deer was fined $1,000 for breaching ongoing <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> lockdown rules.The two were reportedly sunbathing on a remote beach in Otford, South Sydney, on Sunday when they said they were startled by the animals. So they ran to the nearby Royal National Park at Otford where they apparently got lost. The police received a call at about 6 p.m. on Sunday calling for assistance, and a search operation was carried out involving the State Emergency Services (SES) and a police helicopter.A 30-year-old man was found naked and carrying a backpack, according to police, while a 49-year-old man was discovered "partially clothed," according to a <a href="https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news_article?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGOTYyOTQuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D">New South Wales (NSW) police statement</a>.The two were then taken to the St. George police station in Sydney and each slapped with a $1,000 fine for breaking lockdown orders. At a <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> conference, NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller called it "embarrassing" and added, "it's difficult to legislate against idiots.""Not only did they require assistance from SES and police to rescue them, they also both received a ticket for $1,000," Fuller added. New South Wales, of which Sydney is part, is on a two-week lockdown until July 9 following a COVID-19 outbreak in Bondi, one of Australia's most famous beaches. According to an ABC news report, more than <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-28/nsw-health-records-18-covid-19-cases/100248502">130 local cases have been reported</a> in the state since June 16. Under lockdown rules, locals are only allowed to leave their homes for essential reasons like groceries, work, or school.

Oh deer! 2 naked and lost sunbathers fleeing from deer in NSW Australia were fined $1,000 each for breaching lockdown rules and requiring a rescue

By Fakir Hassen(Eds: Updating with more inputs, changing slug) Johannesburg, Apr 22 () A South African minister had to pay an admission of guilt fine of Rand 1,000 (USD 53) after she was suspended and criminally charged for breaching lockdown regulations in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic that has infected over 3,000 people in the country.Minister of Communications, Telecommunications and Postal Services Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams was suspended on April 8 for two months, one without pay, after President Cyril Ramaphosa acted swiftly following a public outcry over her violation of the 35-day lockdown. She paid the Rand 1,000 fine on Tuesday.The coronavirus has infected more than 3,000 people and killed over 55 in the country as the lockdown entered its 27th day.The regulations require people to remain in their homes during the lockdown imposed to fight the pandemic, but the minister visited former deputy minister of higher education Mduduzi Manana at his home and had lunch with his family on April 5."The investigations revealed that the visit was not for purposes of rendering essential services or obtaining essential goods, collecting a grant or seeking medical attention as per requirements of the COVID-19 regulations," said Phindi Mjonondwane of the National Prosecuting Authority.Pictures of the lunch posted by Manana on his social media pages triggered a public outcry and he tried to defend Ndabeni-Abrahams by claiming that she had stopped by to collect medical equipment to deliver elsewhere, coincidentally during lunchtime.Even though Ndabeni-Abrahams issued a public apology after her suspension, she was still criminally charged with contravention of regulation 11 B of the Disaster Management Act.She was served with summons to appear in the Pretoria district court next month, but the presiding senior magistrate for the district allowed her to pay an admission of guilt fine to avoid the court appearance which resulted in the minister having a criminal record.However, it will not impact Ndabeni-Abrahams' qualification to continue serving as the Cabinet minister after her suspension, as any citizen in the country is only prohibited from serving as a member of Parliament if sentenced to a jail term of more than 12 months without an option of a fine.The minister has been in the public eye after recent allegations that her husband had accompanied her on an official visit to Switzerland at state expense. FH RS RS

You Searched For "lockdown fine" and got 11 results

It's so tough to pay cash in China that the government had to fine a KFC for not accepting banknotes

Matthew Loh

Boris Johnson fined for attending lockdown-breaking party to celebrate his birthday

Alexandra Ma

Met Police to issue first set of fines for multiple lockdown-busting bashes held at Downing Street and Whitehall

Catherine Neilan

Spain is reimbursing residents who were fined for violating COVID-19 lockdown rules

Sarah Al-Arshani

Boris Johnson's justice minister becomes first person to resign after the prime minister was fined for lockdown-breaching parties

Henry Dyer

Boris Johnson won't get more fines for breaking lockdown, Downing Street says as police end 'partygate' investigation

Henry Dyer

The owner of Singapore's best restaurant on 'revenge dining,' the panic of being told to close up shop in 2020, and selling upscale street food to stay afloat during lockdown

Katie Warren

China's economic troubles have left some cities so cash-strapped they're resorting to bizarre fines, skipping bills, and slashing health coverage

Jennifer Sor

S Africa minister fined over lockdown lunch visit

PTI

Oh deer! 2 naked and lost sunbathers fleeing from deer in NSW Australia were fined $1,000 each for breaching lockdown rules and requiring a rescue

Vanessa Gu

Suspended S African minister pays fine for breaching COVID-19 lockdown rules

PTI

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