SeaPRwire
Read More

Four F&B outlets ordered shut for Covid-19 breaches over CNY, 234 people fined

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Club One Min in Concorde Shopping Mall and Jin Jin Eating House in North Bridge Road are among four food and beverage outlets ordered to close for breaching safe management measures (SMM) after stepped-up inspections during the Chinese New Year period. Thirteen outlets were also fined for breaching these measures, and 234 people were fined for failing to follow safe distancing at parks and beaches, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said on Wednesday (Feb 24). Second offender Club One Min was found to have allowed gatherings of more than eight people, and provided hostesses who intermingled with patrons on Feb 19. The Singapore Tourism Board has ordered the operator to close for 20 days between Feb 20 and March 11. It was previously closed for 10 days between Dec 20 and Dec 29 for allowing groups of more than eight people. "The Government takes a serious view of the violations by the operator and investigations are ongoing," MSE said. The remaining three outlets were ordered to close for 10 days after diners were found consuming alcohol after 10.30pm. The Singapore Food Agency ordered Stall Eight at Food Park Coffeeshop in Bedok to close between Fe...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Last 4 members of unlawful 12-person gathering on Lazarus Island fined $3,000 each

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The last four members of a 12-person group who spent a day on Lazarus Island last year in breach of Covid-19 rules were fined $3,000 each on Wednesday (Feb 24). British nationals Helen Ann Sullivan, 31; Joshua Adam Roth, 31; James Riby Oram Trimming, 31; and Edward John Joseph Lee-Bull, 33, pleaded guilty to a charge of meeting others for a non-permitted purpose and without reasonable excuse under the Covid-19 regulations. The other eight people were earlier fined $3,000 each. They are William Edwin Dunford, 32; Richard Henri Lagesse, 31; Lowri Mair Jeffs, 31; Zoe Louise Cronk, 30; Jeff Richard Alexander, 32; Luong Thi Thu Ha, 31; Natalie Joanna Sarkies, 29 and Paul Jonathon Gold, 32. All of them are British except for Sarkies, who is Singaporean, and Ha, who is Vietnamese. Their trip took place during phase two of Singapore's reopening, when only groups of up to five people were allowed to meet outside their homes for social purposes. The court heard that at about 11am on Aug 8 last year, the group took a ferry to St John's Island, before walking to the beach at Lazarus Island. They spent the day there before taking a ferry back to mainland Singapore at about 6pm. Laza...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Man accused of laundering over $10m in Covid-19 scam has case postponed after falling sick

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 40-year-old man who was to face charges over allegations that he had laundered more than $10 million in a Covid-19 scam had his case postponed after coming down with a fever. Defence lawyer Thong Chee Kun on Wednesday (Feb 24) told the court that his client, Thye Wee Boon, has to take a swab test. His case has been adjourned to March 3. Thye was to have faced 19 charges for offences including dealing with the benefits of criminal activities. To date, the authorities have managed to recover more than $6.4 million of the amount taken in the ruse - the largest single recovery since the formation of the Singapore Police Force's (SPF) anti-scam centre, which was set up in June 2019. Police were alerted in March last year that a French pharmaceutical company had been scammed of €6.636 million (S$10.64 million). According to the European Union's law enforcement agency Europol, a suspect had taken the identity of a legitimate company and advertised the fast delivery of surgical masks and hand sanitisers. "Once the pharmaceutical company transferred the funds to a bank in Singapore, the items were never delivered and the supplier became uncontactable," said the agency in a sta...

JCN Newswire
Read More

Fujitsu Launches AI-powered Physical Rehabilitation Solution ‘HOPE ROMREC’ in Japan

ruth
5 minutes

TOKYO, Feb 24, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced the launch of a new AI-powered physical rehabilitation solution in Japan, the "FUJITSU Healthcare Solution HOPE ROMREC", offering medical institutions like hospitals and clinics a powerful new tool for rehabilitation and orthopedic therapies. The solution leverages a new AI technology to automatically measure the range of motion(1) of the shoulder and elbow joints from videos of patients' rehabilitation sessions.Fig. 1 Automatic detection of joint range of motionFig. 2 HOPE ROMREC Screen Image"HOPE ROMREC" is a solution that automatically measures, records, and visualizes the angles of a patient's shoulder and elbow by estimating a three-dimensional skeleton from rehabilitation videos captured using a tablet device(2). The solution leverages an image analysis AI engine developed by Fujitsu consisting of multiple AI image recognition models. The technology offers the potential to greatly improve the efficiency of the visual measurement of a patient's joint curvature using a goniometer(3), a task conventionally performed by physical therapists and occupational therapists. Ultimately, the solution will help medical profess...

SeaPRwire
Read More

GameStop CFO to step down after Reddit driven stock rally

elean
2 minutes

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - GameStop chief financial officer Jim Bell will step down next month, the video game retailer said on Tuesday (Feb 23), as it focuses on shifting into technology-driven sales in the wake of headline-grabbing big betting in its stock. GameStop said Mr Bell's resignation was not due to any disagreement with the company relating to its operations, including accounting principles and practices. However, a source said that while Mr Bell's exit was unrelated to the recent wild swings in GameStop's stock spurred by retail traders on the Reddit social media site, his departure was initiated by the company. The source, a person familiar with the firm's thinking, said GameStop had become dissatisfied with Mr Bell as it works to transform into a technology-oriented business and was not confident he would be the right CFO moving forward. Mr Bell, who will leave the company on March 26, previously worked at brick-and-mortar retailers Gap and Coldwater Creek and restaurant chain P. F. Chang's China Bistro, according to his LinkedIn profile. He did not respond to requests for comment. Shares of GameStop fell about 5 per cent to US$42.75 in extended trading after the announceme...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Feb 24

aseanpr
2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, Feb 24. Workers, employers welcome progressive wages in Singapore's retail sector But some retailers may find it harder to implement a progressive wage model than others, say experts. READ MORE HERE Cop's wife admits starving, torturing maid to death; Myanmar victim was just 24kg in her final days In the last 12 days of her life, the maid was tied to the window grille at night while she slept on the floor. READ MORE HERE Golfer Tiger Woods hospitalised with multiple injuries after car accident His injuries were not believed to be life threatening, said media reports. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news PM Lee calls for global cooperation to ensure Covid-19 vaccines for all S'pore is discussing vaccine certification with countries to resume the possibility of travel, he said. READ MORE HERE Man to be charged with laundering more than $10 million from Covid-19 scam Police said an overseas pharmaceutical company transferred the monies to a local bank, but the items were not delivered. READ MORE HERE Delivery assistant staying in Kranji dorm sole locally transm...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Marriott taps veteran Tony Capuano as new CEO after Arne Sorenson’s death

elean
4 minutes

WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) - Marriott International named Tony Capuano as chief executive officer, tapping the veteran development executive to lead the hotel giant's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Capuano, 55, will replace Arne Sorenson, who died at 62 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to a statement on Tuesday (Feb 23). He becomes just the fourth leader in the company's history and faces the daunting task of navigating a global crisis that has sapped travel demand and raised doubts about the long-term prospects for corporate travel. Mr Capuano was one of two executives running the company's day-to-day operations in recent weeks, after Mr Sorenson stepped back to undergo treatment. Stephanie Linnartz, the marketing and technology executive who was sharing those responsibilities, was named president, the company said in a statement. "The term that keeps popping into my head is resolve," Mr Capuano said in an interview. "It is humbling to be given responsibility for this great company, and bittersweet because I consider Arne a mentor and a friend. It's also really energizing." Largest Loss Last year was Marriott's worst ever, as the pandemic forced the company to...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Lucid Motors CEO aims to launch Tesla Model 3 rival in 2024 or 2025

elean
2 minutes

SAN FRANCISCO (REUTERS) - Lucid Motors chief executive officer Peter Rawlinson told Reuters on Tuesday (Feb 24) that the luxury electric car maker plans to launch a rival to Tesla's Model 3 in 2024 or 2025. The company led by the former Tesla engineer is following the same strategy as Tesla, starting with a luxury car to create a halo around the brand and then expand into the mass market. This week it announced plans to go public by merging with a blank check company, a move that indicated a market capitalization of $56 billion - before regular production of Lucid Motors' first model has begun. Scaling up production of a mass automobile is a major financial challenge, Mr Rawlinson said. "I can't wait to do that," he told Reuters, referring to the rival to Tesla's Model 3, it's least expensive sedan. But first Mr Rawlinson said he would for now focus on the luxury, bigger car, which paradoxically takes fewer resources. "To make a smaller car requires more capital, because you need a bigger factory and more automation," he said. Lucid Motors' first electric car, the luxury Air, won't go in production now until late 2021, later than the spring 2021 launch initially planned. Mr Rawlins...

ACN Newswire
Read More

NaturalShrimp Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Aquaculture Assets of Hydrenesis Aquaculture, LLC

indie
4 minutes

Dallas, TX, Feb 24, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - via NewMediaWire -- NaturalShrimp, Inc. (OTCQB: SHMP), an aquaculture Company, which has developed and patented the first commercially operational Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) for shrimp, announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire the aquaculture assets of Hydrenesis Aquaculture, LLC for $12,500,000, consisting of $5,500,000 in cash and the balance due in NSI common stock. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings in fiscal year 2021.Gerald Easterling, CEO of NaturalShrimp added, "NaturalShrimp has been working with Hydrenesis since 2018 on several solutions for the industry with the team at Hydrenesis. We currently have trials on going in Norway and Australia. The Company intends to immediately begin deployment of the technology in our hatchery and nursery systems. We also believe that the Hydrenesis technology will have major impacts on disease control in salmon, barramundi, and tilapia farming segments. We expect to file additional patents around the expansion of the application and use of the combined EC and Hydrenesis technology."David Antelo, CEO of Hydrenesis, Inc., said, "We are ...

SeaPRwire
Read More

OCBC Q4 profit drops 9% to $1.13 billion on lower total income

elean
1 minute

SINGAPORE (REUTERS) - Singapore's second-biggest listed-lender, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp, reported a 9 per cent drop in quarterly profit on Wednesday (Feb 24), dragged down by a 15 per cent decline in total income in pandemic-hit markets. The bank's October-December net profit came in at $1.13 billion versus $1.24 billion a year earlier, and compared with the $955.9 million average estimate of four analysts, according to data from Refinitiv. OCBC's net interest margin, a key gauge of profitability, dipped to 1.56 per cent from 1.77 per cent a year earlier, as lower interest rates roil the banking sector. More on this topic Related Story OCBC again cuts interest rates on flagship 360 savings account Related Story Great Eastern Q4 earnings rise 19% to $341.3m on one-off tax impact

SeaPRwire
Read More

Tesla briefly sinks below price at which it entered S&P 500 index

elean
2 minutes

NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) - Tesla shares wiped out their year-to-date gains on Tuesday (Feb 23) and briefly traded below the level where they were when the electric-carmaker entered the S&P 500 Index in December. The stock dropped as much as 13 per cent to US$619 (S$817) in New York, its biggest intraday decline since Sept 8, before paring much of the loss to close down 2.2 per cent. The stock was down 31 per cent from its Jan 25 record intraday high at its lowest point on Tuesday. Tesla's early-week decline amid a wider market selloff was fueled in part by chief executive officer Elon Musk's comments over the weekend that the prices of bitcoin and smaller rival ether "do seem high." "Tesla is an EV play entering the golden age of EVs and there is a lingering worry that the Bitcoin sideshow could overshadow the overall EV growth story playing out for Tesla in 2021 and beyond," Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives wrote in a note to clients. The concerns over the value of the cryptocurrency helped erase some of bitcoin's gains, which had rocketed to new highs after Tesla announced two weeks ago it added US$1.5 billion in the cryptocurrency to its balance sheet. Bitcoin fell as much as 18 per cent...

ACN Newswire

Great Bay and Other Five Strategic Investors Invested in A Stake in TAOP

indie
7 minutes

HONG KONG, Feb 23, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Taoping Inc. (NASDAQ: TAOP, the "Company"), a provider of internet-based smart display screens, and a new-media ecosystem that enables targeted advertising and online retail, today announced that six powerful strategic investment institutions and independent investors, including Great Bay Capital Investment Limited, have took a stake in the Company, which will help the Company to realize its strategic transformation through developing its blockchain business and related financing projects, and to bring more development opportunities for the Company.TAOP aims to raise approximately $7.75 million through the issuance of 1,900,000 ordinary shares at a purchase price of $4.08 (average closing price for the 20-trading days ended February 19, 2021). TAOP intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. The private placement is expected to close no later than March 21, 2021. According to Security Act Rule 144 in U.S. Securities, the consummation of the private placement is subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions. Amid the rise of digital-era, blockchain technology is...

ACN Newswire
Read More

Parkson Announces the Annual Results for the Year Ended 31 December 2020

indie
7 minutes

HONG KONG, Feb 23, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Parkson Retail Group Limited ("Parkson' or the "Company", with its subsidiaries collectively referred as the "Group", HKEx stock code: 3368.HK), the leading nationwide lifestyle concept retailer in China, today announces the Group's annual results for the year ended 31 December 2020 ("Year under Review").2020 had been full of challenges and uncertainties for the global market. The global outbreak of COVID-19 at the start of the year had caused significant reduction and suspension of social and economic activities which inevitably caused the global economy to face downward pressure. In addition to this, the continuous tension of Sino-US trade relations brought many uncertainties to the global economic and political environment. Hence, the overall performance of the Group declined as a result of the negative impact brought upon by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic which the Group has actively adopted cost control measures to reduce its impact. Meanwhile, the Group is committed to strengthening its position as a leading retailer of fashion and lifestyle concepts in China through a diversified development strategy.During the year under review,...

ACN Newswire
Read More

ATAL Sets Up First Company in UK, Further Expands its Footprint across the World

indie
5 minutes

HONG KONG, Feb 23, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Analogue Holdings Limited (stock code:1977) together with its subsidiaries (referred to as "ATAL Engineering Group", "ATAL" or the "Group"), a leading electrical and mechanical ("E&M") engineering service provider headquartered in Hong Kong with operations in Macau, mainland China and the United States, has established its first company - Anlev (UK) Ltd in London, United Kingdom, marking its first foothold in Europe. Through its award-winning lifts and escalators brand, Anlev Elevator Group ("Anlev"), the expansion will enable the Group to provide one-stop services from design, manufacturing to installation and maintenance of lifts and escalators for customers in the UK and capture opportunities of the European market.Anlev, a subsidiary of ATAL, has a strong presence in public transport and commercial projects in the UK and is the only independent escalator manufacturer approved by Network Rail.Anlev's manufacturing plant in Nanjing is expected to produce 3,500 sets of lifts and escalators annually upon the completion of its expansion in 2022.Dr. Otto Poon Lok-to, Chairman of ATAL Engineering Group, said, "When we established the lift...

JCN Newswire
Read More

Toyota Breaks Ground for ‘Woven City’

ruth
3 minutes

Toyota City, Japan, Feb 23, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Woven Planet Holdings, Inc. (Woven Planet), the Toyota Group company responsible for a wide range of mobility development projects, anchored in software, held a groundbreaking ceremony (Jichinsai) for the construction of Woven City at 11:00 a.m. on February 23 at the old vehicle yard adjacent to the former Higashi-Fuji Plant site of Toyota Motor East Japan, Inc. (TMEJ).Along with Governor Heita Kawakatsu of Shizuoka Prefecture, Mayor Kenji Takamura of Susono City, and other guests representing the local community, the ceremony was attended by Toyota President Akio Toyoda, Woven Planet CEO James Kuffner, TMEJ President Kazuhiro Miyauchi, as well as others involved in the project. Together, the leaders expressed their hopes for the safe start to construction."The Woven City project officially starts today," said President Toyoda. "Taking action as one has decided is never an easy task. I must express my deepest gratitude to all who have provided their whole-hearted support and cooperation to the project through today. The unwavering themes of the Woven City are 'human-centered,' 'a living labora...

SeaPRwire
Read More

13 months’ jail for 4th man involved in ruse that cheated WDA of $51,000

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A 29-year-old man has become the fourth person to be sent to jail for his involvement in a ruse that cheated the now-defunct Workforce Development Agency (WDA) of $51,000 in total. Lim Biao, also known as Lim Qi Chuan, was sentenced on Tuesday (Feb 23) to 13 months' jail for the offences in 2016 against the WDA, now known as SkillsFuture Singapore. He pleaded guilty to 19 counts of engaging in conspiracy to cheat involving $4,500 and one count of obstructing the course of justice. Another 187 charges involving the remaining amount were considered during sentencing. Three other men had earlier been sentenced to between 24 weeks and two years' jail. They were Muhammad Hakimmul Hisham Razni, 35, as well as Tay Sheng Yang and Ng Yong Jing, both 28. The cases involving three alleged accomplices - Chia Bing Lun, 27; Sng Kee Jin, 28 and Joshua Tan Jun Liang, 29 - are still pending. The ruse involved the SkillsFuture Credits (SFC) scheme, launched in January 2016 to encourage individuals to take ownership of their skills development and lifelong learning. It gave all Singaporeans aged 25 and older an opening credit of $500 in their SFC accounts, which could be used to pay for a...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Covid-19 vaccination drive kicks off for over 50,000 eligible cabbies, private-hire drivers

aseanpr
5 minutes

SINGAPORE - More than 50,000 active taxi and private-hire car drivers will be offered the chance to get their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of the week, as the effort to vaccinate front-line land transport workers kicked into higher gear. About 300 drivers got their first jabs at the vaccination centre in the former Hong Kah Secondary School on Tuesday (Feb 23), the first day of the vaccination exercise for the point-to-point sector. Eligible cabbies and private-hire drivers will progressively receive SMSes with a unique link for them to book their vaccination appointments online at a time and place that is most convenient for them. These drivers can get their jabs at any of the 14 vaccination centres, 20 polyclinics, or 22 Public Health Preparedness Clinics currently operating as vaccination sites across the island. The latest vaccination drive follows exercises last month to vaccinate aviation, maritime and public transport workers last month. It is a joint effort by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), supported by the National Taxi Association (NTA), the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), and the taxi and private-...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Singaporean student who imported child sex doll in Australia sentenced to 11 months’ jail

aseanpr
2 minutes

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean student living in Australia who imported a child sex doll and possessed child abuse material has been sentenced to 11 months' jail. However, the 27-year-old, who was not identified, was immediately released on a two-year good behaviour bond. The Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police said in a joint statement last Saturday (Feb 20) the judge had also ordered that the man be placed on the sex offenders' register. In 2019, the Singaporean was arrested after border officials intercepted a parcel from China containing the doll at a Perth air cargo depot on Christmas Eve. The doll was ordered online and was addressed to the man's residence in the Perth suburb of Beckenham. Around two weeks later, border investigators arrested the Singaporean following a search warrant for the address on the package. Warrant investigators seized a mobile phone, computer tower, laptop and hard drive belonging to the man. These devices were handed to the Australian Federal Police, which identified child abuse material in the tower, laptop and hard drive through a forensic digital investigation. In Australia, those who import child sex dolls can be imprisoned for up ...

SeaPRwire
Read More

3 former Shell employees linked to $200 million gas oil heist charged with graft

aseanpr
2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Three former Shell Eastern Petroleum employees linked to a $200 million gas oil heist have been charged with bribing employees of surveying companies who inspected vessels which the oil giant supplied fuel to. Juandi Pungot, 44, Muzaffar Ali Khan Muhamad Akram, 40, and Richard Goh Chee Keong, 51, appeared before a district court on Tuesday (Feb 23) to have their charges read out to them. All three had previously been charged with criminal breach of trust over their alleged involvement in a conspiracy that led to more than 300,000 tonnes of gas oil worth about US$150 million (S$200 million) being stolen from Shell's biggest global refinery. Juandi and Muzaffar Ali Khan face 13 charges each while Goh faces four charges, all for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Between 2014 and 2017, Juandi and Muzaffar Ali Khan allegedly conspired to give bribes totalling about US$91,900 to 10 employees of surveying companies to inaccurately report the amount of gas oil loaded onto vessels which the employees were engaged to inspect. Between 2016 and 2017, Goh is accused of bribing three employees of surveying companies with a total of US$25,000 for the same reason. The th...

SeaPRwire
Read More

Spotify to add 85 new markets with 1 billion people

elean
3 minutes

NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) - Spotify Technology is introducing its audio service in 85 markets across Asia, Africa and the Caribbean in coming days, expanding the company's potential market by some one billion people. The steps announced on Monday (Feb 22) will nearly double Spotify's geographic footprint and add regions where streaming music is in its infancy. The company already operates in 93 countries or territories. Spotify is seeking to build on its head start as the leading audio service in the West to become the dominant player globally. While the company already has more than 345 million users, fewer than 20% come from Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where most of the world's people live. The Stockholm-based company has been slower to expand globally than Netflix or Google's YouTube, partly because of the complexity of securing music rights. But its timing coincides with growing potential in markets across Africa and Asia. Where the music industry was once US-centric, many of the most popular acts in the world right now hail from India, Nigeria, South Korea and Latin America. "For the first time ever we have the technology to connect the world through audio," chief executive o...