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Five schools recognised for efforts in improving mental health

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Five educational institutions here were recognised on Friday morning (Dec 11) for their efforts in promoting mental health awareness on campus. They received the inaugural Silver Ribbon Mental Health Awards for Schools in a virtual Zoom ceremony attended by Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang. Silver Ribbon (Singapore) is a mental health advocacy organisation that organised and gave out the award. In her speech, Ms Gan said all students must have access to timely support, including getting referrals for mental health and social support in the community. "However, schools can't do this alone. Strengthening mental health of our young is a whole-of-society effort," she added. The awards are meant to acknowledge and applaud the effort of schools in holding workshops and talks for staff and students and encouraging students to embark on mental-health related projects, among others. The recipients were Nanyang Technological University, River Valley High School, PSB Academy, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Social Sciences. In her speech, Silver Ribbon (Singapore) president Ellen Lee said one in four young people experienced l...

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Mandatory treatment order for man who drove stolen ambulance to girlfriend’s condominium

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A full-time national serviceman with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will have to undergo mandatory treatment for two years after he stole an ambulance and drove it to his girlfriend's condominium. Haziq Syamim Esa, who has a history of schizophrenic disorder, was told by a district court on Friday (Dec 11) he will have to undergo treatment to address his mental condition in lieu of imprisonment. The 21-year-old was also disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for two years. Haziq had pleaded guilty last month to one count each of theft and cheating. He also admitted to an unrelated charge of causing hurt to another person by performing a rash act. The incident happened on March 12 when Haziq cycled to Sengkang Fire Station dressed in an emergency medical services (EMS) T-shirt with black trousers. He told a sentry officer at the fire station that he was an off-duty EMS officer and needed to speak to a colleague inside. Haziq, who was allowed to enter the premises at around 3am, spotted the unoccupied ambulance parked with the engine running. Deputy Public Prosecutor Cheng Yuxi had said: "As part of standard operating procedures, the driver did not lo...

JCN Newswire
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Fujitsu Offers Free Access to ‘Ontenna’ Educational Solutions for Deaf Students

ruth
3 minutes

TOKYO, Dec 11, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu has announced that it will offer free educational programming modules for its "Ontenna" device for students that are deaf or hard of hearing. Ontenna is a unique device that allows users to sense sounds with their bodies. Fujitsu will offer an educational solution utilizing the device to schools for deaf students and other educational institutions free of charge across Japan from December 11, 2020.Photo 1: "Ontenna" imageSince June 2019, Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has been providing free trial versions of Fujitsu's Ontenna device to slightly more than 70% of schools for those with limited hearing nationwide. This initiative represents part of MEXT's efforts to leverage technology to contribute to the improvement of students' educational environments and realize its goal of "fair, individualized learning that leaves no one behind." The trial version of Ontenna is now widely used in speech classes and for rhythm and music exercises in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing.This latest move promises to further advance efforts to achieve this goal, and the Ontenna educational programming...

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BTO flats in prime locations may get more govt subsidies but face resale restrictions: Desmond Lee

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in prime locations may receive more subsidies as the Government considers ways to ensure new Housing Board units remain affordable for ordinary Singaporeans. Among the ideas under study - home owners may face restrictions on the resale conditions for future public housing projects in prime areas. In a Facebook post on Friday morning (Dec 11), National Development Minister Desmond Lee said a new housing model is necessary for BTO flats in "new areas with very prime attributes" as they will be "a lot more expensive than current BTO flats". To keep future housing projects in prime locations - such as those in the city centre or those in Greater Southern Waterfront - affordable, Mr Lee said the Government may have to apply more subsidies, on top of the existing subsidies that are already provided today for all BTO flat buyers. But he acknowledged that the additional subsidies may raise some issues. "There is the issue of fairness when these additional subsidies add to higher capital gains for buyers of such flats in prime locations," he said. "In addition, we want to preserve the character of public housing in these estates, so that like other HDB...

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Eisai: Biogen Files New Drug Application for Aducanumab in Japan

ruth
2 minutes

TOKYO, Dec 11, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Biogen and Eisai, Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan) announced that Biogen has submitted a Japanese New Drug Application (J-NDA) to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for aducanumab, an investigational therapy for Alzheimer's disease. Aducanumab, an amyloid beta-targeting antibody, has been shown in clinical trials to remove amyloid beta in the brain and significantly slow clinical decline in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease and mild Alzheimer's disease dementia."Japan is the third market where we have applied for regulatory approval for aducanumab, and the filing represents continued progress on our commitment to bring this therapy to patients around the world," said Michel Vounatsos, Chief Executive Officer at Biogen. "Japan has met the challenges of a rapidly-aging population by demonstrating global leadership in setting policies that aim to increase support for Alzheimer's disease patients and caregivers. We look forward to the regulatory review of aducanumab with the hope that, if approved, it could help further manage the impact of this devastating disease.""As Japan has the oldest population i...

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Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Participating in “Planning and Design Center for Greener Ships”: Organization for Planning State-of-the-Art Ships

ruth
3 minutes

TOKYO, Dec 11, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has become a member of "Planning and Design Center for Greener Ships," a core organization established to plan and propose state-of-the-art ships on a continuing basis through integration of the accumulated expertise of Japan's shipbuilding industry. Together with other members of domestic shipbuilders, going forward Mitsubishi Shipbuilding will pursue development of advanced environmental performance-enhancing technologies for the era of carbon neutrality, targeting near-zero carbon emissions, and engage in activities focusing on research and development related to commercialization of next-generation greener ships.Members of Planning and Design Center for Greener ShipsThe founding aim of the Planning and Design Center for Greener Ships is to contribute to the growth of Japan's shipbuilding industry by developing advanced environmental performance-enhancing technologies that will respond to tightening of environmental regulations over the long term through consolidation of the country's technologies in ship design, and by advancing commercialization of next-...

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Grab to implement 30-cent platform fee for rides from Dec 18

aseanpr
2 minutes

SINGAPORE - Ride-hailing firm Grab will start charging a platform fee of 30 cents for rides booked through its platform from Dec 18. The fee is inclusive of goods and services tax, and will apply to all Grab rides except those from the GrabHitch and GrabResponse services. It is the first such move by the firm to adjust the prices of its ride-hailing offerings after the competition watchdog - Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) - lifted restrictions on it in November. Grab said on its website that the platform fee will go towards "funding initiatives that will make rides better, safer and more secure" for both passengers and its drivers. It added that two-thirds of the fee will be used to improve safety and security, among other things. The remaining one-third of the fee will go towards initiatives to support drivers, which include benefits and training allowances. "The platform fee (sometimes known as a service fee) is an industry-standard fee that many online platforms, such as delivery services, ride-hailing companies and vacation rental sites, impose for the usage of their platform/service," said Grab. Its main ride-hailing competitor in Singapore, Gojek, int...

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MITSUBISHI MOTORS Provides First Tease of All-new OUTLANDER – Global Reveal of Vehicle to Follow in February 2021

ruth
2 minutes

TOKYO, Dec 11, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - MITSUBISHI MOTORS CORPORATION (MMC) has teased the first image of the highly anticipated next-generation OUTLANDER. The vehicle will debut first in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico in February 2021, and follow soon-after in other international markets.Developed under the ideal of the Japanese term "I-Fu-Do-Do", which means authentic and majestic, the all-new OUTLANDER demonstrates strength and quality from the inside out. The exterior design is refined, with a powerful and proud front end with new generation Dynamic Shield design concept. The complete transformation from dimensions to exterior styling previews the design direction for the future MITSUBISHI MOTORS' models."The OUTLANDER is an iconic SUV for the company, so when we developed the next generation model, we took inspirations from our rich SUV heritage to realize a bold and confident styling with a solid stance that excites our customers," said Seiji Watanabe, Division General Manager of Design (Head of Design), MMC. "The all-new OUTLANDER is the first model epitomizing the new generation of Mitsubishi design and the frontrunner of our design strategy."The all-new OUTLANDER launch w...

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Airbnb shines as Dow, S&P 500 edge lower

elean
2 minutes

NEW YORK (AFP) - Wall Street stocks had a mixed session on Thursday (Dec 10) following disappointing employment data, while Airbnb rocketed higher in its market debut. New applications for unemployment benefits in the US surged last week by 137,000 to 853,000, according to government data, far higher than economists had been expecting and a sign the latest spike in coronavirus cases is weighing on activity. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2 per cent to 29,999.26. The broad-based S&P 500 slipped 0.1 per cent to 3,688.10, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.5 per cent to 12,405.81. The weak jobs data comes as negotiations on another US relief package continue. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers may stay in Washington through the Christmas holiday to pass a new spending Bill. While Congress has yet to move, the European Central Bank announced new stimulus measures to help the eurozone weather a second wave of the coronavirus, underscoring anew the robust response of central banks. Even with Thursday's indecisive session, major indices remain near record levels, propelled by optimism over coronavirus vaccines and ample liquidity following Feder...

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FTA with UK further cements S’pore’s status as top trading hub

elean
1 minute

Even as trade remains muddied by rising protectionism and a recession-inducing pandemic, Singapore continues to consolidate its position as a major node in the global supply chains that lead in and out of Asia. In less than a month, Singapore joined the world's biggest multilateral regional trade partnership and then signed its maiden free trade agreement (FTA) with the world's sixth-largest economy. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.

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ADB forecasts shallower slump for Asia this year

elean
2 minutes

MANILA • Developing Asia's economy will contract this year by less than previously estimated as it begins recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The region's gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink 0.4 per cent this year, an improvement from the 0.7 per cent drop forecast in September, ADB said in a supplement to its Asian Development Outlook, released yesterday. It kept the region's growth projection at 6.8 per cent for next year. Prospects are diverging within the region, with East Asia set to grow this year while other sub-regions are contracting, the Manila-based bank said. China's economic forecast for this year was raised to 2.1 per cent growth from 1.8 per cent estimated in September, while India's projection was lifted to an 8 per cent contraction from minus 9 per cent previously expected. Next year, China's GDP is forecast to grow by 7.7 per cent and India's by 8 per cent. South-east Asia's economic forecast was lowered to a 4.4 per cent contraction this year amid reduced projections for Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The sub-region remains under pressure as virus outbreaks and containment measures continue, ADB ...

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Facebook faces US antitrust suits over WhatsApp, Instagram

elean
3 minutes

WASHINGTON • United States federal and state antitrust enforcers filed suit against Facebook on Wednesday, claiming the social media giant abused its dominant position and seeking to unwind its acquisitions of messaging services Instagram and WhatsApp. Separate suits filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a coalition of state officials called for the divestment of Instagram and WhatsApp, services which are part of the Facebook "family" of applications. "Facebook's actions to entrench and maintain its monopoly deny consumers the benefits of competition," said Mr Ian Conner, director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition. "Our aim is to roll back Facebook's anti-competitive conduct and restore competition so that innovation and free competition can thrive." A separate legal action was filed by antitrust enforcers from 48 US states and territories. "For nearly a decade, Facebook has used its dominance and monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users," said New York state Attorney-General Letitia James, who leads the coalition. The suits allege that Facebook sought to squelch competition by acquiring the messaging applicat...

SeaPRwire

Chinese firms dropped from Dow Jones indexes after US order

elean
2 minutes

SHANGHAI • S&P Dow Jones Indices (DJI) said yesterday it would remove Chinese companies, including Hikvision, from its products, becoming the latest index provider to do so following a Trump administration order restricting purchases of their shares. S&P DJI said it would remove A-shares, H-shares and American depositary receipts of 10 companies, including Hikvision and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), from all equity indexes prior to the market opening on Dec 21. The company said it will also remove 11 securities issued by Chinese companies from its fixed income indexes before Jan 1. Hikvision and SMIC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "The order... may impact the ability of market participants to replicate S&P DJI equity and fixed income indexes containing securities affected by the order," S&P DJI said in a statement. Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management chief fund manager Kiyoshi Ishigane said that funds following the S&P indexes "will have to sell. This goes beyond the routine annual changes to names on the index". "Once the passive funds start selling, the active funds will be inclined to do the same." S&P DJI's move comes after in...

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Epazz, Inc: The COVID-19 Pandemic Accelerated the Shift to Remote Work, and a Vaccine Will Bring Employees Back to the Office; Companies Are Using DeskFlex Desk Booking Software to Reduce Office Space and Save Money

indie
5 minutes

CHICAGO, IL, Dec 10, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - via NewMediaWire - Epazz Inc. DeskFlex (OTC: EPAZ), a provider of mission-critical cloud-computing software solutions and blockchain business solutions such as DeskFlex desk booking software, announced today that customers say having their employees work part time in the office is beneficial for their companies. Employees are more productive, and companies are reducing the size of their office space, sometimes saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a trend we have been seeing over the past 10 years. Demand for desk booking software will increase once the vaccine is ready for distribution because employees will be back in the office, even if on a part-time basis. DeskFlex has revolutionized organizations' remote work setup worldwide during the pandemic.Results of a recent getAbstract survey revealed nearly 43% of all full-time U.S. employees want to work remotely for a few days and schedule their return to the office on a weekly basis. Of the 1,200 respondents, almost 20% reported their employer is considering future remote work alternatives.The coronavirus threat accelerated the digitization of...

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CITIC Telecom CPC won Asia Communication Awards 2020

indie
4 minutes

SINGAPORE, Dec 10, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK:1883), is honored to announce the winning of "Digital Transformation Project of the Year" at the Asia Communication Awards (ACA) 2020 which applauds and recognizes the company for its innovative way to transform services by integrating augmented reality into business processes with DataHOUSE(TM) AR Remote Hand Service.The ACA organized by Total Telecom is one of the top telecom industry awards in this region. ACA recognized companies and individuals for outstanding achievements and innovation that contribute to the development of the telecom industry.During the award ceremony, Harry Baldock, Editor of Total Telecom commended that DataHOUSE(TM) AR Remote Hand Service gives field engineers access to information in real time to help them perform complicated operation according to customer own internal IT procedure. The winning solution leverage Augmented Reality to dramatically transform field engineering operations, streamlining installation, maintenance and troubleshooting processes"CITIC Telecom CPC...

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SDK Formulates ‘Long-term Vision (2021-2030) for Newly Integrated Company’

ruth
15 minutes

TOKYO, Dec 10, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004) has formulated its future "Long-term Vision (2021-2030) for Newly Integrated Company" (Long-term Vision) following integration with Showa Denko Materials Co., Ltd. (Showa Denko Materials).Since making Showa Denko Materials a consolidated subsidiary on April 28 of this year, Showa Denko has been developing its Long-term Vision in order to integrate the two companies as soon as possible and establish a foundation for future growth.Showa Denko and Showa Denko Materials are committed to providing new functions and value as an integrated company (the Company) in the chemicals industry where intensification of global competition and changes in market structure are expected to go forward, thereby contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.1. Long-term Vision and synergy for Newly Integrated Company(1) Purpose and Ideal stateIn terms of purpose, the Newly Integrated Company will seek to "change society through the power of chemistry." This includes contributing to the sustainable development of global society by creating functions required of the times as an advanced material partner. In addition, the Com...

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DENSO Adopts SDK SiC Epi-wafers for Next-Generation Booster Power Modules for FCEVs

ruth
3 minutes

TOKYO, Dec 10, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Silicon carbide epitaxial wafers (SiC epi-wafers), the main material for power semiconductors, with a diameter of six inches (150mm) and manufactured by Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004), have been adopted by DENSO Corporation for their latest booster power modules for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).SDK's SiC epi-wafers, launched in 2009, have been adopted by electronic device manufacturers for various devices including power supply for servers of cloud computing systems, quick charging stands for EVs, and railcars. DENSO adopted SDK's SiC epi-wafers for its next-generation power modules recognizing the track record of adoption by device manufacturers, highest-grade epi specifications, low density surface defects, and low frequency of basal plane dislocation.When compared with current mainstream silicon-based semiconductors, SiC-based power semiconductors can operate under high-temperature, high-voltage, and high-current conditions, while substantially reducing energy loss. These features enable device manufacturers to produce smaller, lighter, more energy-efficient power control modules. SiC power semiconductors are already used in on-boa...

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N-level results to be released on Dec 17

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Students will be getting their N-level results next Thursday (Dec 17). Arrangements have been made for school candidates to receive their results in their classrooms or online, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This was announced by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) in a statement on Thursday (Dec 10). "Only school candidates collecting their results will be allowed entry into the school premises and they will be expected to observe the safe management measures in place," noted the statement. Students who are unwell, under quarantine or stay-home notice, or on leave of absence on the day the results are released should not return to school. Instead, they may view their results online at the SEAB's website from 2.30pm on Dec 17. Candidates who have a SingPass account can use it to access the SEAB's online results release system, which will be accessible until Dec 31. International students can access the system using an SEAB-issued personal identification number sent to their e-mail addresses which their schools have provided to the board. N-level candidates may also appoint a proxy to collect their results on thei...

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Cyclist jailed after crashing into pedestrian who died five days later

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A cyclist has been given a prison sentence over an accident involving a pedestrian who died of his injuries five days after the crash. Toni Timo Salminen, who is Finnish, was sentenced on Thursday (Dec 10) to a week's jail after pleading guilty to causing Mr Chew Fook Yew's death by cycling in a negligent manner. The 42-year-old offender had failed to keep a proper lookout while cycling along Sims Avenue on Oct 1 last year. Deputy Public Prosecutor Rimplejit Kaur said that the 53-year-old pedestrian had not been jaywalking and the accident happened more than 50m from the nearest pedestrian crossing. She added: "This is not a case where the deceased suddenly dashed onto the road, suddenly appeared onto the road from an obscured position, suddenly stopped while crossing the road, suddenly turned back while crossing the road, hesitated or lingered while crossing the road or suddenly bent down to pick up something while crossing the road. "In fact... the accused had an unobstructed view of the entire process of the deceased crossing the road, from the commencement to collision, if he had a kept a proper lookout." Salminen was in the second lane of the four-lane road along S...

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7 special education schools to progressively operate at permanent sites from 2022

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Seven government-funded special education (Sped) schools will progressively begin operations on new campuses at permanent sites from 2022. This is part of the Ministry of Education (MOE)'s ongoing efforts to enhance accessibility to Sped for students with moderate-to-severe special educational needs. The MOE had, over the past few years, announced the set-up of these new schools. Between 2017 and 2019, the ministry had said it would work with social service agencies Awwa, the Autism Association Singapore, Rainbow Centre and Metta Welfare Association to set up four new Sped schools. This was to address the growing demand for places for students who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with intellectual impairment. These four Sped schools - Eden School 2, AWWA School 2, Rainbow Centre School 3 and Metta School 2 - will begin operations at their permanent sites between 2022 and 2024. The MOE said the official names of these schools will be confirmed only at the time of school registration, before the schools move to their permanent sites. For now, each new school's working name is pegged to the name of the Sped school currently operated by the same organisation. Each school...