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PM Lee takes the stand in defamation suit against TOC’s Terry Xu

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrived in court on Monday (Nov 30) to testify in his defamation suit against The Online Citizen (TOC) editor Terry Xu. Mr Xu's lawyer Lim Tean began his cross-examination of PM Lee. The week-long hearing could also see the Prime Minister's siblings, Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang, take the witness stand to testify in court. The case revolves around claims made by TOC in an article published on Aug 15 last year, titled "PM Lee's wife, Ho Ching weirdly shares article on cutting ties with family members". The TOC article had commented on how PM Lee's wife, Ms Ho Ching, had shared a link on Facebook to an article titled "Here's why sometimes it is okay to cut ties with toxic family members". It also referenced a Facebook post that Dr Lee made in May. Mr Lee Hsien Yang had also shared the post by Dr Lee. In September last year, PM Lee asked TOC to remove the article, along with a Facebook post linking to it, and publish a full and unconditional apology. His press secretary Chang Li Lin said the allegations in the article and post were libellous and repeated several false allegations against PM Lee that were previously made by his sister...

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Singapore’s budding start-ups: Producing food-grade protein in a resource crunch

elean
1 minute

SINGAPORE - Sophie's Bionutrients, a Singapore-based start-up, has been working on plant-based protein flours that can be used to make milk alternatives or energy beverages. Its co-founder and chief executive Eugene Wang, 51, shared that the market for plant-based liquids is more accessible than the one for meat alternatives, given that plant-based milk does not require the same extensive research and development that meat-like products do. 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.

SeaPRwire
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Producing food-grade protein in a resource crunch

elean
1 minute

Sophie's Bionutrients, a Singapore-based start-up, has been working on plant-based protein flours that can be used to make milk alternatives or energy beverages. Its co-founder and chief executive Eugene Wang, 51, shared that the market for plant-based liquids is more accessible than the one for meat alternatives, given that plant-based milk does not require the same extensive research and development that meat-like products do. 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.

SeaPRwire
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Singapore firms keen to use new EDB Tech.Pass scheme to boost talent pool

aseanpr
5 minutes

SINGAPORE - When cyber protection company Acronis wanted to grow the team for its research and development centre here last year, it targeted locals. But when it could not hire enough with the required know-how, the Singapore-based firm tapped the Tech @ SG programme, which provides for more flexible requirements for foreign professionals to secure an Employment Pass (EP). The programme, jointly administered by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore, endorses EP applications to the Manpower Ministry (MOM). Acronis is now eyeing another EDB initiative - the Tech.Pass - while hiring and training more locals. Unlike an EP, foreign professionals with the new work pass are free to choose who they work for. "We could definitely use Tech.Pass to recruit the best people and expand our engineering team - the new scheme provides certain flexibility to the holder, since it's not tied to one company," Acronis' co-founder and Technology President Stanislav Protassov told The Straits Times. Many tech companies here like Acronis say it has been difficult to secure enough top-tier talent to grow their Singapore workforce and boost capabilities. EDB says Tech.Pass, ...

SeaPRwire
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Cadet pilot and friends aim to inspire next generation of aviators

elean
2 minutes

Cadet pilot Jason Koor's flying ambitions may have been put on hold for the next few years due to the coronavirus outbreak, but the 26-year-old is using this downtime to inspire the next generation of aviators. Mr Koor, along with two friends, incorporated aviation enrichment company Aircademy last month. It hopes to help youth who are keen in the aviation industry to learn more, through courses that will teach them about planes and aviation-related work, like ground handling. Industry players such as pilots will be invited to share their experiences with participants. The co-founders hope to be able to stretch the $30,000 they put in to get the business off the ground, as they have managed to get discounts on costs such as rent. They will run a trial programme next month - during the school holidays - to test their curriculum and study the feasibility and viability of the business, said Mr Koor, who graduated from the National University of Singapore last year with a double degree in civil engineering and management. The trio hope to help nurture an interest in aviation through means which they feel were not as accessible to youth when they themselves were younger. Mr Koor, whose ...

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Bringing buyers and sellers of surplus food together

aseanpr
1 minute

Mr Preston Wong, 31, is chief executive and lead innovator at Treatsure, an app that serves as a mobile market place for businesses and consumers to sell and buy surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. A: I saw my family throwing out consumables and expiring surplus food from our refrigerator and realised others are probably doing the same, perpetuating the problem of food wastage. An idea then sprang to mind. What if I were to build a platform to sell or share surplus food items? 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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Despite early doubts, former nurse finds success working in pre-school

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The sight and sound of infants laughing are among the reasons Ms Jacintha Jayadas looks forward to her work as an early childhood educator. The 27-year-old said that even on weekends, when she is off, she misses the children. Ms Jacintha, who is single, now works at Tots and Teddies in Telok Ayer, after making the switch from nursing in 2017. Despite initial worries that she might not be able to handle the work, the nurse of two years feels more confident now in caring for infants aged two months to 18 months. This is due to guidance she received from senior teachers, principals and others, she said. Ms Jacintha, who has a diploma in counselling, is among 17 pre-school educators and eight centres to receive awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development in a virtual ceremony held on Saturday (Nov 28). The awards are meant to highlight the professionalism of the early childhood sector and recognise outstanding and promising early childhood educators and centres, according to the Early Childhood Development Agency. Ms Jacintha received the Promising Early Childhood Educarer Award for her work in building relationships with the families of the children as well as the...

SeaPRwire

Gold prices headed further south as hopes rise for coronavirus vaccine

elean
3 minutes

Gold prices were yesterday set for a third straight week of declines as growing optimism over a coronavirus vaccine drove investors into traditionally riskier assets and out of the safe-haven metal. Spot gold fell 0.2 per cent to US$1,807.86 per ounce in early trading yesterday. US gold futures were steady at US$1,806. Bullion was set to fall 3.3 per cent on the week. Asian shares stalled near record highs yesterday as AstraZeneca faces tricky questions about the success rate of its vaccine candidate that could hinder its chances of getting speedy United States and European Union regulatory approval. "For the markets, I don't think that (doubts over the effectiveness of a vaccine) changes the perception there's going to be a vaccine coming sooner than previously expected," said IG Markets analyst Kyle Rodda. Investors are starting to buy into the narrative that the economic recovery is going to gather steam next year and that is driving investors to liquidate gold holdings, he added. On the technical front, support for gold remains intact at US$1,800 an ounce, while silver continues to see supportive interest near the psychological US$23 level, MKS PAMP said in a note. Raising the ...

JCN Newswire
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Mazda CX-30 Named Thailand Car of the Year 2020

ruth
2 minutes

HIROSHIMA, Japan, Nov 27, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's crossover SUV, Mazda CX-30, has been named Thailand Car of the Year 2020 by the Thai Automotive Journalists Association. This is the third time in history and the second year running that a Mazda vehicle takes the award after the Mazda3 and CX-3 won the award in 2019 and 2016 respectively.MAZDA CX-30The CX-30 was chosen as the top pick among seven finalists by a judging panel comprised of over 60 automotive journalists.The CX-30 is a compact crossover that combines the bold proportions of an SUV with elegant styling that embodies Mazda's Kodo design language. The vehicle is brought to life through reflections of the surroundings on its body that beautifully change according to the vehicle's movement, location and the season. Furthermore, the CX-30 enriches time spent with loved ones with its cabin that comfortably sits four adults and offers a high level of quietness, as well as the vehicle's high-quality interior that has been refined down to the smallest details.Since February 2020, the Thai specification model of the CX-30 has been locally produced at AutoAlliance (Thailand) Co., Ltd.Mazda continues its ...

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The Multi-Functional Cigar Lighter Every Cigar Fan Needs

pandora
3 minutes

XIFEI is pleased to discuss their multi-functional cigar lighter that is transforming the way that people enjoy their beloved cigars. This is a convenient tool that allows customers to carry everything that they need to enjoy their cigar, without having every individual tool. Customers get all of this in a compact and easy to carry with them wherever they go. The customer’s cigar enjoyment is highly dependent in having the right equipment. That is why customers need to get the XIFEI All-in-One Lighter, the must-have gadget for every cigar lover. The first thing that customers will notice about this multi-functional cigar lighter is how lightweight but high quality this tool is. Not only does this tool have a butane lighter that can be replenished as needed, but it also has a cigar stand, cigar draw enhancer, and the cigar puncher. There are a lot of misconceptions that multi-functional items like this one is that they aren’t high quality items and don’t work as well as one may want them to. That may have been the case before, but it’s certainly not the case now. What makes this product even more incredible? When customers use this product with the XIFEI Acrylic Humidor Jar, they ar...

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Sites for homes in Tengah, Ang Mo Kio up for sale

elean
3 minutes

The first executive condominium (EC) site in Tengah and a condo site in Ang Mo Kio were launched for sale yesterday under the second half of the 2020 government land sales (GLS) programme. Both residential sites are on the confirmed list, which was released in June. The two sites combined can yield about 985 residential units, although the actual number may vary depending on the developers, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Housing Board (HDB) yesterday. Sites on the confirmed list are launched according to schedule, regardless of demand. The Tengah parcel in Tengah Garden Walk has a site area of 22,020 sq m and a maximum gross floor area (GFA) of 61,659 sq m. The 99-year leasehold site is expected to yield about 615 EC units. Located next to the upcoming Garden Vines @ Tengah Build-To-Order project, it will be the first EC housing project in the "forest town" of Tengah. JLL senior director of research and consultancy Ong Teck Hui said developers are likely to view the EC market "favourably", as there are only four EC projects in the launch pipeline. "While the Tengah plot is in a relatively less developed area, it could be in fair demand due to the lack of new E...

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4 years’ jail for woman who poured hot water on boyfriend’s groin, causing third-degree burns

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - A woman who poured hot water on her boyfriend's groin, thinking he was cheating on her, was sentenced on Thursday (Nov 26) to four years' jail. Zareena Begum P. A. M. Basheer Ahamed, 50, was found guilty by District Judge Brenda Tan of voluntarily causing grievous hurt after a trial which ended on Sept 28. The man was hospitalised for 26 days and unable to work for about six months as a result of the incident, which occurred while he was asleep. He suffered second- and third-degree burn injuries over 12 per cent of his body. In submissions at the end of the trial, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong said the two became a couple in 2006 but over the course of their relationship, broke up several times while accusing each other of cheating. On Jan 12, 2017, Zareena saw her boyfriend at the HarbourFront Centre ferry terminal with a woman, someone Zareena suspected had been having an affair with her boyfriend since 2015. In the wee hours of July 5 that year, Zareena took her boyfriend's mobile phone from his bag as he slept in her living room. The DPP said she grew furious when she saw messages from the other woman to her boyfriend. "She wanted to teach him a lesson for l...

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Global recovery heading into critical period: MAS chief

elean
6 minutes

The global economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is heading into a critical period as nations balance the need to prop up consumers and businesses against the threat of unmanageable debt, Singapore's central bank chief said. "The world is now entering a phase where the crisis is long, drawn-out, the peak of the crisis is behind us, but we're not in full recovery," Mr Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), told Bloomberg. "In this undefined twilight zone of sorts, what is the appropriate policy mix?" He said fiscal policy would have to start unwinding, but gradually, while monetary policymakers must recognise that extraordinary measures cannot continue indefinitely. Governments worldwide have pumped trillions of dollars into their economies, with that fiscal support taking the lead in combating the effects of the pandemic and winning the backing of multilateral institutions like the International Monetary Fund that are usually more cautious about debt. Meanwhile, central bankers have kept interest rates near record lows and tinkered with unconventional tools. If officials do not start the process now of fine-tuning their stimulus, they ris...

JCN Newswire
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Toyota Begins Sales of “Shodoku Taishi” Foot-Operated Sanitizer Stands

ruth
4 minutes

Toyota City, Japan, Nov 25, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation announces the release of "Shodoku Taishi," a foot-operated sanitizer stand that will be available through Toyota dealers nationwide, starting December 1. Amidst the spread of COVID-19, Toyota has leveraged its on-site monozukuri (manufacturing) capabilities and the Toyota Production System (TPS), which support its desire to create ever-better cars, to produce masks and face shields, develop vehicles that control the circulation of airborne droplets, and provide support to raise productivity in the production of protective gowns for healthcare use as part of the Toyota Group's Kokoro Hakobu Project.(1)The foot-operated sanitizer stand that Toyota is launching at this time was first produced in early April under the initiative of employees at Toyota plants, who wanted to take action and prevent infections among their colleagues, where operation of production lines was unavoidably suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a desire to contribute to society with the foot-operated sanitizer stands, the TPS professionals who participated in the medical protective gown project later became involved, commerc...

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Help for chartered bus operators to go digital

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Chartered bus operators, typically owners of small fleets of about five vehicles, will now receive more help from the Government to automate their processes, accelerating a transition already sharpened by the coronavirus pandemic. In a new thrust towards digitalisation headed by the Land Transport Authority and Enterprise Singapore, it was announced on Wednesday (Nov 25) that operators will receive financial subsidies, free consultancy advice and training to help with the change in what remains a stubbornly traditional industry. Improvements could include having buses' whereabouts tracked on a digital map, in-built cameras that monitor drivers' behaviour, and integrated systems for online payment and route planning. With many chartered buses used as school buses that deal with large numbers of students, real-time tracking can put parents' minds at ease, while online processes can lessen the administrative burden on chartered bus companies who still often take attendance physically and collect payment in cash, bus operators said. Senior Minister of State for Transport and Foreign Affairs Chee Hong Tat, speaking at the event announcing the launch of the digital plan for c...

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Global economic recovery from pandemic entering critical period, says MAS chief

elean
6 minutes

SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - The global economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is heading into a critical period as nations balance the need to prop up consumers and businesses against the threat of unmanageable debt, Singapore's central bank chief said. "The world is now entering a phase where the crisis is long, drawn-out, the peak of the crisis is behind us, but we're not in full recovery," Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), told Bloomberg. "In this undefined twilight zone of sorts, what is the appropriate policy mix?" Mr Menon said. "Fiscal policy would have to start unwinding, but gradually," while monetary policy makers must recognize that extraordinary measures can't continue indefinitely. Governments worldwide have pumped trillions of dollars into their economies, with that fiscal support taking the lead in combating the effects of the pandemic and winning the backing of multilateral institutions like the International Monetary Fund that usually are more cautious about debt. Meanwhile, central bankers have kept interest rates near record lows and have tinkered with unconventional tools. If officials don't start the process now of fi...

SeaPRwire
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Bitcoin mania is back in flashback to 2017 as cryptocurrency tops US$19,000

elean
4 minutes

NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) - Celebrity endorsements, exchange outages, rafts of new trading accounts - Bitcoin mania is back. In a flashback to the frenzied run-up to Thanksgiving 2017, retail traders are piling into cryptocurrencies and driving prices back toward all-time highs. The number of first-time buyers is on course to eclipse December 2017, EToro, an Israeli-British firm, said. Bitcoin trades per day are 81 per cent greater than the rest of 2020 combined. Google searches for "coinbase," the crypto exchange, reached the highest level in at least a year, according to Google Trends. And crypto Twitter hasn't been this giddy in a long time. A quick tour through various hashtags yields a wealth of frothy posts. There's the GIF of a beaming waitress serving up glasses of champagne. "We bout to be rich," goes the tweet. Another fan charts Bitcoin's performance since 2017 and says, "...and here we are again." "Nothing like a pre-Thanksgiving Bitcoin run," said Catherine Coley, CEO of Binance.US. Bitcoin climbed within US$100 of its all-time high after surpassing US$19,000 (S$25,495) for the first time since 2017. It's now up more than 40 per cent in November alone and has more than doub...

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Events sector gearing up to help Republic retain its edge

elean
4 minutes

With several pilot events under way and others to come, Singapore's meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) industry is gearing up to ensure that the Republic retains its position as a leading Mice hub. Experts said that there is a first-mover advantage to be captured, and Singapore's handling of the coronavirus crisis means that it is ready to reinforce its position as a global Mice destination, but with the necessary precautions in place. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is currently processing up to 50 applications to hold pilot Mice events with up to 250 participants each. At least 20 pilot events have been approved so far. Applications opened early last month, with event organisers required to comply with strict safe management measures and guidelines. The pilot events like last month's Singapore International Energy Week and the upcoming TravelRevive, where prototypes such as meeting pods for Mice events are put in place, provide insights that enable measures and guidelines to be refined, said Dr Edward Koh, executive director of conventions, meetings and incentive travel at STB. Pilot antigen rapid testing for Covid-19 will be scaled up at TravelRevive to p...

ACN Newswire
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Eco Asia Conference highlights green opportunities

indie
8 minutes

HONG KONG, Nov 24, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - The increased use of disposables such as face masks and plastic lunch boxes during the pandemic has helped to highlight the importance of environmental protection. Environmental issues were to the fore at the Eco Asia Conference, powered by the Environment Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and one of the key events held as part of Eco Expo Asia 2020.In his speech at the Eco Asia Conference, Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, shared on Hong Kong's green efforts, including its response to carbon reduction targets set by Mainland China.Hendrik Rosenthal, Director - Group Sustainability of CLP Group, Anson Lim, CFO of Freetech Road Recycling Technology (Holdings) Co. Ltd, Albert Lam, CEO of Novelte Robotics Limited, and Daniel Leung, Professor of Practice at the Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development, shared insights during a panel discussion on implementing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (L-R)Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and co-organised by the Environment B...

ACN Newswire
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Blockpass Supports Permissionless DeFi Protocol UniLend Fundraiser with KYC & AML Screening

indie
4 minutes

HONG KONG, Nov 24, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Blockpass today announced a successful working partnership with UniLend, the decentralised finance (DeFi) platform. UniLend recently conducted a successful fundraiser, with Blockpass providing the requisite KYC and AML provision in order to meet regulatory compliance. By handling the compliance measures, the UniLend team were able to focus their efforts on the actual fundraising process.UniLend is a permissionless decentralized protocol that combines spot trading services and money markets with lending and services through smart contracts. The integrated smart contract for both features of the protocol allows both trading & DeFi capabilities to co-exist within the same protocol, solving the liquidity and liquidation issue which has been limiting the growth of DeFi adoption to a broader market.Blockpass is a digital identity verification provider which provides a one-click compliance gateway to financial services and other regulated industries. From the Blockpass Mobile App, users can create, store, and manage a data-secure digital identity that can be used for an entire ecosystem of services, token purchases and access to regulated ind...