Singapore

Drugs worth Rs 2.5 billion from Gwadar seized in Sri Lanka
7Dec By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

Drugs worth Rs 2.5 billion from Gwadar seized in Sri Lanka

On Sunday, four people from the Marawila Thoduwawa area of Sri Lanka were arrested for transporting drugs worth Rs 2.5 billion with origins in Chinese-controlled Gwadar.They were transporting heroin and crystal methamphetamine (ice) to the Sri Lankan boats from the Pak Dhow that originated from Gwadar.The involvement of the ISI officials in the drug smuggling network is established as such regular movement of Dhow from Gwadar is not possible without tacit support from the ISI and Chinese intelligence officials.The transfer happened in high seas between the Maldives and Sri Lanka.During a raid carried out by the Excise Department, 100 kilograms of heroin and 100 kilograms of ice were seized. It is suspected that a drug trafficker named 'Jude' who is hiding in Dubai, has sent the stock of dr...
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Ulta Beauty strikes deal to open hundreds of shops at Target stores
6Dec By Team FPNo Comments
Market, Singapore, World

Ulta Beauty strikes deal to open hundreds of shops at Target stores

Target has struck a deal with Ulta Beauty to open shops with makeup, skincare, hair products and more inside of hundreds of its stores. Target and Ulta Beauty announced a deal Tuesday to open makeup and skincare shops inside of hundreds of Target stores across the country. Target CEO Brian Cornell said starting in the second half of next year, shoppers will find a smaller version of an Ulta store in more than 100 of Target's stores and on its website. Each "shop-in-shop" will be about 1,000 square feet with more than 40 beauty brands and a rotating assortment of products from hair care and fragrances to lip gloss. Customers can shop in person or use Target's same-day services, such as curbside pickup or home delivery by Shipt, to get their online beauty purchases. Ulta will train Targe...
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Irish PM hopes for outline of Brexit trade deal this week but differences remain
6Dec By Team FPNo Comments
Singapore, World

Irish PM hopes for outline of Brexit trade deal this week but differences remain

BRUSSELS/DUBLIN: Ireland's prime minister said on Monday (Nov 23) he hoped the outline of a Brexit free-trade deal would emerge by the end of this week, despite what the European Union's negotiator called "fundamental divergences" at talks. Britain and the EU are trying to agree terms to keep annual bilateral trade worth nearly a trillion dollars free of tariffs and quotas from 2021, when a standstill transition period ends following Britain's departure from the EU last January. As talks resumed remotely on Monday, EU negotiator Michel Barnier said major gaps remained on divvying up fishing rights and ensuring economic fair play for companies, including on state aid. But Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, whose country is in the EU, said he had got a sense of progress from both ne...
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Bangladesh cannot forget Pakistan’s atrocities of 1971: PM Sheikh Hasina
4Dec By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

Bangladesh cannot forget Pakistan’s atrocities of 1971: PM Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Bangladesh cannot forget atrocities committed by Pakistan in 1971.“Incidents of 1971 cannot be forgotten. The pain will remain forever,” she said while Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka Imran Ahmed Siddiqui called on the Prime Minister at her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka.Referring to the volumes of the book titled “Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman”, PM Hasina said all can learn many historical facts from 1948 to 1971 from the books.Noting that (the Urdu version) of the book “Unfinished Memoirs” written by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is one of the best seller books in Pakistan, she said it’s also well read in Pakistan apart from other countries.The PM e...
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J&K: Seminar on Disaster Management and Community Resilience held at Srinagar’s Amar Singh College
4Dec By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

J&K: Seminar on Disaster Management and Community Resilience held at Srinagar’s Amar Singh College

In the back drop of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which emphasizes on the empowerment of local communities to mitigate and prevent loss of life and property, Amar Singh College in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar city organized a seminar on ‘Disaster Management and Community Resilience’.The seminar was organized by the Department of Geography in collaboration with the debates and seminars committee of the college.Prof Shujat Ahmad Banday, Head, Department of Geography laid emphasis on the preventive measures of disasters and natural calamities. He argued that use of planning and application of preventive technologies can be helpful in the prevention of life and property.Prof. Bashir Ahmad Rather, Principal of the college, who presided over the seminar, in his pres...
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J&K govt withdraws 30% fare hike on public transport
3Dec By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

J&K govt withdraws 30% fare hike on public transport

The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Government has withdrawn 30 per cent fare hike on public transport in the union territory which was earlier imposed in view of the coronavirus pandemic.Government has accorded sanction to the withdrawal of “30 percent of fare hike on authorized fare” ordered vide government order no: 30 JK (TR) of 2020 dated 22-06-2020 in view of restrictions imposed on seat capacity of stage carriage passenger vehicles due to covid-19 pandemic, an order said.“Only authorized fare (charged prior to the issuance of government order number 31: JK (TR) of 2020 dated 22-06-2020) shall be charged from the passengers by the operators of stage carriage passenger vehicles in the Union Territory,” the order read.“Any violation of this order shall strictly be dealt with under the prov...
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12 new imported COVID-19 cases in Singapore, largest increase in more than a week
2Dec By Team FPNo Comments
Asia, Singapore, World

12 new imported COVID-19 cases in Singapore, largest increase in more than a week

SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 12 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday (Nov 22), all of which were imported infections, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). This is the largest increase in infections since Nov 13, when 12 imported cases were reported as well. No locally transmitted cases were reported for the 12th consecutive day. All the imported COVID-19 cases were placed on stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore, MOH said. They were asymptomatic, and detected from proactive screening and surveillance, the ministry added. Of the 12 cases, three are Singapore permanent residents who returned from India. Two other cases also arrived from India, a dependent's pass holder and a student's pass holder. Five are work permit holders currently employed in Singapore who arrived from the Philippi...
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Former Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min joins car rental firm Lumens as senior adviser
25Nov By Team FPNo Comments
Singapore, World

Former Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min joins car rental firm Lumens as senior adviser

SINGAPORE: Former Senior Minister of State for Transport and Member of Parliament Lam Pin Min has joined Lumens, a private car rental company, as a senior adviser. Dr Lam was part of the People’s Action Party team that lost to the Workers' Party in the newly formed Sengkang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) at the Jul 10 General Election. He was previously an MP for Sengkang West Single Member Constituency. On Tuesday (Oct 27), Dr Lam said he was “pleased” to join Lumens in a Facebook post. “I am glad to have met the motivated and professional team this morning to better understand their vision, aspiration and challenges in today’s increasingly complex environment,” Dr Lam said. “And I look forward to working with the team to advance Lumens’ business development and growth ...
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Commentary: No worker is untrainable. Employers have to step up to help
25Nov By Team FPNo Comments
Market, Singapore, World

Commentary: No worker is untrainable. Employers have to step up to help

The words 'upskill' and 'retrain' accompany almost every report on jobs. PeopleSearch’s Jaime Lim weighs in on how companies can work with employees who find it a struggle. SINGAPORE: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to batter the economy, the threat to jobs remains formidable. According to the Ministry of Manpower, retrenchments in the second quarter more than doubled to 8,130 from the first quarter figure of 3,220. Global economic uncertainties are likely to continue weighing down the labour market for the rest of the year. As displaced workers struggle to take their next steps, the Government has been substantially boosting its training support programmes. Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced a six-month extension of the Enhanced Training Support Package to...
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Stanford University enlists Kashmiri among top scientists
24Nov By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore, USA

Stanford University enlists Kashmiri among top scientists

Bringing laurels to Kashmir, a young scientist, Dr Ahsanulhaq Qurashi has been enlisted in the top two percent scientists of 2020 by Stanford University.The list has been compiled on the basis of “multiple citation indicators and their composite across scientific disciplines.”Hailing from Karnah area of Kupwara district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Qurashi was listed in energy discipline. His major research work is based on developing new materials for clean energy generation and storage, environment, and biomedical applications.Dr Qurashi completed his PhD in Nanotechnology, in 2008, from Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, South Korea and later completed his two-year post-doctoral fellowship from Toyama University, Toyama, Japan. He joined as an Assistant Profe...
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