World

‘Finding the Heart Sutra’: Alex Kerr finds humor at the heart of wisdom and enlightenment
20Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
World

‘Finding the Heart Sutra’: Alex Kerr finds humor at the heart of wisdom and enlightenment

On the list of things you can do to spark joy (to use a phrase that has infiltrated the zeitgeist), few people would think to include writing a book. From conception to writing and revisions, right through to publication, when the final product ends up on a shelf (virtual or real), it’s a lengthy and often lonely journey that’s riddled with a full spectrum of emotions. A way to spark frustration, more like. Finding the Heart Sutra, by Alex Kerr 304 pages ALLEN LANE But against those odds, author Alex Kerr thoroughly enjoyed the process of writing his new book, “Finding the Heart Sutra.” That’s probably because the book is dedicated to exploring an age-old Buddhist sutra that muses on wisdom and enlightenment, and it’s been a project in progress for the better part of 40 years. “I h...
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Chinese launch covert cyber-attacks on India: Report
20Dec mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, World

Chinese launch covert cyber-attacks on India: Report

A cybersecurity think tank has claimed that Chinese hackers from Guangdong and Henan provinces targeted online shoppers during the festive months of October and November, the peak sale season in India.According to CyberPeace Foundation, these hackers created fake URLs disguised as offers by Flipkart and Amazon and lured the netizens to click on them with bogus prizes. These links were disseminated through WhatsApp targeting many online shoppers in India.“The modus operandi of the hackers involved imitating the actual sale campaigns of e-commerce such as Flipkart and Amazon to make them look more credible,” the foundation in its report said.The report said that although the festive season sale was a success for Indian e-commerce companies, the opportunity was used by hackers to target milli...
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US Prez signs bill that could remove Chinese stocks from US markets
20Dec mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
China, Market, World

US Prez signs bill that could remove Chinese stocks from US markets

United States President Donald Trump has signed a legislation with a potential to kick Chinese companies off of U.S. exchanges unless American regulators can review their financial audits.The measure, which could affect corporate giants like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Baidu Inc., is yet another parting shot at China before Trump leaves office in January.The de-listing law won bipartisan support in the House early this month after clearing the U.S. Senate in May. While it applies to any foreign company, the bill’s sponsors have said their goal was to target China.For years, Chinese firms have used American capital markets and dollar-based finance as a key funding component to grow their businesses. While the measure includes a phase-in period, with penalties kicking in after three strai...
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Police beacon prototypes on trial to enhance SPF operations in secluded areas
19Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Police beacon prototypes on trial to enhance SPF operations in secluded areas

SINGAPORE: Authorities are rolling out trials for new standalone devices that allow people to contact the police remotely. Known as police beacons, two prototypes will go on trial for a year from this month, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) said in a joint news release on Friday (Dec 11). The prototypes will be deployed at the Punggol Waterway Park Connector and the Sengkang Riverside Park Connector. “The police beacon aims to enhance police presence, increase accessibility to emergency services and improve police response to those in need of police assistance in locations that are quieter and more secluded,” SPF and HTX said. The new police beacon is being trialled at Punggol Waterway Park Connector and Sengkang Riverside Park Conn...
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Op-ed: Retirees need to make these financial moves before Dec. 31
19Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Market, World

Op-ed: Retirees need to make these financial moves before Dec. 31

Back in March, a couple who had recently sold their business called me to express concerns about their decision to sell and retire. With Covid-19 raging, the stock market quickly dropped in value and their retirement savings were in decline. They asked a straightforward question: Did they need to worry or worse, consider going back to work? To address their concerns, we conducted a financial "stress test." It's a simulation of scenarios to evaluate if their financial plan and investments could withstand the chaos in the stock market. Even though their investments had declined more than 10%, the test assured them their portfolio was well positioned to withstand further volatility. With this information in hand, the couple quickly dropped any thought of returning to work. While the impact...
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Singapore revises growth outlook again as Q3 GDP shrinks at slower 5.8% amid COVID-19
18Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, China, Market, Singapore, World

Singapore revises growth outlook again as Q3 GDP shrinks at slower 5.8% amid COVID-19

SINGAPORE: The Singapore economy is expected to shrink between 6 per cent and 6.5 per cent this year, said the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Monday (Nov 23) in another revision to its 2020 outlook after growth data confirmed a smaller-than-expected contraction in the third quarter. Its previous estimate, announced in August, was for the economy to contract between 5 per cent and 7 per cent amid the blow from the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers also offered for the first time a glimpse of their economic forecast for 2021 – a recovery into positive growth territory, with the economy envisaged to expand between 4 per cent and 6 per cent next year partly on the back of a low base. For the third quarter, Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 5.8 per cent on a y...
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Don’t chase India’s market rally — the good news is ‘already priced in,’ HSBC says
18Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, Market, Singapore, World

Don’t chase India’s market rally — the good news is ‘already priced in,’ HSBC says

A pedestrian speaks on a mobile phone as he looks at share prices on a digital broadcast outside the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in Mumbai on November 10, 2020. SINGAPORE — India's markets may have rallied to historic levels, but investors may want to stay away from chasing the rally for now, says HSBC Private Banking, which is currently underweight on India. "Our view at this stage is that a lot of the good news is already priced in to the Indian market as of now," James Cheo, chief market strategist for Southeast Asia at the firm, told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia" on Monday. As of Friday's close, both the Nifty 50 and S&P BSE Sensex sat close to all-time highs that were touched on Nov. 25, according to Refinitiv Eikon. India's markets were closed on Monday for a holiday. The recent ral...
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Biden picks longtime China critic Katherine Tai as top U.S. trade official
14Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, China, World

Biden picks longtime China critic Katherine Tai as top U.S. trade official

Katherine Tai speaks during a House Ways and Means Committee meeting to consider the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement in 2019. CSPAN President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday named Katherine Tai, a trade lawyer with a history of taking on China, as his incoming administration's pick for the United States' top trade representative. If confirmed by the Senate, Tai would inherit a critical, Cabinet-level position tasked with enforcing America's import rules and brokering trading terms with China and other nations. Tai, who is Asian-American, would also be the first woman of color to serve as the USTR. She is fluent in Mandarin. In choosing Tai, the senior trade lawyer on the House Ways and Means Committee, the Biden team likely signals an intent to return to a more multilateral trade app...
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Mnuchin says people are misunderstanding Fed funding decision, there’s plenty of firepower left
14Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Market, World

Mnuchin says people are misunderstanding Fed funding decision, there’s plenty of firepower left

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin moved Friday to downplay his department's decision to pull the plug on several Federal Reserve programs, saying there's plenty of money around to provide funding where it is needed. "This was a very simple thing. We're following the intent of Congress," Mnuchin told CNBC's Jim Cramer during a "Squawk on the Street" interview. After working together through much of the year on a series of lending and market liquidity programs, the Treasury and Fed found themselves at odds Thursday after Mnuchin said Treasury would not be seeking to extend a handful of lending programs instituted during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Funding for the programs is set to expire at the end of the year. They cover corporate bond buying, loans to state and local go...
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The psychological difference between spenders and savers (and what your habits say about your personality)
14Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Market, World

The psychological difference between spenders and savers (and what your habits say about your personality)

Times of stress tend to amplify our human nature, including the way that we spend and save money. While stuck at home during Covid-19, for example, some might be itching to spend or take advantage of upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales — experts say that stress-shopping is one way we attempt to feel in control of our lives. Others might be more anxious about finances or worried about job security. Even when there's no pandemic, the way that people spend or save says more about a person than whether they have self control. Experts don't exactly know why you end up with a propensity to splurge or save, but part of it likely has to do with your family upbringing, says Scott Rick, associate professor at the Michigan Ross School of Business, whose research focuses on the emotional caus...
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