17 10 月, 2020

Horse racing: In All His Glory leads Brown’s triple assault

Trainer Cliff Brown has a strong hand in today's penultimate event at Kranji, the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1,600m on turf. He will be represented by three smart runners in the 12-horse field, namely topweight Centenary Diamond, back-to-back winner In All His Glory and three-time winner Magnificent Gold. Although In All His Glory has yet to race over 1,600m, he is the trainer's ace in the pack. The four-year-old chestnut gelding is oozing with form, having won his last two starts convincingly over 1,400m. Centenary Diamond scored all his three wins over 1,600m. Two of Magnificent Gold's successes were over the same distance. The Tarnpirr Stable-owned In All His Glory opened his account with an easy win in a Restricted Maiden race over 1,400m under three-time Singapore champion Vlad Duric on Sept 5. He then followed up with another strong on-pace win in a Class 4 race over the same trip at his last start three weeks later when ridden by Azhar Ismail. This led Brown to believe that his charge could handle the extra 200m. "Yes, he has given every indication that he could run up to the mile," said the Australian, who is fourth on the premiership with 26 winners. "From barrier No. 6, he will go forward - either try to lead or run in second behind the leader. "He worked well, is nice and fit, and has Duric on him again. You never know until they run." Brown is a little concerned about Centenary Diamond having to give weight all round in what looks like an open race, which includes last-start winners Ironchamp and Shepherd's Hymn. His charge is carrying 58.5kg. But he reckons the horse is well and will be ridden by dual Group 1-winning jockey Ruan Maia. "He carries a bit of weight now, but he's good and I have Maia. He has a good rider on him, so he should be well. "Magnificent Gold was unlucky lately. He is first-up, is nice and bright, and he worked well, too. I cannot fault him." Owned by the Gold Stable, Magnificent Gold's last race was on Aug 23, when he ran on fourth to Meryl. Meryl is also in today's race. Magnificent Gold will be ridden for the first time by Juan Paul van der Merwe. He will jump from barrier 8. Centenary Diamond has drawn Gate 4. The five-year-old bay gelding has been nominated for the third leg of the Singapore Triple Crown Series, the $1 million Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup over 2,000m on Nov 21, alongside stablemates Gold Strike (runner-up last year), Trumpy, Threeandfourpence and Elite Incredible. A total of 40 nominees were revealed in the first-round of entries for the Gold Cup, with the Mark Walker-trained Countofmontecristo topping the list on 115 points. Centenary Diamond is the lowest-rated of Brown's entries on 66 points. He is 33rd on the list. His odds of securing a place in the 16-runner field are low, but the world of racing can be full of surprises. "I think he can get the trip. Well, you never know, right?" said Brown, who captured the Gold Cup with the late Gilt Complex in 2017.

16 10 月, 2020

Indosat Ooredoo, Smart Axiata, PLDT Global, and over 50 mobile operators from across the region to gather to shape the future of intelligent connectivity in Asia

SINGAPORE, Oct 16, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Asia's fastest-growing telco event, Telecoms World Asia, will take place virtually on 27-29 October with a focus on intelligent connectivity in Asia. Look forward to 6 channels of targeted content covering 5G, Network Virtualisation, Telco 4.0, Intelligent Connectivity and Carriers World Asia, with presentations addressing the key topics disrupting and re- shaping the telecoms industry in the region.On Day 1 of the virtual conference, Rahul Atri, Managing Director, Rakuten Mobile Singapore and Head of Product and Engineering, Rakuten Mobile will open the morning plenary with his keynote on "The world's first end to end cloud native networks." Following that, leaders from EVOS Esports, Garena, ONE Esports, Singtel International Group, United States Esports Federations, and Thailand Esports Federation will debate "The growth of digital content: Esports case study." Donald Tan, CEO, China Telecom Global will also be delivering a presentation followed by a fireside chat.On Day 2, The focus then shifts towards 5G and Intelligent Connectivity with Su Ann Lim, Industry Head Telco & Technology, Google addressing "New technologies, new opportunities of going digital". Vikram Sinha, COO, Director of Indosat Ooredoo, Katrina Luna-Abelarde, CEO of PLDT Global and Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart Axiata will then take the LIVE stage to evaluate Asia's 5G future in the Boardroom session moderated by Ajay Sunder of SC-NEX. Tom Varghese, Head of Connectivity & Access Policy, APAC of Facebook and Dhanant Subhadrabandhu, PhD., Senior Executive Vice President, Marketing and Service of CAT Telecom will then continue the discussions on "Digital Platform Transformation: Bringing more people online to a faster internet" and "The Next Steps of Thailand's Digital Outlook."Rounding up the Day 3 keynotes, Tanapong Ittisakulchai, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) will explore 5G & Digital Ecosystems for Businesses in Thailand while Richard Fung, CEO, China Broadband Communications shares his perspectives on "The telco transformation for everything cloud".Telecoms World Asia will bring together over 50 senior decision-maker speakers and over 1500 leaders and professionals from mobile operators, government regulators, development banks, consultants, global suppliers, and solution providers, who are leading the future of intelligent connectivity in Asia. Some confirmed speakers include:- Sandra De Zoysa, Group Chief Customer Officer, Axiata- Yaw Yeo, General Manager, International Product & Business, Alibaba Group- Anik Dhar, Head of Digital, Banglalink- Praveen Agarwal, VP & Business Head, APAC, China, India & SAARC, Bharti Airtel- Natasak Rodjanapiches, Vice Chairman, Creative Digital Economy, Board of Trade Thailand- Myo Ohn, CEO, Campana Group- Ming Yow, Chief Customer Officer, China Broadband Communications- Mya Han, CEO, Fortune Telecom- Raden Kurnia Supriadi, VP, Head of Core Planning & Engineering Indosat Ooredoo- Piyawat Jriyasetapong, Chief Commercial Officer, Lao Telecommunication Company- Pichet Rerkpreecha, CEO, LINE Corp (Thailand)- Nathan Bell, Chief Digital Officer, M1- Idermunkh Tsogbadrakh, CEO, MobiCom Networks- Binh Vu, CEO, NetNam- Mel Velarde, CEO, NOW Telecom Corporation- Satoshi Nagata, Vice Chairman, 3GPP TSG-RAN & Manager, NTT Docomo- Bharath Rathinam, Head, RCP Uplift & Orchestration, Rakuten Mobile- Saad Sheikh, Chief Architect, Saudi Telecom Company- Rangarajan Kalyanasundaram, CEO Enterprise Business, Smartfren Telecom- Swe Thu Han, Digitization Solution Department, SCSK Myanmar, Sumitomo Corporation- Edi Siswanto, Vice President, Infrastructure Planning & Development, Telkom Indonesia International- Maxime Carpentier, VP IoT Operations, True Digital Group- Mandeshpal Singh Banvet, Head of Cybersecurity & Network Product, Asia, Verizon- Jaime Diez, CTO, APAC, Vodafone BusinessLeading solution partners Advanced Info Services (AIS), CAT Telecom, Servicenow, Metaswitch, MSIG, EnableX, Atmail, CDNetworks, China Mobile International, China Telecom, CSG, IEEE, Netrounds, Marveltec, PCCW Global, R3, SQREAM, Turkcell, Zinier, Vertiv, FNT, Canopus Networks and more will be showcasing their latest solutions via TECH Demos on 26th October and in the virtual exhibition hall.About Telecoms World Asia 202027-29 October 20209:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. LIVE ONLINEWebsite: https://www.terrapinn.com/virtual/telecoms-world-asia/index.stm Mobile operators can attend the full event for free.Content-only Conference Passes are available free for all to register.About TerrapinnTerrapinn is a business media company. Its products are trade exhibitions, conferences, training solutions and electronic and print publications. For more information, please visit www.terrapinn.com.Note: Press registration for the conference is compulsory and advance scheduling for speaker/ sponsor interviews is recommended. Press passes are strictly reserved for reporters, journalists, editors only. Final issuance of press passes is subjected to Terrapinn's discretion.For your complimentary press pass, please contact the following:Emma Riddington-BatesTerrapinn Pte Ltd emma.riddingtonbates@terrapinn.com Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

Honda Announces Completion of the Tender Offer for Shares in Keihin, Showa and Nissin

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - As announced in the press release issued on October 30, 2019, Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501, "Hitachi"), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7267, "Honda"), Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. ("Hitachi Automotive Systems"), Keihin Corporation (TSE: 7251, "Keihin"), Showa Corporation (TSE: 7274, "Showa"), and Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7230, "Nissin") entered into the basic contract regarding a management integration on October 30, 2019, to conduct the management integration through implementation of the absorption-type merger in which Hitachi Automotive Systems (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi) will be the surviving company, and Keihin, Showa and Nissin will be the disappearing companies after making Keihin, Showa and Nissin wholly-owned subsidiaries of Honda through tender offers targeting the common shares of Keihin, Showa and Nissin (collectively, the "Tender Offer"). Honda announced that the Tender Offer commenced on September 2, 2020, was completed on October 15, 2020. For the results thereof, please refer to "Notice regarding Result of the Tender Offer for Shares of Keihin Corporation (Securities Code:7251)," "Notice regarding Result of the Tender Offer for Shares of Showa Corporation (Securities Code: 7274) and Change in the Subsidiary" and "Notice regarding Result of the Tender Offer for Shares of Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Securities Code: 7230)".About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is focused on its Social Innovation Business that combines information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and products. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2019 (ended March 31, 2020) totaled 8,767.2 billion yen ($80.4 billion), and it employed approximately 301,000 people worldwide. Hitachi drives digital innovation across five sectors - Mobility, Smart Life, Industry, Energy and IT - through Lumada, Hitachi's advanced digital solutions, services, and technologies for turning data into insights to drive digital innovation. Its purpose is to deliver solutions that increase social, environmental and economic value for its customers. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com. Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

Showa Denko Markets PNVA(TM) ‘GE191 Series’ for Use as Binder to Form Heat-resisting Ceramic Layer in Separators for LIBs

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Showa Denko (SDK; TSE:4004) starts full-swing marketing of Poly-N-vinylacetamide (PNVA(TM)) optimized for use as a binder to form heat-resisting ceramic layer in separators to be used in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), under the trade name of "GE191 Series."PNVA is a water-soluble polymer synthesized through polymerization of N-vinylacetamide, and SDK is the only company in the world which produce N-vinylacetamide on a commercial basis. PNVA is designed to have many hydrogen bonds. It has heat-resisting property, and can make oxided-metal particles disperse uniformly and stably. "GE191 Series" is a grade of PNVA that fulfills requirements for use as heat-resisting ceramic layer, and contributes to improvement in heat-resisting property and thinness of the layer. Thus GE191 Series is acclaimed as additive for separators in LIBs that can improve safety and durability of LIBs through improvement in heat-resisting property of coating layers in separators, and adopted for use in onboard LIBs.Conventional separator of LIB consists of thin films of polyethylene, polypropylene and other materials. If an LIB generates heat abnormally and its temperature rises, crystals in separators melt, separating films shrink, electrodes contact each other and short-circuit, and there may be a serious accident such as fire. If separator of LIB is coated with heat-resisting ceramic layer to which SDK's "GE191 series" is added, GE191 Series gives heat-resisting property to the separator. In addition, inorganic particles in the heat-resisting layer including alumina and boehmite and particles of GE191 Series are bonded strongly through hydrogen bonding. This heat-resisting layer protects the shape of separator against abnormal heat, and reduces risk of contact and short-circuiting between electrodes.Furthermore, GE191 Series has high-hydrophilicity and high-viscosity-thickening property (high rheological property), keeps high viscosity of coating materials even under low stress due to uniform disperse of ceramic particles, and has excellent thixotropic property (the property of becoming less viscous when subjected to an applied stress). Therefore, use of GE191 Series as binder for separator gives high-storage-durability (sedimentation-resisting property) to heat-resisting ceramic layer, and enable LIB manufacturers to coat separators and electrodes speedily and improve efficiency of coating process, thereby contributing to cost reduction through cutting in loss of coating materials.Global LIB market is expected to continue rapid growth due to the progress in 5G telecommunication technology and CASE (connected, autonomous/automated, shared, electric) related automotive technologies. SDK has many products that improve performance of LIBs including PNVA, aqueous binder resin "POLYSOL(TM)," pouch-type LIB packaging material "SPALF(TM)," and additive for anode and cathode "VGCF(TM)." Making the most of these products, SDK will aim to expand its LIB material business further through provision of optimum solutions that respond to the demands of customers.Press release: https://www.sdk.co.jp/english/news/2020/39002.htmlFor detail of this technology, please refer to: SDK Innovation infinity "Heat-Resistant Coating Binder PNVA(TM) GE191 Series" https://www.sdk.co.jp/innovation/english/points/pnva.htmlAbout Showa Denko K.K.Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE:4004, ADR:SHWDY) is a major manufacturer of chemical products serving from heavy industry to computers and electronics. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial, high-performance and high-purity gases and chemicals for semicon and other industries, the Inorganics Sector provides ceramic products, such as alumina, abrasives, refractory/graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. The Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high bright LEDs, and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.Contact:Showa Denko K.K., CSR & Corporate Communication Office, Tel: 81-3-5470-3235 Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

Eisai: Supplementary New Drug Applications for Anti-Epileptic Drug Fycompa as Monotherapy for Partial-Onset Seizures

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that the supplementary new drug applications for its in-house discovered and developed anti-epileptic drug (AED) Fycompa (generic name: perampanel) as monotherapy for partial-onset seizures and pediatric indication for partial onset seizures in patients with epilepsy 4 years or older have been accepted in China by the National Medical Products Administration.The submission covering monotherapy for partial-onset seizures was based on subgroup analysis estimating monotherapy safety and efficacy within clinical studies of the combination therapy (Study 304, 305, 306, and 335) conducted globally including the United States, Europe and China on patients ages 12 years and older with partial-onset seizures (with or without secondarily generalized seizures). Additionally, results of a Phase III clinical study (FREEDOM/Study 342) conducted in Japan and South Korea on untreated epilepsy patients ages 12 years to 74 years old with partial-onset seizures (with or without secondarily generalized seizures) were submitted as supplementary safety and efficacy data.The submission covering partial-onset seizures in pediatric patients was based on the results of a Phase III clinical study (Study 311) of Fycompa as adjunctive therapy conducted globally on pediatric patients (ages 4 to less than 12 years) with inadequately controlled partial-onset seizures or primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures.In China, it is estimated that there are approximately 9 million patients with epilepsy, and although onset occurs at any age, onset is most common in people aged 18 and younger and the elderly. As approximately 30% of patients with epilepsy are unable to control their seizures with currently available AEDs1, this is a disease with significant unmet medical needs.Fycompa is a first-in-class AED and a once-daily tablet discovered at Eisai's Tsukuba ResearchLaboratories. The agent is a highly selective, noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonist that reduces neuronal hyper-excitation associated with seizures by targeting glutamate activity at AMPA receptors on postsynaptic membranes. Fycompa has been approved in China as an adjunctive treatment for partial-onset seizures with or without secondarily generalized seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older.Eisai considers neurology, including epilepsy, a therapeutic area of focus. With the acceptance of these additional applications regarding Fycompa in China, Eisai pursues its mission to provide "seizure freedom" to a greater number of patients with epilepsy across the world. Eisai seeks to address the diverse needs of, as well as increasing the benefits provided to, patients with epilepsy and their families.For more information, visit https://www.eisai.com/news/2020/pdf/enews202064pdf.pdf.About EisaiEisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With approximately 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products to address unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology. As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through our investment and participation in partnership-based initiatives to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.eisai.com Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

43 schools to get new principals in 2021, including 9 from MOE headquarters

SINGAPORE - An annual reshuffle of principals will see 43 schools next year with new leaders, including nine from the Ministry of Education (MOE) headquarters. It is the highest number of officers to be moved from the headquarters to head schools in recent years, according to checks by The Straits Times. The number of such transfers ranged from three to seven in the past five years. Mr Melvin Cher Teck Yiang, deputy director of MOE's pre-school education branch in the schools division, will become principal of Northoaks Primary School. The 42-year-old said that being familiar with policy work will come in handy in his new and first appointment as principal. "I have a better sense of how policies are made and I think this will help in communicating changes to school staff," he added. He will also continue to be involved in pre-school matters to some extent, as Northoaks Primary houses an MOE kindergarten. "I will work with the pre-school teachers and support them in running the centre," he said, adding that he hopes to get a chance to try out ideas that could help ease the transition of pre-school children into primary school. "We have a lot to learn from how pre-school environments are set up and some of their teaching approaches - some of these can be applied to Primary 1 and Primary 2 classes in particular," said Mr Cher. "For instance, a pre-school classroom is very vibrant; we want children to feel welcome and engaged. There's a lot of emphasis on experiential learning and getting children to be curious about the world around them, and to ask questions," he said. "These are good habits and dispositions for learning that apply to primary school children." In a statement on Friday (Oct 16), MOE said that the process of appointing and rotating principals allows schools to benefit from new perspectives. More on this topic Related Story Coronavirus: More CCAs allowed to resume, SYF and National School Games to resume from 2021 Related Story MOE to build on making education a social leveller amid coronavirus pandemic, says Lawrence Wong Experienced principals can also share best practices across schools, it added. As part of the reshuffle, St Andrew's Secondary School and Guangyang Primary School will be among 23 schools to have first-time principals. The new school leaders include Mr Cher and Madam Foo Boon Ching, who will head Yangzheng Primary School. She is currently vice-principal of Pei Tong Primary School. Among the officers from MOE headquarters making the move is Mr Tham Kine Thong, the director of MOE's school operations policy in its schools division. He will be heading St Andrew's Junior College. Madam Yvonne Teo, deputy director of assessment policy and practice in MOE's curriculum policy officer, will move on to lead Bedok View Secondary School. In its release, the MOE said: "For the 23 newly-appointed principals, this is an important career milestone as they assume greater responsibilities as leaders in education. "For the 20 current principals and headquarter officers who will be assuming new principalship appointments, it is an affirmation of MOE's confidence in their abilities to continue leading and guiding our teachers, staff and students in schools." The 43 new principals will receive their letters of appointment from MOE's director-general of education Wong Siew Hoong at a ceremony in December, which will be attended by Education Minister Lawrence Wong. At the ceremony, the MOE will also acknowledge the contributions of retiring principals and senior education officers from its headquarters who have formerly served as principals.

16 10 月, 2020

First fully virtual 3-day summit held on shaping a more sustainable future

SINGAPORE - Over 1,000 delegates from all around the world participated in an unprecedented, fully virtual three-day summit organised by Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS) from Tuesday to Thursday (Oct 13 to 15). The summit, which is into its 12th edition, featured a series of panel discussions and virtual site visits led by leaders in the fields of corporate sustainability. An average of 575 viewers globally tuned in daily for the live sessions. The purpose of this annual summit is to facilitate conversations on the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For the first time, GCNS also organised a youth track at the summit to engage young people aged between 18 and 35. The young men and women discussed food sustainability issues, such as food security and the circular economy. Nearly 500 participated in the youth track, approximately half of whom hailed from Singapore. Delivering the opening keynote address on Tuesday, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee spoke about how the Covid-19 pandemic has led to significant global shifts, pushing everyone to re-examine how they work and live. He also highlighted how Singapore set up the Emerging Stronger Taskforce in May under the Future Economy Council to examine how the nation can stay economically resilient and seize growth opportunities arising from the crisis. People from all walks of life were also encouraged to share their ideas and aspirations for Singapore through the newly launched Emerging Stronger Conversations initiative, Mr Lee said. "A common theme that has emerged quite strongly across all these (Emerging Stronger) conversations is sustainability. Many participants pointed out the need to redefine measures of success beyond economic growth," he said. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu also spoke on Thursday, the final day of the summit, sharing how young people can be powerful agents of change. She reiterated the Government's commitment to a low carbon and climate resilient future, touching on how the Government is putting in place energy efficiency schemes to help companies become more energy and carbon efficient. Ms Fu also announced the winners of the City Developments Limited (CDL)-GCNS Young SDG Leaders Awards. In its 10th year, this annual case competition offers young people a platform to champion sustainable development and SDG integration into business. More on this topic Related Story Sustainability still vital to firms despite challenges, say experts Related Story Programme that weighs students' food wastage takes top prize at sustainability challenge Related Story New institute to groom talent in green finance The competition saw participants submitting business case proposals, with selected finalists participating in practical work attachments and mentorships. Of the 64 teams that applied this year, a team comprising students from the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and London School of Economics emerged victorious.

16 10 月, 2020

Airfares jump after S’pore-Hong Kong travel bubble announcement

SINGAPORE (BLOOMBERG) - The cost of air tickets between Singapore and Hong Kong jumped within 24 hours of the two places unveiling plans for a travel bubble that wouldn't require people to quarantine upon arrival. The cheapest price for a Singapore Airlines return economy seat to Hong Kong was $558 on Friday morning (Oct 16) up until the end of December, versus around $400 on Thursday afternoon as the news was announced, the airline's website showed. Return business-class fares rose about HK$5,000 (S$878) to HK$19,000. Cheaper flights were still available on travel websites including Skyscanner. The coronavirus pandemic has hit the flag carriers of Singapore and Hong Kong especially hard because they don't have any domestic market to fall back on. Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, around one million trips were made between the two regional centres every year, data from the Singapore and Hong Kong tourism boards show. Hong Kong-listed Cathay Pacific Airways closed up 6.1 per cent on Thursday and rose as much as 6.4 per cent on Friday as investors digested the news. The agreement could lift Cathay Pacific's monthly revenue by HK$90 million and reduce cash burn by as much as 6 per cent, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analysts James Teo and Chris Muckensturm, who assume revenue on the Hong Kong-Singapore route amounted to about 3 per cent of Cathay Pacific's total pre-pandemic. Singapore Airlines, which rose as much as 1.4 per cent on Friday, could see a $15 million boost to monthly revenue and 6 per cent reduction in cash burn, Mr Teo and Mr Muckensturm said. The route also made up about 3 per cent of its revenue before Covid-19, they said. The number of flights between Hong Kong and Singapore slumped because of the virus, with only 54 round trips filed for October, down 90 per cent from a year earlier, according to the consultancy arm of aviation analytics company Cirium. "Although the travel bubble will potentially facilitate increase of services by Cathay Pacific, Singapore and Scoot (who have continued to operate minimal services on the route through 2020), demand is expected to remain depressed in the near-term as passenger confidence remains low," said Mr Herman Tse, an analyst with Ascend by Cirium. Still, the bubble plan has encouraged some to book flights or make plans to travel. Singapore-based Clarence Foo, who works for APAC Realty unit ERA, said four Chinese nationals with Hong Kong residency had told him they planned to fly down to the city-state and purchase luxury apartments. "They're constantly asking about the property market - whether it's recovering and whether prices are coming up," Mr Foo said. "Some had planned to come down earlier in the year but then Singapore imposed border controls. They know that the city's property market seems to be more resilient now as there have been more sales and prices are low, so they want to capitalise on that." More on this topic Related Story S'pore, HK agree to set up air travel bubble for leisure travel without need for quarantine: Ong Ye Kung Related Story Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble: Will I be able to travel and when? Under the travel bubble, compulsory quarantine will be replaced by coronavirus testing. Singapore Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung told reporters that he hopes the bubble will start in "weeks". Other details of the agreement will be fleshed out later, the Hong Kong government said, without giving any date for when the plan will come into effect. Ms Tan Wei Lynn, who works in the financial sector in Hong Kong, booked her ticket to Singapore soon after the announcement. She plans to stay for several weeks and not fly back to Hong Kong until December, figuring by then there will be more details laid out. "Having to quarantine is what's stopped me, and a lot of people I know, from traveling," she said. "Yes, tests are expensive but it's not about the cost of testing. We can't afford to quarantine at one side or both sides." More on this topic Related Story Coronavirus: How the region is responding to Singapore's idea of air travel bubbles Related Story Opening up Singapore to travellers from abroad: What arrangements are in place so far? Related Story Mass air travel's return at least two years away: Ong Ye Kung

16 10 月, 2020

Duo charged with stealing $300 grocery vouchers by breaking into letterboxes in Tampines

SINGAPORE - A man and woman linked to a series of thefts of Budget 2020 Grocery Vouchers from HDB letterboxes across Singapore have been charged in court. Miqheul Wahyudean Abdullah, 24, was charged with three counts of theft, while Irwani Nur Amira Azami, 23, was charged with two counts of theft. Miqheul and Irwani were arrested on Wednesday (Oct 14) for allegedly stealing Budget vouchers from HDB letterboxes. They had allegedly worked together sometime between 8pm on Oct 6 and 3.30am on Oct 7 to pry open letterboxes at Block 872 Tampines Street 86. The duo stand accused of stealing 15 grocery vouchers valued at $10 each from the letterboxes of two victims. The total amount allegedly stolen totalled $300. Miqheul had allegedly stolen vouchers at the same location on a separate occasion, and was charged for an additional count of theft. The duo are set to appear in court again on Nov 6, as investigations into their case are still ongoing. If convicted of theft, an offender may be jailed up to three years, fined, or both. Separately, the police also arrested five others - three men and two women - for their suspected involvement in the theft of these grocery vouchers at other locations across Singapore. A 37-year-old woman, was previously reported to have been apprehended on Sunday for allegedly stealing Budget 2020 Grocery Vouchers at a residential block in Toa Payoh Lorong 7. Also arrested were a 41-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman on Wednesday for the alleged theft of the vouchers at a residential block in Marsiling Road. More on this topic Related Story 7 arrested for alleged theft of Budget 2020 Grocery Vouchers from HDB letterboxes across Singapore Related Story More letterboxes tampered with, grocery vouchers for lower-income S'poreans allegedly stolen Related Story Five 18-year-old youths arrested for theft, vandalism of letterboxes in Singapore On Thursday, two 54-year-old men were arrested in separate cases for allegedly stealing vouchers at flats in Telok Blangah Rise and Holland Close. Police investigations into these cases are ongoing, but in a statement on Thursday, the Singapore Police Force said that these theft cases are "likely unrelated and opportunistic in nature". The police have also received reports of similar incidents in other residential estates and said they are "intensifying our efforts with a view to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice". More on this topic Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories Members of the public who are eligible for the Budget 2020 Grocery Vouchers are advised to collect them from their letterbox as soon as possible, and keep their letterbox secured at all times. Those who suspect their vouchers have been stolen should make a police report immediately and call the Grocery Voucher hotline on 1800-2222-888 to request for their vouchers to be voided and replaced. Voided vouchers cannot be redeemed.

16 10 月, 2020

Reusable plastic bags most eco-friendly option in Singapore: Study

SINGAPORE - Being an eco-friendly shopper in Singapore means opting for and using a reusable plastic bag many times instead of using a cotton one, a new study has found. Forgot the plastic reusable bag? Then the next best option would be to use a single-use plastic bag, instead of a paper one or one made of biodegradable polymers. These findings by researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and their colleagues in Finland were published in August in the Journal of Cleaner Production. In the paper, the researchers noted that while plastic grocery bags are one of the most common single-use packaging products, other options have been gaining traction. They include single-use bags made of paper or biodegradable plastic; or reusable bags made of cotton or polypropylene non-woven plastic. But how do they stack up against each other in terms of how environmentally friendly they are here? The latest study provides the answer, with the researchers modelling the environmental impact of each type of bag based on a host of factors, such as how the bags are made, transported, distributed, collected as waste, treated and disposed of. For example, the study took into account the quantities of natural resources used to make each type of bag, and their transoceanic shipment from where they were produced to Singapore. The researchers found that if a reusable plastic bag made of polypropylene non-woven plastic is used at least 50 times, it is the most eco-friendly option here. This refers to the type of reusable bag commonly sold at checkout counters at supermarkets for about $1. A single-use plastic bag, such as those usually given out for free, comes in as the second-most environmentally friendly option. But it still has 14 times the global warming potential of a reusable plastic bag used at least 50 times. Global warming potential measures the environmental impact of various greenhouse gases, which are produced in the manufacture, use and disposal of the bags. It provides a common unit of measure. A single-use plastic bag has 14 times the global warming potential of a reusable plastic bag used at least 50 times. ST PHOTOS: CHERYL TAN Single-use biodegradable plastic bags are the third-most eco-friendly option in Singapore, which incinerates most of its non-recyclable waste anyway. This option has 16 times the global warming potential compared with a reusable plastic bag. Reusable cotton woven bags come in fourth with 17 times the global warming potential, while single-use paper bags are the most environmentally damaging, with 81 times the global warming potential. The production of cotton involves pesticide use, and long-term heavy metals being discharged into water. Paper bag production involves generation of liquid waste, noted the authors. Reusable cotton woven bags come in fourth while single-use paper bags are last. ST PHOTOS: CHERYL TAN Assistant Professor Grzegorz Lisak, director of Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre at NTU's Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, who led the research, said: "Our main message is that reusable plastic bags are the best option, provided that they are reused many times - over 50 times to be precise." Context is important, he added. This is because bags have to be transported across different distances, depending on where they come from and where the city that imports them is. Each country may also deal with waste differently. (From left) Members of the NTU research team Assistant Professor Grzegorz Lisak, Director of the Residues & Resource Reclamation Centre at NEWRI, Dr Andrei Veksha, Senior Research Fellow at the Residues & Resource Reclamation Centre at NEWRI, and Research Associate Ashiq Ahamed. PHOTO: NTU In Singapore, which has a closed waste management system with incineration treatment, using plastic bags - both reusable and single-use types - may be the best option that is currently available, he said. "This is provided that there is no significant leakage of waste into the environment," Prof Lisak added. Plastic bags, if not disposed of properly, can contaminate the natural environment and end up in the ocean, where they can ensnare wildlife or be eaten by animals. More on this topic Related Story 3 million tonnes of waste disposed of in Singapore last year; plastic waste made up 30% Related Story Plastic pollution flowing into oceans to triple by 2040, study shows Related Story Reduce food waste, eliminate single-use plastics: Platform to help F&B businesses boost sustainability Singapore Youth for Climate Action member Alice Soewito said the findings had to be communicated carefully, so people did not misinterpret them as showing that plastic bags are eco-friendly. "Such a message could be misleading, and it could distract from our end goal of minimising or eliminating the use of these single-use disposables," said Ms Soewito, an environment and sustainability major at Cornell University. To nudge consumer behaviour, she suggests that reusable plastic bags be given to each household in a one-off distribution. A surcharge should also be imposed on each single-use plastic bag taken by a customer. "The battle should never be about swopping between different materials - like paper and plastic bags for single-use items. The question we should ask ourselves is why are we still using single-use items," she said. Most eco-friendly 1. Reusable plastic bags Such bags refer to those often sold at the checkout counters in supermarkets for about $1. If each bag is used at least 50 times, it is the most eco-friendly option here. 2. Single-use plastic bags Fourteen times the global warming potential compared with reusable plastic bags, even though these bags, often given out for free at supermarkets, may be the second-most eco-friendly option here. 3. Single-use biodegradable plastic bags Sixteen times the global warming potential compared with reusable plastic bags. 4. Reusable cotton woven bags Seventeen times the global warming potential compared with reusable plastic bags. However, researchers say cotton bags that are reused hundreds of times would make them a superior choice over a single-use item. Least eco-friendly: 5. Single-use paper bags Eighty-one times the global warming potential compared with reusable plastic bags.

16 10 月, 2020

Fujitsu Verifies Effectiveness of Private 5G in Manufacturing Sites in Collaboration with Microsoft Japan

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced that, in collaboration with Microsoft Japan Ltd., it has recently verified the effectiveness of a system that uses private 5G to visualize real-time data within the facility, with a view toward manufacturers' digital transformation (DX). Figure 1. system image diagramFigure 2. Visualization image of various data by COLMINAUsing Microsoft Azure IoT Edge(1) in the "Fujitsu Collaboration Lab," a private 5G verification facility in Kawasaki, Japan, this system analyzes high-definition images of people moving in the private 5G network and operating data from cameras, mobile terminals, servers, and other equipment. This enables integrated visualization of the status of people, unmanned vehicles, and equipment with the Fujitsu Manufacturing Industry Solution COLMINA(2), unifying private 5G and cloud environments to bring about a system with optimized for network and processing load. Based on the findings of the verification test, Fujitsu will collaborate with Microsoft Japan to conduct verification tests at Fujitsu's plant in Oyama, Japan, Fujitsu's manufacturing base for network products, by the end of fiscal 2020 and jointly develop solutions with a view to achieving global expansion going forward. This verification will be showcased at Fujitsu ActivateNow, to be held as an online virtual conference on October 14, 2020.BackgroundIn the "new normal" society, the manufacturing industry is being called upon to improve the efficiency, automation, and remote capabilities of their operations through digitization, while maintaining quality that will transform manufacturing sites to make them more resilient to changes. Private 5G is attracting attention as one of the key technologies supporting this. Private 5G enables enterprises to flexibly construct and operate 5G networks in their own buildings and premises and is expected to be used for unmanned and remote controls at manufacturing sites. On the other hand, in order to achieve these goals, a large amount of sensor data and high-definition video must be utilized to construct an optimal system according to the requirements of network and application processing load. As the very first achievement of the "Private 5G Partnership Program"; the co-creation program which enables the use of Fujitsu's expertise and technologies such as private 5G along with advanced technology from partners, the system that integrated Fujitsu's private 5G technology with Azure IoT Edge and Azure was constructed and its effectiveness was verified.Summary of Verification1. Purpose: Verification of presumed use cases of private 5G at manufacturing sites and the effectiveness of the implemented system.- Integration of private 5G networks, edge computing and cloud systems- Image analysis and real-time processing with edge computing- Realization of centralized management of facilities and information in the cloud2. Location: Fujitsu Shin-Kawasaki Technology Square "FUJITSU Collaboration Lab"3. Roles of both companies: [Fujitsu] - Provide private 5G systems (Base stations, core network equipment, and mobile terminals) - Data collection and development of AI analysis applications - Construction of a system for visualizing the operation status of facilities using COLMINA [Microsoft Japan] - Provide Azure IoT Edge, Azure - Supporting the data collection and development of AI analysis applications4. System Summary:- Private 5G is utilized to transmit high-definition images of the movement of people and unmanned vehicles, and operation data from mobile terminals and servers to Azure IoT Edge.- Remote controls based on AI image analysis of the movement of people and unmanned carrier vehicle managed in Azure IoT Edge. The analyzed data then notifies Azure.- Azure and the business application "COLMINA" are linked in order to visualize analyzed data (human density in the facility, location information and travel routes of unmanned vehicles, high-definition cameras, and operating conditions of facilities such as mobile terminals and servers) in dashboards.- Azure manages version control of edge applications such as image analysis AI, and delivery of edge applications to Azure IoT Edge.Future DevelopmentsFujitsu plans to deploy this verification system with Microsoft Japan at the Oyama Plant by the end of FY 2020 and to verify it on-site. In this verification test, Fujitsu will use an AI technology for video-based behavioral analysis developed by Fujitsu Laboratories to recognize various human behaviors and to improve the quality and efficiency of operations at manufacturing sites. In addition, Fujitsu will consider jointly developing an edge computing solution utilizing 5G with Microsoft Japan from a global perspective.(1) Azure IoT Edge Locally deployed cloud intelligence on IoT Edge devices(2) COLMINA A digital data solution that connects various information on manufacturing from design to manufacturing and maintenance.About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 130,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.9 trillion yen (USD35 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com. Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

Waterdrop unveils Latest Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System for Amazon Prime Day

City of Industry, CA, Oct 16, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Waterdrop, with continuous innovation and a passion for perfection, unveiled its latest Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System at the Amazon Prime Day 2020. The Waterdrop G3 RO Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System is unique in Certification, Design and User experience. The Waterdrop G3 RO Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration SystemNSF Certification: Using reverse osmosis filtration technology with a filtration accuracy of 0. 0001 micro-m, the system is Certified against NSF58 for TDS reduction, and effectively removes most impurities including fluoride, TDS, limescale, and heavy metals from tap water.Smart Design: Instead of storing filtered water in a tank until required (which might be a very long time), the tankless reverse osmosis systems delay purification until the user turns on the faucet and deliver filtered water in seconds. The tankless design also means that people require little space to fit an under-sink water filter in the kitchen. It is the first smart RO system with composite filters and tankless design in the U. S. market. The three filters provide seven stages of filtration. The pre-sediment and carbon block filter is a 3-in-1 filter that functions as that of three filters combined. The Reverse Osmosis membrane filter adopts an innovative design, and the efficiency of the filter equals more than three stages of filtration. Additionally, the activated carbon block filter uses high-precision activated carbon granules made from natural coconut shell, which will also improve the water taste.User Experience: Its internal pump allows the RO system to offer faster water flow (400 gallons per day). The system can filter a cup of water in about 12 seconds. It can produce pure water quickly. Moreover, compared to traditional RO systems, Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System saves water waste by 300%. With smart faucets fitted with G3 smart RO systems, it is exceptionally convenient. The smart replacement notice solves this by automatically notifying users when the smart tankless reverse osmosis system's filters are due for re-placement. The smart TDS monitoring panel on the water purifier shows water quality in real-time. This feature means that G3 RO system can clean itself whenever it is notified, without relying on the owners assistance, who can invest their time in more important things.Waterdrop joined the big Amazon Prime Day on October 13th/14th with the new G3 RO water filtration system as well as other hot Waterdrop sale products, offering their customers the best Amazon deals with more than 30% off. Amazon Prime Day was the perfect moment to shop for a replacement water filter for the refrigerator as well. Great prices for the best quality filters. Since Amazon Prime Day is always a fantastic period to shop, enjoying its huge discounts on top items in the Amazon store is not an opportunity anyone wants to miss. Great Waterdrop Prime Day 2020 deals continue, allowing you to have the best water filtration solution system in your home. WaterdropfilterHannah Montgomerycommunication@waterdropfilter.comTelephone: 1-888-352-3558 Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

东曜药业股份有限公司完善公司管理架构推动战略发展升级

HONG KONG, Oct 16, 2020 - (亚太商讯) - 东曜药业股份有限公司（「东曜药业」或「公司」；股票代码：1875.HK）今日欣然宣布委任执行董事黄纯莹女士（「黄女士」）为董事会副主席，辞任总经理一职；同时宣布委任执行董事兼首席科学官刘军博士（「刘博士」）为公司首席执行官，并不再兼任首席运营官及副总经理职务。东曜药业董事会主席付山先生表示：「为了实现公司下一个十年的战略发展，是次董事会及管理层的委任将有利于完善公司的管理架构，即倡导管理层长期继任计划，以实现公司长远可持续的发展，为公司即将进入的商业化发展阶段做好准备，同时亦可加强公司海外研发及国际化合作项目的拓展，推进公司国际化战略布局。」黄女士为公司搭建了完整的全产业链平台，实现诸多里程碑，为公司长期发展奠定了坚实的基础。黄女士亦会继续在董事会层面推动公司战略发展，强化公司品牌建设及公共关系。刘博士作为公司资深管理层及科学家，深耕生物医药研发领域多年并具备国际化管理经验。董事会期待刘博士担任首席执行官后，继续深入贯彻公司战略目标，致力于将东曜药业发展成为国内ADC领域的领导者，并打造具有竞争力的CDMO业务平台，带领公司再创佳绩。刘博士介绍：刘军博士，53岁，于2016年10月加入本集团，担任副总经理，并分别于2018年 10月、2019年3月及2020年4月获委任为执行董事、首席科学官及首席运营官。彼亦为战略委员会成员。彼负责本集团研发、运营管理及商务拓展。于加入本集团前，刘博士曾先后在美国伯克利的Bayer Healthcare全球生物药研发中心任职高级科学家、于美国加州贝克曼研究所免疫系任职主任研究员、于上海睿智化学研究有限公司担任生物制剂研发部执行总监。刘博士拥有国际专业背景，先后取得美国加利福尼亚大学戴维斯分校生物分析化学博士学位，及中国科技大学化学学士学位。 Copyright 2020 亚太商讯. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

TOT BIOPHARM International Company Limited Optimises Company Management Structure to Promote Strategic Development Upgrade

HONG KONG, Oct 16, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - TOT BIOPHARM International Company Limited ("TOT BIOPHARM" or the "Company"; stock code: 1875.HK), is pleased to announce that Ms. Yeh-Huang, Chun-Ying, Executive Director, has been appointed as Vice Chairman of the Board while she has resigned as General Manager of the Company. Besides, it has also announced that Dr. Liu, Jun has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and will cease to act as Chief Operating Officer and Vice General Manager.Mr. Fu, Shan, Chairman of the Board of the Company, said, "To implement the strategic development plan of the Company in the next decade, the appointments of the Board and the management will be conducive to optimising the Company's management structure, or initiating a long-term succession plan for the management, so that the Company will achieve long-term sustainable development and be fully equipped to enter the commercialization development stage. Also, this move will enhance the development of the Company's overseas R&D projects and international cooperation projects, promoting its strategic deployment of internationalization."Ms. Yeh-Huang has established a comprehensive industrial chain platform for the Company, laying major milestones as well as a solid foundation for its long-term development. She will also continue to promote the Company's strategic development, enhancing its brand recognition and public relations.As a scientist and senior management of the Company, Dr. Liu has been deeply involved in the R&D of biological drugs for years and also possesses profound experience in internationalization management. After taking the helm of CEO, the Board believes that Dr. Liu will continue to pursue the Company's strategic goal of developing TOT BIOPHARM into a leader in the field of China's antibody drug conjugate ("ADC") and establish a competitive CDMO business platform, leading the Company to scale new heights.Dr. Liu, Jun, aged 53, joined the Company as Deputy General Manager in October 2016, and was appointed as Executive Director, Chief Scientific Officer and Chief Operating Officer in October 2018, March 2019 and April 2020, respectively. He also serves as a member of the Strategic Committee, and is responsible for the Company's R&D, supervising overall operations as well as business development.Before joining the Company, Dr. Liu was the Senior Scientist of Bayer HealthCare's Global Biologics Development Group in Berkeley, the US, the Chief Researcher of Immunology Department at Beckman Research Institute in California, the US, and also the Executive Director of Biologics Research and Development Department at Shanghai ChemPartner Co., Ltd.Dr. Liu possesses a professional background with international exposure, holding a PhD in Bioanalytical Chemistry from the University of California, Davis in the US and a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Science & Technology of China. Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

Woori BMO Group Comments on Finance of America Set for IPO

TORONTO, ONTARIO , Oct 16, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Woori BMO Group has today commented on Blackstone Group-backed consumer-leading platform Finance of America Equity Capital LLC as they get set to go public with a valuation of $1.9 billion through a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger, the popular way to list this year."Finance of America is merging with the special-purpose acquisition company Replay Acquisition Corp. This will give the company a valuation of $1.9 billion. The company will also receive $250 million in investment from institutional investors as part of the deal," commented Christian Harper, Director of EMEA Wealth Management at Woori BMO Group.As a result of the transaction, the Pennsylvania-headquartered company's founder and CEO Bill Dallas and funds managed by Blackstone will be left with a 70% ownership stake.This year, SPACs have emerged as a popular IPO substitute for some businesses, offering a route to going public with less regulatory oversight and more clarity about the valuation that will be reached and the funds that will be raised."So far in 2020, U.S. SPACs have raised $53.8 billion through IPOs, which is more than the total raised in the last seven years," commented Director of Institutional Equity at Woori BMO Group, Andrew Williams.Finance of America has generated over $65 billion in loans through its collection of companies since 2017, according to researchers at Woori BMO Group. The company operates in four emerging markets including Commercial Real Estate, Mortgages, Reverse Mortgages and Fixed Income Investing. In recent years, Blackstone has evolved Finance of America through a series of acquisitions, including purchases of Gateway Funding, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage and Skyline Home Loans.In the third quarter, Finance of America generated over $7.4 billion, the highest of any quarter on record for the end-to-end lending and services platform. Like other mortgage lenders, the Blackstone portfolio company has highly benefited from ultra-low interest rates and a huge demand for refinancing business.About Woori BMO GroupFounded in 2007, Woori BMO Group is a full-service wealth management company providing both corporate institutions and private clients a tailored financial advisory service from its retail office in Toronto, Canada.Media ContactCompany: Woori BMO GroupContact: Mr. Shinsato Masao, Chief EconomistTelephone: +1-647-946-8880Email: shinsato.masao@wbginternational.comAddress: 25F Exchange Tower, 130 King Street West, Toronto, ON, Canada M5X 1E3Related LinksWoori BMO Group https://www.wbginternational.com/To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/66036 Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

16 10 月, 2020

Discipline problems hindering progress

LONDON • Gareth Southgate warned England to learn from their disciplinary woes after giving Harry Maguire his "full support" following the Manchester United captain's dismissal in Wednesday's 1-0 defeat against Denmark. The Three Lions suffered their first defeat for a year as the defender was sent off for two first-half bookings before Christian Eriksen's penalty sealed the Nations League points for Denmark. Adding to the growing sense that Southgate is struggling to keep his players under control, Chelsea right-back Reece James marred his first England start when he was sent off after the final whistle for confronting referee Jesus Gil. Following hot on the heels of Kyle Walker's dismissal against Iceland last month, England have had three players sent off in a calendar year for the first time. The rash of red cards comes amid off-field issues in which their players have shown questionable judgment this year. Maguire was given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison after being found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery and violence against public employees on the Greek island of Mykonos in August. The conviction was nullified after he appealed, but the incident was followed by Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood being sent home from Iceland after breaching coronavirus protocols by inviting local women back to the team's hotel. Tammy Abraham, Jadon Sancho and Ben Chilwell missed last week's friendly against Wales after ignoring social distancing rules to attend a party. It is an alarming sequence and Southgate conceded England's players had only themselves to blame. "It's an obvious question we're going to be asked. We've put ourselves in unnecessary positions off the pitch," he said. "Of course there have been things that haven't been right. We have addressed them. "The reds for Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire here, one yellow justified, one not so sure. "We've got to learn from it because if you go down to 10, historically that means we're out, especially if you're doing it for an hour. "We talked all the time about discipline because we knew it cost us in other tournaments." But Southgate also made it clear Maguire could count on his backing. ROUGH PATCH For me, he is a massive part of what we do and he is going through a period where a lot of stick is coming his way. He has our full support. GARETH SOUTHGATE, England manager, on Harry Maguire's woes after the defender was sent off in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Denmark, compounding his poor start to the season for Manchester United after his arrest in Mykonos in August. "For me, he is a top player, a massive part of what we do and he is going through a period where a lot of stick is coming his way," he said. "He has our full support and I know his club will be the same. We have total belief in him." Insisting Maguire would not be fazed by his troubles, Southgate added: "None of us want to be part of that storm. His profile has changed over the last couple of years because of the club he plays at. "He is having one of those periods where things are going against him but things will turn." On James' rush of blood, the England boss said: "That's a lesson he's got to learn. It's ended up something that shouldn't have happened but for the overall week, he's made a positive impression." After the boost of defeating top-ranked Belgium on Sunday, this tepid display was a step back. Southgate again sent out a cautious line-up with two holding midfielders and three centre-backs, while in-form Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish was left out. Tottenham striker Harry Kane, yet to be fully fit, played the entire match despite his club manager Jose Mourinho's plea. Southgate defended his team selection, saying: "I was very proud of the performance. I thought we were excellent with 11 men and causing them all sorts of problems down our right-hand side. "The sending-off alters everything. I don't see the foul at all." AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

16 10 月, 2020

Portugal ‘can succeed without Ronaldo’

LISBON • No Cristiano Ronaldo, no problem. That was the takeaway from Wednesday's Nations League match, as Portugal made light of their star player's absence due to a positive Covid-19 test to see off Sweden 3-0 and stay top of their group. A Diogo Jota brace and another strike from Bernardo Silva were enough to stay level on 10 points with France and hold on to first place in League A Group 3. Ronaldo, who posted a photo of himself on social media watching the match on television wearing a Portugal top, was forced to leave the national team camp after returning a positive test for Covid-19 on Tuesday. The Juventus forward returned to Italy on Wednesday to continue his self-isolation. His Portugal teammates had few problems dealing with Sweden, who have now lost all four of their Nations League matches and are rock bottom of the group. The Swedes are three points behind Croatia, who were beaten 2-1 by France in Zagreb. "We are not better without Ronaldo, but the team had shown before that we're capable of succeeding without him," Portugal coach Fernando Santos said. "We were well-organised offensively, 3-0 is a great result. We did some very good things, then we let Sweden create a few problems for us before we regained control of the game. Sweden could have scored a goal or two, but we too could have scored more. "This team will always be better with Cristiano, but we are still able to fight for our goals." Silva curled home the opener in the 21st minute thanks to unselfish play from Jota, who laid on the ball for the Manchester City midfielder instead of going for goal himself when in a promising position. Fellow Premier League star Jota made it two just before the break when, completely unmarked, he chested down Joao Cancelo's beautifully flighted pass and slotted home. The new Liverpool signing then put the result beyond any doubt in the 72nd minute with a superb individual goal, weaving in from the left before drilling a low finish past Sweden goalkeeper Robin Olsen. 3 In 76 games with Portugal, Fernando Santos has lost just three competitive matches. "It was an excellent night, and one of my best performances for my country," Jota said, before adding that there was "no pressure" to replace Ronaldo. "The coach chooses the eleven for each game. We are professionals and, if the boss chooses 11 players to enter the field, these are the ones who have to work." Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes also said that it felt like business as usual despite not having Ronaldo on the pitch. He said: "We were not asked to play any differently (without him), our ambition remains the same. But it is obvious that it is easier to win with the best (player) in the world." Meanwhile, Italy lost top spot in League A Group 1 after a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in Bergamo. The Azzurri had won 1-0 in Amsterdam last month but have now been held in three of their last four matches, including Sunday's goalless draw against Poland in Gdansk. Roberto Mancini's side dropped to second in their group on six points, one behind the Poles, who beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

16 10 月, 2020

Sports World: Napoli forfeit Juve game and docked 1pt

Napoli forfeit Juve game and docked 1pt MILAN • Napoli have been handed a 3-0 defeat and had one point deducted for failing to play their Serie A match away to Juventus, which was abandoned earlier this month amid confusion over Italian football's Covid-19 rules. Napoli did not travel to Turin for the match on Oct 4, saying their local health authority had told the players to stay at home after two members of their squad tested positive for the virus. The team are now eighth in the table with five points despite winning two of three matches so far. REUTERS Aussie Open hinges on govt guidelines MELBOURNE • Tennis' Australian Open will go ahead in January only if an agreement can be reached with the local authorities to allow players to practise while they undergo quarantine in Melbourne, tournament director Craig Tiley said yesterday. Melbourne remains locked down after a second spike in Covid-19 cases and there is a 14-day quarantine order in effect for all visitors to Australia. Tiley believes training during quarantine will be essential for the Australian Open to go ahead. REUTERS Kenya's Wanjiru cops 4-year ban for breach PARIS • Kenyan Daniel Wanjiru, the 2017 London Marathon winner, has been banned for four years due to an athlete biological passport violation, the sport's independent Athletics Integrity Unit said. Wanjiru, who has denied any wrongdoing, was provisionally suspended in April and his ban has been backdated to Dec 9 last year. REUTERS

15 10 月, 2020

China’s petrochemical industry launches blockchain warehouse receipt financing trade

BEIJING, China, Oct 15, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - On September 27, China's petrochemical industry saw its first digital warehouse receipt pledge financing transaction that integrates blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) technology successfully implemented in China, providing new solutions for small and medium-sized petrochemical enterprises perplexed by overly expensive and slow financing.This transaction has involved China's Sinochem Energy High-Tech Co., Ltd., China Construction Bank Inner Mongolia Branch, and Nanchu Management Group Co., Ltd. The financing party, Beijing Longrunkaida PEC Products Co., Ltd., is one of the largest traders in lubricant and base oil industries in northern China in terms of sales volume. From the application for issuance of warehouse receipts to the bank's appropriation of the loan, it took less than one day with a cost 40% lower than that of common trade finance services in the market.Ma Xiaohui, Chief Financial Officer of Beijing Longrunkaida, introduced the process of this financing deal, "Through Sinochem Energy High-Tech's '(Blockchain) Digital Warehouse Receipt Platform', we applied to Nanchu Management Group for the issuance of warehouse receipts with our stored base oil. With the receipts, we submitted an online pledge application to China Construction Bank and received the loan in the afternoon."Why financing is difficult and expensive for petrochemical SMEsPresently, the continuous spread of global Covid-19 pandemic and the safety and environmental management upgrade are driving the operating costs of the entire industry up. Petrochemical companies are facing increasing financial pressures every day. However, for a long time, the traditional credit risk control system emphasizes on "reviewing the credit of the financing entity but not the goods", making it difficult for "small enterprises with high value of movable assets" to meet the credit granting conditions of financial institutions.On one hand, it is difficult for financial institutions to track the transaction process of bulk commodities due to the lack of effective risk control measures, especially those of "controlling goods" which could lead to frequent risk issues like false warehouse receipts, unclear property in goods, repeated pledges, impairment or loss of collateral. Financial institutions have been affected so badly to tighten lending on warehouse financing.On the other hand, since warehousing companies often fail to get updates on changes in goods property and pledge rights, disputes on goods property and warehouse receipt finance become commonplace. Unscrupulous enterprises would forge seals and issue false inventory certificates, delivery documents, amongst others. After being duped, the deceived company often sues the warehousing company as well, who hence have little choice but to quit issuing warehouse receipts and related business with financial supervision, but focus solely on warehousing business with limited income.Blockchain digital warehouse receipts are a panacea for financing problemsBased on a deep understanding of the financial pain points of the petrochemical supply chain, Sinochem Energy High-Tech has built a "Blockchain Digital Warehouse Receipt Platform" (hereafter as the Platform) which opens up third-party warehousing services, a key node of liquid logistics. The company not only conducts consistent research on digital warehouse receipt pledge and demonstrates the financing business model to China Construction Bank constantly, but continuously polishes products and operating plans.From the issuance of digital warehouse receipts by warehousing companies to pledges and loans, Sinochem Energy High-Tech participates as a trusted technology provider and is highly recognized by China Construction Bank. Transforming the traditional commodities in circulation into safe and efficient digital assets with good liquidity that can penetrate directly to the bottom layer, the Platform has shaped a credible asset system with "Blockchain Digital Warehouse Receipts" as a medium."Compared with traditional print warehouse receipts, the Platform is the first to realize strict correspondence between digital warehouse receipts and stored goods. It uses IoT technology to monitor the goods under digital warehouse receipts closely, to ensure that each warehouse receipt directly assures the existence of goods. In addition, the platform realizes swift goods delivery, receipt pledge, as well as integration of "four flows" (the receipt flow, capital flow, contract flow, and goods flow). Moreover, blockchain technology ensures that the recorded data cannot be tampered. This could guarantee the uniqueness and traceability of the data, and greatly improve the industry's credit rating," said Sun Liming, Vice President of Sinochem Energy High-Tech.Connecting financial institutions and industries to bolster the development of the real economyOn September 22, eight Chinese ministries or commissions including the People's Bank of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, issued the "Opinions on Regulating the Development of Supply Chain Finance and Supporting Stable Cycle, Optimization and Upgrade of the Industry Chain of Supply Chain" (the "Opinions"). It requires financial institutions and business entities to strengthen information sharing and collaboration; improve the digitalized level of supply chain financing settlements; standardize the development of supply chain inventories, warehouse receipts, and order financing; and strengthen the risk protection support for supply chain finance."The Platform is highly consistent with the 'combination of financial technology and supply chain scenarios to prevent supply chain financial risks' requirement listed in the 'Opinions'. It achieves the transparency in warehousing data, and dynamic monitoring on collateral quantity and value, etc. In the future, we will expand on our collaboration with Sinochem Energy High-Tech to reduce financing difficulties, operating costs and capital costs for supply chain companies. We will take practical actions to stimulate the quality and efficiency of the real economy," said the relevant source in China Construction Bank.It is understood that in the future, Sinochem Energy High-Tech will work with China Construction Bank, China Association of Warehousing and Distribution, warehousing companies, commodity inspection agencies, goods owners, and Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange Co., Ltd to jointly establish an ecosystem of digital warehouse financing, to consistently help financial institutions to improve loan risk control capabilities; help petrochemical warehousing companies to obtain incremental income; and SMEs to solve financing problems. Sinochem Energy High-Tech will strive to further promote the optimization and upgrade of supply chains and related industrial chains.About Sinochem Energy High-TechSinochem Energy High-Tech Co., Ltd. (Sinochem Energy High-Tech for short) is an internet technology company under Sinochem Group's branch company, Sinochem Energy Co.,Ltd. Sinochem Energy High-Tech, supported by cutting edge technologies including AI (Artificial Intelligence), Blockchain, IoT (Internet of Things), Cloud Computing, and Big Data, has set out to develop into an "Energy + Technology" company committed to promoting in-depth integration of internet technology and the petrochemical industry, becoming a leading smart operator in the petrochemical industry.In the years to come, Sinochem Energy High-Tech will focus on redefining the operating model of the petrochemical industry, establishing digital service infrastructure that covers the full value chain of the petrochemical industry, and becoming a leader of smart solutions and service provider in the industry. For more information, visit www.66yunlian.cn.Media contact:Sinochem Energy High-Tech Co., Ltd.Contact: Xie YimeiE-Mail: xieyimei@sinochem.comTele: +183 1060 7956Address: C-1 Building 2F, Yongyou Industrial Park (Beijing),No.68 Beiqing Road, Haidian Disrict, Beijing, China 100094 Copyright 2020 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.acnnewswire.com

15 10 月, 2020

Mitsubishi Power Signs MOU with Indonesia’s PLN Group and Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) on Joint Policy Proposal to Promote Biomass Co-firing at Thermal Power Plants in Indonesia

YOKOHAMA, Japan, Oct 15, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Power, Ltd., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indonesia's state-owned electricity provider PT. PLN (Persero) (PLN) and two of its subsidiaries (PT. Indonesia Power and PT. Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali), and Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) on joint formulation of a policy proposal to promote the adoption of biomass co-firing at Indonesia's thermal power plants.Thermal Power Plant in IndonesiaThe industry-academia collaborative team will undertake studies mainly on selection of appropriate biomass fuel and their combustion evaluations, and equipment modification plans, in a quest to make effective use of Indonesia's abundant biomass resources. Economic evaluations will be carried out in cooperation with PLN Group, which operates numerous thermal power plants in the country. After conclusion of the MOU, the focus will be to make a roadmap for promoting biomass co-firing in Indonesia, including selection of the optimal biomass fuel and pilot facility from among PLN Group's power plants. This will be based on the results of technical feasibility tests conducted by Mitsubishi Power in Japan together with policy analysis and market research performed in Indonesia under ITB's leadership.The Indonesian Government is currently carrying out an energy policy that aims to reduce carbon emissions by raising the nation's use of a renewable energies mix to 23% by 2025, and decreasing CO2 emissions by 29% by 2030 through energy conversion assuming reduced use of fossil fuels. Under this policy, besides expanding adoption of wind, solar and geothermal renewables, a central role is accorded to promoting use of biomass fuel at existing coal-fired power plants, and the newly agreed activity aims to support that initiative. Plans call for a proposal covering technical requirements and preparation of the relevant legal and financial support frameworks to be completed by September 2021, followed by cooperation to promote the adoption of biomass co-firing in Indonesia and the realization of a pilot project.Iswan Prahastono, Director of the PLN Research and Development Center, expressed his solid expectations toward the collaboration's success. "I am confident," he said, "that PLN Group, ITB and Mitsubishi Power, in joining forces and coordinating and applying their respective strengths based on their respective economic considerations, will successfully support Indonesia's energy situation through use of renewable energies."Ken Kawai, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Power, spoke of the company's robust commitment to the new initiative. "For more than 50 years, Mitsubishi Power has contributed to Indonesia's energy landscape by providing approximately 18 GW of power generating systems, including gas turbine combined cycle, geothermal power and highly efficient coal-fired power. Our new collaboration with PLN Group and ITB signals our continued drive to support Indonesia's development by using existing facilities to formulate a proposal that will meet the country's energy needs in terms of both environmental sustainability and economic efficiency."Leveraging the newly concluded MOU, Mitsubishi Power, by providing next-generation environmentally friendly power generation technologies, will boost low-carbon and carbon-free energy sources as its way of contributing to stabilization of power supplies and protection of the environment in Indonesia. Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com