logo
#

Latest news with #Acha

China Medical System shares rise 11% with its secondary listing on SGX
China Medical System shares rise 11% with its secondary listing on SGX

Straits Times

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Straits Times

China Medical System shares rise 11% with its secondary listing on SGX

Find out what's new on ST website and app. At the 9am open, its shares traded at $2.05. They closed 11.2 per cent higher at $2.28 on July 15, with around 315,000 shares changing hands. SINGAPORE – Shares of China Medical System (CMS) rose 11 per cent on the first day of its secondary listing on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) on July 15. At the 9am open, its shares traded at $2.05. They closed 11.2 per cent higher at $2.28 on July 15, with around 315,000 shares changing hands. This marks the 40th listing in the healthcare sector on SGX, with CMS' market capitalisation reaching HK$28.64 billion (S$4.67 billion) as at July 15. In an earlier statement on June 24, CMS said the secondary listing will not involve the issuance of new shares, and the shares will continue to be primarily listed and traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange thereafter. CMS is a specialty pharmaceutical company with a focus on sales and marketing in China. The company has capabilities across the full lifecycle of drug development, from identifying clinical needs to research and development (R&D) regulatory approval, and commercialisation. It has built a differentiated portfolio across key therapeutic areas including cardio-cerebrovascular, central nervous system, gastroenterology, dermatology and ophthalmology. The company has been listed in Hong Kong since 2010. Its regional headquarters for its South-east Asia and Middle East business is Singapore. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business MAS records net profit of $19.7 billion, fuelled by investment gains Business Singapore financial sector growth doubles in 2024, assets managed cross $6 trillion in a first: MAS Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Man charged with attempted murder of woman at Kallang Wave Mall Singapore Ex-cleaner jailed over safety lapses linked to guard's death near 1-Altitude rooftop bar Singapore Real estate firm PropNex donates $6 million to Community Chest for 25th anniversary Singapore Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years CMS expects growth momentum to accelerate after replenishing its pipeline of innovative drugs that stood at 40 products as at Dec 31, 2024. The company has identified four key platforms to scale its pharmaceutical ecosystem across Asia-Pacific. One is CMS R&D, which is involved in drug discovery and development targeting global markets, while PharmaGend is a development and manufacturing platform for regional manufacturing and supply. The pharmaceutical group also has Rxilient Health, a Singapore-headquartered entity focused on registration and commercialisation in South-east Asia and a Singapore venture arm, which makes strategic investments to support regional pharma innovation. 'The listing of CMS, a leading player in the healthcare sector, reflects the rising demand for healthcare innovation and access across Asia,' said SGX head of global sales and origination Pol de Win. 'As the company looks to expand in South-east Asia, its SGX listing offers a strategic springboard, connecting it to international investors and reinforcing Singapore's role as a hub for capital and growth.' CMS founder and chief executive Lam Kong said: 'Our listing in Singapore further enhances our presence in international capital markets. By leveraging Singapore's strengths as a hub for global innovation and multinational headquarters, we are advancing our internationalisation strategy, and accelerating the construction of the full pharmaceutical value chain of R&D, manufacturing and commercialisation.'

‘Greatest strategic challenge': Japan reiterates China threat in annual defence review
‘Greatest strategic challenge': Japan reiterates China threat in annual defence review

Straits Times

timea day ago

  • Politics
  • Straits Times

‘Greatest strategic challenge': Japan reiterates China threat in annual defence review

A Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber flying close to a Japan Air Self-Defence Force YS-11EB intelligence-gathering aircraft over the high seas in the East China Sea, on July 9. – China's repeated intrusions into Japanese territorial airspace and waters, coupled with a series of dangerous manoeuvres, mark a relentless campaign to change the status quo by force, Tokyo asserted in its annual defence review released on July 15. Such actions mean China poses 'an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge' to Japan's security – a descriptor that was first adopted in 2022 in revised National Security Strategy documents. This demands a response rooted in 'comprehensive national power', the Defence Ministry said in its white paper, which has been chronicling security developments yearly since 1976. The release of the 538-page document comes days after cannon-equipped Chinese Coast Guard ships again entered Japanese waters near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islets on July 9. That same day, a Chinese JH-7 fighter bomber flew within 30m – roughly the length of a basketball court – of a YS-11 Japanese intelligence-gathering aircraft over the East China Sea. The following day, a JH-7 bomber again came close to a YS-11 plane, this time within 60m. Japan's defence ministry released photographs that show that the JH-7 might have been equipped with air-to-air missiles, and stressed that such 'abnormal' encounters carry a significant risk of accidental aerial collisions. Beijing retorted that its actions were legitimate and, instead, criticised Japan for entering China's air defence identification zone (ADIZ). China had unilaterally declared an ADIZ in 2013 that encompasses overlapping areas with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms, 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Opinion What we can do to fight the insidious threat of 'zombie vapes' Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years These incidents come just a month after China's unprecedented simultaneous deployment of two aircraft carriers in the Western Pacific, accompanied by Chinese J-15 fighter jets' 'unusually close' encounters with Japanese P-3C patrol planes. While the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) are called upon as Japan's first responders to external threats, the extent of their capabilities is constrained by demographic pressures. The trend of declining births , which is only picking up speed with fewer than 700,000 babies born in 2024 for the first time on record, has contributed to a chronic shortage of boots on the ground. 'Each and every SDF personnel constitutes the greatest pillar of our defence capability,' Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani wrote in the white paper's foreword. 'Stably securing personnel is an utmost priority, and it is essential to establish arrangements so that they can dedicate themselves with pride, honour and a strong sense of mission to national defence, a duty critically important to the nation.' Yet recruitment has consistently fallen short of targets in a nation that, unlike regional territories like Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, does not have mandatory conscription. This means there is no large reserve force to tap on, while any attempt to mandate conscription – like in Cambodia, which said on July 14 it would do so from 2026 – is constitutionally difficult. This is despite recent measures to raise the recruitment age ceiling from 27 years to 32 years old, and loosen rules on haircuts and tattoos. But the SDF enlisted fewer than 10,000 new recruits each in 2023 and 2024, with the total number of personnel now at 90 per cent of the intended 247,154 people. The shortfall between the targeted strength and actual headcount is only widening, exacerbated by a cut-throat battle for manpower with the private sector that promises far better wages. It is not for the lack of trying. The Defence Ministry has an ongoing recruitment blitz with direct outreach to universities and, controversially, targeted advertising at poor families. It has put up recruitment banners outside train stations and city halls, and produced snazzy advertisements on social media. 'In order to fundamentally strengthen defence capabilities in response to the most severe security environment since World War II, it is urgent and essential to secure the necessary personnel, lest the situation worsens,' the white paper said. A senior defence ministry official told ST on condition of anonymity that the recruitment challenge is typically 'impacted by a better economy'. This is not unique to the SDF and is also felt in 'other uniformed public sectors such as the police and fire departments'. Tokyo has historically struggled to raise wages for its public service, even as it has exhorted the private sector to do so. In 2025, private sector wages increased by an average 5.25 per cent – the biggest pay hike in 34 years – although salaries have still failed to keep pace with inflation. For the first time, the SDF is targeting millennials and Gen Z. The manga-style cover art of the defence white paper was done by 29-year-old digital illustrator Honoka Yoshifuku, featuring three SDF personnel from the three branches of Air, Ground and Maritime, including a female pilot. This artistic choice is noteworthy, as Tokyo uses the cover design of the white paper to reflect the mood of a particular period. Japan's Defence White Paper 2025 features manga-style illustrations of three Self-Defence Forces personnel from the Air, Ground and Maritime branches. PHOTO: JAPAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE In 2024, the cover featured a sword being forged on an anvil to mark the SDF's 70th anniversary and to symbolise deterrence in how Japan has been 'working very hard to forge its 'sword' to avoid having to draw it'. Previous covers have included one generated by artificial intelligence to symbolise nascent threats, and another, rendered in sumi-e (ink wash painting) to reflect bushido, or the righteous samurai way. For 2025, the Defence Ministry devoted a new section of the report to highlight better perks. Wages are being bumped up with the 'unprecedented introduction and raising of more than 30 allowances'. Starting salaries for enlistees will also be raised to 198,800 yen (S$1,725) per month, from 157,000 yen per month. Living conditions are being improved with private sleeping quarters, 'stylish' furniture in shared spaces, better showers and toilets, and even internet connectivity on the high seas. The document further humanises active service personnel through first-person anecdotes like that of Air Self-Defence Force staff sergeant Tomohiro Miyazaki, who admitted to 'experiencing first-hand the nerves from using real ammunition' during a joint live-fire training exercise with the United States. Maritime Self-Defence Force lieutenant (junior grade) Yukiko Nojima said she was able to 'spend time in a well-balanced way' even when out at sea, with satellite communications allowing crew to keep in touch with their families on social media and even watch videos on YouTube. But would all these perks be enough to reverse the yawning recruitment shortfall? Professor Heng Yee Kuang of University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Public Policy told The Straits Times: 'The SDF has difficult recruiting because the job is perceived as 'three Ks': kitsui (demanding/hard), kitanai (dirty), kibishii (strict/harsh).' Despite attempts to rehabilitate the SDF's image, perceptions of a volatile security environment amid wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and potential conflict over Taiwan 'may unfortunately entrench negative perceptions that life in the SDF only means the 'three Ks'', he said. 'The operational military environment is becoming harsher with ever more risky intercepts of Japanese surveillance aircraft by Chinese warplanes and more frequent lengthier intrusions by Chinese vessels into Japanese waters,' Prof Heng added. The silver lining, defence officials said, was that technological innovation is one way the SDF can compensate for the widening manpower shortfall. 'One way is to use unmanned technology as far as possible,' the defence ministry official told ST, when asked if the chronic shortage of personnel would hurt Japan's ability to defend itself in case of an imminent war. 'We must urgently promote research and development of artificial intelligence, drones and other technologies such that we can continue our activities even if there is a lack of personnel.'

Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains
Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains

Straits Times

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Straits Times

Sengkang-Punggol LRT gets 15.8 per cent capacity boost with new trains

The new two-carriage trains replace the older single and two-carriage trains in service. SINGAPORE - Travellers on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT network can look forward to more comfortable and less crowded rides with new two-carriage trains brought into the network. The first two new trains entered service on July 15. When all 25 new two-carriage trains are in use by end-2028, the LRT network will have a 15.8 per cent increase in overall passenger capacity as all the single-carriage trains along with some of the old two-carriage trains are replaced. Initially, the new trains will be used on the Punggol West Loop and Punggol East Loop over two weekends before being introduced into weekday operations towards the end of July, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on July 15. The remaining 23 new two-carriage trains will progressively enter service from the third-quarter of 2025, with the rollout expected to be completed by the end of 2028. The LTA said that this will increase the overall passenger capacity of the line to meet ridership demand. The Sengkang-Punggol LRT network is operated by SBS Transit. The new two-carriage trains can carry around 200 passengers each. This is the same capacity as the two-carriage trains currently in service and twice that of the single-carriage trains on the network today. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms, 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Opinion What we can do to fight the insidious threat of 'zombie vapes' Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years The single-carriage trains will be retired along with half of the existing two-carriage trains. By end-2028, the Sengkang-Punggol LRT network will have an updated fleet of 33 two-carriage trains on the network. This marks a 15.8 per cent increase in total passenger capacity over the existing fleet of 25 single- and 16 two-carriage trains. The new trains, which are made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Mihara, Japan, have several improved features. These include more ergonomically-designed seats, brighter and more energy-efficient LED lighting and new door-closing indicator light strips above the doors, which provide clearer warnings for passengers. Additionally, the air-conditioning system is said to be enhanced to further improve passenger comfort. Compared to the older trains, the new trains also have more grab handles in the carriages, making it more comfortable for standing passengers. In terms of running the new vehicles, the new trains have an onboard touch-screen diagnostic panel, which makes for quicker fault detection during testing and maintenance. The trains also have inter-carriage doors that facilitate safer and quicker passenger evacuation during emergencies. Complementing the fleet development is the expansion of the Sengkang-Punggol LRT depot to improve the overall capacity and reliability of the system. Due to be completed in 2027, the upgrades include enlarging the area to 11.1 hectares from 3.5 hectares, two new reception tracks that will help to speed up the launching of the trains to the network and three additional traction power substations to serve the new trains. Speaking to the media at the launch event of the new trains held at Punggol LRT station, Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said that there could be disruption to existing services due to the work on the depot and appeal to residents for their consideration.

Heavy rain to drench South Korea before heat returns next week
Heavy rain to drench South Korea before heat returns next week

Straits Times

timea day ago

  • Climate
  • Straits Times

Heavy rain to drench South Korea before heat returns next week

As the dry air meets the newly arriving humid air from the south, narrow, elongated rain clouds are expected to form. After the southern parts of South Korea were hit with heavy rain throughout July 14, intense showers are forecast to drench most of South Korea from the afternoon of July 16 until July 19, said the Korea Meteorological Administration on July 15. According to the KMA, heavy downpours are expected across southern parts of Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces as well as North Jeolla Province as the cool, dry air from the northwest clashes with hot and humid air flowing into the Korean peninsula along the edge of the North Pacific high-pressure system. As the dry air meets the newly arriving humid air from the south, narrow, elongated rain clouds are expected to form. Regions under this rainband, such as the western parts of Korea's central region, may experience rainfall ranging between 30 and 50mm per hour. Between July 16 and 17, the southern parts of Gyeonggi Province, as well as the inland and mountainous regions in southern Gangwon Province, can expect to see collective rainfall ranging between 50mm and 100mm, with heavily hit regions seeing more than 150mm. Other parts of the Greater Seoul region, excluding the southern parts of Gyeonggi Province, as well as inland and mountainous regions of the central and northern parts of Gangwon Province, may see collective rainfall ranging between 30mm to 80mm. On July 17, southern parts of the country as well as Jeju Island will also see rain showers as warm, humid air masses originating from tropical regions flow into Korea along the edge of the high-pressure system situated above the peninsula. Temperatures are expected to feel higher than actual temperatures on July 17, as warm south-westerly winds bring in moisture into the country along the North Pacific high-pressure system, allowing for humid weather conditions. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms, 1 lawyer over seized properties Singapore Air India crash: SIA, Scoot find no issues with Boeing 787 fuel switches after precautionary checks Opinion What we can do to fight the insidious threat of 'zombie vapes' Singapore $230,000 in fines issued after MOM checks safety at over 500 workplaces from April to June Business 'Some cannot source outside China': S'pore firms' challenges and support needed amid US tariffs Opinion Sumiko at 61: Everything goes south when you age, changing your face from a triangle to a rectangle Multimedia From local to global: What made top news in Singapore over the last 180 years? Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years The KMA added that heavy, concentrated rain will also be observed nationwide on July 18. Chances of torrential downpours, especially in southern parts of the country as well as on Jeju Island, will be high as dry air gets strongly compressed with tropical moisture from the south. From July 20, the North Pacific high-pressure system is expected to expand above the Korean Peninsula, bringing high temperatures and nationwide heatwaves. While temperatures throughout this week will remain slightly above or below average temperatures from previous years, starting July 20, both high and low temperatures are expected to be well above average. However, due to the lingering moisture in the atmosphere from the weeklong rainfall, scattered showers and localised downpours are likely to occur during the afternoon in many areas nationwide. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

"Terrorism should not be a way to address international disputes" says Shashi Tharoor
"Terrorism should not be a way to address international disputes" says Shashi Tharoor

India Gazette

time29-05-2025

  • Politics
  • India Gazette

"Terrorism should not be a way to address international disputes" says Shashi Tharoor

Panama City [Panama], May 29 (ANI): All-Party Delegation Leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday said that terrorism should not be a resort to address international disputes. While addressing the Panamanian side led by Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martinez Acha, Tharoor, referring to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, said that India will go after the perpetrators of terrorism. 'Terrorism should not be a resort of attempting to addressing international disputes. If there are problems, there are other ways of dealing with them; sending terrorists across the border is simply unacceptable, and that should be made clear. We should go after the perpetrators, the killers ourselves, and we will do so,' he said. Tharoor said that the countries which provide a safe haven to terrorists should also be held accountable. 'But those who give them safe haven, those who protect them, finance them, train them, arm them, dispatch them and guide them, they should also be held accountable. And increasingly it seems to me it will become inescapable for us to face this particular aspect of the challenge,' he said. Tharoor also thanked Acha for Panama's support to India with regards to a seat in the United Nations Security Council. 'I want to start by thanking you for the very constructive statement that Panama issued on this subject and the very helpful role that you have played in the Security Council. And we certainly hope that your instructions to your ambassador will continue to be to show understanding for India's position. We know that Panama, indeed, the President of the National Assembly said this already, has consistently stood against terrorism,' he said. Tharoor explained the motive of the All-Party Delegation, saying that the idea behind it is to explain the Indian narrative on the Pahalgam terror attack and its aftermath. 'Our delegation, which covers five political parties and represents all parts of the country. And what we are trying to do is to go to a few countries in this region. The Prime Minister has sent smaller delegations to other regions as well. The idea is to explain to you our perspective on the recent events in our country and to seek your understanding for not just what we did, and what stand we have taken in the event of any future developments of a similar nature. And we certainly would like to seek your understanding,' he said. Earlier in the day, Acha backed India for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. Acha, during his address to the All-Party Delegation Group 5, led by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, noted the steady bilateral relations between both countries. 'It is not the first time that I say this, but probably it is the first time that you hear this. I have said publicly that India deserves to be in the Security Council of the United Nations,' he said. Earlier on Wednesday, the Tharoor-led delegation met with the President of the Republic of Panama, Jose Raul Mulino, at the Presidential house. The delegation led by Tharoor includes Shambhavi Chaudhary (Lok Janshakti Party), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), G M Harish Balayagi (Telugu Desam Party), Shashank Mani Tripathi, Tejaswi Surya, Bhubaneswar Kalita--all from BJP; Mallikarjun Devda (Shiv Sena), former Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora. (ANI)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store