Latest news with #AlvinTan
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Danish police evacuate music festival amid heavy rain
Find out what's new on ST website and app. COPENHAGEN - Danish police evacuated a music festival on Thursday and warned people in the west coast city of Esbjerg to stay indoors amid flooding caused by a cloudburst. "Heavy rain came and we assessed that it was necessary to shut down the concert," a police spokesperson said. Police had initiated the evacuation of some 20,000 people, he said, adding there were no reports of injuries. Festival organisers said on Facebook that the rest of Thursday's programme would be cancelled due to safety concerns. Broadcasters DR and TV showed images of cars in Esbjerg that were partly submerged, and people wading through water in the city of around 71,500 inhabitants. "It is advised against going outside. Unnecessary driving is discouraged," the police said in a post on social media X. Several parts of the Scandinavian region are currently subject to flood warnings. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Asia Live: People evacuated from border regions amid deadly Thailand-Cambodia clash Singapore Technology can help efforts to shift healthcare delivery towards the community: Ong Ye Kung Singapore Mice industry will need more manpower in areas like technology, sustainability: Alvin Tan Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
IMF needs more data, deal on remedial measures for Senegal waiver
LONDON - The International Monetary Fund is waiting for more data before it can firm up its assessment on Senegal's debt situation and still needs to reach an agreement on key remedial measures with the country, a Fund spokesperson said on Thursday. Senegal is grappling with billions in debts hidden by the previous administration - a problem for the cash-strapped country - which has seen its programme with the Fund put on hold over the issue. The IMF's executive board must approve either a waiver for misreporting - seen as the base case by many investors - or order Senegal to pay back previous programme disbursements. With a waiver, Senegal would be able to negotiate a new programme. "Once we have reached agreement on the key corrective measures, the IMF Board will be in a position to consider the Senegal misreporting case and take a decision," a spokesperson for the Fund said in response to emailed questions from Reuters. An agreement on these measures could be reached "hopefully within the coming weeks," the spokesperson added. The IMF estimates - based on latest data from Senegalese authorities - that hidden debt stood at $11.3 billion by end-2023, the spokesperson added. This included a portion for state-owned enterprises of about 7.4% of GDP. There have been a range of estimates. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Asia Live: People evacuated from border regions amid deadly Thailand-Cambodia clash Singapore Technology can help efforts to shift healthcare delivery towards the community: Ong Ye Kung Singapore Mice industry will need more manpower in areas like technology, sustainability: Alvin Tan Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B S&P pegged the total hidden debt discovered since October 2024 at roughly $13 billion. Concerns over Senegal's debt situation have escalated since September 2024, when the then newly elected government said an audit of government finances had shown the budget deficit at the end of 2023 stood at over 10% - more than double of what was reported by the previous administration. Senegal is not the first case of hidden debt, with Mozambique's infamous "tuna bond" scandal the most recent high-profile example in Africa. The spokesperson said that the IMF, which has come under fire for not catching the off-books lending during its programme, will present information to the board on how the hidden debt went undetected. "The IMF is conducting an internal assessment and diagnostic as part of the misreporting process," the spokesperson added. REUTERS
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Runaway wallabies spark cross-border hunt in France, Belgium
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Firemen captured one of the fugitives on July 22, but its accomplice was still unaccounted for. BRUSSELS - Two runaway wallabies have sparked a cross-border chase in Belgium and France, with police and firefighters hot on the heels of the fast-hopping marsupials. Firemen captured one of the fugitives on July 22 near the northern French city of Lille – days after the pair broke out of their enclosure in the border town of Mouscron, Belgium. But its accomplice was still unaccounted for on July 24 at noon. The escape took place while their owner was on holiday overseas and had entrusted the care of the animals to a neighbour, said Belgian police. 'We are not combing the area to find it, it could be anywhere,' a Mouscron police spokeswoman told AFP. 'We are mainly waiting for a local resident who might spot him to report his location'. The bouncing duo went on the loose over the weekend and sightings soon spread across the region. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Asia Live: People evacuated from border regions amid deadly Thailand-Cambodia clash Singapore Technology can help efforts to shift healthcare delivery towards the community: Ong Ye Kung Singapore Mice industry will need more manpower in areas like technology, sustainability: Alvin Tan Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B Footage of the animals hopping around urban areas, at times scared by passing motorists, went viral on social media. 'Thank you for doing everything you can to find these poor animals,' an internet user commented on the Mouscron police Facebook page. The fire department in France's Nord district mused that the marsupials had 'suddenly decided to explore the world around them, far from the Australian plains, closer to the urban jungle'. A smaller member of the kangaroo family, wallabies are native of Australia and the country's rugby team is nicknamed after them. Firefighters in Wattrelos, France, eventually cornered one of the escapees on the evening of July 22 after it ventured into the garden of a residential building. 'An anti-escape net was deployed to prevent the marsupial from making a run for it,' the fire service said. 'Indeed, the main fear was that the animal could cause an accident or injure itself.' It took wildlife specialists two hours to get the wallaby safely inside a cage. It was then 'returned to its kingdom, that of Belgium' and freed back into its enclosure, the fire department said. Owning wallabies and other exotic animals is allowed in Belgium as long as they are fed, cared for and not mistreated. AFP
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Six university students drown in China mine accident
Find out what's new on ST website and app. BEIJING - Six university students drowned on Wednesday while on a field visit to a copper molybdenum mine in northern China owned by Shanghai-listed Zhongjin Gold Corp, according to a stock exchange filing on Thursday. The students from Northeastern University in Shenyang fell into a flotation cell - a piece of mining equipment that uses a liquid solution to extract copper from crushed ore - after protective grates collapsed. A teacher was also hurt in the accident at the mine located in China's Inner Mongolia region, according to the filing from Zhongjin Gold, a subsidiary of state-owned China National Gold Group Co. The company said it activated an emergency plan and reported the incident to the relevant departments of the local government. The operator of the mine, a subsidiary of Zhongjin Gold, halted production, the company said in another stock exchange filing later on Thursday. Shares of Zhongjin Gold closed down 4.4% on Thursday. Such field visits have been organised for years and the incident was unexpected, said a teacher from Northeastern University, according to a social media account belonging to Henan Radio and Television. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Asia Live: People evacuated from border regions amid deadly Thailand-Cambodia clash Singapore Technology can help efforts to shift healthcare delivery towards the community: Ong Ye Kung Singapore Mice industry will need more manpower in areas like technology, sustainability: Alvin Tan Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B The university sent staff to the site to manage the incident, the teacher said. REUTERS
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Mice industry will need more manpower in sectors like technology, sustainability: Alvin Tan
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Alvin Tan speaks during the Mice Awards Gala Dinner at Sands Expo & Convention Centre on July 24. SINGAPORE - Singapore will need more people in the Mice industry – that is, meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions – to hit its goal of tripling Mice tourism receipts from $1.4 billion in 2019 to $4.5 billion by 2040. It is especially looking for those with expertise in sustainability and technology, said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan, on the sidelines of the Singapore Mice Awards 2025 on July 24. These skills will help draw global event organisers to Singapore, he added. He cited examples such as using machine learning and artificial intelligence to make organising Mice events more exciting and less labour-intensive. 'People, as we know, are behind the heart of every Mice experience and behind every successful Mice event – where you start from 5.30 in the morning to those who are cleaning up after today's dinner,' Mr Tan said. 'That's why we must continually identify, grow and develop talent in our industry.' Singapore recently secured several Mice events for multi-year contracts such as the Milken Institute Asia Summit, which will be from 2026 to 2028. It will also host the Asian edition of world-leading trade shows from Europe, such as Passenger Terminal Expo Asia and Breakbulk Asia in 2026, and InnoTrans Asia in 2027. They span growing industries, such as aviation, logistics and transport technology. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Live: People evacuated from border regions amid deadly Thailand-Cambodia clash Asia 11 Thai civilians killed as Thai and Cambodian militaries clash at disputed border: Reports Asia Deadly Thai-Cambodian dispute puts Asean's relevance on the line Singapore Singapore says prolonged suffering of civilians in Gaza is 'unconscionable' Singapore Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp Singapore First BTO flats in Greater Southern Waterfront, Mount Pleasant to go on sale in October Singapore Mindef to set up new volunteer management unit to grow volunteer pool Singapore Primary 1 registration: 29 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B The groundwork for this talent pipeline is already being laid, he added. The Singapore Mice Development initiative will be launched on July 25 as part of the three-day Singapore Mice Forum that kicked off on July 23. The forum, organised by the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers (Saceos), is expected to see more than 1,500 attendees from the industry. Leading Mice companies will be able to engage with over 600 students from 13 institutes of higher learning (IHLs), and mid-career professionals exploring opportunities in the industry as part of this initiative. In a speech at the Singapore Mice Awards at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Mr Tan noted that the global Mice market is projected to double in value, with the Asia-Pacific as one of the fastest growing markets. Singapore is intensifying efforts to attract more Mice visitors, who are estimated to spend twice as much as leisure visitors, and studying the development of a new Mice hub in the downtown area. The new facility is expected to complement and bolster Mice facilities in the vicinity, and will leverage existing and upcoming amenities, including hotels and lifestyle experiences. A total of 16 awards were given out at the Singapore Mice Awards, which celebrated outstanding individuals and organisations in the business events industry. The forum also saw the signing of four agreements on July 23 between partners such as Saceos, IHLs and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), aimed at strengthening the pipeline of talent and enhancing training standards. With the aim of lowering barriers to launch, scale and anchor new and innovative events in the Republic, and cultivate them into impactful international events, STB and Saceos have launched BeInspiredSG on July 24. The event incubator and accelerator pilot programme will provide promising local event concepts with mentorship from industry veterans and professional consultancy services.
