A Chinese national has been hauled to court for allegedly appointing a Singaporean woman to buy a unit in a landed housing estate on his behalf.As a foreigner, Chen Xiaopu, 39, would have required government approval to buy the semi-detached house and he was on Monday charged with an offence under the Residential Property Act.According to court records, the woman involved, Song Fanrong, 49, has also been charged with three similar offences and is scheduled to plead guilty on Tuesday.Chen is…
Pakistan gunmen kill policeman guarding polio vaccinators, second such killing in 2 days
Gunmen shot dead a policeman guarding a polio vaccination team in Pakistan’s northwest on Sunday in the second such killing in two days, police said.The attack in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa came a day after two men with the Pakistani Taliban killed a police officer who was guarding a similar vaccination team in the same area.“Two gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire on a policeman who was guarding a two-member female polio vaccination team in the Sheikh Uttar area, killing him on the…
What makes Singaporean Malay food unique? From mee rebus to nasi lemak, historian explores the tantalising gastronomy of ‘Nusantara’ in new book
Malay food continues to gain popularity around the world but it is, at times, still misunderstood. In Britain, for instance, a Malaysia-born contestant was eliminated from cooking show Masterchef in 2018 after one of the judges said her chicken rendang – a dish that is traditionally slowed-cooked in coconut milk and spices until tender – was not crispy enough, almost sparking a diplomatic incident.It is little wonder the cuisine’s complexity remains unfamiliar to most. Beyond the five basic…
Japan mulls not sending ministers to Beijing Olympics: sources
Japan is considering not sending Cabinet ministers to next year’s Beijing Olympics in line with a US-led diplomatic boycott amid rising criticism over China’s human rights record, government and ruling coalition sources said on Saturday.Japan’s actions would see it side with the United States, along with countries including Australia, Britain and Canada, while stopping short of actually being a diplomatic boycott, the sources said.Various options are being mulled including sending Seiko…
UK man in Singapore says otter attack left him with 26 wounds on bum, legs, hands
A British man taking an early morning walk at the Singapore Botanic Gardens said he was attacked by a pack of wild otters, leaving him with 26 wounds on his buttocks, legs and fingers.Graham Spencer, in his 60s, was on his usual 6am walk in the gardens on November 30, when a “convoy” of about 20 otters ambushed him, causing him to fall, and trampled and bit him.Spencer escaped when his friend ran over to scream at the otters and pulled him away.The whole process was 10 or 12 seconds … I…
Consumer duty plan a ‘considerable shake up’ for financial firms
The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) proposed new consumer duty would be a “considerable shake up” for the UK’s retail financial services industry, according to one expert.
Welcome enhancements proposed to the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive
The European Commission has published proposals to amend the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), almost a decade after the law came into force.
Purpose identified as driver of improved performance and culture
Businesses that develop, and align themselves behind, an authentic purpose can improve their organisational culture and achieve a competitive advantage, but as more organisations consider becoming purpose-led, investment is needed in tools to measure its impact, experts have said.
Nobel Peace winner Maria Ressa slams US social media giants for fuelling hate after accepting award
Accepting her Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, Philippine journalist Maria Ressa launched a vitriolic attack against American tech giants, accusing them of fuelling a flood of “toxic sludge” on social media.Ressa, the co-founder of news website Rappler who won this year’s prize together with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, attacked the technology industry which “has allowed a virus of lies to infect each of us, pitting us against each other, bringing out our fears, anger and hate, and setting…
Put US weapons in warehouses or destroy them, Cambodia tells military after arms embargo
Cambodian leader Hun Sen ordered the country’s military to destroy any US weaponry or dump it in warehouses on Friday, after Washington imposed an arms embargo over human rights concerns and Phnom Penh’s close ties with China.The US on Wednesday imposed an arms embargo on Cambodia, citing concerns about human rights and corruption in the southeast Asian nation as well as China’s activities there.The actions taken by the US State and Commerce departments aimed to restrict access to “defence…