Author: desk team

19Jun By desk teamNo Comments
World

Myanmar’s exiled government tells refugees in India: no politics, only smuggling

The exiled government of Myanmar, which consists of elected MPs who were overthrown in the military coup of 2021, has urged its nationals who have sought asylum in India to refrain from interfering in India's political and administrative affairs. Concerns over security led to the announcement from Myanmar's National Unity Government. The NUG requested that any behavior that may "prejudicial to the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of India be avoided by the nation's refugees. Citizens have been admonished explicitly to exercise caution and refrain from "unnecessary involvement in political and administrative matters of the state" where they have sought safety. Additionally, the exiled government urged its people against participating in the illicit trade in both narcotics an...
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Alibaba pays $3.6bn to take over China hypermarket giant SunArt
5Nov By desk teamNo Comments
Business, World

Alibaba pays $3.6bn to take over China hypermarket giant SunArt

Alibaba pays $3.6bn to take over China hypermarket giant SunArt Alibaba has taken control of SunArt which runs hundreds of hypermarkets in China as it expands its grip on the mainland retail sector. PARIS: China's e-commerce behemoth Alibaba has bought a controlling $3.6 billion stake in SunArt which runs hundreds of hypermarkets on the mainland for French shopping giant Auchan. The move to take a 72% holding in SunArt tightens Alibaba's grip on China's vast e-commerce sector as it looks to soak up the new customers pushed online to buy groceries, fresh food and healthcare products by the coronavirus. It also hands over control of 13 million square metres of retail space in scores of cities across the country. SunArt was created by Auchan in 2000 with Ruentex Group and joined in an "a...
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S’pore cyber-security capabilities to be enhanced: Janil Puthucheary
5Nov By desk teamNo Comments
Singapore, World

S’pore cyber-security capabilities to be enhanced: Janil Puthucheary

SINGAPORE - Singapore is ramping up research and innovation efforts to strengthen its cyber-security capabilities, with Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Janil Puthucheary announcing an upcoming collaboration between the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and Israel's Tel Aviv University on Thursday (Oct 8). The joint grant call, which comes under the National Cybersecurity R&D (NCR) programme, is the second with Tel Aviv University. It will see Singapore's researchers work with their Israeli counterparts in challenging areas, such as the security for smart cities and the Internet of Things (IoT), from later this year. The grant call is open to all researchers from local institutes of higher learning and research institutes. The CSA is also taking over t...
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Toronto could lose 270,000 jobs to second wave, economists say — and many will be gone for good
3Nov By desk teamNo Comments
Business, World

Toronto could lose 270,000 jobs to second wave, economists say — and many will be gone for good

The immediate economic pain from the second wave of COVID-19 won’t be as drastic as what we felt this spring, but the Canadian economy will still be dealing with the pandemic’s broader fallout for years to come, economists say. While the second wave — and associated closures — will cause more layoffs, the immediate impact won’t be as widespread or as strong, said Jim Stanford, an economist with the Centre for Future Work. “It’s not going to be as dramatic as the first time, because not as many things are being shut down, and we’ve learned to do some things more safely,” Stanford said. The trouble will be much more narrowly focused this time around, said David Macdonald, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. “I think the pain won’t be as widespread as it was
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After outrage, Indian brand pulls ad with interfaith couple
3Nov By desk teamNo Comments
World

After outrage, Indian brand pulls ad with interfaith couple

NEW DELHI - The advertisement by the popular Indian jewelry brand featured a Muslim man and his Hindu wife preparing for a Hindu-style baby shower. Its tagline read: “A beautiful confluence of two different religions, traditions and cultures.” But just days after the 45-second advertisement aired, the Tanishq brand withdrew it from TV channels and its social media platforms on Tuesday, following a backlash from Hindu nationalists, including members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. They said the ad promoted “love jihad,” a conspiracy theory used by radical Hindu groups who accuse Muslim men of converting Hindu women by marriage. The withdrawal of the ad drew sharp criticism from many in India who said the company was succumbing to right-wing extremists. It
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Rice agenda needs unity
2Nov By desk teamNo Comments
World

Rice agenda needs unity

Rice agenda needs unity The Thai Rice Exporters Association recently revised its estimation of Thai rice exports this year to five million tonnes, the lowest in 20 years, from a previous projection of 6.5 million tonnes. In contrast, India's Rice Exporters Association estimates the country's rice exports will jump by nearly 42% this year to record highs of 14 million tonnes, from 9.9 million last year, securing the throne of the world's largest exporter of rice. Vietnam, the third-biggest global exporter, has an opportunity to surpass Thailand in rice exports this year. According to Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country exported around 6.5-6.7 million tonnes of rice in 2020. What are the problems with Thai rice production? Thailand, once the world's bigge...
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Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over Kashmir border firing
2Nov By desk teamNo Comments
World

Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over Kashmir border firing

ISLAMAB - Pakistan summoned a senior Indian diplomat to its Foreign Ministry on Thursday to complain about what Islamabad says was “indiscriminate and unprovoked firing” by India in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. A Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said the cross-border fire on Wednesday seriously injured two Pakistani civilians, ages 25 and 28, from Barmoch village. Meanwhile, India said it was Pakistan that fired the first shot. Lt. Col. Devender Anand, an Indian army spokesman, said an unprovoked attack by Pakistani troops targeted Indian positions in southern Poonch district in India-administered Kashmir. He said there were no casualties on the Indian side and India retaliated “befittingly.” Pakistan and India routinely accuse each other of unprovoked attacks along the
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Vietnam evacuating low-lying areas as strong typhoon nears
2Nov By desk teamNo Comments
World

Vietnam evacuating low-lying areas as strong typhoon nears

HANOI, Vietnam - Vietnam scrambled Tuesday to evacuate more than a million people in its central lowlands as a strong typhoon approached while some regions are still dealing with the aftermath of recent killer floods, state media said. Typhoon Molave is forecast to slam into Vietnam’s south central coast with sustained winds of up to 135 kilometres (84 miles) per hour on Wednesday morning, according to the official Vietnam News Agency. The typhoon left at least 3 people dead and 13 missing and displaced more than 120,000 villagers in the Philippines before blowing toward Vietnam. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered provincial authorities late Monday to prepare to evacuate about 1.3 million people in regions lying on the typhoon’s path. “We must keep our guard up to protect the lives
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Law enforcement preps for potential election-related unrest
2Nov By desk teamNo Comments
Conflict, World

Law enforcement preps for potential election-related unrest

WASHINGTON - Federal and state law enforcement officials have begun expanded preparations for the possibility of widespread unrest at the polls on Election Day, a response to extraordinarily high tensions among voters and anxieties about safety stoked in part by President Donald Trump. FBI and local officials in several states have been conducting drills, running through worse-case scenarios, setting up command centres to improve co-ordination on reports of violence and voter intimidation, and issuing public warnings that any crime that threatens the sanctity of a Nov. 3 vote will not be tolerated. The efforts are broader and more public-facing than in past years as fears grow over the potential for violent clashes in cities across the United States. Law enforcement officials say they ar...
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B.C. teacher who went through a buyer’s nightmare in Kyuquot finally finds home
1Nov By desk teamNo Comments
World

B.C. teacher who went through a buyer’s nightmare in Kyuquot finally finds home

Joshua Ogden, the teacher who raised the issue of a housing and rental shortage in Kyuquot was able to buy a property on Walters Island after the Mirror reported the issue. In July, Ogden and fellow community members had spoken about not being able to get mortgages for properties that are in non-service areas or far from fire safety services. RE MORE: Coastal B.C. community’s real estate predicament might be turning it into a ghost town In August, Ogden and his family were able to buy a home, through “generous financing” provided by people they know and by Thanksgiving they moved into their new home. “There had been nothing on the real estate market in Kyuquot for years. In the weeks following the publication of the story, two properties became available, and we were able to negotiate
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