Global innovation index 2019

SINGAPORE - After going through her own struggles, Ms Angie Chew, 56, channelled her efforts towards helping many others by setting up centres that provide emotional and mental support. For her contributions to society in helping those with mental health issues, as well as the elderly, Ms Chew was named The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year 2019 on Tuesday evening (Feb 11) at the Istana. She said receiving the award was “a real win for mental health” as it is an under-recognised area that is under-invested, with more resources devoted to physical ailments than mental health problems. She added: “I hope that this will also inspire more people to talk about their mental illness and also give support to people who have mental illness, because it’s not an easy journey (and is) often misunderstood.” Ms Chew started Brahm Centre in 2012 to provide free health education, as well as other services such as befriending, counselling and dementia screenings for seniors who are frail ... » Learn More about ST Singaporean of the Year 2019 helps others overcome mental health woes

HONG KONG , March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirae Asset Global Investments ( Hong Kong ) Limited ("Mirae Asset") is delighted to announce that it has become the inaugural recipient of the House Award for Excellence in Innovation at the Fund Selector Asia (FSA) Fund Awards Hong Kong 2021. The accolade reflects the prowess of Mirae Asset's 'Global X' platform, the ETFs, research and insights of which are at the cutting edge of thematic investing. Global X thematic growth ETFs target companies potentially poised to benefit from structural shifts in disruptive technology, people and demographics, as well as physical environment. Reflecting great capacity for originality and competitiveness, the award is a recognition of the ground Mirae Asset has broken over the past year with the rollout of a number of China -focused thematic ETFs under the Global X brand. Mr. JH Rhee, Chief Executive Officer of Mirae Asset Global Investments (HK) Ltd. , said, "The award is a testament to the ... » Learn More about Global X by Mirae Asset recognized at the FSA Fund Awards Hong Kong 2021 for cutting-edge ETF innovation

SHENZHEN, China , March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, has been included global top 3 for its sustainable leadership in 5G declared Standard-Essential Patents(SEP) to ETSI, according to the latest report "Who is leading the 5G patent race?" published on February 16 by IPlytics, a market intelligence tool to analyze technology trends, market developments and a company's competitive position. With more and more companies declaring ownership of standard essential patents (SEPs) for 5G standards, it is crucial to keep up with the filing numbers of the patent leaders in connectivity. According to the report, the next industrial revolution will see increasing technological convergence as connectivity technologies are gradually integrated into mechanical products, and the world will witness the increasing importance of 5G technology ... » Learn More about ZTE ranks global top 3 for sustainable leadership in 5G declared Standard-Essential Patents to ETSI

SINGAPORE - A $25 billion plan charting the country's research landscape was launched on Friday (Dec 11), a critical investment that will help the economy emerge stronger from the shadow of Covid-19, while ensuring the country shores up its defences against future threats. Among the plans is a national effort to help Singapore respond nimbly to future infectious diseases. The pandemic has accelerated technological trends and structural changes that will reshape the global economy, and throw up new challenges for societies, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat at a press conference to lay out the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan. "Science, technology and innovation will be critical to overcome Covid-19 and in enabling us to emerge stronger," said Mr Heng, who is also chairman of the National Research Foundation (NRF). The five-year blueprint will focus on four key areas - health, sustainability, the digital economy, and manufacturing; with firm support ... » Learn More about Record $25 billion for research and innovation over next 5 years to secure Singapore’s future

SINGAPORE - The Covid-19 pandemic saw an extraordinary shift in our lifestyles and travel patterns, as people opted to have food delivered - using huge amounts of plastic in the process - and moved towards using private transport over public. Environmental consequences arising from this shift have brought the issue of sustainability to the fore, and innovators could play a crucial role in providing solutions that will help move the world towards a greener future. This was a point made by panellists at the launch of The Liveability Challenge 2021 on Friday (Jan 15). Ms Jessica Cheam, who moderated the panel discussion, told The Straits Times: "I think Covid-19 has shown that we need to think long term about building resilience and sustainability in our communities. This crisis is a wake-up call and dress rehearsal for the much bigger climate crisis." Ms Cheam is the managing director of media organisation Eco-Business, which is organising The Liveability Challenge presented by ... » Learn More about Time is ripe for innovation as Covid-19 turns spotlight on sustainability: Business leaders

OTTAWA (REUTERS) - Canada's Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains resigned for family reasons on Tuesday (Jan 12), setting in motion a reshuffle of some top players in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Cabinet ahead of a possible election this year. A government source said current Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne would take over from Mr Bains. The source requested anonymity, given the sensitivity of the situation. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp and Global News both said Transport Minister Marc Garneau would replace Mr Champagne. Mr Bains, 43, who has been in the job since Mr Trudeau took power in late 2015, said he would not stand in the next election, which Liberal insiders say is likely this year. He represents a parliamentary constituency in the Greater Toronto Area, a stronghold for Mr Trudeau's ruling Liberal Party. "It's time for me to put my family first, and I couldn't be happier about it," Mr Bains said in a video posted on Twitter. "No longer my ... » Learn More about Canada’s innovation minister steps down, setting off Trudeau reshuffle

SINGAPORE - Singapore and Switzerland are jointly chairing a global initiative to support equitable access to a Covid-19 vaccine, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Thursday (Sept 17). Singapore is an early supporter of the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) Facility, said Mr Heng in a Facebook post, and is co-chairing the Friends of the Covax Facility initiative with Switzerland, to promote vaccine multilateralism. Earlier in the evening, Mr Heng, together with Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, took part in the Joint Finance and Health Ministers Meeting hosted by Group of 20 (G-20) chairman Saudi Arabia. Thanking his Saudi counterparts for their leadership on global efforts to fight the pandemic, Mr Heng, who is also Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, said: "Health and finance have always been closely intertwined, and in a pandemic, this is even more so." He noted that countries, international organisations and the private sector are ... » Learn More about Singapore co-chairing global initiative to secure Covid-19 vaccine doses for the world: Heng Swee Keat

PARIS (AFP) - Global CO2 emissions have returned to pre-pandemic levels and then some, threatening to put climate treaty targets for capping global warming out of reach, the International Energy Agency said Tuesday (March 2). Energy-related emissions were 2 per cent higher in December 2020 than in the same month a year earlier, driven by economic recovery and a lack of clean energy policies, the IEA said in a report. "The rebound in global carbon emissions towards the end of last year is a stark warning that not enough is being done to accelerate clean energy transitions worldwide," IEA executive director Fatih Birol said in a statement. "If governments don't move quickly with the right energy policies, this could put at risk the world's historic opportunity to make 2019 the definitive peak in global emissions." A year ago, the intergovernmental agency called on governments to put clean energy at the heart of economic stimulus plans, but the appeal appears to have fallen on deaf ... » Learn More about Global CO2 pollution back to pre-pandemic levels, risking climate goals: International Energy Agency

The world’s super-rich have weathered the Covid-19 pandemic, their numbers increasing last year, particularly in China which saw the fastest gain, according to the latest Wealth Report by property consultancy Knight Frank. The elite club of people whose net worth exceeds US$30 million (S$40 million) excluding their primary residence swelled by 16 per cent in China in 2020. Sweden, in second place, saw the number of ultra-wealthy residents grow by 11 per cent, just ahead of Singapore on 10 per cent, said the report, now in its 13th edition. At the other end of the scale, Greece’s ultra-wealthy population declined by a third. “The number of UHNWI [ultra high net worth individuals] in China has grown by 137 per cent in the past five years and is expected to grow by 46 per cent in the next five years,” said Martin Wong, associate director, research and consultancy, Greater China, at Knight Frank. “By 2025, the UHNWI population in China will reach over 103,000, which would put it ... » Learn More about China saw number of ultra-wealthy individuals rise the fastest globally in 2020, Knight Frank study finds

SINGAPORE: The Singapore economy expanded by 0.7 per cent last year, down from 2018’s 3.1 per cent and its slowest in a decade, even as official flash estimates on Thursday (Jan 2) showed growth picking up pace slightly in the fourth quarter. This is Singapore's slowest full-year growth since 2009, according to Bloomberg data. For the last three months of 2019, gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 0.8 per cent from the same period a year ago, a nudge up from the revised 0.7 per cent growth in the third quarter , the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said. The fourth-quarter flash estimate, which is computed largely from data gathered in the first two months of the quarter, was in line with a Reuters forecast. On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted annualised basis, the economy grew at a slower pace of 0.1 per cent. This is way below the 2.4 per cent expansion in the previous quarter and below economists’ expectations of 0.4 per cent. READ: Singapore's ... » Learn More about Singapore economy expands 0.7% in 2019, slowest in a decade