SINGAPORE - The Singapore Armed Forces is trialling less invasive methods of collecting samples for Covid-19 testing and tests with rapid results as more training resumes. Self-administered saliva collection and nasal swabs that are less uncomfortable as they reach only partially up the nose are among the methods being trialled in active SAF units, along with antigen rapid tests (ARTs). ARTs are also being trialled at other mass events where participants must register a negative result before being admitted. Such tests are suited for large-scale events, where faster turnaround is critical, including at basic military training graduation parades, which are currently held without invited guests. From this month, all operationally-ready national servicemen (NSmen) from the army, as well as their regular trainers, have to undergo weekly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests through the usual nasal swabs when they are called for in-camp training. Senior Minister of State for ... » Learn More about SAF trials saliva collection for Covid-19 and antigen rapid tests as more training resumes
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3 state universities, Searca partner for agri innovation
THE Tarlac Agricultural University (TAU), Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) and Batangas State University (BatStateU) have recently partnered with the Los Baños-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca). TAU and LSPU have formalized ties with Searca on areas of mutual interest such as education, research and training while BatStateU agreed to cooperate in the same areas with special focus on innovative agricultural technologies, agribusiness incubation and technology transfer. Under the partnership, a five-year memoranda of understanding (MoU) was signed by Glenn Gregorio, Searca director; Max Guillermo, TAU president; Mario R. Briones, LSPU president; and Tirso Ronquillo, BatStateU president. “Searca’s collaboration with agricultural universities is part of its strategy to harness academe-industry-government interconnectivity to revitalize the agriculture sector in the country,” Gregorio said. He said Searca ... » Learn More about 3 state universities, Searca partner for agri innovation
Netflix Steps ups its Game in Thailand as Disney Plus Enters Market
U.S streaming giant Netflix is ramping up its mobile-only subscription plans in Thailand and expanding local content, as arch-rival Disney Plus arrives in the fast-growing market. The world’s biggest video streaming platform by paid customers, Netflix told Reuters more than a million of its nearly 200 million subscribers around the world are in Southeast Asia, home to around 655 million people. But the market is ripe for rapid growth, analysts say, with the Disney+ Hotstar launch in Indonesia next month set to become a key battleground. “What we see in Southeast Asia is that it’s a very mobile-centric market”, Netflix director for product innovation Ajay Arora said in a recent interview. That’s led the company to push cheaper mobile plans and adapt its product to fit lower-end smartphones, Arora said. Southeast Asia is estimated to have generated $600 million in overall subscription music and video revenue in 2019, according to a study by Google, Temasek Holdings and Bain ... » Learn More about Netflix Steps ups its Game in Thailand as Disney Plus Enters Market
New illicit drug cocktail on Bangkok’s streets | VIDEO
Watch the video here… WARNING: This article contains content related to drugs and drug use. A cocktail of narcotics known to police as “K powdered milk” or “K Nompong’ in Thai, is suspected to be linked to a number of deaths among young Thais in Bangkok. The “K powdered milk” is a mixture of ketamine, heroin, methamphetamine and a sleeping pill known as “Rose,” police say. Rose is the product name… the label says… “A combination of rose scent, menthol, and natural beeswax make it an ideal scent for relaxing sleeping time.” When crushed together, the drugs resemble milk powder. Police also believe that the cocktail could include clonazepam smuggled in across the borders. Clonazepam is a medication used to prevent and treat seizures and panic disorder. Medicallym, it’s a tranquilizer of the benzodiazepine class. Police say the drug cocktail gives users a rapid high and can be fatal if overused. Given each individual drug’s effects, and the amount of each in the cocktail ... » Learn More about New illicit drug cocktail on Bangkok’s streets | VIDEO
Australia acts vs ecosystems collapse
CANBERRA: A coalition of Australian scientists have warned that urgent action is needed to save 19 ecosystems from collapse. In a report, 38 scientists from 29 universities and government agencies described that some ecosystems are collapsing due to the impact of humans ranging from coral reefs, deserts and rainforests to waterways. Dana Bergstrom, the lead author of the study from the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), said the scientists examined 20 ecosystems, finding that 19 of them were experiencing potentially-irreversible changes as a result of rising temperatures, invasive species and habitat loss. However, the study found that urgent action could still make a difference. “None of the 19 ecosystems has yet collapsed across its entire range, but for all case studies there is documented evidence of ecosystem collapse in some areas,” Bergstrom told The Guardian. “Urgent action will be essential to prevent the loss of any of these ecosystems in their entirety.” Euan ... » Learn More about Australia acts vs ecosystems collapse
Car manufacturers in race to bag chips
In this file photo, workers inspect cars at a manufacturing plant in Prachin Buri. A shortage of semiconductors has implications for many industries, such as automotive and electronics manufacturing. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard) Domestic car manufacturers are racing to increase purchase orders for semiconductors to avoid cutting their production capacity as a result of a global shortage of chips for cars. Representing the control centre of modern cars and electrical appliances, these semiconductors are now in short supply, intensifying the competition to obtain them. The global chip shortage results from a combination of factors ranging from increasing demand for electronic equipment as more people work from home during the pandemic, the growth in electric vehicles, as well as the US-China trade war, which led to restrictions on chip imports from China. "The automotive industry is concerned it will encounter a similar situation as the one that took place in the US as chip ... » Learn More about Car manufacturers in race to bag chips
Experts disapprove of govt’s COVID-19 handling, survey says
Experts from various fields are dissatisfied with the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, urging it to prioritize health care in tackling the crisis, a recent survey reveals. Pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia conducted the survey in July involving 304 opinion leaders in 20 cities, including academicians, business people, journalists and NGO activists. Among them are Nadhlatul Ulama’s (NU) Mustofa “Gus Mus” Bisri, former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Busyro Muqoddas and Persahabatan Hospital pulmonologist Erlina Burhan. Indikator executive director Burhanuddin Muhtadi emphasized the importance of the survey, saying that experts tended to be more critical of the government’s efforts as they have better knowledge and understanding of relevant details that the general public may not be aware of. Released on Thursday, the survey revealed that 36.8 percent of respondents approved of how the government is dealing with the pandemic — less than 51.5 ... » Learn More about Experts disapprove of govt’s COVID-19 handling, survey says
Is money still relevant in politics?
Seven months since Donald Trump was inaugurated as leader of the most powerful country, we are still left wondering how it happened. A little over three weeks ago, Democrats were once again forced to witness a gut-wrenching defeat in what was called the most important special election in history in which Democrats’ Jon Ossoff lost to GOP’s Karen Handel. Two massive defeats raise questions about Democrats viability and just how long can GOP maintain their dominance. However, let’s just talk about the financial aspect of the elections. Money is a huge part of politics and democracy. After all, political candidates need to get their faces and ideas out there, and candidates with more money are thought to have more chance of winning. Three elections I’d like to highlight here might have proved otherwise. The US presidential election is arguably the richest race in the world, attracting billions of dollars in donations from corporations and average Joes. Hillary Clinton raised over ... » Learn More about Is money still relevant in politics?
Chiang Rai Community Continues the Fight to Save its Wetland Forest
Srongpol Chantharueang remembers his parents telling him as a boy always to protect the local wetland forest when he grew up. They told him that the ecosystem would be important for his life and that of his community. “I didn’t understand what they meant at the time,” he told Mongabay via a video call. “I didn’t understand what the true value of the wetland forest was.” Srongpol chairs the Boon Rueang Wetland Forest Conservation Group, which partnered with international nonprofits, civil society organizations and local academic institutions to share evidence of the importance of the wetland forest for biodiversity and the local community A village leader, Srongpol lives in Ban Boon Rueang, a town in Thailand’s northern Chiang Rai province. Nestled between the Doi Yao mountain range and the lower reaches of the Ing River, a 260-kilometer (160-mile) tributary of the Mekong, Ban Boon Rueang is an unassuming town with an agrarian lifestyle that goes back generations. But in recent ... » Learn More about Chiang Rai Community Continues the Fight to Save its Wetland Forest
What is Bitcoin? What are the Uses Of Using Cryptocurrency?
People are looking to invest in cryptocurrency these days, and it has more value than the regular one. With the help of cryptocurrency, people can get many advantages, which is what people want these days, which is a better fortune. The best and most famous cryptocurrency on the internet and financial world today is bitcoin . It has never left the headlines, and you would know about it if you are interested in this type of currency. There are many benefits and uses of a currency available on the internet, which is worth many thousands and tens of dollars. Not everyone is aware of the reality, though, and many people just know the overview. By the time people get to know more about it, they will have a different aspect of their minds and what it is. What is meant by bitcoin? Many people have heard about this and the news that is on the internet. There are various amounts of things that people get to know about it from the news, but it is not easy to get to know the actual ... » Learn More about What is Bitcoin? What are the Uses Of Using Cryptocurrency?