Krenovator secures seed funding to enhance its AI-powered tech talent platform 

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  • Money will be used to strengthen the group, boost marketing and sales efforts, and increase productivity.
  • has access to nearly 30 000 highly qualified technical professionals in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Mahadhir Yunus, CEO, Krenovator (left) and-Calvin Lim, COO, Krenovator

Krenovator Technology Sdn Bhd ( Krenovator ), a tech talent platform with AI that focuses on identifying and developing talent for businesses, has received seed funding from Ignite Asia, a venture capital and private equity firm with operations in Singapore and Malaysia. The company stated in a speech that the round was still open and that it had been actually closed in early 2025.

The recently secured funds will be effectively used to strengthen Krenovator’s marketing and sales efforts and expand its team.

Krenovator, which was founded in 2019, has grown into a top AI-powered skills platform for business clients, providing IT services to businesses in the oil and gas, transportation, manufacturing, finance, and banking industries, and the telecommunications industries. The business already provides services to clients in Malaysia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Its main strength, in Krenovator’s opinion, is a powerful technology talent sourcing strategy. The organization has access to nearly 30 000 experienced tech professionals, primarily from Malaysia and Indonesia, through its amazing AI-powered program. Krenovator can quickly identify and provide best candidates for clients ‘ crucial tasks thanks to this extensive talent pool. This unique capability, according to the company, has become a key distinguishing factor, drawing in businesses looking for top tech talent.

Krenovator’s program is growing as a vivid ecosystem for tech professionals, allowing for peer connections, and forgetting strong communities.

The money from Ignite Asia, according to Mahadhir Yunus, CEO of Krenovator, confirms Krenovator’s strategy for addressing the digital talent shortage. He continued, adding that Krenovator’s knowing of business IT needs makes it possible for the company to source top-tier skill in Southeast Asia with the help of the AI-powered platform.

He noted that the funding will enable further group growth, program development, and marketplace reach.

Jake Thui, evil president of assets at Ignite Asia, expressed his admiration for Krenovator’s creative approach to the field of technical expertise. He added that Ignite Asia is eager to help the company grow in the region and that the system’s AI-driven procurement and enterprise-focused plan provide a solid benefit statement.

The bottom five percent of Southeast Asian technical expertise is carefully sourced and nurtured by Krenovator’s primary activities to help enterprise IT initiatives. The firm has grown its talent pool in Malaysia and Indonesia to almost 30 000 specialists over the past two decades, increased its customer base, which includes Fortune 500 companies and is public-listed, and doubled its workforce. The significance of this plant financing in order to support its continued growth and delivery is highlighted by latest acquisitions of significant international clients.

In the coming months, Mahadhir stated that Krenovator plans to triple its revenue and increase its clientele, as well as roll out new services, including increased IT offerings and potential Software Tester as a Service, all of which are based on its expertise in technical talent sourcing to support enterprise digital transformation.

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Harassed by ‘Assassin’s Creed’ gamers, a professor fought back with kindness

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HANOVER, NEW YORK: Sachi Schmidt-Hori has not played Assassin’s Creed Shadows, but after being harassed online by its followers, she rapidly developed her own gameplay philosophy: dealing with hate with kindness.

At Dartmouth College, Schmidt-Hori, an equate professor of Asian literature and culture, worked as a tale consultant on the most recent episode of the well-known Gaming video game franchise. The game was released on March 20, but a special video for the game and Schmidt-Hori’s vile remarks started in May 2024.

She said,” I just decided to do what I knew do work when I realized that I was by myself and that no one was defending me.” It’s very hard to love one away close.

Ancient history is the source of contemporary intimidation.

The sport features Yasuke, a Dark American warrior, and Naoe, a Chinese female murderer, in a world of 16th century Japan. Over the latter, kerfuffle erupted, with gamers calling his addition a “wokeness” run rampant.

They immediately attacked Schmidt-Hori, attacked her on online forums, and allegedly criticized her for her academic job, before shoving her in her box with insults. Her scientific research into sex and gender attracted the attention of many people. Some even ridiculed her husband after discovering his title.

” Think that!” One Reddit user referred to the expert# WOKE SJW as” social justice warrior,” who claimed that “professional# WOKE SJW confirms bogus history for Ubisoft.” Another user referred to her as a” physical degenerate who hates society because no man wants her.”

Learning that Yasuke was based on a true man helped to dissuade reviewers. Even though Schmidt-Hori’s role involved studying historical customs and writing scripts, no creating characters, some Eastern men claimed that she was trying to erase them.

She said,” I became the mouth of this backlash.” I was kind of present when folks asked who to yell at.

She received advice from Microsoft, as did her companions. Otherwise, she drew inspiration from John Lewis, a soon senator and civil rights head.

She said,” I decided to cause’good problems’. ” I shied away from it.”

turning the furniture for the troll

Schmidt-Hori began to respond to some of the unhappy emails, asking the recipients why they were upset with her and inviting them to talk via Zoom face-to-face. She asked an influential person who was against diversity, equity, and inclusion if he had any intentions of helping her with the death dangers she was receiving.

You wouldn’t like it if someone said to your family,” Would you rather hear what people are saying to me?” she enquired.

The author didn’t respond, but he did down the offensive post about Schmidt-Hori. Another thanked.

One guy wrote,” It absolutely destroyed me knowing that you had to endure, cancel your course, and received love from hideous people.” I regret in some ways that I consider you to be a part of my home. I’m so guilty from the bottom of my brain.

Anik Talukder, a 28-year-old north Asian man who lives in the UK, claimed to have apologized to Schmidt-Hori at least 10 days after accepting the invitation to speak to him about his Reddit post.

He posted a picture of Schmidt-Hori, her expert history from the Dartmouth website, a book outline, and a surprise and disappointment about Yasuke’s choice as the hero on May 16.

In an exam, he said,” I felt like maybe they were doing too much of like racial participation and changing things.” ” An Asian man could have served as a role model for a lot of people,” said one man.

Others responded adversely to Schmidt-Hori, and he didn’t immediately criticize him, so the image was shared and picked up in other forums.

He initially hesitated to speak to the teacher after the doctor reached up to him. But they ended up having a thoughtful discussion about the lack of Eastern representation in American internet, which they have since kept in touch.

He said,” I learned a lot of lessons.” Without any justification, I don’t have made this man a target.

Gaming praises and defends its specialist.

About the condemnation of the game or the abuse Schmidt-Hori faced, Ubisoft officials declined to speak with us. The company stated in a speech that it does thorough factual research and works with domestic and expert witnesses, but that the game remain works of fiction and no artistic liberties are taken.

The company stated,” We do not accept abuse or bullying in any form. We are dedicated to creating a sympathetic and cooperative culture, and we are constantly learning how to make this process better. Sachi Schmidt-Hori and we applaud and appreciate her direct strategy and breadth of knowledge.

In Hanover, New Hampshire, most persons who become the goal of website love, according to Kate Mays, an associate professor of open communication at the University of Vermont, are forced to retreat to protect themselves from the doctor at Dartmouth.

Online communities allow users to post anonymously without knowing how their words are read, she said, creating a “perfect wind” for people to turn against one another.

She did a fantastic job of stopping that dangerous station in its lines and creating a new era for people to interact with her, according to Mays. She’s kinds of breaking the ice with that online anti-community engagement and making people see her as both a person and an individual.

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India-Pakistan war fallout would spread far and wide – Asia Times

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As tensions between India and Pakistan threaten to erupt into an empty armed conflict, international buyers are watching with growing concern. The adverse effects on areas may be more profound and urgent than many people realize.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, warned that an American military invasion is “imminent” following a fatal attack on travellers in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that left 26 people dying.

Along the frontier, troops have already been deployed. New Delhi is also considering options after accusing Islamabad of supporting the violent organization that has claimed role for the assault, a command Pakistan denies. &nbsp,

The risk of a weakening conflict between two nuclear-armed countries grows by the minute as complaints become more serious. One of the fastest-growing monetary regions in the world is plunged into confusion by the latest escalation, which markets detest. &nbsp,

Kashmir has always been a source of conflict for India and Pakistan, but the present conflict comes at a much earlier period: when global progress is fragile, danger appetite is declining, and major economies are extremely reversing their commitment to protectionism.

Traders are now starting to adjust. Forex dealers have begun to hedge against greater volatility in the Pakistani and Indian rupees. Geopolitical chance prices are beginning to be priced in the bond markets.

If hostilities escalate, particularly if energy supplies or significant regional trade routes are in jeopardy, global capital markets, which are already nervous from trade wars, may suffer yet another blow.

India is certainly a spectator’s paradise for international buyers. It is the fifth-largest economy in the world, an emerging industry powerhouse that receives billion in foreign direct investment and investment flows. A key issue, according to  , could stymie India’s system investment plans, stör supply chains, and undermine business confidence. &nbsp,

Multinationals with a strong presence in India, from software companies to energy companies, may experience the effects.

However, Pakistan’s economy, which is already strained by inflation, a poor rupee, and skyrocketing debt, may become more unstable. A drawn-out discord almost certainly would require additional funding, probably from the IMF or allies like China. That was alter local alliances and alter the balance of power in South Asia in turn.

The repercussions for the entire world might grow yet further. Washington and Beijing have stepped up to sailor the situation in past skirmishes. However, the political landscape is significantly more shattered right now.

The political safety nets that investors previously relied on are now looking exceedingly strained as the US is consumed by domestic conflicts and China asserts a harder line worldwide.

Energy businesses are especially vulnerable. Any intensification in South Asia may cause greater instability across power routes and shipping lanes, raising insurance costs, and compromising now fragile supply chains, despite that neither India nor Pakistan are the top-tier oil producers. The possibility of a price spike is true because global crude prices are sensitive to even minor geopolitical flareups.

Buyers should also think about the direct effects. Pakistan’s closing of its aircraft to Indian carriers and India’s expulsion of the Indus Waters Treaty are not just symbolic acts; they also destroy crucial economic links. &nbsp,

Liquid shortages in rural areas may cause food prices to rise in Pakistan. Travel and freight logistics may be affected by flight restrictions, which will tighten the worldwide web of business at a time when endurance is already stretched thin.

Regional tensions might have an impact on the software industry as well. The Indian tech sector, which is a vital source of international venture capital and offshoring contracts, thrives on balance. &nbsp,

A significant improvement in stability conditions may cause businesses to halt investments, reorganize operations, or change expansion plans. Systems stocks with a lot of exposure to South Asia might be susceptible to quick repricing.

The chance of misunderstanding increases as corporate calculations become more difficult. One mistaken turn or misplaced sign may turn skirmishes into far more dangerous ones. Traders who have grown accustomed to treating geopolitical risks as mere sound may soon face significant losses in an escalating conflict.

However, there might also be options for those positioned properly in the lessened challenges. Protection contractors and security companies are likely to experience a rise in demand. &nbsp,

Silver, which is already in high demand in the face of doubt in the world, may increase in value if tensions arise between India and Pakistan. Especially if wider regional security is in doubt, energy markets may become more constrained.

Safe-haven flows into German bunds, renminbi, and European euros, and other potential growth. Additionally, sovereign wealth funds and other global institutional investors may reevaluate risk-weighted allocations in favor of safer jurisdictions, causing a rise in the demand for assets in socially stable settings.

The old notion that local issues can be contained without causing greater market collapse is no longer admissible. Kashmir is more than just a local battleground; it poses a global threat. And in today’s highly connected, very delicate world, it could cause a chain of events to occur in markets far away from South Asia.

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Asian markets mixed as investors eye trade talks

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Asian stocks were volatile on Monday ( Apr 28 ) as investors assessed how the land lies on the trade war front with nations attempting to attenuate Donald Trump’s startling tariffs. After President Xi Jinping and other top officials discussed strategies to increase consumption in the nation’s second-largest business lastContinue Reading

Ways for women: How you can push for equity – not just equality – at the office for a healthier work life

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Although the words equity and equality may appear compatible, they have different meanings.

Employees are treated fairly at work regardless of age, sex, or competition, according to justice. To ensure good access to resources and accomplish healthy outcomes, equity involves addressing individual needs and characteristics.

Women need more representation in these places: Flexibility, equal opportunity, and capital for adult caregivers. &nbsp,

Women make up 60 % of carers in Singapore, according to a 2022 Quality of Life study conducted by the National Council of Social Service. Forgetting work and caring duties is a necessity.

More than 260 000 people were unable to function as a result of parenting responsibilities, according to a report released by the 2022 Ministry of Manpower. In response to this, the independent non-profit SG Her Empowerment ( SHE ) has developed a number of initiatives to support women through partnerships and community engagements.

According to its chief operating officer, How Kay Lii, if and when these ladies returned to the workplace, they would have difficulties balancing work and household responsibilities, gender discrimination and work discrimination, lack of access and opportunities, as well as a lack of flexible work arrangements.

These made them vulnerable to promotions, management opportunities, or networking opportunities to assist them in navigating the job market.

SHE Facilitates, an initiative that empowers women as they return to work, provides detailed mentoring services, legitimate clinics, and profession workshops, is run by the organization.

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Xpeng-backed Breton, a maker of EV dump trucks, plans US million Hong Kong IPO

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In light of potential trade tensions, Breton Technology plans to raise HK$ 30 million ( US$ 30 million ) from its Hong Kong initial public offering ( IPO ) in response to Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng.

According to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Friday, the Shanghai-based company intends to sell 13 million shares for HK$ 18 each, which would put it at about HK$ 6.8 billion following the IPO. On May 7, the property is anticipated to begin trading.

According to China Insights Consultancy, Breton ranked second in supplies of battery-electric widebody dump cars with power powers greater than 650 kilowatt-hours between 2022 and 2024. It accounted for 18.3 % of the new-energy widebody chuck vehicle market in China last year, putting it fourth among all producers.

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However, due to significant upfront investments in product development and an increase in raw material and component costs, its net loss increased 20 % year on year to 274.5 million yuan ( US$ 37.5 million ) in 2024.

Breton Technology accounted for an 18.3 per cent share of the new-energy widebody dump truck market in China last year. Photo: Handout

According to the business,” major rises in shipping prices and the prices of organic materials or components may result from currency fluctuations, tariffs, or fluctuations in gas offer, along with other economic or political conditions,” according to the registration. Any significant increase in these charges may result in higher operating costs and potential lower profit margins.

Breton stated that it would concentrate its growth on Africa, Middle East, and Southeast Asia. We do not anticipate the rising US-China tensions having a major impact on our organization, it said.

More than 100 companies have been waiting in the area since late 2024, and Hong Kong’s Investor market has remained resilient in spite of international conflicts stoked by the US’ “reciprocal” taxes. In the first quarter, 15 businesses raised almost triple the amount raised by KPMG, which is second place globally for Investments.

Among Breton’s owners are state-owned bank Hunan Xiangtan Caixin, private equity firm Rockets Capital, owned by Shenzhen-listed Broad-Ocean Motor, and Shenzhen-listed Broad-Ocean Motor.

The main investors are Changfeng Asset Management and Hong Kong-based Changfeng Xinwei Electronic, who both agreed to subscribe to HK$ 63.5 million, or roughly 27 % of the stocks on offer.

Breton intends to use the Investor proceeds to invest in tech, create new goods and services, set up manufacturing facilities, and buy machinery.

Joint partners of the Offering are China International Capital Corporation and CMB International.

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World Bank 2d try at ranking economies for investors also lacking – Asia Times

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The World Bank discontinued one of its key initiatives in 2021: the Doing Business Index, a world rating system that evaluated the ease of starting and operating a business in 190 nations.

That came after an impartial investigation revealed that World Bank authorities had manipulated the rankings to favour wealthy nations like Saudi Arabia and China. Concerns were raised over the use of international benchmarks to influence growth policy following the scandal.

The lender is then retrying. It released its most recent premier record, Business Ready, in October 2024. The World Bank’s and its sister organisation, the International Monetary Fund, will hold their annual meeting in spring 2025, marking the first time the statement will be officially presented to delegates as part of the institution’s high-level plan.

The document, which is referred to as B-READY, aims to analyze business surroundings through more accurate data. The monthly examination aims to assess social addition, environmental conservation, and public service delivery in a wider sense this time.

We have taken a closer look at B-READY because we are experts on global organizations, laws, and growth. We appreciate that a comprehensive analysis of the economic health of nations can be done through the participation of secret stakeholders, but we worry that the most recent work from the World Bank could turn around many of the issues that plagued its father.

From conducting firm to carrying out what?

It’s worthwhile to recall what the Doing Business score measured in order to know what’s at stake. The premier report was used by administrations, investors, and World Bank officials to determine any given nation’s organization atmosphere between 2003 and 2021. It ranked nations based on how simple it was to launch and operate a company in each of the 190 nations.

In order to prioritize those measures, the index frequently praised reforms that eliminated business taxes, environmental protections, and work protections in order to improve the “efficiency” of common laws versus civil law jurisdictions.

According to scholar Joseph E. Stiglitz in 2021, the Doing Business score embodied the values of the so-called Washington Consensus, a growth model rooted in restructuring, liberalization, and market reform.

Critics have long argued that the Doing Business score promoted a worldwide “race to the bottom.” Countries competed to rise in the ranks, frequently by adopting implausible constitutional changes.

In some cases, the World Bank’s domestic data manipulation penalized governments that didn’t appear to be properly business-friendly. In the end, these structural imperfections and the political forces that drove them eventually led to the site’s fate in 2021.

Describe B-READY.

The World Bank’s strategy is to restore its standing following the Doing Business incident. In recent years, there has been both internal and external pressure to develop a son, and B-READY answers to that desire while working to address the scientific shortcomings.

B-READY attempts to understand how regulations engage with facilities, services, and equity considerations, while maintaining a focus on the business environment in theory.

B-READY, which initially includes a number of 50 nations, does not assign a solitary report to the countries it ranks. Instead, it provides more reliable information on 10 topics divided into three columns: the regulatory framework, the public services, and administrative efficiency. Additionally, the report includes fresh themes like gender equity, environmental conservation, and modern access.

B-READY publishes its entire technique and makes its statistics publicly accessible, unlike the Doing Business score.

This appears to be improvement at first glance. However, B-READY is criticized for providing only a more disjointed ranking system, one that is more difficult to interpret and also influenced by the same investor-driven economic assumptions.

The platform, in our opinion, continues to represent a narrow definition of what constitutes a prosperous legal and economic system, not just for investors but also for society as a whole.

Flexibility in terms of manpower right

How B-READY covers labour standards is a major issue. Expert sessions and firm-level surveys are the key main data sources for the report.

The World Bank consults attorneys with national skills to evaluate labor and social security laws. However, the report relies on research that ask businesses whether labour costs, departure privileges, and public services are “burdens” when it comes to how these rules actually work.

This approach captures the employer’s view, but it disregards the actual effects labour rights have on the workers ‘ lives. The grading system occasionally also rewards weaker safeguards. For instance, nations are encouraged to include a minimum-wage rules on the books but penalized if the salary is” to great” in relation to the gross domestic product per person. This causes people to feel pressure to keep income low in order to appear more aggressive. And while that may be beneficial for international businesses looking to lower their labor costs, it won’t actually benefit a nation’s monetary well-being or the local workforce.

This technique, according to the International Trade Union Confederation, runs the risk of promoting metaphorical changes without significantly enhancing worker protection. Georgia, for instance, comes close to the top of the B-READY workers assessment despite having no updated its minimum wage since 1999 and placing it below the poverty level.

Judges that function for whom?

Another disturbing place for us as quantitative law specialists is how B-READY analyzes legal issues. It measures how fast business courts resolve issues, but it disregards the rule of law’s freedom. In consequence, nations like Hungary and Georgia, which have received a lot of negative feedback for their political underperformance and their disregard for the rule of law, come out remarkably higher. Not coincidentally, both administrations have already used these values for political gain and advertising.

This reflects a bigger issue, in our opinion. B-READY does not use the legal system as a platform for common responsibilities, but rather as a means of attracting investment. It assumes that everyone will benefit from making things easier for companies. However, that notion runs the risk of discrediting the people who are most impacted by these laws and institutions: staff, communities, and civil society organizations.

Become… more effective?

B-READY brings more accountability and public data, which is undoubtedly a step away from its father. However, in our opinion, it also fits the description of a “good” legitimate system: one that might bring efficiency to businesses but not necessarily justice or collateral to society.

B-Ready will determine whether it becomes a tool for effective reform or just another restructuring scorecard, depending on the World Bank’s capacity to fight its persistent biases and hear its critics.

Both Dhaisy Paredes Guzman and Fernanda G. Nicola are American University’s laws professors.

The Conversation has republished this essay under a Creative Commons license. Learn the article’s introduction.

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GE2025: RDU unveils potential candidates for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC

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SINGAPORE: Red Dot United (RDU) has unveiled its five potential candidates who will likely contest the Jurong East-Bukit Batok Group Representation Constituency (GRC). 

They are: non-profit organisation manager Liyana Dhamirah, waste management company director Osman Sulaiman, artist Ben Puah, marketing agency director Marcus Neo and principal software engineer Harish Mohanadas.  

Ms Liyana had previously contested under RDU in the 2020 General Election for Jurong GRC, while Mr Osman contested under the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) banner for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

Ms Liyana, Mr Puah and Mr Harish were earlier this month unveiled as “team leads” for the party’s campaign at the five-member GRC.

RDU presented the potential candidates to the media on Wednesday (Apr 16) at 255 Jurong East Street 24, near Jurong-Clementi Town Council, which is within Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC.

The quintet, if fielded on Nomination Day on Apr 23, will be up against a People’s Action Party (PAP) slate that will be led by Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and former Yuhua SMC MP Grace Fu.  

Joining her are two new faces: charity director David Hoe and former Hougang representative Lee Hong Chuang. Also on the team are current Jurong GRC MP and Minister of State for Health and Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mazam, as well as Bukit Batok SMC MP and Minister of State for Transport and Law Murali Pillai.

Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC was formed from a merger of Bukit Batok SMC and parts of Jurong GRC, Yuhua SMC and Hong Kah North SMC following the latest electoral boundaries review. The GRC has 142,510 voters.

Jurong GRC was PAP’s best-performing GRC in the last two elections, securing 79.29 per cent of votes in 2015 and 74.61 per cent in 2020. It was previously anchored by former Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who left politics to contest the presidency in 2023.

Singapore will head to the polls on May 3. 

LIYANA DHAMIRAH  

Ms Liyana, 38, is the manager of a non-profit organisation focused on gender equality. She also runs a virtual services business.

In 2020, she was fielded as part of RDU’s team contesting Jurong GRC alongside Ms Michelle Lee Juen, Mr Ravi Philemon, Mr Nicholas Tang and Mr Alec Tok. They attained 25.39 per cent of the vote.

That same year, Ms Liyana was named one of the SG100 Women in Tech for her contributions to the tech and entrepreneurial space. Her book Homeless: The Untold Story of a Mother’s Struggle in Crazy Rich Singapore won the best non-fiction title at the Singapore Book Awards.  

RDU said Ms Liyana has brought her “authenticity and grassroots spirit to the national stage” during the previous election. 

“She continues to champion policies that uplift families, support small businesses, and address systemic inequality – with a focus on lived experience, empathy, and action,” the party added.

OSMAN SULAIMAN

Mr Osman, 50, is a director of a waste management company in Cebu, Philippines, and has contested in the last three General Elections. 

His latest outing was under the SPP banner in 2020, when he contested Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC with Mr Steve Chia, Mr Melvyn Chiu, and Mr Williiamson Lee, attaining 32.77 per cent of the vote. 

He is an entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience, having helmed two companies – one in interior design and another in debt consolidation. 

“Osman believes that it’s time to stop overlooking the workers who keep this country running,” said RDU in a statement on Wednesday. 

“He stands for a Singapore where every honest job is respected, and where government policies reflect the value of every citizen – not just the privileged few.”  

BEN PUAH 

Mr Puah, 48, is a contemporary artist and community art organiser. 

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and has exhibited his works across Asia, Europe, Australia, and the United States. 

In 2005, Mr Puah founded Colours of Life, a community arts initiative that uses collaborative and community art to strengthen social bonds, promote well-being, and give marginalised groups a platform to express themselves. The initiative was officially opened by the late President S R Nathan and his wife. 

RDU said in its statement that Mr Puah brings a “deeply empathetic and community-grounded approach to politics”. 

“He believes in policies that support mental well-being, cultural inclusion, and holistic education – values he has long championed through his artistic and social practice,” the party added.

MARCUS NEO

The 33-year-old is a director of a boutique marketing agency serving law firms in Singapore.

RDU said in its statement that Mr Neo had experienced financial hardship growing up that “shaped his understanding of inequality”. 

He also believes that parliament must include more people with lived experience – those who “didn’t start from privilege but built their lives through grit, failure, and perseverance”, said the party. 

“With a background in data-driven marketing and a deep understanding of ground realities, Marcus hopes to bring fresh insights to policy making and champion long-term, inclusive solutions.”  

HARISH MOHANDAS 

Mr Harish, 39, is a principal software engineer who develops digital solutions for government and industry clients.

Prior to this, he was a civil engineer with over a decade of experience in Singapore’s built environment sector. Projects he has contributed to include Phase 2 of Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System. 

Mr Harish also contributes to public discourse through opinion pieces published on socio-political news sites. 

“With first-hand experience in shaping modern Singapore’s infrastructure and a strong belief in evidence-based policy, he hopes to bring a forward-thinking, systems-driven approach to parliament – one that promotes resilience, equity, and long-term national wellbeing,” said RDU.

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National Herald: India’s Gandhis charged in money laundering case amid opposition outcry

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43 seconds ago
Nikita Yadav

Delhi, BBC News

Getty Images UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi with Congress President Rahul Gandhi during a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, at AICC headquarters, on May 25, 2019 in New Delhi, India. Getty Images

After the country’s economic crimes firm charged senior officials Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and others with cash fraud, India’s opposition Congress party has announced it will hold countrywide protests on Wednesday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) presented its findings in a Delhi court on Tuesday, accusing the Gandhis of forming a shell company to illegally acquire assets of the National Herald newspaper worth more than 20bn rupees ($233mn; £176mn).

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh called the charges “politics of vendetta and intimidation” by the government.

The Gandhis, who have earlier denied any wrongdoing, have never made any comments regarding the allegations.

Getty Images Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, Vice President of India Hamid Ansari, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the release of commemorative edition of National Herald newspaper at Dr. Ambedkar Bhawan on June 12, 2017 in Bengaluru, India. Getty Images

Various members of the Congress party are named in the investigation, including its outside leader Sam Pitroda, according to ANI news agency.

Subramanian Swamy, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP), filed a private complaint in 2021 that led the Enforcement Directorate ( ED ) to begin looking into the case.

Swamy claimed that the Gandhis illegally acquired properties worth millions through Associated Journals Limited ( AJL), which published the now-defunct National Herald newspaper, and that the Gandhis used party funds to buy Associated Journals Limited ( AJL ) from the newspaper.

The Congress maintains that it lent more than 900 million pounds to AJL over the years and that it bailed out the publisher as a result of its historic reputation.

By converting its debt for equity and giving the stock to a newly established company called Young Indian, which the gathering claims is a “not-for-profit business” with no income paid to its shareholders and directors, AJL became debt-free in 2010.

The managers of Young Indian, Rahul and Sonia, each individual 38 % of the business. Congress leaders, including Motilal Vora and Sam Pitroda, own the remaining 24 %, including the remaining 24 %.

The Enforcement Directorate reported last week that Young Indian had purchased AJL qualities worth 20 billion rupees for only 5 million, considerably undervaluing their value.

It also served several notices to seize assets worth 6.6bn rupees across several Indian cities – including Delhi and Mumbai – which are connected to Young Indian.

On April 25th, the event is scheduled to be heard.

Getty Images Prime Minister Nehru said, in a fighting radio address directed to India's officers and men on December 10th, said the nation was fully behind them.Getty Images

The National Herald is what?

Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister and Rahul Gandhi’s great-grandfather, founded The National Herald paper in 1938.

It stopped being published in 2008 after experiencing financial difficulties, but the Congress after purchased it in 2010 and relaunched as a digital media shop in 2017.

Associated Journals Limited ( AJL), which was founded in 1937 and had 5, 000 freedom fighters as shareholders, published it. Additionally, AJL published Navjeevan and Qaumi Awaz in Hindi and Urdu.

The National Herald gained notoriety for its connection with India’s struggle for independence and its patriotic outlook.

Nehru’s frequent writing of incisive columns resulted in the American government’s 1942 ban on the paper. It reopened three years later.

Nehru resigned as news president in 1947 as prime minister of India.

However, the Congress continued to have a significant influence on the paper’s philosophy.

Nehru addressed the National Herald to discuss the paper’s “generally favoring Congress plan” in a message from 1963 to its metallic jubilee while maintaining” an independent outlook.”

The National Herald eventually grew to become a prominent American daily with support from the Congress group before closing in 2008 due to years of financial difficulties.

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