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Google has announced SignGemma, a new artificial intelligence (AI) model that can translate sign language into spoken text. The model, which will be part of the Gemma series of models, is currently being tested by the Mountain View-based tech giant and is expected to be launched later this year. Similar to all the other Gemma models, SignGemma will also be an open-source AI model, available to individuals and businesses. It was first showcased during the Google I/O 2025 keynote, and it is designed to help people with speech and hearing disabilities effectively communicate with even those who do not understand…

[KUALA LUMPUR] The Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) plans to establish a regional private-markets association by year end to unlock as much as US$60 billion in private equity and venture funding to support small and medium-sized enterprises and startups across South-east Asia.Speaking at the Asean Business Forum 2025, Asean-BAC Malaysia chairman Nazir Razak said the move comes amid growing concerns that Asean’s private-capital ecosystem remains underdeveloped, representing just 0.5 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product – far below the global average of 1.5 per cent.He noted that the council has been working with the governments of Malaysia, Singapore,…

[SINGAPORE] Integrated healthcare operator IHH Healthcare on Thursday (May 29) posted a 33 per cent fall in net profit to RM514 million (S$156.3 million) for its first quarter ended Mar 31, from RM768 million the year before.The drop came mainly from a lower net monetary gain from the application of MFRS 129, and the recognition of a deferred tax credit in 2024 arising from the revaluation of certain assets in Turkey, which was granted by the Turkish government, the mainboard-listed group said in a bourse filing.MFRS (Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards) 129 requires financial statements of an entity, the functional currency…

Most microSD cards are fast enough for boosting storage space and making simple file transfers, but some provide a little more value than others. If you’ve got a device that still accepts microSD cards — whether it’s an older gaming handheld, the new Nintendo Switch 2, a dash cam, a drone or an Android tablet — we’ve scoured the market and put close to 20 top contenders through a number of benchmark tests. You can find our recommendations for the best microSD cards below, alongside some general shopping advice before you buy.Table of contentsBest microSD cards of 2025LexarStorage capacity: 128GB,…

LONDON :Oil prices rose on Thursday after a U.S. court blocked most of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, while the market was watching out for potential new U.S. sanctions curbing Russian crude flows and an OPEC+ decision on hiking output in July.Brent crude futures climbed 27 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to $65.17 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude advanced by 26 cents, or 0.4 per cent, to $62.10 a barrel at 1045 GMT.A U.S. trade court on Wednesday ruled that Trump overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from U.S. trading partners. The court was not asked…

The rise in cases underscores the challenges being faced by the banking regulatorPublished Thu, May 29, 2025 · 06:36 PM[MUMBAI] Bank frauds in India jumped threefold last year, with loans contributing to bulk of the cases, while discrepancies in digital payments declined. The amount of frauds climbed to 360 billion rupees (S$5.4 billion) at the end of March this year, compared with 122.3 billion rupees a year ago, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s latest annual report, which looked at cases above 100,000 rupees.The jump was exacerbated by an addition of 122 cases amounting to a fraud of 186.74…

The Post Office has been slammed after it was revealed the organisation’s social media accounts have been deleting, suppressing and blocking comments about serious concerns around compensation for subpostmasters affected by the Horizon IT scandal. At least two users, including a former subpostmaster, have been blocked by the Post Office’s social media account after posting comments calling the Horizon IT scandal “shameful” and urging faster compensation. Dozens more comments related to the scandal have since been deleted, it can be revealed. The Post Office said it will make “further enquiries” into their social media accounts, but Sir Alan Bates,…

The Trump administration has canceled $766 million awarded to drugmaker Moderna Inc. to develop a vaccine against potential pandemic influenza viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu. The company said it was notified Wednesday that the Health and Human Services Department had withdrawn funds awarded in July 2024 and in January to pay for development and purchase of its investigational vaccine. The funds were awarded through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a program that focuses on medical treatments for potential pandemics. The new vaccine, called mRNA-1018, used the same technology that allowed development and rollout of vaccines…

Stories you might have missedSembawang EC site and mega Hougang mixed-use plot launched for tender; sites can take over 1,000 homesBids of S$600-700 psf ppr expected for EC plot; Hougang plot, with allowable GFA of over 1 million sq ft, could fetch top bid of S$800-900 psf ppr.Premium Automobiles to distribute Changan, Huawei, CATL-backed luxury EV brand Avatr in SingaporeBrand debut to take place in late July; first model for the country is the Avatr 11 large SUV.Seatrium posts S$21.3 billion Q1 net ordersBT in your inboxStart and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight…

Accessibility is increasingly recognized as an important part of how organizations deliver value  across a number of industries, and rightly so. It goes beyond meeting legal requirements to improve user experience, promote inclusion, and build better services for all. Yet, despite the growing awareness, some organizations still see integrating accessibility into its processes as an isolated effort or something to be ‘checked off’ near the end of a project, prompted by upcoming regulation, user complaints, or reputational risk. This reactive approach may satisfy compliance needs in the short-term, but it does little to build lasting, meaningful inclusion. Meaningful progress happens when…