There's some good news for grounded Indian airline Go First. A Singapore arbitration court has ordered US engine maker Pratt & Whitney to deliver five engines per month between august and December 2023 to the budget airline.

Go First gets relief from Singapore arbitration court

Death&nbsp;row&nbsp;inmate Nazeri Lajim beams at the camera, fingers raised in a "V" sign, wearing a shirt emblazoned with large motifs and showing no signs of his impending hanging.&nbsp;

Taken days before his execution at&nbsp;Singapore's Changi prison, the picture is among the last mementoes Lajim's family has of the 64-year-old, who was executed on charges of drug trafficking.

In the city-state, prison officials offer a&nbsp;photo&nbsp;shoot shortly before an inmate's hanging, providing simple props like chairs and other items.

"When I see his photograph he's (a) very healthy man, he's very good looking man... his face shines," Nazira Lajim Hertslet, his sister, told AFP. "I was very upset... that he was taken away just like that."

Singapore&nbsp;imposes the&nbsp;death&nbsp;penalty for a litany of crimes, including murder and some forms of kidnapping.

It also has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws: trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis can result in the&nbsp;death&nbsp;penalty.

Thirteen people have been hanged since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a programme first introduced in the 1990s, they were offered the option to pose for photographs before their&nbsp;death.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-executes-2nd-citizen-in-three-weeks-for-trafficking-drugs-593376">Also Read :&nbsp;Singapore executes second citizen in three weeks for trafficking drugs</a>

<h2>'Quite cruel'&nbsp;</h2>

Usually taken against a pale-green flowery backdrop, the photos offer a glimpse into the last days of the condemned.

The&nbsp;Singapore&nbsp;Prison Service says participation in the programme is voluntary, and that the&nbsp;photo&nbsp;shoots&nbsp;"allow family members to have recent photographs of their loved one".

Relatives, however, say they have mixed feelings about the practice.&nbsp;

"Actually it's quite cruel to do such thing, to take photograph on his last days," said Hertslet, pointing to the horror inmates might feel knowing it was their last time being photographed alive.

"But at least we have his last&nbsp;photo&nbsp;for memories when he's really gone," she added.

Nazeri was hanged last year for trafficking more than 33 grams (1.2 ounces) of heroin.

In his sister's favourite photograph of him, he is wearing a white Muslim prayer robe, his hands clasped in front, looking at the camera.

<h2>&nbsp;A 'veneer of thoughtfulness'&nbsp;</h2>

Little information is publicly available about&nbsp;Singapore's&nbsp;death&nbsp;row&nbsp;inmates.

The Transformative Justice Collective, which provides support to families of&nbsp;death&nbsp;row&nbsp;prisoners and advocates for the abolition of the&nbsp;death&nbsp;penalty, estimates about 53 people are on&nbsp;death&nbsp;row, the majority convicted of drug offences.&nbsp;

Authorities generally notify inmates and their families about a week before an execution.

During that time, the inmate is allowed to have daily visitors, but they are separated by a glass pane and no physical contact is allowed, according to the TJC.

Spiritual counsellors are also provided.

Kokila Annamalai, a TJC activist, said the&nbsp;photo&nbsp;shoots&nbsp;are an attempt "to lend a veneer of thoughtfulness" to the executions.

In the&nbsp;photo&nbsp;sessions, prisoners can strike a particular pose or wear clothing that means something to a family member, she said.

"And so, I think that the photos are also like&nbsp;love&nbsp;letters&nbsp;to them."

Watch :&nbsp;Singapore records highest suicides in 22 years

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<h2>'Every night I cry'&nbsp;</h2>

Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have long called on&nbsp;Singapore&nbsp;to abolish capital punishment, but the government insists it is an effective deterrent against crime.&nbsp;

Tangaraju Suppiah, a 46-year-old Singaporean, was hanged in April for conspiring to smuggle one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cannabis.

"Every night I cry and every night I think about him," his sister Leelavathy Suppiah told AFP.

Tangaraju initially refused to do the&nbsp;photo&nbsp;shoot, but relented after his family persuaded him, she said.

Leelavathy has framed a photograph of him smiling, holding his thumb and forefinger in a heart shape –- a pose popularised by K-pop stars.

"I'm very happy when I see the photos. At least he's there in the photos," she told AFP, speaking in English.&nbsp;

"This is the&nbsp;photo&nbsp;our family members everybody like because he smile," she added.

Still, she wondered what must have been going through her brother's mind in his final days.

"They know they're going to die," she said. "It's cruel, you know?"

<h2>White sneakers&nbsp;</h2>

Kalwant Singh's family bought him a pair of white sneakers, which he wore with a T-shirt, sweatpants and a broad smile in one photograph.

Sonia Tarlochan Kaur, the 31-year-old Malaysian's sister, told AFP he only got about half an hour during the&nbsp;photo&nbsp;shoot to wear the shoes, and so ran around the cell block to make the most of them.

After Kalwant's execution for heroin trafficking last year, Sonia said she cannot bring herself to look at the photographs.

"They could have just given me that half an hour to hug him tight."

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Death row inmate Nazeri Lajim beams at the camera, fingers raised in a "V" sign, wearing a shirt emblazoned with large motifs and showing no signs of his impending hanging.

Death row inmate Nazeri Lajim beams at the camera, fingers raised in a "V" sign, wearing a shirt emblazoned with large motifs and showing no signs of his impending hanging. Taken days before his execution at Singapore's Changi prison, the picture is among the last mementoes Lajim's family has of the 64-year-old, who was executed on charges of drug trafficking. In the city-state, prison officials offer a photo shoot shortly before an inmate's hanging, providing simple props like chairs and other items. "When I see his photograph he's (a) very healthy man, he's very good looking man... his face shines," Nazira Lajim Hertslet, his sister, told AFP. "I was very upset... that he was taken away just like that." Singapore imposes the death penalty for a litany of crimes, including murder and some forms of kidnapping. It also has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws: trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis can result in the death penalty. Thirteen people have been hanged since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the Covid-19 pandemic. In a programme first introduced in the 1990s, they were offered the option to pose for photographs before their death. Also Read : Singapore executes second citizen in three weeks for trafficking drugs 'Quite cruel' Usually taken against a pale-green flowery backdrop, the photos offer a glimpse into the last days of the condemned. The Singapore Prison Service says participation in the programme is voluntary, and that the photo shoots "allow family members to have recent photographs of their loved one". Relatives, however, say they have mixed feelings about the practice. "Actually it's quite cruel to do such thing, to take photograph on his last days," said Hertslet, pointing to the horror inmates might feel knowing it was their last time being photographed alive. "But at least we have his last photo for memories when he's really gone," she added. Nazeri was hanged last year for trafficking more than 33 grams (1.2 ounces) of heroin. In his sister's favourite photograph of him, he is wearing a white Muslim prayer robe, his hands clasped in front, looking at the camera. A 'veneer of thoughtfulness' Little information is publicly available about Singapore's death row inmates. The Transformative Justice Collective, which provides support to families of death row prisoners and advocates for the abolition of the death penalty, estimates about 53 people are on death row, the majority convicted of drug offences. Authorities generally notify inmates and their families about a week before an execution. During that time, the inmate is allowed to have daily visitors, but they are separated by a glass pane and no physical contact is allowed, according to the TJC. Spiritual counsellors are also provided. Kokila Annamalai, a TJC activist, said the photo shoots are an attempt "to lend a veneer of thoughtfulness" to the executions. In the photo sessions, prisoners can strike a particular pose or wear clothing that means something to a family member, she said. "And so, I think that the photos are also like love letters to them." Watch : Singapore records highest suicides in 22 years × 'Every night I cry' Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have long called on Singapore to abolish capital punishment, but the government insists it is an effective deterrent against crime. Tangaraju Suppiah, a 46-year-old Singaporean, was hanged in April for conspiring to smuggle one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of cannabis. "Every night I cry and every night I think about him," his sister Leelavathy Suppiah told AFP. Tangaraju initially refused to do the photo shoot, but relented after his family persuaded him, she said. Leelavathy has framed a photograph of him smiling, holding his thumb and forefinger in a heart shape –- a pose popularised by K-pop stars. "I'm very happy when I see the photos. At least he's there in the photos," she told AFP, speaking in English. "This is the photo our family members everybody like because he smile," she added. Still, she wondered what must have been going through her brother's mind in his final days. "They know they're going to die," she said. "It's cruel, you know?" White sneakers Kalwant Singh's family bought him a pair of white sneakers, which he wore with a T-shirt, sweatpants and a broad smile in one photograph. Sonia Tarlochan Kaur, the 31-year-old Malaysian's sister, told AFP he only got about half an hour during the photo shoot to wear the shoes, and so ran around the cell block to make the most of them. After Kalwant's execution for heroin trafficking last year, Sonia said she cannot bring herself to look at the photographs. "They could have just given me that half an hour to hug him tight." WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Pre-execution photoshoots at Changi prison in Singapore

Suicides in Singapore rose nearly 26 per cent last year to their highest level in more than two decades, reflecting the “unseen mental distress” in the city-state, according to a local NGO.

Singapore records highest suicides in 22 years

United States and Singapore are holding Maritime drills in the Philippine Sea near Guam, now according to the Department of Defense the naval exercise involving the US and Singapore navies happens every other year this year's drill is called Pacific Griffin 2023. it is part of two weeks of training on land and at sea.

US and Singapore conducts naval drills, Singapore navy fires harpoon missile

Denmark the Scandinavian nation was followed by Ireland and Switzerland this year's Global competitiveness index put Singapore in the fourth place while Rivals Taiwan and Hong Kong are in the sixth and seventh position Sweden the United States and the UAE complete the top 10 list two countries stand out in this year's list.

Why is Singapore declining as business hub?

Singapore reported its eighth consecutive month of declining annual exports for the month of may. There are also reports indicating that the total employment growth has slowed and job vacancies have decreased for the fourth consecutive quarter, challenging Singapore's position as the most favourable job market for expats. The data coming in from Singapore over the last few months has raised concerns about the possibility of a recession in the country.

Singapore in a technical recession?

A Scoot aeroplane, that departed from South Korea for Singapore, was found to have a missing nose wheel upon its arrival in Taipei on Monday morning during a scheduled stop.

According to a statement released by the airlines, flight TR897, which connects Seoul, Taipei and Singapore, detected a technical fault upon landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.

“The flight which was originally scheduled to depart from Taipei to Singapore at 1.30 am was subsequently cancelled,” it added.

As per Focus Taiwan reports, the flight had more than 300 passengers on board.&nbsp;

According to Taiwanese media outlets, the left nose wheel toppled at the time the plane was landing at 12:06 am after sensors detected abnormal tyre pressure before the aeroplane's descent.

“When the plane landed, the left tyre and metal rim on the nose gear were shorn off, leaving only the right nose tyre to keep the plane upright and moving,” reported Taiwan News.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-unveils-plans-for-eco-friendly-boeing-plane-to-cut-air-travel-emissions-by-30-606517">NASA unveils plans for eco-friendly Boeing plane to cut air travel emissions by 30%</a>

Also, there were no signs of the wheel on the runway or taxiway, Focus Taiwan cited Taoyuan International Airport as saying.

As per the aviation safety portal SKYbrary, a nose wheel assists a plane in directional control during take-off and landing, and “allows the aircraft to manoeuvre whilst on the ground”.

<h2>Incident to be investigated, says&nbsp;Taiwan's transport minister</h2>

Taiwan's transport and communications minister Wang Kwo-tsai said that the incident will be probed by its Civil Aeronautics Administration and relevant authorities, as per CNA reports.

“Hotel accommodation and flight refunds have been arranged for our passengers where applicable. Scoot will provide assistance to customers with connecting flights from Singapore,” CNA quoted Scoot as saying.

The airline further said that it had arranged a recovery flight TR897D for the remaining passengers from Taipei to Singapore on Monday at 8:45 pm.&nbsp;

The recovery flight landed in Singapore at 1:35 am on Tuesday, as per Changi Airport's website.

"Scoot sincerely apologises for the disruption and inconvenience caused. The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority, and we will continue to provide assistance to affected customers where necessary," CNA quoted Scoot as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Scoot aeroplane, that departed from South Korea for Singapore, was found to have a missing nose wheel upon its arrival in Taipei on Monday morning during a scheduled stop.

A Scoot aeroplane, that departed from South Korea for Singapore, was found to have a missing nose wheel upon its arrival in Taipei on Monday morning during a scheduled stop. According to a statement released by the airlines, flight TR897, which connects Seoul, Taipei and Singapore, detected a technical fault upon landing at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. “The flight which was originally scheduled to depart from Taipei to Singapore at 1.30 am was subsequently cancelled,” it added. As per Focus Taiwan reports, the flight had more than 300 passengers on board. According to Taiwanese media outlets, the left nose wheel toppled at the time the plane was landing at 12:06 am after sensors detected abnormal tyre pressure before the aeroplane's descent. “When the plane landed, the left tyre and metal rim on the nose gear were shorn off, leaving only the right nose tyre to keep the plane upright and moving,” reported Taiwan News. Also read: NASA unveils plans for eco-friendly Boeing plane to cut air travel emissions by 30% Also, there were no signs of the wheel on the runway or taxiway, Focus Taiwan cited Taoyuan International Airport as saying. As per the aviation safety portal SKYbrary, a nose wheel assists a plane in directional control during take-off and landing, and “allows the aircraft to manoeuvre whilst on the ground”. Incident to be investigated, says Taiwan's transport minister Taiwan's transport and communications minister Wang Kwo-tsai said that the incident will be probed by its Civil Aeronautics Administration and relevant authorities, as per CNA reports. “Hotel accommodation and flight refunds have been arranged for our passengers where applicable. Scoot will provide assistance to customers with connecting flights from Singapore,” CNA quoted Scoot as saying. The airline further said that it had arranged a recovery flight TR897D for the remaining passengers from Taipei to Singapore on Monday at 8:45 pm. The recovery flight landed in Singapore at 1:35 am on Tuesday, as per Changi Airport's website. "Scoot sincerely apologises for the disruption and inconvenience caused. The safety of our customers and crew is our top priority, and we will continue to provide assistance to affected customers where necessary," CNA quoted Scoot as saying. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ]

Scoot plane heading from South Korea to Singapore lands in Taiwan with missing wheel

A recent report claims that the country will lose 6,500 millionaires in 2023 with a large number of them migrating to Dubai and Singapore. The latest Henley private wealth migration report said that India will see the second-highest outflow of millionaires globally. that's next only to China, which will see the exodus of 13,500 millionaires. UK and sanctions-hit Russia have occupied the third and fourth places in this year's list.

India to lose 6.500 millionaires this year | World Business Watch

A Singaporean-American standup comedian has been drawing backlash in Malaysia and Singapore after people took offence to one of her comedy skits where she could be heard joking about the disappearance of 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

Malaysia has now decided to prosecute her, with Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani saying that the police would request Interpol’s assistance for their investigation on Wednesday.

Jocelyn Chia, a Boston-born woman, had performed a comedy sketch at Manhattan’s Comedy Cellar back in April.

<h2>The joke</h2>

During her performance, Chia said that Malaysia had “dumped” Singapore, referring to the separation of the island state from Malaysia in 1965, but said Singapore had the best “break up revenge” as it had become a “first world country” while Malaysia was “still a developing country”.

She then equated the separation of the two countries to a romantic breakup and imagined Malaysia trying to woo Singapore back, saying that it hadn’t visited because “my airplanes cannot fly,” she said in the video clip, adding: “What? Malaysia Airlines going missing not funny?”

She then quipped, “Some jokes don’t land.”

<h2>Strong backlash</h2>

Though the joke drew chuckles at that time, but when the clip was shared on social media nearly two months later, it was widely criticised.

According to New York Post, Comedy Cellar's website was hacked and nearly 4,000 one-star reviews were posted on Google. Another venue, the West Side Comedy Club, said they were threatened with bad reviews after offended parties from the other side of the world found Chia had performed there.

“You can get away [onstage] with saying stuff that’s kind of outrageous,” Comedy Cellar owner&nbsp;Noam Dworman told the New York Times.

“You can’t put that same moment into a small screen that you’re watching over morning coffee.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-meddle-in-taiwan-issue-chinese-foreign-minister-qin-tells-us-antony-blinken-604232">'Don’t meddle in Taiwan issue': China's Qin tells Blinken</a>

The joke was removed from TikTok and labelled “hateful behaviour,” in violation of community guidelines.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/gambia-syrup-deaths-indian-govt-probes-bribery-claim-in-syrup-tests-604250">Gambia syrup deaths: Indian govt probes bribery claim in syrup tests</a>

<h2>Reactions</h2>

On Friday, the United Malays National Organisation, one of Malaysia’s biggest political parties, lodged a protest at the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Singapore has distanced itself from Chia, who held dual citizenship until adulthood.

“The Singapore government does not condone words or actions that cause harm or hurt to others and Chia,” said Vanu Gopala Menon, Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, in a statement.

“[Chia] does not in any way reflect our views.&nbsp;I sincerely apologise to all Malaysians for her hurtful remarks.”

<h2>‘Won’t back down'</h2>

Chia has remained steadfast and said that she completely backs herself, adding there is no malice behind the bit.

“I do stand by my joke but with some caveats — I stand by it in its entirety, when viewed in a comedy club. Upon reflection, I do see that having this as a clip that gets viewed out of a comedy club context was risky,”&nbsp;Chia told CNN.

Chia said she remains unbothered.

“I didn’t want the haters to think they had won and got me to back down. Audiences at the Comedy Cellar see the best comedians and they love it, so how can I be embarrassed by it?” she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A Singaporean-American standup comedian has been drawing backlash in Malaysia and Singapore after people took offence to one of her comedy skits where she could be heard joking about the disappearance of 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

A Singaporean-American standup comedian has been drawing backlash in Malaysia and Singapore after people took offence to one of her comedy skits where she could be heard joking about the disappearance of 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. Malaysia has now decided to prosecute her, with Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani saying that the police would request Interpol’s assistance for their investigation on Wednesday. Jocelyn Chia, a Boston-born woman, had performed a comedy sketch at Manhattan’s Comedy Cellar back in April. The joke During her performance, Chia said that Malaysia had “dumped” Singapore, referring to the separation of the island state from Malaysia in 1965, but said Singapore had the best “break up revenge” as it had become a “first world country” while Malaysia was “still a developing country”. She then equated the separation of the two countries to a romantic breakup and imagined Malaysia trying to woo Singapore back, saying that it hadn’t visited because “my airplanes cannot fly,” she said in the video clip, adding: “What? Malaysia Airlines going missing not funny?” She then quipped, “Some jokes don’t land.” Strong backlash Though the joke drew chuckles at that time, but when the clip was shared on social media nearly two months later, it was widely criticised. According to New York Post, Comedy Cellar's website was hacked and nearly 4,000 one-star reviews were posted on Google. Another venue, the West Side Comedy Club, said they were threatened with bad reviews after offended parties from the other side of the world found Chia had performed there. “You can get away [onstage] with saying stuff that’s kind of outrageous,” Comedy Cellar owner Noam Dworman told the New York Times. “You can’t put that same moment into a small screen that you’re watching over morning coffee.” Also read | 'Don’t meddle in Taiwan issue': China's Qin tells Blinken The joke was removed from TikTok and labelled “hateful behaviour,” in violation of community guidelines. Also read | Gambia syrup deaths: Indian govt probes bribery claim in syrup tests Reactions On Friday, the United Malays National Organisation, one of Malaysia’s biggest political parties, lodged a protest at the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Meanwhile, Singapore has distanced itself from Chia, who held dual citizenship until adulthood. “The Singapore government does not condone words or actions that cause harm or hurt to others and Chia,” said Vanu Gopala Menon, Singapore’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, in a statement. “[Chia] does not in any way reflect our views. I sincerely apologise to all Malaysians for her hurtful remarks.” ‘Won’t back down' Chia has remained steadfast and said that she completely backs herself, adding there is no malice behind the bit. “I do stand by my joke but with some caveats — I stand by it in its entirety, when viewed in a comedy club. Upon reflection, I do see that having this as a clip that gets viewed out of a comedy club context was risky,” Chia told CNN. Chia said she remains unbothered. “I didn’t want the haters to think they had won and got me to back down. Audiences at the Comedy Cellar see the best comedians and they love it, so how can I be embarrassed by it?” she said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US comedian’s joke creates furore in Singapore and Malaysia; Interpol's help sought

In Pics | Horse racing, a 180-year-old sport in Singapore, will come to a halt in 2024

A secret meeting of world's spy chiefs was allegedly held in Singapore over the weekend. The meeting was reportedly attended by spy chiefs from India, US & China. What did they discuss? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: Spy Chiefs from India, US & China reportedly met in Singapore

The Shangri-La Dialogue is currently underway in Singapore. The annual defense dialogue is being attended by the defense leaders from across the globe and the focus of the dialogue this time is on key security concerns. Naturally the issue of North Korea and its free of missile testing and lastly war.

Shangri-La Dialogue underway in Singapore, agreement made on real-time data sharing

In Pics | Countries that have legalised cryptocurrencies

Temasek Holdings, Singapore’s state-owned wealth management fund, has punished its senior staff responsible for investing $275mn in the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The company has decided to cut the pay of the staff involved in the decision-making process. However, it was not revealed how much the salaries were reduced.

The fund poured in $210 million in FTX in the first investment round in October 2021 and $65 million in the second round in January 2022. The company said it made the investment only after evaluating the performance of the exchange for eight months and finding that it was profitable.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Cryptocurrencies tumble over failed FTX deal&nbsp;

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However, the exchange collapsed in October 2022, with FTX filing for bankruptcy the following month. It is speculated that FTX investors lost a whopping $8 billion in the crypto exchange bloodbath.&nbsp;

<h2>Our reputation took a big hit: Temasek</h2>

In a statement released on Monday, Temasek said that it was disappointed with the outcome of the investment decision. “The investment team and senior management, who are ultimately responsible for the investment decisions made, took collective accountability and had their compensation reduced," the company said, adding that it had a negative impact on the reputation of the company.

As of March this year, Temasek’s total holdings were worth more than $298 billion. So, the money invested in FTX amounted to a small percentage of Temasek’s total investments.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/ftx-japan-says-it-would-allow-customers-to-withdraw-assets-564124">Also Read |&nbsp;FTX Japan says it would allow customers to withdraw assets</a>

However, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong suggested in December that the investment had caused damage to the fund’s reputation. "The fact that other leading global institutional investors like BlackRock and Sequoia Capital also invested in FTX does not mitigate this," he said.

<h2>How did FTX collapse?</h2>

FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange platform, experienced a dramatic rise and fall in a short period of time. Founded by Sam Bankman-Fried in 2019, FTX quickly gained popularity among customers and attracted significant investment from venture capitalists, reaching a valuation of $32 billion by January 2022.

However, in November 2022, it was revealed that FTX had been involved in major fraud. Instead of customers' funds being held by FTX, they were redirected to accounts controlled by Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading firm. This discovery caused FTX to unravel, leading to significant losses for customers and investors.

FTX's balance sheet leaked to the public, showed a lack of transparency and poorly labeled entries, with liabilities far exceeding assets. FTX had not produced audited balance sheets or followed standard financial reporting procedures.

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Temasek Holdings, Singapore’s state-owned wealth management fund, has punished its senior staff responsible for investing $275mn in the cryptocurrency exchange FTX.

Temasek Holdings, Singapore’s state-owned wealth management fund, has punished its senior staff responsible for investing $275mn in the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The company has decided to cut the pay of the staff involved in the decision-making process. However, it was not revealed how much the salaries were reduced. The fund poured in $210 million in FTX in the first investment round in October 2021 and $65 million in the second round in January 2022. The company said it made the investment only after evaluating the performance of the exchange for eight months and finding that it was profitable. Watch: Cryptocurrencies tumble over failed FTX deal × However, the exchange collapsed in October 2022, with FTX filing for bankruptcy the following month. It is speculated that FTX investors lost a whopping $8 billion in the crypto exchange bloodbath. Our reputation took a big hit: Temasek In a statement released on Monday, Temasek said that it was disappointed with the outcome of the investment decision. “The investment team and senior management, who are ultimately responsible for the investment decisions made, took collective accountability and had their compensation reduced," the company said, adding that it had a negative impact on the reputation of the company. As of March this year, Temasek’s total holdings were worth more than $298 billion. So, the money invested in FTX amounted to a small percentage of Temasek’s total investments. Also Read | FTX Japan says it would allow customers to withdraw assets However, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong suggested in December that the investment had caused damage to the fund’s reputation. "The fact that other leading global institutional investors like BlackRock and Sequoia Capital also invested in FTX does not mitigate this," he said. How did FTX collapse? FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange platform, experienced a dramatic rise and fall in a short period of time. Founded by Sam Bankman-Fried in 2019, FTX quickly gained popularity among customers and attracted significant investment from venture capitalists, reaching a valuation of $32 billion by January 2022. However, in November 2022, it was revealed that FTX had been involved in major fraud. Instead of customers' funds being held by FTX, they were redirected to accounts controlled by Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading firm. This discovery caused FTX to unravel, leading to significant losses for customers and investors. FTX's balance sheet leaked to the public, showed a lack of transparency and poorly labeled entries, with liabilities far exceeding assets. FTX had not produced audited balance sheets or followed standard financial reporting procedures. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Singapore’s Temasek Holdings punishes its senior staff for investing millions in now-collapsed FTX

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning. He contracted the virus for the very first time since the pandemic began in the year 2020.

He took to his official Facebook account and shared a post saying that he is generally feeling okay and that his doctors have advised him to self-isolate.

“I tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time this morning,” Lee said on Facebook, where he posted a photo of a positive antigen rapid test. “I am generally feeling ok, but my doctors have advised me to self-isolate until I am asymptomatic.”

He further informed that he contracted the virus after his recent work trips and that the doctors had prescribed the Paxlovid antiviral medication because of his age.

"This comes after my recent work trips. Doctors have also prescribed me Paxlovid, an antiviral medication, because of my age," he said.

Lee was on an official visit to South Africa from May 14 to 16, and Kenya from May 17 to 19. He also attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Indonesia from May 10 to 11.

The 71-year-old added that his last COVID-19 vaccine booster dose inoculation was in November. He urged the citizens of his country to keep their vaccinations up to date in order to reduce the risk of severe illness.

"My most recent COVID-19 vaccine booster was in November. Please keep your vaccinations up-to-date, as it reduces the risk of severe illness. As COVID-19 remains endemic in Singapore, we must continue to keep ourselves safe and healthy," he wrote.

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<h2>WHO announces end of Covid as global health emergency, says crisis phase over</h2>

Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation announced that Covid is no longer a global health emergency.&nbsp;

"Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I've accepted that advice. It's therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus while speaking to reporters, as he estimated that the pandemic had killed "at least 20 million" people, which is threefold the official estimate.

The announcement was made after the independent emergency committee of WHO held its 15th meeting on the Covid crisis during which they agreed that the crisis did not merit the highest level of alert of the organisation any longer.&nbsp;

However, Tedros warned that the announcement did not mean the threat was over, as he cautioned people about the chances of reinstating the emergency status if the situation changes.&nbsp;

"However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat," Ghebreyesus said.&nbsp;

"The worst thing any country could do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about," he stated.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning. He contracted the virus for the very first time since the pandemic began in the year 2020.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning. He contracted the virus for the very first time since the pandemic began in the year 2020. He took to his official Facebook account and shared a post saying that he is generally feeling okay and that his doctors have advised him to self-isolate. “I tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time this morning,” Lee said on Facebook, where he posted a photo of a positive antigen rapid test. “I am generally feeling ok, but my doctors have advised me to self-isolate until I am asymptomatic.” He further informed that he contracted the virus after his recent work trips and that the doctors had prescribed the Paxlovid antiviral medication because of his age. "This comes after my recent work trips. Doctors have also prescribed me Paxlovid, an antiviral medication, because of my age," he said. Lee was on an official visit to South Africa from May 14 to 16, and Kenya from May 17 to 19. He also attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Indonesia from May 10 to 11. The 71-year-old added that his last COVID-19 vaccine booster dose inoculation was in November. He urged the citizens of his country to keep their vaccinations up to date in order to reduce the risk of severe illness. "My most recent COVID-19 vaccine booster was in November. Please keep your vaccinations up-to-date, as it reduces the risk of severe illness. As COVID-19 remains endemic in Singapore, we must continue to keep ourselves safe and healthy," he wrote. WHO announces end of Covid as global health emergency, says crisis phase over Earlier this month, the World Health Organisation announced that Covid is no longer a global health emergency. "Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I've accepted that advice. It's therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus while speaking to reporters, as he estimated that the pandemic had killed "at least 20 million" people, which is threefold the official estimate. The announcement was made after the independent emergency committee of WHO held its 15th meeting on the Covid crisis during which they agreed that the crisis did not merit the highest level of alert of the organisation any longer. However, Tedros warned that the announcement did not mean the threat was over, as he cautioned people about the chances of reinstating the emergency status if the situation changes. "However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat," Ghebreyesus said. "The worst thing any country could do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about," he stated. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong tests positive for COVID-19 for the first time since its inception

An Indian-origin Singaporean man went missing after reaching the Mount Everest summit last month and the family is now requesting urgent help, as per reports.&nbsp;Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya travelled to Nepal last month from Singapore to climb Mount Everest, the family said in a petition on the website change.org.

In the petition, his cousin Divya Bharath stated that Shrinivas appeared to have experienced altitude sickness and frostbite while travelling down. He may have become isolated from the rest of his group as a result of this and "fell at around 8,000 metres, probably onto the Tibetan side of the mountain," according to the report.

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A team of Sherpas started searching for Shrinivas on Saturday morning, according to Bharath, who was quoted by a Singaporean news outlet on Saturday. He apparently last spoke to base camp staff at a height of about 8,500 metres. Bharath stated in the appeal that the family had contacted the relevant governments.

"This matter needs to be brought to their attention on an urgent basis. We need a special rescue team that is trained to operate in such risky terrain as well as to ensure that this whole rescue operation is not hindered by diplomatic paperwork," Channel News Asia quoted Bharath as saying.

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She noted that although Shrivinas' family was upset, they were determined not to give up. On April 1, Shrinivas, a 39-year-old executive director at Jones Lang LaSalle, departed for Mount Everest. He was expected to return home on June 4.

<h2>Last spoke on Friday&nbsp;</h2>

Shrinivas'&nbsp;wife Sushma Soma told The Straits Times that he last spoke with her on Friday at around 3:30 pm, informing her that he had reached the peak of Everest but was not expected to return.

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"Through his satellite phone, he told me that he had made it to the summit. But then followed with bad news. He said that he would not be able to make it down," The Straits Times quoted Soma as saying. She added that Shrinivas had informed her that he had high-altitude cerebral edoema, a serious condition that may be deadly.

<h2>Two other Sherpas return&nbsp;</h2>

At two in the morning on Saturday, Soma discovered that while the two Sherpas her husband was travelling with and another member of the team had successfully returned, Shrinivas had not.

<h2>Diplomatic channels&nbsp;</h2>

Channel News Asia reports that since Friday evening, the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi has maintained regular communication with Shrinivas' family, local Nepali authorities, and emergency medical personnel. The station reported the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs as stating that it will keep an eye on events and provide the family with the appropriate consular support during this trying period.

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An Indian-origin Singaporean man went missing after reaching the Mount Everest summit last month and the family is now requesting urgent help, as per reports. Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya travelled to Nepal last month from Singapore to climb Mount Everest, the family said in a petition on the website change.

An Indian-origin Singaporean man went missing after reaching the Mount Everest summit last month and the family is now requesting urgent help, as per reports. Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya travelled to Nepal last month from Singapore to climb Mount Everest, the family said in a petition on the website change.org. In the petition, his cousin Divya Bharath stated that Shrinivas appeared to have experienced altitude sickness and frostbite while travelling down. He may have become isolated from the rest of his group as a result of this and "fell at around 8,000 metres, probably onto the Tibetan side of the mountain," according to the report. Also Read | Northern Ireland council elections 2023: Sinn Fein becomes largest party in local government A team of Sherpas started searching for Shrinivas on Saturday morning, according to Bharath, who was quoted by a Singaporean news outlet on Saturday. He apparently last spoke to base camp staff at a height of about 8,500 metres. Bharath stated in the appeal that the family had contacted the relevant governments. "This matter needs to be brought to their attention on an urgent basis. We need a special rescue team that is trained to operate in such risky terrain as well as to ensure that this whole rescue operation is not hindered by diplomatic paperwork," Channel News Asia quoted Bharath as saying. Also Read | China streamlines marriage registration process for migrant workers amid looming population crisis She noted that although Shrivinas' family was upset, they were determined not to give up. On April 1, Shrinivas, a 39-year-old executive director at Jones Lang LaSalle, departed for Mount Everest. He was expected to return home on June 4. Last spoke on Friday Shrinivas' wife Sushma Soma told The Straits Times that he last spoke with her on Friday at around 3:30 pm, informing her that he had reached the peak of Everest but was not expected to return. Watch | Ukraine's Zelensky at centre of last day of G7 summit × "Through his satellite phone, he told me that he had made it to the summit. But then followed with bad news. He said that he would not be able to make it down," The Straits Times quoted Soma as saying. She added that Shrinivas had informed her that he had high-altitude cerebral edoema, a serious condition that may be deadly. Two other Sherpas return At two in the morning on Saturday, Soma discovered that while the two Sherpas her husband was travelling with and another member of the team had successfully returned, Shrinivas had not. Diplomatic channels Channel News Asia reports that since Friday evening, the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi has maintained regular communication with Shrinivas' family, local Nepali authorities, and emergency medical personnel. The station reported the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs as stating that it will keep an eye on events and provide the family with the appropriate consular support during this trying period. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Indian-origin man missing after reaching Mount Everest summit, family asks for help

Singapore on Wednesday hanged a man for trafficking drugs, said the authorities, marking its second execution in three weeks.&nbsp;

The alleged accused was convicted in 2019 of trafficking around 1.5 kilos (3.3 pounds) of cannabis, Kokila Annamalai of local rights group Transformative Justice Collective told news agency AFP.

Singapore has one of the toughest anti-narcotics laws and as per the law, trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis can result in the death penalty.

"A 36-year-old Singaporean man had his capital sentence carried out today at Changi Prison Complex," a spokesman for the city-state's prison service told AFP.

Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) released a statement saying that it would not reveal the name of the man in order to respect his family's wish for privacy.

"The person was accorded full due process under the law, and had access to legal counsel throughout the process," CNB added.

"A last-ditch appeal to review the case and stay his execution was dismissed on Tuesday", Annamalai said.

Despite growing calls for the city-state to abolish the death penalty and halt drug-related executions, Singapore presses that it is an effective impediment against trafficking.

<h2>Singapore executes Indian-origin man for conspiring to traffic cannabis</h2>

Earlier, on April 26,&nbsp;Singapore executed an Indian-origin man, who was convicted of conspiring to traffic one kilogramme of cannabis. The decision to hang him was taken despite pleas for clemency from his family, activists and also the United Nations.&nbsp;

A spokesman for the Singapore Prison Service told the news agency AFP that the "Singaporean Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, had his capital sentence carried out today at Changi Prison Complex."&nbsp;

Reuters reported that Kokila Annamalai, who is a Singapore-based rights activist representing the family, confirmed that Suppiah had been executed by hanging. It also mentioned that the president had rejected pleas for clemency on the eve of the execution.&nbsp;

The United Nations Human Rights Office for Singapore had urged the authorities to "urgently reconsider" the decision of hanging, and British tycoon Richard Branson also asked to halt it.

Branson, who is a member of the Geneva-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, wrote a blog earlier this week about Tangaraju. He mentioned that the Singaporean man was "not anywhere near" the drugs at the time of his arrest and that Singapore may be about to put an innocent man to death.&nbsp;

He was convicted in 2017 of "abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic" 1,017.9 grammes of cannabis. The quantity was twice the minimum volume required for a death sentence in Singapore. In 2018, Tangaraju was sentenced to death and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision.&nbsp;

<h2>Activists to push for Singapore to abolish death penalty</h2>

Activists said they will keep making efforts to push for Singapore to abrogate capital punishment as it has not proven any deterrent effect on crime.

"The call to the Singapore government (to scrap the death penalty) has been loud and clear globally, and we will repeat the call: Singapore has to halt the executions," Amnesty International's executive director for Malaysia Katrina Jorene Maliamauv told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

"They have to commute all existing death sentences."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Singapore on Wednesday hanged a man for trafficking drugs, said the authorities, marking its second execution in three weeks. The alleged accused was convicted in 2019 of trafficking around 1.

Singapore on Wednesday hanged a man for trafficking drugs, said the authorities, marking its second execution in three weeks. The alleged accused was convicted in 2019 of trafficking around 1.5 kilos (3.3 pounds) of cannabis, Kokila Annamalai of local rights group Transformative Justice Collective told news agency AFP. Singapore has one of the toughest anti-narcotics laws and as per the law, trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis can result in the death penalty. "A 36-year-old Singaporean man had his capital sentence carried out today at Changi Prison Complex," a spokesman for the city-state's prison service told AFP. Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) released a statement saying that it would not reveal the name of the man in order to respect his family's wish for privacy. "The person was accorded full due process under the law, and had access to legal counsel throughout the process," CNB added. "A last-ditch appeal to review the case and stay his execution was dismissed on Tuesday", Annamalai said. Despite growing calls for the city-state to abolish the death penalty and halt drug-related executions, Singapore presses that it is an effective impediment against trafficking. Singapore executes Indian-origin man for conspiring to traffic cannabis Earlier, on April 26, Singapore executed an Indian-origin man, who was convicted of conspiring to traffic one kilogramme of cannabis. The decision to hang him was taken despite pleas for clemency from his family, activists and also the United Nations. A spokesman for the Singapore Prison Service told the news agency AFP that the "Singaporean Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, had his capital sentence carried out today at Changi Prison Complex." Reuters reported that Kokila Annamalai, who is a Singapore-based rights activist representing the family, confirmed that Suppiah had been executed by hanging. It also mentioned that the president had rejected pleas for clemency on the eve of the execution. The United Nations Human Rights Office for Singapore had urged the authorities to "urgently reconsider" the decision of hanging, and British tycoon Richard Branson also asked to halt it. Branson, who is a member of the Geneva-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, wrote a blog earlier this week about Tangaraju. He mentioned that the Singaporean man was "not anywhere near" the drugs at the time of his arrest and that Singapore may be about to put an innocent man to death. He was convicted in 2017 of "abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic" 1,017.9 grammes of cannabis. The quantity was twice the minimum volume required for a death sentence in Singapore. In 2018, Tangaraju was sentenced to death and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision. Activists to push for Singapore to abolish death penalty Activists said they will keep making efforts to push for Singapore to abrogate capital punishment as it has not proven any deterrent effect on crime. "The call to the Singapore government (to scrap the death penalty) has been loud and clear globally, and we will repeat the call: Singapore has to halt the executions," Amnesty International's executive director for Malaysia Katrina Jorene Maliamauv told reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. "They have to commute all existing death sentences." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Singapore executes second citizen in three weeks for trafficking drugs

A woman in Singapore has been jailed for eight weeks after she threatened to kill her tenants with a 33 cm knife. According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Monday (May 15), Li Kim, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty in March to one charge of criminal intimidation of the tenants, a couple. The report said that a second similar charge was also taken into consideration during the sentencing of Li, 39.&nbsp;

As per court documents, at 6.30 am on October 20, 2021, the couple- Soo Zu Liang and Teo Yuen Yee, then 26 and 30 years old respectively, were sleeping in their room when they were woken up by Li, who came back home drunk. Liang and Yee heard loud banging sounds, with Li shouting from the living room.&nbsp;

They were&nbsp;tenants in Li’s flat in which they had been renting one room for about four months under an agreement struck with the woman's husband.

Yee heard Li mention that she was holding a knife and would wait for the two of them to leave their room to “kill them both”. Though the door was locked, Yee was worried for her and Liang's safety and the couple called the police.&nbsp;

Security camera footage showed that after Li retrieved the 33-cm long knife from the kitchen, she was then seen pacing around the house. She waved the knife on several occasions while issuing threats such as “I will stab whoever comes out”.&nbsp;

The woman was also seen aggressively knocking on the couple’s room door with the knife. She was subsequently arrested. Following her arrest, the investigation revealed that Li had a blood alcohol level of 88mg/100ml.

After Li pleaded guilty, District Judge Marvin Bay called for a report to assess if the 39-year-old was suitable for a mandatory treatment order- a community sentencing option offered to offenders suffering from mental conditions that contributed to their offence.

But a report from the Institute of Mental Health found no such contribution.

Li's lawyer Amarjit Singh, meanwhile, urged the court to consider a lighter sentence for his client. Singh pointed out that the report did not find any causal link to the incident from any diagnosed condition, and some weight ought to be given to Li’s behaviour during that period as she was experiencing depressive episodes.&nbsp;

But District Judge Bay said the incident was “beyond dispute” given the existence of CCTV footage.&nbsp; 
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A woman in Singapore has been jailed for eight weeks after she threatened to kill her tenants with a 33 cm knife. According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Monday (May 15), Li Kim, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty in March to one charge of criminal intimidation of the tenants, a couple.

A woman in Singapore has been jailed for eight weeks after she threatened to kill her tenants with a 33 cm knife. According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Monday (May 15), Li Kim, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty in March to one charge of criminal intimidation of the tenants, a couple. The report said that a second similar charge was also taken into consideration during the sentencing of Li, 39. As per court documents, at 6.30 am on October 20, 2021, the couple- Soo Zu Liang and Teo Yuen Yee, then 26 and 30 years old respectively, were sleeping in their room when they were woken up by Li, who came back home drunk. Liang and Yee heard loud banging sounds, with Li shouting from the living room. They were tenants in Li’s flat in which they had been renting one room for about four months under an agreement struck with the woman's husband. Yee heard Li mention that she was holding a knife and would wait for the two of them to leave their room to “kill them both”. Though the door was locked, Yee was worried for her and Liang's safety and the couple called the police. Security camera footage showed that after Li retrieved the 33-cm long knife from the kitchen, she was then seen pacing around the house. She waved the knife on several occasions while issuing threats such as “I will stab whoever comes out”. The woman was also seen aggressively knocking on the couple’s room door with the knife. She was subsequently arrested. Following her arrest, the investigation revealed that Li had a blood alcohol level of 88mg/100ml. After Li pleaded guilty, District Judge Marvin Bay called for a report to assess if the 39-year-old was suitable for a mandatory treatment order- a community sentencing option offered to offenders suffering from mental conditions that contributed to their offence. But a report from the Institute of Mental Health found no such contribution. Li's lawyer Amarjit Singh, meanwhile, urged the court to consider a lighter sentence for his client. Singh pointed out that the report did not find any causal link to the incident from any diagnosed condition, and some weight ought to be given to Li’s behaviour during that period as she was experiencing depressive episodes. But District Judge Bay said the incident was “beyond dispute” given the existence of CCTV footage. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore jails woman who threatened to kill her tenants, says report

For the first time ever, Singaporeans who are 21 years of age or older, residing overseas, and who are eligible to vote will be able to register and cast ballots by mail. According to experts who spoke with Straits Times, this might truly be a game-changer in the upcoming presidential elections, which are expected to be in September 2023. A legislation was passed in March to permit Singaporeans living abroad to vote by mail. Earlier, they had to go to polling sites in certain locations to cast their ballots, which meant that some people were unable to do so in 2020, when Covid-related travel restrictions were effective worldwide.

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What will be the implications of these election rules revisions for the 2023 Presidential Election?

Elections Department (ELD) revealed that 4,794 of the 6,570 overseas voters who were registered to vote at the most recent general election in Singapore in 2020 actually cast their ballots.

Only 10 overseas voting locations, in "countries or cities where there is a significant number of Singaporeans," were available for voters to cast ballots, according to ELD's website. Shanghai, Dubai, Canberra, London, Tokyo, Beijing, Washington, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and New York are among the cities where the stations are situated.

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It is hard to predict precisely how much the turnout rate would rise because the great majority of overseas Singaporeans are not registered voters, according to assistant professor of constitutional law Benjamin Joshua Ong of Singapore Management University (SMU).

“The right to vote is a constitutional right, and we should welcome efforts that make it easier to exercise this right. Of course, democracy is much more than just putting a piece of paper into a box every few years. But voting is a solemn ritual that reinforces a citizen’s ties to the democratic system.”

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National University of Singapore adjunct law professor Kevin Tan said the postal votes from overseas voters could matter in an election like the 2011 Presidential Election, where Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam edged out Dr. Tan Cheng Bock by 7,382 votes.

“Looking at it quantitatively, the overseas votes might have swung the election the other way because the margin was very, very slim,” he said. He also asserted that voting is a constitutional right and the modifications done by the ELD were long overdue.

The 56-year-old lawyer Benjamin Yap, a Singaporean living in Ho Chi Minh City will now be able to vote from overseas. “I have been away from Singapore for so long, but I still feel Singaporean at heart. I see my ability to exercise my right to vote as very much intrinsic to my status as a Singaporean,” said Mr Yap, who lives with his wife and their 15-year-old son. He is one of 185,800 Singaporeans living abroad.&nbsp;

Another first in the next election will be the establishment of special polling places on the nursing homes' grounds and the use of mobile polling teams to collect ballots from residents who are bedridden there.

The unique voting arrangements will be tested in nursing homes with more than 50 voters, according to the ELD. Over 2,000 voters will be reached, or roughly two-thirds of registered voters who are now living in nursing homes. This will involve 25 to 30 nursing facilities.

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&nbsp;

For the first time ever, Singaporeans who are 21 years of age or older, residing overseas, and who are eligible to vote will be able to register and cast ballots by mail.

For the first time ever, Singaporeans who are 21 years of age or older, residing overseas, and who are eligible to vote will be able to register and cast ballots by mail. According to experts who spoke with Straits Times, this might truly be a game-changer in the upcoming presidential elections, which are expected to be in September 2023. A legislation was passed in March to permit Singaporeans living abroad to vote by mail. Earlier, they had to go to polling sites in certain locations to cast their ballots, which meant that some people were unable to do so in 2020, when Covid-related travel restrictions were effective worldwide. Also Read | Thailand voting begins, will conservative military-backed PM maintain power? What will be the implications of these election rules revisions for the 2023 Presidential Election? Elections Department (ELD) revealed that 4,794 of the 6,570 overseas voters who were registered to vote at the most recent general election in Singapore in 2020 actually cast their ballots. Only 10 overseas voting locations, in "countries or cities where there is a significant number of Singaporeans," were available for voters to cast ballots, according to ELD's website. Shanghai, Dubai, Canberra, London, Tokyo, Beijing, Washington, Hong Kong, San Francisco, and New York are among the cities where the stations are situated. Also Read| In India's biggest drug bust, crystal meth worth $1.45bn seized from Kerala coast, Pakistani held It is hard to predict precisely how much the turnout rate would rise because the great majority of overseas Singaporeans are not registered voters, according to assistant professor of constitutional law Benjamin Joshua Ong of Singapore Management University (SMU). “The right to vote is a constitutional right, and we should welcome efforts that make it easier to exercise this right. Of course, democracy is much more than just putting a piece of paper into a box every few years. But voting is a solemn ritual that reinforces a citizen’s ties to the democratic system.” Watch | Mother's Day Special: Sarah Todd shares easy cooking tips for busy parents × National University of Singapore adjunct law professor Kevin Tan said the postal votes from overseas voters could matter in an election like the 2011 Presidential Election, where Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam edged out Dr. Tan Cheng Bock by 7,382 votes. “Looking at it quantitatively, the overseas votes might have swung the election the other way because the margin was very, very slim,” he said. He also asserted that voting is a constitutional right and the modifications done by the ELD were long overdue. The 56-year-old lawyer Benjamin Yap, a Singaporean living in Ho Chi Minh City will now be able to vote from overseas. “I have been away from Singapore for so long, but I still feel Singaporean at heart. I see my ability to exercise my right to vote as very much intrinsic to my status as a Singaporean,” said Mr Yap, who lives with his wife and their 15-year-old son. He is one of 185,800 Singaporeans living abroad. Another first in the next election will be the establishment of special polling places on the nursing homes' grounds and the use of mobile polling teams to collect ballots from residents who are bedridden there. The unique voting arrangements will be tested in nursing homes with more than 50 voters, according to the ELD. Over 2,000 voters will be reached, or roughly two-thirds of registered voters who are now living in nursing homes. This will involve 25 to 30 nursing facilities. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Overseas Singaporeans casting vote by post can be game-changer in presidential election: Experts

Singapore on Saturday (May 13) reported its highest temperature in 40 years as a blistering heatwave burns through large parts of South and Southeast Asia. Taking to Facebook, the National Environment Agency said that Saturday's temperature of 37 degrees Celsius was the highest this year, and matched the record for a daily peak recorded in April 1983. The agency said that the warm and dry conditions were expected to continue on Sunday.&nbsp;

The agency also said that short-duration showers were expected next week that might help to moderate the warm temperatures. May is usually one of the warmest months of the year in Singapore.

Amid the rising temperatures, several schools in Singapore have relaxed their rules on uniforms to help pupils manage the heat.&nbsp;

According to a report by Channel News Asia (CNA) on Friday, the Henry Park Primary School said in a notice last week its uniform rules for students would be adjusted between May 5 and May 26.

The notice said that students would be allowed to leave their shirts untucked in school. Female students can also choose to wear shirts with physical education (PE) shorts instead of the school skirt.&nbsp;

At the Raffles Girls’ Primary School, students were told that they did not have to put on their pinafores after PE lessons if they feel it is too warm to do so. Meanwhile, the Methodist Girls’ School was also allowing students to wear their PE uniforms instead of full uniforms, the CNA report said.

Not just Singapore, other countries in South and Southeast Asia are also breaking temperature records.&nbsp;

On May 7, Thailand's capital city Bangkok recorded the highest temperature reaching 41 degrees Celsius, breaching the 40.8 degrees Celsius record in 1983. Bangladesh's capital Dhaka witnessed the highest temperature since the 1960s last week. And last Saturday, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vietnam-heatwave-nation-reports-record-high-temperatures-of-43-degrees-589946">Vietnam also recorded 44.1 degrees Celsius</a>, setting a record for the highest temperature in the country.&nbsp;

In India, heatwaves in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-scorching-may-heat-to-affect-tens-of-millions-592150">Central and parts of the north are set to spread </a>scorching temperatures across the vast landmass, affecting tens of millions of people.&nbsp; 
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Singapore on Saturday (May 13) reported its highest temperature in 40 years as a blistering heatwave burns through large parts of South and Southeast Asia. Taking to Facebook, the National Environment Agency said that Saturday's temperature of 37 degrees Celsius was the highest this year, and matched the record for a daily peak recorded in April 1983.

Singapore on Saturday (May 13) reported its highest temperature in 40 years as a blistering heatwave burns through large parts of South and Southeast Asia. Taking to Facebook, the National Environment Agency said that Saturday's temperature of 37 degrees Celsius was the highest this year, and matched the record for a daily peak recorded in April 1983. The agency said that the warm and dry conditions were expected to continue on Sunday. The agency also said that short-duration showers were expected next week that might help to moderate the warm temperatures. May is usually one of the warmest months of the year in Singapore. Amid the rising temperatures, several schools in Singapore have relaxed their rules on uniforms to help pupils manage the heat. According to a report by Channel News Asia (CNA) on Friday, the Henry Park Primary School said in a notice last week its uniform rules for students would be adjusted between May 5 and May 26. The notice said that students would be allowed to leave their shirts untucked in school. Female students can also choose to wear shirts with physical education (PE) shorts instead of the school skirt. At the Raffles Girls’ Primary School, students were told that they did not have to put on their pinafores after PE lessons if they feel it is too warm to do so. Meanwhile, the Methodist Girls’ School was also allowing students to wear their PE uniforms instead of full uniforms, the CNA report said. Not just Singapore, other countries in South and Southeast Asia are also breaking temperature records. On May 7, Thailand's capital city Bangkok recorded the highest temperature reaching 41 degrees Celsius, breaching the 40.8 degrees Celsius record in 1983. Bangladesh's capital Dhaka witnessed the highest temperature since the 1960s last week. And last Saturday, Vietnam also recorded 44.1 degrees Celsius, setting a record for the highest temperature in the country. In India, heatwaves in Central and parts of the north are set to spread scorching temperatures across the vast landmass, affecting tens of millions of people. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore reports highest temperature in 40 years; short-duration showers expected next week

If you want to buy a property in Singapore, you would have to pay more.

The Singapore government has decided to raise&nbsp;property taxes in a bid to cool its booming&nbsp;housing market.

The government is increasing stamp duties for second-home buyers and foreigners purchasing private property, a Bloomberg report said. For foreigners who want to buy a home, the tax rate has doubled from 30 percent to 60 percent.

Singaporean authorities are concerned that an influx of wealth into the city is hurting affordability for locals and its competitiveness as a financial hub.

According to a report by Knight Frank, the exuberant property market has led to a surge in rents, with Singapore pushing New York off the top spot for the strongest growth in residential rents between October and December 2022.

Christine Sun, senior vice president of research &amp; analytics at OrangeTee &amp; Tie, told Reuters that it could be a "freezing measure" for foreign buyers.

As per several analysts, the move could be in anticipation of more Chinese buyers — who make up the bulk of foreign luxury home purchases — in the coming months.

According to Bloomberg, Singapore’s property sector has remained buoyant even as many other countries face slowdowns due to soaring interest rates and inflation, partly due to an inflow of money, especially from the wealthy Chinese.&nbsp;

The surge in property tax, however, may be good news for Hong Kong, say experts. They add that Singapore's rival&nbsp;city may become&nbsp;more attractive for foreign investments.&nbsp;Notably, Hong Kong has been seeing an exodus of residents and investors following the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is not the first time that Singapore has tried to step in to cool its property market.

Singapore's latest measures come after it increased stamp duties on foreigners from 30 percent from 20 percent in 2021. The city-state also&nbsp;tightened&nbsp;home-loan limits in September 2022. But these measure do not seem to have had&nbsp;an&nbsp;impact on the property market.&nbsp;

Sun told Reuters that while prices may slow for a while, the super-rich may continue to buy, keeping prices elevated.

Now, only time will tell if Singapore's property boom continues or&nbsp;the new measures will keep the market in check.

If you want to buy a property in Singapore, you would have to pay more. The Singapore government has decided to raise property taxes in a bid to cool its booming housing market.

If you want to buy a property in Singapore, you would have to pay more. The Singapore government has decided to raise property taxes in a bid to cool its booming housing market. The government is increasing stamp duties for second-home buyers and foreigners purchasing private property, a Bloomberg report said. For foreigners who want to buy a home, the tax rate has doubled from 30 percent to 60 percent. Singaporean authorities are concerned that an influx of wealth into the city is hurting affordability for locals and its competitiveness as a financial hub. According to a report by Knight Frank, the exuberant property market has led to a surge in rents, with Singapore pushing New York off the top spot for the strongest growth in residential rents between October and December 2022. Christine Sun, senior vice president of research & analytics at OrangeTee & Tie, told Reuters that it could be a "freezing measure" for foreign buyers. As per several analysts, the move could be in anticipation of more Chinese buyers — who make up the bulk of foreign luxury home purchases — in the coming months. According to Bloomberg, Singapore’s property sector has remained buoyant even as many other countries face slowdowns due to soaring interest rates and inflation, partly due to an inflow of money, especially from the wealthy Chinese. The surge in property tax, however, may be good news for Hong Kong, say experts. They add that Singapore's rival city may become more attractive for foreign investments. Notably, Hong Kong has been seeing an exodus of residents and investors following the Covid-19 pandemic. This is not the first time that Singapore has tried to step in to cool its property market. Singapore's latest measures come after it increased stamp duties on foreigners from 30 percent from 20 percent in 2021. The city-state also tightened home-loan limits in September 2022. But these measure do not seem to have had an impact on the property market. Sun told Reuters that while prices may slow for a while, the super-rich may continue to buy, keeping prices elevated. Now, only time will tell if Singapore's property boom continues or the new measures will keep the market in check.

Singapore hikes property tax sharply - What it means for home buyers

Shares of Singapore developers and the broader stock market fell on Friday, after Singapore raised property taxes to cool its red-hot housing market.

Singapore hikes property tax sharply

Singapore's government, in a bid to cool down the housing market, has doubled the stamp duty for foreigners buying a house in the city-state. The government has pitched the move as an effort to "promote a sustainable property market and prioritise housing for owner-occupation."

The revised rates will take effect from April 27, 2023.&nbsp;

<h2>Singapore Property Market: Revised stamp duty rates</h2>

The government has now doubled the stamp duty to 60 per cent for foreigners buying home.

For the Singapore citizens, it has raised the tax to 20 per cent from 17 per cent earlier for a second residential property.&nbsp;It was increased to 30 per cent&nbsp;from 25 per cent for the citizens purchasing their third or subsequent home, and for permanent residents purchasing a second residential property.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/singapore-launches-75mn-fund-to-boost-film-tv-productions-showcasing-the-city-state-579321">Singapore launches $7.5mn fund to boost film, TV productions showcasing the city-state</a>

The Singapore citizens do not need to pay any stamp duty while buying their first residential property as was the case before.

The government said that married couples with one of them a Singapore citizen, who jointly purchase a second residential property, can continue to apply for a refund of the stamp duty, "subject to conditions". These conditions include selling their first residential property within 6 months after the date of purchase of the second residential property.

<h2>Singapore Property Market: Why revision of stamp duty rates?</h2>

The latest measures for a "sustainable property market" in Singapore follow tax increases that were imposed in December 2021 and a tightening of home-loan limits in September 2022, Bloomberg reported.

The city-state's property prices have remained dynamic despite slowdowns in parts of the world due to increased interest rates and inflation.

Despite a "moderating effect" from the previous increases,&nbsp;property prices last quarter showed "renewed signs of acceleration amid resilient demand,"&nbsp;the Singapore government's statement said.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Singapore tops list as best business hub

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"Demand from locals purchasing homes for owner-occupation has been especially strong, and there has also been renewed interest from local and foreign investors in our residential property market," the government said.

"If left unchecked, prices could run ahead of economic fundamentals, with the risk of a sustained increase in prices relative to incomes."

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Singapore's government, in a bid to cool down the housing market, has doubled the stamp duty for foreigners buying a house in the city-state. The government has pitched the move as an effort to "promote a sustainable property market and prioritise housing for owner-occupation.

Singapore's government, in a bid to cool down the housing market, has doubled the stamp duty for foreigners buying a house in the city-state. The government has pitched the move as an effort to "promote a sustainable property market and prioritise housing for owner-occupation." The revised rates will take effect from April 27, 2023. Singapore Property Market: Revised stamp duty rates The government has now doubled the stamp duty to 60 per cent for foreigners buying home. For the Singapore citizens, it has raised the tax to 20 per cent from 17 per cent earlier for a second residential property. It was increased to 30 per cent from 25 per cent for the citizens purchasing their third or subsequent home, and for permanent residents purchasing a second residential property. ALSO READ | Singapore launches $7.5mn fund to boost film, TV productions showcasing the city-state The Singapore citizens do not need to pay any stamp duty while buying their first residential property as was the case before. The government said that married couples with one of them a Singapore citizen, who jointly purchase a second residential property, can continue to apply for a refund of the stamp duty, "subject to conditions". These conditions include selling their first residential property within 6 months after the date of purchase of the second residential property. Singapore Property Market: Why revision of stamp duty rates? The latest measures for a "sustainable property market" in Singapore follow tax increases that were imposed in December 2021 and a tightening of home-loan limits in September 2022, Bloomberg reported. The city-state's property prices have remained dynamic despite slowdowns in parts of the world due to increased interest rates and inflation. Despite a "moderating effect" from the previous increases, property prices last quarter showed "renewed signs of acceleration amid resilient demand," the Singapore government's statement said. ALSO WATCH | Singapore tops list as best business hub × "Demand from locals purchasing homes for owner-occupation has been especially strong, and there has also been renewed interest from local and foreign investors in our residential property market," the government said. "If left unchecked, prices could run ahead of economic fundamentals, with the risk of a sustained increase in prices relative to incomes." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore doubles stamp duty for foreigners buying home

Singapore on Wednesday (April 26) hanged an Indian-origin man till death, who was convicted of conspiring to traffic one kilogram of cannabis. The decision to execute the man was taken despite pleas for clemency from his family, activists and also the United Nations.&nbsp;

A spokesman for the Singapore Prison Service told the news agency AFP that the "Singaporean Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, had his capital sentence carried out today at Changi Prison Complex."&nbsp;

Reuters reported that Kokila Annamalai, who is a Singapore-based rights activist representing the family, confirmed that Suppiah had been executed by hanging. It also mentioned that the president had rejected pleas for clemency on the eve of the execution.&nbsp;

The United Nations Human Rights Office for Singapore had urged the authorities to "urgently reconsider" the decision of hanging, and British tycoon Richard Branson also asked to halt it.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taliban-kill-isis-cell-leader-who-bombed-kabul-airport-when-us-exited-afghanistan-586155">Taliban kill ISIS leader behind deadly Kabul airport attack of August 2021</a>&nbsp;

Branson, who is a member of the Geneva-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, wrote a blog earlier this week about Tangaraju. He mentioned that the Singaporean man was "not anywhere near" the drugs at the time of his arrest and that Singapore may be about to put an innocent man to death.&nbsp;

He was convicted in 2017 of "abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic" 1,017.9 grams of cannabis. The quantity was twice the minimum volume required for a death sentence in Singapore. In 2018, Tangaraju was sentenced to death and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision.&nbsp;

The Singapore government has not released an official statement yet, but had slammed Branson for peddling falsehoods and disrespecting its justice system. The government stated that its courts spent more than three years examining the case and Branson's claim was "patently untrue."&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/middle-east/turkey-arrests-110-accused-of-kurdish-militant-ties-ahead-of-election-586066">Turkey arrests 110 accused of Kurdish militant ties ahead of election</a>&nbsp;

In reaction to Branson's blog post "Why Tangaraju Suppiah doesn't deserve to die", Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the British billionaire's views on a Singaporean on death row showed "disrespect" for the country's judges and criminal justice system.&nbsp;

As quoted by news agencies, the ministry said: "Tangaraju’s defence was that he was not the person communicating with the two others involved in the case. However, the High Court found Tangaraju’s evidence unbelievable and found that he was communicating with the two others and was coordinating the delivery and receipt of cannabis to himself through the two others."&nbsp;

Further mentioning that the High Court also found that Tangaraju had the intention to traffic the cannabis, the ministry also said that "Tangaraju was involved in a case with two others, where his phone numbers were used to communicate with the two others involved in the delivery of the cannabis."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Singapore on Wednesday (April 26) hanged an Indian-origin man till death, who was convicted of conspiring to traffic one kilogram of cannabis. The decision to execute the man was taken despite pleas for clemency from his family, activists and also the United Nations.

Singapore on Wednesday (April 26) hanged an Indian-origin man till death, who was convicted of conspiring to traffic one kilogram of cannabis. The decision to execute the man was taken despite pleas for clemency from his family, activists and also the United Nations. A spokesman for the Singapore Prison Service told the news agency AFP that the "Singaporean Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, had his capital sentence carried out today at Changi Prison Complex." Reuters reported that Kokila Annamalai, who is a Singapore-based rights activist representing the family, confirmed that Suppiah had been executed by hanging. It also mentioned that the president had rejected pleas for clemency on the eve of the execution. The United Nations Human Rights Office for Singapore had urged the authorities to "urgently reconsider" the decision of hanging, and British tycoon Richard Branson also asked to halt it. ALSO READ | Taliban kill ISIS leader behind deadly Kabul airport attack of August 2021 Branson, who is a member of the Geneva-based Global Commission on Drug Policy, wrote a blog earlier this week about Tangaraju. He mentioned that the Singaporean man was "not anywhere near" the drugs at the time of his arrest and that Singapore may be about to put an innocent man to death. He was convicted in 2017 of "abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic" 1,017.9 grams of cannabis. The quantity was twice the minimum volume required for a death sentence in Singapore. In 2018, Tangaraju was sentenced to death and the Court of Appeal upheld the decision. The Singapore government has not released an official statement yet, but had slammed Branson for peddling falsehoods and disrespecting its justice system. The government stated that its courts spent more than three years examining the case and Branson's claim was "patently untrue." ALSO READ | Turkey arrests 110 accused of Kurdish militant ties ahead of election In reaction to Branson's blog post "Why Tangaraju Suppiah doesn't deserve to die", Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the British billionaire's views on a Singaporean on death row showed "disrespect" for the country's judges and criminal justice system. As quoted by news agencies, the ministry said: "Tangaraju’s defence was that he was not the person communicating with the two others involved in the case. However, the High Court found Tangaraju’s evidence unbelievable and found that he was communicating with the two others and was coordinating the delivery and receipt of cannabis to himself through the two others." Further mentioning that the High Court also found that Tangaraju had the intention to traffic the cannabis, the ministry also said that "Tangaraju was involved in a case with two others, where his phone numbers were used to communicate with the two others involved in the delivery of the cannabis." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore executes Indian-origin man for conspiring to traffic cannabis

A 46-year-old Singaporean man will be hanged next week over one kilogram of cannabis in what will be the first execution of the city-state in nearly six months, said a report by news agency AFP, citing local rights groups. Meanwhile, his family pleaded for clemency from the authorities, on Sunday (April 23) and urged a retrial.

What do we know about the sentence?

In 2018, the 46-year-old, Tangaraju Suppiah, was sentenced to death for conspiring to smuggle the drugs, reported AFP, after being convicted the year prior for “abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic” 1,017.9 grams of cannabis.&nbsp;

The amount is said to be twice the minimum volume that merits the death sentence in the city-state. According to the prosecutors, Tangaraju owned two mobile phone numbers used as contacts.

A Court of Appeal upheld the decision while a high country judge Hoo Sheau Peng said that the charge against the accused “had been proved beyond a reasonable doubt”. The execution is scheduled to take place on Wednesday (April 26).&nbsp;

Rights groups condemn decision

Last week, Amnesty International condemned the court’s decision and called it “extremely cruel”. A spokesperson from Amnesty’s regional office told AFP, that if they go through with this execution it “would be in violation of international law and in stubborn defiance of continued outcry over Singapore's use of the death penalty.”&nbsp;

Rights activist Kirsten Han told AFP, “What is especially troubling is that Tangaraju... never actually handled the drugs. He was also questioned by the police without legal counsel, and said that he was denied a Tamil interpreter.”&nbsp;

However, Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau said he “had access to legal counsel throughout the process.” The agency also said that the judge found it “disingenuous” given Tangaraju’s admission and that he had made no request for an interpreter for any of the other statements.

Tangaraju’s family pleads for clemency

Tangaraju’s sister, Leelavathy Suppiah addressing a press conference in Tamil, said, “We don’t think my brother’s had a fair trial...I have faith the president will read all our petitions.” She added, “Since young, he's been kind and well-liked by everyone, and he’s never done anything bad to anyone...he's sacrificed everything to help his family,” Leelavathy was quoted as saying by AFP.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, his 26-year-old niece said that his uncle has been brave and “prepared” for Wednesday but that his death will be unjust. Tangaraju’s family members, relatives, and friends have signed appeals, and rights groups have said that they will deliver petitions to the president’s office.&nbsp;

The 46-year-old’s family and rights groups have claimed that there are loopholes in the case like questioning by police without legal counsel and being denied a Tamil interpreter during the recording of his first police statement. &nbsp;

Singapore’s stance on drugs and capital punishment

As many nations across the world, including neighbouring Thailand have decriminalised cannabis and authorities forgo&nbsp;prison sentences, rights groups have been mounting pressure on Singapore to abolish capital punishment.&nbsp;

Notably, the city-state has some of the world’s toughest anti-narcotics laws and has argued that the death penalty remains an effective deterrent against drug trafficking. Singapore also resumed execution by hanging in March 2022 after a two-year hiatus and carried out 11, last year, all of which were reportedly related to drug offences.&nbsp; 
 
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A 46-year-old Singaporean man will be hanged next week over one kilogram of cannabis in what will be the first execution of the city-state in nearly six months, said a report by news agency AFP, citing local rights groups.

A 46-year-old Singaporean man will be hanged next week over one kilogram of cannabis in what will be the first execution of the city-state in nearly six months, said a report by news agency AFP, citing local rights groups. Meanwhile, his family pleaded for clemency from the authorities, on Sunday (April 23) and urged a retrial. What do we know about the sentence? In 2018, the 46-year-old, Tangaraju Suppiah, was sentenced to death for conspiring to smuggle the drugs, reported AFP, after being convicted the year prior for “abetting by engaging in a conspiracy to traffic” 1,017.9 grams of cannabis. The amount is said to be twice the minimum volume that merits the death sentence in the city-state. According to the prosecutors, Tangaraju owned two mobile phone numbers used as contacts. A Court of Appeal upheld the decision while a high country judge Hoo Sheau Peng said that the charge against the accused “had been proved beyond a reasonable doubt”. The execution is scheduled to take place on Wednesday (April 26). Rights groups condemn decision Last week, Amnesty International condemned the court’s decision and called it “extremely cruel”. A spokesperson from Amnesty’s regional office told AFP, that if they go through with this execution it “would be in violation of international law and in stubborn defiance of continued outcry over Singapore's use of the death penalty.” Rights activist Kirsten Han told AFP, “What is especially troubling is that Tangaraju... never actually handled the drugs. He was also questioned by the police without legal counsel, and said that he was denied a Tamil interpreter.” However, Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau said he “had access to legal counsel throughout the process.” The agency also said that the judge found it “disingenuous” given Tangaraju’s admission and that he had made no request for an interpreter for any of the other statements. Tangaraju’s family pleads for clemency Tangaraju’s sister, Leelavathy Suppiah addressing a press conference in Tamil, said, “We don’t think my brother’s had a fair trial...I have faith the president will read all our petitions.” She added, “Since young, he's been kind and well-liked by everyone, and he’s never done anything bad to anyone...he's sacrificed everything to help his family,” Leelavathy was quoted as saying by AFP. Meanwhile, his 26-year-old niece said that his uncle has been brave and “prepared” for Wednesday but that his death will be unjust. Tangaraju’s family members, relatives, and friends have signed appeals, and rights groups have said that they will deliver petitions to the president’s office. The 46-year-old’s family and rights groups have claimed that there are loopholes in the case like questioning by police without legal counsel and being denied a Tamil interpreter during the recording of his first police statement. Singapore’s stance on drugs and capital punishment As many nations across the world, including neighbouring Thailand have decriminalised cannabis and authorities forgo prison sentences, rights groups have been mounting pressure on Singapore to abolish capital punishment. Notably, the city-state has some of the world’s toughest anti-narcotics laws and has argued that the death penalty remains an effective deterrent against drug trafficking. Singapore also resumed execution by hanging in March 2022 after a two-year hiatus and carried out 11, last year, all of which were reportedly related to drug offences. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore to execute man over 1 kg of cannabis, family pleads for clemency

Over the years, several Asian countries have made significant infrastructure investments and economic policy changes to become more business-friendly and attract new investments, but which is the best country to do business in and how does India fare? Find out in this next report.

Singapore tops list as best business hub

Singapore has the world's best business environment&nbsp;for the next five years, as per a report by a leading market intelligence&nbsp;group.&nbsp;

The Economist Intelligence Unit's Business Environment Rankings has named the Southeast Asian city-state as the best business destination due to its high level of economic and political stability.&nbsp;

Canada and Denmark are in the second and third position respectively. The United States, New Zealand and other European countries make up the top 10 list. &nbsp;

Only one other Asian territory finds a place in the top 10 - Hong Kong. The Special Administrative Region of China, a traditional rival of Singapore, occupies the seventh position.&nbsp;

"Our ranking shows that North America and western Europe remain the best regions in the world to do business," Economist Intelligence Unit report quoted Prianthi Roy, country forecast manager and Europe analyst, as saying.&nbsp;

While Singapore and Hong Kong are the only Asian territories in the top 10, several Asian countries have moved up in the rankings.&nbsp;

Vietnam is the biggest gainer, climbing 12 spots in the latest rankings. Thailand has risen 10 places since 2022 while India has managed to move up six places.&nbsp;

Vietnam, in particular, has fared so well due to companies pursuing the policy of having an alternate supply chain&nbsp;in Vietnam. With favourable investment policies and competitive labour costs, Vietnam is being seen as an alternate manufacturing hub to China.&nbsp;

With a stringent zero-Covid policy that ended only last year&nbsp;and the consequent economic distress, it comes as no surprise that the biggest loser in this year's rankings is China.&nbsp;

"The outlook for China’s business environment has deteriorated as a result of greater policy uncertainty, US-China tensions and a more challenging longer-term outlook for growth," the report noted.&nbsp;

China, the report said, now ranks below Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and India for doing business.&nbsp;

Singapore has the world's best business environment for the next five years, as per a report by a leading market intelligence group. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Business Environment Rankings has named the Southeast Asian city-state as the best business destination due to its high level of economic and political stability.

Singapore has the world's best business environment for the next five years, as per a report by a leading market intelligence group. The Economist Intelligence Unit's Business Environment Rankings has named the Southeast Asian city-state as the best business destination due to its high level of economic and political stability. Canada and Denmark are in the second and third position respectively. The United States, New Zealand and other European countries make up the top 10 list. Only one other Asian territory finds a place in the top 10 - Hong Kong. The Special Administrative Region of China, a traditional rival of Singapore, occupies the seventh position. "Our ranking shows that North America and western Europe remain the best regions in the world to do business," Economist Intelligence Unit report quoted Prianthi Roy, country forecast manager and Europe analyst, as saying. While Singapore and Hong Kong are the only Asian territories in the top 10, several Asian countries have moved up in the rankings. Vietnam is the biggest gainer, climbing 12 spots in the latest rankings. Thailand has risen 10 places since 2022 while India has managed to move up six places. Vietnam, in particular, has fared so well due to companies pursuing the policy of having an alternate supply chain in Vietnam. With favourable investment policies and competitive labour costs, Vietnam is being seen as an alternate manufacturing hub to China. With a stringent zero-Covid policy that ended only last year and the consequent economic distress, it comes as no surprise that the biggest loser in this year's rankings is China. "The outlook for China’s business environment has deteriorated as a result of greater policy uncertainty, US-China tensions and a more challenging longer-term outlook for growth," the report noted. China, the report said, now ranks below Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and India for doing business.

Singapore is world's best business hub: Economist Intelligence Unit report

Looks like Singapore is rolling out the red carpet for the entertainment industry. To promote Singapore as a travel destination, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have announced a new joint fund of $7.5 million ($10 million Singapore dollars) to support international film and TV projects that showcase the city-state, as per The Hollywood Reporter. The fund will be available to international media and entertainment companies that produce global content featuring Singapore, and will be evaluated based on various criteria such as market reach, content concept, opportunities to highlight Singapore's offerings and experiences, and involvement of local talent in credited roles.

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Eligible projects will receive funding support of up to 30 percent of qualifying costs related to featuring Singapore, including production and marketing costs.

Justin Ang, assistant chief executive at IMDA, said in a statement, “The Singapore On-screen Fund provides more opportunities for our home-grown media enterprises and talent to collaborate with their international counterparts to hone their skills and gain valuable experience on projects that target the global audience. This exchange of capabilities through direct involvement in such projects will boost the credentials of our local media industry. We hope that such collaborations will showcase to the world Singapore’s capabilities to take on large-scale productions on the global stage.”

Chang Chee Pey, assistant chief executive of the STB’s marketing group said, “To keep pace with the changing digital landscape and increased demand for authentic and entertaining content, branded entertainment is a key focus of STB’s marketing strategy. The Singapore On-screen Fund allows us to tap the deep storytelling expertise of global media and entertainment players in a more purposeful way, showcasing Singapore through a fresh lens as travel demand recovers.” 
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Looks like Singapore is rolling out the red carpet for the entertainment industry. To promote Singapore as a travel destination, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have announced a new joint fund of $7.

Looks like Singapore is rolling out the red carpet for the entertainment industry. To promote Singapore as a travel destination, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have announced a new joint fund of $7.5 million ($10 million Singapore dollars) to support international film and TV projects that showcase the city-state, as per The Hollywood Reporter. The fund will be available to international media and entertainment companies that produce global content featuring Singapore, and will be evaluated based on various criteria such as market reach, content concept, opportunities to highlight Singapore's offerings and experiences, and involvement of local talent in credited roles. Eligible projects will receive funding support of up to 30 percent of qualifying costs related to featuring Singapore, including production and marketing costs. Justin Ang, assistant chief executive at IMDA, said in a statement, “The Singapore On-screen Fund provides more opportunities for our home-grown media enterprises and talent to collaborate with their international counterparts to hone their skills and gain valuable experience on projects that target the global audience. This exchange of capabilities through direct involvement in such projects will boost the credentials of our local media industry. We hope that such collaborations will showcase to the world Singapore’s capabilities to take on large-scale productions on the global stage.” Chang Chee Pey, assistant chief executive of the STB’s marketing group said, “To keep pace with the changing digital landscape and increased demand for authentic and entertaining content, branded entertainment is a key focus of STB’s marketing strategy. The Singapore On-screen Fund allows us to tap the deep storytelling expertise of global media and entertainment players in a more purposeful way, showcasing Singapore through a fresh lens as travel demand recovers.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Singapore launches $7.5mn fund to boost film, TV productions showcasing the city-state

Here, we bring you the news that is trending across WION's social media platforms - Will models lose their well-earned jobs? Recently, Singapore experimented with using AI-generated models for its cover story and was successful in doing so. Instead of hiring a model, revising poses with them, and then coming up with a theme for the spread, the magazine made it simple for everyone involved by utilising New Age Technology.

Models to go out of job? Vogue Singapore uses AI models for cover shoot | Trending on WION

In a "world first," cataract surgeries on elderly penguins were successfully executed, and replacement lenses were installed&nbsp;at Singapore's Jurong Bird Park. Post surgery, the six penguins seem to be more "active" and with a spring in their step, reported the Mirror.&nbsp;

Veterinarians from the Mandai Wildlife Group, who have been treating the animals, reported that three king penguins who were 20 years of age or older and three Humboldts that were between the ages of seven and 13 underwent cataract surgeries.

Further, the king penguins received&nbsp;"custom-made intraocular lens implants," which required placing artificial lenses on the eyes. This procedure is regarded as a "first for penguins" across the world.

Cataracts are an age-related eye disorder that commonly affects both humans and other animals.

A group lead by veterinarian ophthalmologist Dr Gladys Boo performed the procedures in December of last year. Following the procedure, the penguins had to be kept out of the water and given eye medications twice a day.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/aliens-on-distant-exoplanets-scientists-say-terminator-zones-could-harbour-life-573183">Aliens on distant exoplanets? Scientists say 'terminator zones' could harbour life</a>

“Successful cataract surgery on Jurong Bird Park’s geriatric penguins, three king penguins, and three Humboldt penguins, has helped them enhance their sight and improve their quality&nbsp;of life,” said the Madai Wildlife Group, who spoke to the Mirror.&nbsp;

“The surgeries involved the removal of the cloudy lenses caused by cataracts, a common age-related condition that develops in geriatric animals and hinders their vision,” they added.

The surgeries were performed to "enhance their overall well-being" after veterinarians realised the penguins were having difficulty seeing.

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In a "world first," cataract surgeries on elderly penguins were successfully executed, and replacement lenses were installed at Singapore's Jurong Bird Park. Post surgery, the six penguins seem to be more "active" and with a spring in their step, reported the Mirror.

In a "world first," cataract surgeries on elderly penguins were successfully executed, and replacement lenses were installed at Singapore's Jurong Bird Park. Post surgery, the six penguins seem to be more "active" and with a spring in their step, reported the Mirror. Veterinarians from the Mandai Wildlife Group, who have been treating the animals, reported that three king penguins who were 20 years of age or older and three Humboldts that were between the ages of seven and 13 underwent cataract surgeries. Further, the king penguins received "custom-made intraocular lens implants," which required placing artificial lenses on the eyes. This procedure is regarded as a "first for penguins" across the world. Cataracts are an age-related eye disorder that commonly affects both humans and other animals. A group lead by veterinarian ophthalmologist Dr Gladys Boo performed the procedures in December of last year. Following the procedure, the penguins had to be kept out of the water and given eye medications twice a day. ALSO READ | Aliens on distant exoplanets? Scientists say 'terminator zones' could harbour life “Successful cataract surgery on Jurong Bird Park’s geriatric penguins, three king penguins, and three Humboldt penguins, has helped them enhance their sight and improve their quality of life,” said the Madai Wildlife Group, who spoke to the Mirror. “The surgeries involved the removal of the cloudy lenses caused by cataracts, a common age-related condition that develops in geriatric animals and hinders their vision,” they added. The surgeries were performed to "enhance their overall well-being" after veterinarians realised the penguins were having difficulty seeing. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Singapore: In a first, elderly penguins undergo cataract surgery, receive custom lenses

Recently, a new species of cockroach was discovered in Singapore. The newly-found species has been named Pheromosa after a Pokemon which has a resemblance to the cockroach and makes an appearance in the video game series' seventh generation.

As per Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, there are only 32 species in the family Nocticolidae as of now, which includes this fragile cockroach that was first recorded in Singapore.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/two-fathers-and-a-mice-scientists-make-eggs-from-male-cells-to-do-the-unthinkable-570255">Mice with two biological dads: Scientists do the unthinkable</a>

The species of the cockroach was first discovered in 2016 during an insect survey which was being carried out at a natural reserve to learn more about the different species of insects in Singapore.

Although the species' exterior matched that of a species which had been recognised, however, during dissection it was found that it was a new species that had never been discovered before.

Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum's Foo Maosheng and UPLB Museum of Natural History's Cristian Lucanas recently published a paper based on their discovery. Maosheng even shared the news on Twitter.

"A new delicate epigean Nocticola has been described and also serves as the first record of this genus from Singapore. @IpisLord and I have named it after the #Pokemon Pheromosa, with specimens in @lkcnhm,” Maosheng wrote.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A new delicate epigean Nocticola has been described and also serves as the first record of this genus from Singapore.<a href="https://twitter.com/IpisLord?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IpisLord</a> and I have named it after the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pokemon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pokemon</a> Pheromosa, with specimens in <a href="https://twitter.com/lkcnhm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lkcnhm</a> <a href="https://t.co/KiUJZUFYtZ">pic.twitter.com/KiUJZUFYtZ</a>
— BugCatcher_Mao (@BugcatcherM) <a href="https://twitter.com/BugcatcherM/status/1632556104059359233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The post was shared a few days back on social media. Since it has been posted, it has received more than 1,700 likes and many people have even left their comments on the post.

WATCH | Gravitas: Scientists claim superconductor breakthrough

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"Few things bring me more joy than seeing intersections between science and Pokemon. There's just something beautiful about using inspiration from fiction to create progress in reality," said a user.

Another person user said, "This is such a scientific slay, congrats!!" A third person commented, "Omg, this is soo cool."

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Recently, a new species of cockroach was discovered in Singapore. The newly-found species has been named Pheromosa after a Pokemon which has a resemblance to the cockroach and makes an appearance in the video game series' seventh generation.

Recently, a new species of cockroach was discovered in Singapore. The newly-found species has been named Pheromosa after a Pokemon which has a resemblance to the cockroach and makes an appearance in the video game series' seventh generation. As per Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, there are only 32 species in the family Nocticolidae as of now, which includes this fragile cockroach that was first recorded in Singapore. ALSO READ | Mice with two biological dads: Scientists do the unthinkable The species of the cockroach was first discovered in 2016 during an insect survey which was being carried out at a natural reserve to learn more about the different species of insects in Singapore. Although the species' exterior matched that of a species which had been recognised, however, during dissection it was found that it was a new species that had never been discovered before. Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum's Foo Maosheng and UPLB Museum of Natural History's Cristian Lucanas recently published a paper based on their discovery. Maosheng even shared the news on Twitter. "A new delicate epigean Nocticola has been described and also serves as the first record of this genus from Singapore. @IpisLord and I have named it after the #Pokemon Pheromosa, with specimens in @lkcnhm,” Maosheng wrote. A new delicate epigean Nocticola has been described and also serves as the first record of this genus from Singapore.@IpisLord and I have named it after the #Pokemon Pheromosa, with specimens in @lkcnhm pic.twitter.com/KiUJZUFYtZ — BugCatcher_Mao (@BugcatcherM) March 6, 2023 × The post was shared a few days back on social media. Since it has been posted, it has received more than 1,700 likes and many people have even left their comments on the post. WATCH | Gravitas: Scientists claim superconductor breakthrough "Few things bring me more joy than seeing intersections between science and Pokemon. There's just something beautiful about using inspiration from fiction to create progress in reality," said a user. Another person user said, "This is such a scientific slay, congrats!!" A third person commented, "Omg, this is soo cool." You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Cockroach's newly-discovered species gets named after Pokemon's Ultra Beast in Singapore

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