From left to right: Koh Mui Tee (Vice Chairman FC Jurong), Daisuke Korenaga (Chairman FC Jurong). Rohit Ramesh (Director SKASports), Sudhir Menon (Director SKASports).
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Singapore:

Singapore has arrested a teenage boy who was allegedly planning an ISIS-inspired terror attack on a busy suburb, the interior minister said Friday, adding it was a “very close shave”.

After watching Islamic State propaganda glorifying knife attacks, the 17-year-old visited the suburb to rehearse his attack before he was arrested in August, Home Minister K. Shanmugam said.

“He was quite serious because he actually practised stabbing motions with the scissors. He checked out which place would cause death — basically the neck area — so he practised hitting at the neck,” Shanmugam told reporters.

“I would say this was a very close shave. It is very fortunate that ISD (Internal Security Department) arrested him in time.”

The teenager, detained under the Internal Security Act, had allegedly planned a stabbing spree to coincide with school holidays in September when the area would be teeming with people.

In a statement released on Friday, ISD said the teenager was exposed to the deluge of online extremist materials posted by the Islamic State group after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7 last year.

“He joined various online groups which provided updates on ISIS’s activities and bought into ISIS’s rhetoric of promoting the use of violence to establish an Islamic caliphate,” ISD said.

By January, “the youth had become a staunch ISIS supporter and aspired to die as a martyr while fighting for the group,” it added.

He took a pledge of allegiance to IS and intended to travel to Syria to fight there, according to ISD.

The teenager acted alone as he was unable to radicalise other people, ISD added.

His family noticed him watching videos of radical preachers and advised him to stop, but he continued, using “codewords” when discussing his beliefs online, the department said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Singapore:

Singapore’s Indian-origin former transport minister S Iswaran was handed a one-year jail sentence on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to five charges relating to corruption and blocking of justice in the High Court on September 24.

The sentence is more than the six to seven months asked for by the prosecution, which Justice Hoong considers “manifestly inadequate”.

The higher the office held by the offender as a public servant, the higher his level of culpability, said Justice Hoong.

The former minister is the first person to be prosecuted under Section 165 in post-independent Singapore, reported The Straits Times.

Judge Vincent Hoong turns to the mitigating factors that the defence has highlighted, including Iswaran’s public service to Singapore, his voluntary disgorgement to the benefits and his early plea of guilt.

Given that the rest of the 30 charges that were taken into consideration bear similarities with the proceeded charges where he received gifts, the judge said that these charges revealed the scale and repetition of offending over a significant period of time. This is a culpability-increasing factor, says Judge Hoong.

His public service and contributions to Singapore were at most a neutral factor, adds the judge.

Justice Hoong says he has difficulty believing that Iswaran was remorseful, as the latter had made public statements rejecting the charges as false.

He added that he is unable to accept the defence’s submissions. The accused is only eligible for a sentencing discount of up to 10 per cent.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Tipping Point | End of coal power in the UK, Fridays for Future

| Video Credit:
The Hindu

The United Kingdom is moving away from coal power for good. On September 30, the 2,000-megawatt Ratcliffe coal plant in Nottinghamshire will shut operations, ending the U.K.’s 142-year-long tryst with coal power.

Is moving away from coal a good step? Definitely. Every step away from dependence on fossil fuels counts towards controlling emissions and global warming. Is it enough? Well, the UK has historically been the fourth largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions, and should lead in phasing out fossil fuel dependence by setting a stronger example. 

This week’s extreme weather event of note is the Sumatra Squall that hit Singapore on September 17, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the tiny city-state on the southern tip of the Malay peninsula.

Fridays for Future, a youth-led international movement to highlight the lack of action on climate crisis, is our this week’s source of climate hope. 

On September 20, young college students and activists planned a march to the Delhi secretariat in the national capital as part of the Global Climate Strike.

Their demands include an immediate reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a transition to renewable energy, climate education and awareness, and to transform Delhi into a cycling-friendly city. 

Presentation: Priyali Prakash

Video: Zeeshan Akhtar and Aniket Singh Chauhan

Production: Aniket Singh Chauhan

Singapore:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by his counterpart Lawrence Wong, on Thursday visited AEM Holdings, a leading company in the semiconductor and electronics sector, here and discussed opportunities for collaboration.

PM Modi also invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the ‘SEMICON INDIA’ exhibition, to be held in Greater Noida from September 11-13.

According to an MEA statement, the Prime Minister also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha’s ‘World Skill Center’, undergoing training in Singapore, as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the ‘CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme’ and Indian engineers working at the AEM facility.

Both the leaders were briefed about AEM’s role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and plans for India.

Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India. Representatives of several other Singaporean companies from this sector were also present.

“Given our efforts to develop the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India and Singapore’s strengths in this sector, both sides have decided to expand bilateral cooperation,” according to the MEA.

During the second meeting of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, both sides agreed to add advanced manufacturing, with a focus on semiconductors, as a pillar for enhancing bilateral cooperation.

According to the MEA, both sides have also concluded the MoU on India-Singapore semiconductor ecosystem partnership.

“This visit by both the Prime Ministers underscores the commitment of both sides to develop cooperation in this area. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his appreciation to Prime Minister Wong for joining him in this visit,” the MEA statement read.

Earlier this week, the Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, approved the proposal of Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd to set up a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat, with an investment of Rs 3,300 crore. The proposed unit, under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), will produce nearly 60 lakh chips per day.

In March, PM Modi laid the foundation stone of three semiconductor projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore. As per reports, India’s semiconductor-related market will reach $64 billion in 2026, nearly triple the size in 2019.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Singapore:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi accompanied by his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong on Thursday visited a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductor and electronics sector and discussed ways for collaboration in this critical industry.

PM Modi is here on a two-day visit at the invitation of Singapore PM Wong.

Both the leaders visited AEM Holdings Ltd and were briefed about the company’s role in the global semiconductor value chain, its operations and plans for India, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press statement.

“Boosting ties in the area of Advanced manufacturing. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST visited AEM Holdings Ltd. today, a leading Singaporean company in the semiconductors and electronics sector. The leaders held discussions with the stakeholders on opportunities for collaboration between India and Singapore in the field of semiconductors,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association gave a briefing on the development of the semiconductor ecosystem in Singapore and opportunities for collaboration with India, the statement said.

“Given our efforts to develop the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem in India and Singapore’s strengths in this sector, both sides have decided to expand bilateral cooperation. During the 2nd meeting of the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, both sides agreed to add advanced manufacturing, with a focus on semiconductors, as a pillar for enhancing bilateral cooperation,” the press statement said.

Both sides have also concluded the memorandum of understanding on India-Singapore Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership, it said.

At the facility, both the leaders also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha’s World Skill Center undergoing training in Singapore as well as Singaporean interns who visited India under the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme and Indian engineers working at AEM.

“During the visit to AEM Holdings, PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST also interacted with Indian interns from Odisha’s World Skill Center visiting Singapore as well as Singaporean interns who had visited India under the CII-Enterprise Singapore India Ready Talent Programme and Indian engineers working at AEM,” Jaiswal said in a post on X.

The visit to the company by both the leaders underscores commitment of both sides to develop cooperation in this area. Prime Minister Modi conveyed his appreciation to Prime Minister Wong for joining him in this visit, the statement said.

Prime Minister Modi also invited the Singaporean semiconductor companies to participate in the SEMICON INDIA exhibition to be held in Greater Noida on September 11-13, 2024.

PM Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister.

He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his arrival here. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Singapore:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a productive meeting with his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong during which they elevated the bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

PM Modi is here on a two-day visit at the invitation of Singapore PM Lawrence.

Ahead of the talks with Singapore PM Wong, PM Modi received a red carpet-welcome at the Singapore Parliament House. He also signed the visitor’s book there.

“A new chapter in – ties: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established. PM @narendramodi and PM @LawrenceWongST held a productive meeting in Singapore today,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X after the meeting.

“The leaders agreed to elevate the – ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They extensively reviewed various facets of the bilateral relationship covering areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Connectivity, Digitalisation, Healthcare & Medicine, Skills Development and Sustainability,” he said.

The meeting between the two leaders comes months after Singapore PM Wong took over and PM Modi began his third term as prime minister.

The two leaders also oversaw the exchange of four MoUs after the talks. Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will also call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

He would call on Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Lee will host a lunch for Modi.

PM Modi will also meet with Singaporean business leaders and interact with those in the country’s semiconductor ecosystem.

PM Modi and Singapore PM Wong will also visit a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

PM Modi flew to Singapore on Wednesday after wrapping his visit to Brunei, the first bilateral visit there by an Indian prime minister.

He was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian community on his arrival here.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, delivers a statement in which he claimed an attack on the Lobivia ship, during a pro-Palestinian rally in Sanaa, Yemen on July 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A Singapore-flagged vessel was damaged in an attack allegedly by Houthi militants southeast of Yemen on Friday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in a statement.

The MPA said it was informed that container vessel the LOBIVIA was hit by “unidentified projectiles” while transiting the Gulf of Aden, resulting in a fire onboard that was subsequently extinguished by the crew.

Also read | Air attack leaves 1 dead, at least 10 injured in Tel Aviv

There are no Singaporeans among the crew, Channel News Asia reported, citing the authority and adding that all crew are accounted for and safe.

Despite being hit, the vessel was able to set sail and arrived at Somalia’s Berbera Port. Damage assessment and repairs, if needed, will be carried out, it said.

MPA said it is in contact with the vessel manager to provide any assistance that might be needed. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has also alerted its security partners in the Gulf of Aden region to provide help, it added.

In a televised speech, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group had launched ballistic missiles and drones towards the LOBIVIA.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, the LOBIVIA was hit about 83 nautical miles southeast of the port city of Aden, Yemen, on two separate occasions by two missiles.

“The ship was transiting northeast along the Gulf of Aden when a merchant vessel in the vicinity observed ‘light and blast’ where the ship was located,” Channel News Asia had British security firm Ambrey as saying.

Ambrey said the ship appeared to perform evasive manoeuvres immediately and switched off its automatic identification system approximately an hour later.

Since November, Houthi militants in Yemen have launched drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The group has said its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians affected by Israel’s war in Gaza.

The group has sunk two vessels and seized another, killed at least three sailors and severely disrupted global trade by forcing ship owners to avoid the Suez Canal trade shortcut.

On Tuesday, Liberia-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was forced to turn back to assess damage and investigate a potential oil spill after being attacked by the group in the Red Sea. Britain and the US have conducted retaliatory strikes since February, shooting down drones and bombing attack sites in Yemen.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Monday approved 16 species of insects including various species of crickets, mealworms, grasshoppers, locusts and silkworms for human consumption. The announcement has delighted industry players who have been gearing up for this long-awaited moment.

”With immediate effect, SFA will allow the import of insects and insect products belonging to species that have been assessed to be of low regulatory concern. These insects and insect products can be used for human consumption or as animal feed for food-producing animals,” the agency said in a circular addressed to processed food and animal feed traders. 

According to the Straits Times, suppliers and caterers in Singapore have been gearing up to source insects from regulated farms in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

SFA guidelines mandate that imported or locally farmed insects must adhere to strict food safety controls, ensuring they are not harvested from the wild. Insects that are not on SFA’s list of 16 will have to undergo an evaluation to ensure that the species are safe to consume, the agency said.

Further, companies selling pre-packaged food containing insects will also be required to label their packaging as such. Those that are found to be non-compliant with its food safety regulations will not be allowed for sale.

Restaurants gearing up

Meanwhile, several restaurants and cafes are gearing up to prepare new dishes made of insects that they hope will increase their sales and attract customers. House of Seafood restaurant’s chief executive Francis Ng said he is cooking up a menu of 30 insect-infused dishes. The insects will be added to some of its seafood dishes, such as salted egg crab, for example.

Mr Ng said that his restaurant had been getting five to six calls daily inquiring about its insect-based dishes, and when customers can start ordering them.

“Many of our customers, especially young people who are under 30 years old, are very daring. They want to be able to see the whole insect in the dish. So I’m giving them many options to choose from,” he said.

He anticipates that sales from insect-based dishes will increase his revenue by around 30 per cent.

According to Channel News Asia, crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms, are rich in protein. These insects also contain plenty of antioxidants and minerals including iron, zinc, copper and magnesium.