Wolbachia mosquitoes to be released at five more sites in Singapore to combat dengue

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SINGAPORE: Male Wolbachia-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes will be released in five new sites in the south of Singapore in an effort to combat dengue, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Baey Yam Keng said on Tuesday (Nov 21).

The five locations are Bukit Merah – Telok Blangah, Clementi – West Coast, Commonwealth, Holland, and Marine Parade – Mountbatten, and will comprise both Housing Board (HDB) and landed estates.

The new sites will increase Wolbachia coverage from 350,000 to 480,000 households, representing an increase from 26 per cent to 35 per cent of all households in Singapore.

Releases in these new sites will start in the first quarter of 2024.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said that the five sites were selected based on various considerations, including historical dengue risk, Aedes mosquito population, and NEA’s capacity for producing and releasing male Wolbachia-Aedes mosquitoes.

Mr Baey announced the new sites at the International Vector-Borne Diseases Conference at Shaw Foundation Alumni House at the National University of Singapore.

He noted that Singapore has experienced dengue outbreaks in three of the past five years – nearly 16,000 cases were reported in 2019, and more than 30,000 cases each year were recorded in 2020 and 2022.

Under Project Wolbachia, male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that carry the Wolbachia bacteria are released to mate with the female Aedes aegypti in an urban environment. The resulting eggs do not hatch.

Male mosquitoes do not bite and cannot transmit disease as they feed only on plant juices such as nectar.

According to data from the NEA’s website, more than 8,700 dengue cases have been recorded this year. A total of 143 dengue cases were reported in the week ending Nov 18.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 34 dengue clusters.

NEA said on its website that while the weekly number of reported dengue cases has decreased in the past month, case numbers remain high. It added that Singapore is expecting warmer than usual year-end weather due to the current El Nino phenomenon.

Wetter conditions in the coming weeks may also create more favourable conditions for mosquito breeding and dengue transmission, said the agency.

In September, the NEA warned that Singapore was at risk of a surge in dengue cases, with dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1) cases on the rise, replacing the previously dominant dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV-3).

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Maid jailed for stealing S,000 worth of gold, diamond jewellery and a Rolex watch from employer

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SINGAPORE: A domestic helper who had access to her employer’s drawer of valuables for cleaning purposes stole more than S$57,000 (US$42,700) worth of gold and diamond jewellery, including a Rolex watch.

She pawned away the items and transferred money to her family in Indonesia.

Sri Hastuti, a 39-year-old Indonesian, was sentenced to 15 months’ jail on Tuesday (Nov 21) after pleading guilty to one count of theft as a servant.

The court heard that Sri Hastuti worked as a domestic helper for a 43-year-old German man, who lived in a condominium in Marine Parade.

Between September 2022 and September 2023, Sri Hastuti stole 66 items from a drawer in her employer’s master bedroom.

These include gold bars, gold necklaces and cuff links, gold rings, 4 carat white diamond ear studs and a Rolex watch worth S$20,000.

On over 30 occasions, she pawned the items at shops in Singapore for cash. 

The victim lodged a police report on Oct 1, saying that multiple items had gone missing from his drawer where all the valuables were kept. 

He said there was a key to the drawer, but it was usually left unlocked for the maid to clean.

During police investigations, a total of 31 pawn shop tickets were recovered from Sri Hastuti.

The police managed to recover some of the items from the pawn shops – worth about S$41,000. The remainder was not recovered, and no restitution was made.

Sri Hastuti admitted transferring money to her family in Indonesia with what she received from pawning off the valuables.

The prosecution asked for 15 to 20 months’ jail, highlighting the substantial value of the stolen items and the offending period of about a year.

In mitigation, Sri Hastuti asked for a lighter sentence. She said through an interpreter that she knew what she did was wrong.

“Your honour, I am the sole breadwinner of my family,” she said. “My child married at young age, and not working, and my parent has been in and out of hospital. My siblings are also not working. In my family, I am the only person who work and support them financially. I don’t know what happen to them if I am away too long.”

In sentencing, the judge told her that she had abused her employer’s trust, but noted that she had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and that this was her first offence.

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N Korea tells Japan it will launch spy satellite in days

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Television still of North Korea's second attempt to put a spy satellite into spaceEPA
By Kelly Ng
BBC News, Singapore

North Korea may attempt a third spy satellite launch as early as midnight on Wednesday, Japanese media reported.

Tokyo said Pyongyang has notified them of a nine-day window for the launch, which closes at 23:59 local time (14:59 GMT) on 30 November.

Japan will work with South Korea to “strongly urge” the North not to proceed with the launch, which they said would violate UN resolutions.

Pyongyang has twice failed this year to get a spy satellite into space.

The Japan Coast Guard said Pyongyang’s notification designated three maritime zones believed to be the areas where debris from the rocket carrying the satellite will fall.

Two are to the west of the Korean Peninsula and the other is to the east of the Philippines’ island of Luzon.

Kang Ho-pil, chief director of operations at the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that Seoul will take “necessary measures” should the launch proceed.

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A spy satellite is a coveted prize for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as it will allow him to monitor incoming attacks and plot his own more accurately.

However the United Nations Security Council has banned Pyongyang from launching satellites because it sees them as a pretext to test the North’s missile technology.

South Korea retrieved debris from the North’s first launch in May and said the satellite had “no military utility”. After a second attempt in August failed, Pyongyang’s space agency said it would try again in October but did not do so.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested in September after a meeting with Mr Kim that Moscow could help Pyongyang build satellites, but the details of what was actually promised are unclear.

Earlier this month, South Korea announced plans to launch its own spy satellite by the end of November. The satellite is to be carried by a rocket from US company SpaceX.

This is reportedly the first of five spy satellites Seoul plans to launch into space by 2025.

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Manufacturing worker died after his head was crushed by machine, safety feature was bypassed: Coroner

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SINGAPORE: The death of a worker at a manufacturing company, after his head was crushed by a machine, could have been avoided if safety measures had been complied with, a coroner’s court has found.

In findings made available this week, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda ruled the death of 34-year-old Chinese national Sun Zaitao a work-related misadventure.

Mr Sun had died of extensive crush injuries to his head on Feb 11 last year, after leaning into a window of a cardboard processing machine to clear waste.

His head was caught by parts of the machine and his body was pulled in or fell into the machine. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr Sun worked as a production fitter for AMB Packaging, a paper and cardboard container and box manufacturer with its premises at 17 Senoko Loop.

He was trained to operate the machine that killed him – called the Tai Yi TGF High Speed Flexo Printer Slotter Rotary Die-Cutter Inline with Folder Gluer machine.

The machine would process corrugated cardboard into cartons bearing a customer’s designs by cutting, glueing, folding and stacking the cardboard.

Mr Sun was specifically tasked to operate the machine from November 2021.

The machine, purchased in May 2019, was several meters long and consisted of six machinery components.

There was a viewing window at the bundle stacker portion of the machine, where the machine stacked items. 

The window was 0.9m in height and 0.8m in width and came equipped with an interlocking guard.

If the window was opened when the machine was being operated, the guard would work by cutting the electrical supply to the machine.

At about 4.20pm on Feb 11 last year, Mr Sun was seen on closed-circuit television footage extending his upper body through the window of the machine while it was operating.

The coroner said it was likely that he was attempting to clear cardboard waste that had built up when he leaned further into the machine to remove a sub-standard carton.

“It was likely that Mr Sun’s head was then caught by the upward moving collection mechanism and was then trapped between the collection mechanism and the stationary pair of metal pieces,” said the coroner. 

His body then either fell or was pulled by the machine’s moving parts into the bundle stacker area, where he was found dead. 

MOM INVESTIGATIONS

After Mr Sun’s death, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) found that the interlocking guard had been tampered with. A key was kept inserted into a device by the window frame so that the window would remain open even when the machine was operating.

This bypass was put in place so that the machine could operate without interruption. Usually, cardboard waste would accumulate near the window, requiring the machine to be stopped so workers could remove the waste.

By bypassing the interlocking guard, a worker could remove the waste via the window without stopping the machine from operating.

MOM reviewed closed-circuit television footage and noted that Mr Sun and a printer supervisor were seen extending their upper body into the window five and 11 times respectively between January and February 2022.

The workers would perform this dangerous act to remove sub-standard cartons and clear cardboard waste by brushing them to the floor. A printer operator had observed these acts, MOM’s investigations revealed.

After Mr Sun’s death, a stop work order was issued and the company reinstalled the interlocking guard, ensuring it was functional.

The Workplace Health and Safety Council (WSH Council) issued an alert on Feb 21 last year to create awareness of the risk control measures to be taken to prevent a similar occurrence.

The recommended safety measures included: The installation of machine guards to protect workers from contact with exposed moving parts, safety devices such as presence sensors to be installed at machine hazard zones and the use of audio-visual warning devices which would indicate hazardous situations.

Mr Sun’s brother said he intended to engage a lawyer in Singapore to manage Mr Sun’s death, but did not raise any issues or concerns over the fatal incident. 

The coroner said this was an accident that could have been avoided. The machine was equipped with a safety feature that would prevent workers from coming into contact with moving machinery parts.

He said it was made clear to Mr Sun and other workers that the window had to be kept closed when the machine was operating – a fact emphasised by a trainer from the maker of the machine.

If the interlocking guard had been working, the machine would have stopped operating when Mr Sun opened the window, allowing him to clear the waste without the hazard of being caught by moving parts.

Unfortunately, the evidence showed that the interlocking guard had been bypassed since September 2019, around the time that the machine was commissioned for use at the premises, said the coroner.

He urged stakeholders who operate similar machinery to implement the recommendations by the WSH Council to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.

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Robbie Williams fan dies after fall at Sydney concert

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Robbie Williams performing at an earlier show in Madrid, Spain in July 2023Getty Images
By Frances Mao
BBC News

A woman in her 70s has died in hospital after a fall at a Robbie Williams concert in Sydney last Thursday.

She fell down six rows of seats during the show at Allianz Stadium and suffered serious head injuries.

The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was placed in an induced coma. Medical authorities confirmed on Tuesday she had died.

The British singer has not commented on the incident, which happened on the first night of his Australian XXV tour.

The accident took place after the show had ended, as thousands of show-goers were filing out, said a stadium spokesman.

“Rather than use stairs, the woman attempted to step over seating rows. She lost her footing and fell,” said the spokesman according to the Sydney Morning Herald’s report.

“This is a terribly sad incident and our thoughts and wishes are with the patron and their family during this time.”

About 40,000 fans attended the show on 16 November. The British pop star – who is the subject of a newly released four-part Netflix documentary – is next due to play in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Last Friday, a 23-year-old fan died at a Taylor Swift concert in Rio de Janeiro after collapsing in the heat. Ana Clara Benevides Machado was rushed to hospital where she died of a cardiac arrest.

Her family has said they are seeking answers after reports that concert organisers banned patrons from bringing in water to the show despite the heatwave conditions.

Swift paid tribute to the fan, saying she was “devastated” and “shattered” by the death. She wrote on Instagram: “She was so incredibly beautiful and far too young”.

Videos on social media also showed Swift handing out bottles of water to her fans during the show and directing security to give water to fans.

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Commentary: Fast tracking Singapore’s new Prime Minister – it’s not business as usual

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What he must aim to do is to make sure that in the GE after the coming one – when he would have five more years to establish his position – he delivers for the party.

Indeed, this was what both Mr Goh and Mr Lee did, with better-than-expected results in their subsequent GEs.

Now that the handover timetable has been more or less fixed, Mr Wong has to go full throttle at strengthening his emotional bond with the people.

This is the job of the leader, and it is especially pressing for him because of the short runway he has had and the looming GE.

The challenge for him is not just about addressing issues that Singaporeans are vexed about such as the cost of living.

As the new PM heading the fourth generation (4G) team, he will be scrutinised and judged on how he comes across as the man who will lead Singapore amid all the challenges of the world, what sort of leader he is and whether he has what it takes to instil confidence among Singaporeans.

Because he will have such a short time before the GE to do this, he has to make an impact quickly, certainly within the 12 months.

The message must be: It is not business as usual.

He must exercise strong and firm leadership, which is what Singaporeans expect of their leaders.

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Road rage gunshot kills passing motorcyclist

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PUBLISHED : 21 Nov 2023 at 11:27

Road rage gunshot kills passing motorcyclist
Police examine the death scene on Bang Phli-Tamru Road in tambon Bang Poo Mai, Muang district of Samut Prakan on Monday night. (Photo: Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)

SAMUT PRAKAN: A passing motorcyclist was killed by a gunshot from an enraged pickup driver who fired a “threatening shot” at the driver of a six-wheel truck in Muang district on Monday night.

Motorcyclist Supakorn Chankhati, 24, was shot in the right side of his head while taking his girlfriend to a hospital, about 7pm on Bang Phli-Tamru Road in tambon Bang Poo Mai.

Rescue workers rushed him to nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his wound.

Pol Col Pisut Chansuwan, chief of Bang Poo police, said CCTV footage led police to arrest Burapa Jiamyu, 26, at a housing estate in Soi Mangkorn Road at 9.30pm on Monday. The man allegedly admitted to the shooting.

Mr Burapa said he had been driving a converted pickup truck used for ice deliveries and had been driven into a rage by the actions of a six-wheel truck driver on Bang Phli-Tamru Road. They had quarrelled at a petrol station. The truck driver had been holding a steel bar but retreated and drove off when Mr Burapa produced a gun.

Police said the pickup driver admitted he had then overtaken and stopped ahead of the six-wheeler, and fired a gunshot.

Mr Burapa said he intended to fire only a threatening shot, but the bullet had hit a passing motorcyclist. He had earlier stolen the gun from a teenage neighbour, and dropped it after the shooting.

The victim’s tearful 23-year-old girlfriend Sudarat Singruang said she had a stomachache and Supakorn  was taking her to a hospital on his motorbike. She heard a gunshot and Supakorn just collapsed in front of her. Fortunately, she was able to reach around him and control and stop the motorcycle.

She knew of no reason why he would have been shot. They had no conflict with anyone. She also said she saw the accused gunman at the scene. 

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Challenges for a resilient Commonwealth

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The Commonwealth of Nations is one of the oldest political organizations in the world. Founded in 1926 as part of the Balfour Declaration, it predates the United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organizati0n.

About 2.5 billion individuals, constituting nearly one-third of the global population, reside within the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth. A significant portion, accounting for one-third, of young people aged 15 to 29 find their home in Commonwealth nations.

As the most populous member, India contributes ahout half of the Commonwealth population. Following closely in terms of population size are Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh, with the United Kingdom ranking fifth.

In an era marked by unprecedented global challenges marked by natural disasters, and geopolitical conflicts, the imperative for nations to cultivate socioeconomic resilience has become paramount.

Throughout the Commonwealth, unstable employment and living conditions result from extreme poverty and widespread unemployment. Additionally, risks from climate change and international and intra-national migration create situations of increasing complexity and vulnerability.

Thirty-two member states fall under the definition of a “small state”; these states are on the front lines of the effects of climate change, and they have insufficient human and financial resources to adapt.

Uneven development

Countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia show significant progress in overall socioeconomic development. However, within the Commonwealth, one-third of its population, around 2 billion people, live on less than US$1 per day, and 64% live on less than $2 per day. This number was worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additionally, the Commonwealth accounts for more than 60% of global HIV infections, and four of the 10 most affected countries are Commonwealth members.

On the public health and sanitation front, about 60% of the Commonwealth needs access to essential medications or appropriate sanitation. Social inequality is dismally prevalent, where women account for more than 70% of people living in poverty in the Commonwealth and face discrimination in many parts of the organization, ranging from unequal pay to abusive treatment.

The Commonwealth has a dedicated agenda that considers poverty alleviation and improving health-care outcomes as part of its development agendas. Despite these developmental caveats, the organization has shown significant progress in pulling 19% of all people out of extreme poverty in the previous two decades.

However, several countries only reduced relative poverty, indicating that population growth exceeds the rise of those living in extreme poverty.

The Covid pandemic, the turbulent geopolitical scenario, and domestic disputes in the Northeast African countries have decelerated societal and economic progress in the Commonwealth. These states are also more likely to suffer the brunt of social injustices, including discrimination and poverty among marginalized communities and violence against women and girls, all of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

According to the latest GDP numbers from the International Monetary Fund, the UK is no longer the biggest economy in the Commonwealth, with India overtaking it for the first time in 2022.

Among the 54 member countries, divergences in GDP, as well as population vulnerabilities, are noticed. For instance, according to figures, 42 autonomous developing countries have less than 1.5 million population. Twenty-nine of these nations are members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Similarly, GDP growth rates range slightly across large and small nations. However, several features make small nations’ growth rates more variable: more reliance on a single industry, lower trade diversification, heavy dependence on foreign aid, and a high level of import dependency.

The GDP variability of small states is substantially higher than large nations. This higher variability often implies more severe macroeconomic crises in the face of exogenous shocks such as the pandemic or volatility in the energy markets.

In conclusion, the Commonwealth faces numerous challenges in its quest to build resilient societies. Extreme poverty, inequality, climate change, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic are formidable obstacles.

However, member states can work together to overcome these challenges through collaboration among governments, civil societies, and communities, which is essential for mobilizing resources, knowledge and technologies toward achieving universal health care, economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social resilience.

The Commonwealth has the potential to leverage the strengths of its diverse member states and become a powerful force for positive change in the world. By prioritizing the needs of small nations and promoting inclusive and sustainable development, the Commonwealth can lead the way toward a more equitable and advanced global order.

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Catch Taylor Swift in Singapore in style with VIP tickets, Marina Bay Sands stays – with prices starting from S,000

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Taylor Swift fans who want to live it up while attending her concert in Singapore next March – and who also have at least S$10,000 to spare for the experience – can check out these soon to be released packages from Marina Bay Sands.

The three packages on offer include VIP tickets, stays at the hotel and Resort Dollars to spend.

The packages – named after Swift’s songs – go on sale on Thursday (Nov 23) at 10am and will be sold while supplies last.

There are six stay periods from Mar 1 to Mar 11 to choose from, with guests then attending the concert on the second night of their stay. Note that all prices listed are excluding service charge and GST.

The ‘Stay Stay Stay’ package starts from S$10,000. Here’s what you get for the price:

  • Two VIP 2 (Karma Is My Boyfriend) packages, which includes tickets and merchandise
  • Three-night stay in newly renovated Sands Premier Garden View Room
  • Omakase dining experience for two at Koma Singapore worth S$1,000
  • S$1,200 Resort Dollars to shop and dine within The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sand
  • Access to all attractions across the property, such as the ArtScience Museum

The ‘Shake It Off’ Package starts from S$15,000, and comes with the following:

  • Two VIP 1 (It’s Been A Long Time Coming) packages, which includes tickets and merchandise
  • Three-night stay in Sands Premier Garden View Suite
  • Omakase dining experience for two at Wakuda Restaurant & Bar worth S$1,000
  • S$1,200 Resort Dollars to shop and dine within The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sand
  • Access to all attractions across the property, such as the ArtScience Museum
  • Complimentary round-trip limousine transfers

Finally, the aptly named ‘Wildest Dreams’ package will set you back S$50,000. For that, you get:

  • Four VIP 1 (It’s Been A Long Time Coming) packages, which includes tickets and merchandise
  • Three-night stay in the two-bedroom Paiza Signature Sea View Suite that comes with a bar stocked with cocktails, wines and spirits
  • Curated dining experience by celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck at Spago Dining Room worth S$2,000
  • S$2,400 Resort Dollars to shop and dine within The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sand
  • Access to all attractions across the property, such as the ArtScience Museum
  • Complimentary round-trip limousine transfers

The Grammy Award-winning singer is performing six shows in Singapore at the National Stadium on Mar 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 as part of the Eras Tour – her only stop in Southeast Asia. Fans queued physically and virtually for hours to get their hands on the coveted tickets.

Swift is currently performing in Brazil where she faced issues with high temperatures and the tragedy of a fan dying at one of her Rio de Janeiro shows. Her next international stop is in Tokyo in February next year. 

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