In China and South-east Asia, thousands of animals from endangered species – bears, snakes, tigers – are kept in appalling conditions and butchered for their ‘exotic’ meat. There are now more tigers in farms than in the wild. Can this barbarism be stopped? The tiger paces back and forth in its cage, groaning mournfully. A second big cat sleeps soundly… Read more »
By CNBC Beijing’s willingness to use military threats in the South China, as revealed in a July incident that involved Spain’s Repsol, is a worrying development for energy players Firms that ignore Chinese demands could face on-site harassment, de facto exclusion from the Chinese market and threats to company staff, according to Verisk Maplecroft Nyshka Chandran Published 11 Hours Ago Updated… Read more »
Title: More funding help for polytechnic, ITE students with special needs SINGAPORE – Polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education students with severe hearing, physical and visual disabilities can now receive up to $70,000 in support. This additional funding will be disbursed as part of a new high-needs category under the existing MOE Special Educational Needs (SEN) fund, which was launched… Read more »
Title: President Halimah offers condolences to Mexican President Pena Nieto over deadly earthquake http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/president-halimah-offers-condolences-to-mexican-president-pena-nieto-over-deadly SINGAPORE – President Halimah Yacob has written to her Mexican counterpart, Mr Enrique Pena Nieto, to offer condolences over the earthquake that struck the country on Tuesday (Sept 19). “I was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and devastation caused by the earthquake that struck… Read more »
Climate change has driven Australia to its warmest winter on record, a leading climate group has said. Data released this month showed average maximum temperatures in the winter months of June to August were nearly 2C above average. Climate change made the “exceptionally warm and dry” winter 60 times more likely, the Climate Council said in a report. The group… Read more »
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41326179 The UK government has suspended financial aid to Myanmar’s military amid “ongoing violence” in the country, formerly known as Burma. Violence in the Rakhine state has seen more than 400,000 Rohingya Muslims flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. The Ministry of Defence said it had suspended £300,000 of funding until the current situation was resolved. The UN’s human rights chief has… Read more »
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-41317386 An Australian school discriminated against a five-year-old Sikh boy when it prevented his enrolment because he wore a turban, a tribunal has found. The uniform policy of Melton Christian School in Melbourne prohibits non-Christian head coverings for boys. But the boy’s father, Sagardeep Singh Arora, argued that not letting him wear the patka, a child’s turban, was indirect discrimination…. Read more »
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41329662 Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi is facing mounting international pressure for her handling of violence in Rakhine state and the Rohingya refugee crisis. In a speech on Tuesday, Myanmar’s de facto leader condemned rights abuses but did not blame the army or address allegations of ethnic cleansing. Leaders and diplomats from several countries have since expressed strong disappointment with… Read more »
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Malaysia on Wednesday (Aug 30) in support of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority after renewed violence forced thousands to flee the country. Fresh fighting broke out in Rakhine state last week between security forces and Rohingya militants after the militants staged raids on police posts. The violence is still raging, and at… Read more »
CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/15/asia/japan-north-korea-missile-reaction/index.html — Residents in northern Japan were woken abruptly Friday by blaring air raid sirens signaling a North Korean intermediate-range ballistic missile was about to fly over their heads. It was the second time in just over two weeks the rogue state had fired a projectile over Japanese territory, a provocation which was immediately condemned by Prime Minister Shinzo… Read more »