Singapore has one of the biggest pools of talented graduates from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM), PM Lee Hsien Loong has said, as he praised the contributions of foreign talents in the country’s progress. The PM highlighted the quality of IIT-IIM alumni as he underscored the need for Singapore to continue bringing in foreign talent to meet manpower demands. The IITs and the IIMs are the top institutions in India and securing a place in them is comparable to getting into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University or Harvard University, Lee told Channel News Asia in an interview before stepping down as head of the govt on May 15.
Indian student goes missing in Chicago
In another case of a student from Telangana going missing in the US, a 26-year-old has not been seen in Chicago since he stepped out of home there on May 2, India’s mission in the US city said. Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi, pursuing Masters in business analytics from Concordia University, Wisconsin, had joined the varsity earlier this year. Rupesh’s father Ch Sadanandam said he had last spoken to him on WhatsApp on May 2. “He had said he was busy with some work. Later, I could not contact him and he has since been offline,” he said. The family said they had spoken to Rupesh’s roommates and they recalled Rupesh going out to meet someone who had come from Texas.
Thailand extends visa exemption for Indians
In a move aimed at boosting Thailand's tourism sector and enhancing its economic prospects, the nation's cabinet has given the green light to extending visa exemption programs for tourists hailing from India and Taiwan. Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that visitors from these nations will be able to enter Thailand without a visa until November 11, after the expiry of the current waiver. This extension will enable travellers to enjoy a stay of up to 30 days, giving them ample time to discover the country's diverse attractions and contribute to its tourism-driven economy.
7 workers killed near Pakistan's Gwadar Port
Unknown gunmen opened fire and killed seven workers while they were sleeping in their residential quarters near Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The victims belonged to Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, and worked at a barber shop in Surbandar, according to a report. The shooting, which also injured one individual, occurred near the Fish Harbour jetty in the Surbandar area. Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned the attack and called it "open terrorism". He said the culprits won't be spared and vowed to support the families of those who died in the shooting. "We will chase after terrorists and their facilitators," Bugti was quoted as saying.
Pak economic stability under threat: IMF
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that Pakistan’s high political uncertainty and resurgence of social tensions could undermine economic stabilisation policies in the cash-strapped country. “Downside risks remain exceptionally high. While the new government has indicated its intention to continue the SBAs (standby arrangement) policies, political uncertainty remains significant,” the IMF said in a staff report. Pakistan had narrowly averted a sovereign debt default last summer. The economy has now stabilised after the completion of the last IMF programme, with inflation coming down to 17% in April from a record 38% in May last year.
HK court bans pro-democracy song
Hong Kong court granted a govt request to ban a popular pro-democracy anthem, raising further concerns about free speech in the China-controlled city. The decision could give the govt power to force Google and other tech firms to restrict online access to the song in Hong Kong. At issue in the case is “Glory to Hong Kong”, which emerged in 2019 as an unofficial anthem for democracy protests and a flashpoint for the authorities, who considered it an insult to China’s national anthem. The song has been banned from schools and has drawn angry official rebukes when played at international sports events. The court said the anthem was a “weapon” that could be used to undermine national security. It was the first time a song has been banned in the city since Britain handed the territory back to Chinese rule in 1997.
37 killed in Indonesia floods, cold lava flow
Heavy rains and torrents of cold lava and mud flowing down a volcano’s slopes on Indonesia’s Sumatra island triggered flash floods that killed at least 37 people and more than a dozen others were missing, officials said. Floods and cold lava flow on Mount Marapi caused a river to breach its banks and tear through mountainside villages in four districts in West Sumatra province. The floods swept away people and submerged more than 100 houses and buildings, the National Disaster Management Agency said. Rescuers had pulled out 19 bodies in the worst-hit village of Canduang in Agam district and recovered nine other bodies in the neighbouring district of Tanah Datar.
First person to get pig kidney transplant dies
The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died nearly two months after he underwent the procedure, his family and the hospital that performed the surgery said. Richard “Rick” Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in March at the age of 62. Surgeons said they believed the pig kidney would last for at least two years. The transplant team at the hospital said it was deeply saddened by Slayman’s passing and offered condolences to his family. They said they didn’t have any indication that he died as a result of the transplant. Slayman man was the first living person to have the procedure.
German senator struck on head
Berlin senator and former city mayor Franziska Giffey was slightly injured and taken to hospital after a man struck her from behind with a bag containing an unidentified hard object. A 74-year-old suspect, who was previously known to police for hate crime and unspecified incidents against state security, has been detained, police said, adding the suspect was believed to have mental health issues. The attack coincided with an emergency meeting of state ministers calling for greater police protection to politicians as the number of verbal and physical assaults has soared ahead of European and local elections this year. Politicians have blamed the rising political violence on the resurgence of the far-right AfD party, who could sweep three state polls this year.
Controlled blast to break down Baltimore bridge
After weeks of preparation, crews are scheduled to conduct a controlled demolition to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, which came crashing down under the impact of a container ship on March 26. The demolition will allow the Dali to be refloated and guided back into the Port of Baltimore. Once the ship is removed, maritime traffic can begin returning to normal, which will provide relief for thousands of longshoremen, truckers and small business owners who have seen their jobs impacted. The Dali’s 21-member crew will shelter in place aboard the ship while the explosives are detonated.
