SINGAPORE - There were 226 new coronavirus cases confirmed as of Monday noon (Aug 3), taking Singapore's total to 53,051.
They include one community case, a prison inmate on a short-term visit pass, who had arrived in Singapore before the implementation of border measures, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
He was segregated from the general inmate population since his admission to Changi Prison Complex on July 30, and was tested as part of the Singapore Prison Service’s proactive screening of newly admitted inmates.
There were also nine imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore.
Migrant workers living in dormitories made up the vast majority of the other cases.
More details will be announced on Monday night.
On Sunday, a 33-year-old female permanent resident with links to a previous imported case that had travelled to India was the sole community Covid-19 case confirmed.
The previous case was a 13-year-old boy who was also a PR. He had been asymptomatic but was put on stay-home notice when he arrived in Singapore, and tested positive for the virus on July 30.
The 33-year-old woman requested to be isolated at the same dedicated stay-home notice facility with the boy, as he was a minor.
She first became symptomatic during isolation on July 28, and was confirmed to have Covid-19 on Sunday.
There were also five imported cases who were placed on stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore.
Two were work pass holders employed here and had arrived from India on July 19 and 21.
Another two were dependant's pass holders who arrived from Japan and India on July 21. The remaining case was a student's pass holder who arrived from Indonesia on July 19.
All of them were placed on a 14-day stay-home notice upon arrival in Singapore and were tested while serving the stay-home period at dedicated facilities.
Singapore has had 27 deaths from Covid-19 complications, while 15 who tested positive have died of other causes.
Globally, the virus outbreak, which began in December last year, has infected more than 18.2 million people. More than 692,000 people have died.
ByteDance’s founders are to announce their intention to set up shop in London soon, the newspaper said, adding that the move was likely to upset U.S. President Donald Trump who has considered banning TikTok in the United States.
People walk past the Bytedance headquarters building in Beijing, China August 3, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
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ByteDance’s founders are to announce their intention to set up shop in London soon, the newspaper said, adding that the move was likely to upset U.S. President Donald Trump who has considered banning TikTok in the United States.
It was not immediately possible to reach TikTok for comment.
Microsoft Corp said on Sunday that it would continue discussions to acquire popular short-video app TikTok from Chinese internet giant ByteDance, and that it was aiming to conclude the negotiations by Sept. 15.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton)
HONG KONG: The Hong Kong government's decision to postpone an election for the city's legislature by a year, by invoking emergency legislation after a spike in COVID-19 cases, may be unlawful, the city's bar association said.
Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam on Friday (Jul 31) postponed the election for the Legislative Council, or Legco, citing public health dangers in the city, but said there were political considerations.
The poll would have been the former British colony's first official vote since Beijing imposed a sweeping security law to tackle what China broadly defines as secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with punishment of up to life in prison.
Electoral rules in Hong Kong only allow votes to be postponed for 14 days, but colonial-era laws give the government broad powers in case of threats to public safety.
In a statement on Sunday, the Hong Kong Bar Association said the electoral law was more recent and more specific when it comes to public health hazards at election time and "generally" should take precedence over older legislation.
Invoking emergency legislation to delay the scheduled vote "may turn out to be unlawful," it said.
The delay came after 12 candidates were disqualified from running for perceived subversive intentions and opposition to the security law, prompting questions among many about whether the pandemic was the real reason for the delay.
The opposition was hoping to win a historic majority in the legislature after an overwhelming win in lower level district council polls last year.
Lam said the local government was seeking help from the Chinese parliament's top decision making body to resolve the legislative vacuum created by the expiring mandate of the Legco.
The Hong Kong government "is effectively inviting" Beijing "to override the relevant provisions" of its mini-constitution and local laws "to circumvent possible legal challenges," the Bar Association said.
"This is contrary to the principles of legality and legal certainty and degrades the rule of law in Hong Kong."
Washington has also condemned the postponement, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying it was likely that "Hong Kong will never again be able to vote – for anything or anyone."
President Donald Trump on Thursday raised the possibility of delaying the Nov 3 US presidential election, but the Constitution bestows that power on Congress, not the president.
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has agreed to give China's ByteDance 45 days to negotiate a sale of popular short-video app TikTok to Microsoft Corp, two people familiar with the matter said on Sunday (Aug 3).
US officials have said TikTok under its Chinese parent poses a national risk because of the personal data it handles. Trump said on Friday he was planning to ban TikTok in the United States after dismissing the idea of a sale to Microsoft.
But following a discussion between Trump and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the Redwood, Washington-based company said in a statement on Sunday that it would continue negotiations to acquire TikTok from ByteDance, and that it aimed to reach a deal by Sep 15.
It was not immediately clear what changed Trump's mind. Banning TikTok would alienate many of its young users ahead of the US presidential election in November, and would likely trigger a wave of legal challenges. Several prominent Republican lawmakers put out statements in the last two days urging Trump to back a sale of TikTok to Microsoft.
"A win-win in the making," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted in response to Trump's new stance on Sunday.
The negotiations between ByteDance and Microsoft will be overseen by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a US government panel that has the right to block any agreement, according to the sources, who requested anonymity ahead of a White House announcement. Microsoft cautioned in its statement that there is no certainty a deal will be reached.
"Microsoft fully appreciates the importance of addressing the President's concerns. It is committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury," Microsoft said in a statement.
ByteDance and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
As relations between the United States and China deteriorate over trade, Hong Kong's autonomy, cyber security and the spread of the novel coronavirus, TikTok has emerged as a flashpoint in the dispute between the world's two largest economies.
Microsoft, which also owns professional social media network LinkedIn, would become a major competitor to social media giants such as FaceBook Inc and Snap Inc were its bid for TikTok to succeed.
Under the proposed deal, Microsoft said it would take over TikTok's operations in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It said it would ensure that all private data of TikTok's American users is transferred to and remains in the United States.
Microsoft may invite other American investors to acquire minority stakes in TikTok, the company added. About 70 per cent of the outside capital ByteDance has raised has come from the United States.
It is not clear how much Microsoft could pay for TikTok. Reuters reported last week that ByteDance's valuation expectations for the app exceeded US$50 billion, although US pressure to divest it could lower that price tag.
A key issue in the negotiations will be separating TikTok's technology from ByteDance's infrastructure and access, to alleviate US concerns about the integrity of personal data. ByteDance owns a Chinese short video app called Douyin that was based on the same code used for TikTok.
One idea under consideration is to give Microsoft and ByteDance a transition period to develop technology for TikTok that will be completely separate from ByteDance, one of the sources said.
APP SCRUTINY
The United States has been increasingly scrutinizing app developers over the personal data they handle, especially if some of it involves US military or intelligence personnel. Ordering the divestment of TikTok would not be the first time the White House has taken action over such concerns.
Earlier this year, Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech sold Grindr, a popular gay dating app it bought in 2016, for US$620 million after being ordered by CFIUS to divest.
In 2018, CFIUS forced China's Ant Financial to scrap plans to buy MoneyGram International Inc over concerns about the safety of data that could identify US citizens.
ByteDance was valued at as much as US$140 billion earlier this year when one of its shareholders, Cheetah Mobile CMCM.N, sold a small stake in a private deal, Reuters has reported. The start-up's investors include Japan's SoftBank Group Corp.
Today, the world’s attention is focused on COVID-19 and the threat it poses. And rightly so.
Across the globe, significant resources have been marshalled to tackle the health care, economic and social challenges posed by COVID-19. Over the past nine months, CNA has and will continue to play its part by providing accurate and timely news reporting to explain the latest developments on COVID-19 as well as its toll on society with clarity and compassion.
However, CNA also has its eye on an important long-term “existential” crisis - climate change.
A year ago, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put climate change on the national agenda, describing it as “one of the gravest challenges facing humankind”. Noting that climate change defences are “existential for us”, he warned that this is a matter of “life and death”.
Against this backdrop, CNA is committing to significant and sustained coverage of climate change. In the coming months, CNA will strengthen our climate coverage. Today we are launching a section dedicated to climate change coverage on our website – cna.asia – and app.
We will be producing regular news reports, short features and long-form documentaries on the effects, defences and trade-offs of climate change across Asia for television and YouTube. Later this month, we will launch a podcast called The Climate Conversations on digital and CNA938.
We will also work with like-minded organisations to provide open access to factual and contextual reporting on climate change.
Early next year, depending on the COVID-19 situation, we hope to host a CNA Leadership Summit on Climate Change which will give our audience access to some of the top Asian thought leaders in climate change. We hope that these efforts underline CNA’s commitment to quality environmental journalism, rooted in scientific fact.
Amid pockets of delusional denial, we will explain the science, as clearly as possible, for as wide an audience as possible. We will also explain the breadth of the impact of climate change.
Singapore cannot isolate itself from the effects of climate change. As global temperatures rise, sea levels will rise. Rainfall has become more intense in recent years and could overwhelm drainage systems and lead to flash floods. Climate change will impact biodiversity and alter ecosystems. Higher temperatures raise the spectre of vector-borne diseases, heat stress and will threaten global food security.
Climate change is not just an issue for future generations. It is happening today and it creates uncertainties and trade-offs for policy makers, companies and individuals.
Even as Singapore and the world at large set targets for action, e.g. in achieving net-zero emissions, we will track how countries and societies in Asia are managing in meeting these targets. We will celebrate the successes, but also draw attention to those who may face implementation challenges, tougher trade-offs or lag behind.
Amid these challenges, we will also spotlight innovations and breakthroughs from the adoption of alternative and clean energies to new green financing. CNA will seek out stories that tell of optimism, resilience and the ability of societies to adapt to climate change.
Most importantly, we will tell the stories of people. People who have been and will be affected. We will tell the stories of the most vulnerable, especially those in Asia and Southeast Asia.
Asia’s story on climate change is not just about sustainability. In some cases it is about survival. Where necessary, we will describe what is before us as we see it - a crisis. A climate crisis.
We invite you to continue to read, watch and listen to CNA, as we embark on this multi-year commitment to covering climate change.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has agreed to give China's ByteDance 45 days to negotiate a sale of popular short-video app TikTok to Microsoft, two people familiar with the matter said on Sunday (Aug 2).
The negotiations between ByteDance and Microsoft will be overseen by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a US government panel that has the right to block any agreement, the sources added.
ByteDance, Microsoft and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
THIMPHU: High up in the mountains of Bhutan’s north, ancient glaciers punctuate a stunning, ethereal landscape. This landscape is a special one, enwrapped in myth and mystery.
It is pristine land, largely untouched by humanity. Culture-driven conservation has endured here.
The region’s tallest peaks have never been scaled by man, nor have its picturesque lakes been disturbed. It is out of respect - locals believe the mountains, lakes and glaciers are deities, to be honoured and feared.
Yet it is the impacts of manmade global emissions that is slowly destroying them nonetheless. Rising temperatures as a result of climate change is accelerating the rate of glacial melt in Bhutan’s highlands. In the silence of the mountain, now, danger looms - a killer that could unleash at any moment.
Glaciers are spiritually important for Bhutan, as well as being a critical resource. (Photo: NCHM)
For some glaciers, annual retreat levels are up to 35m, feeding massive amounts of water into surrounding lakes. The risk of these lakes collapsing - in a phenomenon known as a glacial lake outburst flood or GLOF - has the entire country on edge.
“With global warming, glaciers are melting and our water resources are moving faster downstream. We call it a tsunami in the sky, that can come anytime,” said Karma Drupchu, the national director of the country’s National Center for Hydrology & Meteorology (NCHM).
“Any kind of breach will result in a huge flood coming down the stream. It will have huge consequences because more than 70 per cent of Bhutan settlements are along the river valleys ... not only loss of life, but huge economic loss,” he said.
There are 17 glacial lakes in Bhutan considered potentially dangerous and at risk of bursting. (Photo: NCHM)
Analysis by NCHM has identified 2674 glacial lakes, of which 17 are categorised as potentially dangerous. Further accelerated melting of the country’s 700 individual glaciers means more lakes are being formed and the dangers for the country’s population and infrastructure is increasing.
Bhutan is the only carbon negative country in the world and it takes its role in preventing global climate change seriously. The country’s constitution mandates the protection of the environment and economically lucrative but environmentally damaging industries have been rejected in favour of conservation.
But the brunt of climate change has arrived regardless of this small nation’s resistance. For Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, the impact on glaciers is both a physical and spiritual burden for Bhutan to carry.
Warm summers and a lack of snow in winters is resulting in greater glacial declines. (Photo: Jack Board)
“It concerns us a lot because from a spiritual point of view, it’s not just a pool of water. Spiritually, we believe that there is life in it, we respect that and environmentally it is a fact that we are losing our glaciers to global warming,” he told CNA in an exclusive interview.
“We’re under constant threat and that is the most unfair part.”
He added: “Glaciers that are lost, are lost forever. How many lives, not just human beings, but other lives are dependent on that? Not just the country and the economy but the whole lifecycle will be destroyed. but soon in coming generations there may not be any lakes to burst. That would be a real disaster”.
About 70 per cent of Bhutan's settlements are along the river valleys. (Photo: Jack Board)
GLOFs have happened before in Bhutan and the impact remains in the memories of those who have experienced such a disaster. Small incidents are relatively common in the lakes region, but the last major event to crescendo towards populated areas was back in 1994.
Doley, a former head of Richena village in Punakha remembers that day well. After Luggye Lake burst, vast amounts of floodwaters tore down the Pho Chhu River, bringing with it damaging debris.
“I was right here in the village, in my house. Suddenly an old relative who was living with us at the time, frantically screamed at me to look out of the window. I dashed to the window and looked below. What I saw terrified me, the 75-year-old recounted.
The village of Richena was hit by a damaging flood in 1994. (Photo: Jack Board)
“The river had swollen to a dark and muddy river and upon it sat hundreds of fresh uprooted trees and logs including large swathes of undergrowth. I was beyond petrified that it was going to destroy lives and properties and there was nothing I could do,” he said.
Twenty five years ago, there was no warning for villagers living along the river. The 1994 flood killed 21 people and caused extensive damage to agricultural land, destroyed houses and wiped out fish stocks in the river.
EARLY WARNING SYSTEM IN PLACE
Since then, scientists have more closely examined the lakes and the impacts of temperature on their stability.
Now, a sophisticated early-warning system is installed throughout the lake and river system to give people the best chance to act before a flood hits.
The bridge at Punakha's iconic dzong would be at risk from a future GLOF. (Photo: Jack Board)
“They are worried. They know the glacial lake is going to burst at any time due to global warming,” said Tshewang Phuntsho, an officer from the Department of Disaster Management in Punakha.
“But at the same time, we are also prepared,” he added, explaining that simulation drills and awareness campaigns are building resilience among at-risk populations.
Glaciologists at NCHM have also been physically examining the dangerous lakes on an annual basis. Some require even more intense monitoring - like Thorthormi Lake in the Lunana region, which is considered the most volatile glacial lake in Bhutan.
Locals say there are worried about the risks of GLOFs, but preparations are better than in the past. (Photo: Jack Board)
Two personnel are stationed permanently near its edge to visually monitor any changes or risks. The nearby community would have only an estimated 30 minutes to evacuate in the event of an outburst.
“Some lakes are nearly impossible to reach there. But most of the potentially dangerous ones, we went there and did the ground checks”, said NCHM executive geologist, Phuntsho Tshering.
“As a glaciologist and a scientist, seeing them is quite scary. If something pushes down, the barriers cannot hold. We know something is happening up there, it’s not safe, it’s critical,” he said.
Bhutan wants to continue to tap the potential of its water resources, despite the risks. (Photo: Jack Board)
Despite recent efforts to lower the lake’s levels using a team of physical labourers with handpicks and other simple tools in the freezing waters, there are few viable options to mitigate the dangers.
Nearly all of the lakes are at high altitude where temperature increases are amplified compared to low-lying areas.
Record temperatures were recorded in 2019 around Bhutan’s most dangerous glacial lakes, 4,500m above sea level.
Warmer summers and winters without snow is contributing to the glacial decline and extreme rain events in the Himalayas is adding pressure to lake capacity.
If Thorthormi was to burst, there are dire forecasts about the resulting damage to the small but fertile valleys downriver, which Bhutanese rely upon - 70 per cent of the country’s population depends on subsistence agriculture.
Forested areas could be wiped out and significant religious buildings such as the Punakha dzong could face devastation.
National modelling suggests river flows could be severely compromised by 2050 due to climate change. (Photo: Jack Board)
HYDROPOWER SECTOR AT RISK
Perhaps even more crucially is the risk to Bhutan’s hydropower sector, which the national economy has come to overwhelmingly rely upon as a major revenue driver via exports to neighbouring India.
Clean energy is also one of the ways Bhutan is offsetting regional emissions. A powerful GLOF could wreak havoc on critical power-generating infrastructure.
“Our biggest revenue is from hydropower as of today and the hydropower we have is very highly climate dependent. We have realised that and we are a little worried about that,” the prime minister said.
Two of the biggest and most crucial projects are being constructed on the same system, downriver from Thorthormi Lake - the 1200 megawatt Punatsangchu-I and 1020 megawatt Punatsangchu-II.
Both are run-of-river, meaning that they rely on natural flow to generate electricity. With projections that the flow of rivers in Bhutan may be majorly compromised by 2050 due to shifting rain patterns, this approach may need to change.
Hydropower is Bhutan's most important industry. (Photo: Jack Board)
The most ambitious hydropower project in Bhutan’s history - more than twice as large as any other - will be different.
The Sankosh dam will be built as a large-scale reservoir, environmentally more disruptive, but more resilient to climate change. It is a tough concession to make in a nation that has vigorous screening of all of its infrastructure projects through the Gross National Happiness Commission.
Despite a triple threat - from GLOFS, earthquakes and river reliability - the government is keen to press on.
“Sankosh would be one mega hydropower project we’d like to start and then see how it does for the next decade or so. If the climate change becomes more dependable, if it settles down a bit, we can embark onto the next project. We have to be very careful with this,” said the prime minister.
“Water is the only possible resource that we have to generate because of conservation efforts,” said Drupchu of NCHM.
“We could go for logging and become rich, but the conservation and protection of the environment is the top priority. If you don’t utilise the water, it will automatically flow down. The money is more or less flowing. So why don’t we tap it?”
Scientists describe the situation as "scary" at high-altitude lakes. (Photo: Jack Board)
Whether these decisions prove to be prudent will depend on nature. Like a coastal community on alert for a future tsunami, life must go on. But there is trepidation.
Every time a Bhutanese scientist begins work at a glacial lake, there will be prayers and offerings to the deity believed to be contained within. It is both a cultural duty and a cautionary measure.
“We appeal to them that we are not doing this for fun,” said Tshering, the geologist. “This is for safeguarding the people.”
