CNA938 Rewind - NDR 2025: Is Singapore truly ready to be a super-aged society?
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Green Pulse Podcast: How we can beat the heat in Singapore
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox At our Green Pulse Podcast recorded in front of a live audience, we discuss the need for awareness about the growing risks from Singapore's steamy temperatures. Synopsis: Every first and third Tuesday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change. As the mercury rises, so does the need for awareness about the growing risks from Singapore's steamy temperatures. From left: Guest speakers Assoc Prof Jason Kai Wei Lee from NUS' Heat Resilience and Performance Centre and director of MOM's Occupational Safety and Health Division Jaime Lim, hosted by Audrey Tan, ST's Green Pulse Podcast hosts. PHOTO: Ariffin Jamar Even if you're not aware, we're all affected by rising temperatures, especially when combined with Singapore's high humidity. Heat is changing our behaviour and many of us actively avoid being exposed to it by limiting our time outdoors. But that can reduce our true potential by curbing exercise and access to fresh air and by spending more time in front phones and televisions, harming our vision – and even reducing vitamin D intake. But for those who work outside, they have fewer choices. And those without regular access to air-conditioning are also at increasing risk. Fortunately, much is being done to help people and educate them on the growing threat from rising temperatures caused by climate change and hotter urban environments. And for this special episode of the Green Pulse podcast, co-hosts Audrey Tan and David Fogarty speak with a dynamic duo who have helped shape Singapore's response to heat. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore What led to Changi Airport runway incident involving 2 China Eastern Airlines planes in Aug 2024 Singapore Fairprice apologises after woman finds worm in salmon bought from Bedok North outlet Singapore CPIB nabs 9 suspects for alleged match-fixing in national basketball league Singapore Live Singapore-raised seafood on sale at 3 Giant supermarkets from Aug 19 Singapore Singapore seals carbon credit deal with Thailand, its first South-east Asian partner Asia Singaporean man sentenced to 72 years' jail in Malaysia for murdering wife and stepson Singapore Court to assess if teen who advertised vapes for sale on WhatsApp can receive probation They are Associate Professor Jason Lee, director of the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at National University of Singapore and Ms Jaime Lim, a director at the Occupational Safety and Health Division at the Ministry of Manpower. This episode was recorded and filmed on Aug 12 at The Fashion Pulpit in Jalan Besar, in front of an intimate live audience of about 95 people. It was the fourth ST Podcast Live! session celebrating 180 years of The Straits Times in 2025, with two more events planned for the rest of the year. The fourth ST Podcast Live session is part of a series of events to celebrate 180 years of The Straits Times. PHOTO: Ariffin Jamar Guest speaker Assoc Prof Jason Kai Wei Lee networking with attendees. PHOTO: Ernest Luis Highlights of conversation (click/tap above): 1:30 Despite the sharp spike in temperatures, do people think high heat is still not a concern? 8:35 The Ministry of Manpower has an acclimatisation programme for newly arrived outdoor workers. How does this programme work? 12:05 How the government and scientists work together to create heat policies. 17:50 What have been the reactions from businesses to MOM's heat protection advisories and policies? 25:25 Much has been done but what other aspects of heat risk need more attention? More on NUS' Heat Resilience & Performance Centre (HRPC): MOM's heat stress measures for outdoor work: Resources for workplaces and workers: More on Meteorological Service Singapore: Follow Audrey Tan on LinkedIn: Read her articles: Follow David Fogarty on LinkedIn: Read his articles: Hosts: Audrey Tan ( audreyt@ ) & David Fogarty ( dfogarty@ ) Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: Apple Podcasts: Spotify: Feedback to: podcast@ SPH Awedio app: --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: ST Podcast website: The Usual Place YouTube: --- Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: Google Play: #greenpulse ---
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Somalia faces diphtheria surge amid vaccine shortages and aid cuts
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox MOGADISHU - Diphtheria cases and deaths have risen sharply this year in Somalia, where the response has been curtailed by vaccine shortages and U.S. aid cuts, Somali officials said. More than 1,600 cases, including 87 deaths, have been recorded, up from 838 cases and 56 deaths in all of 2024, said Hussein Abdukar Muhidin, the general director of Somalia's National Institute of Health. Diphtheria, a bacterial disease that causes swollen glands, breathing problems and fever and mostly affects children, is preventable with a vaccine that became widely available in the mid-20th century. Childhood immunisation rates in Somalia have improved over the past decade, but hundreds of thousands of children are still not fully vaccinated. After fleeing fighting between government forces and Islamist militants in the central Somalia town of Ceeldheere three months ago, all four of Deka Mohamed Ali's children, none of whom was vaccinated, contracted diphtheria. Her 9-year-old daughter recovered, but her 8-year-old son died and two toddlers are now being treated at a hospital in the capital Mogadishu. "My children got sick and I just stayed at home because I did not know it was diphtheria," she told Reuters from the bedside of her 3-year-old son Musa Abdullahi whose throat was swollen to the size of a lemon from the infection. Health Minister Ali Haji Adam said the government had struggled to procure enough vaccines due to a global shortage and that U.S. aid cuts were making it difficult to distribute the doses it had. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore What led to Changi Airport runway incident involving 2 China Eastern Airlines planes in Aug 2024 Singapore FairPrice apologises after woman finds worm in salmon bought from Bedok North outlet Singapore CPIB nabs 9 suspects for alleged match-fixing in national basketball league Singapore Live Singapore-raised seafood on sale at 3 Giant supermarkets from Aug 19 Singapore Singapore seals carbon credit deal with Thailand, its first South-east Asian partner Asia Singaporean man sentenced to 72 years' jail in Malaysia for murdering wife and stepson Singapore Court to assess if teen who advertised vapes for sale on WhatsApp can receive probation Before President Donald Trump cut most foreign assistance earlier this year, the United States was the leading humanitarian donor to Somalia, whose health budget is almost entirely funded by donors. "The U.S. aid cut terribly affected the health funds it used to provide to Somalia. Many health centres closed. Mobile vaccination teams that took vaccines to remote areas lost funding and now do not work," said Adam. Muhidin separately echoed his comments about the closures. Overall U.S. foreign assistance commitments to Somalia stand at $149 million for the fiscal year that ends on September 30, compared with $765 million in the previous fiscal year, according to U.S. government statistics. "The United States continues to provide lifesaving foreign assistance in Somalia," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said when asked about the impact of its aid cuts in the country. "America is the most generous nation in the world, and we urge other nations to dramatically increase their humanitarian efforts." Aid group Save the Children said last month that the closure of hundreds of health clinics in Somalia this year due to foreign cuts has contributed to a doubling in the number of combined cases of diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, cholera and severe respiratory infections since mid-April. Besides the U.S., Britain, France, Germany and other major Western donors are also cutting aid budgets. Somalia's government has also faced criticism from doctors and human rights activists for its limited funding of the health sector. In 2024, it allocated 4.8% of its budget to health, down from 8.5% the previous year, Amnesty International said. The health ministry did not respond to a question about that criticism. It has said it is planning to launch a vaccination drive but has not given details when. REUTERS
Independent Singapore
3 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
‘Vaping is Prohibited' signs to be displayed at nightlife establishments across Singapore
SINGAPORE: In line with the announcement from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his National Day Rally speech on August 17 that Singapore will be treating vaping as a drug issue , the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is collaborating with the Singapore Nightlife Business Association (SNBA) to help get the message across. While e-cigarettes are illegal in Singapore, the rising number of young people who use them has been a cause for concern, especially since some have been found to contain addictive or harmful substances. The HSA said in a recent press statement that its collaboration with the SNBA is meant to remind people that vaping is illegal and to report incidents related to vaping at nightlife establishments. One significant part of the collaboration is that the establishments will begin posting 'Vaping is Prohibited' signs prominently at their entrances and within their premises. Importantly, the signs will also contain a QR code linked to HSA's online reporting portal ( which will allow patrons and staff to report vaping activities, including the illegal use or supply of e-vaporisers. It added that nightlife establishments are also urged to deny entry to patrons found with or consuming e-vaporisers, which would demonstrate that there will be no tolerance for the habit. 'Working with industry partners like SNBA helps strengthen ground-level deterrence and is an important part of HSA's strategy to combat illegal vaping. Vaping has no place in daily life, including Singapore's nightlife entertainment scene. All nightlife establishments should work with us to keep their venues vape-free and report any illegal activities to the authorities,' said Adjunct Professor (Dr) Raymond Chua, HSA Chief Executive Officer. Penalties for e-vaporiser offences in Singapore At the moment, buying, possessing, and using vapes may cause an offender to be fined as much as S $2,000. However, PM Wong said in his Aug 17 speech that this is 'no longer enough' and that 'much stiffer' penalties will soon be meted out. Individuals who sell e-cigarettes containing harmful substances may even receive jail sentences and 'more severe punishments,' although the specifics of the punishments have yet to be clarified. People who are found guilty of importing, distributing, selling, or offering e-vaporisers and their components for, at the moment, may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months or both for the first offence, and fined up to S$20,000, or imprisoned for up to 12 months or both, for the second or subsequent offence. HSA underlined that members of the public continue to play a crucial role in Singapore's fight against illegal e-vaporiser activities, and people who have information on the illegal advertisement, import, distribution, sale or possession of e-vaporisers can contact HSA through two channels: HSA's online reporting form found at or through scanning the QR code; or calling the Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684 2036 or 6684 2037. This number is operational daily, including weekends and public holidays, from 9 am to 9 pm. Additionally, HSA said that e-vaporiser disposal bins will be placed across the island at 26 Community Clubs and one Resident's Network Centre so that people may dispose of their vapes safely. Those who throw away their vapes or voluntarily seek support for quitting will not face any penalties for doing so. /TISG See also Nas Studios is advertising for the National Youth Council now Read also: Singaporeans agree with treating vaping as a drug issue, some say enforcement should start at border crossings
