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Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
‘Heart-breaking': Bear in India refuses to abandon dying cub struck by speeding car
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A bear could be seen dragging her cub, struck by a speeding car, by the side of the road and tending to it for about an hour. A mother's love knows no bounds, and it is no different for bear mums. In video footage posted on social media site Instagram and widely circulated by thousands of heart-broken animal lovers, an Asiatic black bear is seen dragging her cub to the side of the road in India's Madhya Pradesh state. The cub was struck by a speeding car, as its mother – with her cubs in tow – was crossing the road. For about an hour, the bear can be seen trying to will her cub to live, even as the cub is in its death throes. Another cub is clinging onto her back as she paces the road. Mother bear first sits beside her dying cub, then stands over her – growling, groaning and even appearing to cry and beg for help. Reports said there was a third cub with her, but it was out of view of the camera. Forest rangers eventually arrived, and guided the bear and her surviving cubs back to the forest. They tried to revive the injured cub, but its injuries proved fatal. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 118,000 speeding violations in first half of 2025; situation shows no signs of improvement: TP Singapore Israel's plan to step up Gaza offensive dangerous and unacceptable: MFA Singapore Four men arrested in Bukit Timah believed to be linked to housebreaking syndicates Singapore Criminal trial of Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and five others starts Aug 11 Singapore Why some teens cook despite Singapore's da bao culture Singapore Man arrested over hacking attempt on RedeemSG portal Singapore 'We could feel the heat from our house': Car catches fire in Bidadari area Asia 'Pain in the neck': Cable theft on the track derails train speed and schedules in Malaysia The incident happened on Aug 6, and a video of it – viewed over 330,000 times – was posted by Indian Wild Animals on its Instagram page on Aug 9. The Times of India reported that the driver responsible for knocking down the cub had yet to be identified. Viewers overwhelmingly described the scene as 'heart-breaking'. 'Heartbreaking. Humans are beyond saving,' said one comment. Another said: 'Humans are the only curse that exists on this planet.' 'We've really failed them. We're supposed to protect them,' another comment said. Several people criticised the Indian government for failing to take into account wildlife habitation when building roads and railways. In a similar incident in May, an elephant was seen in a video trying to push a lorry that had hit her five-year-old calf on the road in the Malaysian state of Perak. The calf was said to have darted suddenly onto the road, and was hit by and pinned beneath the lorry. It later died. Its mother refused to leave, and at one point had become agitated and violent and rammed the lorry with her head. She had to be tranquilised and moved to a safer place.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
South Korea's military shrunk by 20% in six years as male population drops
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox South Korea's military is currently 50,000 troops short of the number needed to maintain defence readiness. SEOUL - South Korea's military shrank by 20 per cent in the past six years to 450,000 troops, largely due to a sharp drop in the population of males of enlistment age for mandatory service in the country with the world's lowest birthrate , a report said on Aug 10. The dramatic decline in the pool of available males for military service is also causing a shortfall in the number of officers and could result in operational difficulty if it continues, the defence ministry said in the report. The report was made to the ruling Democratic Party Member of Parliament Choo Mi-ae, whose office released it. South Korea's military has steadily declined since the early 2000s when it had about 690,000 soldiers. The pace accelerated during the late 2010s and there were about 563,000 active-duty soldiers and officers in 2019. North Korea is believed to have an active-duty military of about 1.2 million, according to the latest estimate by the defence ministry in 2022. In the period between 2019 and 2025, the population of 20-year-old males, which is the age when most men who pass a physical exam enlist for military service, declined by 30 per cent to 230,000, according to government data. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 118,000 speeding violations in first half of 2025; situation shows no signs of improvement: TP Singapore Israel's plan to step up Gaza offensive 'dangerous and unacceptable': MFA Singapore Four men arrested in Bukit Timah believed to be linked to housebreaking syndicates Singapore Criminal trial of Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and five others starts Aug 11 Singapore Why some teens cook despite Singapore's da bao culture Singapore Man arrested over hacking attempt on RedeemSG portal Opinion I used to be impatient. Then I became a granddad Singapore Chua Chu Kang GRC rolls out $1 deals, new mosque, better healthcare access in first 100 days after GE Conscripts in South Korea now serve for 18 months. The military has cited improved capabilities as a key reason for shortening service periods, made possible by a military alliance with the US and the development of a defence industry that has become a major exporter of arms. Able-bodied men served 36 months in 1953 when the Korean War ended in an armistice. South Korea's defence budget, at more than 61 trillion won (S$56.4 billion) in 2025, is larger than the estimated size of North Korea's economy. Still, the military is 50,000 troops short of the number of troops adequate for maintaining defence readiness, the ministry said. About 21,000 of the shortfall is in the non-commissioned officer ranks, it said. South Korea is one of the world's fastest ageing societies and has the lowest fertility rate in the world at 0.75 in 2024, which signifies the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during her reproductive life. Its population, which hit a peak of 51.8 million in 2020, is expected to shrink to 36.2 million by 2072, according to a government projection. REUTERS
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Police arrest man in Penang over upside-down Malaysia flag
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox GEORGE TOWN - A 59-year-old man has been arrested over an incident involving Malaysia's national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, displayed upside down on Aug 9. State acting police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the suspect was detained on Aug 9 to assist investigations. 'The case is being investigated under Section 5 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act,' he said in a statement on Aug 10. Mr Alwi said police have received 16 reports nationwide, with 12 lodged in Penang and four outside the state. He said investigation papers would be submitted to the state Deputy Public Prosecutor's Office on Aug 11 with a recommendation for charges. He stressed that police view such acts seriously and will take firm action, while reminding the public to respect the Jalur Gemilang as a symbol of national sovereignty. The footage is believed to have been recorded in Kepala Batas and prompted a report at the Kepala Batas police station at about 12.30pm on Aug 9. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 118,000 speeding violations in first half of 2025; situation shows no signs of improvement: TP Singapore Four men arrested in Bukit Timah believed to be linked to housebreaking syndicates Singapore Criminal trial of Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and five others starts Aug 11 Singapore Why some teens cook despite Singapore's da bao culture Tech Former data analyst creates AI tutor that assesses students based on Singapore schools' criteria Singapore Minor Issues: Parents, is it worth dying for a pay cheque? Opinion I used to be impatient. Then I became a granddad Life 'Best birthday gift': Actress Michelle Chia marries 41-year-old boyfriend before 50th birthday The 21-second video shows a man waving the Jalur Gemilang mounted upside down on a metal pole while another man films the act. This is not the first time this year controversy has surrounded the national flag. A primary school in Port Dickson apologised earlier in August after mistakenly hanging it upside down ahead of celebrating Malaysia's independence. In April, Malaysian Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew Daily also had to apologise for publishing an illustration of the flag without a crescent moon. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
South Korea's military has shrunk by 20% in six years as male population drops
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SEOUL - South Korea's military shrank by 20% in the past six years to 450,000 troops, largely due to a sharp drop in the population of males of enlistment age for mandatory service in the country with the world's lowest birthrate, a report said on Sunday. The dramatic decline in the pool of available males for military service is also causing a shortfall in the number of officers and could result in operational difficulty if it continues, the defence ministry said in the report. The report was made to the ruling Democratic Party member of parliament Choo Mi-ae, whose office released it. South Korea's military has steadily declined since the early 2000s when it had about 690,000 soldiers. The pace accelerated during the late 2010s and there were about 563,000 active-duty soldiers and officers in 2019. North Korea is believed to have an active-duty military of about 1.2 million, according to the latest estimate by the defence ministry in 2022. In the period between 2019 and 2025, the population of 20-year-old males declined by 30% to 230,000, according to government data, the age when most men who pass a physical exam enlist for military service, which is now 18 months long. The military has cited improved capabilities as a key reason for shortening service periods, made possible by a military alliance with the United States and the development of a defence industry that has become a major exporter of arms. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 118,000 speeding violations in first half of 2025; situation shows no signs of improvement: TP Singapore Four men arrested in Bukit Timah believed to be linked to housebreaking syndicates Singapore Criminal trial of Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and five others starts Aug 11 Singapore Why some teens cook despite Singapore's da bao culture Tech Former data analyst creates AI tutor that assesses students based on Singapore schools' criteria Singapore Minor Issues: Parents, is it worth dying for a pay cheque? Opinion I used to be impatient. Then I became a granddad Life 'Best birthday gift': Actress Michelle Chia marries 41-year-old boyfriend before 50th birthday Able-bodied men served 36 months in 1953 when the Korean War ended in an armistice. South Korea's defence budget, at more than 61 trillion won ($43.9 billion) in 2025, is larger than the estimated size of North Korea's economy. Still, the military is 50,000 troops short of the number of troops adequate for maintaining defence readiness, the ministry said. About 21,000 of the shortfall is in the non-commissioned officer ranks, it said. South Korea is one of the world's fastest ageing societies and has the lowest fertility rate in the world at 0.75 in 2024, which signifies the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during her reproductive life. Its population, which hit a peak of 51.8 million in 2020, is expected to shrink to 36.2 million by 2072, according to a government projection. REUTERS
