Daily Archives: January 19, 2021

Taiwanese police found at least seven Vietnamese nationals' bodies at sea, prompting the formation of a task force to investigate suspected human smuggling. Southeast Asia is a hub for human smugglers, and authorities have found at least 20 bodies at sea between February 18 and March 29, with investigations ongoing.

Painters in Dafen, China, known for making replicas of Western masterpieces, are now selling their own original artwork in China's booming domestic art market. While exports have dipped, artists have used the obstacles as an opportunity to establish themselves in China's art market, which is the second-largest in the world. Many artists have moved away from imitation and towards creating original pieces, with some artists attending school to learn traditional Chinese painting techniques to cater to wealthy Chinese buyers looking for a "Chinese aesthetic."

A 3-room HDB flat in Bidadari was rented out for S$4,100 per month, with HDB's approval despite the five-year mandatory occupation rule. HDB stated that exceptions are granted on a case-by-case basis due to unforeseen circumstances. Some netizens urge HDB to regulate rental prices, citing concerns about high rental prices being exploited for speculation.

12 people died and 230 were rescued after a ferry caught fire off the coast of Basilan province in the southern Philippines. Passengers were forced to jump overboard, and rescuers saved 195 passengers and 35 crew. Seven people are still missing, and it is uncertain how the fire started. The Philippines has a history of poor sea transport regulations, leading to overcrowding and accidents.

Organizers of the WWF Earth Hour Festival at Esplanade have taken responsibility for criticism after leading Senior Minister of State Sim Ann to the front row during a live performance. Photos of the incident were shared on Twitter, with some netizens alleging disrespect to the performers. Ms Sim and organizers apologized for any disruption caused. Benny's, the performer during the incident, is looking to move on, while some netizens have given mixed reactions to the incident.

Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued a statement regarding the recent disruption of digital services by DBS on Wednesday (29 Mar), saying that it is unacceptable and that it will take the commensurate supervisory actions after assessing the facts. The Singapore financial regulator shared that DBS notified the agency early on Wednesday morning that its customers were experiencing difficulties logging on to its digital banking services. The outage lasted most of the day and only came back online in the evening.

President Joe Biden has committed nearly $700 million to counter global democratic backsliding and form an alliance against surveillance technology at his second, largely virtual "Summit for Democracy." The summit will work on holding Russia accountable for its war against Ukraine and show that democracies are strong and resolved. Biden will also announce a joint effort with around 10 partners to counter the misuse and proliferation of spyware. Close US partners who failed to make the cut include Bangladesh, Singapore and Thailand, while leaders such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban were excluded over concern on their records.