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12 killed after fire rips through Philippine ferry

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.
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Biden vows funds, tech alliance as democracy summit takes on backsliding

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.
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Indonesia in FIFA talks after U-20 World Cup Israel protests

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has sent the head of the country’s football association to meet with FIFA in Qatar to find a solution following the cancellation of the Under-20 World Cup draw. Protests erupted over Israel’s participation, with Bali’s governor calling for the country’s removal from the cup. The cancellation could result in Indonesia facing isolation on the global football stage if it can’t guarantee Israel’s participation.
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Myanmar junta dissolves Suu Kyi party

Myanmar’s junta has dissolved Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party for failing to re-register under a new military-drafted electoral law. The military had claimed widespread fraud in the 2020 elections won by the NLD, which led to the coup. Out of 90 parties, only 50 applied to re-register, and the rest will be dissolved. The rules stipulate that parties must mobilize at least 100,000 members within 90 days and open offices in at least half of the country’s townships within 180 days. The NLD has been the torchbearer of democratic aspirations in Myanmar, and its leadership has been decimated in the junta’s violent crackdown.
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PM Lee repeats narrative on HDB flats being good homes and valuable nest eggs for retirement

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the ruling People’s Action Party(PAP) government had promised that all Housing Development Board (HDB) flats would be both good homes and valuable nest eggs for retirement. However, narrative has been contested by the recent controversy over the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS), where residents at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 are being forced out of their 43-year-old flats and having to fork out additional cash or CPF funds to purchase a replacement flat of equivalent size and convenience. 
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