Taliban leader bans windows overlooking areas used by women in neighbouring homes

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order banning the construction of windows in residential buildings that overlook areas used by Afghan women and saying that existing ones should be blocked.....Seeing women working in kitchens, in courtyards or collecting water from wells can lead to obscene acts.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, women have been progressively erased from public spaces, prompting the UN to denounce the “gender apartheid” the administration has established

Taliban authorities have banned post-primary education for girls and women, restricted employment and blocked access to parks and other public places. A recent law even prohibits women from singing or reciting poetry in public under the Taliban government’s ultra-strict application of Islamic law. It also encourages them to “veil” their voices and bodies outside the home.

For qns on gender issues....

Mental health one of the top reasons primary school kids called helpline in 2023

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Mental health-related concerns among these children – mainly aged 13 and below – include self-image struggles and emotional distress that presents as fear, anger, anxiety and low moods.

The Tinkle Friend helpline...for primary school children who needed a listening ear. An online chat service was added in 2014 amid the growing usage of digital devices.

Underlying the chit-chat is also a sense of loneliness where the children have no one else that they can turn to and a desire for connection

Qns:  

1. ‘Education today should involve more than the study of academic subjects.’ How far do you agree? (Cam. 2024)

2. To what extent is the focus on efficiency desirable in your society? (NYJC Promos 2024)

Public caning in Terengganu over syariah offence sparks tensions

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caned six times at a mosque in the Terengganu capital on Dec 27 for the Islamic crime of close proximity with a non-family member of the opposite sex....two women were publicly caned after they were convicted of attempting to have lesbian sex in a car.

Supporters of public caning argue that such punishments serve as a deterrent and promote public morality, but critics are concerned over the trampling of rights

the offender is not a criminal and his behaviour did not pose a threat to life, property or the peace and security of the country. “State religious departments should maintain the more humane approach of their dakwah (missionary) activities by counselling offenders, guiding, and supporting them to become better Muslims

The public execution of such a punishment exacerbates its degrading nature, subjecting the individual to humiliation, anguish and shame. Such practice... perpetuates a cycle of stigma, rather than focusing on rehabilitation

Qn: Evaluate the measures taken in your society to deter crime and punish criminals? (Cam. 2024)

China to build world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet

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That would more than triple the 88.2 billion kWh designed capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, currently the world’s largest, in central China

The project will play a major role in meeting China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, stimulate related industries such as engineering, and create jobs in Tibet

The outlay for building the dam, including engineering costs, is also expected to eclipse the Three Gorges Dam, which cost 254.2 billion yuan (S$47.3 billion).

India and Bangladesh have nevertheless raised concerns about the dam, with the project potentially altering not only the local ecology but also the flow and course of the river downstream.

Qn: ‘Fossil fuels should no longer have a part in the production of energy.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2023)

US farm breeds pigs for human kidney transplants

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xenotransplantation research – the implantation of animal organs into humans – which aims to solve a chronic organ shortage that has led to thousands of Americans dying each year.

The pigs are genetically modified to make their organs less likely to be rejected by patients’ immune systems.

research to turn pig-to-human transplantation from science fiction into life-saving medical care.

criticised what she characterised as mistreatment of the pigs, viewing them merely as vessels for organs destined for humans.

Qn: How far is science fiction becoming fact? (Cam. 2017)

Office or remote? Give workers a greater sense of purpose, wherever they are

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Common reasons given by those pushing for strict office mandates include concerns around productivity, accountability and remote management challenges.

all employers in Singapore must fairly consider formal requests from employees for flexible work arrangements from this month, under the new Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests.

this is not one-size-fits-all – it depends on roles and responsibilities. A salesperson may thrive with the freedom to schedule client meetings, and that flexibility dovetails with his company’s need for income. A research chemist, on the other hand, has to have structured lab time and the facilities to do what the researchers have trained to do, and what the organisation seeks from them.

employers are switching from the carrot to the stick. Starbucks has told its corporate staff they could be fired if they do not come to work at the office three days a week. And Amazon has also mandated a return to the office five days a week starting Jan 2, 2025.

Relate to 2024 'A' level AQ on WFH

Carbon emissions from land in S’pore projected to rise, pointing to more deforestation on the cards

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planting new trees cannot replace carbon loss from forest clearance in the short term....despite reforestation and tree planting efforts, such as the ongoing initiative to plant a million more trees across the island by 2030. Since the launch of the OneMillionTrees movement in April 2020, more than 730,000 trees have been planted here.

Singapore’s greening efforts have significant benefits beyond carbon. These benefits include furthering wildlife conservation and ecological functions, as well as improving people’s well-being....Carbon is just one dimension of ecosystem function. We depend on our forests for much more than that – for urban cooling, for water management and drainage, for removal of pests like mosquitoes and rats.

Albania announces shutdown of TikTok for at least a year

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The blocking of the controversial social network comes less than a month after a 14-year-old student was killed and another injured in a fight near a school in Tirana. Local media had reported that the incident followed arguments between the two boys on social media. Videos had also emerged on TikTok of minors supporting the killing.

Two weeks ago, local media in North Macedonia reported that hospitals there had treated dozens of teenagers for injuries sustained after attempting the “Superman” TikTok challenge. It involves one child leaping onto the linked arms of a few others. And in Serbia, in the south-western city of Novi Pazar, there were reports that children in several high schools had taken part in a “choking” challenge.

Vietnam’s new ‘draconian’ internet laws heighten free speech fears

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also include curbs on gaming for those who are under 18, designed to prevent addiction. Game publishers are expected to enforce a time limit of an hour per game session and not more than 180 minutes a day for all games.

Forum: Let’s prove Elon Musk wrong

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Good for opening BANG!: X owner Elon Musk’s recent remark on Dec 5 that Singapore is “going extinct” – in response to a post on Singapore’s baby crisis

Singapore’s record-low fertility rate of 0.97 and its rapidly ageing population, highlights a pressing issue. By 2030, nearly one in four Singaporeans will be over 65, posing challenges to the economy and society

Mr Musk’s comment should not be seen as a death knell but as a call to action. .... Extinction is not our story; adaptation is.

Qn: ‘The government should never interfere with people’s private lives.’ To what extent is this true of your society? (CJC Prelim 2024)

Developed nations must uphold historical climate responsibilities, Singapore tells world court

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Other countries argue that climate responsibilities spelt out in treaties are now based on each nation’s current capabilities and specific national conditions, rather than historical emissions.

Common but differentiated responsibilities is a principle in the UNFCCC recognising that all countries have a duty to take climate action, but the types of action they take will depend on their differing national circumstances.

While a country keeps in mind its current capabilities to meet the climate problem and its national circumstances, it also needs to account for its cumulative historical greenhouse gas emissions

Qn: Consider the view that all countries have an equal responsibility to tackle climate change.(DHS Prelim 2024)

Microsoft, TikTok and AI are ‘disrupting’ book publishing, but do we want their effortless art?

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Teens and their devices: Bans are not the best way to go

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A MUST-READ!!!

Qn: To what extent should the state interfere with the private lives of its citizens? (RI Prelim 2024)

Taxing farm animals’ farts and burps? Denmark gives it a try

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Interesting info for BANG!

Social media companies slam Australia’s under-16 ban

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It’s entirely likely the ban could see young people pushed to darker corners of the internet where no community guidelines, safety tools or protections exist

This ban risks pushing children into increasingly covert and unregulated online spaces, as well as preventing them from accessing aspects of the online world essential to their well-being

this ban seriously risks restricting creativity from our young people

China has restricted access for minors since 2021, with under-14s not allowed to spend more than 40 minutes a day on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Online gaming time for children is also limited in China.

Qn: Education, not censorship, is the solution to misinformation. To what extent do you agree? (ASRJC Prelim 2024)