World Briefs: S'pore leaders offer condolences to India

S'pore leaders offer condolences to India

Leaders of Singapore have conveyed their condolences to India on the death of its former prime minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Thursday.

In her letter to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday, President Halimah Yacob said Mr Vajpayee played an instrumental role in transforming India's economy, as well as strengthening India's standing in the region and the world.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong lauded Mr Vajpayee for seeing the importance for India to engage the region more closely, which resulted in stronger India-Asean and India-Singapore relations.

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who was prime minister when Mr Vajpayee made an official visit to Singapore in 2002, said: "On a personal note, I have fond memories of our interactions and I will always treasure his humility, wit and intellect."


Egypt President signs law on Internet control

CAIRO • Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has signed off on a law tightening controls over the Internet in the country, the official gazette said yesterday.

The legislation on "cybercrime" allows the authorities, through a judge, to order the blocking of websites that "constitute a threat" to national security or the economy.

Those who administer or visit such websites can now face jail time and fines. Such decisions can be appealed.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE


US firms to fight India data localisation plans

NEW DELHI • United States technology giants plan to intensify lobbying efforts against stringent Indian data localisation requirements, which they say will undermine their growth ambitions in India, sources told Reuters.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on August 19, 2018, with the headline World Briefs: S'pore leaders offer condolences to India . Subscribe