While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, June 5
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2 to seek international support for the peace summit.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
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Sim Ann to attend Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland
Singapore will be attending the peace summit in Switzerland next week that aims to build international support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace proposals.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a Facebook post on June 4 that Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann has been appointed special envoy to attend the summit.
He added: “Switzerland will be hosting a Summit on Peace in Ukraine later this month and invited Singapore to participate.”
On the evening of June 4, PM Wong spoke with Swiss President Viola Amherd and told her that Ms Sim has been appointed Singapore’s representative.
Australian military to recruit foreigners amid troop shortage
PHOTO: AFP
Australia will allow foreigners who are permanent residents (PRs) to join the military as it seeks to address a severe shortage of personnel, though the scheme will initially be limited to those from New Zealand, the US, the UK and Canada – the country’s intelligence allies.
The federal government announced on June 4 that foreigners who receive security clearances and have been living in Australia for at least 12 months will be able to enlist.
Applicants must not have served in a foreign military in the preceding two years and must be able to attain Australian citizenship. Enlistments will begin with nationals from Australia’s Five Eyes intelligence allies, but the scheme, if successful, could be expanded to other nations such as Singapore.
A humbled Modi needs allies, and answers
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to win a rare third term in office, but a smaller-than-expected mandate means he will have to lean more on his allies for support, and that means urgently addressing issues like unemployment, inflation and economic disparities in the world’s most populous nation.
Unlike the last two elections, Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will need its alliance partners to cross the 272 majority mark in the 543-seat lower house of parliament, according to the running vote count on June 4.
Mr Modi had set a target of more than 400 seats for his National Democratic Alliance (NDA), but it is currently leading in only about 290, according to Election Commission data about three-quarters of the way through the count. The BJP itself was leading in 239 seats, compared with 303 at the last election in 2019.
Biden orders migrant curbs to ‘gain control’ of US border
President Joe Biden said on June 4 he had ordered sweeping new migrant curbs to “gain control” of the US-Mexico border, making a dramatic bid to neutralise one of his political weak spots in his reelection battle against Donald Trump.
The 81-year-old Democrat’s long-awaited executive order bans migrants who enter the country illegally from claiming asylum when numbers surge past 2,500 in a day, as well as making it easier to deport them back to Mexico.
“I’ve come here today to do what the Republicans in Congress refuse to do – take the necessary steps to secure our border,” Mr Biden said, in a brief address at the White House.
Alcaraz sets up match ‘everybody wants to see’ against Sinner
AFP
Carlos Alcaraz saw off Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets on June 4 to set up a mouthwatering French Open semi-final clash with incoming world number one Jannik Sinner.
The reigning Wimbledon champion proved too strong for former Roland Garros runner-up Tsitsipas, powering to a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I was really calm in the moments I had to (be),” he said. “I’m really happy to play a semi-final here again at Roland Garros.”
