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CNN corrects gaffe which says Singapore is not a country

Anna Maria Romero
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CNN corrects gaffe which says Singapore is not a country

Singapore—Maybe the interns for CNN’s website didn’t get their morning coffee, as that may explain why one article published on Tuesday (Oct 7) contained at least three glaring errors, including a parenthetical remark that Singapore is (*Not a country*).

Adding insult to injury, the article listed Sint Maarten among “Countries with fewer new cases of coronavirus than the White House in the past 24 hours,” failing to note that it’s still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It also misspelled Papua as ‘Papau New Guinea.’

Some netizens also pointed out that the article disregarded Taiwan as a country with fewer Covid cases than the White House.

Fortunately, the global news site issued a correction at the end of the article, entitled “Trump’s erratic behavior continues as he halts stimulus talks and spreads falsehoods on pandemic,” a short while later.

It read, “CORRECTION: A chart previously published in this article incorrectly stated Singapore was not a country. The chart has been removed.”

But netizens had already taken screenshots of the gaffe, as local activist Kirsten Han did, posting them on social media. Ms Han simply captioned her Tweet with, “Hi @CNN, what is happening here”.

Singapore’s “Blogfather” Lee Kin Mun, aka Mr Brown, was a little more snarky, asking the news site, “Eh @CNN , you failed Geography issit?”

Netizens who poked fun at CNN’s error joked that Singapore is either part of China, or belongs to Malaysia.

And it seems that a number of netizens could not help bringing up Taiwan:

-/TISG

Lim Tean: Why didn’t PM Lee sue The States Times Review or The Coverage?

Anna Maria Romero
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0
Lim Tean: Why didn’t PM Lee sue The States Times Review or The Coverage?

Singapore — After having cross-examined Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday (Oct 6) in the defamation trial of writer and financial adviser Leong Sze Hian, the latter’s lawyer, Mr Lim Tean, took to Facebook on Friday (Oct 9) to ask the following question:

Why didn’t Mr Lee file lawsuits against The States Times Review (STR) or The Coverage, the publications responsible for the article that Mr Leong had shared?

This point seems to be a key element of Mr Leong’s defence and had been part of Mr Lim’s cross-examination of Mr Lee.

When asked about the matter, Mr Lee answered that lawsuits had not been served against STR and The Coverage since these publications are not in Singapore, and therefore are outside the country’s jurisdiction. Alex Tan, the Singaporean editor of STR, is based in Australia, while The Coverage is a Malaysian publication.

When Mr Lim argued that Mr Lee had gone after foreign publications in the past, including Bloomberg, the latter said Bloomberg has a presence in Singapore.

Mr Lim responded that Mr Lee had filed a lawsuit against a writer for The Online Citizen who is in Malaysia.

The trial ended abruptly when Mr Lim said on Wednesday that Mr Leong would not take the stand. The lawyer added that he was “very satisfied we have sufficient admissions to meet our case”.

The hearing has been adjourned to Nov 30, when both parties return to court for oral submissions.

Mr Lim has expressed satisfaction with how the trial has proceeded, saying in a Facebook post on Oct 7 that he is “very very happy with the way the evidence has emerged over the last two days”.

He has also called Mr Lee’s case “very weak”.

Mr Lim wrote in his latest Facebook post that he had “produced evidence” to Mr Lee during  the cross-examination that the latter had sued Malaysian national Rubaashini Shunmuganathan, who was accused of writing a defamatory article about him last year.

“He obtained judgment in default against her when she did not enter appearance to the proceedings he commenced against her (expressed no intention to defend the claim),” wrote Mr Lim. He added that Mr Lee’s lawyers had been given leave by the Singapore Court to serve the Writ of Summons in Malaysia, though it was outside Singapore’s jurisdiction.

“If Lee Hsien Loong could have sued a foreigner in that case, why couldn’t he have sued The Coverage (a Malaysian website ) or The States Times Review, which is based in Australia ?????

“Lee Hsien Loong did not even ask his Lawyers to send these 2 media outlets a letter of claim! The States Times Review was the originator of the alleged defamation and The Coverage substantially republished The States Times Review article.”

Mr Leong is being sued over a public Facebook post he had shared on his page on Nov 7, 2018, containing a link to an article by The Coverage. The article alleged that former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak signed “secret deals” with Mr Lee in exchange for assistance from Singapore banks in laundering money from 1MDB, the embattled sovereign wealth fund.

Two days after Mr Leong shared the article, he said that he was told by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to take down his post with the article within 6 hours, to which he complied. However, on Nov 12, he received a Letter of Demand from Mr Davinder Singh of Drew and Napier LLC alleging that he had defamed Mr Lee and demanding a public apology as well as compensation for damages.

Mr Lim is the leader of the opposition Peoples Voice party. He stood with Mr Leong and two other candidates in Jalan Besar GRC in this year’s General Election. /TISG

Read also: Davinder Singh says Leong Sze Hian has “turned tail and fled” by not taking the stand to be cross-examined

 

Amrin Amin called out for criticising Jamus Lim’s suggestion for SIA environmental tax

Anna Maria Romero
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0
Amrin Amin called out for criticising Jamus Lim’s suggestion for SIA environmental tax

Singapore — When Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim (Sengkang GRC) suggested an environmental tax on Singapore Airlines flights to nowhere in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 6), Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung responded that the airline was already beleaguered due to the Covid-19 pandemic and that additional costs would be unduly burdensome.

Associate Prof Lim’s suggestion also drew criticism from members of the public and the online community. One of those who spoke up for SIA and its workers was former MP Amrin Amin, who was in the People’s Action Party team that lost to a WP team which  comprised A/Prof Lim in Sengkang GRC in this year’s elections. He was a Parliamentary Secretary and had been a PAP MP in Sembawang GRC before being fielded in Sengkang.

In a pointed Facebook post on Wednesday (Oct 7), Mr Amrin said he worried about the future of the employees of SIA who have been retrenched, as the airline industry has taken a huge hit due to the pandemic.

I worry about the many cabin crew and staff of SIA who have been retrenched. Passenger volumes are critically low. For…

Posted by Amrin Amin on Tuesday, 6 October 2020

He wrote: “There’s a serious disconnect for Workers Party Jamus Lim to suggest slapping a new environmental tax on an ailing national carrier.  SIA had already dropped plans for ‘flights to nowhere’ last week. Times are bad. It’s a struggle.

“If a PAP MP had suggested this, many colourful adjectives will be coughed out. But I suppose we can be charitable and just call the less than compassionate suggestion — noise pollution?”

However, A/Prof Lim had taken to Facebook on the same day as the parliamentary session on Tuesday (Oct 6) to explain that his suggestion would mean that customers would shell out more for flight costs, “this then constitutes an indirect transfer from (typically wealthier) passengers willing to take a flight to nowhere, to SIA workers”.

He added: “More generally, I was hoping to spur some creative thinking about how we can help ensure the future viability of our national airline, without compromising the need to pay attention to the environment, too. I think such creative thinking is necessary to ensure that we don’t spend our hard-earned reserves in an unwise fashion.”

Some people have responded to Mr Amrin in A/Prof Lim’s defence.

One person disagreed that A/Prof Lim’s suggestion was “noise pollution”, adding that, to youths, the environment is an important issue.

Others called Mr Amin “a former MP trying to stay politically relevant”.

And one asked him to respect Sengkang’s voters.

Some agreed with the idea of an environmental tax, calling paying it “the responsible thing to do”.

/TISG

Pritam Singh, “Your vote has always been a secret. So always make your vote count”

Anna Maria Romero
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Pritam Singh, “Your vote has always been a secret. So always make your vote count”

Singapore—Leader of the Opposition (LO) and Workers’ Party head Pritam Singh took to social media to assure everyone of the secrecy of their vote, saying that there are some voters who believe their votes are not secret.

He wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday (Oct 8), “Your vote has always been a secret. So always make your vote count.”

Mr Pritam posted a link to an October 5 article in Channel NewsAsia CNA) regarding an order from President Halimah Yacob to open a sealed box from July’s 2020 General Election in order to retrieve a document inside had been “accidentally sealed.”

In his post, he addressed the fear of “a very small section of voters” who “seem to think that their votes are not a secret.”

He went on to say, “they point to their names being called out by election officials before being handed their ballot slips, serial numbers on ballot slips etc. as reasons for their apprehension,” but added that fewer people have held this fear over the years.

Your Vote is Secret—————————There is a very small section of voters who seem to think that their votes are not a…

Posted by Pritam Singh on Thursday, 8 October 2020

 

Mr Pritam then referred to how this matter was dealt with by his predecessor, former WP Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, who addressed the issue in his characteristic style.

The LO wrote “only Mr Low can verbalise this reason matter-of-factly without sounding arrogant or dismissive!”

First, Mr Low would say “something to the effect of – you are not so important to the Government that they want to know how you voted.”

Next, he would bring up the country’s “reputation and status as a trusted place to do business, our adherence to the rule of law,” which would suffer irreparable harm should voter fraud occur.

Mr Pritam called the incident involving a ballot box in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC  written about in the CNA article an “unusual episode” that should assuage those who are “still sceptical” about the secrecy of their vote.

“Even though the ballot box in question is going to be opened by order of the President, the process includes the opposition parties who contested in the ward, overseeing the exercise – in other words, it is an open process,” he added, ending his post by explaining the process by which votes cast in previous elections are done away with.

“In about 3 months or so, the WP and all the political parties which contested GE2020 will be present to enter the Supreme Court vault to ensure no ballot boxes have been tampered with before escorting these boxes to the Tuas incineration plant.”

Fellow WP member and former Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Yee Jenn Jong added to what Mr Singh said in separate Facebook post.

“Your vote is secret unless you choose to disclose it. I voted for myself three times in the last three GEs. I know of many who choose to disclose how they had voted. Nothing has happened to them, not based on how you vote and even if it is known how you had voted… I have witnessed the opening of the vault to destroy the sealed ballot boxes twice. I checked for my signature on the seal of the boxes. They were all still intact, unopened after 6 months.

Yup, I am 100% certain your vote is secret, unless you choose to tell others.”

Let me add to Pritam's post:1. There are some 30-40% of the population voting against the PAP in each GE. In the WP…

Posted by Yee Jenn Jong 余振忠 on Thursday, 8 October 2020

—/TISG

Read also: Pritam Singh credits Lee Li Lian for kickstarting Mid Autumn event in Aljunied division nearly a decade ago

Pritam Singh credits Lee Li Lian for kickstarting Mid Autumn event in Aljunied division nearly a decade ago

 

Paul Tambyah follows Chee Soon Juan’s lead with unique house visit campaign at Bukit Panjang

Jewel Stolarchuk
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Paul Tambyah follows Chee Soon Juan’s lead with unique house visit campaign at Bukit Panjang

Taking a leaf out of party chief Chee Soon Juan’s book, Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Paul Tambyah conducted his own version of Dr Chee’s ‘My Cake, Your Coffee’ house visit campaign at Bukit Panjang this week.

Prof Tambyah’s connection to Bukit Panjang is new. He was widely expected to lead the SDP team at Holland-Bukit Timah GRC – the ward he contested in the 2015 general election – after Dr Chee left the ward to focus on Bukit Batok in the latest election.

In one of the biggest surprises on Nomination Day, Prof Tambyah turned up at the Nomination Centre for Bukit Panjang and was nominated to contest the single member ward.

The ruling party incumbent for Bukit Panjang SMC, Teo Ho Pin, retired ahead of the election and former Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Liang Eng Hwa went head to head with Prof Tambyah for the second time, under the People’s Action Party (PAP) ticket.

In one of the closest fights of the 2020 election, Prof Tambyah lost by a whisker with 46.27 per cent of votes while Mr Liang was narrowly returned to Parliament with 53.73 per cent of votes. Prof Tambyah was one of the best performing opposition candidates who failed to clinch a ward and received his personal best score through his contest at Bukit Panjang.

Prof Tambyah has been actively walking the ground at Bukit Panjang even after the election, signalling that he has plans to recontest the ward in the next polls.

On Wednesday (7 Oct), the SDP chairman revealed that he was invited to visit a Bukit Panjang resident’s home as part of his new house visit strategy in which he spends more time with residents by sharing a snack and drinks with them on top of the brief interactions he gets with residents when he knocks on doors.

Dubbing his house visit campaign ‘Your Chrysanthemum, My Cakes – Bukit Panjang Edition’, Prof Tambyah shared photos from his evening with Bukit Panjang residents on Facebook and wrote:

“Had a great time interacting with residents of Bukit Panjang, including the family of Abas Bin Kasmani, over some drinks and cakes. We enjoy our interactions with residents where we learn about the real issues in the neighbourhoods some of which are new to us.”

Prof Tambyah added that he will continue to speak up about national issues as well and that he wants to be “an alternative voice for all Singaporeans.” The opposition politician invited Singaporeans to share their suggestions on how he can be a voice for them and promised to try his best.

Your Chrysanthemum, My Cakes – Bukit Panjang Edition. Had a great time interacting with residents of Bukit Panjang,…

Posted by Paul Tambyah on Wednesday, 7 October 2020

Prof Tambyah’s ‘Your Chrysanthemum, My Cakes’ in Bukit Panjang campaign mirrors Dr Chee’s ‘My Cake, Your Coffee’ campaign in Bukit Batok.

In mid-August, Dr Chee said that he would love to drop by and visit Bukit Batok residents if they would open their home up to him. Sharing that he will bring cake to share if his hosts can make him a cup of coffee, the veteran opposition leader invited residents to have a leisurely chat with him over the cake and coffee.

Dear BB residents, if you would open up your home to me, I'd love to drop by, say on a Saturday afternoon, and pay you a…

Posted by Chee Soon Juan 徐顺全 on Friday, 14 August 2020

About two weeks later, Dr Chee was invited into the home of Mr and Mrs Loh as part of his ‘My Cake, Your Coffee’ campaign. He shared on Facebook: “I spent a wonderful afternoon with Mr and Mrs Loh at their residence with their neighbour Mr Muru joining us.

“We chatted over many things and had a great time over cake and coffee, which Mrs Loh provided plentifully. The company, compassionate and thoughtful residents, was a joy to be with. Thank you, my friends, for opening your home to us.”

I spent a wonderful afternoon with Mr and Mrs Loh at their residence with their neighbour Mr Muru joining us. We chatted…

Posted by Chee Soon Juan 徐顺全 on Saturday, 29 August 2020

A few days later, Dr Chee was invited to visit three brothers and enjoyed discussing an array of topics, including parenting. He shared on social media: “Visited another family over the weekend, this time the charming Chua brothers. Actually, they are four of them but one couldn’t make it.

“As young fathers (and one not so young), our conversation inevitably drifted towards our children. It was a nice leisurely afternoon, a welcome change of pace. Thank you, Bernard for your hospitality and please send my best wishes to everyone in the family.”

He added: “I can’t wait for this weekend when I’ll be visiting more of you in BB over #MyCakeYourCoffee.”

Visited another family over the weekend, this time the charming Chua brothers. Actually, they are four of them but one…

Posted by Chee Soon Juan 徐顺全 on Thursday, 3 September 2020

Another couple invited Dr Chee into their home, a few days later. Revealing that the conversation delved into the importance of building a community spirit, Dr Chee recounted: “I just came back from visiting Jolyn and Shawn at their lovely home at Skyline in BB. We have a lot in common in that we share the view that building a community spirit and going beyond material concerns are important aspects of life.

“Thank you for having me over, guys. I Iook forward to staying in touch with you and making BB not just an estate but truly a community of people who care – one household at a time.”

I just came back from visiting Jolyn and Shawn at their lovely home at Skyline in BB. We have a lot in common in that we…

Posted by Chee Soon Juan 徐顺全 on Saturday, 5 September 2020

Most recently, Dr Chee’s ‘My Cake, Your Coffee’ got a twist when he was invited to share wine and a meat platter at a third couple’s home. Sharing how well he got on with his hosts, Dr Chee said:

“Visited Marie and Geovenn’s home for #MyCakeYourCoffee – with a twist. We didn’t have cake nor did we drink coffee. Instead, our delightful hosts served wine ? and a delectable platter of various cuts of meats ??.

“We could have spent an entire day talking, the two were obviously a well-traveled and adventurous couple. But as they say, all good things must end. I’ll have to invite myself back again one of these days! Thanks for a great afternoon, Marie and Geovenn. Best wishes to you and yours.”

Visited Marie and Geovenn's home for #MyCakeYourCoffee – with a twist. We didn't have cake nor did we drink coffee….

Posted by Chee Soon Juan 徐顺全 on Saturday, 26 September 2020

Paul Tambyah appears to reaffirm commitment to Bukit Panjang SMC after close fight at the polls

Prince William reportedly broke up with Kate Middleton over the phone in 2007

Lydia Koh
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Prince William reportedly broke up with Kate Middleton over the phone in 2007

Prince William and Kate Middleton may be having a fairytale romance but it was not like this before they tie the knot.

In 2007, Prince William allegedly broke up with Kate Middleton over the phone. Book author Robert Lacey wrote about how Kate had to excuse herself from a work meeting to answer the call.

His book, Battle of Brothers will ship out on October 20. A year before Joe Jonas caused a stir by dumping Taylor Swift over the phone, Prince William reportedly did the same to Kate Middleton. The difference is that William was a full-on adult and the call lasted an hour and not 25 seconds.

Based on Robert Lacey’s explosive new book, Battle of the Brothers, the couple hit a rough patch in 2007 which lasted for a year. It was then that William had the nerve to call Kate while she was working to break up.  The Mirror broke down the excerpt:

“It is said that Kate excused her self from a meeting to take a call from William—then a ‘hard-drinking’ Army officer often spotted at nightclubs–and shut herself in a room for more than an hour while the pair discussed their future.

They broke up during the call but the split didn’t last long—they got back together 10 weeks later, claims royal biographer Robert Lacey in new book ‘Battle of Brothers.’ During those three months, William found dating difficult and was turned down by a “surprising” number of young women, and he missed Kate and her family, it is alleged.”

According to Lacey, even though Prince William tried to make the most of his time as a single man, the women he was after “could suss out the truth about where his heart lay, even if he himself could not.”

Prince William reportedly broke up with Kate over the phone while she was at work. Picture: Instagram

The split obviously didn’t last. Ten weeks later, Will and Kate were spotted kissing at a party. As we know from staying up to watch the royal wedding, Kate and William went on to get married and become the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Aside from the “rural rival” affair, rumours and all the drama within the royal family, they’re sorta living happily ever after and William counts Kate as the best thing that ever happened to him.

About 1,600 foreign students receive tuition grants each year: Education Minister Lawrence Wong

Jewel Stolarchuk
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About 1,600 foreign students receive tuition grants each year: Education Minister Lawrence Wong

Education Minister Lawrence Wong revealed that about 1,600 foreign students received tuition grants each year over the past few years, in his response to new parliamentary questions on the perenially hot topic of how the ministry allocates resources for local and international students.

In Parliament this week, Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Darryl David asked Mr Wong how many international students were accepted into local universities under the Tuition Grant Scheme (TGS) in the last five years and what those numbers as a percentage of the total university student population are.

He also asked whether the number of TGS international students will be reduced in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and, if so, whether this reduction will mean more places for Singaporean students. The ruling party politician also asked about the consequences for international students who cannot meet their TGS bond commitments in the present COVID-19 employment market.

Sengkang GRC MP also asked the Education Minister about what contingency plans are in place for foreign recipients of scholarships to serve out their bonds given the tightened restrictions on access to employment and other foreign-worker passes.

He further asked whether the Ministry will consider alternative mechanisms for recent graduates to serve out their commitments such as a deferral of the bond period or service of their bond periods with Singapore-owned or Singapore-affiliated companies abroad.

Mr Wong reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to meeting the needs of Singaporeans, and said that places in the Autonomous Universities (AUs) are planned first and foremost for Singaporeans. He added that more seats were set aside at the AUs, to cater to Singaporeans whose overseas study plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Wong also shed light on the admission process for international students. The AUs first admit Singaporean students who are able to meet their admission standards, before raising the bar a few notches to admit a small number of international students, over and above the local students.

Asserting that “no Singaporean is displaced from an AU because of an international student,” Mr Wong revealed that around 1,600 foreign students received tuition grants in each cohort over the last five years. This amounts to less than 10 per cent of each intake.

While the numbers for the 2020 academic year is still being finalised, Mr Wong said he expects to see a similar trend this year.

Mr Wong added that admitting some foreign students is beneficial to Singaporeans. He said: “Having some international students adds to the diversity of the overall education experience and cultivates students’ global orientation and inter-cultural skills. It also better prepares them for the future workplace, where they may have to interact with different nationalities.”

The Minister promised: “We will continue to review and adjust the number of international students on tuition grant in the future, taking into consideration the quality of applicants and other factors.”

While Mr Wong asserted that the Government’s priority remains to support locals in finding employment given the current job scarcity, he said that international tuition grant holders who are obliged to serve a three-year bond after graduation will also be treated fairly. These students can serve out their obligations in Singapore or with Singapore-registered companies abroad.

One way Mr Wong’s ministry helps international tuition grant holders is by working with the universities and other public agencies to facilitate their applications for work pass arrangements here, while keeping to the Fair Consideration Framework.

Students are also given time to stay in Singapore to look for a job while the Government will extend help on a case-by-case basis to those who have genuine difficulties finding employment.

Extolling the value of calibrating its approach according to the economic outlook, Mr Wong added: “We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our approach appropriate to the economic situation and outlook.”

Govt used to spend around S$476 million on foreign students, says WP politician

China joins deal to get Covid-19 vaccine to poorer nations

AFP
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China joins deal to get Covid-19 vaccine to poorer nations

China has signed up to a deal to ensure future Covid-19 vaccines are distributed to developing countries, the biggest economy yet to join the World Health Organization-led bid to control the pandemic.

The COVAX pledge to get vaccines to poorer nations as soon as they are developed aims to head off fears rich countries will limit distribution of game-changing medicines made by their pharmaceutical companies.

The deal gives China, the country where the virus first emerged, a prominent role in the global effort to share vaccines with less-developed countries.

China joined COVAX to “honour its commitment to turn Covid-19 vaccines into a global public good,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Friday of the October 8 agreement.

She gave no details on how much money China would commit to the deal, which has a fundraising goal of $2 billion and aims to provide 92 low and middle-income countries with a future vaccine.

Chinese vaccines “will be provided to developing countries as a priority”, Hua said, adding Beijing hopes “more capable countries will also join and support COVAX”.

Superpower rival the US has not signed up to the deal.

China is racing to find a vaccine, with Beijing making bold predictions on its rollout before the end of the year.

Hundreds of thousands of Chinese soldiers, emergency staff and overseas workers have already been injected with vaccines — although the leading contenders are yet to complete clinical trials.

Beijing is facing a storm of foreign criticism over its early handling of the pandemic and has been trying to reframe perceptions of its role in Covid-19, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

China has paraded its success in controlling the pandemic inside its borders.

Tens of millions of people returned to work on Friday after a long “Golden Week” domestic holiday seen as a test of consumer confidence, cutting a stark contrast to many Western nations afflicted by rolling lockdowns and travel restrictions.

burs-apj/jah

© Agence France-Presse

/AFP

Trump-touted Covid-19 antibody treatments: what we know

AFP
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Trump-touted Covid-19 antibody treatments: what we know

by Issam AHMED

Two US companies have applied for emergency approval for their lab-produced antibodies against Covid-19 — and President Donald Trump has signaled his strong backing based on the fact he was treated with one of them.

Here’s what we know about the treatments and why the perception of political interference at the Food and Drug Administration may have eroded public trust.

– What are they? –
The therapies developed by Regeneron and Eli Lilly are called “monoclonal antibodies,” a relatively new class of drugs that are best known for treating certain types of cancer and autoimmune disease.

Our own immune systems produce antibodies, which are infection-fighting molecules, and vaccines teach our bodies to be prepared to make the right ones for particular pathogens.

Another potential strategy is to give a patient fighting a disease the antibodies of someone who has already recovered. This is known as convalescent plasma, but it’s hard to procure plasma on a big enough scale to use it very widely.

Regeneron and Lilly have developed “cocktails” of antibodies based on the most effective ones they have discovered. In the case of Regeneron, one of these came from a person and the other from a mouse with a genetically-modified human-like immune system.

They all work by binding to and distorting a surface structure of the SARS-CoV-2 virus called the “spike protein” that it uses to invade human cells.

The host immune cells that produce the antibodies can be cultured in a lab to produce the desired antibodies en masse.

Antibodies can’t be ingested in a pill and instead have to be transfused using a drip. In theory they could be used to immunize people too, but unlike vaccines the protection would be highly transient.

– Are they safe and effective? –
Both companies have released some early data based on a few hundred non-hospitalized patients in clinical trials, with both claiming their treatments reduced viral load and recovery time.

One particularly eye-catching figure came from Lilly’s mid-stage trial, which showed the rate of Covid-related hospitalization and emergency visits was 0.9 percent for patients treated with its therapy versus 5.8 percent on placebo.

That result however was for Lilly’s “combination” treatment of two antibodies, whereas it has so far only applied for emergency approval for a “monotherapy” of one antibody, because it has greater stocks of it and more safety data available.

Both companies said their trials haven’t produced any serious safety concerns so far.

Trump, who was diagnosed with Covid-19 last week and was treated with Regeneron’s version, has made it clear he is a big fan. “It really did a fantastic job, I want to get for you what I got,” he said in a video.

– Were fetal tissues used in Regeneron’s treatment? –
They weren’t used to create the antibodies, but cells derived from a human embryonic kidney in the 1970s were used to produce virus “pseudoparticles” with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, in order to test out the treatment.

Last year the Trump administration ended federal funding for most new scientific research on fetal tissue from elective abortions.

A Regeneron spokeswoman told AFP that the original documents about the cells made no mention of how they were obtained.

– Can the FDA be trusted? –
The president’s comments, based on his personal experience rather than data, heighten fears for the integrity of the regulatory process.

In theory, the FDA operates independently from the White House, but its decision to issue an emergency use approval (EUA) in March for the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine touted by Trump raised serious concerns.

No clinical trials have yet found in favor of using hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19, and the EUA was later withdrawn over safety fears.

The evidence standard used to grant emergency approval for the antiviral remdesivir was much greater — a final stage trial involving more than a 1,000 patients.

More than 6,000 patients were studied in a British trial that showed the steroid dexamethasone lowered mortality rates in hospitalized Covid-19 patients, which in turn led to US authorities recommending it.

But the FDA has also given an EUA for convalescent plasma, despite there being no trial data in its favor yet — so approval of monoclonal antibodies does seem likely.

FDA chief Stephen Hahn restored some independent experts’ faith when his agency on Wednesday released its guidelines for approving a Covid-19 vaccine.

The document said that makers need at least two months of follow-up data from patients after receiving their final dose, which makes it unlikely there will be an injection on the market before the November 3 election — something Trump has repeatedly sought.

ia/ft

© Agence France-Presse

/AFP

Trudeau fears ‘disruptions’ in event of tight US vote result

AFP
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Trudeau fears ‘disruptions’ in event of tight US vote result

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday his government feared “some disruptions” if the result of the US presidential election is close, and that Ottawa is preparing for “any outcomes.”

“We view all the polarization in the United States with some concern,” Trudeau said in French, referring to the country’s political discord less than a month until the November 3 election between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.

“We’re all watching the US election with close attention because of its potential impact on the Canadian economy and on Canadians,” Trudeau said at a news conference.

“We’re certainly all hoping for a smooth transition or a clear result” in the vote, he said.

“If it is less clear, there may be some disruptions and we need to be ready for any outcomes,” he said, without elaborating.

Trump has questioned the integrity of mail-in ballots, which are popular this election due to the Covid pandemic, and he has refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power if he loses the vote.

Trudeau, who has an often stormy relationship with Trump, generally refrains from commenting on political happenings in Canada’s powerful neighbor.

“We will not be interfering or engaging in any way in their electoral processes and that includes commenting on their electoral processes,” he said.

The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner, with Can$2.4 billion (US$1.8 billion) flowing across the border each day.

et/jl/acb/bfm

© Agence France-Presse

/AFP

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SINGAPORE: A survey from Milieu Insight released shortly before...

Neighbour won’t spay her cat — now their area is full of mess and strays, says resident

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SINGAPORE: A frustrated resident took to an online forum...

Job seeker asks: ‘Is it really that hard to get hired now, or is it just me?’

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SINGAPORE: A job seeker who has been applying for...

Business

Trump’s tariff policy does not represent all of America

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Interview with Seth Moulton during MAVEK Technology Series 2025, hosted...

‘Still no job since graduation’: 22-year-old S’porean diploma holder questions if full-time uni is the better path

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SINGAPORE: Yet another young Singaporean has taken to social...

‘I’m working 7 days a week at this point’: Overworked intern opens up about toxic boss and senior colleagues

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SINGAPORE: Despite having worked at the company for only...

Travel platform RateHawk reports 67% global bookings surge in 2024 as travel demand rebounds

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B2B travel solutions firm RateHawk reported a 67% increase...

Singapore Politics

Dennis Tan: I get feedback on cost of living issues every day

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SINGAPORE: In a doorstop interview with the media, Workers’...

Yee Jenn Jong: Edwin Tong must have something better than the East Coast Plan

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SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party (WP) candidate Yee Jenn Jong was...

Battle for Punggol: Harpreet Singh vs Gan Kim Yong

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SINGAPORE: One of the highlights of GE2025 is the...

‘He responded with integrity’: S’poreans want to give Andre Low a chance after apology for leaked messages

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SINGAPORE: Workers’ Party (WP) candidate Andre Low publicly apologised...

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