New Delhi: After two decades at the helm, Singapore’s prime minister, 72-year-old Lee Hsien Loong, is set to step down next month and make way for his deputy, Lawrence Wong.
Of the four prime ministers Singapore has had, Wong will be the second who isn’t from the Lee family. He entered politics in 2011 and has held ministerial portfolios, including defence and finance. He rose to prominence during the Covid pandemic on leading the country’s action plan as co-chair of the government’s response committee.
“I accept this responsibility with humility and a deep sense of duty. I pledge to give my all in this undertaking,” Wong said in a video message to the public.
The 51-year-old People’s Action Party (PAP) politician will be sworn in on 15 May. The PAP has ruled Singapore since its independence in 1965 and has been led by the Lee family for over five decades.
The outgoing prime minister has been often credited with maintaining a balanced geopolitical stand and cordial relations with both China and the US. His tenure also saw economic growth in the country. Lee Hsien Loong had previously planned to retire two years ago, but the pandemic halted his plans.
Sweden’s law lowering age to legally change gender
The Swedish Parliament has passed a law to make it easier for a person to change their legally recognised gender.
The law was passed with 234 votes in favour and 94 against, after six hours of debate, reducing the minimum age for transition from 18 to 16. While those under 18 will still require approvals from guardians, a doctor and a national board, a gender dysphoria diagnosis will no longer be required.
Under the new law, a brief consultation with a doctor or psychologist, alongside the approval of the National Board of Health and Welfare, will suffice.
The new rules are set to come into effect in July 2025.
The law has received mixed responses from the country’s political leaders. Those on the Right did not back the law despite being being part of the coalition government.
The ruling Moderate Party’s Johan Hutberg said that although a majority of the Swedes might not notice the change, for transgender people, it “makes a large and important difference”. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called the new law “balanced and responsible”.
Sweden first legalised gender transition in 1972.
Last year, both Spain and Germany passed new laws to address gender change among those younger than 18.
How South America is dealing with drought
South America’s drought crisis has impacted the daily lives of citizens in multiple countries across the continent.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Tuesday declared an energy emergency, and people in the Colombian capital of Bogotá have been asked to ration water.
The two countries, dependent on hydropower for electricity generation, are facing a shortage of water in their reservoirs. Ecuador has initiated power cuts for two to five hours every day, and in Bogotá, each of the city’s nine zones is cut off from water supply for twenty-four hours.
The drought caused by the shortage of rainfall in the Andean region is linked to the weather pattern El Niño.
Chingaza Reservoir System, Bogota’s main source of water, is at its lowest ever at 15 percent.
Colombia has halted all energy exports to Ecuador,in order to meet its own shortfall. Amidst this crisis, Ecuador now has a new energy minister who has spoken against “short term solutions”, echoing the President’s declaration of “no more blackouts”.
Palestinian journalist in TIME’s 100 most influential people
TIME magazine has named the 100 most influential people of the year, and Motaz Azaiza is the youngest person on the list. The 25-year-old freelance photojournalist is credited for documenting the ongoing war in Gaza. “For 108 days, Motaz Azaiza acted as the world’s eyes and ears in his native Gaza,” the magazine said. Born and raised in the Deir Al-Balah Refugee Camp in Gaza, Azaiza used his social media to not just document, but also raise awareness about the situation.
The magazine, in its list, names leaders, pioneers, artists, icons, innovators and titans. This year, Chinese premier Li Qiang, Taiwan’s next President, William Lai, and Yulia Navalnaya, wife of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, have also been named.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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