Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by hydragyrum

Xenotransplant both a pig liver and kidneys

hydragyrum — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:21:13 +0800

In a first, scientists transplanted both a pig liver and kidneys into a person who was brain-dead

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/...-was-braindead/

The transplanted pig organs functioned for 36 hours before showing signs of rejection

A 53-year-old clinically dead man has become the first person to receive two kidneys and a whole liver from a genetically modified pig. The man’s organ function was sustained for almost five days with consent from his family, and there were no signs that the organs were being rejected in the first 24 hours, according to a study published in Med today.

Most procedures in which a pig organ is transplanted into a person — known as xenotransplantation — involve only a single organ. A small number of people have received pig organs, including hearts, kidneys, partial livers and lungs, and clinical trials in living people are under way in the United States and China. Until now, only parts of a pig liver have been transplanted into a person, says clinician-scientist Xuyong Sun, who led the latest procedure, at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University in Nanning, China.

Transplanting pig kidneys and a liver in the same procedure is also unique, says Leonardo Riella, a physician-scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who in 2024 led the team that first transplanted a pig kidney into a living person. Transferring multiple organs is more complex than moving one; procedures take longer, increasing the risk of complications, and people who need multiple transplants are often more seriously ill, he adds.

The study shows that multi-organ xenotransplants are possible, says Wayne Hawthorne, a surgeon and transplant researcher at the University of Sydney in Australia.

Multi-organ transplants are already performed with human organs, but there is a shortage of donor organs, which is why research teams are investigating the use of pig kidneys.

Complicated operation

The man who received the pig organs had severe chronic kidney disease and bleeding in his brain before doctors confirmed that his brain had died. His liver was healthy, so it was transplanted into a living person, says Sun.

The man received organs from a pig that had had six edits to its genome. Three human genes were added to reduce the risk of problems with blood clotting, and three pig genes were removed to prevent the organs being rejected.

Within 19 hours of the transplant, the pig liver began secreting bile and showed signs that it was functioning normally, the team reports. The man’s levels of the waste products creatinine and urea — which had been elevated because of his kidney disease — returned to normal after he received the pig kidneys, which suggests they, too, were functioning.

But 36 hours after the operation, the team noticed early signs that the pig organs were being rejected. For instance, the pig cells in the liver and kidneys were gradually being replaced by human cells, suggesting that the man’s immune system had detected that the organs were foreign. There were also small areas of tissue death and blood clotting in the pig liver.

The authors observed that the transplanted organs had raised levels of a type of immune cell called S100A12+, which is involved in inflammation. They suggest that these cells could be targeted with drugs to reduce the risk of long-term organ rejection.

Future treatment?
Riella says that multi-organ xenotransplants are unlikely to become common in the immediate future, because transplants of multiple human organs are already complicated and high-risk.

But the procedure might benefit people who are in liver failure, which can also cause the kidneys to stop working, he says.

Sun says that he and his team will perform more procedures in clinically dead people and living monkeys before they can operate on living people. They also need to confirm that there is no risk of people being infected with viruses or bacteria from the pig organs, he adds.

This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on May 29, 2026.

Xbox plans significant layoffs

hydragyrum — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 07:39:40 +0800

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-...s-under-new-ceo

Microsoft’s Xbox plans significant layoffs as it transforms under new CEO

[NEW YORK] Microsoft’s Xbox division is planning major layoffs next month, according to sources familiar with the company’s strategy.

The layoffs, the exact scale of which is not yet clear, are expected shortly after the close of Microsoft’s fiscal year on Jun 30, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorised to speak to the press. Xbox is also planning to significantly slash budgets for marketing and some other areas of the business, the sources said.

A spokesperson for Xbox declined to comment.

This will be the first sweeping change under Asha Sharma, who became CEO of Xbox in February. Sharma has spoken publicly about the organisation’s challenges, saying recently at the Bloomberg Tech conference that she planned on “resetting the business”, which was “not in a healthy spot”.

In an e-mail to employees on Wednesday (Jun 10) seen by Bloomberg, Sharma wrote that the business had plummeted to a 3 per cent “accountability margin”, the metric Microsoft uses to reflect profit margin.

“Excluding Activision Blizzard King, over the past five years, we have spent over US$20 billion on ongoing investments in our content, platform and hardware subsidy, but our annual revenue has declined nearly half a billion during that time,” she wrote. “Going forward, this cannot continue.”

Sharma added that Xbox would need to rebuild its platform infrastructure and rethink its portfolio in the weeks and months to come.

“We expanded our studio system when we needed a pipeline of content to meet multiple strategies across subscription, streaming and devices,” she wrote. “In the process, we have found ourselves over extended as we executed on changing strategies in a landscape of more readily available content. We are the fortunate stewards of industry-defining franchises that have enormous potential and player demand, but we have not adequately funded them to compete and win.”

“At the same time, as we saw this past weekend at Showcase, a reliable pipeline of first- and third-party exclusives and new IP are critical to our success. We need to reassess the balance between these and our investment priorities for the next five years,” she added.

Xbox, a titan of the video-game industry, has struggled to grow over the past few years. Sales at its hardware business have plummeted, it has failed to consistently deliver hit games and the popularity of its subscription service, Game Pass, has plateaued. Under pressure from its parent company to boost margins, Xbox has spent the past two years shuttering studios, cancelling games and raising prices.

In recent years, Xbox has released most of its software on rival consoles from Sony Group’s PlayStation and Nintendo, which helped games such as Indiana Jones and Forza Horizon reach far bigger audiences. But the move away from exclusivity may have damaged the appeal of Xbox hardware along the way.

Sharma is looking to reverse course. On Sunday, during a video presentation that showcased the company’s slate of upcoming games, she announced that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution will not come to PlayStation or Switch. In subsequent interviews, she and her executive team said they would handle future titles on a case-by-case basis.

A PlayStation 5 version of the new Gears of War game was in development and had been planned for release until Sharma changed tack, according to the sources familiar with Xbox strategy. Retailers had been preparing to open pre-orders for the PlayStation 5 version, and many Xbox employees were surprised by the announcement.

Sharma and her team also pulled a Halo trailer that was due to appear at a PlayStation event last week, potentially damaging the relationship between the two companies, according to sources familiar with the change of plans.

A return to exclusivity may excite diehard Xbox fans and improve prospects for the brand, but it also potentially means sacrificing a significant amount of revenue. The PlayStation 5 has sold more than 90 million units while analysts estimate that the Xbox has sold roughly one-third of that.

Sharma said at Bloomberg Tech that she is not under the same fiscal pressures from Microsoft as her predecessor, Phil Spencer.

“My mandate is not a 30 per cent accountability margin,” she said. “It’s not enterprise software margins. It’s to be the number one gaming and entertainment company.” BLOOMBERG

World Cup 2026 : Top Goal Scorer Odds

hydragyrum — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:40:24 +0800

World Cup 2026 : Top Goal Scorer Odds

Air freshener hidden camera to film female toilet

hydragyrum — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 19:27:44 +0800

Man who used camera hidden in air freshener to film female colleagues in toilet gets jail

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/m...-jailed-6159291

The air freshener camera that Iskandar Kamaruddin placed in the female toilet was found by a cleaner when she checked to see if it was empty.

FAST SUMMARY:-

Iskandar Kamaruddin, 35, told the cleaner that he had been assigned to inspect and repair the office's toilet facilities to gain access to the female toilet.
He then placed a pinhole camera hidden in an air freshener can on top of a sanitary waste bin to record his female colleagues relieving themselves.
He was sentenced to 28 weeks' jail on Wednesday (Jun 3).

SINGAPORE: A man who obtained a pinhole camera concealed in an air freshener lied to a cleaner to gain access to a women's toilet to film his female colleagues.

Iskandar Kamaruddin, 35, told the cleaner that he had been assigned to inspect and repair the office's toilet facilities.

However, Iskandar's crime was uncovered when the same cleaner later went to check if the air freshener was empty and found the camera.

The Singaporean was sentenced to 28 weeks' jail on Wednesday (Jun 3) after he pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism and one count of criminal trespass. Another four counts of voyeurism were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

Iskandar, then a medical technician, worked in his company's office premises. The building and company names have been redacted from court documents to protect the identities of his victims.

In September 2025, he hatched a plan to hide a camera in an office toilet to record videos of his female colleagues relieving themselves.

He bought a pinhole camera concealed in an air freshener can and a cylindrical miniature camera. He intended to place the can on a sanitary waste bin in a cubicle and the other camera within a smoke detector.

As he needed a reason to enter the toilet, Iskandar approached a cleaner and lied that he had been tasked with maintaining and repairing the office's toilet facilities. In truth, he had never been assigned such duties.

Between Oct 20 and Oct 22, 2025, he again told the cleaner that he needed to check for maintenance issues in the toilet.

The cleaner escorted him into the toilet – exclusively used by female employees of the company where he worked – and watched as he carried out what the prosecution described as "perfunctory checks".

After she left to wait at the door, Iskandar placed the air freshener camera on top of a sanitary bin inside a cubicle and angled the lens towards the toilet bowl.

He did not install the second camera because there was no smoke detector above the cubicle.

The camera in the air freshener was set to begin recording when it detected motion. Iskandar intended to return some days later to retrieve the memory card.

On Oct 22, 2025, two women separately entered the cubicle and used the toilet. The hidden camera recorded videos of both women urinating, capturing close-up images of their private parts. One woman saw the air freshener but thought nothing of it.

The device was discovered later that afternoon when the cleaner opened the air freshener to check whether it was empty. She found a camera concealed inside and alerted colleagues.

Several employees examined the device and realised it was a hidden camera. After failing to access the memory card, they left both items on a table while deciding what to do next.

Later, Iskandar spotted the air freshener camera and memory card on the table and secretly removed the memory card.

When employees later realised it was missing, the building manager called the police.

The police subsequently identified Iskandar as a suspect and arrested him on Oct 30, 2025. A search of his residence uncovered the missing memory card as well as the second miniature camera.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok urged the court to jail Iskandar for seven months, citing his premeditation as an aggravating factor.

"The accused, by his perverse acts, had recorded five of his female colleagues in their private moments in the toilet cubicle," Mr Kok said.

Two of the colleagues relate to charges to which Iskandar pleaded guilty, while the other three relate to charges taken into consideration.

"He had carefully selected an inconspicuous device that would not look out of place in the toilet and orchestrated his entry to the toilet with deceit.

"Even after the device was found, the accused attempted to evade identification by taking away the memory card without anyone noticing."

Asked if he wished to say anything in mitigation, Iskandar, who was unrepresented, said he had nothing to add to the written plea he had submitted to the court.

For voyeurism, he could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, caned or any combination of those punishments.

For criminal trespass, he could have been jailed for up to three months, or fined up to S$1,500 (US$1,170), or both.

USS Boxer Transits Straits of Johor, 30 May 2026

hydragyrum — Sun, 31 May 2026 05:36:03 +0800

May 30, 2026
The United States Navy's USS Boxer, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, transits the Johor Strait as it departs for its next mission.

[YOUTUBE]TGdKjdNXh-4[/YOUTUBE]

Former police admits to molesting male student

hydragyrum — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:34:30 +0800

Former police veteran admits to molesting male student, recording two others performing sex acts

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cour...=inline-article

SINGAPORE – A veteran male police officer dressed up as a woman and molested a 15-year-old boy, after luring him to an HDB staircase landing on the pretext of asking him for help to adjust his bra.

On two other separate occasions, the officer also recorded two 15-year-old boys he cajoled into performing sexual acts on video calls.

On March 24, the former cop, Sharizal Shafi’ee, 40, pleaded guilty to five charges, including the molestation and the recording acts.

Ten other charges involving similar offences against at least three other victims will be taken into consideration when he is sentenced on April 21.

A gag order is in place to protect the identity of the victims.

The court heard that on April 18, 2024, Sharizal left his flat dressed as a woman, wearing make-up on his face.

He went to a secondary school and waited near its back gate to approach students to ask them for help in adjusting his bra.

Despite two students rejecting his advances, Sharizal persisted and found a 15-year-old male student who agreed after believing that he genuinely needed help.

Sharizal then led the student to a nearby HDB staircase landing between the ninth and 10th floors and demonstrated how the boy should help him adjust his bra.

As the boy stood behind him, Sharizal started to grind against the teenager and reached behind to touch him.

It was not disclosed in court documents when a police report was made, but Sharizal was later tracked down by police officers and arrested 10 days later on April 28, 2024.

Forensic investigations on his phone revealed he had recorded at least 32 men performing sexual acts.

During investigations, Sharizal also admitted to having acted as a woman on social media to speak to other men.

He did this some time in 2023 and befriended a 15-year-old boy online. He later told the boy that he wanted to see him perform a sex act on a video call, to which the boy agreed.

Sharizal, who continued to act as a woman, then secretly recorded the call. The video recording lasted for more than 12 minutes.

Sharizal admitted to using the same trick in April 2024 on another 15-year-old boy, recording him for a total of more than 12 minutes.

In mitigation, Sharizal’s lawyer said the former police officer has shown genuine remorse and is currently taking steps towards rehabilitation.

He pointed out that Sharizal had been a law-abiding citizen before his offences, with a distinguished 17-year career in the Singapore Police Force (SPF), which included several commendations.

In response, the prosecution said the severity of Sharizal’s offences speaks for itself.

“He had secretly recorded a total of 36 individuals, including four children, masturbating. During this period, he also physically acted on his criminal impulses and outraged the modesty of a 15-year-old schoolboy,” the prosecution added.

The SPF had earlier told The Straits Times that Sharizal was removed from front-line duties before he resigned on June 16, 2024.

Those found guilty of outrage of modesty can be jailed for up to three years, fined, caned, or given a combination of the sentences.

Those found to have procured or attempted to procure the commission of any obscene or indecent act from a person below the age of 16 can be jailed for up to five years, fined up to $10,000, or both.

Those found guilty of intentionally producing child abuse material can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined, caned, or given a combination of the sentences.

SIA Engineering opens maint. facility in Subang

hydragyrum — Fri, 22 May 2026 21:49:54 +0800

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-...ysian-aerospace

SIA Engineering opens base maintenance facility in Subang; sees ‘strong potential’ in Malaysian aerospace sector

The two-hangar facility will supplement hangars in Singapore and the Philippines to support MRO works.

[SINGAPORE] SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) : S59 +0.32% on Friday (May 22) announced the opening of a base maintenance facility in Subang, Malaysia, which will form part of its regional base maintenance network.

Base Maintenance Malaysia (BMM), wholly owned by SIAEC, will provide additional capacity to supplement hangars in Singapore and the Philippines.

This will support both widebody and narrowbody aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of current and next-generation aircraft across Asia-Pacific and beyond, said SIAEC.

Located at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, the two-hangar facility can accommodate up to six concurrent aircraft checks. It enhances SIAEC’s operating resilience, while providing customers with greater flexibility in meeting their MRO requirements, said the group.

SIAEC added that BMM obtained the necessary regulatory approvals for the first of its two hangars and had performed its first A350 aircraft check in November 2025.

It said that the opening of BMM reflects its confidence in Malaysia as an “important aerospace location”, with Subang, in particular, continuing to play a “key role” in Malaysia’s aviation and aerospace ecosystem.

The group added that Malaysia offers a “strong aviation heritage, strategic location, established infrastructure and a growing pool of skilled aerospace talent”.

“The establishment of BMM supports the continued development of Malaysia’s aerospace ecosystem by creating skilled employment, developing local technical capability and providing career pathways for aircraft technicians, licensed aircraft engineers, maintenance planners, and quality and safety professionals,” said SIAEC.

It added that it will continue to support BMM by sharing technical expertise, operational experience, governance, training, systems and customer support.

Chin Yau Seng, CEO of SIAEC, noted that Malaysia’s aerospace sector has “strong potential”, particularly in talent development, technical capability and long-term industry growth.

This makes BMM a “strategic investment for SIAEC to drive sustainable long-term growth”, he said.

“Together with SIAEC’s three other joint venture companies in Malaysia, comprising Asia Pacific Aircraft Component Services, Eaton Aero Services and Pos Aviation Engineering Services, BMM enhances our ability to support customers and provides an important platform for us to grow our presence in Malaysia,” he added.

The counter closed on Thursday at S$3.16, up 0.3 per cent or S$0.01.

Gardenia axes 141 staff in Singapore

hydragyrum — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:47:09 +0800

Gardenia axes 141 staff in Singapore as it shifts bakery production to Johor Bahru

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-...ion-johor-bahru

[SINGAPORE] Bread maker Gardenia Foods will move its bakery operations from Singapore to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, with 141 staff at its Pandan Loop facility to be retrenched.

The move is part of “ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency and maintain competitiveness amid an increasingly challenging global environment”, said Gardenia on Wednesday (May 20).

Production at Gardenia’s Pandan Loop manufacturing facility will cease on Jun 30.

Singapore will remain Gardenia’s central hub for key corporate functions with about 250 employees post-retrenchment, said the company.

Its Singapore team will also continue to oversee quality governance and ensure compliance with requirements set by the Singapore Food Agency and Health Promotion Board.

Gardenia’s move comes two months after Tiger Beer maker Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore said it would phase down large-scale brewing operations in Singapore and move them to Malaysia and Vietnam.

In March, beverage brand Yeo Hiap Seng : Y03 +0.84% also announced plans to consolidate its canned-drink manufacturing in Malaysia.

Gardenia informed its employees of the decision at an internal meeting this morning and said “affected staff will receive the appropriate notice period and support in line with local regulations and guidelines”.

The company added that it is also considering eligible employees for suitable roles within the group’s network of operations where possible.

Mainboard-listed parent company QAF : Q01 -0.5% fully owns and operates Gardenia in Singapore, while its Malaysia operations are a 50-50 joint venture with Tradewinds.

QAF in February reported a 62 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to S$35.9 million from S$22.2 million for the second half of its 2025 financial year. Meanwhile, the full-year figure rose 15 per cent to S$40.3 million.

This was despite revenue coming in flat for both reporting periods, with higher profit driven by the doubling of the share of profits from joint ventures.

Union informed in advance

The Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU), an affiliate of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), was informed in advance, said Gardenia.

“The union worked closely with Gardenia to ensure fair compensation and transition support for affected employees,” the company added. Gardenia said it will also sponsor one year of union membership for affected staff.

FDAWU will connect affected employees to the labour movement’s network, such as NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i).

Singaporeans and permanent residents will be able to use e2i’s job matching services, career coaching and skills upgrading advisory.

Shares of QAF slipped S$0.005 or 0.5 per cent to S$0.99 as at 1.02 pm on Wednesday, after the announcement.

SM Lee to visit Malaysia (Pahang and T'gganu)

hydragyrum — Sun, 03 May 2026 21:32:41 +0800

https://www.pmo.gov.sg/newsroom/sm-lee-hsie...aysia-may-2026/

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will visit Malaysia (Pahang and Terengganu) from 4 to 8 May 2026.

Senior Minister Lee will visit Pahang at the invitation of the Sultan of Pahang, His Royal Highness Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and Her Royal Highness the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. Senior Minister Lee will also travel to Terengganu. Senior Minister Lee’s visit builds on the strong momentum of bilateral exchanges, deepening Singapore’s longstanding and multifaceted ties with Malaysia’s states and their leaders.

In Pahang, Senior Minister Lee will have an audience with the Sultan of Pahang and be hosted to lunch by His Royal Highness. He will also meet Pahang Menteri Besar Dato’ Sri Diraja Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail and other State leaders. In Terengganu, Senior Minister Lee will meet Terengganu Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and other State leaders.

Senior Minister Lee will be accompanied by Mrs Lee, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Social and Family Development Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim, Member of Parliament Joan Pereira, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

* * * * *

PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
SINGAPORE
3 MAY 2026

Malaysia Introduces HDS NSS Low-Cost Strike Drone

hydragyrum — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:37:49 +0800

Malaysia Introduces HDS NSS Low-Cost Strike Drone for 20 km Tactical Operations.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/archives/ar...ical-operations

Malaysia has unveiled a new loitering munition that gives its forces a low-cost precision strike option without relying on missiles or manned aircraft. This marks a shift toward organic tactical firepower that can be deployed quickly and used in greater numbers on the battlefield.

The HDS-NSS is a compact fixed-wing kamikaze drone designed to loiter over targets before striking with precision. It reflects a broader move toward expendable autonomous systems that increase strike flexibility, reduce risk to personnel, and strengthen battlefield persistence.

The system appeared at the 18th edition of Defence Services Asia at MITEC, a venue increasingly used to showcase Southeast Asian unmanned programs. For regional armies, that is operationally significant: loitering munitions compress the sensor-to-shooter chain, allow dispersed units to prosecute time-sensitive targets, and strengthen deterrence in border, littoral, and island-defense scenarios.

Based on the product sheet photographed at the booth, HDS-NSS has a 1.2 m wingspan, 1.1 m fuselage length, 5 kg empty or “dead” weight, 2 kg payload, and 7 kg maximum take-off weight. Advertised endurance is 30 minutes, altitude 5,000 m, and flight distance 20 km, dependent on the ground control arrangement. The airframe uses carbon-fiber composites, is rated IP56, and can be launched from a rubber-band ejector or pneumatic frame, with no recovery method listed because the munition is intended to terminate on target.

Those figures place HDS-NSS in the small tactical loitering-munition bracket rather than the ultra-light soldier-fired class. The design favors a simple delta wing, pusher propeller, and low-complexity launch architecture, which usually means lower acquisition cost, easier field maintenance, and faster scaling for training or massed use. The trade-off is equally clear: publicly available material does not yet disclose cruise speed, dash speed, seeker type, datalink resilience, or autonomous target-tracking performance, all of which will determine real battlefield value in an electronic-warfare environment.

Developmentally, HDS-NSS is notable because HeiTech Defence Systems was historically associated with defense solutions focused on simulation, training, ICT security, and system integration, while Malaysian aerospace-related support work has also been linked to the group. In other words, this is not a classic missile-house lineage; it looks more like a systems integrator expanding into attritable precision effects, a route that lowers entry barriers for domestic industry.

The broader industrial timing is favorable: Malaysia’s defense-industrial policy direction increasingly emphasizes local content, indigenous capability, and technology transfer, creating a framework that could help projects such as HDS-NSS move from exhibition hardware to iterative local production. That industrial logic also aligns with broader Southeast Asian interest in affordable loitering munitions that can be fielded quickly, adapted locally, and integrated into national command-and-control structures.

Operationally, the HDS-NSS seems best suited for fixed or semi-fixed targets: command posts, radar nodes, artillery positions, logistics points, parked aircraft, or small boats at anchor. A country could employ it from infantry, marine, or special-operations teams to surveil an approach route, confirm a target visually, and strike without exposing the launch crew or waiting for higher-echelon fires. For Malaysia or similar states, that makes particular sense in jungle borders, littoral choke points, and dispersed island garrisons where organic precision attack is often more valuable than raw range.

In competitive terms, HDS-NSS appears heavier and more payload-oriented than STM’s sub-2 kg ALPAGU, which is designed for single-soldier operation, yet it is far less mature on published data than WB Group’s Warmate, a 5.7 kg system with a 1.6 m wingspan, 30 km range, and roughly 70 minutes of flight time. AeroVironment’s Switchblade 300 sits in another niche altogether, offering 30 km range and more than 20 minutes of endurance in a much lighter 1.68 kg munition. The closest comparison, therefore, is less about exact size than about market position: HDS-NSS is competing in the tactical, low-cost, man-in-the-loop strike segment already shaped by more established Polish, Turkish, and American systems.

No military user has yet been publicly confirmed for HDS-NSS, and there is no publicly known production contract or export order attached to the program. That does not reduce its relevance. If HeiTech can mature the guidance stack, harden the datalink, and network the drone with ISR feeds and artillery or coastal-surveillance architecture, HDS-NSS could become a credible battalion-level precision-fires tool. More importantly, it marks Malaysia’s growing ambition to build sovereign strike-drone capacity in one of the most operationally decisive segments of modern warfare.

Support Measures Response to Middle East Situation

hydragyrum — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:31:13 +0800

https://file.go.gov.sg/support-measures-middle-east-el.png
https://www.gov.sg/budget2026/#e9cddb8cf88a...1c116ccbdc6a8d8

Enhanced Support for Singaporeans in Response to the Middle East Situation
In a Ministerial Statement on 7 April 2026, Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow announced enhanced support measures for Singaporeans, workers and businesses. Watch his Ministerial Statement.

Support for Singaporeans
[Updated] $500 CDC Vouchers brought forward to Jun 2026
[Enhanced] $400 to $600 Cost-of-Living Special Payment in Sep 2026
[New] $200 cash relief for eligible platform workers, private hire car drivers and taxi drivers from Apr 2026
Support for Businesses
[New] Temporary co-funding of cost increases for essential bus services such as those for school students, seniors, and persons with disabilities
[Enhanced] Increase Corporate Income Tax rebate to 50% for Year of Assessment 2026
Raise minimum benefit to $2,000 for eligible companies
Raise benefits cap to $40,000 per company
[Enhanced] Expand Energy Efficiency Grant (Base Tier) to all sectors and extend to 31 Mar 2028

Malaysia’s 50 Richest - 2026

hydragyrum — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:29:17 +0800

https://www.forbes.com/sites/phisanuphromch.../?streamIndex=0

Malaysia’s 50 Richest 2026: A Robust Ringgit And A Hot IPO Market Power Tycoons’ Wealth

For the FULL LIST => https://www.forbes.com/lists/malaysia-billionaires/

An economy that expanded 5.2% in 2025, an appreciating ringgit and a buoyant IPO market that had a total of 60 new listings last year created momentum that bolstered the collective wealth of Malaysia’s tycoons nearly 30% to $116 billion.

The wealth of the country’s richest person, business legend Robert Kuok, 102, whose Kuok Group’s interests cover a swathe of industries from agribusiness to hospitality and data centers, rose 19% to $13.6 billion.

At No. 2 for the first time are Koon Poh Keong and his siblings, the biggest gainers in dollar terms this year, whose net worth soared 80% to $9.7 billion. Shares of their Press Metal Aluminium Holdings, Southeast Asia’s largest integrated aluminum smelter by revenue, were up 73% from a year ago as the price of the metal surged.

Brothers Lee Yeow Chor and Lee Yeow Seng moved up three places to the third spot with a net worth of $8.5 billion. While palm oil producer IOI is their mainstay, the brothers have built up a substantial property portfolio, which is set to unlock value with REIT listings planned for Malaysia and Singapore.

A total of 41 listees are better off this year, including Lee Thiam Wah, founder and CEO of 99 Speed Mart Retail Holdings, whose fortune nearly doubled to $6.7 billion. Lee’s minimart chain added 259 stores in 2025 to take the total to more than 3,000 nationwide. Property tycoon Jeffrey Cheah’s wealth ballooned 76% to $5.3 billion amid notable moves by his conglomerate Sunway Group, which spun off Sunway Healthcare in March 2026, raising $732 million in the country’s largest IPO in almost a decade.

There are two new entrants to the ranks: Lee Kar Whatt, cofounder and managing director of dollar store chain Eco-Shop Marketing with more than 400 outlets across Malaysia, debuts at No. 18 with a fortune of $1.5 billion after taking his retailer public in May 2025. The Tiong family at No. 42 with $655 million consists of the heirs of Tiong Hiew King, with interests in palm oil, property and media, who died in November at age 90.

The sole returnee is Chu Jenn Weng, cofounder of ViTrox, a maker of automated vision inspection equipment for the semiconductor and electronic packaging industries. Shares of the company rallied 84% in the past year on surging demand for AI-related products.The minimum net worth rose to $422 million from $335 million.

Donald Trump - Hall of Fame Induction

hydragyrum — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:08:29 +0800

Apr 11, 2013
After hosting WrestleMania IV and V, as well as participating in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23, Donald Trump joins the Celebrity Wing in the WWE Hall of Fame.

[YOUTUBE]neOhA385W5g[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]iJytfc-RhjE[/YOUTUBE]

Lady shop owner is too hot? Man took off pants

hydragyrum — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:50:05 +0800

Apr 9, 2026 【社會生活百態】發生在你我身邊的大小事｜民視新聞網 FTVNEWS.com
[FTV Breaking News] A man took off his pants and behaved indecently in a soy milk shop just because the female owner was too pretty! A soy milk shop owner in Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City, posted CCTV footage online showing a man entering the shop and staring at the attractive female owner while making indecent gestures. He only stopped after being seen by other employees. The man was called in by the police and claimed he thought he was at home and heard someone tell him to take off his pants.

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MOSTI investigates suspected space debris

hydragyrum — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:23:38 +0800

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), through its Space Authority Division (BPAngkasa), confirmed it has received preliminary reports regarding the sighting of an object suspected to be space debris in Sarawak's airspace on Tuesday.

In a statement on Thursday (April 9), MOSTI said that so far, there have been no official reports of debris being found on land or in surrounding waters.

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Venom (2018): Symbiotes Arrives on Earth (Opening Scene) - Moview Clips

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End of an era: Fitbit Singapore Winds Up

hydragyrum — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 21:42:43 +0800

End of an era: Fitbit Singapore winds up as Google completes takeover of fitness tracker brand

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/singapore/...brand?flyingspaghettimonster=pulse

SUMMARY:-

Fitbit Singapore is closing after 11 years, undergoing voluntary liquidation as of March 2024, following Google's US$2.1 billion acquisition in 2021.

Google says Fitbit devices will still be available in Singapore via the Google Store and retailers, with existing users able to access support channels.

Users express concerns about Fitbit's future under Google, citing app feature decline, but acknowledge some devices are still good and affordable.

[SINGAPORE] Fitness tracking pioneer Fitbit is set to vanish as a standalone entity in Singapore after its local unit was placed under voluntary liquidation, marking the end of its corporate presence here more than a decade after entering the market.

A notice published in the Government Gazette on Mar 13 confirmed that liquidators have been appointed to wind up Fitbit Singapore’s business.

Checks by The Straits Times on Mar 24 on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority’s BizFile portal confirmed that the company is in the process of being voluntarily wound up.

The move marks a curtain call for Fitbit Singapore about 11 years after it was registered here in February 2015.

The development comes years after US tech giant Google, under parent company Alphabet, acquired Fitbit in a US$2.1 billion deal announced in November 2019 and completed in January 2021.

At the time, Google said the acquisition would bolster its push into wearable technology and allow it to introduce more “Made by Google” devices, as it sought to compete more directly with rivals such as Apple and Samsung in the fast-growing wearables market.

Fitbit’s integration into Google had since accelerated, with the brand increasingly folded into the Google ecosystem, including its Pixel Watch line-up. While Fitbit-branded devices continue to be sold, the company’s identity as a standalone business has gradually diminished.

While the liquidation of Fitbit Singapore marks the end of an era, Fitbit users can continue to use their devices.

In response to queries, a Google spokesperson said on Mar 19 that Fitbit devices will continue to be available through the Google Store and selected retail partners in Singapore.

Existing Fitbit users can still obtain support via Google’s support channels or through retailers where the devices were purchased, the spokesperson added, without providing further details.

Fitbit was founded in 2007 in San Francisco by James Park and Eric Friedman, who sought to harness advances in sensors and wireless technology to transform personal health tracking.

Fitbit products proved popular and helped kick-start the global fitness tracking industry at a time when smartphones and mobile apps were still in their infancy.

Over the years, Fitbit released more than 20 models of fitness trackers and smartwatches, evolving from simple step counters into more sophisticated health devices capable of monitoring heart rates, sleep and activity levels.

There are currently at least six active models of devices, according to the Fitbit website. Fitbit’s devices also gained traction in Singapore, particularly through their compatibility with the National Steps challenge, a nationwide programme launched in November 2015 by the Health Promotion Board to encourage physical activity.

The programme – which is popular in Singapore, with more than 860,000 sign-ups as at August 2023 – allows participants to track their daily steps and active minutes using fitness trackers and the Healthy 365 app, earning rewards for staying active.

Trekking enthusiast Nelson Teo told ST that he had used a Fitbit Charge 3 from 2019 to 2023, before it stopped working. The private tutor, who is in his 50s, switched to another brand, Garmin, as he was unsure where to get support or buy a newer Fitbit device.

“At that time, I went to several stores and was not able to find a Fitbit... I did not know that Google had bought over the brand,” he said.

In a September 2025 Reddit thread on budget fitness trackers compatible with Healthy 365, some users said they remained satisfied with their Fitbit devices, even as they expressed uncertainty about the brand’s future under Google.

A user said: “I’ve been using a Fitbit Versa 4 for about two years. So far so good... but now with Google as the owner of Fitbit, I’m not sure if I’ll stick to Fitbit if my current one dies.”

Another user said: “My Versa 2 has been with me for about four years and still is working well... but Fitbit’s app features have been lacking since Google took over; doubt I will stick with it once my Versa gives way.”

Others pointed to pricing as a continued draw, with one noting that some Fitbit devices, such as the Charge 6, could be found below full retail price.

The brand’s future appears increasingly tied to Google’s broader hardware ecosystem rather than as a standalone fitness tracking player.

For consumers, the key question is no longer availability but longevity – whether Fitbit, once a pioneer of the category, will continue to hold its place in a market now dominated by tightly integrated ecosystems.

“I was very happy with my Charge 3 because it could monitor my sleep patterns, how many floors I climbed, distance covered and active minutes,” Teo said. “Will they make a better device than the Fitbit? Definitely. But to me, it was one of the best I had.” THE STRAITS TIMES

Chicken handled in pork section

hydragyrum — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:11:39 +0800

https://mothership.sg/2026/03/ntuc-fairpric...n-pork-section/

FairPrice apologises after chicken handled in pork section at Sengkang outlet

NTUC FairPrice has apologised after a social media post showed staff handling processed halal chicken in the pork section of its Anchorvale Village outlet, while Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) said its officers had inspected the supermarket and confirmed that the chicken was not sold in the halal-certified section.

The incident drew attention after an Instagram post uploaded by SGFollowsAll on Wednesday (Mar. 25) shared a complaint from a member of the public, who said her daughter had been alerted by another shopper that halal chicken was being cut and packed in the same area where pork was handled.

According to the post, the daughter checked the section herself and photographed the area, after which her mother went down to the store and spoke to a supervisor, who reportedly acknowledged that it was an error and said the matter would be looked into.

The post drew concern online, with some commenters questioning whether halal handling procedures had been properly followed and how long such a practice had been going on for.

In a Facebook statement posted later in the evening, NTUC FairPrice said it understood why customers were concerned and that it took the matter seriously.

The supermarket chain said the processed chicken involved had not been displayed for sale in the halal section, but added that the handling practice had been halted across all its stores with immediate effect.

FairPrice also said it recognised the concern caused and apologised, adding that it would review internal processes to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

In a statement posted on Thursday night (Mar. 26), Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) said it was aware of public concern over the poultry preparation practices and had immediately launched an investigation.

The Islamic religious authority said its officers inspected the outlet and engaged store management, adding that it had verified the processed chicken was not placed for sale in the halal section.

MUIS added that NTUC FairPrice had assured it that the practice had been stopped immediately at all outlets.

It also thanked members of the public for raising the matter and said it remained committed to protecting halal integrity together with its partners and the wider community.

Top images via sgfollowsall/Instagram

SG-based Crypto.com lays off 12% of staff

hydragyrum — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:07:31 +0800

Singapore-based Crypto.com lays off 12% of staff, third cut in four years

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sing...t-in-four-years

SINGAPORE - Singapore-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com has laid off around 12 per cent of its global workforce, or 180 employees, as part of a strategic restructuring exercise, The Straits Times has learnt.

In an e-mail to affected employees, the firm’s human resources (HR) department said that the cuts are part of its reorganisation. No other details were given in the e-mail sent on the morning of March 19 except that the firm is pivoting “towards key business initiatives”.

Crypto.com reported that it had more than 100 million registered users in 2024. Its global headcount was more than 1,500 before the layoff, based on information from its website. It is not known how many employees in Singapore are affected.

One employee based in Singapore, who declined to be named, told ST she found out about the move after she was locked out of the company’s communication platform Slack in the morning.

During a call on the afternoon of March 19, an HR representative said that 10 per cent of the company’s global workforce has been laid off, but the number varies across departments.

“The company has grown to the point where our structure has become quite layered and siloed, which has slowed us down and created inefficiencies,” said a senior executive of the firm, who was also on the call.

“At the same time, we’re kind of at this critical point where we have to find ways to lean into and leverage all the new tooling and platforms and technologies that have become available.”

ST understands that the hardest-hit departments include growth and customer relationship management. More than half of the department’s 20-strong team in Singapore have been laid off.

When contacted, Crypto.com said: “We are joining the list of companies integrating enterprise-wide AI (artificial intelligence). As we continue to prioritise resources around key growth areas and drive efficiencies across our business, we reduced our workforce by approximately 12 per cent.”

The firm added that all impacted team members have been notified and are receiving resources to support their transition.

The company was founded in Hong Kong in 2016, with offices in countries such as Singapore, France and the US.

It has undergone several rounds of job cuts in the last five years. In 2022, it laid off 5 per cent of its workforce to weather a macroeconomic downturn amid rising interest rates. This equated to 260 affected jobs out of a 5,000-strong team.

The collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX later in 2022 caused the company to further reduce its workforce by 20 per cent in 2023.

USS Tripoli passes Singapore

hydragyrum — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:01:32 +0800

CGTN LIVE - US amphibious assault ship the USS Tripoli passes Singapore reportedly on its way to the Middle East.

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SG's Tallest HDB > 60 storeys high

hydragyrum — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 20:02:01 +0800

Singapore's tallest public housing project will be launched in Pearl's Hill - near Chinatown, in the next few years. It is expected to be over 60 storeys high. Another development, set for launch this October, will be located near Caldecott MRT station. They are part of broader efforts to add more homes at attractive locations and rejuvenate older towns. Alexandra Anand reports.

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