Singapore (VNA) – Singapore’s first seed bank wasinaugurated at Singapore Botanic Gardens on July 13.
Second Minister for NationalDevelopment Desmond Lee likened the seed bank to a form of insurance for plantbiodiversity amid increasing threats from diseases, natural disasters andclimate change.
The bank will be put under themanagement of the National ParksBoard with a storage capacity of up to25,000 plant species, half the number of seed plant species in the region andmore than double of that currently found in the Singapore Botanic Gardens,which has around 10,000 species.
Seeds stored in the bank can beused in habitat restoration and species conservation projects in Singapore andthe region in the future, when the need arises.
The seed bank also houses a seedbiology lab, rooms for seed processing and storage freezers, where scientistswill conduct research on various storage methods to keep seeds collected fromtropical plants for long periods of time.
Visitors can also learn about seedbanking and conservation work at galleries and an outdoor garden within thefacility.-VNA
Drivers in Singapore who commit traffic offences due to irresponsible driving now face significantly longer jail terms and tougher penalties after the Singaporean Parliament passed amendments to the Road Traffic Act on July 8.
All upper primary students will attend compulsory coding enrichment classes from next year onwards, Singaporean Minister of Communications and Information S. Iswaran has announced.
A new Ministry of Ageing, coordinating closely with the Manpower and Education Ministries, could help the authorities resolve emerging challenges such as the displacement of mature professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) due to automation.
Singapore's economy expanded by its slowest rate in a decade in the second quarter of this year, raising fear of a recession and monetary policy easing in October, according to a Reuters article.
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Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
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Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Illustrative image (Photo: NParks ) 
