Today in Pictures, June 4, 2025
Sacrificial animals being put on sale at a market ahead of Eid al-Adha in Kabul, Afghanistan, on June 3, 2025. Eid al-Adha, also known as Hari Raya Haji, is celebrated on the 10th day of Zulhijjah and marks the end of the haj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Straits Times
Bali flights cancelled after Indonesia volcano eruption
The flights cancelled include those operated by Singapore's TigerAir. PHOTO: EPA-EFE JAKARTA - At least two dozen flights to and from the Indonesian resort island of Bali have been cancelled, its international airport website showed on June 18, after a volcano in the archipelago's east erupted, shooting an ash tower 10km into the sky. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703m twin-peaked volcano on the eastern tourist island of Flores, erupted on June 17, with authorities raising its alert status to the highest level. The flights cancelled included Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to cities across Australia, with Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore's TigerAir and China's Juneyao Airlines also cancelling flights 'due to volcano', Bali's international airport website said. Several domestic AirAsia flights leaving for Labuan Bajo on Flores were also cancelled. 'Ngurah Rai is still operating normally but it depends on the flight schedule, but some of the flights are cancelled due to a volcano. It depends on the route and also the airline,' a Bali airport customer service agent who declined to give their name told AFP. Volcanic ash rained down on several villages around Lewotobi Laki-Laki and forced the evacuation of at least one village late on June 17 the country's disaster mitigation agency said. There were no immediate reports of damages or casualties. In November 2024, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted multiple times, killing nine people, cancelling scores of international flights to the tourist island of Bali and forcing thousands to evacuate. Laki-Laki, which means 'man' in Indonesian, is twinned with a calmer volcano named after the Indonesian word for 'woman'. Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Straits Times
Air India plane crash draws attention to flaps and landing gear
Officials inspect the site of a plane crash near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, on June 12. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Video of the Air India jetliner that crashed into a neighbourhood points to potential anomalies that aviation safety authorities will examine to understand what caused the accident that killed at least 241 people. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner appeared to not achieve sufficient thrust as it lumbered down nearly the full length of an 11,000-foot runway, a distance that should have been more than enough to take off, said Mr Bob Mann, head of aviation consultant RW Mann. That could stem from a misconfiguration of the plane prior to takeoff or erroneous weight data entered into the plane's computer system that determines how much power is needed to get off the ground, he said. Mr Mann cautioned that his views were unofficial and not corroborated by data or cockpit voice recorders, which have yet to be recovered from the site. 'If the weight is high compared to the actual number, you end up with a very aggressive takeoff,' he said. 'If the weight is low compared to the actual, you end up with not enough commanded power.' The 787's landing gear was never retracted, which normally occurs just after takeoff, said Mr Jeff Guzzetti, a former accident investigation chief for the US Federal Aviation Administration. He also said he'd want to know more about whether the plane's flaps – movable panels along the wing that generate additional lift during takeoff – were in the correct position, noting that it was possible those were raised mistakenly instead of the landing gear. 'You don't see any smoke or fire or engines burping or anything like that. You don't see any structural failure occurring,' Mr Guzzetti said. 'It just appears the airplane was unable to climb once it got off the runway.' That could be due to several reasons, he said, including the flaps being raised instead of the landing gear or improper programming of the flight control computer. 'We just don't know at this time,' he said. Mr Mann said the flaps appeared to be incorrectly positioned, adding that trying to belatedly adjust the flaps could lead to an aerodynamic stall. The Air India Dreamliner was carrying 242 passengers and crew on a flight from Ahmedabad to London. There was one survivor from the plane. Investigators from the US National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will travel to India to assist with that government's investigation of the crash. Additional clues should emerge when authorities recover the plane's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, the so-called black boxes containing key information about what was happening to airplane systems and pilots in the flight's final moments. Bloomberg Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
07-06-2025
- Straits Times
Nee Soon mosque reopens on Hari Raya Haji after $15m facelift
Congregants during Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur in Yishun on June 7. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG SINGAPORE - The $15 million facelift to spruce up Masjid Darul Makmur has not only refreshed an icon in Nee Soon, but the process has also strengthened the local community spirit, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim. At the mosque's reopening on June 7 - Hari Raya Haji - Associate Professor Faishal noted that the Muslim community had put up with inconveniences during the two-year renovation, which included having to conduct their religious rites at a temporary site. Agreeing, Nee Soon GRC MP Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who was also at the event, said the upgrading involved a lot of logistics, as well as support from the Singapore Land Authority and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis). Prof Faishal said: 'This is the pride of Nee Soon residents, whereby with the strong community spirit, with the right support from grassroots organisations and government agencies, I think we can achieve better,' he said. Darul Makmur mosque was first opened in 1987. After it closed in April 2023 for upgrading, the former North View Secondary School in Yishun Ring Road was designated as a temporary prayer site for congregants. The completion of upgrading works means the mosque can now accommodate 4,000 worshippers, up from 3,000 previously. Barrier-free access with ramps, as well as a new lift, were also added. Speaking to the media after Hari Raja Aidiladha prayers, Prof Faishal urged the Malay/Muslim community here to continue to feel blessed in Singapore, where there is harmony and they can perform their religious rites with peace of mind anywhere in the country. 'This is something not available in many parts of the world,' said Prof Faishal, who was an MP in Nee Soon from 2011 to 2025. He was fielded in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC at the recent general election, which the PAP retained in a walkover. Echoing a sermon delivered earlier by Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, he also urged the community to have the notion of gratitude, and to continue playing its part in Singapore's quest to develop as a nation. As part of Singapore's humanitarian efforts for Gaza, more than 10 tonnes of korban meat will be channeled to Palestinians there, said Prof Faishal. Meanwhile, the meat that will be sent to Singapore will be distributed to the less privileged in the community, including zakat beneficiaries, families of incarcerated individuals and migrant transient workers. Korban refers to the Islamic ritual of slaughtering farm animals such as sheep and lambs, followed by the distribution of the meat to worshippers and the needy. Prof Faishal noted that this year's Hari Raya Haji korban had 5,700 orders for overseas livestock on SalamSG, a platform for key mosque programmes. This is about a 20 per cent increase from 2024. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (right) greets congregants before the Hari Raya Aidiladha prayer at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG The livestock will be slaughtered in Australia before the meat is chilled, packed and sent to Singapore – an arrangement that began in 2020 due to the pandemic. At the event, Prof Faishal also gave an update on Singaporean pilgrims in Mecca. He said all of them are doing well amid the intense heatwave. 'I urge them to keep looking out for one another. I also urge them to look at their health, and also ensure that they drink lots of water and also (have a) good rest,' he said. (From left) Nee Soon GRC MP Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi; Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim; Executive Chairman of Darul Makmur Mosque Mohd Fairus Abdul Manaf; and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam greet a congregant after Hari Raya Aidiladha prayers at the recently upgraded Masjid Darul Makmur. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG Temperatures in Mecca exceeded 40 deg C this week as more than a million Muslim pilgrims poured into the holy city for the annual haj. In 2024, at least 1,301 pilgrims died after temperatures soared to 51.8 deg C. 'We pray that they continue to remain safe and able to do their religious deeds... I look forward to welcoming them when they come back,' said Prof Faishal. Besides Prof Faishal and Dr Syed Harun, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam also attended the mosque's reopening. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
