Snap shot

Temasek Holdings chief executive Ho Ching has extended her part-time sabbatical leave to six months.

She will complete her sabbatical in October, Temasek announced on its website yesterday, adding that she will continue with her board duties and specific stewardship duties.

Temasek, Singapore's state investment company, had earlier said she would return after her three-month sabbatical ends in July.

Ms Ho, the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, took leave in late March after the death of her father-in-law, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Temasek said its president, Mr Lee Theng Kiat, "will continue to cover all normal course of business".

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Youth Corps Singapore hopes to get more young people to volunteer through ad hoc, short-term or project-based ways.

The group, which grooms those aged 16 to 35 to lead community projects and improve society, has expanded its programme.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong said at a commencement ceremony of Youth Corps Leaders yesterday that a series of "bite-sized" volunteering opportunities would be available for those with less time to commit.

"We would like to see more youth come forward to serve..." he said.

The expansion might encourage youth to progressively take up more commitment later, he added.

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Turkey's military yesterday carried out a new wave of air and artillery strikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

They also carried out attacks against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, which Turkey says is aimed at rooting out terror.

The operation against ISIS and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party came after a week of deadly violence in Turkey the authorities blamed on both organisations. Turkish ground forces pounded targets belonging to both groups with artillery.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said: "We will not allow Turkey to be turned into a lawless country." 
- AFP

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A diver was killed by a shark yesterday while hunting scallops off the coast of Australia as his daughter watched helplessly.

The incident happened off Maria Island in Tasmania following sightings of a large great white shark. The man, in his late 40s, was diving with his daughter when he failed to resurface.

Said Tasmania Police Inspector David Wiss: "His daughter became worried and went down and checked on him. She saw him being attacked by the shark."

She scrambled back on their dingy and set off a flare to get the attention of other boats, who helped haul her father back to the surface using the air hose he was attached to. But it was too late to save him. - AFP