19/04/2024

Why Are Veins Green or Blue?

Green Veins and Blue Veins – Why Are They Green or Blue

Do you have many green veins or blue veins showing through the skin on your feet, legs, hands, breast, chest, or any other parts of your body? Aren’t veins supposed to be red? You may be wondering why are veins green or blue and whether they indicate a serious condition or not.

What are these green veins or blue veins? Why do veins appear green or blue through the skin? Blood and veins are always red, but veins close to the skin’s surface appear green or blue because the color is filtered. The color of the vein is filtered by the yellow color of fat, carbon dioxide, and oxygen – making the red vein appear green or blue. Green veins or blue veins become more visible when they increase in size, mainly when there’s a dysfunction in the valves within your veins that impedes blood flow. Because of this dysfunction, backflow occurs, and blood accumulates in the vein, causing it to stretch, bulge, and enlarge. Treatment is not usually necessary, but in severe conditions, surgical and non-surgical procedures have to be performed. Blue veins or green veins on the legs, hands, chest, and various vein junctions, among other parts of the body, are most common. The size of these green or blue veins increases when undue pressure is exerted on the veins, such as prolonged standing and when exercising strenuously.

So why are veins green? Veins are always red, but veins that are seen through the skin look green or blue because the skin plus other things act as a color filter. These things that filter the red color include the yellow color of fat, carbon dioxide, and oxygen – making the red vein appear blue or green. What is the difference between blue vs. green veins? The color of your veins will depend on your skin undertones. If you have a warm undertone, your veins will appear green or blue on the surface of your skin. If your skin has cool undertones (or paler skin), your veins will appear blue. A skin undertone is a color underneath your skin, which reflects your skin’s overall color. So when comparing green veins vs. blue veins, warm undertones reflect green veins, while cool undertones reflect blue veins.


Why Do My Veins Appear Green?

Veins, a focal part of our circulatory system, carry the oxygen-depleted red blood back to a person’s heart for re-oxygenation. But the question is, why do my veins appear green if the blood is red? This condition may depend on your skin’s undertone, the amount of fat in your body, or your BMI. You don’t have to worry about the color of your veins; however, if they are bulging and becoming painful, this can also be an early sign of a common medical condition, i.e., venous insufficiency or vein disease.

Venous insufficiency - This condition may prevail when your vein valves get damaged and become inefficient in pumping blood back to the heart. In such a scenario, the blood may flow backward, causing the blood to pool in your legs, and when this happens, varicose veins develop that appear as green lines. You’re more likely to get this disease if you’re a female, over 50, pregnant, overweight, due to inheritance, hot weather conditions, smoking and drinking habits, hormonal changes, and family history or prolonged standing or sitting for hours.

If you experience these, you should consult a vein specialist to seek medical care. It is important to get it treated because it may lead to deep vein thrombosis or venous ulcers.
Signs and symptoms:
  • Leg cramps
  • Open wound leg ulcers
  • Heavy legs
  • Fatigue
  • Itching
  • Burning
  • Eczema
  • Spider veins


Why is vein green?
The blue of veins is visible due to the interaction of light with the skin, the amount of oxygen in the blood and other factors

Blood flowing in the body is bright red or dark red depending on the amount of oxygen in the blood. The veins themselves are not green, they are only green when seen through the skin. This blue is seen by four factors.

Vein colors are dominated by many factors:
  • The first is the interaction of light with the skin in multiple wavelengths, equivalent to different colors. Light passes through the skin, absorbed and emitted back into the environment. The process of absorbing and radiating backwards takes place thousands of times in the blink of an eye. Scientists found that the veins emit a lot of blue , and only a very small amount of red, so we often see veins are green.
  • The second factor is the amount of oxygen in the blood that affects the blood color and ability to absorb light. Oxygen is transported by red blood cells. A maximum red cell can carry four oxygen molecules. Under the surrounding effect such as high temperature, acid environment, one or more oxygen molecules will leave the red blood cells to make blood dark. This crimson color is still red in nature but easier to look into.
  • The third element is the vein itself, especially its diameter and position . If the veins are located just under the skin, they will be red. The deeper you go, the color of the vein will gradually turn blue. Meanwhile, the vast majority of veins lie more than half a millimeter below the skin. This optical phenomenon is related to complex blood transport equations. Scientists have also observed a bit of green in arteries, but less, because the blood in the arteries is bright red. When light passes through the skin, the color difference between the veins and arteries will be amplified, so we see a green veins. Besides, arteries are usually small and deeper than the skin so they often don't see arteries.
  • The last factor is the brain. Information collected from the retina to the brain is handled a lot. For example, purple is not always purple, when you put purple next to red, your brain will turn purple into blue. In the case of veins, the contrast of the surrounding skin also tends to make the veins appear green.


Why Are My Veins Green?

The blood inside your veins is dark red. So, many people wonder why veins look green or blue through the skin instead of red.

Veins are types of blood vessels. The other blood vessel types are capillaries and arteries. Blood vessels help transport blood and nutrients throughout your body.

The job of most veins is to carry oxygen-depleted blood from bodily tissues back to your heart. Your pulmonary artery brings your blood to your lungs, where it receives a fresh supply of oxygen. Your arteries then carry the oxygenated blood to your tissues and organs.


Vein

Veins (/veɪn/) are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are those of the pulmonary and fetal circulations which carry oxygenated blood to the heart. In the systemic circulation, arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart, and veins return deoxygenated blood to the heart, in the deep veins.

There are three sizes of veins: large, medium, and small. Smaller veins are called venules, and the smallest the post-capillary venules are microscopic that make up the veins of the microcirculation. Veins are often closer to the skin than arteries.

Veins have less smooth muscle and connective tissue and wider internal diameters than arteries. Because of their thinner walls and wider lumens they are able to expand and hold more blood. This greater capacity gives them the term of capacitance vessels. At any time, nearly 70% of the total volume of blood in the human body is in the veins. In medium and large sized veins the flow of blood is maintained by one-way (unidirectional) venous valves to prevent backflow. In the lower limbs this is also aided by muscle pumps, also known as venous pumps that exert pressure on intramuscular veins when they contract and drive blood back to the heart.

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18/04/2024

World Heritage Day 2024

International Day for Monuments and Sites
In 1982, UNESCO’s General Conference established 18 April as the International Day for Monuments and Sites. The Day is promoted by ICOMOS globally, and the theme for 2022 is ‘Heritage and Climate.’

Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time, and among the greatest threats facing cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage monuments and sites. One in three natural sites and one in six cultural heritage sites are currently threatened by climate change.

In recent months and years, we have seen cultural and natural heritage sites, including many UNESCO World Heritage sites, threatened by wildfires, floods, storms and mass-bleaching events. UNESCO’s report, World Heritage forests: Carbon sinks under pressure, found that a staggering 60% of World Heritage forests are threatened by climate change-related events. Marine sites are equally under pressure. Two-thirds of these vital carbon stores - home to 15% of global blue carbon assets - are currently experiencing high risks of degradation, according to the UNESCO Marine World Heritage: Custodians of the globe’s blue carbon assets study, and if no action is taken, coral may disappear at natural heritage sites by the end of the century.

In response to this undeniable impact of climate change on World Heritage monuments and sites, UNESCO is working to build the capacities of countries and communities to prepare for and recover from climate-change related impacts and disasters. At the same time, we are committed to harnessing the potential of culture for climate action, which still remains largely untapped.



International Day for Monuments and Sites

In 1982, ICOMOS established 18 April as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, followed by UNESCO adoption during its 22nd General Conference. Each year, on this occasion, ICOMOS proposes a theme for activities to be organized by its members, ICOMOS National and International Scientific Committees, Working Groups and partners, and anyone who wants to join in marking the Day.

Building on last year’s theme “Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures” – for 2022, we call on you all to explore the theme: Heritage and Climate through open, constructive and intergenerational dialogues. In 2020, ICOMOS declared the Cultural Heritage and the Climate Emergency, recognizing the potential of cultural heritage to enable inclusive, transformative and just climate action through the safeguarding of all types of cultural heritage from adverse climate impacts, the implementation of risk-informed disaster responses, delivering climate resilient sustainable development; and this from a perspective of equity and justice.

The Future of our Pasts report, published by ICOMOS in 2019, also advocated for solidarity between heritage professionals and those communities most affected by, or least able to bear the cost of, climate change. Solidarity must form the basis of the actions that we take in this decade on our race to Climate Justice and Equity, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The International Day for Monuments and Sites – 18 April 2022 provides a timely opportunity to showcase strategies to promote the full potential of heritage conservation research and practice to deliver climate-resilient pathways to strengthen sustainable development, while advocating for just transitions to low-carbon futures. It is part of the ICOMOS Triennial Scientific Plan 2021-2024 and also supports the 2020 ICOMOS’ resolution on People-Centered Approaches to Cultural Heritage.


WORLD HERITAGE JOURNEY

Although most people have heard of the UNESCO World Heritage List, not many people actually know about the process behind it. How are sites selected? How are they maintained? Who pays for it? All of your World Heritage site questions are answered below, so read on for our world heritage question and answer series!

What is a World Heritage Site? Simply put, a World Heritage Site is a place or landmark that UNESCO (the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) considers to be of Outstanding Universal Value to humanity. The definition of “Outstanding Universal Value” is intentionally vague, but it basically means the location has value that cuts across political, religious or ethnic lines. World Heritage Sites can be either a single location (eg one building or national park), or it can cover multiple locations (eg a group of similar buildings). Sites are classified as either Cultural heritage, Natural heritage, or a Mixed heritage site (which has Cultural and Natural aspects). Sites can also span countries!

As of early 2020, there are 1121 World Heritage Sites. These sites are spread across 167 countries and six continents – there aren’t any in Antarctica (yet!). 869 sites are Cultural, 213 are Natural, and 39 are Mixed. How are World Heritage Sites judged? There are ten criteria that UNESCO uses to judge a site. These are:
  • A masterpiece of human creative genius and cultural significance
  • An important interchange of human values over a span of time
  • A unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilisation
  • An outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble which represents a significant stage in history
  • An outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use or sea-use
  • Directly associated with events or living traditions, ideas or beliefs
  • Superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty
  • An outstanding example representing major stages of Earth’s history
  • An outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in evolution
  • Contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity


Exploring the world's first 12 heritage sites
The World Heritage List now includes over 1,000 sites all over the world. The first version of the list in 1978 included just 12, including L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Park in Canada. The park has an 11th-century Viking settlement, the earliest evidence of the first European presence in the New World.

Checking off the world's most important natural and cultural wonders can be a herculean task.
The World Heritage List -- that most lauded and recognizable of preservation lists -- includes over 1,000 sites all over the world.

That number will almost certainly increase when the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization meets June 28-July 8 in Bonn, Germany. Instead of sorting through that encyclopedic list, why not start at the very beginning with the first 12 sites? The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, Yellowstone National Park in the United States and the Island of Goree in Senegal were among the 12 sites named to the first list in 1978.

Only countries that sign the convention creating the World Heritage Committee and list can nominate sites, and that was just 40 countries when the first nominations came out. Thirty-seven years later, 191 nations have signed the convention. "There is an incredible diversity of sites both natural and cultural around the world," said Mechtild Rossler, deputy director of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, a 22-year veteran of the organization. "The beauty of this convention is that the text defining natural and cultural heritage is very broad."


A list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China
Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian

Since joining the International Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1985, China has 50 world heritage sites to date; of these 35 are cultural heritage sites, 11 are natural heritage sites, and 4 are cultural and natural (mixed) sites, ranking second in the world.

Since 2004, China has made the first large-scale renovations on seven world cultural heritage sites in Beijing – the Ming Tombs, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Grand Canal, and the "Peking Man" site at Zhoukoudian, all of which were planned for completion before 2008.

In addition, China has a rich non-material cultural heritage, with several of them inscribed on UNESCO's list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.This is a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China. China has 50, ranking second in the world. These sites comprise some of the most essential part of China's valuable and rich tourism resources.


Which countries have the most UNESCO World Heritage sites?

Italy is home to the largest number of UNESCO world heritage sites in the world. After the annual announcement of new sites by the UNESCO committee, the country now boasts 58 world heritage locations. New additions are the porticoes, or sheltered walkways, of Bologna, the fourteenth-century fresco cycles of Padua as well as the Montecatini Terme of Tuscany, part of the designation of "The Great Spa Towns of Europe", which stretch across seven countries.

With the new announcement, Italy pulls ahead of China. Formerly head-to-head at 55 properties each, China could only add one site - the Song-Yuan era Emporium of the World in Quanzhou - leading to a total of 56 properties for the country. With 51 world heritage sites, Germany now ranks third ahead of Spain and France after having made a whopping five new additions. The Mathildenhöhe historic artists colony in Darmstadt, Jewish sites in Speyer, Worms and Mainz and appearances among the European spa towns are included in these as well as the Roman Empire Lower German Limes (shared with the Netherlands) and the Danube Limes (shared with Austria and Slovakia).

In total, the UNESCO list includes 1,154 monuments in 167 countries as world heritage sites. No matter how many additions a country could make, any new property on the list is sure to boost tourism when winning the prestigious label. The U.S. remained at 24 listed sites in 2021, thereby leaving the top 10. The listed properties include the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Taos Pueblo and Philadelphia’s Independence Hall. The UK added two properties - the slate landscape of Northwest Wales and Bath as part of the spa towns of Europe - but sadly also lost one. The Maritime Mercantile City in Liverpool was deleted due to new building developments in its area.


What is a World Heritage Site?
Antonine Wall, Scotland, United Kingdom

World Heritage Sites are cultural and/or natural sites considered to be of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’, which have been inscribed on the World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee. These places or buildings are thought to:
  • have special importance for everyone
  • represent unique, or the most significant or best, examples of the world’s cultural and/or natural heritage
Outstanding Universal Value is considered to transcend national boundaries and to be of importance for future generations. World Heritage status is a high accolade that brings with it responsibilities and international scrutiny.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to protect and preserve such sites through the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. This international treaty was drawn up in 1972. Governments of countries that have ratified the Convention (States Parties) identify and nominate suitable sites to the World Heritage Committee for inscription on the list maintained by UNESCO.


World Heritage Day — 7 Wonders of the World
Christ the Redeemer

Since 1983, after the approval by the 22nd UNESCO General Conference, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has been celebrating the International Day of Monuments and Sites. The theme of the erstwhile World Heritage Day in 2017 is Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism. This theme was carefully chosen to relate it with the United Nations International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

A nation’s heritage describes its cultures, traditions and values. Hence, this priceless legacy from the ancestors ought to be protected and preserved. This day gives an opportunity to spread awareness among the people about the importance, vulnerability and the measures to conserve the cultural heritage. Another objective for observing the day is the cultural exchange among humans. Cultural exchange gives a clear apprehension about the credos and principles of different countries. Hence, it engenders a peaceful coexistence.

Thereby, we present to you those heritage sites which the public has chosen to be the Wonder of the World.


World Heritage Site
UNESCO World Heritage plaque at Þingvellir National Park in Iceland

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity".

To be selected, a World Heritage Site must be a somehow unique landmark which is geographically and historically identifiable and has special cultural or physical significance. For example, World Heritage Sites might be ancient ruins or historical structures, buildings, cities,[a] deserts, forests, islands, lakes, monuments, mountains, or wilderness areas. A World Heritage Site may signify a remarkable accomplishment of humanity, and serve as evidence of our intellectual history on the planet, or it might be a place of great natural beauty. As of July 2021, a total of 1,154 World Heritage Sites (897 cultural, 218 natural, and 39 mixed properties) exist across 167 countries. With 58 selected areas, Italy is the country with the most sites on the list.

The sites are intended for practical conservation for posterity, which otherwise would be subject to risk from human or animal trespassing, unmonitored, uncontrolled or unrestricted access, or threat from local administrative negligence. Sites are demarcated by UNESCO as protected zones. The World Heritage Sites list is maintained by the international World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 "states parties" that are elected by their General Assembly.[9] The programme catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common culture and heritage of humanity. The programme began with the "Convention Concerning the Protection of the World's Cultural and Natural Heritage",[10] which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972. Since then, 194 states have ratified the convention, making it one of the most widely recognised international agreements and the world's most popular cultural programme.



World Heritage Day

Every day people all over the world celebrate their cultural heritage, simply by living their lives in a way that embodies who they are and where they came from. But one day a year is set aside to celebrate the joint history and heritage of the human race. World Heritage Day encourages us to celebrate all the world’s cultures, and to bring awareness to important cultural monuments and sites, and to espouse the importance of preserving the world’s cultures.

World Heritage Day, which is also known as the International Monuments and Sites Day, celebrates the work carried out by the ICOMOS – International Council on Monuments and Sites. The day is all about increasing the awareness of the importance of the diversity of cultural heritage and preserving it for generations in the future. Ancient monuments and buildings are an asset to us all around the world. However, they need to be protected to ensure that they continue to be an asset for years and years to come. Therefore, the day is a collective effort of communities around the globe.

On this day, there are a number of different events that happen all over the world. This includes a wide range of activities, conferences, and visits to heritage sites and monuments. For those who are unaware, a heritage site is basically a place that is of cultural significance. It preserves the legacy of intangible attributes and physical artifacts of a society or group that is inherited from previous generations. There are truly some incredible heritage sites and monuments around the world. This includes the Machu Picchu, which is situated in the lush and mountainous terrain high above the Urubamba River in Peru. There are lots of amazing sights in Egypt, and the Pyramids of Giza are one of them. Other places of note include Bagan in Myanmar, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and the Great Wall of China.


What Is UNESCO World Heritage?
From masterpieces of creative genius to beautiful natural landscapes, these sites reveal the most compelling chapters of Earth's history

Best of the best: That's the lofty standard for making the World Heritage List. Nations lobby hard to get their glorious buildings, wilderness, and historic ruins on the list, a stamp of approval that brings prestige, tourist income, public awareness, and, most important, a commitment to save the irreplaceable.

In November 1972 the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inaugurated the list by adopting a treaty known as the World Heritage Convention. Its continuing goal is to recruit the world community in identifying cultural and natural properties of "outstanding universal value."

UNESCO officials do not see the list as a mere trophy case of superlative places. World Heritage status commits the home nation to protect the designated location. And if a site—through natural disaster, war, pollution, or lack of funds—begins to lose its value, nations that have signed the treaty must assist, if possible, in emergency aid campaigns. As of January 2017, 193 of the world's nations have signed the treaty.

related:


Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Bandstand © Singapore Botanic Gardens

Situated at the heart of the city of Singapore, the site demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial botanic garden that has become a modern world-class scientific institution used for both conservation and education. The cultural landscape includes a rich variety of historic features, plantings and buildings that demonstrate the development of the garden since its creation in 1859. It has been an important centre for science, research and plant conservation, notably in connection with the cultivation of rubber plantations, in Southeast Asia since 1875.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is situated at the heart of the city of Singapore and demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial botanic garden from a ‘Pleasure Garden’ in the English Landscape Style, to a colonial Economic Garden with facilities for horticultural and botanical research, to a modern and world-class botanic garden, scientific institution and place of conservation, recreation and education. The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a well-defined cultural landscape which includes a rich variety of historic landscape features, plantings and buildings that clearly demonstrate the evolution of the Botanic Gardens since its establishment in 1859. Through its well-preserved landscape design and continuity of purpose, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is an outstanding example of a British tropical botanic garden which has also played a key role in advances in scientific knowledge, particularly in the fields of tropical botany and horticulture, including the development of plantation rubber.

The Singapore Botanic Gardens contains all the attributes necessary to express its Outstanding Universal Value and fully contains the original lay-out of the Botanic Gardens. A number of specific attributes including historic trees and plantings, garden design, and historic buildings/structures combine to illustrate the significant purposes of the Singapore Botanic Gardens over its history. The integrity of the property could be further strengthened by developing additional policies directed at the replacement and retention of significant plants. The authenticity of the Singapore Botanic Gardens is demonstrated by the continued use as a botanic garden and as a place of scientific research. The authenticity of material remains in the property is illustrated by the well-researched historic trees and other plantings (including historic plant specimens), historic elements of the designed spatial lay-out, and the historic buildings/structures which are being used for their original purposes or adapted to new uses that are compatible with their values.

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17/04/2024

World's Best Airport 2024

Hamad International Airport is named the World’s Best Airport for 2024

Doha’s Hamad International Airport has been named the World’s Best Airport 2024 in the World Airport Awards, held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Frankfurt on 17th April 2024. Hamad International Airport also won awards for the World’s Best Airport Shopping and the Best Airport in the Middle East.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Badr Al Meer said: “This year HIA celebrates its milestone tenth year of operations and we are truly honoured that passengers have voted us Best Airport in the World for a third time. We are also delighted to bring home the top awards for Best Airport Shopping and the Best Airport in the Middle East for the second consecutive and tenth time respectively. Skytrax prestigious awards reflect the dedication of our employees who every day help innovating and maintaining our leading position. Our talented team is pioneering and committed to deliver excellent passenger experience with industry firsts and one of a kind shopping and dining offerings set amidst our superlative infrastructure which includes the world renowned indoor tropical garden the ‘ORCHARD’. We look forward to continuing to surprise and delight passengers by creating memorable and exceptional passenger journeys in the years to come.”

The 2023 Airport of the Year and 12-times previous winner, Singapore Changi Airport, achieved 2nd place in the global ranking, winning awards for the Best Airport in Asia and the World’s Best Airport Immigration Service. The World's Top 20 Airports for 2024:
  • Doha Hamad Airport
  • Singapore Changi Airport
  • Seoul Incheon Airport
  • Tokyo Haneda Airport
  • Tokyo Narita Airport
  • Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
  • Dubai Airport
  • Munich Airport
  • Zurich Airport
  • Istanbul Airport
  • Hong Kong Airport
  • Rome Fiumicino Airport
  • Vienna Airport
  • Helsinki-Vantaa
  • Madrid-Barajas
  • Centrair Nagoya Airport
  • Vancouver Airport
  • Kansai Airport
  • Melbourne Airport
  • Copenhagen Airport


Full Coverage:

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16/04/2024

Glaucoma, the disease that causes vision loss

Symptoms to watch out for

Glaucoma is a disease that affects the eyes - the optic nerve in particular - and if not treated in time can also lead to loss of vision. This eye disease affects around 55 million people worldwide and it is very important to try to prevent it as much as possible so that sight is preserved. (Source: Humanitas Hospital Milan).

Glaucoma is caused by either increased internal pressure in the eye or, in limited cases, reduced blood supply to the optic nerve. The resulting damage leads to visual field loss, initially in peripheral portions and later in central areas of the visual field, impairing vision. Glaucoma can be caused by congenital forms, i.e. forms that already occur at birth, or non-congenital forms. What causes it, even in non-congenital forms, is a reduction in the function of the trabecular meshwork, which is responsible for draining the aqueous humour from inside the eye to the outside. If the trabecularis does not function as it should, an increase in pressure inside the eye occurs, which then causes damage to the optic nerve and thus leads to the development of glaucoma.

To try to prevent the onset of glaucoma as much as possible, it is important to pay attention to the symptoms it can cause. These include loss of side, top and bottom vision that can cause difficulty in reading, driving and moving around spaces. Regular eye examinations are a good way to prevent the disease also because increased blood pressure is not immediately felt with symptoms. Individuals who are most at risk of developing glaucoma, and who should therefore undergo regular examinations, are especially those who have already had a family history of glaucoma, people with visual field defects, people who suffer from high myopia or diabetes, and people who have been taking cortisone medication for a long time.

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15/04/2024

PM Lee to hand over to DPM Lawrence Wong on 15 May 2024

DPM Lawrence Wong to take over from PM Lee
After he is sworn in, DPM Lawrence Wong (right) will be Singapore’s fourth prime minister, succeeding PM Lee Hsien Loong. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Singapore will have a new prime minister on May 15, with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong set to take over from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on that day.

The date for the handover was announced in a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on April 15, a key detail in Singapore’s long-planned leadership transition from the third-generation to the fourth-generation (4G) political team.

After he is sworn in at 8pm on May 15 at the Istana, DPM Wong, who entered politics 13 years ago, will be Singapore’s fourth prime minister.

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PM Lee to stay on as Senior Minister; any major Cabinet changes will come after GE
Bigger changes to the Cabinet will likely happen only after the General Election, which must be held by November 2025, said Mr Wong

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will stay in the Cabinet as Senior Minister after stepping down as leader of the government, but there won't be many changes to the rest of the lineup for now, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Tuesday (Apr 16).

Details of a Cabinet reshuffle will be announced a few days before the swearing-in ceremony on May 15, Mr Wong, Singapore's next Prime Minister, told reporters a day after the leadership handover date was announced. "Our system works on the basis of continuity and progressive change. It has never been the case that when there is a leadership transition, all the older ministers step down at the same time," he said. "Instead, they continue to contribute in different ways, while making room for the younger ones to step up. So I will adopt the same approach when I take over."

Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said he is glad Mr Lee has agreed to stay in the Cabinet as Senior Minister. Former Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong also served as Senior Ministers after stepping down.


Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will take office on May 15
Singapore’s new prime minister Lawrence Wong will be sworn in on May 15, 2024. The current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on April 15 that he will be stepping down and handing the leadership reins to Wong. Ore Huiying | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will step down on May 15 and hand over the power to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the Prime Minister’s Office said on Monday.

Wong will be sworn in at 8 p.m. local time that day to become Singapore’s fourth prime minister since its independence in 1965.

Lee announced in November that Wong will take the reins from him as leader of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) before the next general election due November 2025. Lee has served as prime minister since 2004. Wong has the unanimous support of the PAP members of parliament, the PMO statement said.


Singapore’s Lee Hsien Loong will hand over power to deputy Lawrence Wong on May 15
Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (left) and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong. Lee will step down next month and his deputy Wong will take over. Photo: AFP

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will hand over power on May 15 to his deputy Lawrence Wong in only the country’s third leadership transition since independence in 1965 after an unusually winding road to the succession.

Wong, 51, who became deputy prime minister in 2022 after he was chosen by his peers to lead them, has not had the same length of apprenticeship as Lee or the latter’s predecessor, Goh Chok Tong.

Wong is the youngest among three front runners in the city state’s fourth-generation leaders initially tipped for the top post. A dark-horse candidate, the current finance minister made his mark as co-leader of the government’s Covid task force.


Lee Hsien Loong 1 hr ago

Last November, I announced my intention to step down as Prime Minister this year.

I will relinquish my role as Prime Minister on 15 May 2024 and DPM Lawrence Wong will be sworn in as the next Prime Minister on the same day.

For any country, a leadership transition is a significant moment. Lawrence and the 4G team have worked hard to gain the people’s trust, notably during the pandemic. Through the Forward Singapore exercise, they have worked with many Singaporeans to refresh our social compact and develop the national agenda for a new generation.

The 4G team are committed to keeping Singapore working well and moving ahead. These will always be top priorities for the government.

I ask all Singaporeans to give Lawrence and his team your full support, and work with them to create a brighter future for Singapore. – LHL


Statement on the Handover Date (Apr 2024)

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will relinquish his office on 15 May 2024.

He will formally advise the President to appoint Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr Lawrence Wong to succeed him. DPM Wong has the unanimous support of the PAP MPs.

The new Prime Minister will be sworn in at 8.00 pm on 15 May 2024 at the Istana.


What we know about Singapore's fourth Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (centre), with his wife Ms Loo Tze Lui on his right, meets Malaysian Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and his spouse Johanna Raja Arshad (first from left) on Sep 4, 2022

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, the son of a sales manager father and school teacher mother, will take over the leadership reins from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on May 15 when he becomes Singapore's fourth Prime Minister.

On the personal front, Mr Wong grew up in what he described as an “ordinary family” in the Marine Parade HDB estate. His late father was born in China’s Hainan Island, went to Malaysia as a young boy before moving to Singapore to work in a sales job. His mother was a teacher. Describing her as a disciplinarian both in school and at home, Mr Wong has spoken highly of his mother in several interviews and public speeches for managing to teach while caring for him and his brother.

Outside of work, Mr Wong is married to Ms Loo Tze Lui. The couple do not have children. He is known to be an avid music lover and skilled guitar player. His love for the guitar goes back to when his father gave him his first guitar at the age of eight. He spent his weekends borrowing guitar books from the old Marine Parade library and when he got a government scholarship to study in the United States, he made sure to bring his guitar along. Mr Wong has said that playing the guitar helps him to destress and unwind. The incoming Prime Minister has posted several videos of him strumming his six string, including an acoustic rendition of American pop star Taylor Swift’s hit song Love Story as a tribute to educators on Teachers’ Day last year.


PM Lee says he will hand over leadership to DPM Wong
'Great honour to have served the country': PM Lee holds back tears as he announces handover

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will lead the People’s Action Party in the next general election, taking over the reins from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ahead of the polls.

PM Lee said on Sunday: “Lawrence has told me that he is ready ... I have full confidence in Lawrence and his team, there is no reason to delay the political transition.” He was speaking at the party’s biennial convention held at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre, addressing more than 1,000 party members.

He said that while he did not manage to pass on the baton before his 70th birthday as hoped, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, “if all goes well, I will hand over by PAP’s 70th birthday next year”. The party was set up on Nov 21, 1954. The next GE has to be held by November 2025.


PM Lee to hand over leadership to DPM Lawrence Wong by November 2024, before next General Election
Singapore Prime Minister and People's Action Party secretary-general Lee Hsien Loong shakes hands with Deputy Prime Minister and PAP deputy secretary-general Lawrence Wong on Nov 5, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday (Nov 5) that he will hand over leadership to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before the next General Election, which has to be called by November 2025. Shedding more light on the ruling People's Action Party's (PAP) transition plans, Mr Lee – who is the party's secretary-general – added that “if all goes well”, he will do so by the PAP’s 70th birthday on Nov 21 next year.

Mr Lee was addressing more than 1,000 party members at the annual PAP awards and convention held at the Singapore Expo, following speeches by Mr Wong, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and several new PAP faces. Mr Wong was endorsed as the leader of the party’s fourth-generation, or 4G, team last year after the 62-year-old Mr Heng stepped aside so that a younger leader with a “longer runway” could take over.

Mr Lee previously said he hoped to step down before his 70th birthday, which was in February 2022. However, the plan was disrupted by the pandemic. During this year’s National Day Rally, he said his succession plans are back on track with the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that recent controversies involving ministers and Members of Parliament will not delay the timetable for political renewal. He did not give a timeline then. On Sunday, Mr Lee reiterated to PAP members that the next GE will coincide with the party’s leadership transition to the 4G team.


PM Lee to hand over leadership to DPM Lawrence Wong before next GE
PAP was founded on 21 Nov 1954 and its 70th birthday will be on 21 Nov 2024

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Nov. 5, 2023, at the People's Action Party (PAP) Awards and Convention 2023, that he will hand over the reins to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong before the next General Elections (GE). The next GE is due to take place no later than Nov. 23, 2025.

"Lawrence has told me that he is ready," said PM Lee. "I have full confidence in Lawrence and his team and there is no reason to delay the political transition." PM Lee stated that "if all goes well", he would hand over the leadership to Wong by the PAP's 70th birthday next year.

The PAP was founded on Nov. 21, 1954, and its 70th birthday will be on Nov. 21, 2024. This means that PM Lee would hand over the leadership to Wong in about a year’s time “if all goes well”. After handing over, PM Lee stated that he would be at the new Prime Minster's "disposal".


People's Action Party
People's Action Party headquarters in New Upper Changi Road

The PAP was officially registered as a political party on 21 November 1954. Convenors of the party include a group of trade unionists, lawyers and journalists such as Lee Kuan Yew, Abdul Samad Ismail, Toh Chin Chye, Devan Nair, S. Rajaratnam, Chan Chiaw Thor, Fong Swee Suan, Tann Wee Keng and Tann Wee Tiong. The political party was led by Lee Kuan Yew as its secretary-general, with Toh Chin Chye as its founding chairman. Other party officers include Tann Wee Tiong, Lee Gek Seng, Ong Eng Guan and Tann Wee Keng.

The PAP first contested the 1955 general election in which 25 of 32 seats in the legislature were up for election. In this election, the PAP's four candidates gained much support from the trade union members and student groups such as the University Socialist Club, who canvassed for them. The party won three seats, one by its leader Lee Kuan Yew for the Tanjong Pagar division and one by PAP co-founder Lim Chin Siong for the Bukit Timah division. Then 22 years old unionist Lim Chin Siong was and remained the youngest Assemblyman ever to be elected to office. The election was won by the Labour Front headed by David Marshall.

The PAP eventually won the 1959 general election under Lee Kuan Yew's leadership. The election was also the first one to produce a fully elected parliament and a cabinet wielding powers of full internal self-government. The party has won a majority of seats in every general election since then. Lee, who became the first Prime Minister, requested for the release of the PAP left-wing members to form the new cabinet


Prime Ministers of Singapore

The Prime Minister of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore. The president appoints the prime minister, a Member of Parliament (MP) who in their opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of the majority of MPs. The incumbent prime minister is Lee Hsien Loong, who took office on 12 August 2004. Singapore is modelled after the Westminster system. The prime minister only governs with the confidence of the majority in Parliament; as such, the prime minister typically sits as a Member of Parliament (MP) and leads the largest party or a coalition of parties. In practice, the prime minister is the leader of the majority party in Parliament.

The office of Prime Minister succeeded the office of Chief Minister in 1959 after Singapore had attained self-governance from the United Kingdom, as the State of Singapore, with Lee Kuan Yew being sworn in as the first prime minister on 5 June 1959. With respect to Singapore's autonomous status in the Malaysia Agreement, the title of prime minister remained unchanged after Singapore's merger with Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo to form Malaysia in 1963, despite the existence of the prime minister of Malaysia for the entire federation of which Singapore was briefly a part of.

Following the independence of Singapore in 1965, the office of Prime Minister was retained, with the president of Singapore becoming a ceremonial head of state. In 1991, amendments to the Constitution of Singapore vested executive powers in the presidency, along with discretionary veto powers over the government. The Constitution also vests "general direction and control of the government" in the Cabinet, with the president almost always bound to act on the advice of the Cabinet or any minister acting under the Cabinet authority. Thus, in practice, most of the actual work of governing is done by the prime minister and Cabinet. Under Article 26(4)(a) of the Constitution of Singapore, the prime minister may appoint a Cabinet minister, subject to presidential approval, as acting prime minister if the prime minister is on medical leave, away from Singapore or is granted a leave of absence under Article 32 of the Constitution. The deputy prime minister or senior minister will usually become the acting prime minister, but any Cabinet minister may be appointed to the role.

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