PALMA DE MALLORCA (REUTERS) - World number five Dominic Thiem was forced to retire from his opening match at the Mallorca Open on Tuesday (June 22), raising doubts about the Austrian's participation at Wimbledon next week. Playing in his first grasscourt event since his opening round defeat at Wimbledon two years ago, Thiem made a fast start against France's Adrian Mannarino to take a 5-2 lead in the opening set. But in the eighth game, Thiem struck a forehand and appeared to injure his right wrist. After receiving a medical timeout, the 27-year-old decided against continuing the match. Thiem, the reigning US Open champion, has struggled for form this season and arrived in Mallorca seeking momentum after a first-round exit at the French Open. He pulled out of next month's Tokyo Olympics concentrate on Wimbledon and defending his Grand Slam title in New York later this year. More on this topic Related Story Tennis: Injured Raonic out of Wimbledon Related Story Tennis: Osaka pulls out of Wimbledon but aims for Olympics
SINGAPORE - Technician Kamaruddin Salleh, 53, was attending his eldest son's polytechnic graduation ceremony three years ago when he got the idea of going back to school. The same year, he decided to enrol in a part-time aerospace engineering course in Temasek Polytechnic. Mr Kamaruddin, who stopped his studies after secondary school, was partly inspired by his 49-year-old wife. She went back to school a few years earlier when she was in her 40s, and signed up for a part-time bachelor's degree in early childhood education at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Mr Kamaruddin, who works as a technician at SIA Engineering, said: "At first, I was intimidated by the idea of going back to school. I had not touched school books for more than 30 years. "With the support of my family, I mustered the courage and gave it a shot." The 21/2-year course was tough and he said he broke down several times, but it was all worth it when he graduated as valedictorian two weeks ago. He said: "Being the oldest student in the class, I was worried I couldn't keep up with the other students, especially with modules like computer programming. I told myself I had to work doubly hard." He often woke up a few hours earlier and squeezed in some studying before going to work. To keep going, he reminded himself that his wife and two sons, aged 23 and 21, believed in him and would be proud of his success. He said: "Age is just a number. You have to believe in yourself and just go for it." More on this topic Related Story Pursuing diploma at 60 to give mum with dementia better care Related Story Grandpa, 72, fulfils lifelong dream of a local degree
SINGAPORE - There was a sense that time had stood still as Madam Siti Zubaidah Isa and her family put on their matching outfits on Wednesday (May 12) and joined many other Muslim families to celebrate Hari Raya. Their purple outfits - ordered from a Johor tailor for last year's Hari Raya - arrived only four days ago due to the pandemic. More poignantly, the 40-year-old fitness trainer found herself worrying about the temporary closure of her two studios during the festive period for the second year in a row. As Madam Zubaidah scrambles to adapt to the temporary gym closures, she said she will find strength from "the trainer in me", and take small comfort that some visiting can be done this year compared with last year's virtual affair. "At work, I always wear a smile and tell people to keep going. Now, that's something I have to do at home as well," said the mother of two children, aged five and seven. While taking on various training gigs and shifting her fitness classes online to make up rent for her studios, Madam Zubaidah said she sees a silver lining, as she now has more time for family. "Even though it's another Covid-19 Hari Raya, the food and asking for forgiveness do not change," she said, referring to the custom on Hari Raya when meeting elders. "Whether it's on Zoom or in person, the tears always flow." "And we still continue to enjoy the goodies, but with less variety. Just cookies and some cornflake cookies on our table this year - it's what the children like." More on this topic Related Story Front-line officers in S'pore keeping Hari Raya celebrations simple Related Story Muslims in S'pore stay upbeat ahead of Hari Raya despite Covid-19 restrictions on visitors
SINGAPORE - Singapore passports will be valid for 10 years, up from the current five. This will be the case for citizens over 16 years old who apply for their passports on or after Oct 1, 2021. The fee remains unchanged at $70. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday (May 7) that this will reduce the frequency of passport renewals and offer more convenience to Singaporeans. For citizens below the age 16, the passport validity period will remain at five years, as children's facial features continue to change as they grow. This means that the photograph on their passport needs to be updated more frequently. The Singapore passport used to be valid for 10 years until April 2005. The validity period was reduced to five years when the biometric passport system was introduced. It was reduced for the ICA to monitor the stability of the technology, the authority said. Explaining the reasons for a change back to a validity period of 10 years, the ICA said: "It has been 15 years since the introduction of the biometric passport. There is now widespread use of biometric screening technology by immigration authorities around the world." The ICA added that biometric passport technology has now stabilised and that it has greater confidence in the durability of the microchips embedded in such passports. "In view of these developments, ICA has assessed that it is now viable to increase the validity of the Singapore passport to 10 years without compromising security or global confidence in the Singapore passport," it said. More on this topic Related Story S'pore passport remains 2nd most powerful in the world, behind Japan's Related Story Singapore passport renewals down with travel unlikely amid Covid-19
Three months after a 91-year-old woman in Britain became the first person to receive the Covid-19 injection, more than 236 million doses have been administered worldwide. The pace of history's biggest vaccination exercise is picking up exponentially, but at current rates, it could still be almost five years before most of the world get their shots. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.
SINGAPORE - A fund has been set up as part of a new national movement to spur Singaporeans in embracing a digital lifestyle. The Digital for Life movement and fund was launched by President Halimah Yacob on Monday (Feb 8). It will have $2.5 million in seed funding, provided by the President's Challenge, and is targeted to grow to $10 million over the next three years. Madam Halimah, who is the patron for the movement, said the pandemic threatens to widen the digital divide, even as it has hastens digitalisation efforts with businesses moving online and more using digital solutions like e-payments or video-conferencing tools. Those who are unfamiliar with technological tools, or have no access to them, will face challenges in their "digitalisation journey", she added. People can also be endangered if they do not know how to identify or mitigate the risks present in the digital domain. "As the digital landscape changes rapidly, we need the entire community to come together to build and strengthen our digital resilience. "To do so, we need to understand and collectively address the digital needs of different segments of our society," said Madam Halimah, who announced the Digital for Life movement at the launch of this year's President's Challenge. The event was held at NTUC Health's Senior Activity Centre in Taman Jurong. The fund will support community-initiated projects which encourage people to adopt digital technology. It will also support activities that promote good digital habits, such as in the areas of cyber safety and media literacy. The Community Chest will help facilitate community contributions towards this fund, with the Government matching donations dollar for dollar. This year's President's Challenge will focus on building a digitally inclusive society, said Madam Halimah. It will also raise funds for a record total of 92 agencies, to help the vulnerable tide through the difficult times caused by the ongoing pandemic. The money will go towards programmes such as Touch Community Services' Digitally Ready Families, which supports the low-income in using digital technology effectively. More on this topic Related Story Firms to add $18.4b in value, 22,200 skilled jobs with Enterprise Singapore help last year Related Story More software programmes and tools to help SMEs in marketing, e-payment and working from home Touch Community Services is a not-for-profit organisation which helps individuals navigate family relationships. Other agencies which will receive support from this year's President's Challenge include Food from the heart, Lutheran Community Care Services, and Montford Care. In her speech, Madam Halimah warned that the year ahead will continue to be a challenging one, as the virus is still a threat globally and economic headwinds will likely persist in the near term. "As we forge ahead, let us not forget those who are most vulnerable amongst us." LISTEN TO THE BIG STORY PODCAST More on this topic Related Story Pilot programme at Geylang East Public Library helps seniors access public services Related Story Digital Divide: Language barrier, scam fears stop some from using tech
Child molester sentenced to preventive detention for reoffending 10 months after release from prison
SINGAPORE - A man sentenced to 10 years' preventive detention in 2009 for molesting six children, including a one-year-old baby, will be back behind bars for molesting a 10-year-old girl just 10 months after his release in 2019. Cleaner Salim Abdul Rahman, now 61, was sentenced on Monday (Jan 18) to 12 years' preventive detention. He pleaded guilty to the molestation charge in December last year. The court heard that the Singaporean has "paedophilic sexual interest" and a high risk of reoffending. However, an Institute of Mental Health report states that he was not suffering from any psychiatric disorders or illnesses when he molested his latest victim on Oct 1 last year. Preventive detention is meted out to recalcitrant offenders aged over 30 and it does not offer the usual one-third remission for good behaviour. The detention order can last up to 20 years, and those given such a sentence will receive a substantial period of imprisonment to protect the public. Deputy Public Prosecutor Colin Ng said that Salim, who was released from prison on Dec 27, 2019, targeted the victim on Oct 1 last year. The cleaner was on a bus at around 1.40pm when he spotted the girl, who was in her school uniform. After the pair alighted at the same bus stop, Salim decided to approach her. He had "evil thoughts of doing something bad" and wanted himself to "feel good", said the DPP. As the girl was walking home, he touched her shoulders from behind. She turned around and he tried to strike a conversation with her. The girl ignored him, as she did not know him. The DPP said: "Despite the victim's refusal to answer his questions, the accused persisted in striking a conversation with the victim. The accused took out $1.50 from his pocket, handed it to the victim, and told her to keep the $1.50. "The victim accepted the $1.50, as she was afraid to incur the wrath of the accused should she reject his gesture. The accused then held the victim's right hand and told her to follow him to his house." Salim took the girl to a nearby block of flats and molested her along a staircase when she refused to follow him any further. The terrified girl ran home and broke down when she arrived at her flat. More on this topic Related Story Recalcitrant offender back in jail for molesting teen and insulting woman's modesty in separate incidents Related Story Teen who took part in Special Olympics given reformative training for sex offences She told her grandmother about her ordeal and the 68-year-old woman accompanied the girl to a police station to make a report. Officers arrested Salim at around 8pm that day, the court heard. For molesting a child below 14, an offender can be jailed for up to five years and fined or caned. Salim cannot be caned, as he is over 50 years old. More on this topic Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories
SINGAPORE - Over the last three years, Vanessa and Jerome (not their real names) have been trying to have a baby but a genetic condition has made it near impossible. The Singaporean couple, who were married in 2015, found out three years later that Jerome, 33, is a carrier of balanced translocation, a condition which results in an unusual rearrangement of chromosomes. While someone with this condition usually has no health problems, it increases the risk of a miscarriage. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.
Over the last three years, Vanessa and Jerome (not their real names) have been trying to have a baby but a genetic condition has made it near impossible. The Singaporean couple, who were married in 2015, found out three years later that Jerome, 33, is a carrier of balanced translocation, a condition which results in an unusual rearrangement of chromosomes. While someone with this condition usually has no health problems, it increases the risk of a miscarriage. Please subscribe or log in to continue reading the full article. Get unlimited access to all stories at $0.99/month Latest headlines and exclusive stories In-depth analyses and award-winning multimedia content Get access to all with our no-contract promotional package at only $0.99/month for the first 3 months* Subscribe now *Terms and conditions apply.
SINGAPORE - Three Singaporean men accused of committing crimes related to obtaining personal details of Singtel and StarHub customers appeared before a district court on Wednesday (Dec 16). Two of them, Foo Cheek Ann Kelvin, 32, and Zhang Jiazheng, 38, are said to have used computers at their workplaces to illicitly access the subscriber databases of Singtel and StarHub respectively. The third man, Lim Zong Xian Philbert, 33, faces three charges of bribing another man, Lee Cheng Yan, 37, with a total of $1,000 to get customers' details from the telcos in 2017. Foo faces 15 charges under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act including allegedly getting information related to the address of Lee's ex-girlfriend in 2014. He faces an additional charge of allegedly accepting $180 from Lee in 2016 in return for retrieving confidential details of Singtel customers. Zhang faces nine counts of allegedly using a computer at his work place to get information relating to various StarHub subscribers' details between 2015 and 2017. Lee was charged in 2018 for various offences and his case is pending. Lim, Zhang, and Foo are scheduled to be in court next on Jan 13 next year. Those convicted of using a computer to secure access to data without authority can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $5,000 or both. Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $10,000 or both. For each offence of corruption, offenders can be jailed up to five years, or fined up to $100,000, or both. More on this topic Related Story 3 men charged over bribes to obtain competitor's customer information and business Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories
TOKYO, Nov 30, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that the company will present the latest data on its in-house discovered and developed anti-epileptic agent (AED) perampanel (product name: Fycompa), at the 74th American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting (AES2020), to be held virtually from December 4 to 8, 2020.A total of 43 poster presentations regarding perampanel are planned, including analysis results from the phase III clinical trial (FREEDOM/Study 342), which evaluated the effectiveness and safety of the perampanel monotherapy in the open-label extension (52 weeks) for epilepsy patients with partial onset seizures (POS) from 12 to 74 years of age without prior treatment history. Additionally, results from the phase III clinical trial Study 311 evaluating safety and tolerability of perampanel as an adjunctive therapy in pediatric epilepsy patients with POS or primary generalized tonic clonic (PGTC) seizures from 4 to less than 12 years of age will be presented.Perampanel is a first-in-class AED discovered at Eisai's Tsukuba Research Laboratories. The agent is a highly selective, noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonist that is postulated to reduce neuronal hyper-excitation associated with seizures by targeting glutamate activity at AMPA receptors on postsynaptic membranes. In Japan and the United States, perampanel is currently approved for monotherapy and adjunctive use in the treatment of POS (with or without secondarily generalized seizures) in patients with epilepsy 4 years of age and older, as well as adjunctive treatment for primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in patients with epilepsy 12 years of age and older.Eisai considers neurology, including epilepsy, a therapeutic area of focus. As we provide perampanel globally, Eisai pursues its mission to provide "seizure freedom" to a greater number of patients with epilepsy. Eisai seeks to address the diverse needs of, as well as increase the benefits provided to, patients with epilepsy and their families.For more information, visit https://www.eisai.com/news/2020/pdf/enews202080pdf.pdf.About EisaiEisai Co., Ltd. is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. With approximately 10,000 employees working across our global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products to address unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology. As a global pharmaceutical company, our mission extends to patients around the world through our investment and participation in partnership-based initiatives to improve access to medicines in developing and emerging countries.For more information about Eisai Co., Ltd., please visit https://www.eisai.com Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. www.jcnnewswire.com
SINGAPORE - When 33-year-old Eudora Tan made the switch to early childhood education from architecture five years ago, there were many people who questioned her decision. She had spent five years studying to be an architect at the National University of Singapore, including completing a master's degree. "To them, architecture seemed like a profession that took me such a long time but I gave it up after just a few years of working," said Ms Tan. She found the work too demanding because of the long hours involved, and decided to try something different. "I've always had an opportunity to be with children in terms of like Sunday school in church or even with my nephews and that got me thinking - that I do like working with children," she said. In 2014, Ms Tan took the leap by taking a Diploma (Conversion) in Kindergarten Education - Teaching at Singapore Polytechnic. She joined St James' Church Kindergarten (Gilstead) as a maths teacher in 2015, and was promoted to principal in July this year. She received the Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher Award at the Early Childhood Development Agency Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Development virtual ceremony on Saturday (Nov 28). "I just enjoy going to school, the children are just amazing. I simply love the conversations with them, they reveal their curiosities and their thought processes." Her training as an architect has been put to good use, said Ms Tan, who is married and has a two-year-old son. "Being an architect is not just about design but seeing a project through and thinking how to solve problems, and working through the details. "It has translated into how I work with children, by helping them to solve problems instead of just giving them the answers," she said. "I may not be designing a building but I am building the lives of the children, and that goes a long way." More on this topic Related Story Despite early doubts, former nurse finds success working in pre-school Related Story PCF Sparkletots to send 400 principals and curriculum specialists for NIE training
BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - Diego Maradona's tormented private life, with its tangled relationships and paternity suits, suggests distributing his inheritance will be a complex task for lawyers bracing for claims from a slew of children - those he recognised and those he didn't. "There's going to be a big fight. He didn't leave a will," according to a source close to the family who declined to be named. Maradona made and wasted millions over his years at the pinnacle of his fame with Barcelona, Napoli and Argentina, and he also made some shrewd investments. Some reports circulating since his death estimate his estate at around US$90 million. Angered over a dispute with his daughter Giannina last year, he threatened to donate all his wealth, including properties, luxury cars and sponsorship contracts, to charity. "I know that now, as you get older, people are more concerned about what you leave behind than what you are doing," he was quoted as saying at the time. "And I tell them all that I'm not going to leave them anything, that I'm going to give it all away. Everything I've got in my life I'm going to give away," he said. Under Argentine law, however, a person can only give away a fifth of their assets. At least two-thirds must be left to the spouse or offspring of the deceased. Giannina, 31, had sparked the row by accusing the former star's entourage of not taking proper care of him, which seems to have been a recurring theme of their relationship. Father and daughter had reconciled by his 60th birthday in October, Giannina lauding him in a series of affectionate messages posted on social media with her sister Dalma. "He is my great example of all the things to do and all the things not to do. I have admired him, yesterday, today and always. He taught me to forgive, to forgive myself," Gianinna wrote. Complex ties Claudia Villafane was Maradona's childhood sweetheart since the age of 15. His only wife, they divorced in 2003. Their two daughters, Dalma, 33 and Giannina - were the only children he recognized for many years. More on this topic Related Story 'Adios Diego': World says farewell to football great Maradona as emotions spill over Related Story Maradona flew and fell. It is why we loved him But there were others, spawning the joke that Maradona had fathered his own soccer team. It threatens to make the task of distributing his inheritance a complicated one for his lawyer Matias Morla. The football icon has been forced to acknowledge three children over the years, including Diego Junior, born a few months before Dalma. Conceived with Italian singer Cristiana Sinagra, and born in 1986, months after he captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico, it took Maradona 29 years to acknowledge his paternity. Ill with Covid-19, Diego Junior was unable to travel from Italy to his father's funeral. In 2008, the football legend recognized Jana, born in 1996 to her mother Valeria Sabalain, the former girlfriend he was closest to during the last months of his life. Another son Diego Ojeda was born in 2013 from his relationship with ex-girlfriend Veronica Ojeda. But others have staked paternity claims against Maradona, including according to his lawyer, at least three in Cuba where Maradona spent years in a drug rehabilitation programme. Spats between the ex-partners and Maradona's children have been a recurring theme of his life and have been given a full airing on social media and Argentine television channels. His eldest daughters and their mother appeared to be the ones in control of the funeral arrangements on Thursday. However, the World Cup winner was in a legal dispute with his ex-wife over ownership of hundreds of items of memorabilia from his career. More on this topic Related Story Diego Maradona: A divine talent with more than a touch of the devil Related Story In Pictures: Soccer legend Diego Maradona remembered
The third and final man linked to the robbery of an Ang Mo Kio jewellery store last year was sentenced yesterday to 27 months' jail and a fine of $20,000. Sharavindran Suppiah, 32, had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of dishonestly receiving stolen property, which also involved items taken in the robbery. He also admitted to seven other unrelated offences, including assault and driving a car on Aug 13 last year, even though he did not have a licence to do so. Yesterday, he was disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for six months over the traffic offence. The mastermind of the robbery, M. Jegatheesh, 28, was sentenced on Thursday to three years and three months' jail, and six strokes of the cane. Veeramani Subran Das, 37, who drove the getaway car, was sentenced to three years' jail and six strokes of the cane on Nov 2. All three men are Singaporeans. Deputy Public Prosecutors Thiagesh Sukumaran and Jeremy Bin told the court Jegatheesh met the two others in Geylang at about 9pm on Aug 13 last year to plan the heist. The next day, Veeramani met Jegatheesh in a car at a carpark near Block 521 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 at around 2.40pm. Jegatheesh went alone to Hock Cheong Jade and Jewellery shop, located at Block 574, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, and committed the robbery. He filled a duffle bag with valuables worth nearly $120,000 in total and ran into a car driven by Veeramani. The two men then left the scene. When they got to the same carpark in Ang Mo Kio, Veeramani took the duffle bag and they parted ways. Later that day, Veeramani met Sharavindran, who inspected the contents of the bag. The DPPs said: "Sharavindran was instructed by Jegatheesh to safekeep the jewellery in a place known by Jegatheesh while they figured out how to offload it. "He directed Veeramani to drive to Dakota Crescent, where he knew there were abandoned blocks of Housing Board flats." While Veeramani waited, Sharavindran carried a bag containing the valuables to the sixth storey of a block. He placed the bag into the cistern of a toilet bowl and the two men left the scene. In an unrelated case, the court heard that Sharavindran worked with three other men and a woman to receive stolen cheques in 2017. He also assaulted a 47-year-old man in Geylang in July 2017 following a dispute. Shaffiq Alkhatib
There will be no fireworks this year for the New Year's Eve countdown celebration at Marina Bay to minimise crowds in the area amid the pandemic. Fireworks will still be set off at different heartland locations across Singapore, like in previous years, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said yesterday, adding that agencies are still working out the details. This is the first time the Marina Bay New Year's Eve countdown celebration will be marked without fireworks since the annual tradition began in 2005. Last year, in addition to an eight-minute fireworks display at Marina Bay, countdown parties were held at Housing Board heartland locations with fireworks, including in Tampines, Punggol and the Yishun-Khatib area. "As health and safety remain a priority, we have adopted a different format to ensure that the public can celebrate safely and meaningfully," said URA chief executive Lim Eng Hwee. There will be two light shows at Marina Bay in December, similar to last year. The first will feature student artworks from various institutions projected on the facades of three landmarks at Marina Bay - The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, ArtScience Museum and the Merlion. Organised in partnership with the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre, these landmarks will be lit nightly from Dec 25 to Dec 31, depicting moments this year when people have come together to care for the vulnerable in the community. More on this topic Related Story Arts groups, community centres among venues that can resume live performances from Nov 1 Related Story Singapore to allow bigger Mice events with up to 250 attendees, application to start from Oct 1 The second display comprises a light-up of the Marina Bay skyline throughout the month of December, with 60 light beams shining from The Promontory. "The display represents a guiding beacon that underpins Singaporeans' spirit in navigating through the pandemic and determination to emerge stronger in the new year together as a nation," URA said. There will also be a New Year's Eve music programme put together by Mediacorp, featuring local and international performers from the music, dance and fashion community. It will incorporate scenes of the heartland fireworks and Marina Bay light-up, and be broadcast on Channel 5 and streamed online.