Max Maeder leads Singapore’s first Olympic parade in 8 years; Ex-Transport Minister S Iswaran’s corruption trial set for 10 Sept: Singapore live news
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Bronze medalist Maximilian Maeder of Team Singapore celebrates at the medal ceremony for the Men's Kite on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Marseille Marina on 9 August 2024 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Clive Mason/AFP News)
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Get ready, Singapore! On Wednesday (14 Aug), the city will come alive with an open-top bus parade celebrating its Olympians, led by bronze medallist Max Maeder. This grand event marks Singapore’s first Olympic medal in eight years, bringing together a proud nation to cheer on their gritty and determined athletes. More on the celebratory parade for Team Singapore here.
Singapore's economy posted a 2.9% growth in Q2 2024, outpacing expectations and marking a bright spot in an otherwise uncertain global economy. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) now expects the year's GDP to land between 2.0% and 3.0%, citing strong external demand. However, with global risks lingering, Singapore remains cautiously optimistic about its economic prospects. More on what’s next for Singapore as global risks loom.
The Philippines might break its historic no-divorce record if the Senate approves the "Absolute Divorce Bill". Passed by the House, this bill would modernise the country’s outdated divorce laws. Despite significant opposition from the Catholic Church and conservative politicians, growing public support suggests a shift may be imminent. Read more if the "Absolute Divorce Bill" becomes law, or stalls in the Senate.
Finger-lickin' fraud! Vera Liddell, a US school food director, is heading to prison for nine years after stealing $2 million (US$1.5 million) worth of chicken wings. The audacious crime unfolded during the pandemic when she made unauthorised orders and kept the food for herself. The scam was discovered when the district's food budget blew up by US$300,000, sparking an investigation. More on how these chicken wings went rogue here.
Take charge of your health with these simple tips: eat more veggies, listen to classical music, limit screen time, add honey to yogurt, and embrace strength training for a healthier you. Read on for more health tips.
A dating coach advises women to dump boyfriends who don't say "I love you" within three months, sparking debate about relationship timelines and expectations. Here's why the relationship advice is shaking up the internet.
In the tech world, dating can feel like a series of project milestones. Maggie Zheng reveals how she and her fiancé apply corporate jargon like OKRs to their relationship. This tech-inspired strategy has strengthened their bond, leading to their wedding plans. Read about how tech bros approach love like work projects here.
Singaporean drivers have earned an unwelcome top spot as the biggest foreign traffic fine defaulters in Malaysia, racking up $1 million (RM3.5 million) in unpaid summonses. This forms part of a staggering RM4 billion in overdue fines that Malaysian authorities are keen to recover. Read on how Malaysia is tackling the $1.2 billion in overdue summonses and encouraging payments.
Over 2.4 million Singaporeans will get $200-$400 in September 2024 under a new cost-of-living relief initiative. This initiative, part of the 2024 Budget, promises cash payments to ease household expenses. Eligible adults will receive payments via PayNow-NRIC, GIRO, or GovCash. More on more about the Budget 2024 COL Special Payment here.
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Singaporeans to get $200-$400 special cost-of-living payment in Sept
Singapore will disburse $200-$400 to over 2.4 million citizens under the Budget 2024 cost-of-living (COL) relief plan. (Photo: Getty Images)
Bronze-winning Max Maeder to lead Singapore’s Olympic parade
Bronze medalist Maximilian Maeder of Team Singapore celebrates at the medal ceremony for the Men's Kite on day fourteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Marseille Marina on 9 August 2024 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Clive Mason/AFP News)
Singapore is set to celebrate its Olympians in grand style with an open-top bus parade on Wednesday (14 Aug), after an eight-year Olympic medal drought was broken by Max Maeder, who won a bronze in kitefoiling.
The parade will feature eight athletes, including Maeder, swimmer Gan Ching Hwee, and the badminton duo Terry Hee and Jessica Tan, as they travel through key areas of the city.
The Singapore Sports Institute’s chief, Su Chun Wei, highlighted the athletes' "gritty performances" and the high standards required to compete at the Olympics.
Su particularly praised Maeder, Singapore’s youngest Olympic medallist at 17, emphasising the significance of his achievement on such a grand stage.
Source: ActiveSG Circle
The route of the parade will include five “cheer points” along Bayfront Avenue, Chinatown, Orchard Road, Serangoon Road, and Victoria Street.
Singaporeans are encouraged to come out in full force to support their sports heroes, symbolising the nation’s unity and pride.
The event is designed to not only honour the athletes but also to bring the community together in celebration.
The parade marks a significant moment for Singaporean sports, as it’s the first time in eight years that the country has medaled at the Olympics.
Ex-Transport Minister S Iswaran’s corruption trial set for 10 Sept
Singapore's former Transport Minister S Iswaran (right) faces a corruption trial starting September 10, involving 35 charges related to gifts and obstruction of justice. REUTERS/Edgar Su
Iswaran faces 35 charges, including corruption, obtaining valuable items as a public servant, and obstructing justice.
The charges stem from his dealings with hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng and Lum Chang Holdings' managing director David Lum Kok Seng, involving gifts like Formula 1 tickets, football match passes, and luxury items.
The delay in the trial was due to Iswaran's appeal for witness statements, which was denied by the High Court.
If convicted, Iswaran faces significant penalties, including imprisonment and hefty fines.
The case, which will be heard in the High Court due to its public interest, has sparked intense media attention as it unfolds amid the backdrop of an upcoming general election in Singapore.
Singapore economy grows 2.9% in Q2, surpassing expectations
Singapore’s Q2 GDP grew by 2.9%, exceeding expectations, leading to an optimistic 2024 growth forecast of 2.0%-3.0%, despite global economic uncertainties. (Photo: REUTERS/Edgar Su)
Singapore’s economy grew by 2.9% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the previous year, aligning with earlier estimates and surpassing market expectations.
This growth has prompted the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) to narrow its GDP forecast for 2024 to a range of 2.0% to 3.0%, suggesting that the economy might hit the upper end of this range.
The quarter-on-quarter growth of 0.4% was driven by strong performances in the finance, insurance, and information and communications sectors, while manufacturing saw a decline due to reduced pharmaceutical output.
Despite the overall positive outlook, there are lingering concerns about the global economy, particularly due to geopolitical tensions and the possibility of a US recession, which could impact Singapore’s trade-reliant economy.
The MTI highlighted that the manufacturing sector, especially electronics, is expected to recover in the second half of the year, which could further support growth in trade-related services.
Singapore’s growth in 2024 is expected to be bolstered by the continued recovery in air travel and tourism, along with a robust finance and insurance sector.
However, the slowdown in manufacturing, particularly in pharmaceuticals, has tempered some of the optimism.
The services sector also saw a slowdown in growth compared to the previous quarter.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) maintained its monetary policy settings unchanged last month, as inflation pressures moderated and growth prospects showed signs of improvement.
In a humorous take on dating in the tech sector, a tech worker describes how tech enthusiasts often treat relationships like work projects, focusing on goals and metrics.
Despite encountering partners who struggled with emotional cues, she finds that their drive can be harnessed positively.
The woman and her fiancé, both tech professionals, apply this mindset to their relationship, using objectives and key results (OKRs) and quarterly meetings to stay connected and purposeful.
Their tech-inspired approach has led them to a successful relationship and an imminent wedding.
Eat veggies, listen to classical music: 9 tips to boost your health
Simple tips to boost your health: eat more veggies, listen to classical music, limit phone time, add honey to yogurt, and embrace strength training. (Photo: Getty Images)
Looking to boost your health?
Start with the basics: eat more fruits and veggies. They're not only good for your kidneys but can also lower cancer risks.
Classical music might also give you a lift – studies show it can have antidepressant effects.
Can't put your phone down? Try picking up a non-digital hobby like reading or crochet. It might help you unwind.
And for a quick snack, add honey to your yogurt. It enhances probiotics, which are great for digestion.
Lastly, avoid the snooze button. It disrupts your sleep and leaves you feeling tired. Focus on good nighttime habits for better rest.
Finger-lickin' fraud: US school employee stole $2 million in chicken wings
A US school food director was sentenced to nine years for stealing $2 million worth of chicken wings during the pandemic. (Photo: Getty Images)
Chicken wing heist! A former food service director in the United States has been sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing $2 million (US$1.5 million) worth of chicken wings.
The crime spanned nearly two years and was discovered when the school's food budget went US$300,000 over mid-year.
Vera Liddell used a district van to transport the stolen wings, which never reached the students.
The community is left wondering how such a large-scale theft went unnoticed for so long.
The Philippines, the last holdout on divorce apart from the Vatican, is on the brink of change. The proposed "Absolute Divorce Bill" could shift the country’s stance on divorce, a move that reflects evolving societal attitudes and legal needs. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
South Korea unleashes sniffer dog to stop post-Olympic bedbugs
FILE PHOTO: Ceco, South Korea's first bedbug sniffing dog, demonstrates bed bug detection on luggage at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, August 8, 2024. Yonhap via REUTERS /File Photo
Pope Francis on Thursday praised Singapore’s economic strength as a testament to human ingenuity but urged the city-state to look after the weakest, too, especially foreign workers, as he opened the final leg of his tour through some of Asia’s poorest countries in one of the world’s richest. Francis marveled at Singapore's modern skyscrapers “that seem to rise from the sea” in both his opening speech to the city-state's leaders and again in the afternoon, when he celebrated Mass before an estimated 50,000 people at Singapore's national stadium. Singapore celebrated Francis' arrival by unveiling a new hybrid orchid named for him, the "Dendrobium His Holiness Pope Francis."
Pope Francis flew to Singapore on Wednesday for the final leg of his trip through Asia, arriving in one of the world’s richest countries from one of its poorest after a record-setting final Mass in East Timor. After a brief farewell ceremony, Francis, the Vatican delegation and journalists traveling with him flew to Singapore aboard local carrier Aero Dili's only aircraft, an Airbus A320. It landed about three hours later in Singapore, where Francis had no public events scheduled for the rest of the day.
A personal assistant convicted of killing and dismembering his former tech entrepreneur boss after stealing about $400,000 from him was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years to life in prison, Manhattan's district attorney said. Tyrese Haspil, 25, was found guilty in June of murder, grand larceny and other charges in the 2020 death of his former boss, Fahim Saleh. Prosecutors said Haspil had been hired as an assistant for Saleh, whose ventures included a ride-hailing motorcycle startup in Nigeria, but quickly began to siphon money from Saleh's businesses.
"I’m allowed to criticize Taylor Swift, and I don’t give a s--t who gets upset," the right-wing podcast host adds The post Megyn Kelly Is Disgusted by Taylor Swift’s Kamala Harris Endorsement: ‘F You’ appeared first on TheWrap.
Malaysian authorities on Wednesday rescued 402 children and arrested 171 suspects after raiding 20 welfare homes linked to an Islamic business group, in which children were exploited and sexually abused, the national police chief said. Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said the raids were conducted after investigations into allegations of child abandonment, deviant teachings and sexual assault at the homes, run by the Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings. Children were sexually abused not only by the caretakers but were also forced to do the same to each other at the facilities, Razarudin said in a televised news conference.
Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi has been captured on camera helping to persuade a "distraught" woman to step away from the ledge of a bridge in Nashville. The US singer was reportedly filming a video for his band's track "The People's House" on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge when the woman was spotted on the other side of the railings. CCTV footage, shared by local police, shows the Bon Jovi frontman and woman walking down the middle of the bridge on Tuesday evening.
A suburban Philadelphia man drugged and sexually assaulted women he met online over the past 15 months, police said Wednesday in filing rape and other charges against him. All six women, ages 17 to 30, told police they met him through a website that connects women with “sugar daddy” men, described on the website as “generous.” In a police affidavit filed with the charges, Gallo was accused of secretly spiking drinks with methamphetamines and other drugs, leaving women bruised and sick after spending the night at his home.
Watch live as Pope Francis celebrates Mass with 50,000 people in Singapore at the National Stadium on Thursday, 12 September. The pontiff, 87, is closing out his Asia-Pacific tour; he has been to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Timor-Leste. The pontiff will celebrate Mass with 50,000 people at the National Stadium on Thursday evening, packing the venue as his 12-day Asia-Pacific tour draws to a close.
A leaked audio recording of a heated exchange between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the family of a hostage killed by Hamas is sparking reaction in Israel. CNN’s Nic Robertson reports.
Boeing waited to learn Thursday whether 33,000 aircraft assembly workers, most of them in the Seattle area, will go on strike and shut down production of the company's best-selling planes. Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers were voting on whether to approve a contract offer that includes 25% pay raises over four years. If the factory workers reject the contract and two-thirds of them vote to strike, a work stoppage would begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. PDT.
Peruvians began three days of national mourning Thursday for polarizing former president Alberto Fujimori, who ruled his country with an iron fist and then spent 16 years in prison for crimes against humanity.Fujimori, who led Peru from 1990 to 2000, was released from prison on humanitarian grounds in December while serving a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity during his rule.
Thailand deployed military special forces in the northern province of Chiang Rai on Thursday after flooding marooned thousands that authorities are trying to reach with boats and helicopters. At least 33 people have died across Thailand since mid-August from a spate of rain-related incidents including landslides, with nine fatalities this week in two northern provinces hit by adverse weather brought by Typhoon Yagi, according to the government. Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Asia this year, has killed at least 197 people in Vietnam, where it made landfall on Saturday and flooded parts of capital city Hanoi.
