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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Jan 10

aseanpr 10 1 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Sunday, Jan 10. Indonesian plane crashes into the sea with more than 60 on board The Boeing 737-500 jet was carrying 50 passengers, including seven children and three infants, and 12 crew members. READ MORE HERE 234 Crowne Plaza hotel staff test negative for Covid-19 MOH closed the hotel from Friday until Jan 21 as a precautionary measure. READ MORE HERE Why Singapore consistently excels in the IB exams Some of the schools which offer the programme take in better students to begin with, observers said. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Muhyiddin's parliamentary majority in jeopardy as Umno MP withdraws backing Muhyiddin’s Perikatan Nasional has only 110 lawmakers backing it in the 220-member Parliament. READ MORE HERE Post White House, Trump’s personal power base remains potent weapon Trump's power base is personal. And the more beleaguered he seems, the more his base rallies around him. READ MORE HERE US ends curbs on official American contacts with Taiwan: Pompeo The move is likely to anger China and increase US-Sino tensions in the waning days of Trump’s presiden...

Madrasah student scores high in IB despite juggling it with Islamic studies

aseanpr 10 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - As a student at the Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah, Abdul Hakam Nor Razak had to take 10 subjects as part of the Islamic curriculum at the religious school. On top of that, he was enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). Early last week, the 18-year-old was one of 25 students in the madrasah who received their IB results. They are the pioneer batch in this programme, which began in January 2019. Even while juggling it with his Islamic education, Hakam managed to score 42 points out of the maximum 45. He was the madrasah's top scorer. The IB curriculum consists of six subjects and three core components - namely theory of knowledge, an extended essay, and creativity, activity and service. In this last component, students have to complete a project related to those three concepts. Hakam's six chosen subjects were chemistry, mathematics, Arabic, English, Malay literature and politics. On how he did so well, he said: "I enjoy learning and studying isn't a chore for me. "During the holidays, I read up about science and maths, which supplemented my knowledge about the subjects." He also has a keen interest in politics and English. He frequently read...

IB diploma and A levels: How the two routes differ

aseanpr 10 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and the A levels are both two-year-long programmes that cater mainly to students between 16 and 18 years old. In Singapore, more students tend to opt for the A-level route. In 2019, 12,405 students sat the national exam. A-level students are graded almost entirely on their final exams, which tend to be content-heavy. The IBDP is considered a less frequently chosen option. Last year, 2,228 students from Singapore, including those from schools such as Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and St Joseph's Institution (SJI), sat the diploma exam in November. Each year, there is another sitting in May, taken mainly by international schools in Singapore. In the IBDP, the final IB exams account for about 70 per cent to 80 per cent of the total mark for each subject, while assignments assessed by teachers and checked by external examiners contribute the rest of the final grade, according to a note on SJI's website. The curriculum places emphasis on the research processes of the students, as well as on their inquiry and problem-solving skills. Other key external assessments are the theory of knowledge essay and the individual...

Why do S’pore students ace IB exams all the time?

aseanpr 10 1 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - Singapore students once again came out tops in the latest International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma results released last Monday, outshining their global peers. Of the 99 students worldwide who attained the perfect score of 45 points in the exam last November, more than half - 55 - were from schools in Singapore. 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.

Struck with rare disease at 27, he built the region’s leading e-sports platform

aseanpr 10 1 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - It was news that would knock the wind out of anyone's sails but especially brutal for a go-getting 27-year-old. In August, 2017, Ivan Yeo was told he had Kennedy's disease, a rare muscular degeneration disorder that causes, among other things, progressive weakening and wasting of the limb and facial muscles. 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.

NKF launches new initiative to raise awareness of kidney health

aseanpr 9 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) launched a new initiative on Saturday (Jan 9) to encourage people to undertake projects raising awareness of kidney health and to reduce the number of kidney-related diseases. Known as the Kidney We Care Movement, the initiative was launched in the light of the rising number of kidney failure cases in Singapore, with 5.5 new daily cases needing dialysis or kidney transplant for survival. For the past five years, NKF has admitted a yearly average of 855 new dialysis patients, and spent $116 million in its last financial year to treat kidney failure. Currently, Singapore has more than 8,000 patients on dialysis, with around two-thirds under the care of NKF. Kidney failure is mainly caused by diabetes and hypertension, and Singapore has one of the highest rates in the world for diabetes-related kidney failure. The number of diabetes cases is projected to grow to one million by 2050 if more preventive measures are not taken. As such, the Kidney We Care Movement will focus on three aspects: Project 5.5, which will aim to reduce the number of kidney failure cases, and related diseases like diabetes and hypertension; Project Hope, which wil...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Jan 9

aseanpr 9 1 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Saturday, Jan 9. Govt to pass law to ensure TraceTogether data can be used only for serious crimes The Government also acknowledged its error in not stating earlier that such data can be used for criminal probe. READ MORE HERE Covid-19 vaccine 101: All you need to know, from what to expect to how safe it is From safety to efficacy and the nation's vaccination strategy, Insight answers all the key questions. READ MORE HERE Twitter permanently suspends Trump's account "We have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence," Twitter said. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Experts and lawmakers aghast at US Capitol security failure As many as 60 Capitol Police officers were injured in the mayhem, many hit with lead pipes. READ MORE HERE Three million masks every minute: How Covid-19 is choking the planet Did you know that the surge in the use of disposable masks could lead to a growing environmental problem that may last much longer than the pandemic itself? READ MORE HERE S'porean man is 3rd Covid-19 community case found among Crow...

Health Check Podcast: Get healthy living tips for 2021

aseanpr 9 1 月

2 minutes

Fortnightly on Wednesdays, get healthier living tips as The Straits Times' senior health correspondent Joyce Teo chats with expert guests. These are the best episodes of our Health Check Podcast series so far. Health Check Ep 6: Can soursop or ketogenic diets be used to treat and control cancer? (featuring Dr Wong Seng Weng, medical director and consultant medical oncologist at The Cancer Centre) Health Check Ep 45: How to age well and achieve a lower biological age (featuring anti-ageing expert, Prof Brian Kennedy, the director of the NUHS Centre for Healthy Longevity) Health Check Ep 46: Is there such a concept as an anti-ageing diet? (featuring anti-ageing expert, Prof Brian Kennedy, the director of the NUHS Centre for Healthy Longevity) Health Check Ep 15: Forget about raising your good cholesterol? (featuring Dr Michael Lim, the medical director of MWH Heart, Stroke & Cancer Centre) Health Check Ep 39: Smokers at higher risk during Covid-19 times (featuring Dr Lambert Low, a consultant at the National Addictions Management Service at the Institute of Mental Health) Health Check Ep 16: How to get your hawker food fix without risking a heart attack (featuring Dr Michael Lim, the...

Full refunds for hotel guests after cases at Crowne Plaza Changi

aseanpr 9 1 月

4 minutes

Guests at the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport who wish to cancel their bookings can do so at no charge, the hotel said after two Covid-19 cases among its staff forced it to close for two weeks. Those with pre-paid reservations will receive a full refund, it said in a statement to The Straits Times. They will also be given the option of staying in another hotel under its parent, the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). A third linked case was confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday, with a special operation under way to test 234 staff working at the hotel. The latest case is a 20-year-old Singaporean who works at Azur, a restaurant in Crowne Plaza Changi Airport. The man was identified as a close contact of the first case at the hotel, and quarantined on Tuesday. He developed symptoms on Thursday, was swabbed and found in preliminary tests to be positive for the more infectious B117 strain. MOH said that of the 233 hotel staff who have been swabbed, 129 test results have come back negative. The rest are pending. The hotel said its current guests will be given the option to move. A spokesman said: "If they prefer to check out before the end of their stay, they will be compens...

‘Painless’ vaccine jab for PM Lee as nationwide drive gets under way

aseanpr 9 1 月

5 minutes

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong rolled up his sleeve for the Covid-19 vaccine injection yesterday, as the nationwide vaccination effort to combat the coronavirus swung into high gear. A left-hander, PM Lee was administered the shot in his right arm by nurse Fatimah Mohd Shah, and experienced no side effects despite a 30-minute precautionary wait. "It is painless, it is effective and it is important," he told reporters at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), where he received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only one to be approved here so far. "I hope that Singaporeans will take it up as we roll it out." The Health Ministry's director of medical services Kenneth Mak, as well as 88 healthcare staff, also received their shots yesterday, as the vaccination drive for healthcare workers and front-line staff gets under way. The vaccine is free and will be rolled out progressively, with most people here able to get vaccinated by the end of the year. The elderly, those at greater risk of severe disease and those in jobs or settings with a high risk of super-spreading events will be able to receive the Covid-19 jabs from next month. Widespread vaccinations will be critical in ...

Jail for housewife with Covid-19 who failed to disclose meetings with male friend

aseanpr 8 1 月

1 minute

SINGAPORE - A housewife diagnosed with Covid-19 on Feb 26 last year did not tell a Ministry of Health (MOH) officer doing contract tracing that she had met a close male friend multiple times earlier that month. For that, Oh Bee Hiok was sentenced on Friday (Jan 8) to five months' jail. She had pleaded guilty to an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act. A district court heard that the 65-year-old Singaporean met Mr Lim Kiang Hong, 71, five times between Feb 4 and 20 last year. The Singaporean man was diagnosed with Covid-19 the following month. In pleading for his client to be given a "stiff fine" instead of a jail term, defence lawyer Goh Teck Wee told District Judge Marvin Bay that Oh did not infect Mr Lim. She, however, did infect her own grandson. For committing the offence under the Act, she could have been jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000. More on this topic Related Story Woman who allegedly breached SHN to buy bubble tea among two charged Related Story Courts & Crime: Read more stories

PM Lee receives Covid-19 vaccine as Singapore starts nationwide vaccination drive

aseanpr 8 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took the Covid-19 vaccine on Friday (Jan 8) morning, at the start of a nationwide drive to vaccinate staff across various public healthcare institutions. Also vaccinated were the Health Ministry's director of medical services Kenneth Mak, along with 88 healthcare workers from the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). "It's painless, it's effective and it's important," Mr Lee said, speaking to reporters after the 30-minute observation period following the jab was up. "I hope that Singaporeans will take it up as we roll it out." He added: "We've got ample vaccines coming in. We ordered them early, we have enough for everybody in Singapore - all the residents, all the citizens and even the non-citizens who are staying here." The Prime Minister was at SGH to observe the start of inoculations for healthcare workers, and said he took the opportunity to get his own vaccine. He was jabbed in his right arm, as he is left-handed, and will return in three weeks for the second dose. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two injections, given 21 days apart, and all who are vaccinated will be issued a vaccination card to remind them of follow-up appointments...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Jan 8

aseanpr 8 1 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Friday, Jan 8. US Democratic leaders call for Trump's removal from office as Cabinet member quits House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Mr Trump posed an ongoing danger to the country. READ MORE HERE Facebook, Instagram to block Trump's accounts for rest of his presidential term Social media companies have been under pressure to police misinformation about the US election. READ MORE HERE Crowne Plaza Changi Airport closed for two weeks after second Covid-19 case emerges The hotel staff is a Malaysian woman who delivers pre-packed meals to air crew and hotel guests. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news askST: What do we know so far about children who are infected with Covid-19? Children and young people have a much lower risk of contracting the virus. READ MORE HERE Trust, TraceTogether and treatment of cancer patients How ministers deal with mistakes when things go wrong can erode or strengthen trust, says associate editor Chua Mui Hoong. READ MORE HERE World Economic Forum meeting in Singapore moved to May 25-28 The conference was originally scheduled to ...

Vulnerable groups won’t be left out in digital shift, says Maliki

aseanpr 8 1 月

3 minutes

While Covid-19 has made it necessary for many to embrace digitalisation, there are some who need help learning tools and skills of technology, and they should not be left behind, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Maliki Osman. Digital inclusivity was one of the main concerns highlighted by participants during a virtual dialogue Dr Maliki and Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Defence Zaqy Mohamad had with members of the Malay/Muslim community yesterday. The dialogue, Seizing Opportunities in the Age of Digital Transformation, was the first of two to take place under the Ciptasama@M3 programme, which aims to gather insights to be used in policy decisions. Dr Maliki noted that participants had highlighted how groups such as the elderly and residents of rental flats were especially in danger of being excluded technologically, and said he was heartened to hear that participants were concerned about this. "They reminded us that we must make sure that whatever we do, we must get to these vulnerable groups and… ensure that we walk the journey with them so they don't get left behind," he said. The community has a role to play in this as well. Dr Maliki urged members of th...

Covid-19 and young people: What the experts know so far

aseanpr 8 1 月

5 minutes

Those below the age of 16 will not be getting the Covid-19 vaccination any time soon because not enough is known about the side effects for this group. Children and young people have a much lower risk of contracting the virus, and studies have shown that they are less likely to be active spreaders of it too. Here is what we know so far: Q Why are younger children less likely to be infected with Covid-19 compared with older children? A There are many possible reasons for this. Dr Yung Chee Fu, consultant at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital's (KKH) infectious diseases service, said that one possible explanation could be a lower expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors in younger children. These enzyme receptors are the Sars-CoV-2 virus' entry points into body cells. Therefore, younger children up to the age of four had the lowest rates of infection at 1.3 per cent, according to a study conducted by KKH among 137 households between March and April last year. Professor Paul Tambyah, senior consultant at the division of infectious diseases at the National University Hospital, said that for children, exposure to multiple common colds at different ages coul...

82 HDB resale flats sold for at least $1m in 2020 as overall prices, sales rise: SRX

aseanpr 7 1 月

4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The number of Housing Board (HDB) resale flats sold for at least $1 million hit a new high last year amid a strong showing by the market despite the Covid-19 pandemic, according to flash data from real estate portal SRX released on Thursday (Jan 7). There were 82 million-dollar flats transacted in 2020, compared with 64 for 2019, after December saw 10 more of such transactions. They make up about 0.35 per cent of the total number of HDB resale flats sold last year. SRX's flash estimates for December also reveal that overall HDB resale prices rose for the sixth consecutive month, bringing the total price rise for 2020 to 6.4 per cent, much more the 0.3 per cent increase seen in 2019. ERA Realty head of research and consultancy Nicholas Mak said: "This performance of the HDB resale prices and transaction volume illustrated that the adverse impact of the pandemic and economic recession is like water off a duck's back." HDB advance estimates released last week showed that resale prices rose 2.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2020 from the previous three months, marking the biggest quarterly increase in over nine years. For all of 2020, resale prices rose 4.8 per cent, ac...

Singapore leaders shocked, saddened by violence after pro-Trump mob storms US Capitol

aseanpr 7 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Singapore leaders have expressed shock at the violence that has broken out in the United States, after supporters of US President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol. In a Facebook post, Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said he hopes the events in the US on Wednesday afternoon (early Thursday, Jan 7, Singapore time) come to a peaceful end. "(I) have been up, watching shocking scenes in the US Congress where protesters have entered the Chamber, stopped proceedings and forced Members to flee... We hope this ends peacefully. It's a sad day," he wrote on Facebook. Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin said the events that had transpired in Washington, DC, were "unbelievable". "How did this come to pass? It is increasingly becoming easier to agitate and make people angry. It is not without consequences," he said. Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling said it was painful to see "shocking images" of the breach on Capitol Hill. "As the American lawmakers reconvene, we hope for a peaceful transition in America," she wrote on Facebook. The US Capitol went into lockdown on Wednesday as pro-Trump protesters stormed barricades and breached...

Migrant workers who saved boy on ledge in Hougang commended by SCDF

aseanpr 7 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Two migrant workers who rescued a boy stranded on a third-storey ledge in Hougang have been lauded for their quick-thinking action. Landscape maintenance workers Das Dipto and Biswas Jibom received the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) Community Lifesaver Award from Colonel Lim Han Chee, 3rd SCDF Division Commander, on Wednesday (Jan 6). In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the SCDF described Mr Dipto and Mr Jibom's actions as "quick-thinking and selfless", and said: "Your commendable act brings us closer to building a nation of lifesavers." On Sunday morning, Mr Dipto, 27, was in Hougang to prune trees but ended up rescuing a child, believed to be six years old, who had been stuck on a window ledge barely wide enough for his feet. Mr Dipto, who moved from Bangladesh to work here eight years ago, told The Straits Times on Tuesday that he was cleaning a boom lift at Block 244 Hougang Street 22 that he used for pruning trees, when a frantic woman approached him and Mr Jibom. She pointed to the boy, who was clinging on to a laundry pole while on a third-floor ledge at the neighbouring Block 243. The woman told them that the door to the boy's flat was locked, so Mr Dipto d...

Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Jan 7

aseanpr 7 1 月

2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Thursday, Jan 7. Woman shot inside US Capitol dies after pro-Trump protesters storm building The city is under curfew and the National Guard has been deployed after protesters stormed barricades. READ MORE HERE Democrats gain control of US Senate with wins in Georgia Jon Ossoff was proclaimed the winner in the second of two Senate runoff races. READ MORE HERE America's toxic divide explodes and anger likely to remain The US is a tinderbox with a population deeply divided, says US bureau chief Nirmal Ghosh. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Hongkongers shocked and divided by arrests of pro-democracy leaders The city's pro-Beijing lawmakers welcomed the arrests but others see it as a purge of the opposition. READ MORE HERE NUS had 71 complaints of sexual misconduct involving students in past five years The number was highest in 2019, when 25 such reports were made. READ MORE HERE Korean man who works at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport among 2 new unlinked Covid-19 community cases in S'pore A preliminary test showed he was positive for the more infectious UK strain of Covi...

8 F&B outlets ordered shut, 26 others and 51 people fined for breaching Covid-19 rules over festive period

aseanpr 6 1 月

3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Eight food and beverage outlets were ordered to close, with fines for 26 others and 51 people for breaches of safe management measures during the year-end festive period. Among the outlets ordered to close are Meltz Resto-Bar at 24 Race Course Road and Club V5 Tycoon in Ming Arcade at 21 Cuscaden Road, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) on Wednesday (Jan 6). On New Year's Eve, Meltz was found to have committed multiple breaches of safe management measures at 9.25pm. They included allowing a group of 10 individuals to be seated together at a table, failure to conduct temperature screening for patrons and failure to implement SafeEntry for patrons. On the same day, Club V5 Tycoon was found to have allowed patrons to consume alcohol at 11.15pm, past the cut-off time for alcohol consumption of 10.30pm. Club V5 Tycoon was found to have allowed patrons to consume alcohol at 11.15pm. PHOTO: SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD MSE said the club was allowed to reopen as an F&B establishment - with no live entertainment and singing activities allowed - after it obtained a foodshop licence. The Singapore Tourism Board has issued orders requiring both the operators t...

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