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SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - One was asked whose bodily fluids she would like to drink, while another watched her peers re-enact an incestuous rape scene. These were just two examples of the sexualised activities that hundreds of freshmen were made to participate in some of the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) orientation camps in the past two months. Some students said they attended the camps to make friends, but they were instead pressured to take part in increasingly sexualised activities. A 19-year-old freshman whom we shall name Chloe told The New Paper that she left the room after she became uncomfortable during an activity called “burning bridges” that required her to answer inappropriate questions. The questions touched on taboo subjects such as which man’s bodily fluid she would want to drink, who among them is the sluttiest, and who would never get married and die alone, she said. The girl had to lie on the floor, then the guy pretended to kick open a door ... » Learn More about Students say NUS orientation camp games increasingly sexualised; some told to re-enact rape scene

SINGAPORE - Siblings Nathan and Phoebe Foong have been waking up for school, where they stand to attention for the National Anthem during assembly, before heading to the canteen. The catch? They are actually at home. Their parents, Elvin and Esther Foong, devised "Naph School", an amalgam of the first two letters of the children's names, after the family were asked to self-isolate under a leave of absence (LOA) request. The family's LOA was issued after their trip to visit Mrs Foong's father in Johor during the recent March school holidays. Nathan, nine, and Phoebe, seven, will return to school on April 2 . According to the Education Ministry, less than 10 per cent of students and staff across all schools are on LOA or stay-home notice (SHN), which aim to prevent the spread of Covid-19. They are both 14-day self-isolation measures, typically following overseas travel. Some families with young children are concerned about supporting their offspring's learning away from ... » Learn More about Staying at home during Covid-19 outbreak: How to plan activities with your kids, and take ‘sanity breaks’

PARIS (Reuters) -The European countries party to the Iran nuclear deal told Tehran on Wednesday its decision to enrich uranium at 60% purity, bringing the fissile material closer to bomb-grade, was contrary to efforts to revive the 2015 accord. But in an apparent signal to Iran's arch-adversary Israel, which Tehran blamed for an explosion at its key nuclear site on Sunday, European powers Germany, France and Britain added that they rejected "all escalatory measures by any actor". Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognise, has not formally commented on the incident at Iran's Natanz site, which appeared the latest twist in a long-running covert war. Last week, Iran and its fellow signatories held what they described as "constructive" talks to revive the deal, which the Trump administration quit in 2018 saying its terms favoured Tehran, in a move welcomed by Israel. But Britain, France and Germany said Tehran's new decision to enrich at 60 percent, and activate 1,000 ... » Learn More about European powers warn Iran over ‘dangerous’ uranium enrichment move

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Europe's choppy vaccine rollout hit more trouble on Wednesday after U.S. drugmaker Johnson & Johnson delayed its COVID-19 shot and Denmark said it would drop a similar vaccine from AstraZeneca over the risk of blood clotting. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it expected to issue a recommendation on Johnson & Johnson's vaccine next week but that it continued to believe the benefits of the shot outweighed the risks of side effects. U.S. federal health agencies recommended pausing use of the vaccine for at least a few days after six women under age 50 developed rare blood clots after receiving the shot. Deliveries had already begun in some European countries but authorities took differing approaches on whether to restrict use of the single-shot vaccine, with Belgium and France saying they would go ahead, while Spain, Italy and Greece put them on hold. The EMA said J&J was in contact with national authorities and recommended storing doses ... » Learn More about Europe’s vaccine rollout hit by doubts over J&J, AstraZeneca shots

Dear Lloyd, I have this experience of reaching heights and becoming successful in what I do. Recently, it was a totally different story. When success is no longer there — and failure suddenly meets me face to face — what do I do? Mar Mar, A few years ago, I did a motivational talk before two real estate giants in Manila during their sales kickoff rally. Most companies do this every year. Back in the prepandemic days, there were face-to-face meetings. They gathered their sales people and hired a motivational speaker to speak and try to encourage their people to sell more this time as the speaker tried to equip them with knowled ge, wisdom and stories. Hopefully after the one-hour program or so, participants would leave the venue with inspiration and drive to face the new year and yes, painful or not as it was, make the best effort to hit their quota for that period. It’s amazing to see their mix of emotions — from being happy to being excited to being afraid to being ... » Learn More about Success causes us to fail

BRUSSELS: European Union countries will receive 50 million more coronavirus vaccines produced by Pfizer and BioNTech in the second quarter, the head of the EU Commission said on Wednesday (Apr 14), as deliveries expected at the end of the year will be brought forward. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the earlier deliveries, which will start this month instead of in October, will take total supplies to the EU from Pfizer to 250 million doses in the second quarter in a move meant to compensate for lower supplies from AstraZeneca and possible problems with Johnson & Johnson. "I am pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement with BioNTech-Pfizer to once again speed up the delivery of vaccines," she said. "This will substantially help consolidate the roll-out of our vaccination campaigns." Von der Leyen confirmed the Commission was in talks with Pfizer and BioNTech for a new contract for 1.8 billion doses to be delivered in 2022 and 2023, ... » Learn More about EU to raise COVID-19 vaccine supplies from Pfizer in second quarter to 250 million doses

COPENHAGEN: Denmark on Wednesday (Apr 14) became the first country to stop using AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine altogether over a potential link to a rare but serious form of blood clot. The decision will push back the scheduled conclusion of Denmark's vaccination scheme to early August from Jul 25, health authorities said. But that new timeline assumes it will start using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, whose rollout in Europe has been delayed over similar clotting concerns and the use of which Denmark has suspended. That shot comprises around a third of the country's total contracted supply. Results of investigations into the AstraZeneca-associated blood clots "showed real and serious side-effects," Danish health agency head Soren Brostrom told a news briefing. "We have therefore chosen to continue the vaccination programme for all target groups without this vaccine." Astrazeneca said it respected Denmark's choice and would continue to provide it with data to inform ... » Learn More about In world first, Denmark ditches AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 shot

The Ponzi scheme of Bernie Madoff, pictured in 2009, was revealed during the 2008 financial crisis and resulted in many investors losing their savings NEW YORK - Bernie Madoff, the mastermind behind the worst financial scam in history, died in jail at age 82 on Wednesday, US prison officials said. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison in 2009 for running a pyramid-style scheme that defrauded tens of thousands of people around the world. The scheme was estimated to be worth around $63 billion. "We can confirm Bernard Madoff passed away on April 14, 2021, at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Butner, North Carolina," an official with the federal Bureau of Prisons told AFP in an email. The statement said the cause of death needed to be determined by a medical examiner. In February 2020, Madoff's lawyer said the disgraced Wall Street financier was terminally ill and wanted to leave prison to die. Attorney Brandon Sample said Madoff was suffering from "terminal kidney ... » Learn More about Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dead in prison