Thank you dispatchers

SINGAPORE - Mr Manogaran Suppiah, 61, learnt Tamil only from a tutor at home for three years when he was in primary school. But that did not deter the Anderson Serangoon Junior College principal and chairman of the Tamil Language Council from honing his interest in the language. Today, he believes that the language has a more vibrant future here, thanks to the efforts of a high-level committee. His views, and that of other educators and community leaders, are featured in a book published by the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee (TLLPC) to mark its 15th year. Titled Naavil Thamizh Naalum Thamizh (Speak Tamil, Speak it Everyday) the book was launched at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre on Friday (April 16) by Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran, who chaired the TLLPC from 2006 to 2016. Also at the event was the current TLLPC chairman, MP for Sembawang GRC Vikram Nair. The book includes a foreword by Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, ... » Learn More about Tamil language committee marks 15th anniversary with a book on its efforts

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong broke fast on Friday (April 16) evening at a virtual buka puasa event with 110 faith community leaders, mosque leaders and Ramadan service ambassadors. The annual event - traditionally held at a mosque - was shifted online for the second year in a row, because of Covid-19. Speaking during the event, PM Lee thanked the Muslim and other faith leaders for guiding their communities towards safer ways of practising their religions as Singapore imposed strict restrictions on places of worship during the pandemic. In doing so, they helped "keep their flocks safe and well" and enabled the country to stabilise its public health situation, he said. "Now, we are able to resume religious gatherings and events, though not yet fully." In the two foiled cases of self-radicalised youths who had plotted to attack mosques and Jewish Singaporeans, PM Lee said religious and community leaders were quick to step in to affirm peace and friendship across ... » Learn More about PM Lee breaks fast with community leaders in virtual event

Seeing children play traditional games is uncommon these days as more often than not, the young ones are glued to electronic devices. Some have probably never even heard of games such as lompat getah, galah panjang or batu seremban. However, some parents believe such games are an important part of childhood and a way to encourage children to stay active. For instance, housewife N. Devika, 44, has decided that she is not going to allow her two daughters to play with just electronic gadgets, but also teach them the fun outdoor games she used to play as a child. “When I was a little girl growing up in Penang, I used to play hopscotch, batu tujuh and lompat getah. “Board games such as snakes and ladders, ludo and chess as well as congkak used to be my favourite, ” she said, as daughters Rhea and Dheana played on their house porch. Seven-year-old Rhea was balancing on one leg while trying to pick up a pebble on the ground, doing her best not to step out of a hopscotch box ... » Learn More about Keeping children active with traditional games

PETALING JAYA: The Tokyo Olympics may not be the final international outing for national diver Leong Mun Yee. The 36-year-old veteran is game for another SEA Games stint end of this year if Malaysia Swimming want to tap into her experience to combine with the younger divers. It will be a history-in-the-making achievement if Mun Yee makes it to the SEA Games in Hanoi as it will be her 12th appearance. No other Malaysian athlete has lasted that long when it comes to competing in the SEA Games and Mun Yee wants to show that she is still determined and committed to keeping up with the sport. “I wanted to call it a day at the Olympics earlier and I’ve informed Malaysia Swimming about it, ” said Mun Yee. “But then I was asked to consider whether I want to continue on a bit as the SEA Games is just four months after we come back from the Olympics. “If I am needed, I will continue until the SEA Games, ” said Mun Yee. Mun Yee is the most decorated Malaysian diver in the SEA Games ... » Learn More about It’s not the end after Tokyo – veteran diver Mun Yee’s game for Hanoi

THE state government is planning to give away 1,500 laptops to needy students this year under its Penang E-Learning Computer Programme. Penang social development committee chairman Chong Eng, who is the programme’s chairman, said priority would be given to poor applicants who have performed well academically and those with single parents and multiple siblings. “A new batch of applications will be opened soon, ” she said during a press conference at Komtar. The programme, launched by the state government on May 21 last year, is to assist needy schoolchildren who do not have computers at home and therefore cannot take part in e-learning lessons. Under the used computer grant scheme, used computers will be collected and repaired before they are donated to eligible students. Chong Eng said the state government received about 1,000 applications last year before approval was given to 794 deserving students. She said the programme also saw 800 more laptops being loaned to students. ... » Learn More about Aiming to give more laptops to needy kids

LUND, Sweden: One of the most striking things about the COVID-19 pandemic is just how dramatically different the responses have been from country to country. In early 2020, when little was known about the virus, this difference was unsurprising. Today, with tens of thousands of research articles and cases of best practice to learn from, one would expect to see more convergence. And yet some countries continue to resist popular strategies, such as lockdowns, and insist on going their own way – with varying degrees of success. Two such countries are Sweden and Japan, which in 2020 have forged a different path to their neighbours on coronavirus and attributed their early successes to the assumed advantages of an inherent national character. But today, both seem to be paying the price. LANDS WITH NO LOCKDOWN One factor that features in both the Japanese and Swedish responses is that of national exceptionalism. By exceptionalism I mean the understanding among a population ... » Learn More about Commentary: Sweden and Japan are paying the price for thinking they had COVID-19 exceptionalism

DILG Secretary Eduardo Año. FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines — Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año is returning to work on Friday, following his extended leave of absence that started in January. DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said Año has scheduled a meeting with agency officials on Friday morning. “Ngayong araw babalik ng trabaho si Secretary Eduardo Año… Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng nagdasal at nagbigay ng suporta sa kanya,” Malaya said in an interview with Teleradyo. (Secretary Eduardo Año will return to work today… We want to thank those who prayed for him and extended support.) “Ang kanyang mga doktor ay nagbigay na ng clearance sa kanya para makabalik sa trabaho,” he added. (His doctors already gave him clearance to return to work.) Año started his leave of absence in January as part of his recovery after being infected twice last year with the new coronavirus SARS-COV-2, which causes COVID-19. He initially extended ... » Learn More about COVID-hit Año back to work after extended leave of absence

SINGAPORE - Mandarin Gardens, a leasehold condominium in Siglap, has failed in its attempt to sell en bloc, despite a record high asking price of $2.927 billion. On Sunday (March 24), the day the collective sales agreement expired, the agreement had only been signed by 68 per cent of the units, below the 80 per cent required for the land to be put up for sale. The property's collective sale committee chairman, Mr Vincent Teo, said in a letter to owners on Sunday that while the committee would be dissolved on Monday, he hoped that those who had signed the current agreement would support an attempt to form a new committee. "This being our first attempt at collective sales, we have learnt valuable lessons, which will certainly be very helpful in our next journey," he said. An attempt in 2008 failed before a collective sale agreement was prepared, as the global financial crisis had started, he said. Last month, the 1,017-unit leasehold condo raised its asking price to $2.927 ... » Learn More about Mandarin Gardens fails in collective sale attempt despite record reserve price of $2.9 billion

When launching a sexy star, there are two things the audience watch out for — can she do the sexy scenes with aplomb? And will she give an acting worth the praise? Cloe Barreto is every inch a star in her launching film “Silab” from 3:16 Productions. And if there’s one thing that Cloe will always remember about her launching film, it’s her bonding with film director Joel Lamangan. “We have a happy set. Every shooting day is a bonding day. I enjoyed working with direk Joel,” said Cloe of her director whom she first worked with in “Anak ng Macho Dancer.” The aspiring young actress is having a grand time as she awaits the release of her launching film. While she has always dreamed of becoming an actress even as a young girl, it is only now that she’s taking it seriously and wants to make acting a career. “I can’t say if I will be acting forever but for now, I want to make good in my acting career and hopefully, be recognized as a good actress.” Among her screen idols are ... » Learn More about Meet new sexy star, Cloe Barreto

THE Philippines has set a 75-percent greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction and avoidance target by 2030, according to the Department of Finance (DoF). In a statement on Friday, the DoF said the goal was set following President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of the country’s first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which is part of the Philippines’ commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. “The Philippines is submitting an ambitious NDC target of 75-percent reduction of GHG emissions by 2030 in the name of climate justice. The NDC will be our tool to upgrade our economy by adopting modern and low carbon technologies and approaches that would help mitigate the climate crisis and make our economy more resilient and our growth sustainable,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd was quoted as saying. Dominguez is also the chairman-designate to the Climate Change Commission, which facilitated the NDC formulation process. The finance department explained the NDC ... » Learn More about PH sets 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions