Children in armed conflict: UN reports 25% jump in violations in 2024
A UN report says children in conflict zones fell victim to unprecedented levels of violence last year. Tens of thousands of them were affected by armed conflict, with many of them recruited, maimed, violated or killed in more than 20 countries. In Asia, most cases were recorded in Myanmar.
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CNA
8 hours ago
- CNA
Children in armed conflict: UN reports 25% jump in violations in 2024
A UN report says children in conflict zones fell victim to unprecedented levels of violence last year. Tens of thousands of them were affected by armed conflict, with many of them recruited, maimed, violated or killed in more than 20 countries. In Asia, most cases were recorded in Myanmar.
CNA
15 hours ago
- CNA
Former teacher who molested 7-year-old student in classroom jailed for 9 months
SINGAPORE: A former Chinese language teacher who touched the inner thigh of his female student, then around seven years old, was given nine months' jail on Friday (Jun 20). The molestation was in 2019 but left a mark on the young girl's mind until she reported it three years later. The 38-year-old Malaysian national and Singapore permanent resident pleaded guilty to a count of aggravated molest of a victim under 14. Both the accused and victim, now 13, cannot be named to protect the latter's identity. According to a past media report, the accused is no longer a teacher. The victim was then a Primary 2 student between seven and eight years old, and the accused was her Chinese language and form teacher. The offence occurred in 2019 when the girl approached the teacher's table to find out the name of a song in the music video he was playing from a laptop. She was in her classroom. Nearing the end of class, the girl stood to the left of the accused to look at the screen while the man sat on the teacher's chair. The man then placed his hand under the girl's skirt and touched her inner thigh for a few seconds, causing the girl to feel uncomfortable. There were no other students at the teacher's table then. She told him that the touch felt "itchy" before joining her classmates for recess. When she was in primary 5, the girl informed her school's vice-principal about the molestation on Apr 28, 2022. Court documents did not describe what led to this moment. A psychiatrist who assessed the victim in April 2023 said that the girl felt "scared and angry" after the incident with suicidal thoughts. "She had recurrent thoughts and flashbacks about the offence. The victim also expressed a fear of males and reported difficulty trusting others, which (the psychiatrist) opined could lead to problems with interpersonal relationships later in life," the prosecution said. The prosecution argued for eight to 10 months' jail, noting how the accused had only pleaded guilty "on the doorstep of trial". The man's lawyer Anil Sandhu described his client as apologetic and informed the court that he is father of three young children. His wife was present for his hearing. District Judge Lim Tse Haw noted how teachers were held in high regard by society and trusted by parents to "impart knowledge and good moral values" in students. "Hence when our teachers breach that sacred trust and instead violate the modesty of our students, they must expect to receive a deterrent sentence, so that a clear message is sent out that society views such serious (offences) with opprobrium," Judge Lim said. He took into account the victim's young age but noted that the touch was fleeting and did not intrude on her private parts.
Independent Singapore
15 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Man finds ‘insects' in dinner ordered by company, but horrified netizens tell him they look like maggots
SINGAPORE: A man took to social media to complain about the 'insects' that he found in the food his company driver had bought for dinner. Commenters, however, told him that they looked more like maggots, which begin to appear when food is spoiled. They also urged him to contact the relevant authorities. On the popular COMPLAINT SINGAPORE page on Thursday (Jun 19), the man wrote that the food had been ordered from a certain stall at 7 Kaki Bukit Avenue 3, which is located near the Kaki Bukit Recreation Centre. 'This shop our company driver (buys) food for dinner. Many insects were found inside the stomach of the fish being eaten. No one can eat after seeing this fishy insect,' he added. He also posted a photo of the meal, which showed a piece of fish on a bed of rice. However, on the fish were many small cylindrical-shaped items that looked different from the rice. The post author circled these in red to indicate that these were the insects he had found. Screengrab/ COMPLAINT SINGAPORE On his post, he added a receipt from the meal as well. It was not itemized, but simply said 'makan,' for which the person who ordered paid S$49. Screengrab/ COMPLAINT SINGAPORE The post author also included a picture of the stall. A quick online search confirms that the stall has been registered since at least 2023 to sell cooked food and prepared drinks at Kaki Bukit Recreation Centre. It has no social media accounts or website, however. Facebook users who commented on the post appeared to be as horrified as the post's author. 'This is a very serious issue,' wrote one. 'Wow! Those are not insects. Looks more like maggots,' exclaimed another. 'Oh no, so many maggots !' a netizen wrote. One could hardly believe the food had been purchased in Singapore. Some urged the post author to report the matter to the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). At the same time, one commenter suggested that the stall owner should be informed about the spoiled food. The SFA oversees food safety in Singapore, while the NEA manages many hawker centres, including ensuring public health issues, cleanliness, and maintenance. While maggots themselves are generally not harmful, they are killed by stomach acid. However, in some cases, people who have ingested maggots have gotten bacterial infections. It's the spoiled food where maggots are found that commonly poses a greater danger when eaten, as it could lead to food poisoning, which can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The Independent Singapore has reached out to the post author for further comments or updates. /TISG Read also: Woman horrified to find 'worms/maggots' in Nestlé coffee capsule box ordered online
