Latest news with #AsiaAirIndia
Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Pant run out at stroke of lunch as India close in on England's total
LONDON - A direct hit by England captain Ben Stokes found Rishabh Pant on the non-striker's end at the stroke of lunch, ending a crucial 141-run partnership with KL Rahul as India were 248-4 at the break on day three of the third test, trailing by 139 runs, after England posted 387 in the first innings. Left-handed batter Pant, who scored twin centuries in the first of the five-test series, battled through an injury on a finger on his left hand as he hooked Stokes for six to bring up his fifty before he was run out for 74 in 112 balls. Opener Rahul was steady on the other end as he closed in on his second hundred of the series, remaining not out at 98 at lunch, with both sides bidding to go 2-1 up in the series. Pant hurt a finger on his left hand while wicket-keeping on Thursday. His injury appeared to have worsened on Friday when a ball from spinner Shoaib Bashir left him in pain. Pant, who began the day punishing Jofra Archer for missing his line with a flick for four down the leg side, sought help from the physio twice as short balls hit his injured finger but continued, seeking to add quick runs after a slow start to the day. The 27-year-old hit Bashir for a six down the ground shortly before an awkward hook on Stokes almost got him caught near the fine leg boundary, where a diving Zak Crawley did well to lob the ball back inside the boundary, preventing a six. Pant was run out in the very next over, trying to take a quick run as he loosely played Bashir towards cover point. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Singapore Pulling back the curtain: A backstage look at the 2025 NDP show segment Singapore $3 cashback for hawker centre meals and shopping at heartland stores with DBS PayLah initiative Singapore Body of 62-year-old man recovered from waters off East Coast Park Singapore Wegovy, injectable drug used to treat obesity, now available via prescription in Singapore Business NTT DC Reit's Singapore public offer 9.8 times oversubscribed Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Singapore Over 20 motorists caught offering illegal ride-hailing services at Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Marquez takes seventh pole of season in wet German GP qualifying session
Ducati's Marc Marquez clinched his seventh pole position of the season at the German Grand Prix in a wet qualifying session at the Sachsenring where several riders crashed in slippery conditions on Saturday. While most riders struggled for grip on the wet surface and in the spray, it was the two veterans Marquez and LCR Honda's Johann Zarco who mastered the conditions in a shootout for pole. Both Maverick Vinales and Jack Miller suffered highside crashes at turn four but Marquez seemed at ease in the conditions, though even the Spaniard had a heart-stopping scare when he briefly slid before regaining control. "I was getting warmer and warmer and then I already had a moment on turn 11 and then when I crossed the finish line on that (one minute and) 28.0 I said, 'Okay, now breathe, calm down, the target is done,' that was the front row," Marquez said. "I thought that was done but then I saw on the screen and on the pit wall that the lap time of the second (best rider) every time was closer and closer. Then I pushed a bit, but because I felt like I was able to do it." Zarco, who had to come through the first qualifying session, had not claimed pole since Silverstone in 2022 and he came close to denying Marquez the 101st pole of his career with a faster time early in his lap but lost time on the final sector. It made no difference, however, as Marquez put in one final lap at the end of the session to clock one minute and 27.811 seconds to go fastest. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Singapore More NSFs may be recruited to tackle scams: Police Singapore $3 cashback for hawker centre meals and shopping at heartland stores with DBS PayLah initiative Singapore 40% more sign-ups to programmes for adult learners at institutes of higher learning in last 5 years Singapore Wegovy, injectable drug used to treat obesity, now available via prescription in Singapore Business NTT DC Reit's Singapore public offer 9.8 times oversubscribed Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Singapore Over 20 motorists caught offering illegal ride-hailing services at Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay "Seeing the rain this morning I was thinking, 'Okay, it's a new game, I have my chance'," said Zarco, who claimed victory at a wet French Grand Prix earlier this season. "At the end I did an extra push and I get the second place. It's cool, I expected pole position but Marc also got another fast lap and it's pretty good because yesterday I was not in the top 10 (in practice)." Marco Bezzecchi was third fastest and will start on the front row for the first time with Aprilia. VR46 Racing's Franco Morbidelli was fourth fastest and is joined on the second row by KTM's Pedro Acosta and Gresini Racing's Alex Marquez, who is second in the championship. The younger Marquez sibling was medically cleared to race this weekend after a hand fracture at the Dutch Grand Prix two weeks ago which required surgery. REUTERS
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Lawyers warn UK NDA ban may reduce misconduct settlement payouts
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The provision would void existing NDAs used by businesses to silence employees who were subject to sexual harassment or discrimination. A landmark ban on the use of non-disclosure agreements in workplace misconduct cases - a longstanding practice of financial firms - may make it harder for victims to win compensation and discourage some from speaking up, lawyers say. Under reforms to workers' rights laws by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government due to come into effect later in 2025 , any confidentiality agreements that seek to silence employees who say they faced harassment and discrimination would be null and void. But lawyers say the ban risks unintended consequences: employers are less motivated to settle discrimination cases without confidentiality, leading to greater backlogs for the employee tribunal system and prolonged legal processes for victims seeking closure. This could mean that fewer victims come forward to detail their experiences, according to Ms Caroline Walker, managing director at Cavendish Employment Law. 'Tribunal claims are not for the faint-hearted,' she said, referring to the courts where workers and employers head to fight their disputes. 'They are time consuming, costly and cross-examination over sensitive discrimination or harassment incidents can be brutal.' There's a risk too that companies try to bury victims in a legal quagmire, she said, with companies more determined to defend their reputation in court in the absence of a confidentiality agreement. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Singapore More NSFs may be recruited to tackle scams: Police Singapore $3 cashback for hawker centre meals and shopping at heartland malls with DBS PayLah initiative Singapore 40% more sign-ups to programmes for adult learners at institutes of higher learning in last 5 years Singapore Exhibition marking The Straits Times' 180th anniversary opens on July 12 at Jewel Changi Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Singapore Over 20 motorists caught offering illegal ride-hailing services at Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay Life SG60 F&B icons: 20 dishes and drinks which have shaped Singaporeans' taste buds In the case of fewer settlements, lengthier legal processes could also pile pressure on an already overwhelmed UK employee tribunal system, Ms Walker said. The backlog had reached almost 50,000 cases by the end of 2024 , an increase of 28 per cent compared with a year earlier. 'This could result in employees having to commit to litigation in difficult circumstances, when they may otherwise have received a settlement, allowing them to move on more quickly,' Ms Bethan Jones, an employment lawyer at Spencer West, said. The use of NDAs for cases involving allegations of workplace abuse is widespread; 22 per cent of respondents to a 2024 survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said their company used them when dealing with allegations of sexual harassment. The ban marks a shift in policy for Britain after the previous Conservative government rejected calls in 2024 to end their use and comes after a series of high-profile sexual harassment scandals in recent years, including allegations against hedge fund manager, Crispin Odey, who has denied the allegations. 'There is commercial and reputational value to the employer in settling with confidentiality irrespective of the merit or otherwise of the allegation,' Mr Jason Braier, a trial lawyer specialising in employment, said in a LinkedIn post. 'The government amendment will disincentivise employers from settling many claims they think they can defend.' But proponents of the ban say the risks are unfounded and note that the new law will reverse the power dynamics, with victims, not companies, able to request confidentiality. 'The whole thing with NDAs is that they are a piece of power, and when you are an employee the power disparity is so huge,' said Ms Zelda Perkins, the whisteblower at the heart of the Weinstein scandal. 'People I've been fighting against baulk at that word power but really it's about equality and leveling the playing field.' And Ms Georgina Calvert-Lee, at Bellevue Law, said the ban simply aligns the UK with other countries where legislation has already changed, including Ireland and several US states. The experience there suggests that a ban has been effective; US research in 2019 showed that, after the introduction of the bans, filings for sexual harassment increased and the settlement rate for those cases rose by nearly 10 per cent. A former employee at Citigroup Inc. who asked not to be named because they signed an NDA after they sued the bank told Bloomberg that victims are often pressured to sign confidentiality agreements by their bosses and hopes this could mark a positive change. They said that City of London firms frequently abuse NDAs and use them to perpetuate toxic corporate cultures. A Citi spokesperson declined to comment. Currently, NDAs can often have a far-reaching impact, with some requiring that victims are unable to speak to anyone, even medical professionals, about their experience. Those who sign such documents also often don't receive legal guidance and are unaware that they can still pursue a criminal case through the police. The reforms would change that. 'You can use confidentiality when it's being used ethically and not abusively,' said Ms Perkins. 'This is really taking the ability to abuse that tool out of the hands of employers.' BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
a day ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Rise in vaping among youth an alarming trend, says Malaysia's Health Ministry
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Malaysia's Health Ministry has implemented interventions, including youth education and enforcement measures, to curb smoking and vaping habits. KULAI, Johor - While Malaysia has made progress in reducing adult smoking rates, the rise in vaping is an alarming trend, says Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni. He cited findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) showing that the adult smoking rate dropped from 22.4 per cent in 2019 to 19.8 per cent in 2023. 'However, vape use increased from 4.9 per cent to 5.1 per cent over the same period. Even more concerning is the growing number of children, or underage persons, taking up electronic smoking products. 'This is not just a health issue but a social one,' he said in his speech during the state-level World No Tobacco Day and World Tuberculosis Day held on July 12. Mr Lukanisman urged parents to take a more active role in monitoring their children, warning that early exposure to nicotine could lead to long-term organ damage and other behavioural problems. He added the ministry has taken a firm stance by implementing comprehensive interventions, including youth education and enforcement measures, to curb smoking and vaping habits. Mr Lukanisman said one initiative is the Walkabout Premis Bersih, Bebas Asap (BeBAs) programme, which encourages food premises to maintain cleanliness and enforce smoke-free zones, especially in restaurants and hawker areas. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Singapore More NSFs may be recruited to tackle scams: Police Business F&B operators face tougher business landscape amid rising costs and stiff competition Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Life SG60 F&B icons: 20 dishes and drinks which have shaped Singaporeans' taste buds Life At 79, she can do 100 pull-ups: Why more seniors are hitting the gym Life The rise of Tupai King, the rage of weather: How durian season is changing Life Hear Me Out: What I wish my parents knew before I was diagnosed with ADHD 'BeBAs is a multi-agency effort involving government bodies, NGOs, professional organisations, and corporate partners. It aims to drive public understanding and compliance with smoke-free regulations. 'The ministry has also partnered with the Education Ministry to launch the Kotak (Oral Health Without Smoking) programme in schools, working alongside groups like the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM), and Malaysian Anti-Drug Association (Pemadam),' he added. Mr Lukanisman also said to further bolster enforcement, the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 (Act 852) officially came into force on 1 October last year. 'This law gives us broader authority to regulate not only tobacco but also vaping products. 'Through Ops Cakna under this Act, we are sending a clear message that the government is serious about protecting public health, especially school children, from the harmful effects of smoking and vaping,' he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Russia's drones and missile barrage targets Ukraine's west, kills two
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A view shows buildings damaged during Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine July 12, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer KYIV - Russia launched a new barrage of drones and missiles in an overnight attack on Ukraine on Saturday, targeting the west of the country and killing at least two people in the city of Chernivtsi on the border with Romania. Western Ukrainian cities of Lviv, Lutsk, and Chernivtsi suffered the most due to the Russian attacks, and other Ukrainian regions were also hit, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said. "Russia continues to escalate its terror, launching another barrage of hundreds of drones and missiles, damaging residential areas, killing and injuring civilians," Sybiha said in a post on X, reiterating the call for stronger sanctions against Moscow. "Russia's war machine produces hundreds of means of terror per day. Its scale poses a threat not only to Ukraine, but to the entire transatlantic community." Ruslan Zaparaniuk, the governor of the Chernivetskyi region, said that two people were killed and 14 others wounded as Russian drones and a missile struck the city, located about 40 kilometres (24 miles) from Ukraine's border with Romania. Several fires broke out across the city, and residential houses and administrative buildings were damaged, regional officials said. In the city of Lviv, on Ukraine's border with Poland, 46 residential houses, a university building, the city's courts, and about 20 buildings housing small and medium-sized businesses were damaged in the attack, mayor Andriy Sadovyi said. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over engine switch movement Singapore More NSFs may be recruited to tackle scams: Police Business F&B operators face tougher business landscape amid rising costs and stiff competition Multimedia Which floor is this? Chongqing's maze-like environment powers its rise as a megacity Life SG60 F&B icons: 20 dishes and drinks which have shaped Singaporeans' taste buds Life At 79, she can do 100 pull-ups: Why more seniors are hitting the gym Life The rise of Tupai King, the rage of weather: How durian season is changing Life Hear Me Out: What I wish my parents knew before I was diagnosed with ADHD
