Latest news with #Commander
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
New plant drive boosts butterfly habitat at Trichy conservatory
In a bid to strengthen butterfly conservation, the forest department in Trichy has launched a fresh initiative at the Tropical Butterfly Conservatory (TBCT) near Srirangam by introducing over 100 new varieties each of host and nectar plants. The effort is part of a larger push to improve butterfly habitats and boost species diversity at the state's only tropical conservatory. "We are taking continuous and focused steps to strengthen butterfly conservation at TBCT," said Trichy district forest officer S Krithiga. "Most recently, we introduced a new batch of host and nectar plants, a hundred varieties each, sourced from across the country." Established in 2015 near Melur at a cost of ₹8 crore, TBCT began with just 25 identified butterfly species. Over the years, thanks to sustained efforts in habitat improvement, the number has grown to 131. "The increase in identified species is a result of our ongoing conservation work," Krithiga said. Host plants play a critical role in the butterfly life cycle. They serve as sites for egg-laying and food for the larvae, which undergo metamorphosis into pupae and finally emerge as adult butterflies. Once matured, butterflies rely on nectar plants for nutrition required for flight, reproduction, and survival. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Researchers at TBCT point out that butterfly populations are under threat globally due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. "Butterflies are vital pollinators," said M John, a researcher at the conservatory. "They transfer pollen from flower to flower, and many of the butterflies that emerge here eventually move beyond the conservatory, contributing to the larger environment." Research fellow M Nishalini added that the conservatory's garden layout helps maintain a microclimate conducive to butterfly breeding. "By regulating temperature and humidity and keeping pollution levels low, we create favourable conditions for their survival and growth," she said. The nectar plants provide essential nutrients, including carbohydrates and amino acids, that support various functions such as flight and reproduction. Alongside the host and nectar plants, TBCT has introduced over 30 varieties each of medicinal and herbal plants to further enrich the ecosystem. Rare species spotted at the conservatory include the Southern Birdwing (Troides minos), Commander (Moduza procris), Spotted Joker (Byblia ilithyia), Common Palmfly (Elymnias hypermnestra), and Peacock Royal (Tajuria cippus). Common species include Blue Tiger, Plain Tiger, Emigrant, Common Crow, and Grass Yellow. Interactive displays and amphitheatre-based visual presentations are used at TBCT to raise awareness among visitors about biodiversity and ecological conservation. Trichy forest range officer V P Subramaniyam noted that the growing butterfly diversity could also boost eco-tourism. "This could bring in more visitors and help generate revenue for the forest department," he said.
New Paper
29-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
No More Delay set to double the score
No More Delay's last-start victory on June 29 gave spectators something to savour. Trained by Wayne Lim, No More Delay motored home strongly over the final furlong in that Class 3 race (1,200m), but so did Pacific MV. The Zoustar six-year-old got his head down where it mattered, denying Pacific MV of the honours by three parts of a length. Now, he has a date with the starter on Aug 2 - which is the first of a two-day Selangor meeting - and he could be looking at a race-to-race double. Owned by the Trips D Stable, No More Delay served notice of his chances in the Class 3 sprint (1,200m) when he turned in a smart gallop at Sungai Besi on the morning of July 29. On a track rated "good", No More Delay loosened up with a strong canter before showing fluent action over the 600m which he covered in 41sec. Already a six-time winner from 34 starts - twice over 1,200m in Singapore and four times in Malaysia - it will not come as a surprise to see the former Kranji galloper run away with this sprint. Commander, who will see action in that Class 4B race (1,400m) on Aug 2, was another who served notice of his intentions with a smart training gallop. The four-year-old New Zealand-bred stopped the clock at 40.8sec, an effort that would have pleased reigning champion trainer Simon Dunderdale. The U S Navy Flag son was a "good thing beaten" at his last start, finishing fourth in a Class 4A event over 1,200m on July 20, which was won by Billy Elliot. Flashback to the action and Commander was never in a hurry. The Foong Ah Weng-owned galloper chose to take the scenic route home and it was only at the furlong mark, when urged along by Uzair Sharudin, that he grew wings and took off. But there was too much catching up to do. To date, Commander has won five races - once over 1,600m when trained by Donna Logan in Singapore - and placed second on four occasions. Among his four wins in Kuala Lumpur, three came over 1,400m and one was over the 1,300m. The 1,400m on Aug 2 is right up his alley and his sixth win could come sooner than later. At his fifth and last win two starts ago over the 1,400m on July 6, Commander stayed closer to the lead and was let loose 400m from home. His rivals had no answer and he cruised in by 1½ lengths. Back in his comfort zone, Commander could be one of the better bets at the races coming up. Another one who bears watching is Lim's Betterready. He turned in a pleasing workout when running the 600m in 40sec. One of four from Lawson Moy's yard entered for the Aug 2 meeting, his last few races were nothing to crow about. But roll back to his last win in a Supreme C contest on July 7, 2024, and one will see that it was over the 1,400m. The Better Than Ready seven-year-old has not been in tip-top state, but lining up in the Class 4B contest (1,400m) could work in his favour, for he has won twice over the trip in six wins. The same could be said for Magic Captain, who showed promise in his training gallop when running the 600m in 38.2sec. Trained and owned by 11-time Malaysian champion trainer Richard Lines, who has entered a team of nine horses on Aug 2, Magic Captain's last four races will do little to inspire confidence - but he is better than that. A noted front runner, the son of Furnaces has won three times, all over sprints: twice over 1,100m in Ipoh and once over 1,075m in Kuala Lumpur. Give the six-year-old gelding a chance in the Class 4A race (1,020m) on Aug 2. He gets in with a nice weight of just 54.5kg, and should he get going at a cracking pace, the rest might find him hard to chase down. brian@
Business Times
22-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
SPH Media lays off 11 workers with decommissioning of old printing presses
[SINGAPORE] SPH Media will lay off 11 production workers, following the decommissioning of two of the company's 30-year-old printing presses which have reached the end of their operational lifespan. SPH Media chief executive officer Chan Yeng Kit announced the job cuts in an e-mail sent to staff on Tuesday (Jul 22). He said the cuts were the result of operational reviews taking place as the company progresses on its transformation journey, and not driven by major restructuring or cost-cutting. The affected workers, who were notified on Tuesday, include those operating two of the company's six printing presses and involved in distribution of its newspapers. The Colorliner printing presses, made by Manroland Goss Web Systems GmbH and in operation since 1996, are being decommissioned, with printing operations to be consolidated on the media company's four other Commander presses from Koenig & Bauer (KBA). The newer KBA presses, deployed in 2003, can print up to 56 broadsheet pages in colour and up to 72,000 copies of the paper per hour. This is more than what the older Colorliner presses were able to achieve at 40 pages in full colour and up to 72,000 copies per hour. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up An SPH Media spokeswoman, in response to queries from The Straits Times, said upgrades to the KBA machines have allowed the company to consolidate its daily printing operations onto the newer presses. 'These changes allow us to maintain quality printing operations and improve process efficiency. Regrettably, the changes have also resulted in redundancies across 11 job roles in SPH Media's production division,' she said. The spokeswoman added that the company had explored redeployment opportunities, but did not manage to find suitable placements for the affected workers. Chan, in his internal e-mail, said the company's significant investment in refreshing the KBA presses over the past three years will ensure that SPH Media can maintain quality printing operations. 'Print continues to be an important format and channel through which we engage our audiences daily,' he said. He added that even as the company makes these changes, it remains committed to meeting the demand for print formats and will continue to find new and better ways to do so. SPH Media has said in the past that the introduction of the newer printers had substantially improved the capacity of its print centre, located in Jurong. The 11ha facility is one of largest printing plants in the Asia-Pacific, with some of the most advanced and state-of-the-art printing facilities that print The Straits Times and 16 other internal publications as well as foreign newspapers on contract. More than a hundred people are involved in every shift of the print centre's operation, seven days a week, 363 days a year. The plant shuts down only on Chinese New Year and Christmas Day. The 11 workers were told they would be let go on Jul 22 by SPH Media head of production Lim Swee Yeow. SPH Media deeply appreciates the contributions of the affected staff, said the spokeswoman. The company has informed the unions and NTUC of the layoffs, and is committed to supporting the workers during this period of transition 'through comprehensive severance packages aligned with tripartite guidelines, career coaching, job placement assistance, CV enhancement services, and emotional support through professional counselling', she added. In his e-mail, Chan also said SPH must continue with reviews of its various divisions as needed. These reviews are necessary to ensure operations remain fit for purpose given technological advances as well as changing customer preferences, he said. Not all such reviews will result in job redundancies, he added, and that the company's human resources department will explore all alternatives - including redeployment and retraining - before considering job cuts as a last resort. Chan also reiterated a point he made at an internal townhall in May that the reviews are not driven by major restructuring or cost-cutting. 'I am committed to building our strategy and business with all of you. This includes putting in place new directions, initiatives and investments to drive SPH forward,' he said. 'As we do so, we must continue to spend prudently and seek efficiencies where we can as part of our regular operations.' The organisation must navigate this tension well in order to succeed, he added. In November 2024, SPH Media laid off 34 technology workers across various teams and ranks, amid a structuring of the company's technology division. The affected workers made up about 10 per cent of employees in the division. More recently, SPH Media-owned Tech In Asia announced on Jul 1 that it will stop publishing its Indonesia edition from Jul 15, and will wind down operations in the country. The move, which affected 18 per cent of Tech in Asia's team, came amid an exercise to streamline operations and focus on its international edition. Tech In Asia was acquired by SPH Media in 2024. On Jul 22, SPH Media said it remained focused on strengthening its capabilities to serve audiences across both print and digital platforms, and on investing in sustainable and future-ready media operations. THE STRAITS TIMES
Straits Times
22-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
SPH Media lays off 11 workers with decommissioning of old printing presses
SPH Media chief executive officer Chan Yeng Kit announced the job cuts in an e-mail sent to staff on July 22. SINGAPORE - SPH Media will lay off 11 production workers, following the decommissioning of two of the company's 30-year-old printing presses which have reached the end of their operational lifespan. SPH Media chief executive officer Chan Yeng Kit announced the job cuts in an e-mail sent to staff on July 22. He said the cuts were the result of operational reviews taking place as the company progresses on its transformation journey, and not driven by major restructuring or cost-cutting. The affected workers, who were notified on July 22, include those operating two of the company's six printing presses and involved in distribution of its newspapers . The Colorliner printing presses, made by Manroland Goss Web Systems GmbH and in operation since 1996, are being decommissioned, with printing operations to be consolidated on the media company's four other Commander presses from Koenig & Bauer (KBA). The newer KBA presses, deployed in 2003, can print up to 56 broadsheet pages in colour and up to 72,000 copies of the paper per hour. This is more than what the older Colorliner presses were able to achieve at 40 pages in full colour and up to 72,000 copies per hour. An SPH Media spokeswoman, in response to queries from The Straits Times, said upgrades to the KBA machines have allowed the company to consolidate its daily printing operations onto the newer presses. 'These changes allow us to maintain quality printing operations and improve process efficiency. Regrettably, the changes have also resulted in redundancies across 11 job roles in SPH Media's production division,' she said. The spokeswoman added that the company had explored redeployment opportunities, but did not manage to find suitable placements for the affected workers. Mr Chan, in his internal e- mail , said the company's significant investment in refreshing the KBA presses over the past three years will ensure that SPH Media can maintain quality printing operations. 'Print continues to be an important format and channel through which we engage our audiences daily,' he said. He added that even as the company makes these changes, it remains committed to meeting the demand for print formats and will continue to find new and better ways to do so. SPH Media has said in the past that the introduction of the newer printers had substantially improved the capacity of its print centre, located in Jurong. The 11ha facility is one of largest printing plants in the Asia-Pacific, with some of the most advanced and state-of-the-art printing facilities that print The Straits Times and 16 other internal publications as well as foreign newspapers on contract. More than a hundred people are involved in every shift of the print centre's operation, seven days a week, 363 days a year. The plant shuts down only on Chinese New Year and Christmas Day. The 11 workers were told they would be let go on July 22 by SPH Media head of production Lim Swee Yeow. SPH Media deeply appreciates the contributions of the affected staff, said the spokeswoman. The company has informed the unions and NTUC of the layoffs, and is committed to supporting the workers during this period of transition 'through comprehensive severance packages aligned with tripartite guidelines, career coaching, job placement assistance, CV enhancement services, and emotional support through professional counselling', she added. In his e-mail, Mr Chan also said SPH must continue with reviews of its various divisions as needed. These reviews are necessary to ensure operations remain fit for purpose given technological advances as well as changing customer preferences, he said. Not all such reviews will result in job redundancies, he added, and that the company's human resources department will explore all alternatives - including redeployment and retraining - before considering job cuts as a last resort. Mr Chan also reiterated a point he made at an internal townhall in May that the reviews are not driven by major restructuring or cost-cutting. 'I am committed to building our strategy and business with all of you. This includes putting in place new directions, initiatives and investments to drive SPH forward,' he said. 'As we do so, we must continue to spend prudently and seek efficiencies where we can as part of our regular operations.' The organisation must navigate this tension well in order to succeed, he added. In November 2024, SPH Media laid off 34 technology workers across various teams and ranks, amid a structuring of the company's technology division. The affected workers made up about 10 per cent of employees in the division. More recently, SPH Media-owned Tech In Asia announced on July 1 that it will stop publishing its Indonesia edition from July 15, and will wind down operations in the country. The move, which affected 18 per cent of Tech in Asia's team, came amid an exercise to streamline operations and focus on its international edition. Tech In Asia was acquired by SPH Media in 2024. On July 22, SPH Media said it remained focused on strengthening its capabilities to serve audiences across both print and digital platforms, and on investing in sustainable and future-ready media operations.
Washington Post
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
US expands militarized zones to 1/3 of southern border, stirring controversy
COLUMBUS, N.M. — Orange no-entry signs posted by the U.S. military in English and Spanish dot the New Mexico desert, where a border wall cuts past onion fields and parched ranches with tufts of tall grass growing amidst wiry brush and yucca trees. The Army has posted thousands of the warnings in New Mexico and western Texas, declaring a 'restricted area by authority of the commander.' It's part of a major shift that has thrust the military into border enforcement with Mexico like never before.
