Latest news with #Kon
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Bread‑free option available for fans of sandwich quick meals
Health-conscious folk looking for lighter-carb and protein-packed quick meals now have an extra option. The bread-free Wonder Sub –with two oven-roasted chicken slices instead of loaf pieces holding together sandwich fillings – is available at Subway kiosks nationwide. This latest meal is part of a new menu chapter in Subway Malaysia's initiative called 'Beyond the Bread'. Filled with crisp lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and cheddar, the Wonder Sub is available until June 24. Wonder Sub customers can opt for the same variety of custom toppings offered for six-inch subs. Whether you crave extra cheddar, a layer of spicy Italian slices or even a scoop of tuna, these favourite fillings can be in a wrap, a salad or with selected add‑ons in the bread‑free Wonder Sub. Wraps and salads will remain permanent offerings, providing guests with portable options for busy commutes, or a fresh bowl for post-festive resets, and post-gym refuels. These three options reflect Malaysia's increasing demand for convenient, nutritious meals while retaining the brand's signature bread. The process remains familiar –guests can choose a protein, load up on veggies and add their favourite sauce – now with formats that suit different lifestyles. 'Our customers love the aroma of fresh-baked bread but they have also expressed the desire for more flexibility,' said Subway Malaysia chief executive officer Kon Kin Siong. 'Beyond the Bread is our solution. The classics are still available, while we offer something new for anyone counting macros, rushing between meetings or simply seeking variety,' said Kon.
Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
When eye twitching doesn't stop: Understanding facial muscle spasm and treatments available
A subtle eye twitch could be the first sign of hemifacial spasm which can spread to the rest of your face. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES BRANDED CONTENT When eye twitching doesn't stop: Understanding facial muscle spasm and treatments available A persistent eye twitch may be an early sign of hemifacial spasm, a progressive neurological condition. Specialist neurosurgeon Dr Nicolas Kon explains how timely treatment can halt its progression Most of us have experienced an occasional eye twitch – often stress-related and fleeting. But when that persistent eye twitching becomes frequent or spreads across the face, it could signal hemifacial spasm (HFS), or facial muscle spasm, a neurological condition that is marked by involuntary muscle contractions on one side of the face. Dr Nicolas Kon, a hemifacial spasm specialist at Neuro Asia Care, explains: 'The spasms typically begin around the eye and may extend to the cheek, mouth and jaw. In most cases, it is caused by a blood vessel pressing against the root of the facial nerve, disrupting its function. 'As the protective layer of the nerve wears down from this constant contact, abnormal signals are sent to facial muscles which trigger the involuntary twitching and spasms patients experience.' There are two types of spasms: clonic spasms are fast, repetitive twitches, while tonic spasms cause prolonged tightness in the facial muscles. 'Although brief, these episodes can occur frequently and interfere with daily life,' adds Dr Kon. Hemifacial spasm affects about 15 in 100,000 people and is seen more often in Asian populations. INFOGRAPHIC: NEURO ASIA CARE Beyond the physical discomfort, HFS can impact daily life significantly. Activities like reading, driving, or watching TV may become difficult when the eye closes involuntarily. Over time, the unpredictability and visibility of the spams can erode one's confidence, interfere with work and social interactions, contributing to a reduced quality of life, explains Dr Kon. Diagnosing hemifacial spasm A persistent, one-sided eye twitch is often the first sign of HFS. If the eye twitch begins to spread or intensify, evaluation by an HFS specialist is recommended. Diagnosis typically includes a physical exam followed by a specialised magnetic resonance imaging or MRI scan to assess whether a blood vessel is compressing the facial nerve and to rule out other conditions such as tumours. Studies show that hemifacial spasm affects about 15 out of every 100,000 people, and appears to be more common among Asian populations. According to Dr Kon, there is no official data for Singapore, but the numbers are likely to be similar. Many cases may go undiagnosed especially when the milder symptoms are dismissed as fatigue or stress. 'Women, especially those in their 40s to 60s, are more commonly affected, with a higher frequency of symptoms occurring on the left side of the face. These demographic patterns underscore the need for awareness and tailored treatment approaches in our region,' adds Dr Kon. Treating hemifacial spasms with microvascular decompression There are three primary treatments for HFS: Oral medication , which may provide temporary relief in early stages but often loses effectiveness over time. , which may provide temporary relief in early stages but often loses effectiveness over time. Botulinum toxin injections , which provide temporary relief by relaxing the affected muscles, but need to be repeated every few months. , which provide temporary relief by relaxing the affected muscles, but need to be repeated every few months. Microvascular decompression (MVD), a one-time procedure that addresses the root cause and offers long-term relief. 'MVD offers a long-term solution for HFS as the procedure directly addresses the root cause – the pressure on the facial nerve,' says Dr Kon. Performed under general anaesthesia, MVD involves making a small incision behind the ear to access the affected area. A cushion-like pad is then accurately placed between the facial nerve and the compressing blood vessel. 'This accurate placement and repositioning help alleviate the pressure that triggers the facial spasms,' Dr Kon explains. Patients can choose from three treatment options, depending on their condition and what best fits their lifestyle. INFOGRAPHIC: NEURO ASIA CARE According to Dr Kon, this is a minimally invasive procedure and most patients stay in hospital for only a few days. Recovery typically involves avoiding strenuous activities like heavy lifting for a month, but patients tend to notice an immediate improvement. 'In my practice, 90 per cent of patients achieve complete relief after MVD surgery. Many patients become spasm-free immediately after surgery. In more severe cases, spasms may take up to several weeks to subside,' says Dr Kon. Although risks like temporary facial weakness or hearing loss exist, these are uncommon, and quality of life improves significantly, adds Dr Kon. Dr Kon notes that most of his patients experience complete relief after undergoing MVD surgery. INFOGRAPHIC: NEURO ASIA CARE MVD is a one-time procedure for most, and is recommended for patients with clear signs of nerve compression, good overall health and symptoms that persist despite other treatments. MVD may not be suitable for everyone – especially those with mild symptoms or who are medically unfit. 'A personalised approach is essential,' says Dr Kon. 'Whether your goal is symptom relief, reducing eye strain and discomfort, or feeling more confident in social settings, the treatment plan should align with your lifestyle and medical needs.' To learn more about hemifacial spasm, MVD procedure or consult with Dr Nicolas Kon, visit the Neuro Asia Care website. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Forbes
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
How Duke's Kon Knueppel Emerged From A Basketball-Crazed Family Into A Top NBA Prospect
As they prepared to watch their oldest son, Kon, compete for Duke in the NCAA tournament East Regional final last Saturday night in Newark, N.J., Chari and Kon Knueppel were busy searching the internet for flights. Their youngest boys had just won in the quarterfinals of the Lutheran middle school basketball nationals in Fort Wayne, Ind., advancing to the semifinals taking place at 11:20 a.m. local time Sunday. The Knueppels and their other two boys, both high schoolers, didn't want to miss the game. The only problem? It would cost $9,000 for the four of them to fly to Fort Wayne. The Knueppels then decided to rent a Nissan Rouge for $150. At midnight, shortly after watching Kon score a game-high 21 points and lead Duke to a victory over Alabama, the Knueppel parents and their two sons, Kager and Kinston, started driving in the SUV. Ten hours later, they arrived in Fort Wayne, exhausted but in their happy place, watching basketball. The youngest boys, Kash and Kidman, ended up winning the middle school championship, continuing a streak that began a week earlier when Kager and Kinston helped Wisconsin Lutheran High School win a state championship. This weekend in San Antonio, it is Kon's turn to go for a title. The 6-foot-7 freshman guard will be in Duke's starting lineup Saturday night when the Blue Devils face Houston in the Final Four. If they win, they will face Auburn or Florida in the championship game Monday night. 'Our March mantra has been, 'Just keep winning,' and the boys keep doing it,' Chari said. Chari has attended each of Kon's 38 games at Duke this season, spanning 11 states and thousands of miles. Kon, a school counselor, has been at nearly 20 Duke games when he can get time off work. They have seen their son, whom they refer to as Kon II (his middle name is actually II), emerge as a projected lottery pick in June's NBA draft. They understand all the work he has put in to get to that position. 'I still get chills every time he takes his warm-up off to get in that starting lineup,' Chari said. Both of Knueppel's parents were stars themselves. Chari grew up in a small town in southwestern Minnesota, 10 miles from South Dakota, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she played from 1995 to 1999. She is still the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,964 points and 16.8 points per game. She then played professionally in Greece for a year. Her brother, Jeff Nordgaard, also starred at UW-Green Bay, where he is third with 1,911 career points. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Nordgaard in the second round of the 1996 NBA draft. Nordgaard appeared in just 13 NBA games, but he spent 13 years playing professionally overseas. Meanwhile, Kon scored 2,064 points (second all-time) at Wisconsin Lutheran College, a Division III school in Milwaukee where his father, Paul, served in numerous roles over the years, including basketball and softball coach, athletics director and vice president of student affairs. After graduating in 1998, Kon and his three older brothers dominated in the prestigious Gus Macker half-court, 3-on-3 tournaments throughout the Midwest. They became known as the 'Flying Knueppel Brothers' and were inducted into the Gus Macker Hall of Fame. They had more than 40 plays, set numerous screens on every possession, shared the ball and primarily shot from the 3-point line. A grainy YouTube video shows the brothers winning a Gus Macker game in 2003 in Belding, Mich. The announcer noted that Kon, known as Konnie among his family, had recently become engaged. In August 2005, Chari gave birth to Kon II. She and her husband signed their son up for basketball in kindergarten. It didn't go well. Knueppel didn't score in any of the 10 games. 'He actually ducked a number of times when the ball was passed to him and then had the gall to tell us he didn't like sports,' Chari said. The next year, Kon took his son to a camp run by Wisconsin Lutheran High School coach Ryan Walz, his old high school teammate. 'He was like, 'Here he is. I don't know what you can do with him. He hasn't gotten into basketball yet, but he likes to read books,'' Walz said. '(Knueppel) was OK, but you could tell he didn't love basketball yet.' By second grade, Knueppel began to enjoy the sport, partly because he had played the NBA 2K video game and wanted to emulate the players. Starting in sixth grade, Chari and Kon rented a small gymnasium in Milwaukee so Knueppel could shoot every day. By then, the family had four other boys, who would tag along to the workouts. The routine continues to this day, with the boys and their parents shooting hundreds of shots each night. When Knueppel entered Wisconsin Lutheran High School, which is six blocks from the family's house, he immediately played on the varsity team. That April, he received his first scholarship offer from the University of Toledo, whose head coach, Tod Kowalczyk, is married to Chari's sister. The next month, he secured an offer from Marquette, a Big East Conference school that's five miles from home. 'When they called him and offered him, he got off the phone and he said, 'Holy smokes, I've got to get a whole lot better at basketball,'' Chari said. 'I don't want to say the pressure was on, but he realized, 'Wow, there's some great opportunities out there that are going to be coming, and I just want to make sure that I'm prepared for it.'' Over the next couple of years, Knueppel kept improving and had numerous other Division 1 college offers. Still, unlike many other stars who transfer and move away from home to play against better competition, Knueppel never considered leaving Wisconsin Lutheran. His grandparents on both sides of the family live in Milwaukee, as do his father's three brothers and sister and his mother's sister. He has about 20 cousins in the area, too. Knueppel also had a chance to play in Closed Gyms, a full-court, 5-on-5 basketball league that his father started more than 20 years ago primarily for former college players in the area. Kon, who turns 50 in October, is the oldest player in the league and still a lights-out shooter, while his sons are the youngest in the league and learn from playing against veterans. 'We wanted him to be like a normal high school kid,' his father said. 'We wanted to have those experiences with all four years with his buddies and doing homecoming and prom and all that stuff. Going somewhere else to prep school, we didn't want him to start that too early in his life. We knew that would happen with college.' Duke started showing serious interest in Knueppel in the summer after his junior season in high school. Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer planned on watching him play at a Nike EYBL grassroots event in Atlanta in June 2023, but Knueppel had food poisoning and couldn't compete. Later that month, Scheyer saw Knueppel perform at the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp in Orlando, Fla. On July 2, Duke offered Knueppel a scholarship. Knueppel committed to the Blue Devils in September 2023, choosing them over four other finalists: Marquette, Wisconsin, Virginia and Alabama. While Knueppel was known for his shooting and led the EYBL regular season in scoring, the coaches from those colleges all saw him as a more versatile player and someone who could dribble, pass and defend, skills that were apparent on the grassroots circuit. 'He had an incredible feel for the game, incredible skill set and obviously his ability to shoot separates him,' said David Rebibo, a coach with the Team WhyNot grassroots program in southern California who coached against Knueppel. 'But I think what people undervalued was his athleticism. He is deceptively quick, has a really good first step and can get off the ground in a hurry, which I think shocks people at times.' Said Walz: 'Is he a fast twitch guy like some of these super, super long, athletic guys? No, that's not him. But at the same time, the coordination he has, the stop and start strength that he has, there's a lot of different ways to measure those metrics with athleticism." As a senior last year, Knueppel moved from shooting guard to point guard, averaged 25.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game and led Wisconsin Lutheran to a 30-0 record and the state title. He was named the state's top player but wasn't selected for the prestigious McDonald's high school All-American game despite being the No. 19 recruit in the Class of 2024, per the 247Sports Composite. Knueppel did compete in the Jordan Brand Classic, where he met and played with Cooper Flagg, the nation's top recruit and Duke commit. Flagg and Knueppel are now roommates and Duke's two leading scorers. Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward and shoo-in for the top pick in June's NBA draft, was named a unanimous first team Associated Press All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference's Player of the Year. Knueppel, meanwhile, was a second team All-ACC selection. He is second on the team with 14.4 points per game and is shooting 47.7% from the field, including 40.1% on 3-pointers. When Flagg missed two-plus games in the ACC tournament with an ankle injury, Knueppel was named the event's Most Outstanding Player, averaging 21 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in three games. This past weekend at the NCAA tournament's East Regional, Knueppel averaged 20.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Duke ran more plays for Knueppel in last Saturday's game, and he took advantage. 'I don't know if that was the plan going in or if I just got a hot hand early,' Knueppel said. 'I just tried to step up in whatever role I need to do for the team. It's not necessarily something I've thought about across the year, but just whenever I had the ball, make the right play and go from there.' Said Scheyer: 'With Kon, his versatility is huge for us, and his size. He's able to pass. He's able to finish. You feel he's always going to get off a good look because he has great pivots in the paint and great patience.' On Saturday, Knueppel will play on the biggest stage of his career when Duke (35-3) plays Houston (34-4), which has a 17-game winning streak, tops in the nation and two more than Duke. The teams are No. 1 and No. 2 in the AP poll and the top two teams in analyst Ken Pomeroy's adjusted efficiency margin metric. Duke is seeking its sixth national title and first since 2015 when the Blue Devils defeated Wisconsin in the championship game. Ten years later, the loss still stings in Knueppel's home state. 'There are a lot of people who aren't real big fans of Duke in Wisconsin,' Walz said. 'But Kon has a lot of followers here.' Walz won't be able to make it to the Final Four because his son has a game, but Knueppel's parents and two younger brothers will be there. His two brothers in high school plan on playing in an AAU tournament this weekend, so they'll miss Saturday's game. They'll attend Monday's national title game if Duke advances, though. Knueppel's four brothers are showing promise in the sport, although Walz said it's too early to project where they'll end up. For now, they can look up to Kon, who is excelling at Duke and could be among the top 10 picks in June's draft, two months before his 20th birthday. However this season ends, the family will be back in the gym on a daily basis, as always, shooting and working out and doing what they love. 'We're there instructing them, but they're doing the hard work,' Chari Knueppel said. 'We're super proud of the hard work they put in that results in all this winning we've been doing.'
Japan Times
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Indie films vie for views at Niigata animation festival
This Thursday marks the final day of the Niigata International Animation Film Festival (NIAFF), which kicked off March 15 in Niigata City. The event, now in its third year, opened with a screening of 'Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence,' both in celebration of the film's 20th anniversary and as a kind of tribute to its director, Mamoru Oshii, who served as the festival's inaugural jury president. 'During the first festival, I said that it would be a big deal if the festival made it three years,' Oshii told the audience via a pre-recorded video message. 'Now it's up to the quality of the films to sustain it.' The choice of 'Innocence' as opening film represented an ongoing challenge for the nascent festival: Though its ostensible mission is to introduce foreign animation to Japanese audiences, the packed showing was further proof that domestic anime remains the major draw in Japan. The screening generated buzz thanks to the introductory talk from Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, co-founder of Production I.G (which produced 'Innocence' and has a branch in Niigata). Ishikawa announced that he'd recently had a long phone call with Oshii, who had a great idea for a third 'Ghost in the Shell' film. One small issue, though, said Ishikawa: 'Innocence' still hasn't made its money back. The festival also featured screenings and talks dedicated to animator Satoshi Kon, who died in 2010 at the age of 46. Takeshi Honda, an animator who worked closely with Kon on the 2001 film 'Millennium Actress,' noted that one legacy Kon left the industry was his intricate layout work. 'For better or worse, the way we work would be a lot looser if not for him,' Honda said. From left: Niigata International Animation Film Festival director Shinichiro Inoue with jury members Manuel Cristobal, Christine Panushka and Noriko Matsumoto | Matt Schley Aside from the four films Kon helmed as director, NIAFF played some lesser-known Kon-involved projects, like the 1992 feature 'Run, Melos, Run,' to which he contributed animation. The film has never been remastered, forcing Niigata arthouse theater Cine Wind to dust off its 35mm film projector. 'It's been a while since we've done this, but we'll try our best,' said the theater's owner to moviegoers on Tuesday. (The print then ran in reverse for a few moments until being fixed, leading to a round of applause.) For audience members willing to dip their toes into non-Japanese animation waters, the festival featured a competition section with 12 feature films, 10 from outside Japan, selected from a total of 69 entries (one of NIAFF's selling points is that it is dedicated to feature-length animation, setting it apart from other animation festivals in Japan and Asia centered on shorts). Entries included the sci-fi spectacle 'The Worlds Divide' (Canada), which showed a heavy anime influence, 'Balentes' (Italy), a somber Western animated with stark monotone paintings, and 'Olivia & The Clouds' (Dominican Republic), a dreamy mixed-medium film about the challenges of human connection. The competition films ranged in style and form, from CG to stop-motion, but one throughline for most was their small, independent teams (and small, independent budgets). Some were even animated solo. That included 'Papercuts: My Life as an Indie Animator' by American director Eric Power, whose 'When You Get to the Forest' played at the first NIAFF in 2023. 'Papercuts' is an autobiographical account of his successes and struggles that includes a shout-out to Niigata. Despite being intensely personal, 'Papercuts' touches on the issues facing many of the independent filmmakers at the festival, like the isolation that comes with toiling on a project for years with no guarantee of recognition, let alone a paycheck. 'Still, the only other option is not making films, and that's not an option,' said Power after a screening of his film. The winner of the festival's top prize, to be chosen by a jury led by producer Manuel Cristobal, will be announced on Thursday evening, but as of this writing, the film to beat is Kiyotaka Oshiyama's 'Look Back,' one of the two Japanese features in competition. But 'Look Back,' released last year to near-universal acclaim (including from me), has already won many awards including, most recently, the Japan Academy Film Prize for best animated film. Should the jury decide to highlight a lesser-known feature, my money is on 'Pelikan Blue,' an animated documentary from Hungary about young men who forged cross-border train tickets in the 1990s, when reforms began to allow for international travel but most Hungarians could not afford such trips. Animation was used in part so the subjects could retain their anonymity, but it also lends the film a rebellious, charming punk-rock tone. 'I'd describe the film as a 'cool documentary,'' said director Laszlo Csaki. 'You couldn't do something like this in the typical 'talking head' documentary style. I think animated documentary is the future.'
