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Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Britain to prosecute more than 60 people for supporting banned pro-Palestine group
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox LONDON - At least 60 people will be prosecuted for 'showing support' for the recently proscribed Palestine Action group, in addition to three already charged, London's Metropolitan Police said on Aug 15. 'We have put arrangements in place that will enable us to investigate and prosecute significant numbers each week if necessary,' the Met said in a statement. More than 700 people have been arrested since it was banned as a terrorist group in early July, including 522 people arrested at a protest last weekend for displaying placards backing the group – thought to be the highest ever recorded number of detentions at a single protest in the British capital. 'The decisions that we have announced today are the first significant numbers to come out of the recent protests, and many more can be expected in the next few weeks,' said Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson. 'People should be clear about the real-life consequences for anyone choosing to support Palestine Action,' said Mr Parkinson. The first three people were charged earlier this month with offences under the Terrorism Act for backing Palestine Action, after they were arrested at a July demonstration. According to police, those charged for such offences could face up to six months imprisonment, as well as other consequences. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump advises Ukraine's Zelensky to 'make a deal' with Russia after meeting Putin World Made-for-TV pageantry in Alaska as Trump brings Putin in from the cold Singapore Nowhere to run: Why Singapore needs to start protecting its coasts now Asia 11,000 properties without power after 4.9-magnitude quake strikes near east coast of Australia Life Switching careers in middle age and beyond: How these Singapore professionals did it Singapore HSA evaluating rapid urine test kits to enable faster detection of etomidate, found in Kpods Asia Move over, Labubu – Chiikawa is the new craze in Hong Kong 'I am proud of how our police and CPS (prosecution) teams have worked so speedily together to overcome misguided attempts to overwhelm the justice system,' Met Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said. Police officers carry away an arrested supporter of Palestine Action attending a mass protest organised by the Defend Our Juries group in Parliament Square, London, on Aug 9. PHOTO: EPA In a statement following the latest mass arrests, Interior Minister Yvette Cooper defended the Labour government's decision, insisting: 'UK national security and public safety must always be our top priority.' 'The assessments are very clear – this is not a non-violent organisation,' she added. The government outlawed Palestine Action on July 7, days after it took responsibility for a break-in at an air force base in southern England that caused an estimated £7.0 million (S$12.2 million) of damage to two aircraft. The group said its activists were responding to Britain's indirect military support for Israel amid the war in Gaza. Britain's interior ministry has insisted that Palestine Action was also suspected of other 'serious attacks' that involved 'violence, significant injuries and extensive criminal damage'. Critics including the United Nations, Amnesty International and Greenpeace have slammed the proscription as legal overreach and warned that the ensuing arrests threaten free speech. Britain's Liberal Democrat party said that it was 'deeply concerned about the use of terrorism powers against peaceful protesters'. AFP
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Straits Times
5 new walking trails allow hikers to explore heritage sites, win FairPrice, Cold Storage vouchers
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The CDC said the trails are designed to showcase the rich culture, heritage, and green spaces of each district. SINGAPORE - Residents can turn their regular neighbourhood walks into rewarding and informative adventures with the launch of Walking Trails@CDC. Covering distances of between 4.35km and 5.5km each, the new trails located in each of the five main Singapore districts allow hikers to exercise while engaging in digital activities on their mobile phones. They were launched on Aug 16 by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Tong, together with the mayors of the five Singapore districts. The initiative is a collaboration between the Community Development Councils (CDCs) and the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), and is in line with the national Healthier SG initiative to promote preventive health and community wellness. Each trail comprises five checkpoints featuring iconic and scenic landmarks in Singapore such as the Bukit Timah Railway Station, Little Guilin, Fort Canning Centre, East Coast Beach, and Punggol Promenade Bridge. The first 5,000 people to complete all five checkpoints in each trail or collect digital mascots can earn up to $10 in RedeemSG vouchers, which can be spent at participating supermarkets like FairPrice, Cold Storage and Sheng Siong. The CDC said the trails are designed to showcase the rich culture, heritage, and green spaces of each district. There are plans to introduce new routes in other areas, like Marsiling and Sungei Kadut. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump advises Ukraine's Zelensky to 'make a deal' with Russia after meeting Putin World Made-for-TV pageantry in Alaska as Trump brings Putin in from the cold Singapore Nowhere to run: Why Singapore needs to start protecting its coasts now Asia 11,000 properties without power after 4.9-magnitude quake strikes near east coast of Australia Life Switching careers in middle age and beyond: How these Singapore professionals did it Singapore HSA evaluating rapid urine test kits to enable faster detection of etomidate, found in Kpods Asia Move over, Labubu – Chiikawa is the new craze in Hong Kong The first 5,000 people to complete all five checkpoints in each trail or collect digital mascots can earn up to $10 in RedeemSG vouchers. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO Navigating each trail The trails can be found on the CrowdTaskSG platform at , and does not require any app download. Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 15 and above with Singpass and CrowdTaskSG accounts can log in to start hiking. The first checkpoint at the start is located near public transport facilities like MRT stations and bus-stops for convenience. Users can follow the routes and complete activities at each checkpoint. These include capturing photos of specific sites and answering questions about that location. Interspersed between the checkpoints, participants can also collect five distinct CDC Ollies - digital owl mascots representing the CDCs' community pillars of caring, learning, inclusivity, health, and sustainability. Speaking at the launch event at Assumption Pathway School at Cashew Road, off Upper Bukit Timah Road, Mr Tong called the walking trails a great initiative by the five CDCs, as they do more than encourage staying active. He said: 'Fitness is one thing, but building social capital, building cohesion, working together with friends, is really something else. 'You'll never imagine that in a small Singapore, we will have so much of heritage, natural beauty and scenery, and all of these five uniquely curated walks... will showcase to you a different part of Singapore.' Mr Yip Ren Kai, 42, who runs a sports marketing agency, walks around his neighbourhood in the Potong Pasir area at least three times a week, with his wife and two daughters, aged 14 and 11. Having experienced the North West CDC trail, he said walking trails like these are more engaging with a game element. He added: 'Through this, you find out a lot more about our surroundings and what's happening around us.' His daughter, Yip Mun Hyun, a Secondary 2 student at Methodist Girls' School, likened the trail experience of collecting Ollies to Pokemon Go, a popular mobile game where players catch and train virtual Pokemon characters while exploring the real world. She said: 'With exams approaching, it can be very stressful. So coming out in the morning to have a walk and look at the scenery is really enjoyable. Especially with trying to catch all the different Ollies lurking around.' Central Singapore CDC Trail Spanning 4.7km, it runs through the heart of Singapore's civic district and covers heritage sites starting with Kreta Ayer Square in Chinatown. Hikers will take the Elgin Bridge Underpass built in 1862, before moving on to Victoria Concert Hall, followed by Singapore's oldest surviving fire station and national monument, the Central Fire Station at Hill Street. The last checkpoint is the Fort Canning Centre, at Fort Canning Hill. North East CDC Trail It covers a distance of 4.5km in Punggol, bringing hikers along an S-shaped route that commences at Waterway Point shopping mall. After passing Safra Punggol and Oasis Terrace along the Punggol Waterway, the public can get a close-up view of Coney Island from the Punggol Promenade Bridge. The last stop is Singapore's take on Silicon Valley, the newly-built Punggol Digital District which is expected to be completed in 2026. North West CDC Trail The longest trail at 5.5km, it starts at the walkway outside Cashew MRT station. Hikers are guided through a relatively straight path enveloped by greenery from the surrounding Bukit Batok Nature Park and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. They will pass through checkpoints that offer Instagram-worthy photo opportunities such as the access path from Hillview Road and Singapore Quarry, and Hindhede crossing and Bukit Timah Railway Station at the Rail Corridor. South East CDC Trail This coastal route takes users on a 4.9km journey, beginning at Fort Tanjong Kantong, which was built in the 1880s. Singapore's tallest slide is at the next checkpoint, the Coastal Playgrove. The last three stops are the Amber Beacon Tower, East Coast Beach Breakwater and Siglap Canal Lookout Deck. South West CDC Trail The shortest route at 4.35km, it is similar to the North West trail, with views of the landscape. Beginning at Beauty World MRT station, users will move on to the map post at the entrance of the Bukit Batok Nature Park before reaching the lookout point in the middle of the trail. They will then cross in the Hillview area to reach the final pit stop, Little Guilin in Bukit Batok Town Park with its distinctive granite rock formation.
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
English, physics, chemistry: These tutors take O-level exams every year
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox (From left) Mr Linus Lin, Ms Ho Meng Yeng and Mr Ivan Lim pictured with their O-level certificates on Aug 5. SINGAPORE – When Mr Ivan Lim applied to work at tuition centre Keynote Learning Hub two years ago, he had an unusual job interview. 'I was asked, 'Would you mind taking the O-level exam as a private candidate?'' recalls the 38-year-old English tutor, a former international school teacher. 'It was a very strange interview question.' He is one of three tuition teachers at Keynote Learning who sit the Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (GCE O-level) examination every year, usually in the subjects they teach. The practice is 'strongly encouraged' at the tuition centre at Ang Mo Kio for its full-time tutors, says Mr Linus Lin , 44, co-founder and head of department for science. Mr Lin himself has sat the O-level examinations 10 times since 2015, usually taking two to four subjects each time, while Ms Ho Meng Yeng, 45, another co-founder at Keynote Learning and its head of English, has been sitting the English language O-level paper since 2013, sometimes taking literature as well. The trio are taking their O-level exams again in 2025. The centre's other four tutors are part-time staff and do not take these exams. Keynote Learning offers group tuition, online and in-person, for primary and secondary school levels in English, science, mathematics and Chinese. Fees start at $240 for four weekly lessons for primary school pupils. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump advises Ukraine's Zelensky to 'make a deal' with Russia after meeting Putin World Made-for-TV pageantry in Alaska as Trump brings Putin in from the cold Singapore Nowhere to run: Why Singapore needs to start protecting its coasts now Singapore Using nature, multi-use structures among solutions being studied to protect Singapore coastlines Life Switching careers in middle age and beyond: How these Singapore professionals did it Singapore HSA evaluating rapid urine test kits to enable faster detection of etomidate, found in Kpods Asia Move over, Labubu – Chiikawa is the new craze in Hong Kong Choosing the right kind of pen The idea to take the exams originated from Ms Ho even before Keynote Learning was launched in 2016. She and Mr Lin, whom she influenced in this regard, have been friends since the early 2000s. Ms Ho, a former Ministry of Education secondary school teacher, took the English and literature O-level exams in 2013 because she wanted to be 'really in touch' with the syllabus changes that year. She was working as a private tutor by then, and was not briefed by education authorities on the changes, unlike school teachers. After 12 years of taking O-level papers and having had the jitters while waiting for the oral exam, she knows how to advise her own students, some of whom have told her they 'blank out' during the exam, or get palpitations when they feel anxious. She guides them on how to stay calm during the oral exam, by teaching them square breathing, also known as box breathing. This deep-breathing relaxation technique involves inhaling, holding one's breath and exhaling for equal counts, typically for four seconds each time. Ms Ho Meng Yeng, a former Ministry of Education secondary school teacher, took the English and literature O-level exams in 2013 because she wanted to be 'really in touch' with the syllabus changes that year. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG She has views on the type of pen to use because 'handwriting matters'. She recommends using a pen with a fine 0.38mm nib for English Paper 2 – all the better to cram more words in the space provided in the exam booklet – and a 0.5mm ballpoint pen that flows well for the masses of writing required in Paper 1. Going into battle together Mainly, the tutors say they take the O-level exams repeatedly to empathise more fully with their charges. Working through 10-year series, compilations of national examination papers like the O- and A-levels, pales in comparison to the 'live action' of the exam hall. Mr Lin, who has been a tuition teacher since his 20s, says: 'I experience the change in the way the questions are designed and phrased over the years. The 10-year series is helpful but the difference is doing it at your own pace and taking the exam under time pressure. I can understand what my students are going through.' 'After the exam is over, it's easier to discuss the paper and how we have done. I can tell lots of stories afterwards and remind them not to make mistakes. It's also useful to teach them about handling anxiety and time management,' he says, describing himself and his students as 'war mates'. Mr Lim, who took the English paper in 2023 and 2024, adds: 'The first time I took the O-level paper was an eye-opener. I thought, 'Most educators are war theorists.'' His right hand ached badly after the writing-heavy Paper 1 in the first English language exam he took, which features Situational Writing and Continuous Writing. Mr Ivan Lim took the English paper in 2023 and 2024. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG After decades out of school, he was asked to respond to a statement like 'All you need to succeed in life is a positive attitude'. Mr Lim realised then that the O levels are 'quite demanding in terms of students' maturity'. 'I doubt I was so introspective at 16,' he reflects. The grades a tuition teacher gets The three tutors' result certificates, seen by The Straits Times, are a sea of A grades, mostly A1s (75 per cent and higher), followed by A2s (70 to 74 per cent). Their grades dip, sometimes drastically, when they embark on what they call 'experiments' and 'challenges'. For instance, in 2020, Ms Ho decided to 'leave all the difficult questions blank', resulting in a C6 grade, which ranges from 50 to 54 per cent. 'It was like a wake-up call for the very weak students at the beginning of the following year,' she says. Mr Lin has tackled different self-imposed 'challenges' in the 10 years he has taken the exams, often in response to students' questions. In 2016, he took the English paper in addition to the two subjects he teaches, physics and chemistry. 'In science, we need to have a good command of English to express our answers well. English was my worst subject in school. I hope it can be a message to my students that as long as you're willing to continue to improve, you can still achieve,' says Mr Lin, who got an A2 that year for English. His worst English grade as a student was C6. Mr Linus Lin once took a combined social studies and history paper to see what it was like, since social studies did not exist as an O-level subject when he was young. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG In 2020, besides English, physics and chemistry, he took the biology O-level exam, a subject he had never studied in school, because his students often ask him if physics or biology is 'easier'. (He found the latter easier to score well in.) While he usually does not study for the exams since he teaches the subjects, he spent several days mugging for the biology paper, for which he got a B3. He once took a combined social studies and history paper to see what it was like, since social studies did not exist as an O-level subject when he was young. The O-level examination fees for private candidates differ according to subject and citizenship. For example, Singapore citizens pay $105 each for subjects such as English and chemistry, and $100 for a humanities subject like combined social studies and history. While Keynote Learning foots the bill for the subjects the tutors teach and take exams in, Mr Lin paid his own fees for subjects he does not teach, like English and humanities. Mr Lin, who has been mistaken for an invigilator during one of his papers, says: 'Every time I take the exams, I feel happy because it's like I am 16 again.'
Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Founder of Singapore Symphony Orchestra Choo Hoey dies at 90
SINGAPORE - The founder of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) , conductor Choo Hoey , died aged 90 on August 11. His son, Dr Yen Choo – an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University's Lee Kong Chian School Of Medicine – said the maestro died at his summer house in Greece with his wife Alexandra Avieropoulou by his side. Dr Choo told The Straits Times: 'It was a peaceful death due to old age.' Recalling his father's life, Dr Choo says: 'I have wonderful memories of him – but of course he was very busy when we were children. I've always wondered why it was that he never steered us towards music. When I asked my mother, she said it was because he had spent so much time in his youth playing the violin that he felt he had squandered his childhood years and that he wanted us to live.' Former co-leader of the SSO and Cultural Medallion recipient Lynnette Seah told The Straits Times she was saddened by the news: 'He was strict but also kind towards me especially, appointing me as Acting Leader for a year and a half. He placed SSO on the classical world map.' Ms Tisa Ho-Ng, the SSO's general manager from 1990 to 1999, said: 'He was great to work with because he was sincere, forthright and open minded in a way that made it possible to convince him to agree to something he might have opposed to begin with.' She recalled he disapproved of pop concerts but nonetheless agreed when Ms Ho-Ng organised one with Dick Lee. He was finicky about the details, demanding that musicians be impeccably turned out for concerts, so she kept a spare cummerbund in the office for male wardrobe emergencies. She added: 'He sometimes made demands that seemed hard to meet: he insisted on some way of cooling the stage when I was planning the first iteration of the Symphony Stage in the Botanic Gardens, but we got it done and I understood that he wanted the musicians to be presented in the usual concert attire and not something more casual.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump advises Ukraine's Zelensky to 'make a deal' with Russia after meeting Putin World Made-for-TV pageantry in Alaska as Trump brings Putin in from the cold Singapore Nowhere to run: Why Singapore needs to start protecting its coasts now Singapore Using nature, multi-use structures among solutions being studied to protect Singapore coastlines Life Meet those in Singapore changing careers in middle age and beyond Singapore HSA evaluating rapid urine test kits to enable faster detection of etomidate, found in Kpods Asia Move over, Labubu – Chiikawa is the new craze in Hong Kong The Cultural Medallion award recipients from left: Mr Choo Hoey, Miss Madhavi Krishnan, Mr Bani bin Buang, Mr David Lim and Mr Wee Beng Chong. The Straits Times The Straits Times' veteran classical music reviewer Dr Chang Tou Liang noted that Choo was responsible for the SSO's wide repertoire: 'He knew that not all programmes will be popular with audiences, but the orchestra needed them in order to grow. 'He was not afraid to be outspoken. His phrase was, 'I do what I know is right, and the consequences be d****d.' His job was not to please people or be politically correct, but to be true to the music. 'He never cut corners, and was as tough on himself as he was with other musical professionals. Needless to say, he was not well-liked by musicians and some critics, although he also built up a legion of fans. After he retired, he conducted SSO sporadically and often wondered whether he had been forgotten.' Cellist and co-founder of the T'ang Quartet Leslie Tan commented: 'It is sad that when they retired him, he was quickly forgotten bar the token concert with the SSO. But that's the Singapore style. Efficient, unsentimental, mercenary.' He credited Mr Choo and the SSO paving the way for subsequent generations of musicians like hime: 'He and the SSO gave a lot of my generation of musicians the wonderful opportunity to have a wonderful education overseas. He had foresight and had great ideas for the orchestra. If not for him, many of us, me, the SSO, the entire cultural landscape of Singapore would be very different. I know I owe him a great debt of gratitude.' Dr Chang added that Choo Hoey was 'a great spotter of young talent', introducing the then 15-year-old Lang Lang in 1997 and violinists Jin Li and He Ziyu to local audiences. Veteran conductors (from left) Yeh Tsung, Choo Hoey and Hu Bing Xu at a concert to mark the Singapore Chinese Orchestra's 20th anniversary in 2016. In a Facebook post on the night of Aug 15 , the SSO said it was 'deeply saddened' by his death , crediting him as having made invaluable contributions to Singapore's musical landscape. Mr Choo, who established the orchestra in 1979 alongside former d eputy prime minister Goh Keng Swee - its founding patron - was its music director between 1979 and 1996 . The 90-year-old had led the orchestra on four European tours, said SSO, adding that he had 'built up the orchestra from its modest beginnings, and developed an extensive repertoire ranging from the early baroque to contemporary masterpieces'. Mr Goh Yew Lin, chairman of the Singapore Symphony Group who has been involved with the group since 1990, wrote on his Facebook page: 'He had a good eye for talent, strong musical convictions and a very broad repertoire, conducting countless local premiers of 20th century masterworks; I remember especially his championship of Bartok, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Berg. He was also a champion of Chinese composers and musicians. His legacy is not just the SSO, but an entire generation of music lovers whose experience of music was shaped by his zeal, curiosity and passion.' He had been one of the first recipients of the Republic's highest arts accolade, the Cultural Medallion , having been bestowed it in 1979 when it was first instituted. Born in Palembang in 1934, Choo moved to Singapore in 1946 during Indonesia's struggle for independence from the Dutch. He took lessons under the violinist Goh Soon Tioe and, after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in London, started his career conducting the Belgian National Orchestra in 1958. After marrying in 1969, he settled down in Athens and went on to conduct some of the world's leading orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. From 1968 to 1977, Choo was the principal conductor of the Greek National Opera. In 1978, he gave up his conducting career in Greece to set up Singapore's first professional orchestra. With 41 members, the SSO made its debut under the baton of Choo at the Singapore Conference Hall on Jan 24, 1979 with a rendition of Majulah Singapura. In the early years, he not only directed the music but also took on duties from recruiting musicians to negotiating salaries. 'The first concert, I remember, there were a lot of things I couldn't find answers for. I couldn't find musicians, I didn't know whether the orchestra would last,' said Choo in a 2019 interview with ST when he came out of retirement to conduct for the SSO's 40th anniversary concert. Today, the orchestra performs over 60 concerts a year and has been named one of the 23 best orchestras in the world by BBC Music Magazine. He is survived by his wife and two sons. Additional reporting by Ong Sor Fern
