Latest news with #LisaManders
South China Morning Post
02-03-2025
- South China Morning Post
The Lens: Singapore's anti-discrimination law fails to protect LGBTQ workers
If you are interested in being a regular contributor for The Lens, please apply by clicking this link. Thoughts from last week Claudia Loh, 16, Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School Claudia Loh says education is important to help change attitudes around gender identity. Photo: Handout I think gender identity and sexual orientation were not included in Singapore's new law against discrimination in the workplace because the general atmosphere of the world, especially in Asia, is more conservative. The older generation tends to think gender identity and sexual orientation are choices that people make for themselves. For them, any discrimination would be warranted since a person's choices around gender and sexuality were conscious decisions. However, this is not the case. One cannot decide one's sexual orientation, and it is perfectly fine to express yourself however you wish in terms of gender. However, the older generation still makes most of the laws, which leads to a lack of protection for those who face prejudice. Education is paramount if the Singaporean government and companies want to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for the queer community. Thanks to misinformation, being queer is still seen as abnormal and is heavily stigmatised in society. The government could do better to educate the public on the queer community – they simply identify differently from what is considered 'normal'. These people are humans, just like everyone else. This could be done by inclusivity, with more TV shows accurately portraying queer characters to allow more representation and increased understanding. Queer voices should be encouraged in society in order to erase stigma, for example, in the form of literature, to better understand and appreciate equality. Also, the government should create laws and regulations to enforce equal treatment for those in the queer community, making it illegal to discriminate based on gender identity or sexuality. Read and observe Hippos are known to be fiercely territorial animals. Photo: TNS A New Jersey man whose wife was killed in a horrific hippopotamus attack last year during a safari in Africa is suing the US company that arranged the trip, alleging it failed to ensure their safety and did not adequately screen and supervise the tour guides. The couple were on a guided walk in Zambia in June when a hippo charged out of the water, grabbed Lisa Manders by its mouth and crushed her head and body, according to the lawsuit filed against African Portfolio, a safari tour company. The company denies the allegations. The lawsuit alleges that the tour guides – including at least one armed with a rifle – walked away without helping. Lisa Manders, 70, suffered catastrophic injuries and died shortly after, the lawsuit says. Paul Slager, a lawyer representing Craig Manders, said: 'There are basic safety standards that businesses are expected to follow ... And those were not followed.' Slager said the lawsuit seeks damages that have not yet been determined and accountability for the death. The company's lawyer, Rodney Gould, said it was not negligent or reckless in connection with the death. He said African Portfolio only arranged the lodging, adding that the owners of the lodging, Chiawa Safaris in Zambia, provided the tour guides. 'It's a horrible tragedy when somebody goes on one of these trips and is injured or killed,' Gould said. 'I think it's important to understand what African Portfolio's role in this is. It's a tour operator. It arranges trips.' African Portfolio said Chiawa arranged the walking safari and guests were accompanied by an experienced and highly trained guide, a ranger and an armed scout. It said Chiawa told authorities that safety measures were implemented before the attack and 'repeated warnings' were issued to guests to return to the safety of the vehicle 'during the incident'. Associated Press Research and respond Do you think African Portfolio should take responsibility for the incident? If so, how? How can safaris better protect their participants so that incidents like these don't happen?
Voice of America
16-02-2025
- Voice of America
US man sues travel company after hippo kills wife on Zambia trip
A New Jersey man whose wife was killed in a horrific hippopotamus attack last year during a safari in Africa is suing the U.S. company that arranged the trip, alleging it failed to ensure their safety and did not adequately screen and supervise the tour guides. Craig and Lisa Manders were on a guided walk in Zambia in June when a hippo charged out of the water, grabbed Lisa Manders by its mouth and crushed her head and body with its bite, according to the lawsuit filed against African Portfolio, a safari tour company based in Greenwich, Connecticut. The company denies the lawsuit's allegations. The lawsuit, filed Feb. 5 in Stamford, Connecticut, alleges that as a horrified Craig Manders watched the attack, the tour guides — including at least one armed with a rifle — walked away without helping the couple. Lisa Manders, 70, suffered catastrophic injuries and died shortly after, the lawsuit says. "We're doing this because this should never have happened," said Paul Slager, an attorney who is representing Craig Manders with his law partner, Nicole Coates. "There are basic safety standards that businesses are expected to follow, and that includes people in the safari tour industry. And those were not followed, and the consequences here were absolutely devastating." Slager said the lawsuit seeks monetary damages that have not yet been determined, as well as accountability for Lisa Manders' death and keeping others safe in the future. He said Craig Manders was not giving interviews. The Manderses, of Cranford, New Jersey, were on a special anniversary trip and it was their first time in Africa, Slager said. Lisa Manders had worked in the financial industry for over 40 years and loved cooking, traveling and visiting New York City, where she was born in Queens in 1953, according to her obituary. The couple had three children and a granddaughter. The company's lawyer, Rodney Gould, said it was not negligent or reckless in connection with Lisa Manders' death. He said African Portfolio only arranged the couple's lodging and the owners of the lodging, Chiawa Safaris in Zambia, provided the tour guides. "It's a horrible tragedy when somebody goes on one of these trips and is injured or killed. It's awful," Gould said. "I think it's important to understand what African Portfolio's role in this is. It's a tour operator. It arranges trips. It puts together the pieces." He added, "My client didn't conduct the safari. It arranged it. It booked all the components." Gould also said the company was not negligent in vetting Chiawa, because it has an excellent reputation. He said African Portfolio will either ask a judge to dismiss the lawsuit or request that the matter go to arbitration, which was a condition of an agreement the Manderses signed for the trip. In a statement, African Portfolio did not directly address the lawsuit. It said Chiawa arranged the walking safari and guests were accompanied by an experienced and highly trained guide, a ranger and an armed National Park scout. It said Chiawa told authorities that safety measures were implemented before the attack and "repeated warnings" were issued to guests to return to the safety of the vehicle "during the incident." Asked whether the guests were warned about the hippo before the attack, African Portfolio said in an email only that "the statement is an accurate reflection of the events as we understand them." Gould declined to comment. The company also said its founder flew to Zambia immediately after the attack and joined Chiawa's owner in ensuring that "everything possible was being done to support the family and all those involved. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the family, and everyone else involved in this tragic incident." The lawsuit, which does not mention Chiawa, says African safaris are "inherently dangerous activities" because of the unpredictability and sometime aggressive nature of wild animals, and they require careful planning and execution to be completed safely. It says African Portfolio vetted and oversaw the tour guides and vouched that they were competent, qualified and trained to keep people safe. The suit alleges that African Portfolio "encouraged and/or permitted" the Manderses to be exposed to an "avoidable and highly dangerous encounter with a dangerous hippopotamus in the Zambian wilderness." It also accuses the company of failing to provide safe conditions during the wilderness walk and failing to ensure that the tour guides were adequately selected, screened, supervised and trained to provide a safe experience. African Portfolio also failed to take adequate steps to protect the Manderses before and during the attack, the suit alleges. Hippos are the world's second-largest land mammals after elephants, measuring about 3.5 meters long and about 1.5 meters tall, according to International Fund for Animal Welfare. The average male hippo weighs about 3,200 kilograms. Hippos are known to be territorial and aggressive at times. A year before Lisa Manders died, seven people were killed in the southern African nation of Malawi when a hippo charged into a canoe and capsized it on a river. Estimates of how many people are killed by hippos each year vary, with lower figures beginning at around 500. Lisa Manders suffered "significant premorbid fear and emotional pain, suffering and mental anguish" before her death, the suit says. Craig Manders suffered severe and debilitating emotional and psychological injuries that have made it difficult for him to cope with daily routines, it says. The lawsuit is seeking damages on allegations of negligence and recklessness. "He's suing both for the loss of his wife and the impact that has on him and his life," Slager said. "And he also has a claim for having witnessed what happened to her, having seen the attack, which is unthinkable. It's unimaginable."
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Husband of NJ woman killed by hippo on African safari sues tour company
A New Jersey man whose wife was mauled to death by a hippo on an African safari has sued the tour company that organized the trip. Craig Manders, 72, of Cranford, claims Connecticut-based African Portfolio was negligent and therefore liable for the death of his wife, Lisa Manders, according to NBC News. Lisa, 70, was killed on June 5, 2024, while visiting Zambia alongside her husband and other members of a safari tour group. The lawsuit says Manders was killed when a 'hippopotamus violently attacked her… crushing her head and body with its bite,' USA Today reported. According to the lawsuit, the tour group was on a 'bush walk' through Lower Zambezi National Park when it encountered the hippo by itself near a riverbank, NBC News reported. Hippos are known as fiercely territorial animals and, despite their immense size, they can reach speeds of 20 mph over short distances when they feel threatened. However, the lawsuit says tour guides encouraged the Manders and other visitors to approach the edge of the riverbank for a view of the hippo, according to The hippo then roared out of the water and killed Lisa Manders. 'Had we understood the dangers posed by the hippopotamus, we never would have agreed to be in such close contact while on foot,' her husband told NBC News in a statement from his attorneys. A lawyer for African Portfolio said the company was not responsible for the tragedy, describing it as a go-between for American tourists and African safari tours. 'My client is a tour operator. It organizes tours,' Rod Gould told NBC News. 'A trip, for example, might include airfare. We're not responsible if the airline loses luggage.'
CBS News
13-02-2025
- CBS News
New Jersey man whose wife was killed in hippo attack in Africa sues safari tour company
A New Jersey man whose wife was killed in a horrific hippopotamus attack last year during a safari in Africa is suing the U.S. company that arranged the trip, alleging it failed to ensure their safety and did not adequately screen and supervise the tour guides. Craig and Lisa Manders were on a guided walk in Zambia in June when a hippo charged out of the water, grabbed Lisa Manders by its mouth and crushed her head and body with its bite, according to the lawsuit filed against African Portfolio, a safari tour company based in Greenwich, Connecticut. The company denies the lawsuit's allegations. The lawsuit, filed Feb. 5 in Stamford, Connecticut, alleges that as a horrified Craig Manders watched the attack, the tour guides - including at least one armed with a rifle - walked away without helping the couple. Lisa Manders, 70, suffered catastrophic injuries and died shortly after, the lawsuit says. "We're doing this because this should never have happened," said Paul Slager, an attorney who is representing Craig Manders with his law partner, Nicole Coates. "There are basic safety standards that businesses are expected to follow, and that includes people in the safari tour industry. And those were not followed, and the consequences here were absolutely devastating." Slager said the lawsuit seeks monetary damages that have not yet been determined, as well as accountability for Lisa Manders' death and keeping others safe in the future. He said Craig Manders was not giving interviews. The Manders, of Cranford, New Jersey, were on a special anniversary trip and it was their first time in Africa, Slager said. Lisa Manders had worked in the financial industry for over 40 years and loved cooking, traveling and visiting New York City, where she was born in Queens in 1953, according to her obituary. The couple had three children and a granddaughter. Phone and email messages were left for African Portfolio. The company's lawyer, Rodney Gould, said it was not negligent or reckless in connection with Lisa Manders' death. He said African Portfolio only arranged the couple's lodging and the owners of the lodging, Chiawa Safaris in Zambia, provided the tour guides. "It's a horrible tragedy when somebody goes on one of these trips and is injured or killed. It's awful," Gould said. "I think it's important to understand what African Portfolio's role in this is. It's a tour operator. It arranges trips. It puts together the pieces." He added, "My client didn't conduct the safari. It arranged it. It booked all the components." Gould also said the company was not negligent in vetting Chiawa, because it has an excellent reputation. He said African Portfolio will either ask a judge to dismiss the lawsuit or request that the matter go to arbitration, which was a condition of an agreement the Manders signed for the trip. Email messages were left for Chiawa and its attorney. The lawsuit, which does not mention Chiawa, says African safaris are "inherently dangerous activities" because of the unpredictability and sometime aggressive nature of wild animals, and they require careful planning and execution to be completed safely. It says African Portfolio vetted and oversaw the tour guides and vouched that they were competent, qualified and trained to keep people safe. The suit alleges that African Portfolio "encouraged and/or permitted" the Manders to be exposed to an "avoidable and highly dangerous encounter with a dangerous hippopotamus in the Zambian wilderness." It also accuses the company of failing to provide safe conditions during the wilderness walk and failing to ensure that the tour guides were adequately selected, screened, supervised and trained to provide a safe experience. African Portfolio also failed to take adequate steps to protect the Manders before and during the attack, the suit alleges. Hippos are the world's second-largest land mammals after elephants, measuring about 11 feet long and about 5 feet tall, according to International Fund for Animal Welfare. The average male hippo weighs about 7,000 pounds. Hippos are known to be territorial and aggressive at times. A year before Lisa Manders died, seven people were killed in the southern African nation of Malawi when a hippo charged into a canoe and capsized it on a river. Estimates of how many people are killed by hippos each year vary, with lower figures beginning at around 500. In 2018, a Chinese tourist and a local fisherman were killed in hippo attacks in the same day in Kenya. Lisa Manders suffered "significant premorbid fear and emotional pain, suffering and mental anguish" before her death, the suit says. Craig Manders suffered severe and debilitating emotional and psychological injuries that have made it difficult for him to cope with daily routines, it says. The lawsuit is seeking damages on allegations of negligence and recklessness. "He's suing both for the loss of his wife and the impact that has on him and his life," Slager said. "And he also has a claim for having witnessed what happened to her, having seen the attack, which is unthinkable. It's unimaginable." Last year, two American women were also killed by elephants in Zambia. In June 2024, officials said Juliana Gle Tourneau, 64, of New Mexico, was killed when an elephant that was part of a herd the tourists were watching attacked their vehicle in the Zambian city of Livingstone. In March 2024, Gail Mattson, a 79-year-old Minnesotan, was killed during a game drive in Zambia's Kafue National Park. In that incident, an elephant charged a truck, flipped it over, killed the tourist, and injured five others.
The Independent
13-02-2025
- The Independent
Man whose wife was killed in a hippo attack in Africa sues the US company that booked the trip
A New Jersey man whose wife was killed in a horrific hippopotamus attack last year during a safari in Africa is suing the U.S. company that arranged the trip, alleging it failed to ensure their safety and did not adequately screen and supervise the tour guides. Craig and Lisa Manders were on a guided walk in Zambia in June when a hippo charged out of the water, grabbed Lisa Manders by its mouth and crushed her head and body with its bite, according to the lawsuit filed against African Portfolio, a safari tour company based in Greenwich, Connecticut. The company denies the lawsuit's allegations. The lawsuit, filed Feb. 5 in Stamford, Connecticut, alleges that as a horrified Craig Manders watched the attack, the tour guides — including at least one armed with a rifle — walked away without helping the couple. Lisa Manders, 70, suffered catastrophic injuries and died shortly after, the lawsuit says. 'We're doing this because this should never have happened,' said Paul Slager, an attorney who is representing Craig Manders with his law partner, Nicole Coates. 'There are basic safety standards that businesses are expected to follow, and that includes people in the safari tour industry. And those were not followed, and the consequences here were absolutely devastating.' Slager said the lawsuit seeks monetary damages that have not yet been determined, as well as accountability for Lisa Manders' death and keeping others safe in the future. He said Craig Manders was not giving interviews. The Manders, of Cranford, New Jersey, were on a special anniversary trip and it was their first time in Africa, Slager said. Lisa Manders had worked in the financial industry for over 40 years and loved cooking, traveling and visiting New York City, where she was born in Queens in 1953, according to her obituary. The couple had three children and a granddaughter. Phone and email messages were left for African Portfolio. The company's lawyer, Rodney Gould, said it was not negligent or reckless in connection with Lisa Manders' death. He said African Portfolio only arranged the couple's lodging and the owners of the lodging, Chiawa Safaris in Zambia, provided the tour guides. 'It's a horrible tragedy when somebody goes on one of these trips and is injured or killed. It's awful,' Gould said. 'I think it's important to understand what African Portfolio's role in this is. It's a tour operator. It arranges trips. It puts together the pieces.' He added, 'My client didn't conduct the safari. It arranged it. It booked all the components.' Gould also said the company was not negligent in vetting Chiawa, because it has an excellent reputation. He said African Portfolio will either ask a judge to dismiss the lawsuit or request that the matter go to arbitration, which was a condition of an agreement the Manders signed for the trip. Email messages were left for Chiawa and its attorney. The lawsuit, which does not mention Chiawa, says African safaris are 'inherently dangerous activities' because of the unpredictability and sometime aggressive nature of wild animals, and they require careful planning and execution to be completed safely. It says African Portfolio vetted and oversaw the tour guides and vouched that they were competent, qualified and trained to keep people safe. The suit alleges that African Portfolio 'encouraged and/or permitted' the Manders to be exposed to an 'avoidable and highly dangerous encounter with a dangerous hippopotamus in the Zambian wilderness.' It also accuses the company of failing to provide safe conditions during the wilderness walk and failing to ensure that the tour guides were adequately selected, screened, supervised and trained to provide a safe experience. African Portfolio also failed to take adequate steps to protect the Manders before and during the attack, the suit alleges. Hippos are the world's second-largest land mammals after elephants, measuring about 11 feet (3.5 meters) long and about 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, according to International Fund for Animal Welfare. The average male hippo weighs about 7,000 pounds (3,200 kilograms). Hippos are known to be territorial and aggressive at times. A year before Lisa Manders died, seven people were killed in the southern African nation of Malawi when a hippo charged into a canoe and capsized it on a river. Estimates of how many people are killed by hippos each year vary, with lower figures beginning at around 500. Lisa Manders suffered 'significant premorbid fear and emotional pain, suffering and mental anguish' before her death, the suit says. Craig Manders suffered severe and debilitating emotional and psychological injuries that have made it difficult for him to cope with daily routines, it says. The lawsuit is seeking damages on allegations of negligence and recklessness. 'He's suing both for the loss of his wife and the impact that has on him and his life," Slager said. 'And he also has a claim for having witnessed what happened to her, having seen the attack, which is unthinkable. It's unimaginable.'
