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Business Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Business Times
President's Challenge 2025 to support 52 organisations, with focus on longer-term funding
[SINGAPORE] The President's Challenge 2025, which was launched on Wednesday (May 28) by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, will support 60 programmes by 52 organisations. Although this is fewer than the 88 programmes supported in 2024, the initiative aims to focus on more significant and longer-term funding for beneficiaries. The refreshed President's Challenge this year received applications from 272 programmes – more than twice the number in 2024. In a doorstop interview with the media, Tharman said: 'The happy problem we face is that we've had a lot more applications for this new President's Challenge. And we could therefore afford to be selective, choose programmes which we felt had the greatest potential, and yet cover a broad ground.' Six selected programmes that have established track records will receive a higher tier of funding of S$715,000 to S$1.25 million over five years. The other 54 programmes will receive funding of S$105,000 to S$300,000 for each programme over three years. One of the six programmes is Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore's (RDA) equine-assisted activities. Meanwhile, one of the 54 programmes is Playeum's Open Minds, Open Doors programme. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up RDA currently runs therapeutic riding sessions for persons with disabilities, as well as the Ground Programme, in which beneficiaries can get involved with activities such as horse care. Gerard Sivalingam, general manager of RDA, said: 'We use horses as a form of therapy… (The beneficiaries) see joy in what they are doing. What we offer them is a hobby and something that's not easily accessible.' He added that the funding from the President's Challenge is vital in keeping the programmes free of charge, especially amid rising costs. Meanwhile, one of the 54 programmes is Playeum's Open Minds, Open Doors initiative, which has been ongoing since 2019. It is a community play programme for children with disabilities. Charlotte Goh, executive director of Playeum, said: '(Open-ended play) enables social and emotional skills and 21st century skills like critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, self-regulation and self-awareness.' As part of the programme, Playeum also runs workshops for parents to learn about children's holistic development and family bonding through play. It has developed manuals that can be used by both parents and educators. Tharman added: 'All the programmes we're supporting aim not just at meeting immediate needs, but uplifting people, by discovering talents and developing their potential.' In addition, the S$250 million SG Gives Matching Grant announced at Budget 2025 will provide dollar-for-dollar matching by the government for all donations to the President's Challenge. New fellowships This year's President Challenge includes new fellowships, which will cover three tracks. The first track, called Civil Action, offers one or two-year sabbaticals to those who have a minimum of five years of work or active volunteering experience. It is supported by Quantedge Foundation, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Social Sciences. Tharman said: '(This track) is to enable people who are engaged in the social sector – in social work, social services, youth work, and even active volunteers from other professions – the time and opportunity to reflect, do some research, network and develop new ideas for social impact.' The second track, called Springboard, supports individuals who have faced challenges in life and are ready to enter the workforce or become an entrepreneur. The selected fellows can choose between employment and upskilling programmes either for employment or entrepreneurship. Springboard is supported by the Singapore Institute of Management and Temasek. It aims to help individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, ex-offenders, women facing vulnerable circumstances, and more. The third track is ITE Inspire, which recognises alumni from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) who have made strides in their career and can act as role models for the younger generation. ITE Inspire is also supported by Singapore Business Federation Foundation. ITE will shortlist and select up to five awardees. These awardees will organise programmes such as mentoring, learning journeys and industry visits in Singapore and/or overseas, and workshops or fireside chats to benefit the ITE community. More opportunities in arts and sports The President's Challenge has also partnered the National Arts Council (NAC) and Sport Singapore (SportSG) to broaden opportunities for beneficiaries in the arts and sports sectors. The Enabling Sports Fund aims to expand community-initiated disability sports and support early identification of talents among young persons with disabilities. Under the partnership, the President's Challenge will also enhance access to sports for all via SportSG's academies and clubs, as well as more inter-school sports competitions and carnivals. It will also help NAC and SportSG expand their scholarship offerings.
Daily Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Hugh Grant calls for tech ban in schools
Bang Showbiz | Los Angeles Hugh Grant has blasted 'pathetic' schools and called for a ban on laptops and tablets in the classroom. The father-of-five joined the campaign group Close Screens, Open Minds at an event at a school in west London, where he aired his frustrations alongside social psychologist Dr Jonathan Haidt and actress Sophie Winkleman. According to The Telegraph newspaper, Grant described himself as 'another angry parent fighting the eternal, exhausting and depressive battle with children who only want to be on a screen'. He went on: 'The final straw was when the school started saying, with some smugness, we give every child a Chromebook, and they do a lot of lessons on their Chromebook, and they do all their homework on their Chromebook, and you just thought that is the last thing they need, and the last thing we need.'
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First Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- First Post
France bars Telegram founder Pavel Durov from visiting US for a business trip
Russian-born Durov is currently under judicial supervision in France, holed up in Paris' glitzy Crillon hotel after being placed under formal investigation for alleged organized crime on Telegram. read more French authorities have refused to grant Telegram founder Pavel Durov permission to travel to the United States for meetings with potential investors, citing a lack of justification for the trip. The Paris prosecutor's office said the decision was made on May 12, stating that Durov's request to travel 'did not appear imperative or justified', as reported by POLITICO. The denial comes amid ongoing legal proceedings against the tech entrepreneur. Durov, a dual citizen of France and the United Arab Emirates, has been under judicial supervision in France since his arrest at a French airport in August 2024. He was formally indicted in September on six charges linked to illegal activity conducted via Telegram, the encrypted messaging platform he operates. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Durov must seek official approval for any international travel as part of his bail conditions. He was previously authorised to visit Dubai between March 15 and April 7. His legal team in France did not immediately respond to media queries, and his U.S. spokesperson has also remained silent on the matter. Durov's relationship with French authorities has grown increasingly strained in recent months. On the day of Romania's presidential election runoff, he accused the French government — including Nicolas Lerner, head of the country's foreign intelligence service — of pressuring him to silence conservative voices on Telegram ahead of the vote. French officials swiftly and strongly rejected the accusation. The Telegram founder's restricted mobility and deepening clash with Paris come at a time when his platform faces mounting scrutiny over its role in facilitating unmoderated content and encrypted communications. The arrest of Durov last year ignited a debate about free speech online. Musk, who criticized the arrest of Durov, is also being probed by French prosecutors over alleged algorithmic bias on X. Musk has used X to personally support right-wing parties and causes in countries including Germany and Britain, leading to concerns about undue foreign interference. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier this month, OpenMinds, a tech company focused on countering authoritarian influence, said it found that 24% of Romanian-language Telegram channels were spreading what it called Kremlin-backed disinformation. Telegram said at the time users receive only the content they explicitly subscribe to.
Euronews
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Romania grapples with disinformation ahead of presidential run-off
Romanians continue to grapple with a deluge of disinformation as they prepare to head to the ballots on Sunday in a presidential run-off set to go down to the wire. A recent survey suggests the vote is on a knife edge between Eurosceptic ultra-nationalist George Simion — who won a commanding first-round victory earlier this month — and pro-EU centrist Nicușor Dan. The presidential election was initially held last November but annulled when declassified Romanian intelligence alleged that a "state actor" had coordinated a TikTok campaign for first-round winner Călin Georgescu, a little-known outsider with extreme views. Georgescu was barred from the re-run, sparking outrage among his supporters at home and abroad. Experts are now warning that the second attempt at the election remains vulnerable to foreign-sponsored disinformation campaigns that aim to sow distrust and division. Analysts at defence tech company Open Minds say that almost a quarter of Romanian networks on the Telegram messaging app are "closely linked to Russian pro-Kremlin media" that disseminate misleading or false narratives about the vote. They describe these as "conduit" channels that aim to amplify Russian propaganda and state-sponsored content in both Romanian and English. OpenMinds has recorded 103 such posts per month on average since 2022. While Telegram is not widely used among Romanians, it is used to mobilise "hardline" voters and as a springboard for campaigns on other platforms. According to Romanian intelligence services, Georgescu's TikTok campaign in November was coordinated by a Telegram group which shared advice on how to mislead the Chinese-owned platform's content verification systems. The predominant narratives circulating online ahead of Sunday's vote include vague accusations of crimes committed by the Romanian government against its citizens, unfounded allegations of "massive electoral fraud" or claims Sunday's vote had already been cancelled. Speaking to Euroverify, Dr Madalina Botan, associate professor at the National University of Political Science and Administration, said disinformation narratives risk deepening voter apathy and distrust. 'There is a very low trust in institutions in Romania — it's an achilles heel. So when you have allegations that the elections have been rigged or will be rigged, then it's very easy to build on that, to amplify public mistrust,' she explained. 'We share borders with Ukraine and Moldova, and being on the EU's eastern flank makes us a frontline state in Russian disinformation and warfare strategies. So that makes us particularly vulnerable,' Botan added. Simion, the leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians who has been polling ahead of his rival in recent weeks, has threatened to withdraw Romanian support for Ukraine until it "respects the rights" of the minority ethnic Romanians living in its territory. He is currently barred from entering Ukraine or Moldova over what Ukraine's Security Services have described as "systematic anti-Ukrainian activities." Euroverify detected instances of electoral disinformation circulating on TikTok, the Chinese-owned company at the heart of the controversy that led to the annulment of the first iteration of the election, in the run-up to Sunday's vote. They included unfounded claims of 'massive' electoral fraud, such as that the diaspora votes would be doubled to skew the vote in favour of pro-EU candidate Nicușor Dan, or that as many as two million deceased people had been kept on the electoral lists, a claim Romania's Interior Ministry has already refuted. We also detected unfounded claims that the election will be cancelled again, despite there being no evidence to support this. Romanian fact-checkers say the claim was first made on a sanctioned pro-Kremlin publication, and is intended to suppress the vote. TikTok is currently being probed by the European Commission in relation to its role in boosting Georgescu's campaign ahead of the first iteration of the vote last November. The European Commissioner for technology, Henna Virkkunen, recently said TikTok has made 'internal changes,' including 'better detection and labelling of political accounts and more Romanian language experts' ahead of the re-run. Yet a study unveiled Thursday by non-profit Global Witness said TikTok's algorithm was pushing nearly three times more far-right content to 'new, politically-balanced users' than any other political content. Global Witness says their study demonstrates TikTok's failures in preventing the platform from 'prioritising far-right content,' saying it could be compromising the integrity of the election yet again. In a report released earlier this week that details evidence of 'algorithm manipulation and instrumentalisation of influencers' on TikTok during the first iteration of the vote, the French cyber agency warns that European nations such as France are vulnerable to similar state-backed campaigns during future elections.
Straits Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Romania braces for wave of disinformation ahead of election second round
A woman looks at a newspaper she bought at a newsstand, following the the first round of the presidential election, in Bucharest, Romania, May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki BUCHAREST - Romania faces a wave of online disinformation ahead of a presidential election runoff this month in which the hard-right looks poised for victory, election observers and analysts say. Hard-right eurosceptic George Simion secured 41% of the vote in Sunday's first round, just five months after another far-right candidate, Calin Georgescu, unexpectedly came first in a ballot that was later annulled due to suspicions of Russian meddling. Simion will now face Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, an independent centrist, in a May 18 run-off in the European Union and NATO member state. Moscow has denied that it was behind a surge in activity on TikTok and other social media platforms late last year favourable to Georgescu. On Monday the Kremlin said he had been arbitrarily thrown out of the race. The Romanian authorities and TikTok both say they have put measures in place to counter disinformation online. However, the European Commission has opened formal proceedings against TikTok over its suspected failure to limit interference in last November's vote. Sorin Ionita, a political analyst, noted the prevalence of inauthentic social media networks backing political parties, which is reminiscent of the situation before the canceled election when TikTok accounts surged. "These are bots definitely," he said of non-political dormant accounts that appear to belong to a lady with a nail salon, or someone who comments on football or cars, and which suddenly begin to post political content and get thousands of views. OpenMinds, a tech company focused on countering authoritarian influence, said its investigation found that 24% of Romanian-language Telegram channels are spreading what it called Kremlin-backed disinformation. The report said one in four messages on these channels promotes material from Russian state media and other pro-Kremlin sources. Since early 2022, 48 Telegram channels have posted over 4,000 entries aimed at undermining trust in democratic institutions and fueling conspiracy theories, including claims of a "coup" following the cancellation of the 2024 election, OpenMinds told Reuters. Telegram did not reply immediately to Reuters' request for comment. It says online that it believes the most effective way to combat misinformation "is to give readers the tools and information to scrutinize the media they consume." The 38-year-old Simion's TikTok films combine nationalist rhetoric with an emotionally charged delivery and often use direct-to-camera speeches, footage from political gatherings and behind-the-scenes clips to hone a sense of personal connection. It is a recipe perfected by Georgescu and other political parties are copying this style, Ionita said. REAL ANGER Ionita added that much of the suspicious content on online accounts reflected real anger in society. "They probably amplify the noise, but the noise is mostly generated internally," he said. Benefiting from a wave of popular frustration against mainstream leaders, Simion opposes military aid to neighbouring Ukraine, is critical of the EU leadership and says he is aligned with the U.S. president's Make America Great Again movement. While the interior ministry said on Monday that it had not observed any significant irregularities during the voting process, it said it remains vigilant. James E. Trainor III, Commissioner of the U.S. Federal Election Commission which is observing the Romanian election, told Reuters in Bucharest that authorities had to "walk a very fine line" when regulating social media so as not to curtail people's ability to communicate. "The best way for this process is to do exactly what (Romanian election authorities) are doing, and that is to talk directly to the people that run those sites," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
