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Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
'Strong candidate' India upbeat about 2030 Commonwealth Games after delegation visit
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox NEW DELHI – Robust backing from the government and a desire to stage big-ticket events make India a strong candidate to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, a top Indian Olympic Association (IOA) official told Reuters. The world's most populous nation is bidding for the 2030 edition of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad to boost its bigger dream of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games at the western Indian city. A Commonwealth Sports delegation visited Ahmedabad last week to share their experience from the previous Games and help the Indian organisers prepare a comprehensive bid to be submitted by the August 31 deadline. "First and foremost, the mood of the country is upbeat for sporting activities and there is strong will of the government to host global sporting events," IOA executive council member Harpal Singh said by telephone. "India wants to host larger sporting events - be it Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, or Olympics - and we have the full backing of the government. "The existing infrastructure is very good and the roadmap for future infrastructure gave a lot of confidence to the delegation." "Overall, I would say India is a very strong candidate and we'll be very competent to host the 2030 Games," said Singh. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Luxury items seized in $3b money laundering case handed over to Deloitte for liquidation Singapore NEL, Sengkang LRT resume service after hours-long power fault; Punggol LRT being restored Singapore Live: Services on Punggol LRT being progressively restored Singapore Plan to base Singapore's F-15 fighter jets in Guam cancelled Singapore Hyflux investigator 'took advantage' of Olivia Lum's inability to recall events: Davinder Singh Singapore Man who stabbed son-in-law to death at Boon Tat Street in 2017 dies, aged 80 Singapore Scoot to launch flights to Chiang Rai, Okinawa, Tokyo-Haneda, boost frequency to other places Singapore Off-duty SCDF officer dies after accident in Punggol; 15-year-old pillion rider taken to hospital The IOA is not taking anything for granted though, and is making sure Ahmedabad ticks every box to be unveiled as the host city at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow in November. "The delegation is looking into various issues - like sustainability, gender-balance and eco-friendliness," said Singh, also a member of the sports committee of the Commonwealth federation. "They are looking particularly into the sustainability issue. The Games has to be sustainable beyond 2030 and must also align with the UN sustainable development goals. "It must inspire the youth of the Commonwealth community while showcasing our diverse culture." India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, but the event was blighted by allegations of corruption and mismanagement. The country is determined to make a better impression in 2030 to bolster its bid to host the Olympic Games six years later. "We've not hosted (since 2010) a major sports event with so many countries across all six regions," Singh said. "So it will be a right step in that direction for our final dream of 2036." Canada and Nigeria are also in the fray to host the 2030 edition of the Games featuring athletes from 70-odd Commonwealth nations and territories. REUTERS
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Israel bombards Gaza City overnight; Hamas leader due in Cairo in bid to salvage ceasefire talks
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A view shows military vehicles on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza, as seen from Israel, August 12, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad CAIRO - Israeli planes and tanks kept bombarding eastern areas of Gaza City overnight, killing at least 11 people, witnesses and medics said on Tuesday, with Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya due in Cairo for talks to revive a U.S.-backed ceasefire plan. The latest round of indirect talks in Qatar ended in deadlock in late July with Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas trading blame over the lack of progress on a U.S. proposal for a 60-day truce and hostage release deal. Israel has since said it will launch a new offensive and seize control of Gaza City, which it captured shortly after the war's outbreak in October 2023 before pulling out. Militants regrouped and have waged largely guerrilla-style war since then. It is unclear how long a new Israeli military incursion into the sprawling city in north Gaza, now widely reduced to rubble, could last or how it would differ from the earlier operation. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to expand military control over Gaza, expected to be launched in October, has increased a global outcry over the widespread devastation of the territory and a hunger crisis spreading among Gaza's largely homeless population of over two million. It has also stirred criticism in Israel, with the military chief of staff warning it could endanger surviving hostages and prove a death trap for Israeli soldiers. It has also raised fears of further displacement and hardship among the estimated one million Palestinians in the Gaza City region. Witnesses and medics said Israeli planes and tanks pounded eastern districts of Gaza City again overnight, killing seven people in two houses in the Zeitoun suburb and four in an apartment building in the city centre. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Luxury items seized in $3b money laundering case handed over to Deloitte for liquidation Singapore NEL, Sengkang LRT resume service after hours-long power fault; Punggol LRT being restored Singapore Live: Services on Punggol LRT being progressively restored Singapore Plan to base Singapore's F-15 fighter jets in Guam cancelled Singapore Hyflux investigator 'took advantage' of Olivia Lum's inability to recall events: Davinder Singh Singapore Man who stabbed son-in-law to death at Boon Tat Street in 2017 dies, aged 80 Singapore Scoot to launch flights to Chiang Rai, Okinawa, Tokyo-Haneda, boost frequency to other places Singapore Off-duty SCDF officer dies after accident in Punggol; 15-year-old pillion rider taken to hospital In the south of the enclave, five people including a couple and their child were killed by an Israeli airstrike on a house in the city of Khan Younis and four by a strike on a tent encampment in nearby, coastal Mawasi, medics said. The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports and that its forces take precautions to mitigate civilian harm. Separately, it said on Tuesday that its forces had killed dozens of militants in north Gaza over the past month and destroyed more tunnels used by militants in the area. MORE DEATHS FROM STARVATION, MALNUTRITION Five more people, including two children, have died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the territory's health ministry said. The new deaths raised the number of deaths from the same causes to 227, including 103 children, since the war started, it added. Israel disputes the malnutrition fatality figures reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave. The war began on October 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants stormed over the border into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures, in the country's worst ever security lapse. Israel's ground and air war against the Islamist Hamas in Gaza since then has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, left much of the enclave in ruins and wrought a humanitarian disaster with grave shortages of food, drinking water and safe shelter. Netanyahu, whose far-right ultranationalist coalition allies want an outright Israeli takeover and re-settlement of Gaza, has vowed the war will not end until Hamas is eradicated. A Palestinian official with knowledge of the ceasefire talks said Hamas was prepared to return to the negotiating table. However, the gaps between the sides appear to remain wide on key issues including the extent of any Israeli military withdrawal and demands for Hamas to disarm, which it has ruled out before a Palestinian state is established. An Arab diplomat said mediators Egypt and Qatar have not given up on reviving the negotiations and that Israel's decision to announce its new Gaza City offensive plan may not be a bluff but served to bring Hamas back to the negotiating table. REUTERS
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Poland manager says Lewandowski wants to return to national team
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox WARSAW - Robert Lewandowski wants to play for his country again, Poland manager Jan Urban said on Tuesday, after the Barcelona striker quit the national team amid a row over the previous coach's decision to replace him as captain. Urban was named in July to replace Michal Probierz, who resigned in June amid the spat over his decision to take the captain's armband away from Poland's all-time top scorer and hand it to Inter Milan's Piotr Zielinski. Poland sit third in their World Cup qualifying group behind Finland and the Netherlands and Lewandowski is widely seen as vital to their hopes of reaching next year's tournament. "I spoke with Robert Lewandowski by phone and asked if he wanted to come back," Urban told private broadcaster RMF FM. "He said yes. So we've taken a step forward." Asked whether Lewandowski would become captain again, Urban said discussions on the topic were ongoing. "I wouldn't just like to talk to Robert, but also to those involved - Piotr Zielinski and the players on the team council. The decision will be mine, but I'd like to listen to the players and find out what they think." Poland's next World Cup qualifier is against the Netherlands away on September 4 before they host Finland three days later. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Luxury items seized in $3b money laundering case handed over to Deloitte for liquidation Singapore NEL, Sengkang LRT resume service after hours-long power fault; Punggol LRT being restored Singapore Live: Services on Punggol LRT being progressively restored Singapore Plan to base Singapore's F-15 fighter jets in Guam cancelled Singapore Hyflux investigator 'took advantage' of Olivia Lum's inability to recall events: Davinder Singh Singapore Man who stabbed son-in-law to death at Boon Tat Street in 2017 dies, aged 80 Singapore Scoot to launch flights to Chiang Rai, Okinawa, Tokyo-Haneda, boost frequency to other places Singapore Off-duty SCDF officer dies after accident in Punggol; 15-year-old pillion rider taken to hospital Lewandowski, 36, has scored 85 goals in 158 appearances for Poland. REUTERS
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Straits Times
Jail for woman who forged medical documents in bid to quickly withdraw her CPF funds
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Although the CPFB saw through the ruse and did not disburse any funds to her, the prosecution said Nasuha Zakaria's crime constituted serious mischief. SINGAPORE – In a ploy to withdraw money from her Central Provident Fund (CPF) account before the permitted age of 55 , a woman forged two medical documents claiming she had a respiratory illness. Al though the CPF Board (CPFB) saw through the ruse and did not disburse any funds to her, the prosecution said Nasuha Zakaria's crime constituted serious mischief. On Aug 12, the 34-year-old was sentenced to five months and 10 weeks' jail after she pleaded guilty to one forgery charge and two unrelated charges of theft. Four other charges of theft, forgery and fraudulently possessing property were taken into consideration during sentencing. Deputy Public Prosecutor Nivethaa Ravintharan said the scheme Nasuha tried to exploit was intended for individuals with a reduced life expectancy, those who are permanently unfit for work, or those lacking mental capacity. The prosecutor added: 'CPF is a government body, and this is a situation where the public confidence is at stake.' The court heard that in 2021, the CPFB received two medical certification forms from Nasuha. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Luxury items seized in $3b money laundering case handed over to Deloitte for liquidation Singapore NEL, Sengkang LRT resume service after hours-long power fault; Punggol LRT being restored Singapore Live: Services on Punggol LRT being progressively restored Singapore Plan to base Singapore's F-15 fighter jets in Guam cancelled Singapore Hyflux investigator 'took advantage' of Olivia Lum's inability to recall events: Davinder Singh Singapore Man who stabbed son-in-law to death at Boon Tat Street in 2017 dies, aged 80 Singapore Scoot to launch flights to Chiang Rai, Okinawa, Tokyo-Haneda, boost frequency to other places Singapore Off-duty SCDF officer dies after accident in Punggol; 15-year-old pillion rider taken to hospital The forms were purportedly issued by doctors from Singapore General Hospital and certified that Nasuha suffered from a respiratory illness. When verifying the authenticity of these documents, CPFB discovered that the signatures on the doctor's columns did not seem legitimate. CPFB wrote in to SGH, who replied that none of their doctors had signed on the two documents. It was then that Nasuha admitted she had signed the documents herself, as she wanted to quickly withdraw funds from her CPF account. According to CPF's website, successful applicants under the scheme may withdraw $5,000 or more. DPP Nivethaa said: 'While there was no monetary loss on the part of CPF, such attempts should be strongly deterred as it endangers CPF's primary interest in ensuring the long-term financial security of individuals.' Separately, Nasuha committed two theft offences in January. On Jan 7, she entered an unlocked office in a commercial building along Changi Road when its staff had left for lunch, and stole two laptops and an iPad amounting to about $4,500. Using the 'Find my iPhone' app, a staff member found that one of the items was at Nasuha's residential address. She was subsequently arrested. But she struck again on Jan 25, this time stealing a mobile phone and $800 cash from a store along Lorong 11 Geylang when the store's owner was not at the counter. The owner saw the taxi she fled in and reported it to the police. She was arrested but the stolen items were not recovered. The court heard that Nasuha was previously fined for theft and jailed for abetment of cheating. Ms Victoria Tay from the Public Defender's Office said her client, who is married with a daughter, has plans to continue her studies and find proper employment moving forward. 'This is going to be the end of her criminal behaviour. She is committed to changing her ways,' said Ms Tay.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Dubai runners beat the heat at city's first Mallathon
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox People participate in a race during the Dubai Mallathon in City Centre Mirdif Mall, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 9, 2025. REUTERS/Raghed Waked At Dubai's newest racecourse, the finish line is just past the food court. On Aug. 1, the city launched the Dubai Mallathon: a month-long fitness initiative that converts familiar commercial spaces into indoor running paths every day of August. Nine of Dubai's malls - including one of the world's largest, the Dubai Mall - are opening their doors early at 7 a.m. this month to welcome walkers and runners, offering a cool alternative to outdoor exercise during the peak of summer heat. On weekdays, it is a casual, go-at-your-own-pace vibe. But come Saturdays and Sundays, the Mallathon kicks into high gear with formal 2.5-kilometre (km), 5-km, and 10-km races - complete with medals, prizes and bragging rights for top finishers. "The response from all classes of society has been overwhelming," said Fawzia Faridoon, the Dubai Sports Council's head of community events. Dubai's inaugural Mallathon coincides with a summer of record-breaking heat - giving residents a reason to lace up their sneakers without having to brave the scorching sun. Multiple runners stressed that the soaring temperatures make outdoor exercise nearly impossible, and said the Mallathon offers a welcome alternative. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Luxury items seized in $3b money laundering case handed over to Deloitte for liquidation Singapore NEL, Sengkang LRT resume service after hours-long power fault; Punggol LRT being restored Singapore Live: Services on Punggol LRT being progressively restored Singapore Plan to base Singapore's F-15 fighter jets in Guam cancelled Singapore Hyflux investigator 'took advantage' of Olivia Lum's inability to recall events: Davinder Singh Singapore Man who stabbed son-in-law to death at Boon Tat Street in 2017 dies, aged 80 Singapore Scoot to launch flights to Chiang Rai, Okinawa, Tokyo-Haneda, boost frequency to other places Singapore Off-duty SCDF officer dies after accident in Punggol; 15-year-old pillion rider taken to hospital "Oftentimes I want to go out for a run in the evenings and it's really bad," said Aswati Vadakkeppattu, noting that she's usually forced to stick to indoor treadmills in the summertime. "An initiative like this, inside the mall, it's wonderful." REUTERS
