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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
New Zealand hang tough to beat Argentina 41-24
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Winger Sevu Reece and substitute hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho scored two tries each as New Zealand saw off an Argentina resurgence to open their Rugby Championship campaign with a 41-24 win in Cordoba on Saturday. Cortez Ratima and Ardie Saves also scored tries for New Zealand while Rodrigo Isgro, Tomas Albornoz and Joaquin Oviedo went over for the home team. Beauden Barrett kicked a penalty and four conversions while Albornoz slotted over penalty and three conversions for a personal tally of 14 points. The All Blacks' superiority showed through, although they had to see off a second-half surge from Argentina who were 31-10 down at the break but fought back to trail 31-24 before New Zealand closed out the match. The visitors were ahead after four minutes as Barrett set the tone with a penalty before Will Jordan's long pass sent Reece over in the corner to put New Zealand 10-0 up inside the opening 10 minutes. Argentina quickly countered with a try of their own as a long pass out to right winger Isgro reduced the lead to three points. New Zealand powered ahead with three tries before the break as Jordan sliced through from the halfway line to set up Ratima, followed by another try for Ardie Savea who powered over from a lineout drive. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore I want to divorce my husband and be a single mother: More victims speaking up on emotional abuse World Outline emerges of Putin's offer to end his war in Ukraine Singapore Your odds of winning the Toto jackpot? One in 14 million Singapore She won big in Genting, but getting $240k winnings back to Singapore was dicey Opinion Confessions of a born-again Singaporean Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok There was still time for another New Zealand try before the break as their forwards hammered away at the try line before Ratima swung the ball out to Reece and he went over in the corner. Argentina reduced the deficit 11 minutes into the second half as Albornoz attacked the line at pace and dived over as the All Black defence was caught napping. When Billy Proctor was sent to the sin bin, there was renewed hope for the home side and they took advantage of their numerical superiority as Oviedo went over in the 64th minute to make the score 31-24. New Zealand ended Argentine hopes of a recovery, however, as a lineout maul put Taukei'aho over and he added another try to seal the win. The sides meet in Buenos Aires again next Saturday. REUTERS
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Defending champ Jannik Sinner subdues Terence Atmane to reach Cincinnati ATP final
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Italy's Jannik Sinner hitting autographed balls into the crowd after beating Terence Atmane of France on Aug 16. CINCINNATI - World number one Jannik Sinner ruthlessly subdued 136th-ranked Terence Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 on Aug 16 to reach the final of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open. Italy's Sinner, celebrating his 24th birthday, ended French qualifier Atmane's dream run and will now try to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2014-15 to win back-to-back titles in Cincinnati. In the Aug 18 final he will face either world number two Carlos Alcaraz or third-ranked Alexander Zverev, who faced off later on Aug 16. Sinner, tuning up for the US Open in his first tournament since winning Wimbledon, has not dropped a set en route to the final. Atmane gave birthday boy Sinner a Pokemon card shortly before they went on court, but he was in a less giving mood once they were under way. The 23-year-old Frenchman, who beat world number four Taylor Fritz and ninth-ranked Holger Rune to reach the semis, looked right at home in the biggest match of his career, using his powerful lefty forehand to good effect. But Sinner surrendered just three points in his first six service games as they went to the tiebreaker with neither man facing a break point. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore First-half GDP boost likely temporary; Republic must stay relevant amid challenges: Chan Chun Sing Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok Singapore Airport-bound public bus to be fitted with luggage rack in 3-month trial: LTA Asia Australian universities slash staff, courses as rising wages and foreign student curbs bite Life Meet the tutors who take O-level exams every year to create a 'war mate' bond with their students Life Pivot or perish: How Singapore restaurants are giving diners what they want Atmane double faulted on the first point of the decider and Sinner was away, powering to a 5-2 lead and pocketing the set at his second opportunity. Sinner showed a first sign of vulnerability as he needed five game points to hold serve in the opening game of the second set. But that was the closest look Atmane got at his serve, and Sinner broke the Frenchman for a 3-1 lead and again to seal the match. AFP
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
She won big in Genting, but getting $240k winnings back to Singapore was dicey
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – Winning a large sum of money at a casino may seem like a dream come true, but few anticipate the challenges and stress involved in bringing that money back home if the win happens overseas. Ms Sherylynn Kok, 28, experienced this first-hand in A pril , after winning RM800,000 ($244,000) at a slot machine in a Genting Highlands casino. She, her boyfriend and her parents were on a weekend getaway at the hill resort. On that fateful Friday afternoon, they began playing at the jackpot machines. Ms Kok was initially on a losing streak. 'I kept changing slot machines and finally sat down at a random one,' recalls the owner of a frozen food supply company and social media agency. Five minutes in, she triggered a feature game offering four jackpot tiers: mini, minor, major and grand, each with rising prize values and shrinking odds. She pressed the button. The columns began aligning on the payline. Three of the grand prize symbols appeared on the screen, along with a small message at the bottom of the screen: She had won the grand prize of RM800,000. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore First-half GDP boost likely temporary; Republic must stay relevant amid challenges: Chan Chun Sing Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok Singapore Airport-bound public bus to be fitted with luggage rack in 3-month trial: LTA Asia Australian universities slash staff, courses as rising wages and foreign student curbs bite Life Meet the tutors who take O-level exams every year to create a 'war mate' bond with their students Life Pivot or perish: How Singapore restaurants are giving diners what they want Shortly after, a group of security guards, along with a few casino staff, approached Ms Kok and her boyfriend and checked the machine. After verifying that it was a legitimate win, she was asked to head to the cashier to collect her winnings. Stacks of RM10,000 notes , separated into eight bundles of RM100,000, filled up a backpack that was 'crazy heavy', she said. As she had never carried such a huge sum before, she requested security guards to escort her back to her hotel room. 'They said walking around the casino was fine, but the moment we exited the casino, they cannot guarantee anything won't happen.' That night, the group took turns to guard the backpack. It was the weekend, so they could not remit the money back to Singapore and all the banks were closed. The group also learnt that transfers needed to be made using a Malaysian bank account, which none of them had. When they reached the airport to get on their return flight to Singapore, they found out that carrying such a large amount of cash out of the country required approval from Malaysia's national bank. Ms Kok's parents returned to Singapore first, while she and her boyfriend figured out their next steps. The next day, she managed to open a Malaysian bank account with OCBC, which offered dual-currency access, with the flexibility to switch between ringgit and Singapore dollar . Ms Kok claims she is disciplined when gambling, setting a firm limit on how much she is willing to lose before she starts. 'I gamble not because I want to earn money, but because once in a while, there is nothing to do, and I have no plans over the weekends.' When told of her win, some friends advised her to invest her money or treat herself to some luxury shopping or a holiday. 'I am very risk-averse, and I don't understand complex investment options, so keeping the money in a simple bank account seems safer,' says Ms Kok. She has heard stories of others who came into large sums of money, only to spend it in a matter of months. A friend of a friend won $1.4 million from Toto. The woman impulsively invested in various businesses, spent lavishly, and ultimately used up all the money in less than a year. Ms Kok refers to herself as 'low-maintenance' and is not drawn to conspicuous spending and luxury items. To her, this windfall is a gift of time – a chance to slow down in her career and not hustle as hard. But she does not see it as a ticket to early retirement. 'I keep trying to steer myself away from the thinking that I am rich or like I have money. I don't think $200,000 will last you a lifetime.'
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Putin wins Ukraine concessions in Alaska but did not get all he wanted
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hand with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as they meet to negotiate for an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo MOSCOW - In a few short hours in Alaska, Vladimir Putin managed to convince Donald Trump that a Ukraine ceasefire was not the way to go, stave off U.S. sanctions, and spectacularly shatter years of Western attempts to isolate the Russian president. Outside Russia, Putin was widely hailed as the victor of the Alaska summit while at home, Russian state media cast the U.S. president as a prudent statesman, even as critics in the West accused him of being out of his depth. Russian state media made much of the fact that Putin was afforded a military fly-over, that Trump waited for him on the red carpet, and then let the Russian president ride with him in the back of the "Big Beast", the U.S. presidential limousine. "Western media are in a state that could be described as derangement verging on complete insanity," said Maria Zakharova, Russia's foreign minister spokeswoman. "For three years, they talked about Russia's isolation, and today they saw the red carpet rolled out to welcome the Russian president to the United States," she said. But Putin's biggest summit wins related to the war in Ukraine, where he appears to have persuaded Trump, at least in part, to embrace Russia's vision of how a deal should be done. Trump had gone into the meeting saying he wanted a quick ceasefire and had threatened Putin and Russia's biggest buyer of its crude oil - China - with sanctions. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore First-half GDP boost likely temporary; Republic must stay relevant amid challenges: Chan Chun Sing Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok Singapore Airport-bound public bus to be fitted with luggage rack in 3-month trial: LTA Asia Australian universities slash staff, courses as rising wages and foreign student curbs bite Life Meet the tutors who take O-level exams every year to create a 'war mate' bond with their students Life Pivot or perish: How Singapore restaurants are giving diners what they want Afterwards, Trump said he had agreed with Putin that negotiators should go straight to a peace settlement and not via a ceasefire as Ukraine and its European allies had been demanding - previously with U.S. support. "The U.S. president's position has changed after talks with Putin, and now the discussion will focus not on a truce, but on the end of the war. And a new world order. Just as Moscow wanted," Olga Skabeyeva, one of Russian state TV's most prominent talkshow hosts, said on Telegram. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, saying Kyiv's embrace of the West had become a threat to its security, something Ukraine has dismissed as a false pretext for what it calls a colonial-style land grab. The war - the deadliest in Europe for 80 years - has killed or wounded well over a million people from both sides, including thousands of mostly Ukrainian civilians, according to analysts. NO ECONOMIC RESET The fact that the summit even took place was a win for Putin before it even started, given how it brought him in from the diplomatic cold with such pomp. Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court, accused of the war crime of deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. Russia denies any wrongdoing, saying it acted to remove unaccompanied children from a conflict zone. Neither Russia nor the United States are members of the court. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president and a close Putin ally, said the summit had achieved a major breakthrough when it came to restoring U.S.-Russia relations, which Putin had lamented were at their lowest level since the Cold War. "The mechanism for high-level meetings between Russia and the United States has been restored in its entirety," he said. But Putin did not get everything he wanted and it's unclear how durable his gains will be. For one, Trump did not hand him the economic reset he wanted - something that would boost the Russian president at a time when his economy is showing signs of strain after more than three years of war and increasingly tough Western sanctions. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign policy aide, said before the summit that the talks would touch on trade and economic issues. Putin had brought his finance minister and the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund all the way to Alaska with a view to discussing potential deals on the Arctic, energy, space and the technology sector. In the end, though, they didn't get a look in. Trump told reporters on Air force One before the summit started there would be no business done until the war in Ukraine was settled. It's also unclear how long the sanctions reprieve that Putin won will last. Trump said it would probably be two or three weeks before he would need to return to the question of thinking about imposing secondary sanctions on China, to hurt financing for Moscow's war machine. Nor did Trump - judging by information that has so far been made public - do what some Ukrainian and European politicians had feared the most and sell Kyiv out by doing a deal over the head of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenskiy. Trump made clear that it was up to Zelenskiy as to whether he would agree - or not - with ideas of land swaps and other elements for a peace settlement that the U.S. president had discussed with Putin in Alaska. Although as Trump's bruising Oval Office encounter with Zelenskiy showed earlier this year, if Trump thinks the Ukrainian leader is not engaging constructively, he can quickly turn on him. Indeed, Trump was quick to start piling pressure on Zelenskiy, who is expected in Washington on Monday, saying after the summit that Ukraine had to a deal because, "Russia is a very big power, and they're not". "The main point is that both sides have directly placed responsibility on Kyiv and Europe for achieving future results in the negotiations," said Medvedev, who added that the summit showed it was possible to negotiate and fight at the same time. DONBAS DEMAND While deliberations continue, Russian forces are slowly but steadily advancing on the battlefield and threatening a series of Ukrainian towns and cities whose fall could speed up Moscow's quest to take complete control of the eastern region of Donetsk, one of four Ukrainian regions Russia claims as its own. Donetsk, some 25% of which remains beyond Russia's control, and the Luhansk region together make up the industrial Donbas region, which Putin has made clear he wants in its entirety. Putin told Trump he'd be ready to freeze the front lines in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, two of the other regions he claims, if Kyiv agreed to withdraw from both Donetsk and Luhansk, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. Zelenskiy rejected the demand, the source said. According to the New York Times, Trump told European leaders that Ukrainian recognition of Donbas as Russian would help get a deal done. And the U.S. is ready to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. Some Kremlin critics said it would be a mistake to credit Putin with too much success at this stage. "Russia has re-established its status and got dialogue with the U.S.," said Michel Duclos, a French diplomat who formerly served in Moscow and who is an analyst at the Institut Montaigne think-tank. "But when you have a war on your hands and your economy is collapsing, these are limited gains." Russian officials deny the economy, which has been put on a war footing and has proved more resilient than the West forecast despite heavy sanctions, is collapsing. But they have acknowledged signs of overheating and have said the economy could enter recession next year unless policies are adjusted. "For Putin, economic problems are secondary to his goals, but he understands our vulnerability and the costs involved," said one source familiar with Kremlin thinking. "Both sides will have to make concessions. The question is to what extent. The alternative, if we want to defeat them militarily, is to mobilise resources more deeply and use them more skilfully, but we are not going down that road for various reasons," the person said. "It will be Trump's job to pressure Ukraine to recognise the agreements." REUTERS
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Suffering Ukrainians dismayed by outcome and optics of Trump-Putin summit
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a press conference following their meeting to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo KYIV/ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine - Ukrainians expressed anger and frustration on Saturday over the failure of the U.S. and Russian presidents to agree on the need for a truce in the Ukraine war at a summit, and the sight of Donald Trump giving Vladimir Putin a red-carpet welcome in Alaska. Trump urged Ukraine to make a deal to end the war because "Russia is a very big power". Trump also said he agreed with Putin that the sides should focus on an overall peace settlement, not via a ceasefire, as Kyiv and its European allies have been demanding - until now with U.S. support. "He (Putin) won. Trump showed his attitude towards him and at the same time towards us. This meeting did not end well for Ukraine," said a 26-year-old soldier who gave only his call-sign "Dzha". "... we need to end the war. We need to really sit down at the negotiating table and talk, come to an agreement, because every day fighters die, get injured." "Dzha" was serving as godfather at a baptism in a church in Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine, one of four regions Russia claims to have annexed, though it does not fully control them. 'BOMBS WILL KEEP FALLING ON US' "They (Putin and Trump) made some agreements for their states," said Viktor Tkach, the chaplain conducting the baptism. "And here in Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, in the Zaporizhzhia region, we will keep suffering, glide bombs will keep falling on us." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore First-half GDP boost likely temporary; Republic must stay relevant amid challenges: Chan Chun Sing Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok Singapore Airport-bound public bus to be fitted with luggage rack in 3-month trial: LTA Asia Australian universities slash staff, courses as rising wages and foreign student curbs bite Life Meet the tutors who take O-level exams every year to create a 'war mate' bond with their students Life Pivot or perish: How Singapore restaurants are giving diners what they want Some were outraged that Trump had invited Putin to the U.S. and treated him with such respect, as an equal. Putin has been ostracised by Western leaders since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and is wanted by the International Criminal Court, accused of the war crime of deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine, which he denies. "Literally yesterday, a ballistic missile was launched at Sumy. And this animal (Putin) flies to Alaska where people applaud him, and the red carpet is rolled out in front of him," said Hanna Kucherenko, a 25-year-old model, in Kyiv. "How is that even possible now?" A manipulated image of Trump and Putin shaking hands on the airport tarmac against the backdrop of bombed residential apartment blocks in Ukraine circulated widely online. "I do not know what Trump is even thinking about. I have an impression that he is just the same (as Putin)," said Kyiv pensioner Tetiana Vorobei. "They are identical." REUTERS
