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Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Sweet-smelling fungi with sinister name at centre of Australia's mushroom murders
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A death cap mushroom is easily mistaken for other edible varieties, and has a pleasant taste when used in cooking. SYDNEY – An innocuous-looking mushroom with a sweet smell and a sinister name lay at the centre of Australian Erin Patterson's triple-murder conviction on July 7. Patterson was found guilty of killing her husband's parents and aunt in 2023, and attempting to kill a fourth guest, by lacing their beef Wellington lunch with highly toxic death cap mushrooms. The 50-year-old denied the accusations, saying the hearty meal was contaminated by accident . Throughout a headline-grabbing trial spanning more than two months, experts have dissected the brown-and-white fungi in forensic detail. Death caps – or Amanita phalloides – are responsible for around 90 per cent of all fungus-related fatalities, making them the deadliest mushrooms in the world. The brown-and-white sporing bodies are easily mistaken for other edible varieties, and reportedly possess a pleasant taste when used in cooking. But they are saturated with deadly chemicals known as amatoxins, toxicologist Dimitri Gerostamoulos told Patterson's trial. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line Phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements from April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Asia Australian woman found guilty of all counts in mushroom murders case Singapore askST Jobs: Facing intrusive demands from your employer? Here's what you can do Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 'They can lead to someone experiencing symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting, feeling really unwell,' Dr Gerostamoulos told the jury. 'And they progressively get worse if the toxins are not removed.' 'They progress to tissue necrosis, organ failure and can obviously lead to death if not treated appropriately,' he added. Three of Patterson's guests died of organ failure a week after unknowingly eating death cap mushrooms baked into individual portions of beef Wellington. 'It was very apparent that this was not survivable,' intensive care specialist Stephen Warrillow told the jury. A fourth guest fell gravely ill but survived after weeks in hospital. Death cap mushrooms are native to Europe but have spread to the United States, Australia and New Zealand, fungi expert Tom May said during Patterson's trial. He said the mushrooms had a 'slightly sweet' odour when fresh. 'In Australia, it is an exotic species and it was accidentally introduced,' Dr May said in his testimony. They sprout during warm and wet autumn weather and are typically found growing in the shade of oak trees. 'From time to time, every year, usually under suitable conditions, it produces a sporing body, which is the mushroom that we see,' Dr May said. 'They're quite fleshy and they decay quite readily, so they would not last longer than a couple of weeks when they're sitting in the field.' Patterson will be sentenced at a later date. AFP
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
US coach Pochettino takes positives from Gold Cup despite defeat in final
Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino speaks to the media after the match against Mexico during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The United States came up short in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final on Sunday with a 2-1 loss to Mexico but will take valuable lessons from the tournament as they build towards next year's World Cup, coach Mauricio Pochettino said. The U.S. went ahead early in the game in Houston, Texas through Chris Richards's header but Mexico fought back through Raul Jimenez and Edson Alvarez to claim a 10th Gold Cup title. Pochettino told reporters that while it had been a painful night for his side the tournament had been excellent preparation for the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada. "It was a massive lesson for us. It was an amazing tournament to realize in the way that we wanted to grow," he added. "This is the way that I think we are going to find the way to compete better and better, and be very competitive and be in the place that we wanted to be. "When you lose a trophy or you lose a game it's really, really painful. But the most important thing is to have our head up because I think the tournament was fantastic and we keep going, that is the way we want to build our journey into the World Cup." The U.S. reached the final despite missing several key players, with Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah controversially opting out while Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna and Tim Weah were unable to play due to Club World Cup obligations. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line Phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements by April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Asia Australian Erin Patterson found guilty of all counts in mushroom murders case Singapore askST Jobs: Facing intrusive demands from your employer? Here's what you can do Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 However, Pochettino did not want to discuss the impact the absences had. "I think the roster that we build is the roster that deserved to be here, and I think now is not the point to talk about the player that should be here or not," he said. The U.S. will next host South Korea and Japan in friendly matches in September. REUTERS
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Novak Djokovic wary despite Wimbledon form, Jannik Sinner faces Grigor Dimitrov
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Novak Djokovic plays a forehand return to Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic during their third round match at Wimbledon. LONDON - Novak Djokovic and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner face their stiffest tests of the tournament on July 7 as they aim to take another step towards a blockbuster semi-final face-off at Wimbledon. Djokovic, who has a record 25th Gland Slam singles title in his sights, meets Australia's Alex de Minaur while Sinner faces the talented Grigor Dimitrov. Five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek is the main attraction in a wide-open side of the women's draw as she takes on Clara Tauson. 'Complete' De Minaur concerns Djokovic Djokovic was in supreme form as he demolished compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 to the delight of his seven-year-old daughter Tara, who enjoyed a post-match celebratory dance with her dad. But the seven-time champion is wary of the threat that lies ahead of him in the second week, even before potential meetings with Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who has beaten Djokovic in each of the past two finals. De Minaur was forced to pull out of a quarter-final meeting at Wimbledon with the Serb last year due to injury but gets another shot at glory against one of the sport's all-time greats. A two-time winner of grass court titles, the world No. 11 has dropped just one set on his way to the last 16. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line Phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements by April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Asia Australian Erin Patterson found guilty of all counts in mushroom murders case Singapore askST Jobs: Facing intrusive demands from your employer? Here's what you can do Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 'He's playing the tennis of his life. He's definitely knocking on the door of the final stages of Grand Slams,' said Djokovic. 'You're not super excited to play Alex de Minaur on grass, that's for sure, because he's so quick and he's a complete player.' Dimitrov not stressed by dominant Sinner Jannik Sinner does not have the Wimbledon track record of Djokovic or Alcaraz, but the Italian has been the most dominant player in the men's draw in the opening week. The US Open and Australian Open champion has matched the men's Open Era record at Wimbledon for fewest games lost – 17 – in reaching the fourth round, set by Jan Kodes back in 1972. Sinner is also yet to lose his serve this year at the All England Club, not that his next opponent appears daunted by that prospect. Jannik Sinner plays a forehand return to Pedro Martinez during their third round match at Wimbledon. PHOTO: AFP 'We're in the second week of Wimbledon. Let's have fun,' said 34-year-old Dimitrov, who knows his days on the show courts at Grand Slams are numbered. The Bulgarian appeared destined to be a future Wimbledon champion when he made the semi-finals in 2014, but has never progressed beyond the fourth round since. 'Smooth' Swiatek finds feet on grass A rare defeat at the French Open has helped Swiatek finally feel at home on the grass as the former world No. 1 eyes just a second Wimbledon quarter-final on July 7. Aryna Sabalenka beat Swiatek in the semi-finals at Roland Garros after the Polish player won four titles there in five years, but a slightly earlier exit gave her more time to adjust to the grass. Swiatek reached her first grass-court final in Bad Homburg last week, after which she said there is 'some hope' for her on the surface. 'This year on grass I had some moments where I just felt comfortable and I didn't have to think much. It was just pretty smooth.' A flurry of early exits for all of the top six seeds other than Sabalenka also means Swiatek could make the final without having to play another top-10 player. AFP
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Straits Times
Residential block blaze in Vietnam kills 8, including children
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A blaze that tore through an apartment block in Vietnam's southern business hub of Ho Chi Minh City killed eight people, including two children, local authorities said on July 7. The fire was sparked late on July 6 on the ground floor of a five-storey apartment block, with all eight fatalities due to smoke inhalation, Ho Chi Minh City authorities said in a statement. Residents battled the flames with fire extinguishers as blasts were heard from inside the property, before emergency service crews arrived, according to media reports. 'There were shouts for help from the apartment. Several residents on higher floors had to jump down to escape. It was terrible,' a neighbour told the state-run Thanh Nien newspaper. Authorities said the cause of the fire was still under investigation. Deadly blazes have recently resulted in a string of high-profile arrests and prosecutions in Vietnam. Eight people were jailed i n 2025 over a 2023 Hanoi apartment fire that killed 56 people, in the country's deadliest blaze in two decades. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line Phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements by April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore askST Jobs: Facing intrusive demands from your employer? Here's what you can do Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Tech Hackathons produce scam simulation tool for education, platform identifying birds based on calls Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 In December 2024, police arrested a suspected arsonist over a karaoke bar fire in Hanoi that killed 11 people. AFP
Straits Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Amanda Anisimova's career comes full circle at Wimbledon after burnout fears
LONDON - When Amanda Anisimova reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals as a 20-year-old in the summer of 2022, she was being hailed as the "next big thing" in American tennis along with Coco Gauff. But instead of providing a launch pad for her career, that achievement led to a downward spiral. From mid-August that year to the following May, Anisimova failed to win back-to-back matches in any of the 10 tournaments she entered, winning a paltry four matches in total during that miserable nine-month run. With her time on the tour taking a toll on her mental health, in May 2023 she pulled the plug on her tennis year to try and get away from it all, after realising that she was simply burnt out from the never-ending cycle of defeats. When she made her comeback to the Grand Slam stage at the Australian Open last year, her ranking had plummeted to No. 442 but, now rejuvenated and ready to go again, that statistic did not faze her. She made it to the last 16 before running into eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka, and rather than getting down in the dumps, Anisimova took it as proof that her career was back on an upward trajectory as it was the first time since Wimbledon 2022 that she had won three successive matches. Even when she failed to qualify for Wimbledon last year, while ranked 189th, she knew that mentally she was in a better place than she had been 12 months earlier. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements by April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Life Rock band My Chemical Romance to perform in Singapore in April 2026 Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 Singapore More students in Singapore juggle studying and working to support their families Fast forward 12 months and things are looking bright and sunny again for Anisimova – albeit at a soggy Wimbledon. Seeded 13th, she is back in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon following a nerve-shredding 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory over Czech 30th seed Linda Noskova – a result that will allow her to break into the world's top 10 for the first time. "I was just super excited to compete here... and just being seeded was already really special," said the 23-year-old, who opened her Wimbledon account by handing Yulia Putintseva the dreaded 6-0, 6-0 double bagel in the first round. "I felt really good about myself because I think it was just a huge reminder of all the work and progress I've made so far this year. "I knew that every match was going to be a battle, which it has been. I've just been really enjoying the journey here." With French Open champion Gauff having suffered a shock first round exit at Wimbledon, Anisimova and 10th seed Emma Navarro, who plays her last 16 match against Mirra Andreeva on Monday, are the only Americans left with a chance of lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish come July 12. Anisimova will fancy her chances of reaching the semi-finals at the grasscourt major for the first time considering she holds a 3-0 win-loss record against her next opponent, Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. "Ever since I took my break, I just found this new perspective and this newfound sense of fighting for everything and accepting the challenges that come and embracing them," said Anisimova, born in New Jersey to Russian immigrants. "A lot of things have changed ... I feel like my professionalism and work ethic has taken a whole 360. Everything is centred around my tennis and how I can prepare the best that I can. "It's super special and a surreal feeling to be in the top 10. If I thought to myself last year ... that I'll be breaking the top 10 by now, it would be pretty surprising to me, considering where I was last summer." REUTERS
