Trial programme gets children to befriend seniors — 5 reasons to watch this CNA series

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It was as though Auntie Christabelle was telling Laura, “You can do it. I’m here, I’m listening to you. You don’t need to feel shy”, observed SJSM Village volunteer leader Chay Siew Ping.

Given the opportunity, older people not only can impart experience but also can model qualities like confidence, said Chay.

Confidence building through inter-generation interactions is a two-way process. During a game, Laura passed on a message from Chay by speaking into Auntie Christabelle’s only good ear.  “I love you,” Laura whispered.

“Wow, so do I. I love you!” Auntie Christabelle exclaimed.

Such encounters, said Vivien Wu Xi, an assistant professor at the NUS’ Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, help to give the elderly residents “the social confidence that ‘I’m connected, I’m engaged.’”

“Even though I’m living in a nursing home setting, I’m still having little friends coming to visit me, working together on certain activities, achieving certain milestones every session.”

WATCH PART 3: Kids learn how their senior friends live in a nursing home (45:51)

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An inside look at how Singapore’s egg farms keep out bird flu

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SINGAPORE: In the far north-west, Singapore’s only three egg farms sit within a 4km distance of one another, in surroundings largely untouched by the rapid urbanisation seen elsewhere in the country.  

This Lim Chu Kang area has been earmarked by authorities for development into a high-tech agri-food zone, to raise production and strengthen Singapore’s food security. 

But an evolving development around the world threatens to upend those plans – by threatening the existence of the egg farms.

The spread of avian influenza, or bird flu, has killed or led to the culling of hundreds of millions of poultry globally in recent years.

Over a century old and carried mainly by migratory water birds, the disease has also increasingly been infecting mammals not previously thought susceptible, like alpacas, house cats, and cows.

Human cases are rare, but have been reported in nearby countries. Singapore, however, is currently free from bird flu.

And its egg farms have stringent measures as a first line of defence, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases that could compromise the health of its fowl. 

These safeguards are the “most important” strategy preventing the entry of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), said Dr Michael Banawa, head of poultry business for ASEAN, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand at pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim.  

“Humans can act as mechanical vectors, meaning they can carry the virus on their skin, clothing or equipment … This can potentially lead to the spread of the virus to other birds,” he added.

Donning a hair net, rubber boots, latex gloves and a mask, this CNA reporter got a rare look at how one of Singapore’s few egg farms stops any such transmission from happening.

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Commentary: ‘No strings attached’ cash aid for lower-income should be seen as resource, not reward

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A person in poverty is likely to feel the impact of financial mistakes more strongly and be judged for their actions. Even a minor financial misstep can lead to significant consequences.

Consider the case of Mr Anand*, a low-wage worker earning S$1,500 a month. When his 15-year-old son, Nick*, was caught using a vape in school and reported to the authorities, Mr Anand had to dip into his limited savings to pay the S$200 fine. This incident wiped out the family’s financial cushion, leaving them more vulnerable to falling into debt.

Beyond financial consequences, their mistakes are seen in the light of negative stereotypes about poverty. This reinforces beliefs that they are irresponsible or have poor planning skills, which can further perpetuate the cycle of poverty and discrimination.

Thus, policies and programmes must create some buffer for them to make some mistakes with the assistance and be given the right support to navigate the psychological effects of poverty.

CHECK OUR ASSUMPTIONS

To help individuals and families break out of the poverty cycle, we need to check our own biases and assumptions aren’t getting in the way of helping them effectively.

Policies and programmes should be informed by what research tells us about human behaviour and the complexities of poverty and what the lived experiences of those in poverty. Else, we must take the courageous step to review and revise our approach or risk reinforcing the very prejudices and discrimination that those in poverty already face.

The aim should be to resource people in poverty to enhance their mental bandwidth, not see it as a reward or inadvertently punish them

*Pseudonyms were used in this commentary.

Cindy Ng is Director of Melrose Home at Children’s Aid Society. She is a social worker by training with extensive experience working with low-income families and persons experiencing violence and abuse.

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Mongolia obliged to arrest Putin if he visits, International Criminal Court says

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Mongolian officials “have the obligation” to arrest Vladimir Putin if he visits the country next week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has said.

The trip, expected to happen on Tuesday, will be the first time the Russian leader has visited an ICC member nation since the court ordered his arrest in March 2023.

The court alleges Mr Putin is responsible for war crimes, saying he failed to stop the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia since the conflict began.

Despite officials in Ukraine demanding that Mongolia arrest Mr Putin once he arrives in the country, the Kremlin said it had “no worries” about the visit.

“We have an excellent rapport with our partners from Mongolia,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

“Of course, all aspects of the President’s visit have been carefully prepared.”

Dr Fadi el-Abdallah, a spokesperson for the ICC, told the BBC on Friday that the court relies on its States Parties – including Mongolia – to “execute its decisions”.

He said Mongolia, like other ICC signatories, has the “obligation to cooperate”. This includes complying with arrest warrants such as the one the court issued for Mr Putin’s arrest in 2023.

The court alleged the Russian president is responsible for war crimes, focusing on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. It has also issued a warrant for the arrest of Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for the same crimes.

It said the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 – when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Moscow has previously denied the allegations and labelled the warrants as “outrageous”.

Dr Abdallah said ICC judges will look into cases of “non-cooperation” by its signatories and inform the Assembly of States Parties, which may “take any measure it deems appropriate”.

The ICC has no powers to arrest suspects, and can only exercise jurisdiction within its member countries.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said it hoped Mongolia was “aware of the fact that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal” and called on the country’s authorities to arrest the Russian leader and hand him over to prosecutors at The Hague, the seat of the ICC in the Netherlands.

Last year, Mr Putin cancelled a visit to a summit in South Africa following the ICC warrant for his arrest.

As a signatory to the court, South Africa should detain suspects in its territory, but President Ramaphosa warned Russia would see this as a declaration of war.

Mr Ramaphosa said the decision for the Russian leader to not attend was “mutual”.

The BBC has contacted the Mongolian Embassy for a comment.

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Japan: Nearly 4,000 people found more than month after dying alone, report says

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Almost 40,000 people died alone in their homes in Japan during the first half of 2024, a report by the country’s police shows.

Of that number, nearly 4,000 people were discovered more than a month after they died, and 130 bodies went unmissed for a year before they were found, according to the National Police Agency.

Japan currently has the world’s oldest population, according to the United Nations.

The agency hopes its report will shed light on the country’s growing issue of vast numbers of its aging population who live, and die, alone.

Taken from the first half of 2024, the National Police Agency data shows that a total of 37,227 people living alone were found dead at home, with those aged 65 and over accounting for more than 70%.

While an estimated 40% of people who died alone at home were found within a day, the police report found that nearly 3,939 bodies were discovered more than a month after death, and 130 had laid unnoticed for at least a year before discovery.

Accounting for 7,498 of the bodies found, the dataset’s largest group belonged to 85-year-olds and above, followed by 75-79-year-olds at 5,920. People aged between 70 and 74 accounted for 5,635 of the bodies found.

According to Japanese public TV network NHK, the police agency will give its findings to a government group looking into the unattended deaths.

Earlier this year, the Japanese National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, said the number of elderly citizens (aged 65 and above) living alone is expected to reach 10.8m by the year 2050.

The overall number of single-person households is estimated to hit 23.3m in the same year.

In April, the Japanese government introduced a bill tackling the country’s decades-long loneliness and isolation problem, partly caused by the country’s ageing population.

Japan has long tried to counter its ageing and declining population, but the shift is becoming hard for the country to manage.

Last year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said his country is on the brink of not being able to function as a society because of its declining birth rate.

Some neighbouring countries are facing similar demographic challenges.

In 2022, China’s population fell for the first time since 1961, while South Korea has repeatedly reported the lowest fertility rate in the world.

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Vontobel names Clarabelle Ho as Asia head of intermediary clients | FinanceAsia

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Vontobel, an international investment firm, has appointed Clarabelle Ho as head of intermediary clients Asia.

Ho (pictured) has moved from BlackRock, where she was responsible for intermediary distribution as part of the Asia Pacific (Apac) wealth team, based in Singapore. She started at Vontobel on Friday, August 16, and will continue to be based in Singapore reporting to Wei Kai Lee, head of institutional clients Apac at Vontobel, FinanceAsia understands. Ho replaces Benny Gay who previously did the same role, and left the firm in November 2023, according to a Vontobel spokesperson. 

Ho has more than 15 years of experience dedicated to private and retail bank wholesale fund distribution in Southeast Asia (SEA) and the broader Asian region. According to the media release, she is responsible for developing the firm’s distribution business by establishing and supporting partnerships with major financial intermediaries at Vontobel.

“We are pleased to welcome Clarabelle to Vontobel,” Singapore-based Lee said in the release. “Her established track record, client-focused mindset and industry knowledge will strengthen our engagement with key stakeholders and sharpen our commitment to delivering innovative investment solutions that meet investors’ evolving needs.” 

Vontobel is an international investment management firm with Swiss roots, providing investment and advice to private and institutional clients. The firm has been in Apac since 2008, and have teams in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, and Sydney.

Headquartered in Zurich, Vontobel has offices in 28 locations world-wide. Vontobel Holding’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, with the majority owned by the founding family. As of June 30, 2024, Vontobel held approximately CHF225.9 billion ($259.3 billion) of total client assets.

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FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2024: entries are now open | FinanceAsia

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FinanceAsia’s annual Achievement Awards recognises excellence in bringing together those issuers, banks, investors, advisors and other market participants, who are working hard to develop and expand Asia Pacific’s (Apac) financial markets.

This year, for the first time, we are also looking to recognise excellence in the fast-growing markets of the Middle East.

We are looking to recognise the standout companies and strategies that are redefining the way issuers and investors are interacting with markets and adapting to evolving regulatory requirements and diverse needs, amid an increasingly competitive environment.

There are both Deal awards and House awards across a range of categories and markets. For more details please see here for Apac and here for the Middle East. 

In addition, our Deal Maker Poll rewards individuals who have been instrumental in closing some of the region’s most ambitious deals over the last 12 months.

The timeline for the deals is October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024.

We look forward to your participation and seeing your entries! Please click here to find out how to enter at our dedicated Awards website. For frequently asked questions click here and for list of our experienced judges see here. 

Key dates: 

August 19: Awards’ launch

Early-bird entry deadline: September 6, 2024

Main entry deadline: September 19, 2024 

Entries’ evaluated by judges: October 2 to November 6, 2024 

Winners’ announced: November 2024 

Awards’ ceremony: February 2025, date TBD  


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Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine will cease to be offered after September: MOH

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SINGAPORE: &nbsp, Singapore’s national immunization programme may stop offering the&nbsp, Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccination after September.

This is because the Health Sciences Authority ( HSA ) has not received&nbsp, any application for the Sinovac vaccine to be fully registered, &nbsp, the Ministry of Health ( MOH) said in a statement on Friday ( Aug 30 ).

As&nbsp, COVID-19 is then managed as an endemic disease, the HSA requires all COVID-19 vaccines to be completely registered,” as opposed to being used under evacuation license during the pandemic”.

” Ready individuals who wish to get the Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine are advised to do so by Sep 30, 2024″, the Health Ministry said.

The MOH had previously stated in October of last year that if there was no program for the Sinovac vaccine to be totally registered, it would no more become available as part of the national immunization program.

Sinovac has stopped producing the vaccination, the Health Ministry said. &nbsp,

” As output has stopped, the source of the Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine is now no commercially available in Singapore, and exclusive facilities are also unable to give it under the Exclusive Access Route”, MOH said.

The different vaccines available in Singapore- Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, &nbsp, Moderna/Spikevax and Novavax/Nuvaxovid- have been completely registered with HSA and will continue to be provided under the regional immunization programme.

To get the vaccine, people perhaps book&nbsp, an appointment at a participating standard professional office, or at a polyclinic&nbsp, through the HealthHub ordering method. Otherwise, they may move into any of the five&nbsp, Joint Testing and Vaccination Centres across Singapore. &nbsp,

COVID-19 waves will continue to occur and can occasionally lead to severe illness in those who are older or more physiologically fragile, according to MOH.

Members of the public should keep up with their COVID-19 immunization because it can stop serious illnesses, it advised.

According to the Health Ministry, people over the age of 60, those who are clinically vulnerable, and those who reside in older care facilities are advised to get an additional dose of vaccine never later than five months after the last dosage, but no later than that.

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