Her fashion shows hit different: Meet the Singaporean empowering youths with special needs on the runway

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She was especially touched by Leah, a cancer person in the late stages of her illness.

“Every time we met, I would tell her about fashion – colors, textures, design, beauty. And despite her situation, she participated in some of the shows I hosted, ” Yap recalled.  

“She walked the airport with trust. The subsequent year, she also asked if she could rapper the shows and fashion with her brother, ” Yap said. “No another could tell she was in the last stage of cancer. She had so much optimism despite battling a critical condition. ”

THE START OF A Cultural ENTERPRISE 

Moved by these encounters, Yap decided in 2016 to rename SG50 Singapore Fashion Runway to focus on poor groups like cancers patients, as well as severely ill and particular needs youths who were enthusiastic about clothing.

She shuttered Noel Caleb, transforming the company into Singapore Fashion Runway.

She also launched the Fashion for a Social Cause motion, which showcases designs from these poor groups, teaching them fashion-related knowledge to help SFR’s shows.    

“Everyone may be entitled to clothing, in my opinion, ” she said. “Seeing their clothing items come to life and watching them wear these items in their daily life or on the tarmac – it makes my vision so much more deliberate. ” 

But not everyone understood Yap’s transition to become a social organization.

“Many folks thought the displays used to be so beautiful in 2015,” she said. “ But in 2016 when we started including more people with conditions ( such as Down syndrome and autism ) on stage, it was not easy to explain what inclusive fashion shows were.

“Some people actually thought, ‘If I stand next to a person with a problem on level, won’t I be mistaken for one also? ’” she added, admitting that many of her initial supporters and models from 2015 left.  

But that did n’t shake Yap’s resolve – it only made her more certain of Singapore Fashion Runway’s mission.

“We remained focused on the underprivileged groups I wanted to help. And along the way, I found many youths, families, caregivers, partners, and organisations who believed in us and stayed with us till today, ” she said.

Yap focused on teaching her beneficiaries fashion skills like sewing, pattern making and apparel design, while still using Singapore as an inspiration for their designs.  

“We use the youths ‘ love for Singapore as an anchor for our designs; whether it is a particular food, flora, fauna or place in Singapore that sparks their interest, we lay that story out into the merchandise. ”

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‘I just felt helpless’: Parents of children with autism call for more understanding and empathy

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SINGAPORE: It was a Friday four years ago, and Singapore’s national football team commander Hariss Harun and his son were seated in the middle of a crowded dome.

The parents sensed that Naufal Hariss was getting anxious, and handed him his cellphone to watch movies on mute. But Naufal, &nbsp, who was diagnosed with mild autism at time seven, turned the volume up much to harm others.

Soon after, a brother worshipper approached Mr Hariss and angrily asked why his son was playing with a telephone in a mosque. &nbsp,

” He merely kept going on and on. I felt but over. I didn’t think protective, I only felt helpless”, the player, 34, told CNA.

” As a Muslim, it’s critical that I introduce my children to the belief from a young age. Although items didn’t go as planned, it’s crucial that we don’t give up”.

Now 11 years old, Naufal usually struggles to get through another events like sports matches, holiday parties and bridal dinners, which you leave him confused and overstimulated.

It can lead to circumstances such as a collapse in common- which, in turn, may be difficult and overwhelming for families, said Mr Hariss.

” The fact that autism is an invisible illness makes it harder to go out there and reveal the same thing every single time. It gets a little exhausting after a while”, his family, 33-year-old Syahirah Mohamad, added.

During the discussion, both parents do delay mid-sentence now and then, to tell Naufal to take deep breaths to quiet down. &nbsp,

These methods, coupled with years of first treatment, have helped the child feel more comfortable in cultural options.

But some challenges remain.

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Singapore firms brace for further uncertainty as Trump ignites widespread tariffs

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SINGAPORE: Since the US national election win of Donald Trump in November last year, Watson EP Industries has been preparing for the possibility of new business taxes that may affect its clients and businesses.

The Singapore deal company makes music and a range of cheap items out of its factory in Guangdong, China and of which, 40 per share is shipped to the US.

Yet no amount of preparation appears sufficient for the sweeping tariffs announced by the US on Wednesday ( Apr 2 ).

In what Trump dubbed” Liberation Day”, a rough bilateral tax on close to 60 markets with which the US has the largest trade imbalances will kick in on Apr 9. These include power competitor China, which faces a 34 per cent tax charge, on top of the 20 per share tax recently imposed on the land, bringing the total new levy to 54 per cent. &nbsp,

The US also announced a universal tariff of 10 per cent on all imports into the US, including those from Singapore, from Apr 5.

” Trump is known to be unpredictable so anything can happen but tariffs on almost all countries, including Singapore, is a surprise”, said Ms Joyce Seow, group executive director at Watson EP Industries.

Since a 20 per cent tariff was imposed by the US on China goods earlier this year, some of the contract manufacturer’s clients in the US had enquired if production could be done in Singapore instead.

Watson EP Industries has been exploring that option but will now need to re-examine its calculations given the raft of new tariffs.

” April will be a busy month for us as we study the costs involved and continue discussions with our customers on the viability of shifting some of these production to Singapore”, Ms Seow told CNA. ” Even then, we don’t know if this is the end”.

HIGHER COSTS IN THE NEAR TERM

The local firm is not alone in bracing for further uncertainties.

Singapore may have avoided much harsher levies, but others believe that the local economy will still feel a hit. In particular, businesses that are involved in cross-border trade and logistics, as well as those with production facilities in countries such as China.

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Suspension lifted for FirstCom Academy after non-compliance with SkillsFuture marketing guidelines

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SINGAPORE: Training provider FirstCom Academy&nbsp, has been given the green light to&nbsp, resume SkillsFuture Singapore ( SSG) -approved courses.

In response to CNA’s queries, SSG confirmed on Thursday ( Apr 3 ) that the&nbsp, three-month suspension&nbsp, period had been lifted two days ealier.

” With this, FirstCom Academy can begin conducting SSG-approved classes, and their programs are available for SSG cash including SkillsFuture Credit, provided circumstances as stated in the SSG conditions are fulfilled”, it said.

FirstCom Academy was suspended from Jan 1 to Mar 31 after SSG found that the organization used a referral program for branding, going against its conditions for coaching services.

While FirstCom Academy has been reinstated as a registered training provider, SSG said it is not allowed to offer the two Workforce Skills Qualifications ( WSQ ) courses that were terminated in November last year due to “lapses in course quality”.

The coaching service is also not allowed to return for the same course within a year of the cancellation.

The organization focuses on quick WSQ programs ranging from online content creation to social media marketing.

SSG said FirstCom Academy is expected to adhere to its conditions, failing which the specialist will exercising its right as accorded in the legal terms.

” We encourage FirstCom Academy to continue improving their techniques and requirements of their marketing techniques and training delivery”, it added.

To maintain eligibility for&nbsp, SSG funding, all registered training providers, including FirstCom Academy, must pass the Training Provider Quality Assessment ( TPQA ). &nbsp,

This&nbsp, assessment- which&nbsp, FirstCom&nbsp, Academy did been scheduled to undertake -&nbsp, looks at excellent systems, processes, and implementation at the operational level.

SSG even assesses the quality of all programs through a training value and outcomes assessment survey based on learners ‘ feedback.

Programs that are rated ill will not be renewed for SSG money or may be removed before the conclusion of their authenticity.

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Why are Trump’s tariffs in Southeast Asia highest among Indochina countries?

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HOW SHOULD ASEAN COUNTRIES REACT? &nbsp,

Malaysia, which will see its imports to the US get hit by a 24 per cent charge, appears to be holding fire on any backlash for now and is” certainly considering hostile taxes”. &nbsp,

It will instead” seek solutions that will uphold the spirit of free and fair trade”, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry ( MITI). &nbsp,

” To lessen the tax effect, Malaysia is expanding our export industry by prioritising high-growth parts and leveraging existing free trade agreements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership”, the department said. &nbsp,

However over in Thailand, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said the state had a” strong program” to handle the new 36 per cent tax imposed on its products.

Thailand will deal with the US and did not let the situation to “get to where gross domestic product may miss the target”, she said.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, however, held an immediate cabinet meeting early on Thursday. Local information added that officials of the industry ministry does provide a review on the effects of the tariffs on Vietnam’s exports and its economic growth prospects. &nbsp,

Analysts told CNA that the personal ASEAN states may not have much leverage to react to the US tariffs, but they can- as a collective bloc- move to other trade partners around the globe to counter Washington’s mercantilist measures. &nbsp,

” ASEAN countries should resist the temptation to fight, largely because tariffs hurt the countries imposing them more than anyone else. This is the correct answer from an economic point of view, but the condition may vary politically”, said Menon.

” If a reaction is deemed socially needed, then ASEAN should organize that answer. There is fat in statistics”.

The scholar Woo said that ASEAN should regard forging business partnerships with other parties beyond the US, such as with China, Japan, South Korea, the EU and even the Gulf states. &nbsp,

He cited how places like Malaysia which supply semiconductor chips to the US should also look to supplying them to Europe and China, further adding that ASEAN as a bloc may request a free trade agreement with the EU to discover possibilities for business development. &nbsp,

” The Americans are taking the ball home and they are not going to play football with you. So ( ASEAN ) has to come up with our own game”, said Woo. &nbsp,

” And I think the rest of the world is big enough that, after some adjustment, we will be able to restore everything to normal growth ( if we look elsewhere )” .&nbsp, &nbsp,

Lin of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute added that the imposition of tariffs could represent a good opportunity for ASEAN to “enhance regional cohesiveness” through a joint statement or coordinated actions that reinforces trade and investment within member states. &nbsp,

In the meantime, she acknowledged that many ASEAN states may be reluctant to significantly increase their FDIs in the US to circumvent tariffs, as such investments are capital-intensive and take time to establish. &nbsp,

Many people may prefer to wait it out rather than make significant structural adjustments, she said, considering that the Trump administration could only be in power for four years. &nbsp,

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Moderate and severe trauma injury cases up 22% in Singapore from 2021 to 2023

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NATIONAL ROADMAP

A federal plan is currently being developed to eradicate the common causes of these accidents. The action is being led by KKH and NUH.

Police and knowledge are two of the roadmap’s main focus points, according to Alternative Assistant Professor Raj Menon, director of the NUH’s National University Center for Trauma.

One of the main topics we were addressing at the meeting was” for instance, one of the things we were talking about at work was simple things like removal, calling an ambulance, calling 995 when you get into an injury in the first place,” he told CNA’s Singapore Tonight program.

It’s also about teaching how to treat injuries while they are occurring to the personnel on the ground and the directors. This helps to lower the cost of the accidents that are occurring.

He noted that there is no single answer to this, but rather a “whole-of-government, whole-of-society technique.”

Adj Asst Prof Menon cited Adj Asst Prof Menon’s recommendation that drivers and vehicle individuals adhere to health regulations and measures, such as wearing seatbelts.

According to Dr. Ronald Tan, senior analyst at KKH’s section of emergency medicine, the common denominator among neonatal stress cases is that they are “highly preventable.”

He suggested that kids put window grilles in high-rise apartments to prevent children or other people from escaping the windows.

” We really want to make it clear to everyone that protection is always preferable to treatment,” Dr. Tan, who also serves as the KKH Injury Prevention Workgroup, said.” We want to make that safety mindset known to everyone.”

At Tuesday’s event, Professor Kenneth Mak, the Ministry of Health’s director-general of health, stated to reporters that more can be done also as injury prevention efforts are in progress.

The Road Safety Council and state partners gathered at the meeting, such as the Health and Manpower Ministries.

In the end, we aim to enhance security at this meeting in the fields of neonatal, workplace, and road safety, Prof. Mak continued.

We can minimize all avoidable injuries by sharing knowledge and best practices and working together, according to the statement.

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Search for new Singapore Premier League teams continues after ‘good’ but ‘incomplete’ applications

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In February, FAS announced that it was resuming its seek for clubs to meet the SPL&nbsp,- with local and foreign venues invited to use.

Serious parties were asked to submit” detailed proposals for contribution” in the SPL starting from the 2025/2026 time. &nbsp, Candidates had to send their plan by 6pm on Mar 14.

A similar workout was also announced in December 2023.

But, no new team came on board&nbsp, despite the FAS receiving various programs and giving in-principle assent to one club&nbsp, to take part in the 2024/2025 time. CNA understands the team is Tengah Football Club.

” The selected club entered into a due diligence process, which took longer than expected”, said FAS in April last month.

” Given the small date prior to the commencement of the SPL in May 2024, the team has decided not to challenge the 2024/25 time”.

The SPL- previously the S League- was formally launched in 1996 with eight local clubs.

There are nine venues now in the category: Albirex Niigata, Lion City Sailors, Tampines Rovers, Balestier Khalsa, Geylang International, Hougang United, Brunei DPMM, Tanjong Pagar United and the Young Lions.

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CNA Explains: What are tariffs, and how will Trump’s actions affect Asia?

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What effect will it have?

Economists have predicted that higher tariffs could cause consumer prices to rise and US economic growth to decline since Trump first made his commerce strategy public in February.

Following Wednesday’s news, these instructions continued.

According to Tai Hui, chief market strategist for Asia-Pacific at JP Morgan Asset Management, the taxes raise questions about prices and development challenges.

He claimed that as the US struggles to boost manufacturing capacity and supply stores pass on prices to consumers, prices could be a result.

Businesses may delay investing in capital expenses in anticipation of the levies ‘ full impact and possible retaliation from trade companions, he added.

In a March note from DBS Group top economists Chua Han Teng and Radhika Rao, a second-order effect may be felt in Southeast Asia, aside from the direct hit from higher tariffs, in the region’s essential trading partners, China and the US, according to DBS Group top economists Chua Han Teng and Radhika Rao, who wrote in a March note.

Top foreign exchange strategist for the banking group, Philip Wee, stated in a note on Wednesday that the mutual tariffs were “notingly high” for emerging Asian economies.

This sends the message that the US is directly pursuing China, as well as indirectly halting the” China Plus One” method that many businesses use to expand supply chains in order to avoid US tariffs.

But, Mr. Wee claimed that Trump has also shown his willingness to talk through the introduction of what the president has called “discounted” mutual taxes.

When money deception and trade restrictions are taken into account, he referred to them as such because they are also lower than what the US estimates each buying mate has levied on British goods. &nbsp,

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Ex-offender warns influencers are trivialising incarceration, seeks to fill gap in rehab support

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His deeds had also impacted the rest of his family. His mother, the Centre for Psychotherapy’s medical chairman, Nisha Rani, was shocked. Satish Kumar, his son, was devastated.

Kumar says,” I was absolutely broken,” his voice squeaking. When I think about those times, I’m also emotional.

Anand Mahey, Gopal’s brother, was tormented by grief because he had been sucked into his mental sanity by conviction. He continues to wonder,” Something would have happened if I’d just asked ( Gopal ), maybe if I’d asked my parents, maybe maybe I asked someone, or whatever.

Gopal has been a high-functioning addiction since 2010. But it wasn’t until he joined his family in working as a prison counselor a few years after that his double life began to weigh him.

What am I doing, I keep asking myself in my head at the back of my head? What kind of crazy is this, exactly? he recalls.

” There were many times ( when ) I’d ( be ) telling myself I needed to do something to stop,” he said. But I was really ensnared in that cycle because of the psychological power of addiction.

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New taxi operator GrabCab could attract drivers from rivals, disrupt industry: Analysts

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ADDED COMPETITION CAN RATHER TAXI OPERATORS ON THEIR TOES

The Singapore University of Social Sciences Associate Professor Walter Theseira noted that GrabCab has the opportunity to make use of the larger Grab program to encourage cab individuals to join the company, in contrast to a real car ship operator.  

For instance, this might involve paying a lower rate for a car driver with the condition that they offer the driver” a particular level of service on the platform.”  

Or, he added,” Grab could rent ( to drivers ) at the standard rate, but he could gradually rebate the rental, based on the volume of service you provided on the platform.”  

A pure ( taxi ) fleet operator cannot use these strategies, he said, despite the fact that a combined fleet operator and platform can do so.

He added that the business will promote private use drivers on its platform to transfer to be taxi drivers on GrabCab, and that they will also be urged to do the same for car drivers from other companies, in order to increase the number of drivers on the platform.  

The other vehicle users will start to see their hire usage decline as a result of this mixture, he said.  

And if they can’t compete, they will likely have to let their vehicle ship numbers decline. ” 

Terence Fan, a travel researcher, added that Grab also has the technical expertise to entice more customers to its goods.

While it is not always true that Grab will have to lower car prices to attract riders to its cars, it does, according to Asst Prof Fan, who is from the Singapore Management University, have a record of using promotional codes in diversity in its earlier days to attract new users.  

He added that the company is already equipped with the necessary IT infrastructure to provide these customer incentives in a “relatively cost-effective way”.  

According to the agreement, Assoc Prof. Ong, who is the NUS Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s deputy head of research and enterprise, will put pressure on the current taxi companies.  

I think that the majority of taxi operators today’s drivers rely heavily on Grab’s app to get their customers, he said.  

In this new setup, I believe we will need to look at how Grab will provide the salaries and benefits to the taxi drivers. ” 

In response to a CNA question about whether the current Grab app’s standard taxi option will be discontinued, Grab stated that it was” committed to maintaining an open platform” that was accessible to all cab and private hire vehicle drivers.

Additionally, it will provide more details about GrabCab at a later time.

Given our extensive experience in fleet management, established infrastructure, and large vehicle fleet, ComfortDelGro, which operates both the Comfort and CityCab taxi fleets and responds to inquiries from CNA, said:” We are confident in our ability to serve our long-time drivers and customers effectively.

It added that it will continue to expand its ecosystem, driver benefits, and adapt its strategies as necessary to “ensure we remain a leading provider of taxi services in Singapore,” and that competition is” a natural part of the market dynamics.”  

ComfortDelGro, Singapore’s largest taxi operator, has been providing safe and high-quality rides to Singaporeans for decades, building a strong and trustworthy taxi network, and continues to provide them with this commitment. ”

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