HONG KONG (AP) – Officials in Hong Kong said yesterday they have discovered dinosaur fossils for the first time in a remote and uninhabited geopark.
Experts initially confirmed the fossils were part of a large dinosaur from the Cretaceous period, about 145 million to 66 million years ago, a statement said.
They will need to conduct further studies to confirm the species of the dinosaur.
Experts speculate that the dinosaur was likely buried by sand and gravel after its death before it was later washed to the surface by a large flood, and subsequently buried again at the discovery site, it said.
The conservation department had in March informed its Antiquities and Monuments Office about a sedimentary rock containing substances suspected to be vertebrate fossils.
The place where the fossils were found was closed to the public from yesterday until further notice to facilitate future investigations and excavations.
The fossils will be on display at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui starting tomorrow.
An expert collects samples from a rock. PHOTO: THE STAR
LONDON (AP) – King Charles III should be prepared to dance when he visits Samoa this week.
Freddie Tuilagi made sure of that when he visited St James’ Palace recently wearing nothing but a bark cloth wrap and a necklace historically worn by orator chiefs.
Charles, in a blue suit and carefully knotted tie, grinned while gamely trying to follow along as Samoa’s honorary consul to the United Kingdom (UK) moved through the steps of a traditional dance.
“He loves it. He said he wants to learn the dance,” Tuilagi said afterward, showing off his moves once again.
Tuilagi, who moved to Britain to play professional rugby, said the 75-year-old king can expect more of the same in the South Pacific island nation.
Villagers throughout the country of 220,000 people have taken steps to decorate and show how much they appreciate Charles’ visit, he said.
Charles, the symbolic head of the Commonwealth, is travelling to Samoa for a meeting of top government officials from each of the 56 independent nations that make up the organisation.
At the top of the agenda is the fight against climate change, an issue Charles has championed for decades.
The king can count on Samoans to be receptive. Its islands are at the forefront of the climate emergency, facing increasing threats from rising sea levels, warming ocean temperatures and more intense storms.
The royal visit is attracting global media attention. Many Samoans hope that images of the king and Queen Camilla strolling on the islands’ breathtaking beaches will help attract European tourists and boost the economy.
“It’s an opportunity to showcase our culture, showcase our heritage and how … proud (of) that we are as a country,’’ Tuilagi told The Associated Press.
“To host the king and the leaders of the Pacific, you know, the Commonwealth coming to Samoa is something special for us.’’
Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla smile as former Samoan rugby player Freddie Tuilagi dances during a reception to celebrate the Commonwealth Diaspora of the United Kingdom, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, at St James’s Palace, London. PHOTO: AP
NEW DELHI (AFP) – Acrid clouds engulfed India’s capital yesterday as air pollution fuelled by fireworks and farm stubble burning was ranked “hazardous” by monitors for the first time this winter.
New Delhi is home to more than 30 million people and is regularly ranked as one of the most polluted urban areas on the planet.
Commuters walking to work cough through poisonous smog that kills thousands each year, according to health experts, although few in the sprawling city wear masks.
The city’s famous India Gate monument was wreathed in foul-smelling mist yesterday.
“These days if you want to go out, you can’t think of leaving without a mask,” teacher Mamta Chauhan, 27, told AFP.
“There is a constant bad smell and the pollution level is very high.”
New Delhi is blanketed in acrid smog each year, primarily blamed on stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring regions to clear their fields for ploughing.
Thick smog engulfs the city skyline in New Delhi. PHOTO: AFP
Levels of fine particulate matter – cancer-causing microparticles known as PM2.5 pollutants that enter the bloodstream through the lungs – surged to nearly 23 times the World Health Organization recommended daily maximum.
The pollutants topped 344 microgrammes per cubic metre, according to monitoring firm IQAir yesterday, which listed air in the sprawling megacity as “hazardous”, ranking it as the world’s worst.
Air pollution is expected to worsen during the festival of lights, Diwali, which falls on November 1 this year when smoky fireworks spewing hazardous toxins are part of celebrations.
“It’s going to get worse,” bank manager Raveena Chawra, 24, told AFP.
“I hope people set off less firecrackers, especially for the sake of the children and the elderly. The smoke from the firecrackers will blanket the whole city in smog.”
New Delhi this month ordered a “complete ban” on all firecrackers – both their manufacture and sale – in view of the “public interest to curb high air pollution”.
Previous restrictions were routinely ignored.
Police are often reluctant to act against violators, given the strong religious sentiments attached to the crackers by devotees.
Authorities have also banned stubble burning, and police in Haryana state this week arrested several farmers for setting fires before tilling.
The New Delhi government in past years has sought to cut pollution by restricting vehicle traffic, including a scheme that only allowed cars with odd or even number licence plates to travel on alternate days.
Authorities have also imposed seasonal bans on construction work and on diesel-powered vehicles from entering the city.
But government efforts have so far failed to solve the country’s air quality problem. A study in the Lancet medical journal attributed 1.67 million premature deaths in 2019 to air pollution in the world’s most populous country.
DHAKA (AFP) – A protest outside the Bangladeshi president’s home demanding his resignation ended when demonstrators clashed with riot police while trying to storm the compound, with 30 injured in the melee.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin’s powers are largely ceremonial but he played a pivotal role at the height of an August student revolution that ousted autocratic ex-premier Sheikh Hasina.
Shahabuddin announced his one-time ally had quit on the day she fled the country for neighbouring India, paving the way for the caretaker administration now running the South Asian country.
But last week he said in a local media interview he had not actually seen a written letter from Hasina to that effect – raising the prospect that her resignation was unlawful.
Protesters began gathering outside Shahabuddin’s compound in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday demanding he step down and accusing him of residual loyalty to Hasina and her Awami League party.
“Since the student-led protest toppled the fascist regime, there shouldn’t be a president from that regime,” Faruk Hossain, a student leader at the protest, told AFP.
“He must be replaced by a people’s president.”
Several hundred protesters attempted to break through a security cordon and storm the compound shortly before midnight yesterday.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Talebur Rahman said at least 25 police officers were injured by protesters.
“Nine are still undergoing treatment. The protesters threw stones and attacked them indiscriminately,” he told AFP.
Protesters gather to demand the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin. PHOTO: AP
ANKARA (AFP) – A huge explosion outside the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) near Ankara left a number of people “dead and injured”, Turkiye’s interior minister said yesterday, describing it as a “terrorist attack”.
“A terrorist attack was carried out against the Turkish Aerospace Industries… Unfortunately, we have martyrs and injured people,” Ali Yerlikaya wrote on X, using a term often used for the deaths of soldiers or police.
Footage from the scene broadcast by local media initially showed huge clouds of smoke and a large fire raging at the site in Kahramankazan, a small town some 40 kilometres north of Ankara. Haberturk TV said there was an ongoing “hostage situation” without giving further details, while the private NTV television spoke of gunshots after the blast which took place around 4pm.
There was no immediate claim for the attack.
The blast occurred as a major trade fair for the defence and aerospace industries was taking place in Istanbul which was visited this week by Ukraine’s top diplomat.
Turkiye’s defence sector, which is widely known for its Bayraktar drones, accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the nation’s export revenues with revenues expected to top USD10.2 billion in 2023.
Ambulances in Kahramankazan, north of Ankara, Turkiye after an explosion. PHOTO: AFP
TYRE (AP) – Israeli jets struck multiple buildings in Lebanon’s southern coastal city of Tyre yesterday, sending up large clouds of black smoke, while Hezbollah confirmed that a top official widely expected to be the militant group’s next leader had been killed in an Israeli strike.
The state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike on the nearby town of Maarakeh killed three people. There were no reports of casualties in Tyre, where the Israeli military had issued evacuation warnings prior to the strikes.
Hezbollah meanwhile confirmed that Hashem Safieddine had been killed in an announcement yesterday, one day after Israel said it had killed Safieddine in a strike earlier this month in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Safieddine, a powerful cleric within the party ranks, had been expected to succeed Hassan Nasrallah, one of the group’s founders, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last month.
Tyre, a provincial capital, had largely been spared in the Israel-Hezbollah war, but strikes around the city have intensified recently.
The 2,500-year-old city, about 80 kilometres south of Beirut, is known for its pristine beaches, ancient harbour and imposing Roman ruins and hippodrome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The buildings struck yesterday were between several heritage sites, including the hippodrome and a cluster of seaside sites associated with the ancient Phoenicians and the Crusaders.
First responders from Lebanon’s Civil Defense used loudspeakers to warn residents to evacuate the area and helped older adults and others who had difficulty leaving. Head of the Civil Defence Ali Safieddine told The Associated Press there were no casualties.
Health official in Tyre Dr Wissam Ghazal said the strikes hit six buildings, flattening four of them, around 2.5 hours after the evacuation warnings. People displaced by the strikes could be seen in parks and sitting on the sides of nearby roads.
Smoke rises from buildings hit in an Israeli airstrike in Tyre, Lebanon. PHOTO: AP
DUBLIN (AFP) – Irish police yesterday searched a property on the country’s east coast for a missing eight-year-old boy who officers believe was killed up to two years ago.
Kyran Durnin was last seen at a primary school in Dundalk, some 83 kilometres north of the capital, Dublin, at the end of the school year in 2022. He was then aged just six.
Police on Tuesday upgraded its missing persons inquiry to a murder investigation, saying it now believed that Kyran was “missing, presumed dead”.
Last week, officers said they had been unable to find the boy, identify any information about his current whereabouts or evidence that he was still alive.
The investigation involves close cooperation with agencies including Irish child protection agency Tusla, which reported Kyran’s disappearance in August.
PHOTO: ENVATO
Tusla also said it had previously alerted police about his welfare.
“We can confirm that whilst Kyran was not in the care of Tusla, our services had engaged with both he and his family,” the state agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
“In August 2024, we alerted (Irish police) in relation to a significant concern about Kyran.”
The Dundalk property, which was the young boy’s family home until May 2024, is undergoing technical and forensic examinations, along with the garden and adjoining grounds, said police. The current tenants of the property are not connected with the child’s disappearance, it said.
Police also said they have identified the whereabouts of Kyran’s mother, who was also reported missing in August, in the United Kingdom. “This is a shocking and disturbing case. How can a child in 2024 go missing from his family and community for two years?” said head of the Children’s Rights Alliance group Tanya Ward.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said on Tuesday that the case is “deeply disturbing, deeply upsetting” and “utterly horrifying”. The boy was failed badly and “clearly something went extraordinarily wrong”.
CNA – When my mother gave birth to my eldest sister in the 1960s, breastfeeding wasn’t popular. If you wanted the best for your baby, formula milk was the preferred choice. It was even promoted as being superior to breast milk.
“After I delivered your sister, they started her on formula at the hospital and sent me home with sample tins,” she recalled.
“As a young, first-time mum, I didn’t know much about breastfeeding benefits, so I just went along with it. I had to switch to a cheaper formula brand though, because we couldn’t afford the more expensive ones.”
The few mothers she knew who breastfed exclusively did so because they couldn’t afford to buy formula.
THE GOOD NEWS: MORE MUMS ARE BREASTFEEDING
A national survey showed that in 2021-2022, 97 per cent of Singapore women chose to breastfeed. At six months of age, almost 40 per cent of babies continued to be exclusively breastfed; 10 years ago in 2011, this figure was only one per cent.
That’s an amazing figure that women should be proud of. But this is what it also tells us: Almost every mum – 97 per cent- has tried breastfeeding.
This means, to make food for their babies, they put in hard work, time and money; breast milk may be free but breast pumps and storage bags are expensive.
Not to mention, the many sacrifices that breastfeeding mums willingly accept to keep their babies well-fed.
PHOTO: FREEPIK
BREASTFEEDING COMES WITH SACRIFICES
Some might argue that breastfeeding is a natural process of motherhood and thus should not be considered a sacrifice. However, natural doesn’t mean easy.
To make things clear, I’m a big advocate of breastfeeding. I did it for almost three years.
And I’d be the first to tell you that breastfeeding absolutely requires sacrifices from the mum.
STICKING TO A STRICT DIET FOR MONTHS, AND SOMETIMES, YEARS
Every breastfeeding mum knows the two Qs of breastfeeding: Quantity and quality. We have this nagging worry: Are we are making enough breast milk to feed our baby? Is it good enough to keep him or her healthy?
We research and eat food known to boost breast milk supply. Papaya and fish soup is a popular one that even fish-hating mums try their best to swallow.
Plenty of protein-rich foods like fish, chicken, meat and tofu. Go heavy on green leafy veggies like kale and spinach. Nuts are great too.
You might say that these all point to a healthy diet we should be following, so what’s the sacrifice there?
Let’s talk about the fun food mums give up. That favourite cup of coffee or tea, because of caffeine. Do you want to give your baby health issues?
Like the refreshing taste of peppermint? Eating several mints multiple times a day will make its presence known in a dip in milk supply, though the occasional cup of peppermint tea should not cause a major decrease. Some mums become hyper-aware of what’s in their food.
Sage, for example, is well documented for impacting the milk production process.
One friend, who breast-fed all five of her kids, reported an almost instant drop in her breast milk supply whenever she consumed sage.
ENGORGED BREASTS AND WORSE, MASTITIS
Engorged breasts are a rite of passage for breastfeeding mums.
When the milk ducts are blocked, it may result in mastitis, an inflammation of breast tissue that causes infection, pain, swelling, redness, fever and chills.
If your baby manages to nurse on the infected side and clear the blockage – imagine the pain of having someone suck on your wound – then count yourself lucky.
In bad cases, you would need antibiotics to clear up the inflammation.
In worse cases, a pocket of pus may form and it will need to be drained.
Meanwhile, the poor mum frets about her reduced milk supply. She will also be kicking herself for not having pumped/fed regularly enough, and allowing her breasts to be so engorged that mastitis developed.
AVOIDING MEDICINE WHEN YOU’RE SICK
Even though some common medicines, like paracetamol and ibuprofen, are considered safe for breastfeeding mums, some mothers prefer to err on the side of caution and choose not to take medication when they’re sick.
This can slow down their recovery.
PLANNING YOUR DAY – AND CAREER – AROUND YOUR BREASTFEEDING SCHEDULE
Every breastfeeding working mum knows the drill. You leave your house with your breast pump, sterilised bottles and ice packs in a chiller bag.
If your office doesn’t have a nursing room, the start of every pumping session throughout your workday will be spent prowling around for an unused meeting room. You’ll be praying hard that whatever room is available comes with a frosted, and not clear, glass door.
Sometimes, the storeroom or toilet may be your only option.
Experienced breastfeeding mums learn to plan their daily routine around their pumping schedule.
If your job requires you to be frequently out of the office, the stress multiplies. If you drive, you can at least pop into your car for a bit of privacy to express your breast milk. If not, you would be searching for nursing rooms with a power point, or packing extra batteries for your breast pump so that you can use a toilet to clear your breasts. Then you will store your precious liquid gold with your ice pack and chiller bag, go to your next appointment, and repeat in a few hours – or risk getting your breasts engorged.
AND YES, SAGGY BREASTS ARE PART OF THE DEAL
Women who aren’t well-endowed in the chest area are often pleasantly surprised when pregnancy and breastfeeding boost their cup size.
But after weaning from breastfeeding, the milk ducts will no longer be filled with milk and the breasts will naturally become smaller.
Sometimes, the skin does not tighten in tandem with the new breast size, resulting in saggy breasts. Let’s be clear: Breastfeeding is not the only culprit behind saggy breasts.
Your age, size of your breasts, posture, whether you wear a bra regularly or the right fitting bra, your diet, even whether you smoke or not – all these can affect skin elasticity at your chest area.
Also, like it or not, everyone’s breasts, no matter if you are an A or D cup, will sag with time. But every breastfeeding mum will also tell you that the boob-tugging and nipple-biting from their babies is a price they are willing to pay.
HOWEVER, LET’S NOT ROMANTICISE BREASTFEEDING
Breastfeeding is good but what is important is we don’t romanticise the idea of it. Let’s not put stress on those who are unable to, or choose not to, breastfeed. It could be a health issue. It could be because their schedule doesn’t allow it.
They simply don’t have enough breast milk to feed their baby adequately and formula milk is a reliable alternative. Or, they may not tell you but they are fighting post-partum blues and the last thing they need is to stress over breastfeeding. It’s not fair to expect every mum to suck up the difficulties and inconvenience, and “just cope with it”. – Stella Thng
ANN/THE STAR – Have you ever walked into a furniture showroom and felt overwhelmed by the vast array of sofa designs?
Where do you begin? Do you pick the ones that catch your attention? Or simply because you were told it’s the latest new design?
This article sheds some light on how to choose the right sofa for your home.
How do you find the perfect sofa? Always begin by measuring the size of your living room.
Nothing is worse than buying a sofa only to realise it is too big for your living room. Hence, always check the size and maintain a good sense of proportion to the overall space.
Then, determine your personal style and the overall vibe of your living room interior. Is it playful or sombre? Calming or bold?
Another key determining factor is your family’s lifestyle at home. If you have children and pets, it is best to get a sofa with a washable slipcover for better durability.
The last deciding factor is flexibility. How versatile do you want your living room to be? Do you have occasional guests who may need a pull-out sofa bed? Or the possibility of re-arranging seating pieces from time to time?
Here are the five most popular types of sofas available.
LOVESEAT
If you have a compact-sized living room in your apartment, opt for the Loveseat sofa. It is perfect for small spaces and provides a great focal point in the living room. Loveseats are a great way to experiment with colours and texture.
It is snug for two people, (hence the name loveseat) yet cosy for one person too. In the larger living room, the loveseat can also be used as a wonderful extension of the main full-sized sofa.
ABOVE & BELOW: Find the perfect sofa by first measuring the size of your living room; and the mid-century modern sofa is characterised by sleek, rectangular shapes with shallow tufted cushions and wooden legs. PHOTO: THE STARPHOTO: THE STARThe Loveseat sofa is perfect for small spaces and provides a great focal point in the living room. PHOTO: THE STARSofa beds are perfect for small living rooms as they can double as additional beds for visiting guests. PHOTO: THE STAR
SECTIONAL SOFA
Sectional sofas are one of the most popular types due to their modular characteristic. They are formed by multi-piece sofas that allow flexibility in arrangement.
This type of sofa is exceptionally versatile for scaleability of seat capacity, and can form an L- or U-shaped configuration.
MID-CENTURY MODERN SOFA
This type of seating is characterised by sleek, rectangular shapes with shallow tufted cushions and wooden legs.
Being the supreme trend from 1930s to 1970s, this trend is still a hot favourite due to its timeless appearance of clean lines and minimalist form.
TUXEDO SOFA
The Tuxedo sofa tends to display a formal dignified vibe. Its main characteristic is its high arms, which are usually the same height as the back.
It is one of my personal favourites when I want to achieve a clean look. You tend to see tuxedo sofas used at hotel lounges and showrooms.
SLEEPER SOFAS AND SOFA BEDS
These are perfect for small living rooms as they can double as additional beds for visiting guests. A sleeper sofa conceals a thin mattress beneath its cushions that can be pulled out to make a bed. Sofa beds, on the other hand, are designed with the ability to lay out flat to form a bed.
Buying a sofa set in your home is a major investment because you will use it often to lounge after work or entertain guests. Hence, choose the type of sofa that fits your lifestyle for the next three to five years. I have heard of homeowners who initially opted for an easy-to-maintain sofa when their kids were still toddlers. But once their children had all grown up and left for university, the home was furnished with a fancy all-white leather set! Hence, be practical and realistic at the same time.
Work closely with the showroom assistant or your hired professional designer to understand what sofa types and materials suit your home the best. – Tan Bee Eu
LONDON (AFP) – A major international airport serving the United Kingdom’s (UK) second-largest city was evacuated and all flights were suspended for several hours yesterday because of a security alert.
West Midlands Police in central England ordered the partial closure of Birmingham Airport after receiving reports of a suspicious vehicle.
Airport authorities advised passengers not to travel while those already awaiting flights were forced to leave terminals on foot with their luggage. “Whilst we apologise for any inconvenience and disruption, the safety and security of everyone at the airport was our number one priority,” a statement read.
West Midlands Police said the evacuation was a “precautionary measure” while the vehicle was searched and assessed.
“Following a search by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EDO) team the vehicle was deemed to be safe. The vehicle is no longer being treated as suspicious,” it added.
