In life, one can opt for a Toyota Corolla or a Ferrari 488GTB supercar.

Just like you can choose between the Apple EarPods and the Sennheiser HE 1 headphone system.

You see, the Sennheiser HE 1 costs a whopping €50,000 (S$75,190).

For this amount, you can buy a good second-hand car or pay the deposit for a Housing Board flat.

So is the HE 1 really worth the moolah?

I got a brief "ears-on" with the HE 1 during its regional launch last month.

There were many regional tech reporters waiting to listen to the only unit available at the event.

Thus, everyone got only 5min of listening time.

This headphone system consists of a set of electrostatic headphones and a tube amplifier system with eight vacuum tubes - all housed on a slab of luxurious marble.

Powering up the HE 1 is an experience in itself.

Press the power button, and the control knobs will slowly extend outwards from the front, the eight vacuum tubes housed in their quartz glass bulbs will rise and a glass lid will open to unveil the headphones.

The system connects to a digital audio source via S/PDIF (optical and coaxial) or USB.

It has eight internal digital-to-analog converters (DACs) that can convert audio data with a resolution of 32 bits and a sampling rate of up to 384kHz, as well as DSD signals with sampling rates of 2.8MHz and 5.6MHz, into balanced analogue signals.

Four DACs are connected to each stereo channel for noise reduction.

According to Sennheiser, audio signals go through the impulse processing of the tube amplifier, aided by the damping properties of the marble housing to reduce noise to a minimum.

The integrated high-voltage amplifiers in the headphones make up the final stage of the audio processing.

The headphones are said to use gold-vaporised ceramic electrodes and platinum-vaporised diaphragms for optimal audio performance.

The headphones were very comfortable to wear.

They cupped my ears completely and effectively filtered out any outside noise.

When the first strains of music reached my ears through the HE 1, I was gobsmacked.

I could hear what direction the sound of the instruments was coming from.

I couldn't help but turn towards that direction as a natural reaction.

I am no audiophile.

But I could pick out the different instruments used and the tones of the music.

The bass, mids and highs were so distinct and sharp that it made me want to throw my other headphones into the bin.

Simply put, these are the best headphones I have tried.

But I wouldn't buy one, even if I have the money to spare.

I am just not that hardcore of a sound enthusiast.

Even if you want to buy it, you can't just purchase the HE 1 off the shelf.

You have to pre-order it and Sennheiser will make one for you.

And the company will be making only 250 units each year.

This article was first published on August 3, 2016.
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For more than two hours on the stand yesterday, former China tour guide Yang Yin gave his side of the story in a saga that has transfixed Singapore.

Accused of siphoning $1.1 million from a rich, childless widow, he told the court that 89-year-old Chung Khin Chun had gifted him the money and willed him the rest of her assets, worth an estimated $40 million and including a bungalow at Gerald Crescent, in exchange for his companionship. She saw him as the "grandson" she never had, he said.

"I felt very lucky... She asked me to be by her side forever, not to leave her. I agreed," said the 42-year-old, who in 2014 was sued by Madam Chung's niece Hedy Mok. She claimed he had unduly influenced her aunt, who was diagnosed with dementia that year.

"In 2011, (Madam Mok) knew that Madam Chung had gifted me the money. Why didn't she make the report then? Madam Chung was still clear in her head, she could still testify," said Yang. He also claimed that Madam Chung's close friend, Madam Chang Phie Chin, 86, who had lived with her, was her husband's mistress. "This is a secret in their family," said Yang.

Tussle over widow's $40m assets turns ugly

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The Straits Times, Madam Hedy Mok, Lianhe Wanbao, Madam Chang Phie Chin, Court Documents

Yang said he first came to Singapore in 2006 for a travel fair, where he met Madam Chung and her husband, Dr Chou Sip King, who died in mid-2007. Madam Chung and Madam Chang met him again when they went to Beijing for a holiday in end-2008. There, Yang got closer to Madam Chung, who asked him to call her daily after her return. He said she later asked him to "accompany" her to Singapore, telling him that she would support him financially.

Read more: Widow 'willingly' gave ex-tour guide money

Yang arrived in 2009 after Chinese New Year and was given a hongbao of $5,000. A few days, later he claimed she told him she wanted to leave him everything - and such a will was made the next year.

He claimed he asked her if she was sure and she replied: "You are my grandson. A granny gives her money to her grandson. Is there anything wrong with that?" Last April, the courts recognised a new statutory will that will leave most of Madam Chung's assets to charity.

Tussle over widow's $40m assets: A look at Madam Chung’s bungalow

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The Straits Times, Raymond Tan

Madam Chung's friends would visit her about once a month, while her niece would visit her once every few months, Yang said. Madam Chung told him to avoid the visitors because she "did not want others to know about (their) relationship".

In 2013, after Chinese New Year, she told him to bring his wife and two children over to Singapore, and they arrived in August 2013. "Madam Chung was very happy because she had the children to play with. She felt that the home was livelier. It did not seem as boring as when the two of us were alone together," said Yang, who is set to be cross-examined by the prosecution today.

As for the money that is the subject of the criminal breach of trust charges, Yang admitted lying to police about using it to buy paintings for Madam Chung. But that was because she did not want others to know about it, to avoid jealousy and gossip. He said $500,000 was a gift to help with family debts and $600,000 was returned to Madam Chung after she asked for it.

This article was first published on Aug 03, 2016.
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Singapore is facing another possible surge in dengue infections as the National Environment Agency (NEA) reports rising numbers of the Aedes aegypti mosquito that spreads the disease.

The number of dengue cases has just crossed the 10,000 mark for the year and, although infections have dipped in recent weeks, this could be the lull before the storm.

Five of the six people who died this year were aged above 60.

An infectious diseases expert has cautioned that dengue is not only more lethal for the elderly, but also harder to spot when it infects them.

A spate of infections at the start of the year had led experts to warn that it could lead to a record 30,000 dengue cases this year.

The highest number of infections here was in 2013, when more than 22,000 people were struck.

The surge at the start of this year was caused primarily by a change in the circulating virus from Den-1 to Den-2.

There are four dengue strains, so people infected with one strain can get sick when infected with a different strain.

With the NEA swinging into action to stamp out mosquito breeding, the infections tapered off in March and fell to fewer than 300 cases a week by April and stabilised.

Last week, 224 people were diagnosed with dengue, a drop of 42 cases from the previous week.

However, the NEA said its mosquito traps - set around the island - have shown "a steady increase" in the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

"This indicates an abundance of the mosquito vector in our community," it said on its dengue website.

It added: "As we are in the traditional peak dengue peak season, we anticipate an upward trend in the number of dengue cases in the coming months."

Myths about the Aedes mosquito and dengue

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The Straits Times, AFP, Reuters, Shutterstock.com

The mid-year hot and wet weather could push up the mosquito population as they breed faster in such conditions.

The NEA added that as "a large proportion of our population is susceptible to dengue due to the lack of immunity", the higher number of mosquitoes could lead to a surge in cases.

Professor Leo Yee Sin, director of the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said doctors are seeing more dengue cases among older people here.

The high number of deaths among the elderly is not due to a more virulent viral strain as the five deaths were caused by three different strains.

Prof Leo said: "It is well documented that older patients have higher mortality when infected with dengue.

"As long as the age trend continues, we foresee more severe cases and deaths among the older folk."

She added that it is harder to identify dengue in older people as their symptoms tend to be milder, but the effect of the infection could be more severe.

Their fever is not as high and they have fewer rashes, aches and pain.

They often have existing chronic diseases that make them "have more severe outcomes, more organ involvement, as well as more bleeding", Prof Leo said.

She said doctors need "a higher index of suspicion" when treating older people and should rely more on diagnostic tests to confirm if the person has dengue.

- facebook.com/ST.Salma

This article was first published on August 3, 2016.
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Celebrity couple Huang Xiaoming and Angelababy used to report to each other before filming intimate scenes or romancing other actors on screen.

But that is no longer the case, having been together for seven years.

Speaking to The Straits Times over the phone from Shanghai last week, Huang says: "We understand each other very well after being together for so long. We know where the no-go areas are and what we are comfortable with each other doing in such scenes."

Huang, 38, and Angelababy, whose real name is Angela Yeung, tied the knot last year after a six-year courtship.

Angelababy & Huang Xiaoming wed in China entertainment's wedding of the year

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Sina Entertainment, Sina Weibo, Ifeng Entertainment

They are in the new Chinese mythological movie League Of Gods, but do not share any screen time.

The 27-year-old actress plays the object of affection of the movie's hero Lei Zhen Zi, played by Hong Kong actor Jacky Heung. Huang plays deity character Erlang Shen in a cameo role.

On what he thinks of his wife and Heung's on-screen romance, Huang says: "Of course I'm fine (with them acting as a couple). We are actors and we need to be professional. Besides, Jacky is my younger brother."

Huang is the godson of Heung's movie mogul parents, Charles Heung and Tiffany Chen. The movie is produced by the film studio company, China Star Entertainment, run by Heung's parents.

In fact, Huang reveals that he had taken on the project as a favour to his godparents: "This show is produced by my godfather and godmother. So I must take on this project. I even brought along Baby."

Fans of the celebrity couple should not hold their breath hoping to see Huang and his wife romance each other on screen.

"Baby and I feel that the chances of us playing an on-screen couple are low, unless the roles are really good," says Huang. The two previously played a dating couple in the cop romantic thriller Crimes Of Passion (2013).

For now, audiences can watch Huang share an emotional scene with an imaginary dog in League Of Gods.

His character has to get all teary-eyed when reuniting with his faithful companion - a celestial dog named Sky Howler.

Huang says with a laugh: "It was a test of my acting skills. I had to use my imagination. There was no real dog. I had to face an imaginary 'dog' and cry.

"Luckily, Erlang Shen and I share a similarity. I'm a dog lover too. I have three dogs and four cats."

•League Of Gods is in cinemas.

This article was first published on Aug 03, 2016.
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A businessman who caused a crash that injured four people had been driving while over the alcohol limit and subject to a 10-year road ban, a court heard.

Alvin Phua Lai Soon, 32, was jailed for 14 weeks and banned from driving for 20 years yesterday after he admitted causing grievous hurt through his negligence, driving under disqualification, drink driving and taking a vehicle without the owner's consent.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kavita Uthrapathy said Phua had been drinking with a friend at Clarke Quay when he met two Vietnamese women at a pub on March 28 last year.

He and the two women took a taxi to his home as he wanted to drive them to Geylang for supper.

His parents and sister were asleep when he took his father's Volvo car keys from the kitchen cabinet. While travelling along Changi Road, he saw a green traffic light but did not check to ensure it was showing green in his direction. He drove straight into the junction with Frankel Avenue and hit a Nissan car which had right of way.

The Nissan's driver suffered liver laceration, broken ribs and head injuries while his passenger suffered head injuries and fractures. One Vietnamese woman suffered chest injuries and lost two litres of blood. All three were warded in hospital.

The other Vietnamese woman was also injured.

After the accident, a police officer noticed that Phua had bloodshot eyes, a flushed face and reeked of alcohol. He failed a breathalyser test.

Phua was arrested and found to have 56 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, exceeding the prescribed limit of 35 micrograms.

Phua had been fined and disqualified from driving three times between 2003 and 2014 for either driving without a licence or while under a driving ban.

He was last sentenced to five weeks' jail and banned from driving all vehicles for 10 years in May 2014 for traffic-related offences.

DPP Kavita cited aggravating factors when she sought a life ban for Phua. She said he made a deliberate choice to return home, take the keys of his father's car, and drive even though he knew he had no licence and had consumed alcohol.

He also chose to take passengers in his car and risked their lives, she said. It was "entirely fortuitous'' that there was no death, she added.

Pleading for leniency, Phua said he has a young son, is a business owner and the family's sole breadwinner.

This article was first published on August 3, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Orphaned at five weeks when a falling branch killed his mother, a "miracle" tree kangaroo that was later adopted by a wallaby has found a new home at the Singapore Zoo.

Makaia's move here in July from the Adelaide Zoo in Australia is part of a global plan to ensure the survival of his species, the endangered Goodfellow's tree kangaroo.

The two-year-old will be put together with a female, Nupela, in the hope that the pair will start their own furry family.

Australia's 'miracle' orphaned tree kangaroo joins Singapore Zoo

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Adelaide Zoo, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, The Straits Times

Brown with two golden stripes running down its back, the marsupial native to Papua New Guinea is one of only about 50 captive tree kangaroos found in zoos around the world.

Compared to land kangaroos, it has shorter limbs, making it stockier and clumsy on ground. But it has broader feet and can walk backwards, which makes it easier for it to traverse on treetop terrain.

The Goodfellow's tree kangaroo is classified as endangered under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species due to unsustainable hunting and loss of habitat. In the last 50 years, its population has declined by about half.

In November 2014, Makaia made headlines around the world when, at 47 days old, it was adopted by a yellow-footed wallaby after its mother died.

When it grew too big for the wallaby's pouch, Makaia - which means magic in a local Papua New Guinea language - was cared for by a keeper.

Visitors to the Singapore Zoo will be able to see Nupela in the park's Australasian Zone from Wednesday (Aug 3), while Makaia will be put into the exhibit later once it has settled into its new home.

"We are very happy to be the proud custodian of Makaia and Nupela, under the Global Species Management Plan for Goodfellow's tree kangaroos," said Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, Wildlife Reserves Singapore's deputy chief executive and chief life sciences officer.

"Such programmes enable zoos from different countries and continents to breed threatened species in a scientific and coordinated manner to achieve demographic and genetic sustainability. Together with conservation efforts in the animals' natural habitats, these breeding programmes help to ensure the survival of the species," he added.

Keepers hope that Makaia will be a good match with the three-year-old Nupela, which arrived in June from a Sydney zoo. The Singapore Zoo has two other older tree kangaroos in its collection.

This article was first published on August 3, 2016.
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UPDATE: The pouch is now sold out but remains available for pre-order on Pathlight School's The Art Faculty online store.

SINGAPORE - Little white dinosaurs romping across a blue background make for a quirky design, but many people were pleasantly surprised to see Mrs Lee Hsien Loong arrive at the White House sporting just such a purse on Tuesday (Aug 2).

As part of Prime Minister Lee's official visit to the United States, he and Mrs Lee were officially welcomed at the White House South Lawn by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Mrs Lee was spotted with her dinosaur-motif purse in hand during the arrival ceremony.

Staff at the Pathlight School for autistic children were pleased to recognise the pouch as not just the work of a home-grown designer, but also one of their own - 19-year-old student Seetoh Sheng Jie, who sells his art through the school's The Art Faculty store.

Ms Loy Sheau-Mei, senior vice-principal & head of Artist Development Programme at Pathlight School, said: "We were pleasantly surprised and honoured that she chose to bring this bag on her official visit. It gave such a great mileage to the artists on our Artist Development Programme (ADP) and merchandise at The Art Faculty."

Boy who designed Mrs Lee's pouch loves dinosaurs

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The New Paper, Reuters

The Art Faculty is part of Pathlight's Artist Development Programme, which was launched in 2011 to encourage autistic students with artistic abilities.

The programme matches students with professional mentors, and provides them art showcase opportunities.

Students can sell everyday items through the store, earning royalties and developing independent working skills.

In addition to an online store, The Art Faculty also sells artworks and merchandise by Pathlight students and alumni at a brick-and-mortar shop at the Enabling Village in Lengkok Bahru, a space for disabled, neurotypical, and able-bodied people to share.

Seetoh has been part of the Artist Development Programme since its inception.

His artist biography describes him as "extremely pedantic about dinosaurs" and his artwork - which decorates a notebook and three different purses for sale - is drawn without the aid of reference material.

Mrs Lee is an adviser to Pathlight's parent organisation, the Autism Resource Centre, and is also a patron of the Autism Association Singapore.

She picked up the $14.80 purse at A Very Special Walk, a concert and funfair held last Saturday to raise funds for autism support services.

It seems she isn't the only one taken with the pouch. Stocks for it are currently low due to overwhelming response, a notice on the shop page said.

This article was first published on Aug 3, 2016.
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NEW YORK - The Samsung Galaxy Note7 is not just a head-turner with its symmetrical dual-edge design and its glass-clad body. For me, the biggest draw is its iris-scanning technology.

In short, you unlock the phone by scanning your eyes, providing high-end protection for the most confidential data stored in the device. The device also comes with a Secure Folder for storing classified documents and apps, accessible only by fingerprint or iris scanning.

Samsung could be the company to make iris scanning commonplace in this part of the world, even as more handset makers are looking to incorporate high-end biometric security features in smartphones.

Samsung is not the first company to equip smartphones with an iris scanner. Forerunners such as Japan's Fujitsu and China-based Vivo have already launched phones equipped with an iris scanner.

From the brief hands-on I had with the device, my impression of the Note7 is nothing short of amazing.

Rumours had it that the phone would come with 7GB of system memory. Even though this is not the case, its performance is not hampered. Armed with a 64-bit octa-core (2.3GHz quad-core and 1.6GHz quad-core) processor and 4GB of system memory, the phone is super fast.

Gripping the phone with one hand is easy, despite its large 5.7-inch display.

I also like the new Translate and Magnify features of the S Pen stylus. The former allows users to tap the S Pen on a word and receive an immediate translation of the word. The Magnify feature enlarges an area the S Pen hovers over by 250 per cent - handy for the elderly.

Another plus is the S Pen lets users write on the display when both the stylus and the smartphone are wet or partially in water.

Samsung launches its Galaxy Note7 phablet

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AFP, The Straits Times

Samsung's decision to use USB-C instead of the ubiquitous micro-USB will disappoint many users - for now. I think USB-C will gain popularity overtime.

I expected Note7 to sport a dual-lens camera, like the Leica P9 and LG G5. As it turns out, the Note7 has the same front and rear cameras as the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.

Now all eyes are on Apple with its upcoming phone launch.

See also: Samsung launches Galaxy Note 7 with retina scan as it looks to poach Apple users

It was a glitzy affair attended by not just political and corporate bigwigs, but also actress Keri Russell and actor Matthew Rhys, as well as Amy Tan, author of best-selling novel Joy Luck Club.

The state dinner, honouring 50 years of diplomatic relations between the United States and Singapore, began with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Mrs Lee arriving in a black limousine at the North Portico of the White House, where they were received by US President Barack Obama and Mrs Michelle Obama.

The men wore black tuxedos while the women were a picture of elegance - Mrs Lee in a gold and red kebaya matched with a red shawl, and Mrs Obama in a strapless ivory-coloured dress by Brandon Maxwell, singer Lady Gaga's fashion director.

As the Marine Corps band struck up a tune, the two couples descended the grand staircase of the White House, pausing briefly at the foot of the stairs for official photographs before heading off to dinner.

PM Lee visits Washington

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AFP, The Straits Times, Reuters, Facebook / Lee Hsien Loong, Instagram/ @leehsienloong, Instagram/ @whitehouse

Close to 200 guests packed the East Room where dinner was held and which was decorated with yellow orchids and roses, a symbol of the friendship between the US and Singapore.

Flickering candles and a large spray of flowers adorned a feature wall, forming a grand backdrop for the head table, where PM Lee and Mrs Lee were seated.

Much attention was paid to detail as the yellow flower motif was used throughout the room, from the pattern of the table cloth to the projected lighting design on the ceiling.

Midway through dinner, violinists entered the room and played the tune of popular Malay folk song Di Tanjong Katong, prompting many to whip out their cameras to capture the moment. Among them was Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, who posted the video on his Instagram account.

Mr Lee's Facebook page also offered a 360-degree look at the state dinner, just as he was raising a toast and the cameras were clicking incessantly.

More musical entertainment rounded up the night as the guests filed into the State Dining Room, where chairs were tightly packed.

Mr and Mrs Lee had front-row seats as American singer-songwriter Chrisette Michele opened her segment with the song Be OK.

As guests bobbed to the music, the 16th president of the US, Abraham Lincoln, observed the proceedings from his portrait on the wall. Touching his chin in what must have been conceived as a pensive posture, he looked quizzically at the immaculately dressed guests gathered before him, before the evening drew to a close.

This article was first published on Aug 04, 2016.
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Singapore and the United States announced a slew of measures to boost co-operation, including an agreement to work more closely on cyber security and a US-Singapore scholarship programme.

Both Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Barack Obama welcomed these new initiatives during a meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday, and noted the growing co-operation in areas such as climate change and counter-terrorism.

The new scholarship would fund summer exchange programmes for 50 Singaporean and 50 American students over the course of the next five years.

PM Lee visits Washington

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AFP, The Straits Times, Reuters, Facebook / Lee Hsien Loong, Instagram/ @leehsienloong, Instagram/ @whitehouse

A new memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries would also bring about regular information exchanges and the sharing of best practices on cyber security.

It commits both parties to "conduct joint cyber-security exercises and collaborate on regional cyber capacity-building and cyber security awareness-building activities", according to a statement.

These announcements came on a day when trade - in particular, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal - dominated a joint press conference at the White House.

Both leaders advocated strongly for the deal, with Mr Obama spending nearly 20 minutes laying out his argument.

First, he said the 12-nation trade pact "knocks out 18,000 tariffs that other countries place on American products and goods".

"If everybody agrees that we're going to have lower tariffs, that's good for American businesses and American workers. And we should want that, we should pursue it," said Mr Obama.

Second, he said the TPP strengthens labour and environmental agreements in partner countries.

"We're raising standards for workers in those countries, which means it's harder for them to undercut labour standards here in the United States. The same is true for environmental standards," he said.

Appealing to liberals opposed to the deal, Mr Obama added: "If you care about preventing abuse of workers, child labour, wildlife trafficking, overfishing and the decimation of forests, all those things are addressed in this agreement."

Both Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her Republican opponent Donald Trump have said they oppose the TPP, but Mr Obama remains resolute.

"Hopefully, after the election is over and the dust settles, there will be more attention to the actual facts behind the deal and it won't just be a political symbol or a political football," he said.

Adding to Mr Obama's argument, Mr Lee highlighted "the other side of the economic benefit" not only for producers but also for consumers in America.

"I am spending, I am consuming, I am importing and, because it's freed up trade, I am getting a wider range of products, of services, of opportunities, which will improve my livelihood," he said.

He also made it clear that America's reputation is at stake if it drops the deal, saying that America's partners had to "overcome some domestic political objection, some sensitivity, some political cost to come to the table and make this deal".

"And if, at the end, waiting at the altar, the bride doesn't arrive, I think there are people who are going to be very hurt, not just emotionally, but really damaged for a long time to come," said Mr Lee.

The TPP would point the world in the right direction.

"If you set the wrong direction, maybe in the next 50 years, some time, you will turn around, but it will cost you many years and the world will have to pay quite a high price," said Mr Lee.

US Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry held a state luncheon for Mr Lee after the press conference.

This article was first published on Aug 04, 2016.
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Taiwan's new representative to Singapore Antonio Chiang has been arrested for drink driving - just hours after being sworn in for his job, the island's media reports said.

Mr Chiang, 72, was pulled over by police for a spot check in Taipei on Tuesday night. A breathalyser test showed his blood alcohol content was 0.27mg per litre.

In Taiwan, drivers caught with 0.25mg per litre or 0.05 per cent of blood alcohol content can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to NT$200,000 (S$8,500).

Mr Chiang, a former deputy secretary-general of Taiwan's National Security Council and a well-known journalist, was sworn in by President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday morning as her government's top envoy to Singapore.

According to police cited by Taiwanese media, Mr Chiang did not tell the officers who he was when he was detained, but merely pleaded that he had "had a bit to drink during dinner with friends".

Mr Chiang also reportedly asked the police to process his case as quickly as possible as he had "business to attend to the following day".

Police transferred him to the Taipei District Prosecutor's Office under charges of endangering public safety, Taiwanese media said.

He was allowed to go at about 1am yesterday after being questioned by prosecutors.

Ms Tsai's spokesman Alex Huang told Central News Agency yesterday that he "would seek more information about the case".

But he added that drink driving "is wrong and sets a bad example for society".

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the incident was Mr Chiang's "private matter". It added, however, that "it is common knowledge that drink driving should be avoided".

The opposition was quick to condemn Mr Chiang's misdemeanour as unbecoming of a diplomat.

"By sending such a fellow to represent Taiwan in Singapore, President Tsai is making all Taiwanese lose face," Kuomintang legislative whip Tsai Cheng-yuan said in a Facebook post last night.

Mr Chiang was supposed to begin a series of briefings yesterday for his posting to Singapore, the United Daily News reported.

His relocation to the Republic may now hinge on the outcome of the drink driving case.

Singapore Airlines has checked its Boeing 777-300ER engines to ensure there are no internal cracks after investigations revealed this could have caused a recent fire that forced an aircraft to make an emergency landing at Changi Airport.

The inspections and necessary replacements were completed on July 18, spokesman Nicholas Ionides told The Straits Times.

Flight SQ368 which left Changi for Milan, Italy, on June 27, turned back less than two hours later when the pilots received an engine oil warning.

Shortly after the plane landed, its right wing caught fire.

In an interim report, the Transport Ministry's Air Accident Investigation Bureau of Singapore (AAIB), which is investigating the incident, noted that fuel was found in the oil system, which is not normal.

The fuel had entered as a result of a crack in a tube in the engine's main fuel oil heat exchanger - a component that exchanges heat between the engine oil and fuel streams.

Following the incident, SIA accelerated the replacement of fuel oil heat exchangers on the GE90 engines powering its Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft, Mr Ionides said.

SIA has 27 B777-300ERs, all of them fitted with the GE engines.

Further investigations revealed that in December 2014, engine-maker GE Aviation had issued a notice to operators for the component to be removed from the engines, inspected for cracks and repaired if needed.

There was no urgency and the checks could be done when the engine was next due for maintenance, GE said then.

The engine on the SIA aircraft which caught fire had been inspected in March 2014, before the notice was issued.

It was not due for another check for some time, The Straits Times understands.

In the wake of the June fire, the AAIB report has recommended that GE Aviation review the urgency rating of the checks "to prevent another fire or other hazardous incident from arising as a result of fuel leakage into the engine oil system".

Aircraft maker Boeing is also advised to consider the need for operational procedures in the event a flight crew encounters a similar fuel leak situation in flight.

As the regulator of both Boeing and GE Aviation, the AAIB has requested that the US Federal Aviation Administration ask both firms to accept the recommendations.

A Boeing spokesman said the firm is providing technical help at the request and under direction of the investigating authorities.

Mr Ionides said SIA will continue to co-operate fully with the authorities.

None of the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board was hurt in the June incident.

This article was first published on August 4, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Singapore Airlines has checked its Boeing 777-300ER engines to ensure there are no internal cracks after investigations revealed this could have caused a recent fire that forced an aircraft to make an emergency landing at Changi Airport.

The inspections and necessary replacements were completed on July 18, spokesman Nicholas Ionides told The Straits Times.

Flight SQ368 which left Changi for Milan, Italy, on June 27, turned back less than two hours later when the pilots received an engine oil warning.

Shortly after the plane landed, its right wing caught fire.

Singapore Airlines plane catches fire at Changi Airport

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premiummall's Facebook, The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

In an interim report, the Transport Ministry's Air Accident Investigation Bureau of Singapore (AAIB), which is investigating the incident, noted that fuel was found in the oil system, which is not normal.

The fuel had entered as a result of a crack in a tube in the engine's main fuel oil heat exchanger - a component that exchanges heat between the engine oil and fuel streams.

Following the incident, SIA accelerated the replacement of fuel oil heat exchangers on the GE90 engines powering its Boeing 777- 300ER aircraft, Mr Ionides said.

SIA has 27 B777-300ERs, all of them fitted with the GE engines.

Further investigations revealed that in December 2014, engine-maker GE Aviation had issued a notice to operators for the component to be removed from the engines, inspected for cracks and repaired if needed.

There was no urgency and the checks could be done when the engine was next due for maintenance, GE said then.

The engine on the SIA aircraft which caught fire had been inspected in March 2014, before the notice was issued.

It was not due for another check for some time, The Straits Times understands.

In the wake of the June fire, the AAIB report has recommended that GE Aviation review the urgency rating of the checks "to prevent another fire or other hazardous incident from arising as a result of fuel leakage into the engine oil system".

Aircraft maker Boeing is also advised to consider the need for operational procedures in the event a flight crew encounters a similar fuel leak situation in flight.

As the regulator of both Boeing and GE Aviation, the AAIB has requested that the US Federal Aviation Administration ask both firms to accept the recommendations.

A Boeing spokesman said the firm is providing technical help at the request and under direction of the investigating authorities.

Mr Ionides said SIA will continue to co-operate fully with the authorities.

None of the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board was hurt in the June incident.

This article was first published on August 4, 2016.
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A sum of $40,000 which Yang Yin had received from wealthy widow Chung Khin Chun was raised in court yesterday, as the prosecution sought to poke holes in the former China tour guide's testimony.

Yang said Madam Chung had transferred the money for him to buy a car, after he told her over the phone that he had obtained his driving licence.

The 42-year-old, who faces two charges of misappropriating $1.1 million from the widow, claimed he then used the money to buy a red car in China to practise driving before he came to Singapore.

Tussle over widow's $40m assets turns ugly

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The Straits Times, Madam Hedy Mok, Lianhe Wanbao, Madam Chang Phie Chin, Court Documents

However, deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Sanjiv Vaswani pointed out during his cross-examination yesterday that the money was remitted to Yang on March 25, 2009, while he was in Singapore.

According to immigration records, Yang entered Singapore on Feb 27 and left on March 27 that year.

Records from the Traffic Police also showed Yang had received his licence in China only in August 2009, months after the sum of $40,000 was remitted to his bank account in China, the DPP said.

Referring to Yang's account of the phone call, the DPP said: "There was no such telephone conversation or you had pretended to leave Singapore and then called her and said 'I passed my driving test' and she offered you the money."

Yang later replied that he could have recalled the incident wrongly and that the conversation could have taken place face-to-face.

"To tell you the truth, at that time in 2014... my mind was in a confused state," added Yang.

The DPP also highlighted other inaccuracies yesterday, such as the dates when Yang was in China with Madam Chung and her long-time friend, Madam Chang Phie Chin.

Yang said yesterday that he had acted as a private tour guide for the two women during a trip to Beijing from Oct 20 to Nov 10, 2008.

However, DPP Vaswani produced a letter from Yang dated Nov 4, 2008, in which he told Madam Chung it was a pity their 20-day trip had ended so soon.

"This trip would have ended before Nov 4. Your evidence is that you were happily having a trip until Nov 10," said DPP Vaswani.

Yang, who took the stand for more than two hours on Tuesday to give his side of the story, had claimed that the $1.1 million he is accused of siphoning was a gift from the 89-year-old widow who saw him as the "grandson" she never had.

He also alleged that Madam Chang, 86, had moved out of the bungalow in 2011 after he turned down her request for half of the widow's money - a claim which DPP Viswani said was an "absurd allegation".

Madam Chang had moved in to live at the Gerald Crescent bungalow in 2005.

Tussle over widow's $40m assets: A look at Madam Chung’s bungalow

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The Straits Times, Raymond Tan

The DPP also produced a 2009 medical report, where Madam Chung had told a psychiatrist that Madam Chang did not want a part of her estate.

The medical examination was conducted while the widow was drawing up her will.

The prosecution also disputed Yang's claim that Madam Chung had given him a $4,000 red packet after accepting him as her grandson.

In a letter dated Jan 3, 2009, Yang had written to Madam Chung only to thank her for the red packet, the DPP said.

There was no mention of it being given by Madam Chung after she had accepted him as her grandson.

The trial will enter its ninth day today.

This article was first published on August 4, 2016.
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TAIPEI - Model Chiling Lin has had enough of actor Edison Chen's Weibo attacks.

After lying low for days, she hit back at him on Tuesday in a statement issued through a Beijing law firm, said United Daily News.

Chen, 35, has been attacking Lin, 41, since last Wednesday over accusations that she or her camp had prevented his girlfriend, model Shu Pei Qin, 25, from joining Hey Muse, a fashion reality show for Shanghai's Dragon TV.

On Tuesday, Lin's statement said that Chen had insulted her character, hurt her reputation and caused potential financial losses and that she reserved the right to sue him.

According to the statement, Lin had no knowledge of the Qin matter at all.

Lin joined the show because it involved a charity project and she did not know of Qin's involvement, said the statement.

Although Chen contacted Lin's agent about Qin, the agent did not inform her, added the statement.

Lin does not know Chen, Qin and Gentlemanly Scent, the Weibo user claiming to be the freelancer who had misled Qin about why she had been dropped from the show.

Responding to Lin's statement, Chen was unrepentant.

On Weibo, he wrote in English and Chinese: "Woooooo that was a close call. Think about what happened in the past few days and ask yourself, why don't they just sue me?"

Edison Chen and his rumoured flings

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Apple Daily, The Straits Times, The New Paper, Sina Weibo

Chen's father also issued a statement in defence of him, said NetEase website.

He wrote: "My son might have done things people don't like, but he is a genuine person, an honest man, a hard worker and he speaks up for people he loves."

He advised Lin "not to pretend to be a wounded lamb", before concluding that "Shu Pei Qin is the real victim".

Edison Chen spotted kissing, leaving hotel with Chinese model

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Apple Daily video screengrabs, Sina Weibo

This article was first published on August 4, 2016.
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The dinosaur purse toted by Mrs Lee Hsien Loong at the White House has flown off the shelves, with 200 sold on Wednesday.

While it may be the first time the public has heard of See Toh Sheng Jie, the 19-year-old designer from Pathlight School, his talent for drawing dinosaurs has been known to Mrs Lee.

She first learnt about Sheng Jie five years ago when MP Denise Phua, who co-founded Pathlight School for autistic children and youth, showed her the teenager's work, said Sheng Jie's father, Mr Jason See Toh, 54.

Boy who designed Mrs Lee's pouch loves dinosaurs

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The New Paper, Reuters

Soon after, a dinosaur expert from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum visited the school with a real-life fossil for the students to view, said Mr See Toh, a taxi driver.

The teenager's artwork sparked a flurry of interest from the public after Mrs Lee was spotted carrying the denim purse at a welcome ceremony at the White House earlier this week. She bought the $14.80 purse at a fund-raising event.

On the media attention, Mr See Toh said: "The first thing is, we're shocked. It's an amazing surprise."

Mr See Toh and his wife, who have another 21-year-old son, said Sheng Jie has been fascinated with dinosaurs since watching the Disney animated movie Dinosaur when he was three years old.

He began sculpting models of dinosaurs using Blu-Tack, and insisted on checking out books on the prehistoric creatures during trips to the library. He soon had the facts and figures memorised, and now translates that information into detailed drawings and notes in his sketchbooks.

Mr See Toh said the family hopes to thank Mrs Lee in person for celebrating the achievements of autistic people.

He said: "There is a National Day walk in Ang Mo Kio. If Mrs Lee is there with the Prime Minister, we will thank her personally."

This article was first published on August 5, 2016.
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This article was first published on August 5, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A foreign worker who made a 13-year-old girl pregnant after having sex with her on three occasions was jailed for two years yesterday.

Indian national Vellakkanu Raja, 24, a construction worker, pleaded guilty to three counts of underage sex, with three other offences taken into consideration in sentencing.

A District Court heard that sometime around November or December 2014, the Secondary 1 student approached Raja at Changi Beach and gave him her cellphone number. He contacted her that evening and subsequently met her a few times. After several weeks, she began to consider that they were in a "boyfriend-girlfriend relationship''.

Some time around February last year, they met at Changi Village, consumed beer in a deserted part of the beach, and started to become physically intimate. He had unprotected sex with her.

When her 24-year-old male cousin found out they were meeting each other, he told her mother, who confronted the victim and told her not to see Raja.

The mother also confiscated her mobile phone.

On May 28 last year, the girl ran away from home. Her mother lodged a police report the next day. She called Raja and told him to contact her if the victim met or approached him.

Later that day, the girl's cousin arrived in Yishun to fetch her. He told Raja that the victim was "very young'' and there was a nine-year gap between them.

After the girl was back home, her mother called Raja and told him her daughter was only 13, still in school, and they should not see each other anymore.

But the pair continued to meet.

Investigations further revealed that in August and October, the two met at Punggol Waterway Park, drank beer and had sex in the park.

She learnt she was pregnant when her mother took her to a polyclinic and KK Women's and Children's Hospital in January this year. She had an abortion 10 weeks later when she was 23 weeks pregnant.

On Jan 22, she told Raja that the case had been referred to the police. He was arrested at Changi Airport the next day for trying to leave the country.

Raja's lawyer Shaneet Rai said it was the victim who had sought out his client by giving him her number, and initiating contact. He said Raja was remorseful for the hurt he had caused the victim and her family. He had learnt a bitter lesson, he added.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana said the present case had resulted in pregnancy which is recognised as an aggravating factor. She said it was "utterly incredible'' for the defence to characterise the case as one in which the accused had merely succumbed to the victim's advances.

She said Raja kept on seeing the victim and communicated constantly with her. He exploited her affections even though her mother and cousin had told him not to do so.

Raja could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined for each charge of sexual penetration of a person below 16 years old.

This article was first published on August 5, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Indian national made girl pregnant after having sex with her three times

A foreign worker who made a 13-year-old girl pregnant after having sex with her on three occasions was jailed for two years yesterday.

Indian national Vellakkanu Raja, 24, a construction worker, pleaded guilty to three counts of underage sex, with three other offences taken into consideration in sentencing.

A District Court heard that sometime around November or December 2014, the Secondary 1 student approached Raja at Changi Beach and gave him her cellphone number. He contacted her that evening and subsequently met her a few times. After several weeks, she began to consider that they were in a "boyfriend-girlfriend relationship''.

Some time around February last year, they met at Changi Village, consumed beer in a deserted part of the beach, and started to become physically intimate. He had unprotected sex with her.

When her 24-year-old male cousin found out they were meeting each other, he told her mother, who confronted the victim and told her not to see Raja.

The mother also confiscated her mobile phone.

On May 28 last year, the girl ran away from home. Her mother lodged a police report the next day. She called Raja and told him to contact her if the victim met or approached him.

Later that day, the girl's cousin arrived in Yishun to fetch her. He told Raja that the victim was "very young'' and there was a nine-year gap between them.

After the girl was back home, her mother called Raja and told him her daughter was only 13, still in school, and they should not see each other anymore.

But the pair continued to meet.

Investigations further revealed that in August and October, the two met at Punggol Waterway Park, drank beer and had sex in the park.

She learnt she was pregnant when her mother took her to a polyclinic and KK Women's and Children's Hospital in January this year. She had an abortion 10 weeks later when she was 23 weeks pregnant.

On Jan 22, she told Raja that the case had been referred to the police. He was arrested at Changi Airport the next day for trying to leave the country.

Raja's lawyer Shaneet Rai said it was the victim who had sought out his client by giving him her number, and initiating contact. He said Raja was remorseful for the hurt he had caused the victim and her family. He had learnt a bitter lesson, he added.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana said the present case had resulted in pregnancy which is recognised as an aggravating factor. She said it was "utterly incredible'' for the defence to characterise the case as one in which the accused had merely succumbed to the victim's advances.

She said Raja kept on seeing the victim and communicated constantly with her. He exploited her affections even though her mother and cousin had told him not to do so.

Raja could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined for each charge of sexual penetration of a person below 16 years old.

elena@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 5, 2016.
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