Latest news with #MichelePek
New York Times
a day ago
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
In Singapore, Grandmothers Dive Into Aging With a Splash
Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Last year, I came across an article in Rice Media, a news outlet based in Singapore, with the headline ''I'll Play Till I Die': The Rowdy Ah Mas Confronting Mortality Through Water Polo.' In the article, Michele Pek wrote that her grandmother was one of the first members of the Ah Ma Flippa Ball team, a group of women mostly in their 60s, 70s and 80s who started playing flippa ball — a version of water polo that does not require treading water — in Singapore in 2016. 'Ah ma' means grandmother in several Chinese dialects. It was 'the first time I've seen an 80-year-old lady dive headfirst for a ball,' Ms. Pek wrote. I was born and raised in Singapore, one of the world's most rapidly aging countries. For years, I kept track of the government's various initiatives to engage older residents. The National Silver Academy, for example, offered courses teaching them how to use TikTok. This month, two 'silver generation ambassadors' — volunteers who help Singapore's government connect with seniors — visited my 83-year-old mother to ask about her chronic diseases and if she had friends. They encouraged her to exercise and told her that she could play Rummy-O with other seniors. And recently, the city-state hosted the World Aging Festival, which featured a cheerleading squad made up of seniors. I have always been interested in how seniors live. I previously covered demographics in China, where I was based for a decade. There, I wrote about people in their 70s and 80s who went to parks to find love. When I started covering Southeast Asia in late 2021, I was keen to continue that focus. I am always searching for new ways to tell the story of demographic shifts in the region. I knew that the story of the Ah Ma Flippa Ball team presented an opportunity to highlight Singapore's dynamic, aging population. So I contacted the coach, Ting Kum Luen, and asked if I could watch the team play at the Yio Chu Kang Swimming Complex. Mr. Ting told me how skeptical he was when an official from Sport Singapore, a government agency, asked him in 2016 to try to teach flippa ball to seniors. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Mint
3 days ago
- Business
- Mint
London metals inch up on dollar weakness, Middle East tensions cap gains
SINGAPORE, June 18 (Reuters) - London base metal prices inched up on Wednesday on a softer U.S. dollar, although tensions in the Middle East dampened global risk appetite and kept a lid on prices. Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 0.22% at $9,690.5 per metric ton by 0326 GMT. LME aluminium gained 0.18% to $2,555 a ton, zinc ticked up 0.49 to $2,651.5, lead strengthened 0.23% to $1,980.5 and nickel inched 0.27% higher to $14,965. Tin climbed 0.73% to $32,500. The dollar index was last a touch weaker, losing 0.13%. A weaker dollar makes dollar-denominated assets more affordable to holders of other currencies. "Base metals remained under pressure amid a broader risk off tone across markets," said ANZ analysts. Concerns over escalating hostilities in the Middle East stayed front and centre in markets on Wednesday, sending oil prices higher. Higher oil prices dampen economic growth and stoke inflationary pressures. Meanwhile, recent data showed the U.S. economy was slowing amid President Donald Trump's shifting tariff policies, with retail sales falling more than expected in May. The SHFE most-traded copper contract gained 0.14% to 78,640 yuan ($10,943.50) per metric ton. SHFE aluminium was up 1.45% at 20,700 yuan a ton, lead slipped 0.62% to 16,820 yuan, nickel fell 0.49% to 118,400 yuan, while zinc gained 0.87% to 22,065 yuan and tin inched up 0.08% to 264,480 yuan. For the top stories in metals and other news, click or ($1 = 7.1860 yuan) (Reporting by Michele Pek; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
Mint
22-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Oil extends decline on surprise US inventory builds
By Yuka Obayashi and Michele Pek SINGORE -Oil prices fell for a third straight session on Thursday as unexpected increases in U.S. crude and fuel inventories raised concerns about demand from the world's largest oil consumer while investors eyed renewed Iran-U.S. nuclear talks. Brent futures edged 16 cents lower to $64.75 a barrel by 0630 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude weakened 10 cents to $61.47. Both benchmarks fell earlier in the session after U.S. crude and fuel inventories posted surprise stock builds last week, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday, as crude imports hit a six-week high and gasoline and distillate demand slipped. [EIA/S] Crude inventories rose by 1.3 million barrels to 443.2 million barrels in the week ended May 16, the EIA said. Analysts in a Reuters poll had expected a 1.3 million-barrel drawdown. "The EIA's reported surprise stock builds will have a downward pressure particularly on WTI," said Emril Jamil, a senior analyst at LSEG Oil Research. He added this could further incentivise more U.S. exports to Europe and Asia. Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief strategist of Nissan Securities Investment, a unit of Nissan Securities, said: "While rising U.S. inventories have raised concerns, some investors expect the summer driving season starting after Memorial Day weekend to draw down stocks, limiting further downside." Both benchmarks lost 0.7% on Wednesday after Oman's foreign minister said the fifth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States will take place on Friday in Rome. Prices had jumped earlier on Wednesday following a CNN report that U.S. intelligence suggests Israel is preparing to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, although it was not clear whether Israeli leaders have made a final decision. Iran is the third-largest producer among members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and an Israeli attack could upset supply from the country. "Traders remain cautious, avoiding large positions as they assess conflicting signals over U.S.-Iran nuclear talks and a media report of potential Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities," said Kikukawa. Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova, said: "Additionally, Ukraine suggested that it would seek harsher sanctions on Russia from the EU, which could further disrupt the flow of Russian oil barrels to global markets." Ukraine will ask the EU next week to consider big new steps to isolate Moscow, according to a white paper, including seizing Russian assets and bringing in sanctions for some buyers of Russian oil.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iron ore declines on recovery in shipments, duties on Chinese steel
By Michele Pek SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Iron ore futures prices faltered on Tuesday, weighed down by a recovery in iron ore shipments, with increasing levies and legislations on Chinese steel exports putting further pressure on sentiment. The most-traded May iron ore contract on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) closed down 2.17% at 813 yuan ($111.97) a metric ton. The benchmark March iron ore on the Singapore Exchange was 2.23% lower at $105.95 a ton as of 0705 GMT. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is introducing a legislation to address the impact of Chinese-supported companies moving portions of their production to other countries to circumvent American duties. The legislation would also toughen anti-dumping rules. This comes after the U.S. announced 25% tariffs on all steel imports earlier this month, with South Korea provisionally imposing tariffs on Chinese steel imports last week. Meanwhile, Vietnam will impose a temporary anti-dumping levy on some steel products from China, according to a trade ministry document seen by Reuters. "Iron ore prices were also lower, as data showed a pick-up in supply which weakened support for the steelmaking raw material," analysts at ANZ said. The total volume of iron ore dispatched from companies in Australia and Brazil under Mysteel tracking rebounded to 25.8 million tons as of February 23, ending a two-week slump, according to data from Chinese consultancy Mysteel. Meanwhile, the outlook for China's property sector has turned gloomier, a Reuters poll showed. Home prices this year likely to fall at a faster pace than previously estimated despite Beijing's efforts to stabilise its crisis-stricken property sector, which is a major consumer of metals. Other steelmaking ingredients on the DCE lost ground, with coking coal and coke down 2.47% and 2.25%, respectively. Steel benchmarks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange declined. Rebar weakened 1.95%, hot-rolled coil shed 1.55%, wire rod was down 0.9%, while stainless steel dipped nearly 0.8%. ($1 = 7.2608 Chinese yuan) Sign in to access your portfolio
