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Kim Kardashian’s nanny thinks Kanye West cannot handle fame and fortune

Lydia Koh
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Kim Kardashian’s nanny thinks Kanye West cannot handle fame and fortune

In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Pam Behan, Kim Kardashian’s childhood nanny said the latter’s late father Robert would have supported her divorce to Kanye West.

Behan opens up as rumours swirled that Kardashian, 40 is on the verge of divorcing West after six years of marriage. Behan, 52 spent eight years caring for the Kardashian siblings in the 1900s. She said that even though they quarrel on TV, the family will come together to back Kim Kardashian in her time of need.

Mother-of-one Behan, who now works as a financial advisor and lives in Aberdeen, South Dakota, said: ‘Kim has just turned 40 and she now might become a single mom but she’s an ‘overcomer’ and she was like that as a child.

‘There may be some tough days ahead, but I know she will come out shining.

‘I had a pretty good relationship with Kim’s dad, Robert Kardashian, we were friends.’

‘I know that he would not want her to be unhappy and he would want the best for her happiness and wellbeing, for Kim and her kids.

‘I’m behind her if she’s had enough, and obviously, I think she’s had enough. There’s a breaking point.

‘I think her mom Kris and her siblings will all be there for her 100%.

‘On the show, they argue and fight, but one thing about them is they stick together, especially during tough times.

‘The entire family has had tough stuff happening while in the public eye and with everybody watching, which makes things so much more difficult.

‘Not only are they going through a hard time, but the entire world is watching them and that can be humiliating.

‘I just feel like Kim needs all the support she can get right now, and I feel her family will definitely be there for her.’

In 1991, Behan started working with the Kardashians when Kim Kardashian was 10. The nanny later wrote about her experience with the family in a tell-all memoir called Malibu Nanny. Reports say Kardashian has hired divorce attorney Laura Wasser to begin settlement talks with West, 43.

This is following several outbursts where the rapper and fashion designer was perceived to have publicly humiliated his wife by discussing deeply personal issues in public.

The Kardashian children were taken care of by nanny Pam Behan. Picture: Instagram

Behan said: ‘I give Kim a lot of credit for trying to make things work as long as she did despite some really difficult times.

‘There’s things that all of us know about Kanye because he’s put it out there for the whole world to see.

‘Some of the comments he’s made, I just really can’t imagine what Kim’s been through.

‘I feel like at this point she’s tried to make things work but things are not changing and at some point, if he’s not going to change, she’s got to.

‘Not only for her sake but for the sake of the kids.

KANYE NOT ALL BAD?

‘I honestly do not think Kanye is all bad, I just think if he suffers from bipolar and he’s not on meds like he should be, it’s a sickness that affects everybody who is around it.

‘There’s probably other issues at hand that I’m not aware of, but that in and of itself is huge.

‘You can’t make somebody change, they have got to want to.

‘This has been going on long enough so Kanye knows the necessary steps to take to make things better.’

‘It just seems to me that he is choosing not to take those steps, and that says a lot.

‘I truly feel bad for Kanye because he has a sickness and I don’t think this is what he wanted, but I do feel there is a very good part to him.

‘The whole thing really is pretty sad.’

Kardashian has shared about her father Robert in the past, seeing him not just as a father but as a friend. Robert died of cancer at the age of 59.

The reality star is trying to follow in his footsteps to take the bar exam to be a lawyer while she campaigns for prison reform. On Kardashian’s 40th birthday, West gifted Kardashian a custom-made hologram of her late parent in which Robert’s likeness described West as ‘the most, most, most, most, most genius man in the whole world’.

Despite Kardashian publicly tweeting that she and her family were touched by the gesture, netizens said that it is creepy and inappropriate.

Behan said she believes that a split with West could actually have a silver lining if it pushes Kardashian to achieve her dreams.

NUS investigates sex-for-grades complaint involving 2 staff members

Jewel Stolarchuk
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NUS investigates sex-for-grades complaint involving 2 staff members

The National University of Singapore (NUS) is investigating a recent sexual misconduct complaint that has been lodged against two staff members. The internal probe surrounds a sex-for-grades case involving a former student, that allegedly took place off-campus.

Although NUS first received the complaint over a month ago, on 2 Dec 2020, no police report has been lodged yet. A summary of the complaint was featured in NUS’ first report on sexual misconduct, which was recently sent to students and staff.

The report showed that NUS received 71 sexual misconduct complaints involving students over the past five years, with the number of complaints against staff rising substantially from three to 10 cases between 2019 and 2020.

NUS said that all victims are given support through a Care Officer in its Victims Care Unit (VCU). The Provost is empowered to take action like withdrawing or suspending parties whenever necessary and the school also serves no-contact orders to prevent further interaction between the parties involved.

All students and staff are also set to undergo a mandatory “Respect and consent module”, with other refresher courses on safety in the pipeline.

The university said, in the foreword to its report: “We are taking a holistic approach towards addressing sexual misconduct. We recognise the importance of raising awareness in the NUS community, enhancing infrastructure for better campus safety, instituting a strict framework for disciplinary sanctions, and offering comprehensive victim support.”

Family confirms suicide of British model Stella Tennant

AFP
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Family confirms suicide of British model Stella Tennant

British model Stella Tennant, known for her androgynous, aristocratic style and who was the face of campaigns by top designers, killed herself last month, her family said.

Tennant died in Scotland on December 7, five days after her 50th birthday. Police said at the time there were no suspicious circumstances.

“Stella had been unwell for some time. So, it is a matter of our deepest sorrow and despair that she felt unable to go on, despite the love of those closest to her,” her family said late on Thursday.

They described Tennant as a “beautiful soul”.

Rocketing to fame as a teenager in the 1990s when she appeared in British Vogue magazine, she had a long and successful career, working as a catwalk model and face of campaigns for Chanel, Valentino and Versace.

She appeared at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics along with fellow models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss.

Her death prompted tributes from top designers including Stella McCartney, who said it was “sad, horrific news”.

British Vogue described her as “one of fashion’s most beloved and idiosyncratic personalities” and a “groundbreaking figure in the history of British style”.

Tennant was the grand-daughter of Deborah Mitford, the Duchess of Devonshire, who died in 2014.

The model was married to French photographer-turned-osteopath David Lasnet and the couple had four children.

© Agence France-Presse

Hyundai shares soar on Apple car talks reports

AFP
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Hyundai shares soar on Apple car talks reports

Shares in South Korean automaker Hyundai soared Friday on the back of reports it was in talks with Apple for a joint project to manufacture self-driving electric vehicles.

Hyundai Motor shares rocketed 19.4 percent in Seoul, with its affiliate Kia also jumping 8.4 percent at the close.

The moves came after cable broadcaster Korea Economic TV said the iPhone maker had approached the South Korean company to discuss a potential partnership to develop electric cars and batteries for them.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted a Hyundai representative as saying the firm was “at an initial stage of talks with Apple”.

Most major automakers and many technology groups are currently developing autonomous vehicles, considered to be the future of the automobile, along with electric power.

Consumer interest in eco-friendly vehicles has mounted in recent years with Tesla largely taking the lead in the sector.

Apple’s Project Titan is devoted to self-driving technology but the firm is known for being ultra-secretive about business projects.

Hyundai, South Korea’s biggest automaker, has already rolled out fully-electric cars including the Ioniq and the Kona Electric as it seeks to win a slice of the growing market.

It has announced it will offer ten models of “electrified, eco-focused vehicles” including hybrid and hydrogen-powered models by the end of 2022.

“We’ve been receiving requests for potential cooperation from various companies regarding development of autonomous EVs,” Hyundai Motor said in a statement sent to AFP.

“No decisions have been made as discussions are in (an) early stage.”

© Agence France-Presse

Sri Lanka sticks to cremation of Muslim Covid-19 victims despite uproar

AFP
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Sri Lanka sticks to cremation of Muslim Covid-19 victims despite uproar

by Amal JAYASINGHE

Sri Lanka’s government insisted Friday on the cremation of all coronavirus victims, rejecting international pleas and recommendations from its own experts to allow the Muslim minority to bury their dead in line with Islamic custom.

The government first banned burials in April amid concerns — which experts say are baseless — by influential Buddhist monks that burying bodies could contaminate groundwater and spread the virus.

The World Health Organisation has said that there is no such risk, recommending both burials and cremations of virus victims, but the Sri Lankan government has refused.

“This decision will not be changed for social, religious, political or any other personal reason,” Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said, according to ministry officials.

The announcement came despite a government-appointed expert committee noting this week that while it felt cremations were safest, burials could be allowed under strict conditions.

Traditionally, Muslims bury their dead facing Mecca. Sri Lanka’s majority Buddhists, who are strong backers of the current government, are typically cremated, as are Hindus.

Last month, authorities ordered the forced cremation of at least 19 Muslim Covid-19 victims, including a baby, after their families refused to claim their bodies from a hospital morgue.

This stoked dismay and anger among the Muslim community, moderates and abroad, with the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation repeatedly expressing concern.

Sri Lanka’s Muslim Council (SLMC) accused the government of trying to provoke Muslim youths into doing “something rash” with its decision on cremations, a claim echoed by Justice Minister Ali Sabry, a Muslim.

There have been ongoing tensions between Muslims and the majority Sinhalese — who are mostly Buddhists — since the deadly 2019 Easter bombings carried out by local jihadists.

The SLMC said more than half of Sri Lanka’s 222 Covid-19 victims were from the Muslim minority which accounts for just 10 percent of the 21 million population.

“We have a disproportionate number of fatalities because Muslims don’t seek treatment fearing that they will be cremated if they are diagnosed with the virus after going to hospital,” SLMC spokesman Hilmy Ahamed told AFP.

The Maldives, Sri Lanka’s Muslim neighbour, announced last month that Sri Lanka had sought permission to send bodies of Muslims there for burial, a claim denied by Colombo.

Maldives speaker Mohamed Nasheed went on to suggest that they could allow Sri Lankan Muslims to be buried in a cemetery for Maldivians in the Sri Lankan capital.

There has been no response from Colombo to that proposal.

Sri Lanka has experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases, with the number of infections soaring to nearly 46,800 from 3,300 in October and deaths rising to 222 from 13.

© Agence France-Presse

Travellers to England, Scotland will need negative Covid tests

AFP
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Travellers to England, Scotland will need negative Covid tests

by Anna MALPAS

Travellers arriving in England and Scotland will soon be required to show negative coronavirus tests, officials said on Friday, as they try to curb the spread of new strains.

The UK government had previously argued against the requirement, which has already been introduced in other countries, saying quarantining of those arriving from high-risk countries was more effective.

Now international travellers arriving in England will be required to present a negative Covid-19 test taken within the last 72 hours, the Department of Transport said.

The measures, which also apply to British nationals, will come into effect from early next week. Passengers who do not comply with the regulations face a £500 ($678, €552) fine.

Scotland’s government, which has devolved powers in health and transport, said it would also introduce the rule “as soon as practically possible”.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had talked to officials in Wales and Northern Ireland, which also set health and transport policy there, and said they would also likely implement the rule.

“I suspect it will be a UK-wide requirement some time next week,” he told Sky News television.

“We’re doing this now because there are these variants that we are very keen to keep out of the country like the South African variant,” the minister added, saying the new strain made the need for testing “much more urgent”.

This variant, called 501.V2, was detected in South Africa in October, and has since spread to countries including Britain, Australia and France.

Vaccine concerns
Scientists say the strain has mutations that may make it more contagious and more resistant to vaccines, because of changes to the way it latches on to human cells.

“There are concerns with the South African one in particular about how effective the vaccine will be against it, so we simply can’t take chances,” said Shapps.

Francois Balloux, professor of computational systems biology and director at University College London’s Genetics Institute, said the South African variant’s spike protein mutation “helps the virus to bypass immune protection provided by prior infection or vaccination”.

But the World Health Organization’s head of vaccines, Kate O’Brien, said Thursday that such mutations “are not felt to be likely to change the impact” of vaccines.

The announcement follows the recent decision to temporarily suspend direct travel from South Africa to England.

Britain has been contending with a new coronavirus variant first identified in the country in December, which authorities have said is 50 to 70 percent more transmissible.

Dozens of nations around the world stopped air travel from the UK in a bid to contain the virus strain.

Faced by a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, driven by the new strain, England entered a strict lockdown on Tuesday with schools and non-essential shops closed for at least six weeks after previous measures failed to halt the steep rise in cases.

The UK on Thursday recorded another 1,162 deaths within 28 days of a positive test — the second highest toll since the peak of the first wave in April last year.

Under the new travel rules for inbound arrivals to England, all passengers arriving from countries not on the government’s travel corridor list will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days, regardless of their Covid test result.

© Agence France-Presse

Two Chinese cities sealed off to squash virus outbreak

AFP
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Two Chinese cities sealed off to squash virus outbreak

China has sealed off two cities south of Beijing, cutting transport links and banning millions of residents from leaving, as authorities move to stem the country’s largest Covid-19 outbreak in six months.

The pandemic has so far broadly been brought to heel by Chinese authorities since its emergence in Wuhan in late 2019, with small outbreaks swiftly snuffed out using mass testing, local lockdowns and travel restrictions.

But Hebei province in northern China has seen 127 new Covid-19 cases, plus an additional 183 asymptomatic infections, in the past week.

The vast majority were found in Shijiazhuang, a city of several million in Hebei province whose surrounding areas take the total population to 11 million. Nine confirmed cases were in the neighbouring city of Xingtai, whose area covers 7 million people.

Residents of both cities were banned from leaving unless absolutely necessary, Hebei authorities announced Friday.

Officials vowed to “strictly control the movement of people and vehicles”, with all residential estates placed under “closed management” — a euphemism for lockdown.

Hebei residents were also banned from entering Beijing or leaving the province unless absolutely necessary.

“The outbreak was imported from abroad, but the exact origins are currently under in-depth investigation by state, provincial and municipal experts,” said Li Qi, head of the Hebei Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, at a press briefing Friday.

Chinese officials have repeatedly tried to link recurrent domestic outbreaks to strains of the virus circulating overseas, suggesting that it has been brought back into China by returning travellers and contaminated imported food packaging.

There are mounting fears travel plans for hundreds of millions of people for the Lunar New Year may be ruined as virus controls tighten.

Officials are starting to signal a low-key new-year holiday — which will run from February 11 to 17 — nixing the prospect of banquets, parties and public celebrations.

“Mass celebrations, gatherings and fairs are forbidden,” said Kang Sen, of Beijing’s agriculture and rural affairs authority, adding even funerals should be “brief” and all public events would need prior approval.

His comments, carried over state media, appeared directed at villages in areas around the capital rather than the city itself.

– Tests, vaccines -In the two Hebei cities under the spotlight, restrictions were tightened Friday.

Long-distance passenger vehicle transport in both cities was suspended and highways closed.

Footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed residents being swabbed by medical workers in hazmat suits at community centres in Shijiazhuang while queues outside stretched around the block.

Virus control staff stood guard at highways entering the city, which had mostly been blocked by barricades, the images released on Thursday showed.

Hebei province reported 33 new confirmed Covid-19 cases on Friday in addition to 51 from the day before — pushing the nationwide daily total to the highest figure since July.

So far, both cities have tested around 6.7 million residents in total, officials said Friday.

Staff were filmed giving injections of China’s recently approved Sinopharm vaccine, which has a 79 percent efficacy rate.

Three officials from Shijiazhuang’s worst-hit Gaocheng district have been disciplined for apparent negligence in virus control, a sign of the pressure on local authorities to squash the virus wherever it emerges.

© Agence France-Presse

PM Lee first in Cabinet to receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Obbana Rajah
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PM Lee first in Cabinet to receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was the first member of the Cabinet to receive the Covid-19 vaccination on Friday (Jan 8).

He was vaccinated at Singapore General Hospital along with Director of Medical Services Kenneth Mak.

The pair will require a second dose of the vaccine in the next few weeks.

Speaking to reporters about how he would be coming back in three weeks’ time for a second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, PM Lee said: ” It’s painless, it’s effective and it’s important”.

PM Lee’s vaccination follows those of 40 NCID staff on Dec. 31, 2020.

“I took the opportunity to have my own jab this morning and now I’m done – 30 minutes waited, nothing happened”, PM Lee said, according to a CNA report.

So far no severe side-effects or reactions of the vaccine have been reported in Singapore.

Public healthcare institutions, including hospitals and polyclinics, will start vaccinations for their staff on Friday. SGH estimated about 90 of its employees will get vaccinated on the first day.

Initially, a small-scale test run at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases was conducted, where 40 employees received their jabs on Dec 30 last year.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was approved by Singapore late last year and the first shipment arrived on Dec 21. The vaccine requires two doses taken 21 days apart, and it will take up to 14 more days after the second dose to achieve maximum protection against the virus.

Vaccinations for the elderly and those at greater risk of severe COVID-19 will start in February, beginning with seniors aged 70 and above. Vaccinations will be free for all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore.

PM Lee urged Singaporeans: “It will make us safer, and it will make you and your loved ones safer. So please take it when you can”.

Kylie Jenner has unfollowed Sofia Richie, Rosalia and more

Lydia Koh
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Kylie Jenner has unfollowed Sofia Richie, Rosalia and more

Reality star Kylie Jenner has unfollowed several people on her social media in a purge of her Instagram account, unfollowing familiar faces such as Rosalia, Sofia Richie and more.

Jenner now only follows 28 accounts, most of it being her family. Fans speculated the drama within Jenner’s inner circle prompted the unfollowing spree but her unfollowing Fai Khadra and Harry Hudson who are both close to the Kardashian clan dispelled the rumours.

Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble were joined by Fai during their recent family vacation to Aspen, Colorado, where they had fun shopping and hitting the slopes.

A source previously told E! News of the trip, “Everyone was in great spirits and enjoying their vacation. It looked like a nice change of scene and that they were happy being back in the snow and on the mountain.”

Kylie Jenner also unfollowed Sofia Richie from Instagram. Picture: Instagram

In addition, Jenner also unfollowed close friend and makeup artist Ariel Tejada and former assistant Victoria Villarroel and old friend Yris Palmer. The only remaining friend that is still on Jenner’s exclusive following list is Stassie Karanikolao, also known as Stassie Baby.

Although Jenner’s following list is scant, her follower count is still a whopping 208 million followers, meaning that plenty of eyes have seen the star’s latest sultry selfies.

The Kylie Cosmetics guru posted a demure photo of herself in white loungewear set on Wednesday, January 6. She also had her hair and makeup done. She captioned the pic, “Mommy goose.”

Jenner’s Instagram feed is expected to be filled with numerous photos of little Stormi in the coming days as it is her and Travis Scott’s daughter’s birthday on February 1.

The mom is already reflecting on the bittersweet third birthday, writing under a pic of her daughter over the holidays, “my baby is turning 3 soon and mommy’s not ok!!!!!!”

Man who stole S$600 worth of Budget 2020 grocery vouchers and burnt some as offering to late wife sent to jail

The Independent
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Man who stole S$600 worth of Budget 2020 grocery vouchers and burnt some as offering to late wife sent to jail

Singapore – A 47-year-old man was sentenced to one month’s jail on Thursday (Jan 7) for stealing S$600 worth of Budget 2020 grocery vouchers, which included burning some as an offering for his late wife.

Upset that he did not yet receive his grocery vouchers, Alvin Law Choon Huat took it upon himself to steal his neighbours’ vouchers back in October 2020. He had gotten four sets of vouchers from the letterboxes at public housing blocks located in Marine Terrace, going for unsecured or damaged letterboxes, reported todayonline.com.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jane Lim noted Mr Law “felt it was unfair that others received the vouchers.”

However, Mr Law did receive his vouchers a few days later and combined them with the stolen ones. He used them to purchase a vacuum cleaner and groceries. Mr Law also burnt the remaining ones as an offering for his late wife.

“If I bring (the stolen vouchers) to the police, I would be arrested. So I mixed them together, bought a little food for my family and the rest, I burnt them,” said Mr Law through a Mandarin interpreter, as quoted by Today.

“I know that by doing so, I made a mistake, so I have nothing more to say.”

Mr Law, who was unemployed when he stole the vouchers, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft. Another two similar charges were taken into consideration during his sentences.

In a separate incident occurring in the same month, a woman was arrested for suspected involvement in a case of theft at a residential block along Lorong 7 Toa Payoh on Oct 11.

“The offence of theft under Section 379 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 carries an imprisonment term which may extend to three years, or fine, or both,” said the Singapore Police Force.

The SPF also released an advisory urging the public to immediately collect their grocery vouchers as theft reports increased.

Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah told Parliament in November last year that by the end of October 2020, a total of 229 sets of vouchers worth S$150 each were reported as stolen. There have been 55 arrests made under the offence.

Mr Law is believed to be the first individual to be dealt with in court for grocery voucher stealing. In seeking the one-month sentence given to Mr Law, DPP Lim said imprisonment was necessary to deter others from similar actions.

Mr Law had also not made repayments for the stolen vouchers, noted DPP Lim. “He had committed the offences clearly out of greed,” she added.

Mr Law will begin his sentence from Feb 15, after a district judge approved his request for deferment to care for his 17-year-old daughter. He is also out on S$10,000 bail.

The vouchers support scheme is a part of the GST (Goods and Services Tax) voucher benefits that have been disbursed to Singaporeans during the month of August since 2012.

Read related: Woman arrested for suspected involvement in Budget 2020 Grocery Vouchers theft

Woman arrested for suspected involvement in Budget 2020 Grocery Vouchers theft

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