Singapore government worries over higher rates of divorce |
- Singapore government worries over higher rates of divorce
- Mackay fired with championship strugglers Wigan at brink of drop zone
- Italian fashion designer Francesco Smalto dies in Morocco at 87
- Singapore’s rock history on display
- Asia stocks rally led by tech, consumer sectors
- Glimpses of the old Tiger in Masters practice
| Singapore government worries over higher rates of divorce Posted: 06 Apr 2015 06:15 PM PDT
By the 10th year, 16.1 per cent of couples who exchanged vows in 2003 had gone their separate ways — almost double that for the 1987 newlyweds (8.7 per cent). And at the 15-year mark, 20.3 per cent of couples who exchanged vows in 1998 had gone their separate ways, which was also nearly twice the rate for the 1987 cohort (12.3 per cent). The Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF) report on the stability of marriages across cohorts released today (April 6) also showed that men who got married before they turned 25 were twice as likely to end the relationship. Almost one-tenth of them from the 2008 cohort went through divorces within five years' of marriage while one-third of the marriages in 1998 involving grooms aged 20 to 24 did not make the 15th anniversary. The report compiled data on all weddings registered here where either the bride or groom is a Singapore citizen or permanent resident. The last time similar statistics were released was in 2004. In the wake of the trends, the MSF said it will roll out a new marriage preparation programme next month — only six months after it started a free two-hour seminar for soon-to-weds. The new programme, which will span 12 hours over two days, is a more comprehensive version, covering 12 topics including communication, conflict management, commitment and problem solving. Other findings in the report also showed that split-ups were more likely between the fifth and tenth year of marriage, regardless of cohort. But the proportion of dissolved marriages, in line with the general trend, has increased from 4.3 per cent for the 1987 cohort to about 9.2 per cent for the 2003 cohort. Meanwhile, Muslim marriages appear to be getting stronger. Divorce rates before a couple hits five years of marriage fell from 14 per cent for the 2003 cohort to 11.4 per cent for the 2008 cohort. The MSF said this may be due to community initiatives in marriage preparation and counselling for Muslim couples, such as the Marriage Counselling Programme for Muslim marriages that started in 2004. Commenting on the overall findings, Families for Life (FFL) council chairman Ching Wei Hong said: "The rise in marriage dissolution rates is a worldwide trend that we need to pay close attention to. As strong marriages help support a strong Singaporean society, there is an urgent need for community partners and stakeholders in the family ecosystem to step up and work together to strengthen marriages in Singapore." In its release, the MSF said Singapore's marriage dissolution rates — comprising divorces and annulments — generally remain lower than those in countries such as the UK and New Zealand. About 20 per cent of couples in England and Wales who married in 2003 were divorced by the ninth year of marriage, based on the Office for National Statistics. Welcoming the new marriage preparation programme, FFL council member Anita Fam added: "Too often, couples are overwhelmed by personal work schedules and wedding preparations, and as such, feel that they have no time to attend such programmes. Such free programmes at the Registry of Marriages and convenient community touch-points are likely to boost interest and participation among couples." However, observers were hesitant about making these programmes mandatory, as it would reduce motivation for couples to attend and engage meaningfully during the course. Head of case work and counselling at Asian Women's Welfare Association's family service centre Charlotte Chen also said some may prefer to attend marriage preparation courses provided by others, such as religious organisations. "It's hard to have a one-size-fit-all programme ... when it's mandatory and doesn't suit a couple, it may not make sense," she added. Observers said the high divorce rates among younger grooms provides a useful indicator on where more focused support is needed, rather than a sure sign that such marriages are doomed. "I wouldn't say categorically that just because you're young, the marriage isn't going to work out but I think when you're younger, it's more challenging to work at the marriage and they need to be better equipped to do so," said Ms Fam. "Those couples who have gone for marriage preparation courses, although it may not prepare them for all that is to come in marriage, it may be an opening for them to possibly seek counselling in future," added Ms Chen. Deputy director of Fei Yue Community Services Arthur Ling suggested pairing young couples with experienced marriage mentors to ensure these couples have longer-term support during the marriage. — TODAY  |
| Mackay fired with championship strugglers Wigan at brink of drop zone Posted: 06 Apr 2015 06:13 PM PDT
A 2-0 home defeat against Derby earlier in the day left Wigan facing the prospect of dropping into the third tier just two years after they were in the Premier League and famously beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final. With Wigan sitting second bottom, eight points from safety with five games remaining, the club decided to dismiss Mackay just five months after his controversial hiring. Chairman David Sharpe, who only replaced his grandad Dave Whelan in the role last month, told the club's official website: "This was a very difficult decision to make but I feel that for the long-term future of the club, there needs to be change now." Former Watford and Cardiff manager Mackay was announced as Uwe Rosler's replacement back in November despite still being part of a Football Association investigation into claims he sent text messages which were of a homophobic, racist and sexist nature during his time with the Bluebirds. The furore only intensified when Whelan landed himself in hot water trying to defend the decision, telling the Guardian it was "nothing" to call a Chinese person a "chink" and stated: "Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else." The FA banned Whelan for six weeks over those comments and he eventually stepped down as chairman in March, handing the reins to Sharpe. Mackay, whose FA probe remains ongoing, has been unable to transform Latics' fortunes on the pitch this season after taking just 19 points from the possible 72 on offer and he leaves the DW Stadium without a home victory during his dismal reign. — AFP |
| Italian fashion designer Francesco Smalto dies in Morocco at 87 Posted: 06 Apr 2015 06:09 PM PDT
The "creative visionary" provided men with "an allure and unique style" his fashion house said in a statement yesterday, adding that Smalto had died in the night from Saturday to Sunday in a Marrakech hotel. Smalto enjoyed a lengthy and successful career but his image took a tumble in 1995 when he admitted in court that he had provided call girls as well as suits to then Gabonese president Omar Bongo. For that he was handed a 15-month suspended sentence and a hefty fine. Smalto was born in the southern Italian region of Calabria in 1927 and showed a precocious talent for custom-made clothes, creating his first suit at the age of 14 for a friend. But it was in the fashion capital Paris that he dreamed of forging his career and his fashion house went on to provide the French football team with its formal suits for last year's world cup finals in Brazil. His early years in the fashion world saw apprenticeships at Parisian tailors such as Cristiani and Camps as well as with Harris in New York, who provided suits for President John F. Kennedy. In 1962 Smalto created his own brand, installing himself in a chic part of the French capital and rapidly building a reputation for clothes, which were comfortable and expertly tailored. Among his celebrity clients were French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, crooner Charles Aznavour and Morocco's late king Hassan II, the father of the current monarch. Smalto retired in 2001, selling his business on to the Alliance Designers company. Korean stylist Youn Chong Bak, who became the Smalto fashion house's artistic director in 2007, mourned the loss of "the master and an extraordinary person." — AFP |
| Singapore’s rock history on display Posted: 06 Apr 2015 05:54 PM PDT
Called So Happy: 50 Years Of Singapore Rock, the exhibition had its roots 10 years ago, when Little Ong, the creative director of Furious and the curator for this event, was toying with the idea of showcasing the photos he took of the Singapore music scene. However, funding was an issue and the project was shelved. It wasn't until last year that the idea was reignited, after a friend told Ong about the SG50 Celebration Fund. "Luckily, I managed to get the funding," he said. The exhibition will feature 100 photographs of Singaporean bands in action taken by various photographers through the ages. "These are bands that we felt were critical to the scene," said Ong, who said they had more names but they were eventually whittled down, partly because "it also depended on whether we could get the photos or not". Each photo will be accompanied by a short write-up, which includes memories from the public. "These memories were garnered from the responses left on our Facebook page by the general public and worked into the write-ups," said Ong. "I felt that the (write-ups) shouldn't just come from those in the music scene." Apart from the photos, several objects such as ticket stubs and flyers will be on display too. "We also have a guitar strap from The Straydogs and early gig posters from the '80s of Heritage, Transformer and Pests Infested," said Ong. There will also be video interviews with members of the music scene through the years, including Zainal Abidin of The Dukes, X'Ho, music composer Joe Ng, music studio manager Ah Boy and musician Cherie Ko. "The idea was to interview different people and learn what they had to go through to make music in Singapore," said Ong, who added that the aim of the exhibition was to "inspire the public and let them realise we have such a rich history when it comes to rock music". This rich history can be heard on the exhibition's two opening days (April 8 and 9) when bands such as The Oddfellows, Plainsunset, Riot !n Magenta, The Pinholes, Rudra and LC93 (a band covering songs by Singapore hardcore rockers such as Swirling Madness) take to the stage. "I don't think we can show everything (we've curated) at this exhibition, but what we can't display we will continue to post on Facebook," Ong added. While he had no firm plans to make this exhibition a touring one after its run at The Substation, he would like to bring it overseas too. "But we have a website and the exhibition will live on through that," he said. So Happy: 50 Years Of Singapore Rock starts tomorrow at the Substation and runs until April 17. For more details, visit http://www.sohappy.sg — TODAY |
| Asia stocks rally led by tech, consumer sectors Posted: 06 Apr 2015 05:54 PM PDT
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 0.2 per cent to 149.02 as of 9.03am in Tokyo. Technology and consumer discretionary shares led gains. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 0.7 per cent yesterday after New York Fed President William C Dudley said the pace of interest-rate increases is likely to be "shallow" once the Fed starts to tighten. "This pushes people toward stocks because bond yields aren't likely to rise as quickly," Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Wealth Management, where he helps oversee US$135 billion (RM491b), said in a Bloomberg TV interview from Philadelphia. "We did push out our expected move for the Fed out to September. It's been a weak first quarter." A report last week showed payrolls increased by the least since December 2013, with the 126,000 figure missing the most pessimistic forecast in a Bloomberg survey. The Labour Department data capped a week of reports suggesting the economy is losing momentum, calling into question whether the recovery is strong enough to justify the Fed raising rates. Japan's Topix index climbed 0.9 per cent. South Korea's Kospi index added 0.6 per cent. New Zealand's NZX 50 Index gained 0.2 per cent and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.4 per cent. China will resume trading after a long holiday weekend, while Hong Kong's markets remain shut. Monetary policy decisions are due in Australia and India Tuesday. While a majority of economists predict the Reserve Bank of Australia will maintain its benchmark rate at a record-low 2.25 per cent, swaps traders are pricing in a 77 per cent chance of a cut. Economists expect the Reserve Bank of India to keep rates on hold. Chinese stocks The Shanghai Composite Index climbed one per cent on Friday to the highest close since March 2008 as funds continued to pour into equities amid optimism the government will do more to boost economic growth. E-mini futures on the S&P 500 Index slipped 0.1 per cent today. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped the most in two months yesterday in New York after Saudi Arabia raised prices for crude shipments to Asia, as demand from refineries improved. — Bloomberg |
| Glimpses of the old Tiger in Masters practice Posted: 06 Apr 2015 05:42 PM PDT
It was only a practice round with old friend Mark O'Meara on the Monday of Masters week, but it gave hope that the four-time winner of the green jacket might still be capable of major championship magic. Routine for the Woods of old, but full of drama for those who have cringed at the startling loss of short-game control that sent the former world number one into a self-imposed exile since he withdrew after 11 holes at Torrey Pines on Feb. 5. "I'm on the better side of it now," Woods told reporters when asked how he had fared with his chipping during his 11 holes of practice yesterday. Woods arrived at Augusta National after most of the practice round crowds had begun streaming out. When word began circulating that the 14-times major winner was hitting balls on the practice range, many patrons turned back and returned to watch him. Despite being the last pair to tee off on the front nine, a massive throng gathered at the first tee, and Woods was greeted with shouts of encouragement. Woods, who has also been battling to get comfortable with a new swing, hit his opening shot at the par-four first way left to the eighth fairway but showed a flash of brilliance by sending his second over the trees to five feet and made birdie. He reached the par-five second in two shots in another affirmative display, and at the 240-yard, par-three fourth hole threatened to make an ace before sinking the short putt for another birdie. Woods completed the front nine with O'Meara, the 1998 Masters champion, then played the 10th hole on his own before coming back up the par-four 18th with Larry Mize, who won the prized green jacket in 1987. Woods only announced last week that he would compete in his first Masters since 2013 after missing last year while recovering from back surgery. The pressure is on him after a two-month absence from the PGA Tour that followed an abysmal stretch in which his best finish in six official events was 69th at the British Open, dropping his ranking to 111th. But Woods, of course, is no stranger to pressure and if the touch has returned to his short game, he could burst back to prominence at the year's first major starting on Thursday. — Reuters |
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