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You look on social media and see jokes about the concept of time, about February 2020 lasting for 36 hours and March lasting for 534 days. Funny, but it really felt that way.

When my students are getting ready to graduate and they start looking at how theyll be compensated, we always chat about three things: money, time and contentment.

Most measures of employment focus on the first one. Money is something we need to survive and I dont discount it. But I also know that its not the only factor in determining whether or not someone is happy. Salary or hourly wages arent the only forms of money either. Aside from good health care, theres retirement to think about, even though its usually the last thing on the minds of traditionally-aged, newly-minted college grads.

In his book, Running Down a Dream, author and podcaster Tim Grahl lays out what he identifies as three primary values that drive our work: Are you pursuing fortune, fame or freedom?

I know what some of you are thinking: Why cant we have all three? Well, those values can certainly be interlaced, and we can claim to have more than one value, but determining what drives us helps us make better choices about our lives.

This concept reminded me of the talks I have with my students.

Fortune? That ones easy. Its all about money. That line from The OJays For The Love Of Money, Money, money, money plays in my mind when I think about fortune as a value. In case you needed an earworm for the day, this song is a good one to have in your head.

Fame is a persons desire to be seen and heard. People who are driven by this are interested in being known and talked about. In their dream scenario, the paparazzi would be waiting outside a Starbucks to snap a picture of them drinking a mochaccino. More importantly, though, fame is about a need some people have to be a participant in the conversation and to express ideas that matter to others.

Freedom is about time. More specifically, its about controlling your own time. But during the pandemic, control and time have been odd concepts to define.

Before the pandemic, I would have easily chosen freedom as my biggest value. I know for a fact Im not motivated by fortune. I couldnt even tell you my current salary; Id need to look it up.

Fame? I suppose fame is a little bit of an influence in my value set. I work as a teacher-scholar, spending a large amount of time reading and processing ideas. Then I get to share those ideas with the students I teach. So, following Grahls definition of fame, Im participating in the conversation, but I dont really crave a large audience.

As an introvert, I realize there would be a hefty price to pay if I gained true fame. Payments would likely be extracted in the form of personal freedom. But I dont engage in ideas because I want fame, I do so because Im curious and my brain is hungry. It feels more like an introspective pursuit than this definition of fame would indicate.

This leaves freedom. As I noted earlier, freedom is such a strange value to quantify right now. Time as a form of freedom has lost some of its meaning during the pandemic. Days used to be structured and the freedom of teaching and research was that I didnt have to account for each minute. Its one of the main reasons I spent 10 years on my education. Having a flexible schedule is important to me.

Freedom. I loved this. I owned this. I valued this. I controlled this. Well, OK, I mostly controlled this. Still, the freedom of time was one of the few concepts over which I felt I still had a modicum of control. Even during the pandemic, I havent given this up.

Im not alone. Now, more than ever, other people are feeling freer because theyre working remotely. But while we have more freedom, time has become an elusive concept. To compare it to money, it would be like eliminating cash and moving to the barter system.

The new reality of time is old fashioned, or futuristic, or just somehow off. How do you measure the value of something that seems to have lost its constant?

What this has to do with The Earnheardts with my husband and our children is directly connected to those conversations I have with my students about the values of work while maintaining a healthy work-life balance (which I understand is different for everyone).

Our four children, although separated in ages by eight years, are very familiar with the concepts of fortune and fame. They think they know what a lot of money is, which is a weird byproduct of their concept of fame YouTube stardom.

YouTube stars are rich! they tell us. Not sure theyve ever offered much proof beyond a few oddball screen names (e.g. Is PewDiePie a YouTube star? I forget). So, of course, Adam and I use this as an opportunity to explain how the workforce functions as part of society and also to urge our children to think about what they value.

Freedom, I fear, is one well struggle with for years to come both during the pandemic and in the time that follows. This is because, like the rest of us, our children have had the concept of freedom and time turned upside down.

You look on social media and see jokes about the concept of time, about February 2020 lasting for 36 hours and March lasting for 534 days. Funny, but it really felt that way. There are memes where people make up months like Octebuary. Its fun to joke, but like all humor, we laugh because we relate to its real and sometimes painful truth.

Depending on what you decide to do, days can be over before you know it or you can look at the clock thinking its 10 p.m., but its only 5 oclock p.m. (or is it a.m.?). The Coronavirus lockdown has messed up our internal clocks and calendars. And, as someone who values time, I dont know how to adapt let alone teach my children about it.

In the early days, we held on to the daily rituals that created structure, but when it became apparent we were going to be isolated for the long haul, we started to relax. Thats when time really started to get weird.

We dont force our kids to wake up at a certain time every morning or tell them when to go to bed every night. Their little internal alarm clocks do this for them. They awake and go to sleep at almost the same time each day anyway. Much like our ancient ancestors, were letting a more natural state of being determine our routines.

It makes me wonder how well all react, what well keep and what well ditch, when life returns to normal, when we really have to start paying attention to clocks again. Will the kids value freedom because theyve had more of a chance to live as they want? Or, is having a set schedule better for all of us as individuals? As a family? Hell, as a society?

I dont know the answers yet, but I may have an idea somewhere around 700:00 a.m. on the 449th day of Janember.

Mary Beth Earnheardt is director of the Anderson Program in Journalism at Youngstown State University. You can follow her on Twitter at @mbexoxo.

Link:
The Earnheardts | The concept of time during a pandemic - Mahoning Matters

Wireless backhaul can accelerate deployment of 5G networks while awaiting the necessary fiber

What you need to know:

SOLVANG, Calif., July 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verizon and Ericsson recently completed a proof-of-concept trial using new Integrated Access Backhaul technology to deploy Verizons 5G Ultra Wideband service, eliminating the need to wait for fiber installations. Fiber-optic cables, which serve as the circulatory system of a network to transfer data between cell sites and the networks core, are critical in wireless networks, and Verizon has bet big on fiber. In fact, Verizon has invested billions of dollars acquiring fiber assets and building out our multi-purpose fiber footprint. Still, working through local regulations and licensing, and then subsequently installing fiber can have very long lead times. So Verizon and Ericsson engineers have found an alternative way of using millimeter wave spectrum for backhaul to accelerate deployment of 5G networks while awaiting the necessary fiber deployment.

Fiber is the ideal connection between our network facilities. It carries a ton of data, is reliable, and has a long roadmap ahead as far as technological advancements. It is essential. However, this new IAB technology allows us to deploy 5G service more quickly and then fill in the essential fiber at a later time, said Bill Stone, Vice President of Planning for Verizon.

IAB works by using airlink connections over mmWave spectrum instead of a fiber connection to send data throughout the network. By dynamically allocating a portion of bandwidth for consumers to send their data from their device to the cell tower, and using another portion for that data to be sent from the cell tower back to the core of the network, the need for fiber initially can be circumvented. Then, when fiber is installed at that location, the data being sent back to the rest of the network can be switched over to the fiber and the bandwidth can be redistributed for more capacity for customers.

Ericssons microwave and fiber mobile transport solutions are an important enabler for 5G services, said Ulf Forssen, Head of Standards & Technology, Development Unit Networks, Ericsson. This IAB proof of concept demonstrates a complementary solution, enabling faster deployment of the high-quality, high-performance 5G transport needed in a 5G world.

New resources for first responders

In addition to bringing new cell sites on air more efficiently, this proof-of-concept trial showed that mobile cell sites can also be connected using IAB. This becomes a critical asset for first responders and public safety agencies who need temporary cell coverage for search and rescue operations, disaster recovery efforts or other emergency situations. Verizon owns a fleet of mobile cell sites which are regularly deployed for these situations. However, until recently they have required a fiber connection to carry data, restricting where they can be deployed, or a satellite connection, which are limited and costly. Now, with IAB technology, coupled with portable generators for power, cell sites can be deployed more rapidly and to a wider range of locations.

When our first responders need us, we will be there with the resources they need to accomplish their mission critical work, said Stone. IAB technology gives us many more options to ensure communications resources are where our first responders need them anytime they call on us.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is celebrating its 20th year as one of the worlds leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $131.9 billion in 2019. The company offers voice, data and video services and solutions on its award winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

VERIZONS ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at http://www.verizon.com/about/news/. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit http://www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

About Ericsson

Ericsson is a world leader in communications technology and services with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Our organization consists of more than 111,000 experts who provide customers in 180 countries with innovative solutions and services. Together we are building a more connected future where anyone and any industry is empowered to reach their full potential. Net sales in 2016 were SEK 222.6 billion (USD 24.5 billion). The Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on NASDAQ in New York. Read more on http://www.ericsson.com.

Media contacts: Karen SchulzKaren.Schulz@Verizonwireless.com864.561.1527

Jannie TongJannie.Tong@Ericsson.com214.415.0815

Originally posted here:
Deploying the 5G Ultra Wideband Network just got a little easier - GlobeNewswire

Basel, July 7, 2020 Novartis today announced that the European Commission (EC) has approved Enerzair Breezhaler (QVM149; indacaterol acetate, glycopyrronium bromide and mometasone furoate [IND/GLY/MF]) as a maintenance treatment of asthma in adult patients not adequately controlled with a maintenance combination of a longacting beta2agonist (LABA) and a high-dose of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) who experienced one or more asthma exacerbations in the previous year. Once-daily Enerzair Breezhaler is the first LABA/long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA)/ICS fixed-dose combination available in the EU for these patients. The approval also includes an optional digital companion with sensor and app that provides inhalation confirmation, medication reminders and access to objective data to better support therapeutic decisions. The EC decision is applicable to all 27 European Union member states as well as the UK, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Novartis is working to reimagine medicine for people with uncontrolled asthma, who find it a challenge to achieve effective symptom and exacerbation control, said Rod Wooten, Head of Global Marketing, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. The approval of Enerzair Breezhaler with sensor and app in the EU is an example of our commitment to utilize data and digital offerings to make asthma control an achievable goal for patients and physicians.

Enerzair Breezhaler is provided in a transparent capsule that allows patients to see that they have taken their medication and will be administered via the dose-confirming Breezhaler device, which enables once-daily inhalation using a single inhaler. The digital companion includes a sensor that attaches to the Breezhaler device and can be linked to the Propeller Health smartphone app, providing patients with inhalation confirmation, medication reminders and access to objective data that can be shared with their physician in order to help them make better therapeutic decisions.

Today, over 45% of asthma patients at GINA Steps 4 and 5 remain uncontrolled, demonstrating the need for new treatments, delivery approaches and patient support to ensure that medication is taken correctly and treatment goals are reached, said Professor David Price, Chair of Primary Care Respiratory Medicine, University of Aberdeen. Once-daily Enerzair Breezhaler plus a digital companion could help to facilitate greater collaborative disease management between physicians and patients in the EU whose asthma remains uncontrolled, despite LABA/ICS treatment.

The EC approval is based on robust efficacy and safety data from over 3,000 asthma patients in the Phase III IRIDIUM study, in which once-daily Enerzair Breezhaler was superior to once-daily Atectura Breezhaler (QMF149; IND/MF) in improving the lung function of patients whose asthma is uncontrolled with LABA/ICS standard-of-care treatment2. In the IRIDIUM study, the key secondary endpoint was improvement in the Asthma Control Questionnaire score (ACQ-7) for Enerzair Breezhaler versus Atectura Breezhaler2. Both treatments delivered clinically meaningful improvements in this measure of symptoms from baseline at Week 26, but the key secondary endpoint was not met2. Among other secondary analyses, IRIDIUM explored asthma exacerbation rates, where statistically significant reductions were observed in moderate-to-severe and severe asthma exacerbation rates with Enerzair Breezhaler compared with an established LABA/ICS standard-of-care (twice-daily salmeterol xinafoate/fluticasone propionate [Sal/Flu])2. Safety findings were consistent with the known safety profiles of the monocomponents2.

Once-daily Enerzair Breezhaler has been approved in Japan and Canada. Once-daily Atectura Breezhaler has been approved in the EU as a maintenance treatment of asthma for adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older not adequately controlled with ICS and inhaled short-acting beta2-agonists (SABA)5, and in Canada and Japan. Further regulatory reviews for Enerzair Breezhaler and Atectura Breezhaler are currently underway in multiple countries including Switzerland.

In keeping with the Novartis commitment to reduce the environmental impact of our asthma combinations, Enerzair Breezhaler and Atectura Breezhaler will both be available in the hydrofluoroalkane/chlorofluorocarbon (HFA/CFC)-free Breezhaler device. Novartis aims to drive sustainability and has set ambitious targets to minimize its impact on climate, waste and water, including targets to become carbon neutral in company operations by 2025.

About Uncontrolled Asthma Asthma affects an estimated 358 million people worldwide and can cause a significant personal, health and financial burden when not adequately controlled3,4. Despite current therapy, over 40% of patients with asthma at Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) Step 3, and over 45% at GINA Steps 4 and 5 remain uncontrolled6,7. Patients with uncontrolled asthma may downplay or underestimate the severity of their disease and are at a higher risk of exacerbation, hospitalization or death8-10. Barriers, such as less than optimal adherence, incorrect inhaler technique, treatment mismatch, safety issues with oral corticosteroids and ineligibility for biologics, have created an unmet medical need in asthma11-14.

*About Enerzair Breezhaler (IND/GLY/MF) in the EUThe EC approved high-dose Enerzair Breezhaler (IND/GLY/MF) 150/50/160 g once-daily as a maintenance treatment of asthma in adult patients not adequately controlled with a maintenance combination of a longacting beta2agonist (LABA) and a high-dose of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) who experienced one or more asthma exacerbations in the previous year1. This formulation combines the bronchodilation of indacaterol acetate (a LABA) and glycopyrronium bromide (a LAMA) with mometasone furoate (ICS) in a precise once-daily formulation, delivered via the dose-confirming Breezhaler device. Glycopyrronium bromide certain use and formulation intellectual property were exclusively licensed to Novartis in April 2005 by Sosei Heptares and Vectura. Mometasone furoate is exclusively licensed to Novartis from a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, NJ, USA, for use in IND/GLY/MF (worldwide excluding the US).

Novartis developed the optional digital companion in collaboration with Propeller Health, which includes the Propeller Health app and sensor custom-built for the Breezhaler device. The sensor is a CE marked Medical Device, designed and licensed to Novartis for use with the Breezhaler inhaler worldwide. The sensor includes a microchip, a microphone, Bluetooth capabilities, an antenna and a battery. The sensor does not alter the drug delivery characteristics of the Breezhaler inhaler itself but produces a recording of each administered dose. Based on the patients recorded medication usage, personalized content is presented within the app to help the patient better self-manage their asthma.

About the PLATINUM Clinical Development ProgramThe PLATINUM program, having enrolled over 7,500 patients worldwide, is the Novartis Phase III/IIIb clinical development program supporting the development of Enerzair Breezhaler (IND/GLY/MF) and Atectura Breezhaler (IND/MF). It includes four studies: the QUARTZ study, which compared a low-dose of Atectura Breezhaler with MF alone; the PALLADIUM study, which compared Atectura Breezhaler with MF and salmeterol xinafoate/fluticasone propionate (Sal/Flu); the IRIDIUM study, which compared Enerzair Breezhaler with Atectura Breezhaler and Sal/Flu; and the ARGON study, which compared Enerzair Breezhaler with a free combination of Sal/Flu plus tiotropium (Tio).

About the IRIDIUM study2IRIDIUM was a Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study, designed to compare the efficacy and safety of Enerzair Breezhaler (IND/GLY/MF) with Atectura Breezhaler (IND/MF) in patients with asthma.

The purpose of the trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of two different doses of Enerzair Breezhaler (high: 150/50/160 g and medium:150/50/80 g), versus two corresponding Atectura Breezhaler doses (high: 150/320 g and medium: 150/160 g) in patients with uncontrolled asthma, as determined by pulmonary function testing and effects on asthma control.

All patients were required to be symptomatic at screening and to have one or more exacerbations in the previous year, despite being on treatment with medium or high stable doses of LABA/ICS. Approximately 3,092 male and female adult patients with asthma were randomized 1:1:1:1:1 (approximately 618 patients in each of the treatment groups) to receive either:

The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate superiority of both high-dose Enerzair Breezhaler versus high-dose Atectura Breezhaler and medium-dose Enerzair Breezhaler versus medium-dose Atectura Breezhaler, all delivered once-daily, in improving trough FEV1 (volume of air that can be forced out in the first second of expiration approximately 24 hours post-administration of study drug) after 26 weeks of treatment in patients with asthma.

The key secondary objective was to demonstrate the superiority of both doses of Enerzair Breezhaler versus respective doses of Atectura Breezhaler, in improving Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ-7) score after 26 weeks of treatment in patients with asthma. Other secondary analyses also included reduction of exacerbation rate, comparing high-dose Enerzair Breezhaler with high-dose Atectura Breezhaler and medium-dose Enerzair Breezhaler with medium-dose Atectura Breezhaler. Secondary analyses included efficacy comparisons for both doses of Enerzair Breezhaler compared with Sal/Flu (50/500 g).

DisclaimerThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as potential, can, will, plan, may, could, would, expect, anticipate, seek, look forward, believe, committed, investigational, pipeline, launch, or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AGs current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About NovartisNovartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend peoples lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the worlds top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 109,000 people of more than 145 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Find out more athttps://www.novartis.com.

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References1 Enerzair Breezhaler (indacaterol acetate, glycopyrronium bromide and mometasone furoate [IND/GLY/MF]) SmPC.2 Data on file3 GBD Chronic Respiratory Disease Collaborators. Global, regional, and national deaths, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years, and years lived with disability for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Lancet Resp Med; 2017;5(9)691-706.4 AAFA. My Life With Asthma Survey Findings Report. Available at: https://www.aafa.org/media/1684/my-life-with-asthma-in-2017-survey-findings-report.pdf. Last accessed July 2020. 5 European Commission. Union Register of medicinal products for human use - Atectura Breezhaler. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/health/documents/community-register/html/h1439.htm. Last accessed July 2020.6 Chung KF et al. International ERS/ATS guidelines on definition, evaluation and treatment of severe asthma. Eur Respir J 2014;43(2):343-73.7 Fang J et al. Demographic, clinical characteristics and control status of pediatric, adolescent, and adult asthma patients by GINA Step in a US longitudinal cohort. Am J Resp Crit Care Med 2018;197:A19038 Peters SP et al. Uncontrolled asthma: a review of the prevalence, disease burden and options for treatment. Respir Med 2006;100(7):1139-1151.9 Katsaounou P et al. Still Fighting for Breath: a patient survey of the challenges and impact of severe asthma. ERJ Open Res 2018;4(4):00076-2018.10 Price D et al. Asthma control and management in 8,000 European patients: the REcognise Asthma and LInk to Symptoms and Experience (REALISE) survey. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2014;24:14009.11 Price D, et al. Adverse outcomes from initiation of systemic corticosteroids for asthma: long-term observational study. J Asthma Allergy 2018;11:193-204.12 Albers FC et al. Biologic treatment eligibility for real-world patients with severe asthma: The IDEAL study. J Asthma 2018;55(2):152-160.13 Bourdin A, Halimi L. et al. Adherence in Severe Asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 2012;42(11):1566-74.14 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). Pocket guide for asthma management and prevention. Available at: https://ginasthma.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/GINA-2019-main-Pocket-Guide-wms.pdf Last accessed July 2020.

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Read more from the original source:
Novartis receives EC approval for Enerzair Breezhaler, including the first digital companion (sensor and app) that can be prescribed alongside a...

SINGAPORE - Workers' Party (WP) Sengkang candidate Raeesah Khan apologised on Sunday for two Facebook posts said to allege police discrimination against minorities.

At an unplanned press conference the party called on Sunday night, Ms Khan, 26, said she did not mean to cause social division, but had made the remarks as she wanted to raise awareness about minority concerns.

Flanked by WP leaders Pritam Singh, Sylvia Lim and her GRC teammates, Ms Khan, with her head bowed and reading from a piece of paper, said: "I apologise to any racial group or community who have been hurt by my comments.

"My remarks were insensitive, and I regret making them. I feel really passionate about minority issues regardless of race, and in my passion I made improper remarks, and I have to be accountable for them. I will fully cooperate in any police investigations."

The apology comes after the police issued a statement on Sunday about two police reports that were made against Ms Khan.

Police said in a statement on Sunday (July 5) that she had allegedly commented that Singapore law enforcement authorities discriminated against citizens, and that compared with other groups, rich Chinese and white people were treated differently under the law.

Another police report was made over a separate post. In the context of a news article on the City Harvest Church ruling, she was alleged to have commented that Singapore jailed minorities mercilessly, harassed mosque leaders but let "corrupt church leaders who stole $50 million" free.

Responding to questions from the media, Mr Singh said the party would stand behind its Sengkang team and he and Ms Lim were at the press conference to support them.

The rest of the candidates, equity analyst Louis Chua, economist Jamus Lim and lawyer He Ting Ru looked on solemnly but did not answer questions.

Asked if this matter would affect Ms Khan's candidacy, Mr Singh said it was too early to talk about it and that the police investigations would have to be allowed to take its course.

He added that he had not known about the Facebook posts beforehand, but noted that at 26-years-old, Ms Khan is WP's youngest candidate in this election and comes from a generation that has "completely grown up on social media".

"And for me, I would be actually a bit disappointed if our candidates try to sanitise their past. And I think they should be upfront and authentic to the public. This is who they are. And in the event there are certain posts or certain comments that they may have made which are untoward, then I would expect them to explain themselves."

He added that he has no regrets fielding her and that she will continue with her campaign.

"I know that she takes each case very seriously, regardless of race, regardless of religion. She's very vested in what issue the resident is facing," he said.

"I think those are very important criteria for me personally to consider someone for candidature, whether you are able to put yourself and walk a mile in the shoes of someone who needs help and assistance, so I've got no regrets for fielding a candidate who is like that, who is prepared to walk with residents and solve their problems and issues, and I think that's an important criteria, which resulted in Raeesah being selected as a candidate."

The Straits Times understands that both of the posts in question were made on her personal Facebook account.

One post was made on May 17 about an incident involving seven foreigners violating social distancing rules at Robertson Quay during the circuit breaker period.

"Imagine if this was a group of minorities," she had said, adding that she saw police patrolling near a hawker centre and supermarket near her house every day to ensure that people practise social distancing and mask-wearing.

"Do you see police officers here? Imagine if this was a neighbourhood hawker centre. There would be policemen swarming the area and enforcing the law within minutes," Ms Raeesah had said in her post.

"Why is the law different for these people? Is it because they're rich Chinese or white people? Do you think expats will be treated with the same disdain as migrant workers who broke the law?

"I'm not a fan of aggressive policing, but what I will not accept is law enforcement that discriminates against its citizens."

The seven foreigners, including four Britons, an Austrian and two Americans, were tracked down by the police and fined in court last month. Six of them had their work passes revoked by the Manpower Ministry and were banned from working in Singapore in future.

Ms Raeesah was comparing the case to a separate incident in April, in which a work pass holder was stripped of his pass and permanently banned from working in Singapore, after breaching circuit breaker measures. Another 39 foreign workers were also fined in April for gathering in groups.

The Straits Times understands the comments on the City Harvest Church ruling were also posted on Ms Raeesah's personal Facebook account in February 2018.

After the police reports were made, her social media accounts were made private.

The police said in its statement: "The police have consulted the Attorney-General's Chambers, which advised that an offence of promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race under Section 298A of the Penal Code is disclosed. Police investigations are ongoing."

For promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race under the Penal Code, a person can be jailed up to three years, or fined, or face both punishments.

See the rest here:
Singapore GE2020: WP's Raeesah Khan apologises for posts which allegedly promoted enmity between different groups - The Straits Times

Adrian Goldberg reports the murky background as the Championship team goes into administration in the casino culture of the modern game

Even by the murky standards of English football, the dizzying descent into administration of Wigan Athletic, just seven years after a famous FA Cup Final victory against Manchester City, is a disturbing turn of events.

It is a story of massive overspending, a company based in a tax haven, disappearing owners and what the towns MP Lisa Nandy suggests may be a major global scandal. Not bad for a club sitting just above the relegation zone in the Championship, the division below the Premier League.

Wigan, already battling against relegation, now faces a fight for its very existence amid calls by politicians, supporters and administrators for an overhaul of the regulations that have allowed this sorry situation to develop.

Lifelong supporter Martin Tarbuck summed up the mood in the town when he told Byline Times that putting the club into administration has devastated a community, could cost hundreds of jobs, has undone years of progress and may well kill a football club.

The Football League has proved time and time again that it can not control this issue. Clubs are community assets and they need to be protected.

This is not hyperbole.Football clubs are resilient institutions but can sometimes disappear altogether, as Bury FC demonstrated last September. After being expelled from the Football League for failing to meet a series of financial deadlines, the club now exists in name only.

Fans fear that Wigan might be forced out of business too, particularly at a time when the Coronavirus is making life difficult for many entrepreneurs who might otherwise wish to get involved.

So where has it all gone wrong for a club which enjoyed eight seasons of Premier League football from 2005 to 2013?

Before the game went into lockdown in March, the Latics as the club is affectionately known were on a good run of form and hoping to hold on to their place in the second tier of the English game.

But just as matches resumed behind closed doors, Wigans Hong Kong-based owner Au Yeung, who has never been seen at the club, decided to withdraw his support.

A source close to Wigan Athletic told Byline Times: Whats amazing is the speed at which its all happened.A couple of weeks ago we had money in the bank. Now weve had the rug pulled out from underneath us.

Until recently, Wigans finances were underwritten by Stanley Choi, a professional poker player based in Hong Kong, whose business interests also included a casino and hotel. Choi made an initial outlay of 17.5 million to buy the club, then invested a further 24 million in 18 months.

The money often came at the last minute, but it always turned up, the insider said.

If theowners had enough money to run the club just a few weeks ago, it begs the question: why has Wigan been placed in administration now?

Choi never attended a game apparently regarding the club purely as an investment but, in June, Wigan was transferred to another business in which he had a controlling interest, the New Leader Fund (NLF) registered in the Cayman Islands.

Two weeks ago, there was a further twist when control of the NLF passed to Hong Kong businessman Au Yeung, who tried forcing the clubs UK-based directors to accept responsibility for a 24 million loan used to repay Choi. When the directors refused, Yeung attempted to liquidate the club, before placing it in administration.

What grates with supporters is that these successive changes in ownership were all sanctioned by the English Football League (EFL), which has an Owners and Directors Test that many in the game regard as worthless.

Wigan supporter Martin Tarbuck said: To meet their regulations, it seems you have to have a copy of a bank statement showing proof of funds, but theres no guarantee the money will remain there.

The EFL told Byline Times: In respect of the recent change of control at Wigan the Leagues requirements were met in regard to both the Owners and Directors Test and theprovision of evidence as to source and sufficiency of funding.

However, if theowners had enough money to run the club just a few weeks ago, it begs the question: why has Wigan been placed in administration now?

There has been no shortage of conspiracy theorists on social media, including suggestions that the Latics problems were engineered on behalf of Far Eastern betting syndicates which have gambled large sums of money on the club getting relegated.

Since going into administration incurs a 12-point penalty, that is now a much more likely outcome explaining why Wigans MP Lisa Nandy referred to a major global scandal.

A source close to Wigan Athletic told Byline Times it was more likely that Choi was seeking a way to dump the football club to protect the share price of his company in Hong Kong, but admitted: I cant really find a plausible explanation for what has happened.

Choi now appears to have gone to ground and journalists have been unable to contact either him or Au Yeung.

Whatever the reason for Wigans financial difficulties, many in football see it as the latest episode in a long-running story of regulatory failure, with owners often from overseas piling in to English football attracted by the unrivalled wealth of the Premier League.

Even the club which finishes at the foot of the table earns close to 100 million from television rights, with critics arguing that this has created a casino culture in the Championship and lower levels of the Football League, as owners strive to reach the promised land.

The recently published Annual Review of Football Finance by accountants Deloitte recorded that, last season, for the fourth time in seven years, Championship clubs collectively spent more on wages than they earned in revenue with Wigan amongst them.

Deloitte described the situation as unsustainable and has found plenty of powerful support in this belief.

Last month, Conservative backbench MP Damian Collins a former Chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee proposed a radical Government bail-out scheme for clubs stricken by financial problems in the wake of the Coronavirus. He criticised financial mismanagement which has not seen clubs put money by for a rainy day.

Many are loss-making organisations, reliant on loans and grants from their owner and that has to change, he added. We have to put it on a more sustainable footing.

Under Collins plan, clubs which receive Government aid would have to submit to a tough new watchdog called the Football Finance Authority which would prevent the kind of over-spending which has now left Wigan Athletic so vulnerable.

His initiative has been welcomed by administrators such as Gary Sweet, chief executive of Luton Town, who told Byline Times that football is on a precipice at the moment.

We have to take this opportunity to correct the madness of overspending in the Championship, and look again at our ownership model, he said. The Football League has proved time and time again that it can not control this issue. Clubs are community assets and they need to be protected.

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'A Major Global Scandal': The Collapse of Wigan Athletic Byline Times - Byline Times