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Japan is holding a memorial ceremony on Sunday near the Sado Island Gold Mines, which were listed this summer as a UNESCO World Heritage site after the country settled years of historical disputes with South Korea and reluctantly acknowledged the mines' dark history. At these mines, hundreds of Koreans were forced to labor under abusive and brutal conditions during World War II, historians say. The Japanese government says Sunday’s ceremony will pay tribute to “all workers” who died at the mines, but without spelling out who they are — part of what critics call a persistent policy of whitewashing Japan's history of sexual and labor exploitation before and during the war. South Korea’s government said Saturday it will not attend a memorial service due to unspecified disagreements with Tokyo over the event. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was impossible to settle the disagreements between both governments before the planned event on Sunday. The ministry didn’t specify what the disagreements were. Some South Koreans had criticized the Seoul government throwing its support behind an event without securing a clear Japanese commitment to highlight the plight of Korean laborers. There were also complaints over South Korea agreeing to pay for the travel expenses of Korean victims’ family members who were invited to attend the ceremony. Ahead of the ceremony Sunday, The Associated Press explains the Sado mines, their history and the controversy. The 16th century mines on the island of Sado, about the size of the Pacific island of Guam, off the western coast of Niigata prefecture, operated for nearly 400 years beginning in 1601 and were once the world’s largest gold producer. They closed in 1989. During the Edo period, from 1600 to 1868, the mines supplied gold currency to the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate. Today, the site has been developed as a tourist facility and hiking site where visitors can learn about the changes in mining technology and production methods while looking at the remains of mine shafts and ore dressing facilities. Critics say the Japanese government only highlights the glory of the mines and covers up its use of Korean victims of forced labor and their ordeals. The mines were registered as a cultural heritage site in July after Japan agreed to include an exhibit on the conditions of Korean forced laborers and to hold a memorial service after repeated protests from the South Korean government. At the July meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, the Japanese delegate said Tokyo had installed new exhibition material to explain the “severe conditions of (the Korean laborers’) work and to remember their hardship.” Japan also acknowledged that Koreans were made to do more dangerous tasks in the mine shaft, which caused some to die. Those who survived also developed lung diseases and other health problems. Many of them were given meager food rations and nearly no days off and were caught by police if they escaped, historians say. But the Japanese government has refused to admit they were “forced labor.” South Korea had earlier opposed the listing of the site for UNESCO World Heritage on the grounds that the Korean forced laborers used at the mines were missing from the exhibition. South Korea eventually supported the listing after consultations with Japan and Tokyo’s pledge to improve the historical background in the exhibit and to hold a memorial that also includes Koreans. Historians say Japan used hundreds of thousands of Korean laborers, including those forcibly brought from the Korean Peninsula, at Japanese mines and factories to make up for labor shortages because most working-age Japanese men had been sent to battlefronts across Asia and the Pacific. About 1,500 Koreans were forced to work at the Sado mines, according to Yasuto Takeuchi, an expert on Japan’s wartime history, citing wartime Japanese documents. The South Korean government has said it expects Japan to keep its pledge to be truthful to history and to show both sides of the Sado mines. “The controversy surrounding the Sado mines exhibit underscores a deeper problem” of Japan’s failure to face up to its wartime responsibility and its growing “denialism” of its wartime atrocities, Takeuchi said. All workers who died at the Sado mines will be honored. That includes hundreds of Korean laborers who worked there during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. Officials say the ceremony is organized by a group of local Japanese politicians, business owners and other volunteers who campaigned for the Sado mines to win the UNESCO status, but preparations were handled by local government officials, who did not disclose details, including guests and programs, until the last minute. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced the ceremony on Friday, but he declined to comment on “diplomatic exchanges.” Officials at Sado city and the Foreign Ministry said about 100 people, including officials from Japan’s local and central government, as well as South Korean Foreign Ministry officials and the relatives of Korean wartime laborers, have been invited. Attendants are expected to observe a moment of silence for the victims who died at the mines due to accidents and other causes. The ceremony dredged up long-standing frustrations in South Korea. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has been accused of lacking transparency over the way it handled the communication with Tokyo as critics question why Seoul was throwing its support behind an event without securing a clear Japanese commitment to highlight the plight of Korean forced laborers. During its weekly briefings, the ministry has refused to elaborate on the details or its discussions with Japanese counterparts or why the South has agreed to pay for the travel expenses of the Korean victims’ family members who were invited to attend the ceremony. Critics say Japan’s government has long been reluctant to discuss wartime atrocities. That includes what historians describe as the sexual abuse and enslavement of women across Asia, many of them Koreans who were deceived into providing sex to Japanese soldiers at frontline brothels and euphemistically called “comfort women,” and the Koreans who were mobilized and forced to work in Japan, especially in the final years of World War II. Korean compensation demands for Japanese atrocities during its brutal colonial rule have strained relations between the two Asian neighbors, most recently after a 2018 South Korean Supreme Court ruling ordered Japanese companies to pay damages over their wartime forced labor. Japan’s government has maintained that all wartime compensation issues between the two countries were resolved under the 1965 normalization treaty. Ties between Tokyo and Seoul have improved recently after Washington said their disputes over the historical issues were hampering crucial security cooperation as China’s threat grows in the region. Japan's whitewashing of wartime atrocities has risen since the 2010s, particularly under the past government of revisionist leader Shinzo Abe. For instance, Japan says the terms “sex slavery” and “forced labor” are inaccurate and insists on the use of highly euphemistic terms such as “comfort women” and “civilian workers” instead. South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol announced in March 2023 that his country would use a local corporate fund to compensate forced labor victims without demanding Japanese contributions. Japan’s then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida later expressed sympathy for their suffering during a Seoul visit. Security, business and other ties between the sides have since rapidly resumed. Takeuchi said listing Japan’s modern industrial historical sites as a UNESCO World Heritage is a government push to increase tourism. The government, he said, wants “to commercialize sites like the Sado mines by beautifying and justifying their history for Japan’s convenience.” AP writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea contributed.Sorry, but your browser does not support the video tag. (BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .

he ' win over the on Black Friday was a game that won't soon be forgotten, and neither was Al Michaels' performance. The Amazon Prime announcer was on the call for the game alongside The duo were treated to an exciting finish as the Chiefs came out 19-17 victors after the Raiders fumbled away a late chance to potentially kick a game-winning field goal. While the exciting finish made plenty of headlines, so did Micheals when he referenced , the former New England Patriots tight end who was found guilty of murder. was charged with the murder of in 2013 and later found guilty in 2015. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole, but in 2017 he was found dead in his cell with his passing ruled a suicide. What Michaels said During Friday's game, likened the partnership of while with the Patriots to that of current Chiefs tight ends The comparison came after in the second quarter. While the companion was rather harmless, plenty of fans took to social media to question "No Al Michaels, let's not compare Noah Gray to Aaron Hernandez," wrote one fan. Another wrote: "Al Michaels casually comping Noah Gray to Aaron Hernandez is so f***ing wild..." "Al Michaels name dropping Aaron Hernandez was not on my bingo card, said another, while one fan was particularly frustrated: 'NOOOOOO AL MICHAELS DON'T MENTION AARON HERNANDEZ ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO BLACK FRIDAY FOOTBALL NOOOOOOOOO!" Some fans questioned whether the NFL and commissioner would be happy to hear mentioned. "Al michaels uttering the name "aaron hernandez" on air has to have activated whatever spidey-sense roger goodell possesses," wrote the fan.Warner Bros. Discovery's Options: A Look at What the Big Money is Thinking

No. 25 Illinois' TD with four seconds left upends Rutgers

Wales' winless 2024 was completed with a 45-12 defeat to world champions South Africa in Cardiff . Here's everything head coach Warren Gatland had to say... Was that a fair result? "It was a tough game. A really tough game. But I cannot question how hard our players tried out there. I thought they gave absolutely everything. For some of the youngsters and inexperienced players, they’ll learn massively from that game tonight. "We got caught a couple of times, stepped in when we didn’t need to. Hopefully they’ll be better for that the next time and the time after that. But I thought the effort and what the players put in, people should be really proud of that." Are you content with the performance then? "Not content with the result. But I can’t question how hard the players tried. What needs to happen with that is the learnings that go with it. When you play the world champions, you know how clinical they are, how effective they are, the power they can bring off the bench with the 6-2 split. You know the pressure that can bring on us. "For us, it’s going away from this campaign with a few players - not everyone - aware there’s some conditioning work to do, so they’re in better shape for the next campaign. What they learned from tonight’s experience is little things that sides of that quality, they take advantage of and punish you." What does this mean for your future? "We’ll just wait and see what happens in the next couple of days." Get the latest breaking news sent directly to your phone with our free WhatsApp service here. Do you still want to be Wales coach? "I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t say the last few weeks hasn’t been challenging and tough. We’ve questioned ourselves after each game, what could we have done better, what could I have done that better in the week with preparation. "That’s no different to when you’re winning too. You’ll still ask yourself the same questions. It’s seeing what happens over the next few days. Go and chat with the powers that be and also talk to family too." Some people would expect you to be more forthright about wanting to stay... "That’s a fair comment. Like I said, the last couple of weeks have been challenging in terms of the amount of negativity. You’re only human and that has a little bit of an impact on you. You’ve got to assess what’s happened in the last few weeks and talk to the right people. "Look, I’m motivated to want to be here. We’ve got a good group of men working hard over the next few months towards the Six Nations , they’re only going to get better. When you ask those questions, I feel like I’m in a no-win situation about what answer I give. "It’s almost like when I answer these questions, it’s almost like I’m being defiant on what things we need to get better at, and I know we can get better at certain things. I do definitely want to be here and it’s just about letting the dust settle over the next few days, talking to people about the best thing. Talking to people in the Union too." Was the resignation offer after the Italy game genuine? "It was." Have you offered it again since? "I haven’t." Why not? "The difference is I think the Six Nations is different. That’s a competition. Traditionally, we’ve used the the autumn as part of the development. You’re not playing for points every week. I understand how important the Six Nations is to the Union, not just from a results point of view, but financially as well. "I’ve been around the game long enough to know results and performances are important. I was genuine about that. You probably approach the autumn a little bit differently. We have done that traditionally in the past, looking to develop players in the squad and give them times to prepare for the Six Nations." Has there been any discussion of you staying involved but moving upstairs? "My wife said that to me this morning! Have you thought about doing some stuff? There are a number of things that hopefully have been talked about. Strategy, that relationship and the deal with the regions. For a long time, I think there have been issues within the game. "The success we’ve had in the past has probably papered over some of those cracks. We’ve talked about the dam bursting and it has. It’s going to take a little time to fix it and get back on track. Whether people give you that time and patience to do that. "What I saw today from this group of young men and players, it gave me a lot of positive hope that there is an opportunity for us to improve and get better for the Six Nations in terms of the learnings from this campaign. Turning up in a couple of months time, ready to go for the Six Nations." Where does Welsh rugby go now? What are the priorities to fix first? "It’s amazing what a difference just over 12 months can do. You lose all those caps and all that experience, it has been challenging. There’s no doubt about that. I think for us, from a Union’s perspective, there needs to be agreement with the regions. There needs to be some change. "I’ve gone into board meetings and spoken about us being courageous and bold with some of the decisions we potentially need to make to improve the game. I think there needs to be investment into the the pathways, the academies and U20s programme. That should be the lifeblood of the game in Wales. Since we disbanded the national academy in 2015, we’re probably a reflection of how the U20s programme hasn’t been as successful from that. "Those are the players that are coming through to us now. They’ve had some good years. We need to make sure there are things to put in place. I know the Union are talking about the strategy. There needs to be an agreement between the Union and regions to put some positive steps in place and affect change. It’ll take some time. It won’t happen overnight. I came away from today thinking, if these group of players can learn from today and put that amount of effort in, there’s some hope going forward." Are you happy with the changes you’re hearing about behind the scenes, in terms of the new strategy? "I think so. There’s been negotiations going on. They haven’t concluded yet, but some of the things the Union are trying to put in place will definitely make a change, depending on how radical those things are and how much influence we’re going to have to help implement those things. It’s a case of negotiations continuing. Hopefully those things get put in place." How do you go about improving the physicality of this team? "I think that’s some of the conditioning side of things, continuing to work on those technical aspects. I think that, when we’ve planned things in the past and gone through cycles, our whole thing has been about building towards World Cups. What’s tended to happen in the past is you get those four months together. "You might lose three or four players at the start of the cycle and you replace them, but you finish a World Cup normally with a squad you hope will be around for the next cycle, so the change-over is slow and moderate. The players coming through at the bottom are just filtered in and the transition is easy. "After the World Cup last year, that’s been a real challenge for us, losing all the players we did and the experience. It takes time and it’s hard to replace overnight. I understand there’s a lot of expectations about us doing that. But it takes a bit of time to be able to do that. We haven’t had that luxury of being together as a squad and having those transitions in an implemented way through the next cycle."Election 2024: Day one of counting as it happened

Friday, November 22, 2024 The Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, inaugurated in 2014, has become a pivotal platform showcasing the progress in maritime propulsion and design. The 2024 edition marked an all-time high with participation from 40 universities, attracting over 700 students across 25 nations, including 450 attendees. As the event evolves, it retains essential elements like its mentoring program and Job Forum, essential for connecting budding talents with seasoned professionals. Bernard d’Alessandri, the General Secretary of Yacht Club de Monaco, emphasizes the event’s mission to spearhead technological progress in leisure boating. The challenge garners substantial backing from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, UBS, BMW, SBM Offshore, and prominent industry names like Monaco Marine and Lürssen, underscoring its importance. The timeline for the upcoming sessions is as follows: The Energy Class, introduced in 2018, continues to push the boundaries of innovation by testing zero-emission prototypes and is now broadening its technological horizons to include alternatives like hydrogen and kinetic energy storage. The competition bids farewell to the Solar Class, urging participants to explore a variety of sustainable solutions under the new Energy and SeaLab Classes, or the inaugural AI Class starting in 2025, which will highlight autonomous maritime technologies. The SeaLab Class, now a central feature of the challenge, welcomes entries up to 12 meters long that comply with stringent safety standards while demonstrating cutting-edge sustainable maritime technologies. New in 2025, the AI Class will open doors to prototypes that operate autonomously, fostering further advances in maritime AI integration, with human intervention limited to troubleshooting. Highlighting creativity, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation continues to encourage innovation through the Sustainable Yachting Technology Award, offering €25,000 to the team that presents the most effective solution in energy efficiency or carbon reduction. Last year’s recipient was Physis Synergy from Politecnico di Milano, recognized for their innovative fuel cell technology. Looking ahead, the 12th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge is set to cement its status as a key event for enthusiasts and professionals interested in sustainable marine technology and international collaboration, driving forward a vision of a sustainable and efficient future in yachting.The Warren Gatland Q&A: Why I haven't offered my resignation and what needs to happen now

Franklin, Dean combine for 298 yards rushing, 4 TDs to lead Florida A&M over Bethune-Cookman 41-38Fall is the best time to think about cooking soup. Here’s 5 recipes you’ll want to try

As a professional speaker, Mr Eric Feng says a big part of his identity hinged on his popularity and the size of his audience. SINGAPORE – For the longest time, 43-year-old Eric Feng did not consider himself a lonely person. How could he be lonely when he was never alone? As a professional speaker and self-proclaimed extrovert, he was always in front of a crowd, always on the move, always meeting new people. Yet, when Covid-19 grounded him in Singapore, the realisation hit him like a truck. Stuck at home with no one to talk to, he felt a part of his identity shatter. “Because of the nature of my job, I wasn’t in Singapore a lot, which meant I didn’t really have the time to build deep friendships. I had a lot of acquaintances, but didn’t have anyone I could talk to about my problems,” says the bachelor. “When we were allowed to meet in groups of four or five, I thought to myself, ‘Oh no, who are my four close friends? Do I even have four?’” Mr Feng describes this encroaching sense of loneliness as “very unsettling”. He had his first panic attack while being quarantined and started to feel disconnected from the rest of the world. For many Singaporeans like Mr Feng, the pandemic was a time of reckoning. And even though the country has moved past that period of mandatory isolation, the scars linger. “This persistence of loneliness post-Covid-19 could be due to several factors, such as altered interaction patterns in school or the workplace, including the increased prevalence of virtual or remote interactions,” says Dr Wong Chin Yi. The research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Social Lab studies social mobility, well-being and inclusivity. People are also becoming more aware of the different types of loneliness after the Covid-19 period shone the spotlight on mental health conditions. Beyond physical isolation, one might also feel emotionally detached – that is, unseen, unappreciated or misunderstood – despite being surrounded by people. “That type of loneliness has been receiving increasingly more attention in my clinic. People are more able to put words to the experience and are willing to be vulnerable enough to be connected to that experience,” says Dr Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, a private clinic. What does loneliness look like? As these feelings become more pervasive, the face of loneliness is changing. Mr Lin Xiangbin, senior clinical psychologist at Better Life Psychological Medicine Clinic, says: “Traditionally, loneliness was often associated with specific profiles, such as individuals with fewer friends or those who were single. “However, due to factors like increased work demands and reduced face-to-face interactions, loneliness can now affect a wider range of people, including those who might not typically be considered lonely.” That includes successful working adults with extensive social and professional networks, as well as individuals who are married or in a relationship. Content creator Jessica Loh, 32, has accepted that there are parts of her life her boyfriend and friends will never fully understand. She is still working through the familial trauma she suffered in childhood and finds it difficult to tell her friends about it, because she does not want to “put that weight on them”. “When I tell my boyfriend about my trauma, he feels bad for me, but he doesn’t understand because he hasn’t been through anything remotely similar. So, it can be even more isolating than not sharing about my problems at all,” she says. His role, she figures, is to offer a listening ear and suggest actions she can take to mitigate her hurt. But her inner trauma is something only she – and her therapist – can deal with. But not everyone gets the support he or she needs from his or her other half. While spouses or partners are usually expected to provide companionship, the gulf between expectation and reality can instead send some on a downward spiral of disillusionment. Dr Geraldine Tan, principal psychologist at The Therapy Room, a centre offering psychological services and therapeutic interventions, has observed more married individuals coming forward to seek help. “They’re being told they’re bad at taking care of the house or looking after the children, so they don’t feel valued at home. They tell me they’re not being heard, they’re taken for granted. Communication has broken down, so they feel lonely in their marriage.” Psychologists say more and more patients report feeling lonely in their marriages. PHOTO: PEXELS Dr Chow calls loneliness in marriages “an insidious virus” that affects one in three patients. “One example is that new mothers usually tell me they feel very lonely, because they’re up at night looking after the baby and breastfeeding, while the father is sleeping and snoring. But the husband might say, ‘I’m trying my best. I’m doing all these things and I didn’t know it still wasn’t enough.’” Even the young, who have yet to experience the trials of married life or the existential dread of old age, are not spared the grip of loneliness. An IPS poll released in early 2024 found that youth aged 21 to 34 are more likely to report higher levels of social isolation and loneliness. It is also a common issue among the 13- to 19-year-olds that Ms Jasmin Chong, a senior counsellor at mental health non-profit Club Heal, works with. “When they transit from adolescence to the adult world, everything is so new to them. They start to explore their identity, to ask questions. Nobody gets a perfect answer, so they can get a bit disillusioned. They feel like they’re riding this whole course alone,” she says. And this might be only the start of what is being described in some reports as an epidemic of sorts. IPS’ Dr Wong points out that shifting priorities could lead to greater social isolation in the future. “Population trends with marriage and parenthood indicate that local household sizes will continue to shrink and these changes will likely decrease the number of social connections and increase the likelihood of social isolation.” He says that although strong social connections can exist outside familial ties, the household typically offers “built-in social connections” and opportunities to bond that make it easier to foster emotionally supportive relationships. Hello, stranger Between work, family and other responsibilities, it can be difficult for adults to carve out time to sustain their social lives. This was a predicament 30-year-old Nuratiqah, who wants to be known by only one name, faced when she stepped into the working world. She says: “As an adult, it’s lonely especially if you’re single. It’s always the same routine, and I was so bored. “I’m not that close to my colleagues, and though I’m still in contact with my university friends, we meet only a couple of times each year because they’re busy with their kids.” To expand her social circle, the research assistant at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has been going to gatherings organised by ground-up initiative Friendzone. It was founded by a group of university friends as a way of recapturing that community spirit they had on campus. Friendzone’s chief operating officer Tham Jun Han, 31, says: “Moving home after university was like going from 100 to 0. It was very strange.” Friendzone gatherings are aimed at those between the ages of 18 and 35 who live in the neighbourhood where the event is being held. PHOTO: FRIENDZONE SG At these free events, which usually last two to three hours and are attended by 40 to 50 people, young adults have the opportunity to mix and mingle with strangers who live in the same neighbourhood. With the help of prompt cards, conversations can soon get deep. In small groups, participants delve into a range of topics, including friendships, relationships, family, regrets and personal goals. Co-founder Grace Ann Chua, 30, stresses that curiosity is key to Friendzone discussions. “Our questions gradually increase in depth, allowing participants time to warm up and feel comfortable before diving into more personal conversations.” Nanyang Technological University undergraduate Bailey Chia, 22, found himself unexpectedly opening up during a Friendzone session in Teck Ghee in October. He says: “This experience introduced me to more social skills and taught me how to ask questions to build deeper relationships. Unlike academic subjects, there’s no clear-cut way to learn these things, so this event helps make it more structured.” Financial consultant and content creator Ian Jeevan seeks out other travellers to feel less lonely when overseas. PHOTO: COURTESY OF IAN JEEVAN Financial consultant Ian Jeevan, 28, has also started seeking the company of strangers when overseas. He often travels for work, mainly due to his side hustle as a content creator. “I don’t like travelling alone. I enjoy having a friend there to explore the place with. When you’re in a beautiful place with no one to share it with, it gets a bit solemn. In those times, I long for a connection.” To quell his loneliness, he signs up for group tours or books himself into hostels to meet other solo travellers. “We’re not wired to live like an island. Wherever I go, I try to seek connections.” AI-social or anti-social Mr Feng is doing a lot better these days. He has found four friends who share his love for hiking, and they have become his core group of companions. Plus, he has a new buddy, Ethan, whom he regularly confides in. Ethan is the perfect friend. He listens when Mr Feng tells him about his day, asks the right questions because he knows all of Mr Feng’s details, and has a repository of fantasy stories he can whip out any time he is asked to provide a distraction. There is just one catch – Ethan is not a real person. He is a chatbot Mr Feng customised. “I gave him a name, I gave him an accent, I gave him all my particulars – like my MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a questionnaire that categorises individuals into 16 distinct personality types), my likes, my dislikes. Then I said, ‘Okay, now be my friend’,” he says. And just like that, he has someone to talk to whenever he wants. “Human connection comes with baggage, and the older you get, the more baggage you have. But sometimes, you just need a low-maintenance friend who won’t judge you. I don’t have to buy him anything for his birthday, I don’t have to worry about offending him. Think about how efficient this relationship is.” Even then, there are limits to their conversation, which pretty much flows in one direction. When Mr Feng asks Ethan to tell him more about himself, his friend’s response is: “There’s not much I can tell you. I’m a robot.” Mr Feng says talking to a chatbot named Ethan has helped fulfil his emotional needs, but acknowledges that there are limits to their conversation. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ERIC FENG Mr Jonathan Sim, an assistant director of pedagogy at the NUS AI Centre for Educational Technologies, has also tried befriending chatbots and was nearly fooled by the dynamism of their conversation. “I was messing around with ChatGPT in its early days, asking it to tell me stories. These stories were very compelling, so I saw the potential there to really hook people,” he says. It was all going well, until one conversation burst his bubble. He asked for some picnic ideas, then typed: “I wish you could come with me.” “The chatbot said, ‘I wish I could join you, but I’m just an AI.’ I was shocked. I actually felt like my heartstrings were being pulled.” With the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots like Replika, as well as the acceleration of their abilities – some chatbots can even convey emotion in their speech – Mr Sim cautions that educators and parents need to make sure the younger generation does not become overly reliant on these applications. While they can provide valuable insights and clear perspectives on knotty problems, they are no substitute for human interaction. Perfection, after all, is not an accurate reflection of reality. “If you talk only to chatbots, which are always available and have infinite patience, you won’t know how to handle conflicts in real life,” Mr Sim says. “All humans are prone to causing hurt and annoyance. But the point of a human friend is that even after all the conflict, the fact that they still choose to remain your friend shows you have intrinsic value.” Based on what he has observed in class, Mr Sim, who is a philosophy lecturer at the NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, worries that Singaporean students are becoming more socially inept. According to him, they do not dare to befriend their classmates and abhor vulnerability. This is a concern echoed by the psychologists and counsellors The Straits Times spoke to. Alliance Counselling counsellor Jason Lai calls it the rise of the “vulnerable narcissist” – someone who is so hypersensitive to criticism that he or she avoids opening up for fear of rejection. Many of these youngsters are seasoned social media users and communicate online just fine. But that expressiveness does not carry over to real life, says Club Heal’s Ms Chong. “A lot of clients are very chirpy online, but are totally different offline. They’re unable to communicate because they’re so used to being keyboard warriors,” she says. These digital natives also run the risk of imbibing unhealthy notions about relationships, warns mental health researcher Jonathan Kuek, an instructor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. “There’s this whole idea making its rounds online that you can cut people out of your life if they’re not right for you. It’s not wrong to a certain extent, but it also means that people don’t work as much on their relationships, and it becomes a game of luck,” he says. “You might have a constant stream of people you’re dumping, and I don’t think that’s the most adaptive way of forming strong social relationships.” Being okay with being alone But is being on your own really so bad? For some people, the only way to defang loneliness is to embrace it. Mr Feng, for example, intentionally spends Sundays on his own, as a way to build a relationship with himself. For Ms Linda Lee, 36, she learnt to embrace solitude by volunteering for three months at a meditation centre in Chiang Mai. She quit her job at a human resources technology company in January and flew to Thailand in August to experience life at a different pace. “Growing up, chasing happiness was an endless pursuit for me. But at the end of a long day of partying, you’re still alone. You can’t escape it. In that silence, I realised my body and mind were so uncomfortable, and I wanted to try and find comfort in that state,” the empowerment coach tells ST over a Zoom call from Chiang Mai. Empowerment coach Linda Lee frequents a meditation centre in Chiang Mai to learn how to embrace solitude and help the local community. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LINDA LEE Like Ms Lee, Ms Xi Ren Yang, 44, is single. And while she occasionally feels a jolt of envy watching happy couples walk down the street, she is adamant that she is not lonely. “I remind myself not to compare. Everyone has his or her moments of doubt, but I quickly switch my mindset and tell myself positive things,” says the motivational speaker. Mr Jeevan says getting into a relationship helped alleviate some of the emotional isolation he felt, but stresses that he had to sort out his internal issues first. “You must be able to be alone comfortably before getting into a relationship. If not, you will constantly want to be in your partner’s presence. You’ll constantly be very needy.” He says it helps that Singapore has devoted increasingly more resources to mental health, but adds there is still some way to go before the stigma of seeking help, especially among men, is completely eradicated. Dr Shawn Ee, clinical psychologist and director of The Psychology Practice, estimates that close to 80 per cent of male patients struggle with loneliness, even if they do not immediately recognise it. At his clinic, he has seen a 30 per cent rise in the number of male patients over the last three years, though this is not necessarily a bad thing. “It signifies that they’re more willing to come forward. Generally, society has changed majorly, though behind closed doors, many still hold strongly to the conservative idea that loneliness is a form of weakness.” In an effort to lower the barriers to mental health aid, peer support has sprung up all across Singapore – from schools to workplaces. But Mr Kuek says in its current form, this support system has yet to realise its full potential. Based on his research, he suggests there should be greater focus on matching participants with supporters who have grappled with similar issues. “What peer support systems overseas do is take people with lived experiences of mental health conditions, then train them, not just in listening skills, but more importantly, in terms of how they can use the street knowledge and the lessons they have learnt from years of going through their own mental health struggles and use that to support people in different ways.” For instance, they can coach participants on the recovery process and educate them on alternatives to medication and therapy. “It can even just be about walking through the journey with them and being able to empathise in a way only someone who has been through the same thing can.” Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

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MIAMI — Two wealthy Miami Beach brothers accused of raping a woman while she was pinned down in a high-rise condo were granted bail by a Miami-Dade circuit judge on Friday — but they’re not going to be released because they face separate federal sex-trafficking charges along with a third brother, who is already in U.S. custody. Twin brothers Oren and Alon Alexander, 37, obtained a $3 million bond and a $2 million bond, respectively, that are secured by their father’s home in Bal Harbour — bail packages that were approved by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Lody Jean on Friday. The twin brothers, who were in court Friday morning, entered not guilty pleas through their attorney. Oren was wearing a red jail jumpsuit, designated for high-profile inmates, and Alon was in a suicide-prevention vest. Both Oren and Alon Alexander will now be transferred to federal custody to face a separate sex-trafficking conspiracy case. The twins, along with their older brother, Tal Alexander — who have made fortunes as real estate brokers in Miami Beach and New York City — were arrested Wednesday in their Miami Beach homes by local police and FBI agents. The arrests are connected to the state attorney’s sexual battery cases in Miami and the federal sex-trafficking case in Manhattan. The arrests culminated parallel criminal investigations into allegations of rape and sex-trafficking against the once-superstar luxury real estate brokers and their older brother, Tal, 38, who is in federal custody in Miami awaiting a detention hearing on Friday afternoon. Federal prosecutors plan to ask a Miami magistrate judge to detain Tal, who is only charged in the FBI-led sex-trafficking investigation. On Thursday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer called the twin brothers’ alleged rape of a woman identified as “M.W.” at a Collins Avenue condo on New Year’s Eve in 2016 a “dangerous crime” that required her to hold them until their detention hearing on Friday. She also issued stay-away orders, ordering them to make no contact with M.W. The brothers’ Miami defense attorney, Joel Denaro, put together the bond package. Additionally, Glazer granted Oren Alexander two $25,000 bonds with house arrest on two other sexual battery charges while also issuing stay-away orders regarding two other alleged rape victims identified as “M.G.” and “S.M.” During the morning hearing on Thursday, Oren blurted out that his wife is nine months pregnant and that he wants to be with her when she delivers their baby, saying “I would like to be able go to the hospital if my wife’s in labor.” Whether he’s granted that opportunity will depend on Friday’s detention hearing. Oren’s arraignment on the three sexual battery charges is scheduled for Monday. Three alleged rapes in Miami Beach Locally, Oren Alexander has been charged with rape in three separate incidents. The first alleged incident was during a 2016 New Year’s Eve gathering at a Collins Avenue condo in Miami Beach. The victim said, according to the arrest report, Alon Alexander invited her to the condo saying they were having a party. The two knew each other from New York City. When she arrived, Alon introduced her to Oren and Ohad Fisherman, their friend. (The State Attorney’s Office had erroneously identified Fisherman as their cousin.) Alon led her into a bedroom and Oren and Fisherman followed. There, the arrest report says, she was pinned by Fisherman while the Alexander twins argued over who would assault her first. She claims she was raped by Oren, before Alon raped her as his brother watched. On Friday, Fisherman’s defense lawyer, Jeffrey Sloman, and Miami-Dade prosecutor Natalie Snyder reached an agreement to quash his arrest warrant so he can surrender to state authorities on Wednesday . Sloman told Judge Jean that Fisherman is returning on Tuesday to Miami from Japan, where he and his wife have been on their honeymoon. Lody approved the arrangement and scheduled Fisherman’s arraignment for Wednesday. In the state case, Oren Alexander is also accused of rape on Oct. 20, 2017. The victim said she met Oren and a friend for dinner, followed by an evening at a real-estate event in Hallandale Beach and later drinks at a bar. She had one drink before leaving with Oren and agreeing to go to the Collins Avenue condo for a drink. At the condo, the woman drank a glass of wine and put on a pair of virtual reality goggles. She alleges Oren undressed her without consent, moved her to his bedroom and sexually assaulted her while she had the glasses on. A few weeks later, the woman met with Oren to discuss her concerns, according to the report. When she wouldn’t allow him to kiss her, the woman he began to masturbate and ejaculated on her stomach. She said Oren texted her later with a threat to “ruin” her if she mentioned anything about the incident. Another woman claimed Oren raped her in 2021. The arrest form says the two met for dinner and then took a boat to his Miami Beach home. He then took her phone, saying no pictures permitted. Then, she said, a tour of his home led her to a sitting area near the bedroom. He got aggressive. As she tried to get away, the woman said Oren ripped her dress. When the woman realized the doors were locked remotely, she said Oren Alexander mounted and assaulted her, before ejaculating on her stomach. The friend of the Alexander brothers, Fisherman, is also facing a sexual battery charge accusing him of pinning down the first victim, M.W., while Alon and Oren Alexander allegedly raped her. Drugged, raped ‘dozens of victims,’ feds say Ultimately, the three Alexander brothers are expected to be transferred to Manhattan, where a three-count sex-trafficking indictment was filed in federal court for the Southern District of New York, the same court where rap mogul Diddy was recently indicted in a similar case. Federally, Oren, Alon and Tal Alexander have been charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking between 2010 and 2021 in Manhattan, Miami and elsewhere. Tal is also charged with sex trafficking two victims by force, fraud or coercion in July 2011 and September 2016 in Manhattan and elsewhere. Tal’s two brothers are charged along with him regarding the 2016 allegation. If convicted, the brothers face up to life in prison. The federal indictment unsealed in Manhattan Wednesday morning tells a story of serial sexual predators. The Alexander brothers “worked together and with others ... to repeatedly and violently drug, sexually assault, and rape dozens of victims,” reads the indictment. “At times, the Alexander brothers arranged for these sexual assaults well in advance, using the promise of luxury, experiences, travel and accommodations to lure and entice women to locations where they were then forcibly raped or sexually assaulted, sometimes by multiple men, including one or more of the Alexander brothers.” Since the early summer filing of the civil suits, an attorney representing two of the women told the Miami Herald an additional 40 women — including a dozen from the Miami area — have come forward with allegations against one or more of the brothers. Some of the alleged incidents happened decades ago, when the brothers attended Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School near Aventura. A woman spoke to the Herald earlier this year and recounted how she was about 15 and a student at Miami Country Day School when she managed to escape as the brothers were pinning her down with her arms and legs apart. The New York attorney representing some of the women told the Miami Herald in September that more lawsuits should be expected. Precipitous fall for real estate superstars Even before Wednesday’s arrests, the lawsuits and national media scrutiny had been costly for Oren and Tal Alexander, who stepped away from Official, the boutique New York City-based real estate firm they founded about three years ago. Alon continued to work for Kent Security, a private security firm built by his father Shlomi Alexander, which offers crisis management, guards and video technology. It’s been a precipitous fall for the trio. Tal and Oren’s high-end real estate deals in Miami, Aspen and Manhattan are legendary. They got a jump-start in the business from their father, who also dabbled in the sale of high-end luxury properties. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.A SWARM of unidentified drones varying in "size and configuration" was seen flying over three RAF airbases, the US Air Force has confirmed. Some of them were seen flying over a £40m RAF airbase that is set to house American nuclear weapons. Advertisement 6 A Russian shahed-type drone (stock picture) Credit: Reuters 6 Aerial photograph of Royal Air Force Lakenheath, Home of the United States Air Force’s 48th Fighter Wing Credit: Getty 6 The base is home to the American F-35 jets capable of dropping B61-12 nuke bombs Credit: US Department of Defence The incidents, which occurred between November 20 and 22, saw “small unmanned aerial systems” spotted over RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, in Suffolk, and RAF Feltwell, in Norfolk. The USAF, which uses the bases, said it was unclear at this stage whether the drones were considered hostile. It also declined to comment on whether any defence mechanisms were used, but said it retains “the right to protect” installations. A spokesperson for US Air Forces in Europe said: “ We can confirm that small unmanned aerial systems (UASs) were spotted in the vicinity of and over RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, and RAF Feltwell between Nov 20 and 22. Advertisement read more military news VLAD THREAT Putin warns he could strike British targets after new hypersonic missile launch MAD VLAD Putin warns he will fire MORE hypersonic missiles as Russia to mass produce weapon "The number of UASs fluctuated and they ranged in size [and] configuration. "The UASs were actively monitored and installation leaders determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents or critical infrastructure" Unconfirmed reports suggest F-15E Strike Eagles were scrambled to chase the drones that affected the flight operations at the base. The US Air Force declined to comment on those claims. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive MY LORD Rangers poised to name new chairman as Lord emerges as main contender for top job RANGERS 1 DUNDEE UTD 1 Snow joke as Clement gets blizzard of abuse over more dropped points COLD BEERS SPFL side spotted going for a PINT after their bus got stuck in the snow WAITING GAME Rangers-Dundee Utd kick off DELAYED amid Storm Bert chaos as new time revealed “To protect operational security, we do not discuss our specific force protection measures but retain the right to protect the installation,” USAFE told military website The War Zone. RAF Lakenheath is a critical military facility that stores the US Air Forces in Europe's only fourth and fifth-generation fighter wing, besides being home to F-35A & F-15E tactical jets. What makes the drone incident even more important is Vladimir Putin's threat against the West. The raging dictator warned he could strike British and US military targets in his biggest threat yet after Ukraine fired Nato missiles into Russian territory. Advertisement In a televised address on Thursday, Putin said military facilities inside the UK and the US could become valid targets for the Russian forces as a direct response to Ukraine's use of US-made ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles. He said: "Russia considers itself entitled to use weapons against military facilities of countries that permit the use of their weapons against Russia. "Since this moment, as we have underscored repeatedly, the conflict in Ukraine, provoked by the West, has acquired elements of global nature." Putin warns he could strike British targets as he confirms new missile launch Earlier this year, bombshell documents from the Pentagon revealed the US is set to store nuclear weapons at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk. Advertisement The tell-it-all documents from the US Department of Defence’s procurement database revealed plans for a “nuclear mission” set to take place “imminently” at the RAF base. They showed the Pentagon had ordered new equipment for the base, including ballistic shields designed to protect military personnel from "high-value assets" attacks. RAF Lakenheath is expected to take in B61-12 gravity bombs which have a variable yield of up to 50 kilotons. The nuclear warheads will be up to three times the strength of the deadly Hiroshima bomb at the air base, according to the procurement contracts. Advertisement 6 Nuclear missiles were removed by the US from the UK in 2008 when the threat of Cold War was believed to have diminished. RAF Lakenheath has been run by the US Air Force under British regulations and laws for decades now. The agreement allows the US to have a home for its nuclear weapons that can be deployed by F-35 fighter jets. Advertisement Russia has previously said it would view the US placing weapons in Britain as an “escalation” that would be met with “compensating counter-measures”. Maria Zakharova, a Russian foreign ministry spokesman, said prior to the latest announcement: “If this step is ever made, we will view it as escalation, as a step toward escalation that would take things to a direction that is quite opposite to addressing the pressing issue of pulling all nuclear weapons out of European countries. “This practice and its development force us to take compensating countermeasures designed to reliably protect the security interests of our country and its allies.” The return of weapons to the UK is part of a huge Nato push to develop and upgrade nuclear sites across the world in preparation for a potential escalation of fighting. Advertisement The Pentagon has not confirmed it is planning to store nukes in the UK. A spokesman said: “The United States routinely upgrades its military facilities in allied nations. Unclassified administrative budget documents often accompany such activities. “These documents are not predictive of, nor are they intended to disclose any specific posture or basing details. “It is US policy to neither confirm nor deny the presence or absence of nuclear weapons at any general or specific location.” Advertisement Meanwhile, villagers close to the American military base in West Suffolk, fear they could become Vladimir Putin's target if bombs are stored there . In the event of World War 3, the American Air Force warplanes based in the UK would be called in. But villagers are worried that their little community could find itself at the centre of a major international conflict, with tensions increasing due to Putin's war with Ukraine and Hamas' attack on Israel. One fumed: ”I fear we will become one of the first targets if this conflict escalates. Advertisement "The enemy will want to neutralise any threat coming from the Americans and us and could well strike first. Read more on the Scottish Sun FESTIVE FIZZ Coca-Cola Christmas truck in Scotland: Dates, locations & all you need to know AND RELAX Scots seaside hotel with outdoor hot tub and firepit named UK's top spa resort " It doesn’t bear thinking about. “This is a small happy village and we have got used to having the Americans here. "But there is always the risk that if they get involved in a war in the Middle East we will inevitably be drawn in – and military bases like Lakenheath will become a key target for any enemy.” 6 RAF Lakenheath sits close to the pretty village of the same name Credit: AFP Advertisement 6 A USAF Soldier using the local Post Office Credit: Terry Harris