A 39-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced on Jun. 22, 2026, to 28 days' jail and banned from driving for 30 months after he cut in front of moving vehicles on the road and braked.

CNA reported that Desmond Teo Wei Kiat pleaded guilty to one count of driving dangerously, with a second charge taken into consideration during sentencing.

Charge sheets and court documents seen by Mothership stated that the private-hire driver, who had a history of traffic violations, first cut in front of a taxi and braked repeatedly.

At the time, the taxi driver tried to avoid him, but their vehicles later collided.

CNA reported that though this caused Teo to be arrested and released on bail, he still cut into another driver's lane in a separate incident and braked abruptly.

2023 incident

Charge sheets and court documents stated that the incident involving the taxi occurred at about 4:25am on Dec. 29, 2023.

A 41-year-old taxi driver had been driving from Tampines Expressway (Seletar Expressway) to Sengkang East Road, with Teo ahead of the cabby.

After Teo switched from the first to the second lane, the taxi driver overtook him.

This made Teo feel that the taxi driver had encroached into his lane and forced him to brake in order to avoid contact between the vehicles.

Shortly after, the taxi driver took the exit and drove along Sengkang East Road towards Buangkok Green.

The taxi driver then stopped at a red light at the junction of Sengkang East Road and Compassvale Street and was the first vehicle in the fourth lane.

Trying to avoid contact

In addition, Teo followed the taxi driver and drove his car along the fifth lane.

He then cut into the fourth lane in front of the taxi, where he stopped his vehicle diagonally in front of the taxi driver as Teo wanted to turn right at the next junction.

As a result, to avoid contact, the taxi driver was forced to move his taxi slightly to the right.

When the traffic light turned green, Teo drove off, braking abruptly four times in short succession before driving straight along Sengkang East Road towards Buangkok Green.

Collision

After the taxi driver followed behind Teo and began to switch lanes, Teo also did the same and braked abruptly, forcing the taxi driver to brake to avoid a collision with Teo.

When the vehicles approached the junction of Sengkang East Road and Sengkang East Way, the taxi driver, who intended to turn right, was in lane one, a right-turn-only lane.

A lorry that drove on lane two separated Teo, who was driving along lane three.

Teo then cut in front of the lorry when the taxi driver turned right, where he collided with the taxi while veering right towards the cabby.

CNA reported that the taxi driver, whose taxi was scratched and dented, alighted and examined the damage, which the driver paid S$2,900 to repair.

However, Teo did not alight from his vehicle and drove off at about 4:31am.

Court documents stated that Teo was arrested on May 7, 2025, and released on bail the same day.

2025 incident

In another incident, at about 7:10am on Dec. 9, 2025, Teo and a 44-year-old female driver were both driving along Pasir Panjang Road towards Clementi.

When Teo switched lanes in front of her, she flashed her high beam lights at him several times as she felt he had cut into her lane.

In response, Teo braked abruptly and veered slightly to the left, which forced the woman to also brake abruptly to avoid contact.

When the woman switched to another lane away from Teo, he swerved into her lane without signalling and braked abruptly again.

This forced her to also brake abruptly and swerve into another lane to avoid contact.

However, Teo veered partially into her lane and braked abruptly again, forcing her once again to brake abruptly to avoid contact.

He did this because he wished to stop the woman from confronting her over her flashing of high beams at him.

Court documents stated that at the time of the offence, the weather was good.

In addition, the road surface was dry, visibility was clear, and the volume of traffic was light.

Court

In seeking five to 10 weeks' jail and 24 months' disqualification from driving for Teo, the deputy public prosecutor (DPP) noted that Teo had engaged in a sustained pattern of dangerous driving in the two incidents.

The DPP added that Teo, who has a poor driving record, has multiple compounded traffic offences, including speeding, driving without reasonable consideration and careless driving.

This refers to traffic violations paid with out-of-court fines, CNA reported.

In asking for five weeks' jail instead, Teo's lawyer said that though his client's actions were due to a lapse in judgment, he cooperated fully with the authorities during investigations, according to CNA.

According to CNA, the lawyer added that Teo, who is employed as a limo and private-hire vehicle driver, was grieving the loss of his younger brother, which also saw the family facing significant financial hardship due to substantial outstanding mortgage obligations.

He was also facing acute emotional distress in his current divorce proceedings, his lawyer said.

Penalties

CNA reported that in view of Teo's poor driving record, District Judge Lorraine Ho imposed a longer driving ban than what the prosecution sought.

Noting that there were elements of road rage in his actions, she said Teo had driven in a "rather aggressive" manner.

For dangerous driving, he could have been jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to S$5,000 and given a driving ban.

The Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) said it has heard the recent calls from the public for dialect movies to be screened more freely in Singapore cinemas.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) will take a more "flexible approach" in considering applications for such screenings.

The ministry added that it will remain open to facilitating and supporting further Teochew screenings of the movie "Dear You", should the distributor wish to apply for them, in response to audience interest.

These remarks were included in a Jun. 22 statement from MDDI, hours after the second slate of screenings for the Chinese movie in its original Teochew dialect were released due to high demand.

Welcomes the conversation

MDDI thanked members of the public for their feedback and interest in the release of "Dear You".

"We welcome the broader conversation it has sparked about Chinese dialects and cultural identity in Singapore," the ministry said.

While the movie is mainly filmed in the Teochew dialect, it has been dubbed in Mandarin for its general release in Singapore.

The initial round of 10 screenings in Teochew, launched by operator Golden Village and distributor Clover Films, were sold out within two hours on Jun. 16.

Due to "overwhelming audience response", they added eight more screenings, which was supported by IMDA.

These screenings were sold out in under an hour and a half on Jun. 22, with wait times of up to four hours, according to a Mothership reader.

About 200 people queued in person at Golden Village's VivoCity outlet to secure a ticket, according to 8world.

Role of dialects

In their statement, MDDI reiterated the government's longstanding policy to promote Mandarin as one of our four official languages.

"This has helped to strengthen Mandarin proficiency across generations and facilitate communication among Chinese Singaporeans from different dialect backgrounds," the ministry said, adding that these objectives "remain relevant today".

It also acknowledged that dialects are an important part of Singapore’s cultural heritage.

"There is also growing interest, including among younger Singaporeans, in learning and appreciating dialects as part of understanding their heritage."

Today, the government supports the use of dialects in practical ways, MDDI added.

They include through the communication of important public information in dialects, Mediacorp programmes for seniors, and arts and cultural productions.

MDDI distinguished the role of Mandarin and that of other Chinese dialects in Singapore society.

"Mandarin continues to play an important unifying role among Chinese Singaporeans, while dialects remain a valued part of Singapore’s cultural heritage and identity," it said.

"We are encouraged by the growing interest in dialects, including among younger Singaporeans," the ministry added, stating that it will keep reviewing its approach to support the appreciation and use of dialects in Singapore.

A 44-year-old Singaporean man pleaded guilty to rashly causing a flat fire after suffering from a delusional disorder, thinking his upstairs neighbour was attacking him.

Liu Zheyuan pleaded guilty on Jun. 22, CNA reported.

In charge sheets seen by Mothership, Liu burned a pot of charcoal in the living room of his home along Joo Seng Road in the Upper Aljunied area on May 4 at about 9:40pm, causing a flat fire.

Residents were evacuated, and at least two firefighters were conveyed to the hospital due to smoke inhalation.

Delusions

According to CNA, the court heard Liu suffered from a delusional disorder.

He believed that his upstairs neighbour had been intentionally shooting laser beams and sending strong currents through his ceiling to disturb him for the past two years.

On the night of the fire, Liu believed that his neighbours were attacking him again.

This reportedly caused pain in his head and ears, leading him to burn charcoal in an attempt to ward off the attack.

Fire

Liu proceeded to place two pieces of charcoal and fire starters in a stainless steel pot.

He then lit the charcoal and placed the pot on a metal rack near the open window in the living room.

Liu continued to add more charcoal, and the fire grew larger.

A plastic curtain then caught fire, before spreading to the whole flat.

Liu attempted to extinguish the fire in panic, but failed to do so.

He then alerted the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for help and informed his neighbours to evacuate the premises.

As a result of the fire, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said a common area was damaged and estimated repairs would cost about S$80,000 to S$100,000.

Remanded

Liu was subsequently remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

Based on his reports of somatic and persecutory ideas towards his neighbour over the previous two years, Liu was assessed to be suffering from a delusional disorder at the time of the incident.

The ideas of his neighbour shooting laser beams and sending currents through his ceiling were described as "fixed, false beliefs".

His parents, who lived with him, also confirmed it was not true.

Liu’s condition was assessed to be moderate in severity, given his fixation and the distress experienced from the perceived disturbances.

While a minor contributory link was found between his psychiatric condition and the offence, Liu was not of unsound mind at the time.

A report assessing Liu's suitability for a mandatory treatment order was called.

Liu’s sentencing was adjourned to Jul. 6.

A bull was shot dead after it ran around the streets of Changsha, Hunan, China, and gored three people.

According to local media, the incident occurred on Jun. 21 at about 1am at the entrance of Exit 4A of Wanjiali Square station.

Videos circulated online showed the bull ramming into two individuals and knocking them over.

One of their shoes flew into the air upon impact.

Wholesale market

According to eyewitnesses, the bull apparently rushed out from a nearby beef vendor in a wholesale market.

The bull was believed to have been scheduled to be slaughtered that day.

The animal reportedly became startled and lost control.

It then charged at two men by running through the streets.

The animal also injured another person.

Passers-by were reported to have dodged the bull by taking cover at roadside stalls.

The wholesale vendor alerted local police to the incident.

According to ETtoday, local police said the bull was shot dead near Liangxiao Road at about 2:53am.

Injuries

Two individuals were conveyed to a local hospital as a result of this incident.

One person sustained a fractured rib.

None of the injuries were life-threatening.

When 32-year-old Phil (not his real name) discovered doctored photos of himself with a former schoolmate, he felt chills run down his spine.

The photos depicted them as a couple going on dates and even showed them with a newborn baby.

Phil's sister, Ana (not her real name), told Mothership that they first learned about the photos from a friend, who had seen them on the schoolmate's social media accounts.

The friend knew that Phil was single and became suspicious after seeing the photos. She alerted Ana, who was shocked when she saw them.

AI-generated photos

According to Ana, the photos appeared to be AI-generated using images that Phil and their family had posted on social media.

Since the discovery, Ana has tried several times to contact the woman and get her to come clean, especially since her then six-month-old son’s photo was used in the fake images, but she did not respond.

Ana then took to Threads on Jun. 7 to share the story, which has since garnered 558,737 views.

The woman only responded to Phil’s sister after the post gained attention, however no resolution was reached.

Pretended to be in a relationship

Ana said she was told that the woman would post edited photos with her brother, portraying them as if they were in a relationship.

Friends who followed the woman on social media asked Ana whether her brother had a girlfriend or fiancée.

"I was shocked to hear because if my brother has a partner, us family would be the first to know," she said.

Phil later recalled that the woman was a former junior from school and that he had barely exchanged a few words with her.

As the web of the woman's lies began to unravel, Ana and Phil discovered more details on how she had allegedly been fabricating the story.

"To stay completely 'loyal' to someone who has zero contact with you, and then progress to creating a fake baby and a fake 'wedding' scheduled for this December - complete with real, unsuspecting people RSVP-ing to it - is horrifying," Ana said.

Most recently, the woman had apparently sent out fake wedding invitations and included their mother's actual full name as “Parent of Groom”.

Shortly after Ana's post on Threads, several people came forward claiming that the woman had been impersonating Phil and pretending to be in relationships with them from 2022 to 2024.

She allegedly went as far as creating fake Telegram accounts, Instagram accounts, email addresses, and phone numbers to impersonate Phil.

To make the deception more believable, she allegedly shared photos of Ana's family and personal information about her nieces and nephews, leading victims to believe they were genuinely in a relationship with Phil.

Another victim claimed she had been “catfished” by the same individual and believed she was in a relationship with a different man from 2017 to 2022, before later discovering that the actual man was married and had no knowledge of her.

Traumatised

Since the discovery, Phil has filed a police report, saying he felt traumatised and struggled to believe what had happened.

Ana shared that the first few days after seeing the photos were particularly traumatic for him. She added that he had trouble sleeping and found it difficult to concentrate at work.

"The mental toll of realising your identity has been heavily hijacked like this, is massive," she said.

The experience has served as a "massive wake-up call" for the family, highlighting the need to be hyper-vigilant about what they share online.

"Moving forward, it is in everyone’s best interest to set all social media accounts to private and strictly limit who can view your daily updates. We never thought public family photos would be harvested to feed an AI stalking obsession, but that is the reality of the digital landscape now."

According to The Straits Times, a clinical psychologist, Carol Balhetchet, said the woman shows signs of "delusional thinking", and that she has a "profound desire to gain control and power from a forced connection" with the man.

Balhetchet also said the woman should get psychological help.

Attempts by ST to reach the woman were unsuccessful.

Let’s face it, work can be a real chore, and when we knock off, our brain’s capacity is often at half or lower because we are exhausted.

By the time I’ve eaten dinner, the only thing on my mind is how I should be relaxing for the rest of the night.

And as I’ve discovered over the years, despite the various advances made in entertaining ourselves, few things beat a simple pleasure from my student days — killing monsters on a PC game.

Your quick dopamine fix

When you have been worn out by meetings and various vicissitudes at work, hunting monsters online and projecting all of your problems onto them is a fast and convenient way to boost your depleted dopamine levels.

And even fewer video games do that as well as MapleStory, a game that I remember very well coming to home after school.

Now, even though the game has expanded massively over two decades, at its heart, it still remains the same: killing monsters in ever flashier spells to liven you up after a long, hard day at work.

I will admit, I took a break from MapleStorySEA for many years between my student days and my current era of playing it once again: for the longest time, I thought I had outgrown it.

In fact, I only returned to the game after hearing that they had dropped a new update on Jun. 3, 2026.

Mostly, I was surprised that the game was still rolling out new updates after more than 20 years, and I couldn’t help but decide to take a peek at what had become of what a childhood favourite.

So what’s new with MapleStorySEA?

An all new class

For one, the first thing that caught my eye was an all-new mage class called Lynn. Naturally, I decided to try it out.

This class focuses on summoning forest guardian spirits to dish out damage and providing a variety of buffing spells to heal and protect from any unwanted status effects.

I was hooked. To top it off, it appeared to be extremely easy to level up at the moment, given that the update also came with a Challenger World server which means you get plenty of buffs to your EXP gain.

This server also features milestone rewards and a Challenger World-exclusive seasonal boss named Kai, who offers limited-time rewards.

In just an hour of play after installing the game, I had already reached level 60 and the third job advancement for my class, with decent flashy spells.

At level 140, you gain access to additional skills called Hyper Skills to help you hit mobs even harder – it’s deeply satisfying to suddenly see and hear a string of red numbers fill your screen from the spell’s effects.

Questing in the game and navigating around is also quite effortless. There are plenty of quests in the many towns you will encounter, and often, you get experience points (EXP) even just by talking to some of the NPCs.

In other words, this is a perfect game to play without really having to think too much.

Revamped classes

Of course, it’s not just the new class you can look forward to, which by the way, has exclusive cosmetics and powerful growth materials to fuel its progression if you start Lynn’s memories at the Tree of Life.

Two existing classes have also been revamped – the Wild Hunter and Kinesis.

Both classes now feature updated aesthetics and visuals for their attacks – their trailers will give you a clue as to what you can expect.

How you play them has also been significantly tweaked.

In the case of Kinesis, the Psychic Point system has been removed so that players can enjoy a more streamlined combat experience, without having to worry about resource micromanagement.

As for the Wild Hunter class, it is now much easier to play, thanks to refinements that have been made to its signature move of riding a creature into combat.

Players can expect to enjoy improved evasion, mobility and even a new passive invincibility frame, all for sleeker play.

Both existing and new Kinesis and Wild Hunter players will also be able to take part in a special event that will run until Aug. 18, 2026, called “Primal Intuition”.

Players can participate in this event by killing monsters within their level range to earn a variety of exclusive rewards for each class, including special pets, outfit sets and titles.

Easily reach level 260

Another event you can participate in is the Hyper Burning Beyond event, which is available until Aug. 18, 2026, as well.

This event grants players a massive 1+4 level up boost, up until they reach level 260.

There’s also the Hyper Mush Pass, which will provide you with powerful equipment and thereby ensure that you can skip the need to grind for gear.

If you are a returning player who already hit a high level prior to this event, you can also utilize the Burning EXPress for accelerated growth past Level 260, or link three characters via the EXPlode Trio event to easily share EXP across worlds.

Upcoming new endgame areas

There will also be two new upcoming endgame areas for you to enjoy, given that leveling can be done so quickly now.

On Jun. 24, the Black Sea area will be added to the Grandis region, with a new boss called the Radiant Malefic Star for parties of up to three players at Level 280+.

During this battle, players will have to manage an illusion magic gauge and swap between the states of illusion and reality to survive.

And on Jul. 22, players can look forward to another area being added to the Grandis region called Geardrock.

This area is targeted at players who reach Level 295 and will feature a boss at the same level called Jupiter, who can also only be tackled by parties of up to three players.

Tackle this boss to earn an item known as the “Sin of Arrogance” and presumably, bragging rights for making it that far.

Keen to revisit MapleStory? Or perhaps looking for something to kill your spare time?

A gentle reminder to help you make that decision – MapleStorySEA is free.

You can check out the official MapleStorySEA website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest details.

This sponsored article actually got this writer enjoying MapleStorySEA all over again.

A 73-year-old man was found dead inside his flat in Block 994A Buangkok Link after his employer reportedly alerted the police.

As the man had been absent at work for two days straight, his employer decided to look for him at his flat on Jun. 20.

He is believed to have been deceased for some time by the time he was found, as an odour was coming from his unit, Shin Min Daily News reported.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police said that they received a call for assistance at the location at about 7:45pm that day.

The man was found lying motionless in the unit and was pronounced dead at scene.

Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play.

Police investigations are ongoing.

The neighbour's account

A neighbour told Shin Min that a man in his thirties went to the flat around 5pm that day and asked around about the deceased.

According to the neighbour, the man said that the deceased was his employee, who had not been to work for two days.

He also added that the deceased would call his mother every day, but had not called for two days.

It is believed that he alerted the police, who stayed at the scene late into the night.

"Looking back now, I realised that the elderly man kept his front door shut over the past few days," the neighbour said. "Even when it was daytime, the lights in his house were on. Also, these past few days, I didn't hear any sounds from him, like the door opening and closing, or keys jangling."

Although the window of his unit was open, the neighbour did not smell anything foul until the police opened the front door.

Then, the odour was unmistakable, she said.

The neighbour did not interact much with the deceased, but the news of his passing saddened her deeply.

Related stories

Only 14 per cent of Singapore's workforce felt engaged at work in 2025, lower than the Southeast Asian proportion of 25 per cent and the global mean of 20 per cent.

This was reported in Gallup's 2026 Singapore Workplace Report published on Jun. 22.

It added that the trend is not new, as Singapore has stagnated around the same level of engagement since 2019.

There is a significant generational divide in workplace engagement.

Among younger employees under 35, 10 per cent felt engaged, compared to 16 per cent of their older counterparts.

This split is higher than the two percentage point difference found globally between younger and older employees.

Reasons for lower youth engagement

Singapore's young workers are not less willing to work, according to 16 senior leaders Gallup interviewed for the report.

"Rather, they are working in conditions that foster lower engagement and wellbeing and induce greater levels of stress for them than for their older coworkers," the report wrote.

Singapore workers under 35 recorded experiencing more stress, worry, anger, and sadness daily than older workers.

Compared to 37 per cent of older workers who face stress daily, 53 per cent of younger ones experience it.

The Gallup report highlighted that while late millennial and Gen Z employees are frequently perceived as "fragile and ill-equipped to handle life and work pressures", the generational split is real and not imagined.

"Consequently, Singapore’s employers need to respond to the unique needs of younger employees," it went on.

Additionally, many of the interviewed leaders blamed this low level of engagement on external factors such as global market forces, challenging economic conditions, or labour market policy.

Others attributed it to the many family-owned small and medium-sized businesses in Singapore, and the highly competitive business environment.

Purpose and resilience

Speaking at the launch of the report on Jun. 22, Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash called attention to the low 14 per cent rate of worker engagement.

He said it raises the question: "How can we build an engaged workforce and a workplace together?"

Engagement is important for workers as it brings about a deeper sense of purpose and greater resilience through changes over the course of their career, he said.

"For Singapore, an engaged workforce accrues to a powerful engine of sustained economic growth and, most importantly, social cohesion."

Dinesh added that the government has been working with tripartite partners to strengthen fair and inclusive workplaces, including through legislative and regulatory tools.

Positive well-being

In his speech, Dinesh also pointed out that Singapore performed better in terms of overall wellbeing.

Among Singapore employees, 40 per cent rated their lives positively enough to be considered "thriving" in 2025.

This figure dropped by two points from the previous year, but it is higher than the Southeast Asian average of 36 per cent and the global average of 34 per cent.

However, the report found that well-being programmes at workplaces do not appear to be effective at preventing work overload.

Most of the leaders Gallup interviewed affirmed that such programmes provided by their organisations do not change employees' day-to-day experience of work.

"Employees value these programmes, but they address the consequences of poor well-being and disengagement rather than their root causes," the report said.

Role of managers

In terms of improving worker engagement, many Singapore leaders believe managers are one of the most important drivers of whether employees are motivated and engaged.

The Gallup report found that 70 per cent of the variance in team engagement is attributable to the manager.

Rather than strategic plans, employee town halls, and annual surveys, strong relationships between employees and their manager are more powerful at creating and sustaining engagement.

"If the managers are doing a really good job of direction setting, coaching, reward and recognition, even if the workload is very high, I do think the employees remain engaged," one of the leaders interviewed said.

A 37-year-old Filipino man cut his weight from 100kg to 73kg in six months after failing to keep up with his four-year-old daughter in a swimming race.

The catalyst for his weight-loss journey occurred in December 2025, during a staycation in Singapore, South China Morning Post reported.

Christian Carlo Cariaso Canlas, also known as Ayo Canlas, a chief financial officer of an appliance company, said it was apparently difficult for him to keep up with his daughter.

Fall

Before he dropped off the fitness radar, Canlas was apparently a tennis player.

He even represented the Philippines in the 2006 Junior Davis Cup.

After graduating, he ate whatever he liked, while his fitness level fell.

The birth of his daughters, Arya in 2021 and Ciara in 2023, further perpetuated his lack of exercise, as he was getting less sleep.

“In my mind, I was still a top tennis player. In reality, I had no stamina,” Canlas reflected on his weight loss journey.

Health

In October 2025, Canlas was reportedly at his heaviest at 100kg and was on a dangerous health trajectory.

A medical examination in November 2025 also indicated that his “blood pressure and cholesterol numbers" were  "elevated significantly”.

While Canlas was not prescribed medication, the warning signs were clear.

The swimming incident further cemented his need to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle, and he wanted to avoid taking medication and make lifestyle changes instead.

Training

Canlas began strength training with a personal trainer at a local gym three times a week.

He initially started with full-body workouts and large compound exercises to build a strong foundation.

As he developed muscle mass and shed body fat, Canlas targeted smaller muscle groups to define his physique.

Diet

Canlas also adjusted his diet.

Canlas’ personal trainer reportedly introduced him to an app to track what he consumed and to monitor his calorie intake.

It apparently ensured he had the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats in his calorie-deficit diet.

Previously, he would start the day with a cup of black coffee and skip breakfast.

He would also have either fast food or other types of meals, such as Hokkien mee, char kway teow, or wanton mee, for lunch and dinner.

He would then drink bubble tea.

Now, his diet consists of a sandwich with low-fat peanut butter to fuel his morning workouts and canned tuna, scrambled eggs, a protein shake and black coffee for breakfast.

For lunch and dinner, Canlas has a mix of protein from meat sources, such as salmon, tuna, beef or lamb, accompanied by vegetables and carbohydrates, such as rice or quinoa.

He has also cut out alcohol.

On special occasions, such as holidays with friends and family, he sets aside a “calorie budget” so he can enjoy a slice of cake.

He also enjoys ice cream or bubble tea with his daughters on weekends and occasionally indulges in meals, such as hotpot or biryani.

Hyrox

In April 2026, Canlas and his brother set off to compete in the Hyrox challenge in Singapore, which also coincided with his birthday.

They aimed to complete the challenge, which is an indoor race comprising eight functional workout stations and 8km of running, in under 70 minutes.

The brothers hit their target in the end.

“Those 70 minutes represented months of waking up at 5:30am for training, skipping my favourite burgers and pastas, and making do with hotel gyms in every city I travelled to. It was about being a student again, sticking to the programme and trusting the process,” he recalled.

Canlas said it was one of his most memorable birthdays and viewed it as a “rebirth” to mark his fitter self.

Motivated

Ultimately, Canlas has stayed motivated as he focused on why he even embarked on his fitness journey.

“I wanted to show my family that I could be at the top of my fitness game. I wanted to inspire them and ensure that I am able to enjoy moments with them with my renewed energy,” he said.

He also felt that compliments from his friends on his weight was rewarding.

“It amazes me to look at some of the things I’m able to do now, both in the gym and in running, compared to where I was just six months ago,” he reflected.

Canlas also added that he can comfortably swim with his daughter and one day might “race her in the pool soon”.

A French TV presenter has apologised after publicly criticising Belgium winger Jeremy Doku for wanting to leave the World Cup to be present at the birth of his first child.

Doku, 24, who plays for Manchester City, revealed to reporters that his wife Shireen is due to give birth in the second week of July. This will coincide with the quarter-final stage of the tournament, according to The Independent.

He told Reuters he would want to be there regardless.

He told Reuters:

"It depends on when it happens, but it's my first child, so I would definitely want to be there. If you ask me what I want, my answer is that nobody wants to miss the birth of their first child. But I also know that football involves many other considerations."

Belgian media reported that plans are being made for Doku to travel home via private jet if needed, The Independent reported.

Presenter called birth a "disgusting moment"

The comments drew an unexpected backlash, not against Doku, but against Channel L'Equipe presenter France Pierron, who posted on social media criticising his decision.

She wrote:

"The World Cup is an incredible joy. There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your shoes. It might never happen again in your life. It's a childhood dream you're living, and you're going to walk away from all that to go witness the birth of your child, which is a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the dad is totally useless. There are guys who took out loans just to come watch the match, and you, you're skipping it just to cut an umbilical cord."

The post drew hundreds of comments, with the overwhelming majority siding with Doku, according to Financial Review.

Retired French Olympic boxer Brahim Asloum was among those who responded, writing:

"A baby is your entire life. A World Cup is over when it is over."

Watkins: "Not anyone else's business"

England striker Ollie Watkins, a father of two, also came to Doku's defence.

He said:

"I think for a start [disgusting] is not a way to label a birth. It only happens once, your first child. Welcoming them into the world is a blessing, and you don't get that opportunity [again]. There's a lot of times where you're away from family and friends during the season, and it's very difficult periods. So, to miss that would be tough."

Watkins added that Doku would have plenty of support to make the trip back and return as quickly as possible, and that ultimately the decision was nobody else's to make.

Presenter issues apology

Faced with the backlash, Pierron issued an apology on X.

She wrote:

"I was expressing a personal opinion, within the framework of a debate. I was expressing a personal opinion, within the context of a contentious exchange. These remarks commit only me and in no way reflect a collective position. I understand that they may have shocked, hurt, or wounded some of you, and I am sorry for that. My intention has never been to minimize the place or role of fathers with their partner and their child."

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