Over the weekend, from May 28 to May 31, six Villanova track and field athletes participated in the NCAA Track and Field East Regionals in Jacksonville, FL. 

Three Wildcats punched tickets to the National Championships in Eugene, Oregon, starting on June 12. Senior Sadie Sigfstead earned tickets to Nationals in both the women’s 10K and the 5K – the first Wildcat in six years to qualify for two events at the outdoor NCAA Championships.

Graduate Liam Murphy – the 1500-meter college record holder – and junior Marco Langon were the two men who also secured spots at the National Championship in the 1500-meter and 5000-meter, respectively.

The NCAA Regional events kicked off on Wednesday, May 28, and were immediately hit with a five-hour rain delay a few hours into the day. It resulted in the first round of track qualifying events, which included Murphy’s race, being moved to a 10 p.m. start.

Murphy ran a 3:40.00 in the 1500-meter to easily qualify for the quarterfinals.  It was his eighth race of his career with a time of 3:40 or below.

In the quarterfinals on Friday, Murphy ran a 3:44.83 in the 1,500-meter quarterfinal heat alongside the fastest mid-distance runners in the East region. Murphy finished fourth in the heat to punch a ticket to the National Championships for the third consecutive season.

This upcoming NCAA National Championships will be Murphy’s final one as a collegiate athlete.

On Thursday, Sigfstead raced in the preliminary heat of the 10K. Earlier this season, she won the 10K at the Penn Relays, which was the only other time she raced that distance this season. Sigfstead ran a personal best of 32:39.54 at the Penn Relays, which is the second fastest time in school history.

With only the top 12 finishers making Nationals, she finished 10th with a time of 32:56.98 to qualify. It was the third time in her career she ran the 10K distance in under 33 minutes and the second consecutive season punching a ticket to Oregon.

Sigfstead followed up her 10K performance with the 5K the following night. She shaved 10 seconds off her personal best to run a 15:33.68 and qualify for Nationals. It is the second fastest women’s 5K time in program history.

Her previous personal best was 15:44.11, set on Feb. 9, 2024, during the indoor season.

The final Wildcat to reach the NCAA Championships was Langon. He decided to focus his time on the 5K distance despite having the second fastest 1500-meter time in collegiate history, only behind his teammate Murphy.

Langon distanced himself from his entire qualifying heat as he took on the bell lap of the 5K, except one other runner – North Carolina’s Ethan Strand. Langon has shared the track many times with Strand, and so has Murphy.

With 1,200 meters left in the race, Langon took the lead and held it for the remainder of the race while holding off Strands.

With around 50 meters left in the race, Langon and Strand were all alone as they reached the final straight. The trip to Oregon was already secured for both of them, but that did not mean the race was over for the two.

As the two flew across the line, Langon finished 0.01 seconds in front of the strand with a time of 14:06.40. Strand clocked a time of 14:06.41.

It marks the second consecutive season Langon will make an appearance at the NCAA Championships.

The three Wildcats who qualified for Nationals will now prepare for their final races of the collegiate season. The 2025 NCAA Track and Field Championships will take place from June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon, at Hayward Field on Oregon University’s campus. 

Sigfstead will race in the women’s 10K championships on Thursday, June 12, and then the women’s 5K championships on Saturday, June 14.

Murphy will run the men’s 1500-meter semifinal on Wednesday, June 11. If he qualifies for the final, he will run the championship on Friday, June 13. Langon will race in the men’s 5K championships on Friday, June 13

• Cranston East defeated Hendricken 3-0 to advance to the Rhode Island Division I boys volleyball state championship.
• This is the first time in program history Cranston East has reached the state finals.
• Cranston East will face either North Kingstown or La Salle in the championship game.

CRANSTON — Visions of Cranston East’s semifinal-falter last spring faded within minutes.

The Lindenwood women’s hockey team announced its 2025-26 schedule. The Lions will play a total of 34 regular season games, including 18 inside Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland heights, Mo.

“We’re excited to officially unveil our schedule for the upcoming 2025-2026 season,” said head coach Taylor Wasylk. “With 24 AHA games and 10 non-conference matchups, every night will be an opportunity to compete and grow as a program. We have high expectations for our team this season and cannot wait to kick things off in September.”

The Lions open the season on the road at St. Cloud State (Sep. 19-20) before returning home for the first time in 2025-26 to face the University of St. Thomas (Sep. 26-27). Lindenwood will hit the road for a two-game series with Minnesota State, Mankato on October 3-4 before closing out non-conference play against Merrimack on October 10-11.

AHA play begins with a pair of road series against Penn State on October 24-25 and RIT (Oct 31-Nov. 1). Lindenwood host Syracuse on November 7-8, before heading to first-year program Delaware the following weekend. Two home series will close out November with the Lions taking on Robert Morris (Nov. 21-22) and Bemidji State on November 28-29. Lindenwood will end 2025 on the road at Mercyhurst on December 5-6.

The Black and Gold will open 2026 hosting Mercyhurst on January 2-3, before welcoming Delaware on January 16-17. Lindenwood will return to the road in Syracuse, N.Y. for a matchup with the Orange on January 23-24 and close out the first month of the new year at home against RIT on January 30-31.

Lindenwood will close out the home slate by hosting Penn State on February 6-7, before concluding the regular season on the road at Robert Morris, February 13-14. The AHA Playoffs are set to begin on February 19.

 

SINGAPORE – A man took more than 160 upskirt videos and photos between 2019 and 2024, and did not stop offending even after he was caught red-handed by one victim.

Edmond Kwek Liwen, 37, was sentenced to 27 weeks’ jail on June 4 after pleading guilty to one count of outrage of modesty and two counts of voyeurism. One other charge of voyeurism was taken into consideration for sentencing.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jheong Siew Yin said Kwek “did not at all resist his urge to record” such material, and that his recalcitrance points to a high risk of reoffending.

A victim caught Kwek recording her in February 2021 at Guoco Tower, the court heard.

He captured the first upskirt video when she was travelling on the escalator, and followed her to the lift lobby, where he took a second video.

She discovered what he was doing when she felt Kwek touch the back of her thigh at the lift lobby.

When he immediately attempted to flee, she grabbed on to his neck. She asked if he had taken a photo of her, and if so, to delete it.

In response, Kwek showed her a blurry photo on his phone and deleted it before he fled the scene again.

She gave chase and managed to stop him with the help of two members of the public. Investigations revealed that Kwek had not deleted the two upskirt videos he had taken of the victim.

The victim was significantly distressed as she felt violated by Kwek’s actions, said DPP Jheong.

Further investigations of Kwek’s phone revealed he had taken 141 other upskirt photos in 2019, at various locations in Singapore.

While he was being investigated for the above offences, Kwek reoffended in April 2024.

After hearing about a female water polo competition taking place at the swimming complex of Our Tampines Hub on April 11, Kwek headed there to take photos and videos of girls in swimsuits.

One of the coaches spotted him doing so and asked him to delete the videos and photos. Staff at the swimming complex were alerted and called the police.

When the police arrived and checked Kwek’s phone, they found 12 upskirt images taken between March and April 2024.

A forensic psychiatric evaluation conducted by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) found that Kwek had major depressive disorder.

However, the IMH psychiatrist found that his condition was in remission during the 2024 offence, and it did not have a contributory link to his criminal responsibility.

Kwek also has voyeurism and fetishism, but not at a level where it would be a paraphilic disorder or cause any substantial impairment.

Quoting the psychiatrist, DPP Jheong said: “(Kwek) had voluntarily indulged in his interests for sexual pleasure and was, at all material times, in full control of his actions and knew that his actions were contrary to the law.”

The prosecutor noted that Kwek had taken 162 upskirt videos and images in total.

In mitigation, Kwek’s lawyer Wilson Yeo said his client acknowledged the seriousness of his offences and “offers no excuses for his actions”.

Kwek has switched to using a mobile phone without a camera function since 2024, added Mr Yeo.

The man himself also addressed the court, saying: “I’m sorry to all the victims, and I’m determined to start afresh and make amends for what I did.”

• Christine Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times reporting on crime, justice and social issues in Singapore.

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The UAE Media Council has launched a comprehensive new system designed to regulate, empower, and drive sustainable growth across the media sector. This initiative marks a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to modernise its media landscape and builds upon the foundation established with the Council’s formation in February 2023 and the subsequent enactment of the Media Regulation Law and its Executive Regulation.

Announced at a press conference held at Creators HQ in Emirates Towers, Dubai, the launch was led by Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council, and Maitha Al Suwaidi, CEO of the Strategy and Media Policies Sector. Both emphasised that the new framework is in line with the UAE leadership’s vision for an innovative, future-ready media environment that not only keeps pace with global developments but also asserts the UAE’s leadership on the regional and international stage.

Al Shehhi described the new media system as transformative, combining updated legislation with streamlined services and inclusive policies designed to enhance operational efficiency and promote sustainable development. He pointed to the Media Regulation Law—hailed as the first comprehensive media legislation in over four decades—as a turning point for the UAE’s media sector. The law addresses modern challenges and opportunities, including digital media, artificial intelligence, on-demand platforms, gaming, and other emerging fields.

Developed over two years in collaboration with federal and local entities, media professionals, content creators, and international experts, the system is rooted in a partnership-based approach. Al Shehhi highlighted its flexibility and responsiveness to change, its capacity to empower local talent, and its potential to attract investment and foster innovation. He also underscored the centrality of content to the system, noting the importance of clear standards for responsible and balanced media that reflect Emirati values while encouraging creative impact.

The ultimate objective, Al Shehhi said, is to transform the media sector into a powerful contributor to the national economy, capable of boosting GDP and enhancing the UAE’s global competitiveness. Through a combination of strategic partnerships, flexible regulations, and incentivised exemptions, the system is designed to create an enabling environment for content creators and media businesses alike.

Echoing this vision, Maitha Al Suwaidi said the UAE Media Council is spearheading a comprehensive transformation of the national media framework. She highlighted a legislative roadmap tailored to the evolving needs of the sector, ensuring a dynamic and globally aligned media ecosystem. According to Al Suwaidi, this roadmap extends beyond legal texts to include policies and decisions that respond to the realities of modern media while remaining anchored in national values.

Among the notable elements of the new system is a resolution to regulate social media advertising by individuals. Aimed at building trust and elevating content quality, this measure includes a three-year exemption from permit fees for content creators. Another key component is the introduction of a unified age rating system for media content, developed to protect children and adolescents amid the rising consumption of digital content.

In addition, Al Suwaidi revealed that the Council is working on a new licensing policy for digital news platforms. The goal is to establish clear standards that enhance journalistic credibility and accountability. Further regulatory advancements include the adoption of Cabinet resolutions on media service fees and administrative penalties, which aim to create a transparent, accessible, and integrated service system aligned with the UAE’s digital government vision.

She also stressed the importance of the local content empowerment policy, which supports Emirati creatives and prioritises national content. This includes fee exemptions for selected services to encourage local production and storytelling that reflects the country’s identity and values.

In closing, Al Suwaidi described the new legislative system as a defining moment in the evolution of the UAE’s media landscape. By promoting transparency, professionalism, and quality, the framework offers media institutions and content creators a robust platform for production, innovation, and international competitiveness.