Little bosses: Kids as young as five run businesses at children's fairs
SINGAPORE – Audrienne Hui En Mohammed Bazli is nine – and has a little business selling homemade plushies.
The Primary 4 pupil from Rulang Primary School set up shop for the third time on June 14 at the Children's Entrepreneurship Fair held at Furama RiverFront, a hotel in Havelock Road.
Get the ST Smart Parenting newsletter for expert advice. Visit the microsite for more
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Trump weighs using $2.58 billion in Chips Act funding for critical minerals, sources say
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Repurposing some funds for mining-related projects would align in part with the spirit of the Chips Act. WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is considering a plan to reallocate at least US$2 billion (S$2.58 billion) from the Chips Act to fund critical minerals projects and boost Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's influence over the strategic sector, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The proposed move would take from funds already allocated by Congress for semiconductor research and chip factory construction, avoiding a fresh spending request as it seeks to reduce US dependence on China for critical minerals used widely in the electronics and defence industries. Boosting Mr Lutnick's role over critical minerals financing would also help centralise the administration's approach to the sector, a push sought by White House officials after the rollout of the Pentagon investment in rare earths company MP Materials in July sparked questions about the US government's minerals strategy, one source said. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Pentagon officials were not immediately available to comment. MP Materials declined to comment. The Commerce Department oversees the US$52.7 billion Chips Act, formally known as the Chips and Science Act. The Act, signed into law by then-President Joe Biden in 2022, has provided funding so far for research while also seeking to lure chip production away from Asia and boost American domestic semiconductor production. But since taking office in January, Mr Trump has moved to change the Chips Act - legislation he has called 'a horrible, horrible thing' that amounts to a giveaway to companies - largely by renegotiating grants to chipmakers. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore New ACS special education school to take in 100 pupils with autism in January 2026 Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts Singapore Eavesdropping on monkeys in Singapore to watch out for emerging diseases World Trump gives two weeks to assess Russia-Ukraine peace prospects Opinion A Trumpian game of ping pong over Ukraine's future Asia Crackdown on illegal ride-hailing between JB and Singapore has spooked touts Opinion Why that hand-wringing over The Projector isn't pointless Repurposing some funds for mining-related projects would align in part with the spirit of the Chips Act as the semiconductor industry requires abundant supplies of germanium, gallium and other critical minerals over which China has tightened its market control, said the sources, who are not permitted to speak publicly about the deliberations. 'The administration is creatively trying to find ways to fund the critical minerals sector,' said the first source. The plans are under discussion and could change, the sources added. Mining companies themselves could benefit, but also processing and recycling firms. Most of the minerals considered critical by the US government are not processed inside the country. Mr Kent Masters, CEO of North Carolina-based Albemarle, the world's largest producer of lithium for rechargeable batteries, told Reuters in July that the company's stalled plans to build a US lithium refinery are 'difficult now without some type of government support or partnership.' It was not immediately clear if the Trump administration aimed to use the funds for grants or equity stakes in mining companies, but Mr Lutnick aims to 'get the US$2 billion out the door' as soon as possible, the first source said, adding that the administration aims to find other funds to reallocate in the near future. A former US official said the Biden administration considered using Chips Act grants for rare earths but decided it was uneconomical, required many environmental exemptions and was best left for the Department of Energy to handle. The administration is also looking to use Chips Act-related funding to take equity stakes in Intel and other chipmakers in exchange for cash grants, Reuters reported on Aug 19. Mr Trump moved quickly to expand US critical minerals production since taking office in January by signing executive orders to boost deep-sea mining and domestic projects. On Aug 19, he met with the CEOs of Rio Tinto and BHP at the White House despite the ongoing negotiations with European leaders over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a move aimed at underscoring his support for US mining. The Chips Act deliberations come after the Energy Department last week proposed US$1 billion in spending for some critical minerals projects, with funds tied to the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The White House aims to give Mr Lutnick a greater role over funding decisions for critical minerals by giving him oversight of the decision-making process within the administration, the sources said. The Pentagon's multibillion-dollar investment in MP Materials and its move to extend a price support mechanism - a deal negotiated by Deputy Defence Secretary Steve Feinberg - was seen by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as uncoordinated as it sparked confusion over whether Washington would guarantee a price floor for all miners and forced the administration to clarify that it does not intend for MP to have a rare earths monopoly, the two sources said. Much of the funding for MP's deal - including Washington's equity stake, loans and purchase agreements - still needs to be allocated by Congress. Two weeks after the Pentagon announced its MP investment, administration officials rushed to meet at the White House with rare earths firms and their customers to underscore broad support for the entire sector, Reuters reported. Mr Lutnick will now help coordinate the administration's funding decisions, taking the lead from the Pentagon and other agencies, the sources said. Mr Lutnick ran brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald before he joined Mr Trump's Ccabinet. Cantor is a large shareholder in Critical Metals Corp, which Reuters reported in June is under consideration for a loan from the US Export-Import Bank. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Zoom projects sales growth in positive sign for new AI tools
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Revenue will be about US$4.83 billion in the fiscal year ending in January, Zoom said Aug 21 in a statement. Zoom Communications gave a stronger-than-expected annual outlook for sales growth, and raised its fiscal-year forecast, suggesting customers are buying more of the company's expanded line of software products. Revenue will be about US$4.83 billion (S$6.23 billion) in the fiscal year ending in January, Zoom said Aug 21 in a statement. Profit, excluding some items, will be US$5.81 a share to US$5.84 a share. Analysts, on average, projected sales of US$4.81 billion and earnings of US$5.60 a share. The company's videoconferencing platform rose to prominence during the pandemic. As the world reopened from Covid restrictions, many consumers and small businesses let their Zoom licenses lapse. By contrast, corporate customers have largely held onto the company's services even as more workers returned to offices and Microsoft increased competition with its Teams products. Fiscal second-quarter enterprise sales increased 7 per cent to US$730.7 million, compared with analysts' average estimate of US$716.7 million. Zoom said it had 4,274 customers in the period who contributed more than US$100,000 each over the past year. The company has been working the past few years to diversify into a platform of business tools, including an AI assistant. That AI companion feature now has 'millions' of monthly active users, up four times compared with the prior year, Zoom said in a presentation. 'It was an uncontroversial quarter for Zoom – growth rates are stabilizing to improving, and the company continues to manage through ongoing growth headwinds,' wrote Citigroup analyst Tyler Radke. The shares gained about 5 per cent in extended trading after closing at US$73.17 in New York. The stock has dipped 10 per cent in 2025. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore New ACS special education school to take in 100 pupils with autism in January 2026 Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts Singapore Eavesdropping on monkeys in Singapore to watch out for emerging diseases World Trump gives two weeks to assess Russia-Ukraine peace prospects Opinion A Trumpian game of ping pong over Ukraine's future Asia Crackdown on illegal ride-hailing between JB and Singapore has spooked touts Opinion Why that hand-wringing over The Projector isn't pointless 'We delivered an across-the-board strong Q2 marked by achieving our highest year-over-year revenue growth in 11 quarters,' Chief executive officer Eric Yuan said in the statement. Total revenue gained 4.7 per cent to US$1.22 billion in the period ended July 31. Profit, excluding some items, was US$1.53 a share. The results reflect rising momentum and that new paid AI features appear to be providing a lift to revenue, wrote Bloomberg Intelligence analyst John Butler. Still, revenue growth has been meager since the end of the pandemic and is expected to remain around 3 per cent annually for at least the next two years. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
US halts worker visas for commercial truck drivers, Rubio says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The administration of President Donald Trump has taken a series of steps to address concerns about foreign truck drivers who do not speak English. WASHINGTON - The United States is immediately pausing the issuance of all worker visas for commercial truck drivers, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Aug 21. 'The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on US roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,' Mr Rubio said in a post on X. The administration of President Donald Trump has taken a series of steps to address concerns about foreign truck drivers who do not speak English. Mr Trump in April signed an executive order directing enforcement of a rule requiring commercial drivers in the US to meet English-proficiency standards. Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has launched an investigation into a crash on a Florida highway that killed three people. The crash involved a driver who was an Indian national and did not speak English or have legal authorisation to be in the United States, according to Florida and US officials. Harjinder Singh has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and police said he attempted to make an illegal U-turn through an 'Official Use Only' access point blocking traffic and causing the fatal crash that resulted in the deaths of three people in a minivan that struck the truck. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore New ACS special education school to take in 100 pupils with autism in January 2026 Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts Singapore Eavesdropping on monkeys in Singapore to watch out for emerging diseases World Trump gives two weeks to assess Russia-Ukraine peace prospects Opinion A Trumpian game of ping pong over Ukraine's future Opinion Why that hand-wringing over The Projector isn't pointless Business 7 in 10 employers satisfied with their migrant workers: MOM survey Florida officials took custody of Singh in California to return him to the state to face charges. A lawyer for Singh could not immediately be identified. While the English-proficiency standard for truckers was already longstanding US law, Mr Trump's executive order in April reversed 2016 guidance that inspectors not place commercial drivers out of service if their only violation was lack of English. Mr Duffy has said that failing to adequately enforce driver qualification standards poses serious safety concerns and increases the likelihood of crashes. FMCSA said in 2023 that about 16 per cent of US truck drivers were born outside the United States. Reuters reported in July that Mexican truck drivers in the border city of Ciudad Juarez have begun studying English in efforts to comply with the Trump order. REUTERS
