Latest news with #HereWeAreBusiness
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Straits Times
Man handed three vaping-related charges including importing 3,080 pods
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Neo Yeow Siang was at the Woodlands Checkpoint at around 4am on March 7 when he allegedly imported the 'Heetsticks', pods and two vaporisers SINGAPORE – A man was handed three vaping-related charges on Aug 7, including one count of importing 3,080 pods in assorted flavours. Neo Yeow Siang, 44, was also charged with importing 5,600 'Heetsticks' – tobacco products that are heated and not burned, providing users with a smokeless experience. The Singaporean was at the Woodlands Checkpoint at around 4am on March 7 when he allegedly imported the 'Heetsticks', pods and two vaporisers, court documents stated. At around noon that day, he allegedly had 10 disposable vaporisers in a Sengkang Housing Board flat. Neo's case will be mentioned again in court on Sept 18. From January 2024 to March 2025, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) seized $41 million worth of vapes – nearly fivefold the reported value of vapes seized from 2019 to end-2023, according to numbers compiled by The Straits Times. On July 29, 2,400 units of vapes and components were found on a lorry entering Singapore at Tuas Checkpoint. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore Wastewater overflow in Bedok and Chai Chee due to choked sewer at BTO worksite: PUB Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates Singapore Teen's love of dance powers her through cancer to perform at NDP2025 Life Feeling extra patriotic? Here are 7 other SG60 songs beyond official NDP theme Here We Are Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple World Trump's 100% semiconductor tariffs may hit chipmakers in Singapore, other SEA nations On June 27, ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint thwarted two attempts to smuggle vape products into Singapore in two Malaysian-registered cars. More than 5,900 units of e-vaporisers were found in a car entering Singapore at Woodlands Checkpoint on July 24. On July 8, ICA officers at Woodlands Checkpoint scanned a bus and found over 3,800 e-vaporisers and components concealed in the luggage compartment. The cases have been referred to the Health Sciences Authority. The public can report vaping offences to the Tobacco Regulation Branch by calling 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, or online at Under current laws, possessing, using or buying vapes carries a maximum fine of $2,000. Anyone who distributes, imports or sells vapes and their components can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000. Those found in possession of or using pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000. Etomidate is classified as a poison and regulated under the Poisons Act. It has clinical use as an anaesthetic, permitted only in clinical settings and under strict conditions. Experts told ST that etomidate has been known to cause a type of muscle spasm called myoclonus, which patients may describe as tremors. Symptoms of etomidate overdose include unsteadiness, sluggishness and mental confusion. If you need help to quit vaping, you can join the Health Promotion Board's I Quit programme by calling the QuitLine on 1800-438-2000.
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Hot South Korean summer drives surge in aircon sales, power demand
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Temperatures in Seoul have hit record highs this summer, reaching 37.8 deg C in early July. SEOUL - Sweltering summers in South Korea are driving surging demand for air conditioners and electricity, with the country's electronics heavyweights pushing home upgrades by touting power-saving technology. Samsung Electronics' domestic home AC sales grew by 50 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 ended March compared to the same period in 2024, while rival LG Electronics recorded 60 per cent higher domestic sales in the same stretch ahead of a hotter-than-expected summer. Sales have boomed despite government estimates that 98 per cent of households in the country of 51 million people already have air conditioning, as the companies charm consumers by marketing improved cooling and energy efficiency, and AI-powered models. 'We expect the favourable trend in global air conditioner sales to continue, driven by growing demand for eco-friendly and high-efficiency products due to ongoing climate change,' Samsung told Reuters in a statement, without giving specific sales details. LG said it expects its air conditioner business to keep growing in 2025 as customers replace old units with more efficient models. Temperatures in Seoul have hit record highs this summer, reaching 37.8 deg C in early July, before the traditional hottest month of August. Longer, stronger heatwaves are driving AC sales globally and cooling is expected to account for a significant amount of the global growth in power demand over the next decade. Global power demand for cooling systems is set to rise by around 1,200 terawatt hours by 2035, outstripping a projected 800 TWh increase in demand from data centres, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating wastewater discharge in Eunos: Pritam Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates Singapore Teen's love of dance powers her through cancer; performing at NDP2025 Life Feeling extra patriotic? Here are 7 other SG60 songs beyond official NDP theme Here We Are Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple World Trump's 100% semiconductor tariffs may hit chipmakers in Singapore, other SEA nations The global air conditioner market is projected to grow at an average of 6.3 per cent annually through 2032 to US$257.2 billion (S$330 billion), according to Renub Research. The IEA expects 50 per cent of households to have air conditioners by 2035, compared with 36 per cent in 2022. This year, LG operated its air conditioner production line above full capacity, while Samsung started operating at full capacity 10 days earlier than usual, according to their websites. South Korea's energy ministry has warned of record electricity usage straining the power grid, with peak demand potentially hitting a record 97.8 GW between 5pm and 6pm on weekdays in the second week of August, mainly from AC use. The sticky nature of air-conditioning power demand - which officials say stays high once it rises - has pushed South Korea to shore up power reserves, boost imports of coal, and put underused power plants running on the fuel on standby. Residential air conditioning made up 16 per cent of annual power demand in South Korea last year, compared with 14 per cent before the pandemic. Government officials are also distributing energy vouchers and relaxing tariffs to aid air conditioning use among low-income groups. REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Straits Times
Malaysia's ‘chicken bone' influencers freed on police bail
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Three content creators were criticised for filming themselves collecting the leftover bones of chicken they ate and offering these to a homeless man. SEREMBAN - Three young friends who had been remanded on Aug 5 to assist in investigations for giving rice with chicken bones to a homeless man have been released on police bail. Seremban OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Hatta Che Din said the three aged 19,18 and 14 were brought to the Negeri Sembilan city from Johor Bahru on Aug 5 to be remanded. 'They have been released after their statements were recorded. 'Although the three are from Johor Bahru a report related to the incident was made (in Seremban),' he said. Mr Hatta said the three were being probed under Section 504 of the Penal Code, Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act. In a video clip that went viral, the trio, believed to be influencers, were first seen eating at a fast food restaurant and then placing chicken bones in a pack of rice. They then hand it to a homeless man who was sleeping on a sidewalk. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating wastewater discharge in Eunos: Pritam Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates Life Feeling extra patriotic? Here are 7 other SG60 songs beyond official NDP theme Here We Are Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple World Trump's 100% semiconductor tariffs may hit chipmakers in Singapore, other SEA nations Singapore SCDF officer who molested female subordinate gets 15 months' jail The man appeared shocked after opening the packet but responded with a simple gesture of thanks. Following backlash from netizens, the trio later issued an apology. They claimed the man had been informed about the filming beforehand and had consented to it. They also claimed that they had given him a full meal of chicken with rice earlier. On Aug 5, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in a statement said it had questioned the three over the matter. It said the trio had their statements recorded at the Iskandar Puteri police headquarters in Johor. The MCMC had also seized three mobile phones and SIM cards from the three. The commission described the video as 'extremely offensive' and said the actions of the three youth had sparked criticism and touched on sensitive matters. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
In Australia's housing war, political shift picks newbies over NIMBYs
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge next to a residential properties in Sydney, Australia, July 10, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams SYDNEY - Australia's affordable housing push has arrived in the wealthy Sydney suburb of Mosman, where new planning laws now challenge longstanding resistance to development in the leafy area known for mansions and sweeping harbour views. State authorities in Sydney and Melbourne - Australia's two biggest cities - are stripping some planning powers from suburban councils, including ones like Mosman that have created national headlines over opposition to new housing from older, wealthier constituents. The broad policy shift comes as political deference to NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) sentiment gives way to demands for more housing from younger voters whose electoral heft now rivals the traditionally powerful baby boomer bloc. In Mosman, there are fears the reforms will ultimately alter the character of the suburb, which boasts natural beauty, high-end stores and a median house price of over A$5 million ($3.23 million). "We're surrounded by water with harbour views so there are people who are going to have literally millions of dollars knocked off the value of their property because their view will be blocked," said Simon Menzies, an elected Mosman councillor of 20 years. The new laws are designed to allow more housing at key transport and commercial hubs and give the New South Wales state government powers to override council objections to large developments. Similar rules to fast-track three-storey apartment blocks have been introduced in Melbourne's state of Victoria. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating wastewater discharge in Eunos: Pritam Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates Life Feeling extra patriotic? Here are 7 other SG60 songs beyond official NDP theme Here We Are Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple World Trump's 100% semiconductor tariffs may hit chipmakers in Singapore, other SEA nations Singapore SCDF officer who molested female subordinate gets 15 months' jail Five kilometres from Mosman, a new metro line in the suburb of Crows Nest means the state government has given a 22-storey apartment building the green light, overriding years-long council opposition. In Mosman, objections from neighbours to one such proposal are already pouring in, but the council said there is little they can do about it. The government intervention tracks a broader international trend, particularly in high-demand markets like London and California where soaring costs have hampered home ownership for young people. Sydney's house prices have surged more than 30% over the past five years, outpacing wage growth. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns warns Sydney, the state's capital, risks becoming "a city with no grandchildren". It is already the second-most unaffordable city globally after Hong Kong. "Their narrative is get out of our way. We want to build as many homes as possible to enable young Sydney residents to buy their homes," said Kos Samaras, director at polling firm Redbridge. "I think the political ballast that was there to protect the interests of homeowners is now gone." THE CASE TO BUILD Australia's sprawling cities are among the world's least densely populated and historically built to accommodate suburban aspirations of owning detached houses with large backyards, not apartment living. That has shifted in recent decades, particularly as waves of immigrants and students settle in high-rises around public transport hubs. The latest housing push is designed to fill in the "missing middle" - townhouses, terraces and low-rise residential flats, which typically meet opposition from councils. Research from the Productivity Commission showed industry is only building half as many homes per hour, compared with 30 years ago, hampered in part by approval processes that can stretch more than a decade. Federal Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said 40 years of state, local and federal government regulations have created an impenetrable "wall of bureaucracy" for anyone trying to build a house. "I think we've reached a tipping point here where the majority of our population are actually in housing distress themselves or are deeply concerned about the people that they know, especially that younger generation," O'Neil told Reuters. After her party's landslide victory in the May federal election, O'Neil is pledging "bigger and bolder" policies. A productivity roundtable this month presents an opportunity to remove some of those requirements, she added. The turnaround may have already started. Building approvals of apartments surged almost 90% in the first half of the year, driven by a 33% jump in New South Wales. Construction jobs jumped 20% in the three months to May and construction starts of higher density homes rose over 20% in the first quarter. Peter Tulip, chief economist at the Centre for Independent Studies, expects a substantial step-up in construction in New South Wales and Victoria from 2026 onwards. However, supply will still struggle to meet demand, pushing prices higher. Indeed, national home prices have hit fresh records each month, fuelled by rate cuts and the expectations of more to come. Justin Simon, chair of housing advocacy group Sydney YIMBY, said Mosman had great amenity and was exactly the sort of place where new housing was needed. "There is no way an ordinary person, essential workers, cleaners, nurses or anyone else could ever afford to live in Mosman and that is because for decades they have stopped new homes being built and we need to turn that around," he said. MONEY TALKS Some Mosman property owners impacted by policy changes are joining forces to sell entire blocks to developers, capitalising on strong demand for higher-density housing in the harbourside suburb. The first application under the new policy, for example, is a six-storey residential building near the main town centre, comprising 29 dwellings, most of which are the family-sized three-bedroom units Sydney lacks. Objections cited issues such as traffic, road safety, parking and privacy concerns, public submissions to the council showed. "These are mainly three-bedroom units, each with double beds, so the total number of eyes that will be looking into this area (my backyard) would be 110," said a neighbor of the development, who has lived in Mosman since 1999 and asked to remain anonymous. "If they're all occupied, it's 110 eyes looking every time I hang my underwear outside." While that local backlash could yet create wider pressure for the government, politicians for now are siding with what they see as demographic inevitability. "Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle - these cities aren't museums," said Paul Scully, New South Wales planning minister. "They need to grow and evolve and adapt and change in the same way our population changes." REUTERS
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Staggering US tariffs begin as Trump widens trade war
US President Donald Trump's punishing new tariffs on more than 90 countries snapped into place on Aug 7. WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump's punishing new tariffs on more than 90 countries snapped into place on Aug 7, the latest escalation in a global trade war that has started to exact a toll on the US economy. Few of America's major trading partners were spared under Mr Trump's updated slate of duties, which together have sent the average effective US tariff rate to its highest level in nearly a century. In the hours before the import taxes took effect, the president signalled there would be more to come, as he doubled down on a strategy that has rattled markets, driven up prices and spooked consumers and businesses around the world. Mr Trump announced the new rates in a series of executive orders he signed last week, some of which formalised the preliminary trade agreements that he had reached in recent days with the European Union and other countries. The president has long maintained that these levies would help reset trade relationships that he deems unfair, raise new revenue for the US government, spur more US manufacturing and achieve other goals. Mr Trump's tariffs have indeed helped generate money – roughly US$152 billion (S$195.7 billion) in customs collections through July, recent data show – but his policies have not been without consequence. A growing number of businesses have warned recently that they may no longer be able to stomach the rising costs of key foreign components. As a result, prices have started to climb. The latest monthly measure of inflation showed that appliances, clothing and furnishings became more expensive in June. The economy has grown but at an anemic pace, and some analysts predict little improvement through the remainder of the year. The labor market has experienced its own strains, with hiring sharply slowing in July. Mr Olu Sonola, the head of US economic research at Fitch Ratings, said the economy was just 'starting to see' the effects of the tariffs that Trump announced in the spring, adding that with Mr Trump's newest duties now in place, Americans would 'see that magnified' in coming months. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating wastewater discharge in Eunos: Pritam Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates Singapore Teen's love of dance powers her through cancer; performing at NDP2025 Life Feeling extra patriotic? Here are 7 other SG60 songs beyond official NDP theme Here We Are Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple World Trump's 100% semiconductor tariffs may hit chipmakers in Singapore, other SEA nations The tariffs start at 15 per cent, targeting imports from countries including Bolivia, Ecuador, Iceland and Nigeria. Others, like Taiwan, have a 20 per cent tax applied to items sold to US buyers. Mr Trump also imposed a much higher 50 per cent tariff on some goods from Brazil. He has cast it as punishment for Brazil's decision to prosecute his political ally Jair Bolsonaro, the country's former president, for seeking to stay in power after losing an election. And on Aug 6, Mr Trump said he would raise tariffs on India to 50 per cent by late August for buying Russian oil. The president has signalled he could impose similar penalties on other countries, as he looks for ways to use trade policy to pressure Russia into halting its war against Ukraine. In general, the duties do not apply to foreign goods that have been loaded onto ships just before Aug 7. Those products in transit won't be subject to new taxes so long as they enter the United States before early October, perhaps opening the door for importers to amass more inventory before the steepest rates cut into their bottom lines. Many smaller countries' exports have faced 10 per cent tariffs since the president first announced, then suspended, his initial tranche of policies in April. Others have staved off eye-watering rates after brokering deals with the United States that set their tariffs generally between 15 per cent and 20 per cent. That includes the 27-member European Union, as well as Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Each of those governments promised to open its market to US goods, and in some cases they pledged to invest billions of dollars in American industries. But the exact terms of those deals remain murky. Separately, Mr Trump imposed a 35 per cent tariff on goods from Canada not covered by the existing US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. The Canadian levies took effect Friday. Similarly high rates have been suspended for Mexico while the two sides keep talking. And duties on Chinese goods remain at 30 per cent under an agreement brokered between the superpowers in 2025, though the truce is set to expire on Aug 12. The rates that took effect on Aug 7 are unlikely to be the final chapter in Mr Trump's expanding trade war, which faces a series of legal challenges in federal courts. He still plans to impose additional tariffs on foreign-made medicines, computer chips and other products. On Aug 6, Mr Trump said the forthcoming tariffs on semiconductors, which have not been formally announced, would be set at 100 per cent. The president shared his thinking at a White House event alongside Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, which had pledged to invest an additional US$100 billion in the United States. Mr Trump signalled that the taxes may be relaxed on companies seeking to produce more of the critical high-tech chips domestically. The president also dismissed evidence that his policies may be upsetting the US economy, claiming instead Wednesday that 'costs are way down' and that the country would experience 'unprecedented' growth. He previously insisted that foreigners were bearing the brunt of his tariffs, and he moved last week to fire the top official who oversees the government's jobs report, claiming without evidence that its data had been rigged to harm him politically. The president's new tariffs send the average US effective tariff rate to above 18 per cent, the highest level since 1934, according to the Budget Lab at Yale University. For American households, those duties may add up to price increases, resulting in an average annual loss of US$2,400, the Yale research centre found. And for the broader economy, it could translate to a drop in output, shaving off half a percentage point in growth starting in 2025. Mr Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Analytics, said the tariffs threatened to create an environment that was 'very stagflation-esque', referring to the risk of a stagnant economy with inflationary prices. That, he said, would add to the challenge facing the Federal Reserve at a time when Trump is demanding lower interest rates. 'Growth is slowing,' Mr Zandi said. 'It's happening, and it's going to become much more obvious.' NYTIMES
