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Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
French air traffic controllers' strike disrupts flights for second day
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: View of the air traffic control tower of the Marseille-Provence airport on the eve of a strike call by two air traffic controllers' unions to defend their working conditions, in Marignane, near Marseille, France, July 2, 2025. REUTERS/Manon Cruz/File Photo PARIS - A strike by French air traffic controllers entered its second day on Friday, leaving many passengers stranded at the start of Europe's peak travel season. Civil aviation agency DGAC told airlines to cancel 40% of flights at the three main Paris airports on Friday because of the strike, which the air traffic controllers say is over staff shortages and ageing equipment. Up to half of flights at France's other airports, mostly in the south, were also affected, DGAC added. "We are hostages of Paris," said Mariano Mignola, an Italian tourist stranded in the French capital's Orly airport with two young children. "Today we had to go home and the first available flight is July 8. We have no flat, we can't find a hotel, we can't find a car, we can't find a train, we can't find anything," he said. "We are in a panic, the children are scared and we don't know what to do." French transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the strike unacceptable as did Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, who branded it "another recreational strike by French air traffic controllers' unions". On top of the cancellations, DGAC warned that passengers could be affected by delays and significant disruption. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches Singapore Banks tighten vigilance and processes following $3b money laundering case Singapore Seller's stamp duty hike will curb short-term speculation; market effect likely minimal: Analysts Singapore Trilateral work group formed to address allegations of foreigners illegally taking on platform work World Trump says countries to start paying tariffs on Aug 1; floats range of 10% to 70% Singapore Think like criminals, anticipate cyber-attack tactics: Experts Singapore Tourism bump from Lady Gaga concerts raked in up to estimated $150m for Singapore economy Life Book review: OB Markers sequel Ink And Influence makes catch-22 proposal for The Straits Times The Airlines for Europe (A4E) lobby group said late on Thursday that 1,500 flights had been cancelled over the two-day strike, affecting 300,000 passengers and causing cascading delays. REUTERS
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
613 killed at Gaza aid distribution sites, near humanitarian convoys, says UN
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo GENEVA - The UN human rights office said on July 4 it had recorded at least 613 killings both at aid points run by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and near humanitarian convoys run by other relief groups, including the UN. The GHF uses private US security and logistics companies to get supplies into Gaza, largely bypassing a UN-led system that Israel says had let militants divert aid. The United Nations has called the plan 'inherently unsafe' and a violation of humanitarian impartiality rules. 'We have recorded 613 killings, both at GHF points and near humanitarian convoys - this is a figure as of June 27. Since then... there have been further incidents,' Ms Ravina Shamdasani, the spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told reporters in Geneva. The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May and has repeatedly denied that incidents had occurred at its sites. Of the 613 people killed, 509 were killed near the GHF distribution points, the OHCHR said. The OHCHR said its figure is based on a range of sources, such as information from hospitals, cemeteries, families, Palestinian health authorities, NGOs, and its partners on the ground. It said it is verifying further reports and cannot yet give a breakdown of where they were killed. The GHF previously told Reuters it has delivered more than 52 million meals to hungry Palestinians in five weeks, and said other humanitarian groups had 'nearly all of their aid looted'. Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches Singapore Banks tighten vigilance and measures following $3b money laundering case Singapore Seller's stamp duty hike will curb short-term speculation; market effect likely minimal: Analysts Singapore Trilateral workgroup formed to address allegations of foreigners illegally taking on platform work World Trump says countries to start paying tariffs on Aug 1; floats range of 10% to 70% Singapore Think like criminals, anticipate cyber attack tactics: Experts Singapore Tourism bump from Lady Gaga concerts raked in up to estimated $150m for Singapore economy Life Book review: OB Markers sequel Ink And Influence makes catch-22 proposal for The Straits Times The UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told Reuters that there have been some instances of violent looting and attacks on truck drivers, which it described as unacceptable. 'Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility with regard to public order and safety in Gaza. That should include letting in far more essential supplies, through multiple crossings and routes, to meet humanitarian needs,' OCHA spokesperson Eri Kaneko said in a statement to Reuters. COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, was not immediately available for comment. The Israeli military acknowledged on June 30 that Palestinian civilians have been harmed at aid distribution centres in Gaza, saying that Israeli forces had been issued new instructions following what it called 'lessons learned'. Israel has repeatedly said its forces operate near the centres to prevent the aid from falling into the hands of Palestinian Hamas militants. There is an acute shortage of food and other basic supplies after a nearly two-year-old military campaign by Israel against Hamas militants in Gaza that has reduced much of the enclave to rubble and displaced most of its two million inhabitants. REUTERS
Straits Times
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Britain and France hope migrant 'taxi boat' plan will slow record Channel crossings
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Life jackets left behind by migrants trying to cross the English Channel are seen at the Blockhaus du Crabe in Ecault beach in Saint-Etienne-au-Mont, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo CALAIS, France - Early one morning this week, a dinghy motored along a vast beach in northern France, stopping every few hundred metres to pick up migrants bound for Britain. Four French police gave chase, but failed to reach the migrants before they reached water's edge. Soon, with 70-odd people onboard, the dinghy began chugging across the sea, adding to a record-breaking number of migrants crossing the Channel this year. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's right-wing opponents have seized on the data, reminding him he had pledged to "smash" the trafficking gangs. France and Britain hope to unveil measures at their summit next week that will reportedly allow French police to intercept such 'taxi boats' - a new phenomenon - up to 300 metres (yards) from shore rather than only if lives are at risk as now. Police, activists and migrants interviewed by Reuters were sceptical such a plan would work. "I just don't see how this could ever be implemented," said Julien Soir, a police union representative in the northern city of Lille. "Getting it up and running is simply impossible." He said police were already stretched covering 180 km (112 miles) of coastline and lack the equipment and training needed for seaborne operations. Police also fear drowning if they fall in the water with heavy equipment, or personal legal liability if migrants die or are injured during an intervention. Angele Vettorello, a coordinator at the Utopia 56 charity in Calais, said numbers were rising despite more French police patrolling beaches, including with British-sponsored drones. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches Singapore Banks tighten vigilance and measures following $3b money laundering case Singapore Seller's stamp duty hike will curb short-term speculation; market effect likely minimal: Analysts Singapore Trilateral workgroup formed to address allegations of foreigners illegally taking on platform work World Trump says countries to start paying tariffs on Aug 1; floats range of 10% to 70% Singapore Think like criminals, anticipate cyber attack tactics: Experts Singapore Tourism bump from Lady Gaga concerts raked in up to estimated $150m for Singapore economy Life Book review: OB Markers sequel Ink And Influence makes catch-22 proposal for The Straits Times She said the proposed measures would only make a dangerous crossing - last year 73 migrants died navigating what is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes - more perilous. If implemented, it would "lead to even more deaths ... more distress," she said. Asked if France would go ahead with the plan, an aide to President Emmanuel Macron told reporters announcements would be saved for the summit on Thursday, adding that both countries were working to intensify efforts to prevent crossings and break the traffickers' lucrative economic model. RIGHT-WING RISE The influx of migrants has helped Nigel Farage's Reform UK overtake Starmer's Labour Party in polls. Farage, a right-wing populist and longtime immigration hard-liner, has proposed using the Navy to intercept migrant vessels and take them back to France. Lawyers say this could only be done if France agreed. Nearly 20,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Britain via small boats so far this year, a 50% increase compared to the same period in 2024. French and British authorities blame the spike on unusually good weather. Peter Walsh, from Oxford University's Migration Observatory, said maritime interception may stop more migrants but would not affect long-term trends behind the migrant surge, including multiple conflicts and the allure of English-speaking Britain. Britain also wants to negotiate a returns agreement with France, which it had before it left the European Union. At a filthy migrant camp near Dunkirk, Reuters spoke with several migrants who were unaware of the new proposal. They said it wouldn't stop them from trying to cross. Israrullah Lodin, 26, left Afghanistan in 2021 after his family's work with the U.S. army irked the Taliban. He had failed to cross three times; twice he was stopped by police and once his boat had problems. Lodin dreamed of working in a UK fulfilment warehouse. Nothing would stop him from getting there. "We are not afraid to die," he said. "I have to reach my destination." Nisarahmad Afghan, 23, had been a migrant almost all his adult life, having left his home region of Nangarhar four years ago. He had made two failed attempts to cross, both foiled by police. "Until I succeed, I will keep trying," he said. "I've passed through many dangerous roads. I will pass this one too." REUTERS
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Be wary of phishing scams when claiming SG60 vouchers, say police
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Seniors who need help claiming the digital vouchers can approach community centres and SG digital community hubs. SINGAPORE - Beware, if you receive calls or messages requesting that you disclose personal particulars, transfer money or install apps from unofficial sources, to claim your SG60 vouchers. They may be from scammers phishing for your information, the police said on July 4. They added that the public will never be approached for their personal particulars via phone calls, social media or e-mail. One would also not be asked to transfer money or download third-party apps to claim SG60 vouchers, or other types of government benefits. All adult Singaporeans will receive a specially designed postcard in the mail containing a QR code to redeem the SG60 vouchers. The QR code will lead to the SG60 vouchers page and the RedeemSG website . A unique SG60 voucher link will then be sent via SMS from upon redemption, said the police. They encouraged the public to use the inbuilt QR code reader on their mobile devices, instead of third-party ones. Seniors who need help claiming the digital vouchers can approach community centres and SG digital community hubs. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches Singapore Seller's stamp duty hike will curb short-term speculation; market effect likely minimal: Analysts Singapore NTUC says some foreigners taking on platform work illegally, calls for work group to address issue World Trump says countries to start paying tariffs on Aug 1, floats range of 10% to 70% Singapore Sengkang murder: Man accused of killing elderly mother escorted back to crime scene Singapore Tourism bump from Lady Gaga concerts raked in up to estimated $150m for Singapore economy Singapore Jail for man who recruited 2 Japanese women for prostitution at MBS Life Book review: OB Markers sequel Ink And Influence makes catch-22 proposal for The Straits Times Go to the list of Government-associated pages at if in doubt about the authenticity of a website, or call the 24-hour ScamShield Helpline at 1799 if in doubt.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Jim Shooter, American editor who ‘saved the comics industry,' dies at 73
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Jim Shooter in 1993 (left). He was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2024. NEW YORK - Jim Shooter, a hard-driving giant of a comic-book editor who took the helm at Marvel at the tender age of 27, then spent nearly a decade revolutionising the way superhero stories are written, drawn and sold, died on June 30 in his home in Nyack, New York. He was 73. His son Ben confirmed the death but did not specify a cause. Shooter was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2024. Powerfully built, with a looming 2m frame, Shooter dominated the comic-book world for much of the 1980s, reinvigorating an art form that had been in decline by finding new markets and new readers. Although he was not yet 30 when he took over at Marvel in 1978, he was already an industry veteran. He sold his first comic story to DC, Marvel's rival, when he was just 14, and he worked for both companies while still a teenager. As editor-in-chief at Marvel, he rationalised what had been a chaotic operation, instituting a coherent editing process and driving his staff to meet deadlines. He pushed into the growing comic-store market, targeting dedicated fans over the casual reader. And he drove the company further into licensing opportunities, signing the sort of deals for toy and film adaptations that went on to make comics an enduring keystone of American popular culture. 'I honestly think he saved the comics industry,' Mr Harry Broertjes, a journalist who once worked with Shooter, said in an interview. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches Singapore Seller's stamp duty hike will curb short-term speculation; market effect likely minimal: Analysts Singapore NTUC says some foreigners taking on platform work illegally, calls for work group to address issue World Trump says countries to start paying tariffs on Aug 1, floats range of 10% to 70% Singapore Sengkang murder: Man accused of killing elderly mother escorted back to crime scene Singapore Tourism bump from Lady Gaga concerts raked in up to estimated $150m for Singapore economy Singapore Jail for man who recruited 2 Japanese women for prostitution at MBS Life Book review: OB Markers sequel Ink And Influence makes catch-22 proposal for The Straits Times Shooter could be imperious, but he could also be generous, and he welcomed new talent to the Marvel fold. Emerging voices such as Frank Miller and Walter Simonson flourished under his watch, bringing a new, more sophisticated sensibility to the genre. He increased pay rates for writers and artists and gave them more control over their creative output. Marvel prospered in the 1980s. Not only did its sales and profits soar, but it also experienced a long run of landmark releases, among them Simonson's work on Thor; Miller's work with Klaus Janson on Daredevil; and Chris Claremont and John Byrne's on X-Men. At the same time, Shooter brought a traditional vision to comic-book writing, insisting on simple, straightforward narratives. Among his many aphorisms was 'every comic book could be a reader's first comic book', and he made his writers find a way to introduce their main characters in each issue. His changes were divisive, especially among those who had enjoyed free rein under previous editors, above all Stan Lee, who put Marvel on the map with a new line of superhero titles in the 1960s. Several Marvel veterans left for DC. 'Some people swear by him, and other people swear at him,' Bill Sienkiewicz, an artist at Marvel during Shooter's tenure, said in an interview. In 1986, New World Entertainment bought Marvel's parent company, Marvel Entertainment Group, and a year later, the new owners fired Shooter. The feelings about his time at Marvel were so passionate that even years later, his critics spoke of him in brutal terms. 'From a creative standpoint, Jim Shooter's Marvel was, by and large, a wasteland of formulaic self-imitation and blatant profit-seeking,' authors Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon wrote in their book, Stan Lee And The Rise And Fall Of The American Comic Book (2003). But Shooter was equally beloved by many artists and fans, who saw the Shooter era at Marvel as the foundation for the efflorescence of comic-book storytelling in the decades that followed. 'Every bad thing you've heard about Jim Shooter has a bit of truth to it,' Danny Fingeroth, another Marvel writer under Shooter, said in an interview. 'But so does every good thing you've heard.' James Charles Shooter was born on Sept 27, 1951, in Pittsburgh. His father Ken was a steelworker and his mother Eleanor managed the home. Jim's mother used children's comics to teach him to read, but he had not perused a comic book in years when, in 1963, he found himself in the hospital for minor surgery with a stack of Marvel and DC books to read. He loved what he saw in Marvel, but he found DC boring. As a challenge, he pulled out the narrative and artistic elements that he admired in Marvel and applied them to stories he wrote using DC characters. On a whim, he sent them to DC headquarters in New York. The editors liked them so much that they not only published them - with new art - but hired him to write for the company's Legion Of Superheroes line. It was good timing: Union strikes and jobsite injuries had left his father unable to work, and his family needed the money. While still in high school, he wrote for DC's Superman and Supergirl titles, created several new members of the Legion Of Superheroes, and in 1967, with artist Curt Swan, created a story pitting Superman and The Flash in a race – a hugely popular issue. After being accepted at New York University and offered a job at Marvel, he moved to New York in 1969. He passed on school to take the job, but he quit after a few weeks because the pay was so low. He returned to Pittsburgh, got a job in advertising and, for several years, completely dropped out of the comic-book world. About five years later, a group of fans tracked him down and encouraged him to return to New York. Offered jobs at both DC and Marvel, he chose Marvel in 1976. Two years later, he was in charge. Shooter's marriage to Ms Michele Minor ended in divorce. A complete list of survivors in addition to his son was not immediately available. After leaving Marvel, Shooter started a number of independent comic-book companies, including Valiant, Defiant and Broadway. Valiant met with some success, but all the companies eventually closed shop. He ended his career as creative editor for Illustrated Media, a company that creates customised comics. NYTIMES
