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Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Deadline to redeem free national flags via Shopee extended till July 29; almost 100k given out
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The initiative aims to allow more Singaporeans to proudly display the national flag at home during SG60. SINGAPORE – Nearly 100,000 Singapore flags have been distributed free by Shopee, with the deadline to get one extended till 11.59pm on July 29, or while stocks last. The extension is in response to the strong public interest, the online shopping platform said in a statement on July 21. The initiative, called Fly Our Flag, is a collaboration with the National Day Parade organisers and was to run till 11.59am on July 15, or while stocks last, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said in a statement on June 27. To redeem the flag, go to , log in with Singpass and choose to have the flag delivered at a cost, or collect it from over 3,000 collection points for free. Singaporeans are encouraged to display the national flag during the National Day celebration period between July 1 and Sept 30, MCCY said earlier. During this period, the rules for flying and displaying the flag are relaxed. The flag may be flown without a flagpole and does not have to be illuminated at night. The flag may be displayed at offices, buildings and residential premises. The national flag should be treated with respect and used in 'an appropriate and dignified manner', and torn or worn-out flags should not be displayed, MCCY said earlier. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business $1.1 billion allocated to three fund managers to boost Singapore stock market: MAS Singapore Risk of flash floods in parts of central and eastern Singapore: PUB Singapore Malaysia-bound motorists urged to avoid Tuas Second Link on July 23 due to chemical spill exercise Singapore Trial of new dengue vaccine begins recruitment for child participants in Singapore Singapore Mandai Wildlife Group group CEO Mike Barclay to retire; Bennett Neo named as successor Singapore Fresh charge for woman who harassed nurse during pandemic, created ruckus at lion dance competition Singapore Witness stand not arena for humiliation in sex offence cases, judge reminds lawyers Asia Japan PM Ishiba under siege after ruling coalition loses Upper House majority Shopee will also participate in the parade for the first time with a marching contingent, commemorating its 10th year in Singapore.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Straits Times
Man in Thailand injured after falling face first onto durian in traffic accident
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The motorcyclist was left with puncture wounds to his face from the spikes of the fruit. A man in Thailand found himself in a prickly situation after a bizarre incident involving his motorcycle, a pick-up truck and a durian left him with dozens of wounds to his face. According to Thai media outlet Channel 7 , the 48-year-old man was riding his motorcycle in the north-eastern province of Buriram when he crashed into the back of a pick-up truck on July 15. The collision caused him to be flung off his motorcycle, landing face first onto a singular durian covered by a plastic bag. The motorcyclist, known only as Mr Somchai, was left with puncture wounds to his face from the spikes of the fruit. The Muang Buriram Police Station received a call for assistance at about 5pm that day, said Channel 7 . When they arrived at the scene, the police found Mr Somchai slumped beneath a tree with visible puncture wounds to his face. He said he did not know what he had landed on and that he was not speeding before the accident occurred. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore HSA launches anti-vaping checks near 5 institutes of higher learning Life 11 new entries on Singapore's Bib Gourmand list, including three re-entries at Old Airport Road Singapore Bicycle wheel-inspired care model used to improve trauma outcomes in central S'pore Singapore 15 under police probe for sharing Singpass credentials used in scams Singapore NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa beaches after elevated bacteria levels delay World Aquatics events Singapore Kpod vapes, zombie kids: Why it's time to raise the alarm The police rescue unit discovered a plastic bag in the back of the pick-up truck with bloodstains that appeared to be from the injured motorcyclist. The truck driver and owner of the durian told Channel 7 that he had stopped to buy the fruit for his family on the way back from the city. He said he was not sure if anyone in his family would still want to eat the durian.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Straits Times
Jail for elderly man over assault of another, who was slashed with knife but died of heart disease
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Lim Tee Tee, 71, was involved in a fight with his neighbour at Block 805 King George's Avenue on Dec 22. SINGAPORE – What started out as two elderly neighbours knocking into each other at a lift lobby escalated into a knife attack that left one of them with non-fatal wounds. However, the victim, identified as Mr Chua Kin Tong, 69, later died of a heart disease about two hours after the attack on Dec 22, 2024. His assailant, Lim Tee Tee, 72, was sentenced to a year in jail after he pleaded guilty to an assault charge on July 17. At the time of the offence, Lim and Mr Chua were living on the eighth floor of a Housing Board block of flats in King George's Avenue, near Jalan Besar. Lim was on his way home shortly before 11.30am on Dec 22, 2024, and was stepping out of a lift on the eighth floor when he knocked into Mr Chua, who was trying to enter it. Both men became unhappy over this encounter and Lim returned to his flat. However, Mr Chua later asked another neighbour, Mr Hussain Mohamed, 66, to meet him. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore HSA launches anti-vaping checks near 5 institutes of higher learning Life 11 new entries on Singapore's Bib Gourmand list, including three re-entries at Old Airport Road Singapore Bicycle wheel-inspired care model used to improve trauma outcomes in central S'pore Singapore 15 under police probe for sharing Singpass credentials used in scams Singapore NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa beaches after elevated bacteria levels delay World Aquatics events Singapore Kpod vapes, zombie kids: Why it's time to raise the alarm Mr Hussain agreed even though he did not know why Mr Chua wanted to see him. Deputy Public Prosecutor Joseph Gwee told the court: 'The victim and Hussain went to the accused's unit. The victim took a wooden stick and confronted the accused about the earlier collision. 'The accused opened the gate to his unit. The verbal argument escalated when the victim used the wooden stick to hit the accused once outside the unit.' Lim then ran to his kitchen and retrieved a 50cm-long knife with a 37cm-long blade. A scuffle broke out between Mr Chua and Lim at the common corridor near their homes. During the fight at around 11.30am, Lim repeatedly slashed Mr Chua, causing injuries to his head and limbs. Seeing this, Mr Hussain grabbed Lim and told both men to stop fighting. However, Lim continued to swing the knife rashly, wounding Mr Hussain's left forearm. Court documents stated that Mr Chua managed to get away and met police officers who were on patrol as he stepped out of a lift at the ground floor. He told the officers about what had happened and collapsed. Meanwhile, Lim had stopped brandishing the knife and Mr Hussain asked him for some water to clean his wounds. The pair remained near Lim's unit when the police officers arrived at the scene soon after. Both Mr Chua and Mr Hussain were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where Mr Chua was pronounced dead at 1.20pm. Lim, who suffered multiple injuries, including wounds to his forehead and left leg and arm, was taken to Changi General Hospital. He was arrested later that day. An Institute of Mental Health report dated Jan 23, 2025, stated that he had persistent depressive disorder, which had a mild contributory link to his offending behaviour. The DPP said: 'However, he remained cognitively aware that it was wrong for him to bring the knife out, and had chosen the knife deliberately as a suitable weapon for self-defence.' He added that Lim was not of unsound mind at the time of the offence and is fit to plead in court.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Straits Times
South Korea's exam paper thieves suspected to have been active for at least 2 years
The high school has decided to expel the student and give scores of zero to all the tests she has taken. SEOUL - As police investigate an exam paper theft case at a high school involving a student's parent and a former teacher, officials now believe that they had been stealing papers since 2023 , shortly after the student entered the school. The two suspects were apprehended earlier this week, after they broke into the high school in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, to steal the exam papers, but set off a break-in alarm. Officials at the Andong Police Station is currently investigating the 18-year-old student as well, who is believed to have benefitted from the exam paper theft. She was summoned for questioning on July 16, but claimed that she had nothing to do with the crime. The high school has decided to expel the student and give scores of zero to all the tests she has taken at the school. The student, who was in her final year, had reportedly been at the top of her class since she joined the school. According to local broadcaster TV Chosun on July 16, the teacher told investigators that she participated in the exam thefts since the student was a freshman, which would be in 2023. The suspect said she either stole the papers or took photos of them to deliver to the parent. The 31-year-old teacher had taught at the school until February last year, but she continued to break into the school to steal papers even after she left school. Both the teacher and the 48-year-old mother of the student have been placed under arrest, as was a male employee of the school who had cooperated in the break-in and deleted the security footage. THE KOREA HERALD/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore HSA launches anti-vaping checks near 5 institutes of higher learning Life 11 new entries on Singapore's Bib Gourmand list, including three re-entries at Old Airport Road Singapore Bicycle wheel-inspired care model used to improve trauma outcomes in central S'pore Singapore 15 under police probe for sharing Singpass credentials used in scams Singapore NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa beaches after elevated bacteria levels delay World Aquatics events Singapore Kpod vapes, zombie kids: Why it's time to raise the alarm
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Straits Times
$7,000 fine for eatery chain involved in ByteDance food poisoning case
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Yunhaiyao chief executive Lu Zhi Tao appeared in court on behalf of the company. SINGAPORE – Catering company Yunhaiyao, which was convicted over its role in the ByteDance mass food poisoning case that affected 171 people , was fined $7,000 on July 17. District Judge Janet Wang said a 'staggering' number of people were affected by the episode and that it was fortuitous no fatality resulted. Noting that the firm had already been in operation in Singapore for six years, she added: '(The company) had sat on its laurels of complacency and maintained a lackadaisical attitude towards the importance of food safety.' Its chief executive Lu Zhi Tao, who appeared in court on behalf of the company, said it has permanently closed its Northpoint City outlet, where the contaminated food was prepared. Among other remedial measures, Mr Lu said all of the firm's chefs have since attended a hygiene course again, and they hired a cleaning company to thoroughly clean all of its premises that are still open for business. Through a Mandarin interpreter, he added: 'The company has set out a safety check team to check on the quality of cooked food and ingredients at the various retail outlets.' Meanwhile, the court heard that the other caterer that had been suspended by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) over the case was eventually found to be uninvolved in the gastroenteritis incident. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore HSA launches anti-vaping checks near 5 institutes of higher learning Life 11 new entries on Singapore's Bib Gourmand list, including three re-entries at Old Airport Road Singapore Bicycle wheel-inspired care model used to improve trauma outcomes in central S'pore Singapore 15 under police probe for sharing Singpass credentials used in scams Singapore NEA monitoring E. coli at Sentosa beaches after elevated bacteria levels delay World Aquatics events Singapore Kpod vapes, zombie kids: Why it's time to raise the alarm It was given the green light by SFA on Aug 10, 2024, to resume operations. The two caterers supplied food to ByteDance, which saw some of its staff members suffer a gastroenteritis incident on July 30, 2024. The victims had suffered abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting after consuming catered lunches prepared by Yunhaiyao. SFA prosecuting officer Mohd Rizal told the court that of the 171 victims, 60 were conveyed to hospital and 22 of them were eventually warded for between one and three days. Yunhaiyao had on July 2 pleaded guilty to one charge under the Sale of Food Act and another under the Environmental Public Health (Food Hygiene) Regulations. Court documents revealed that the wok-fried diced chicken prepared by Yunhaiyao was found to contain over 200,000 colony-forming units (CFU) per gram of Staphylococcus aureus, a type of pathogen. This was more than 2,000 times the acceptable level of less than 100 CFU per gram. Mr Rizal said pathogens exceeding this amount would make the food unsuitable for consumption and that eating such food may cause symptoms of gastroenteritis. During the inspection of Yunhaiyao's food preparation premises at its Northpoint City outlet, SFA officers also discovered more than 10 live cockroaches beneath a folded grey plastic mat behind a rack. Yunhaiyao's staff immediately disposed of the infested material, said the prosecutor. The food company's suspension was lifted by SFA on Aug 16 after it took the necessary remedial measures. Judge Wang said its remedial steps were fundamental processes that ought to have been put in place from the outset. She further noted that the firm did not offer an apology or voluntary compensation after the incident. When Judge Wang asked about its plans to compensate victims, Mr Lu said they were in contact with ByteDance. 'We (ByteDance and Yunhaiyao) have an agreement that we will discuss this further upon the conclusion of this case,' he said through an interpreter. He added that the firm would post an apology on social media after the case's conclusion.
