Latest news with #SmartBuddy
Straits Times
25-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
More students to get Smart Buddy watches; most schools now offer cashless payment
SINGAPORE - About 11,000 digital watches with a new feature that tracks calories burned will be distributed in 2025 under the POSB Smart Buddy programme, which lets students tap the watch to pay at canteen stalls and bookshops. The roll-out follows the completion of a three-year memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education to have all 335 participating schools here equipped with contactless payment terminals. There are a total of 351 schools – primary and secondary schools, junior colleges and the Millennia Institute – here. POSB said it expects to register 320,000 students on the programme by the end of 2025, up from the 230,000 students in 253 schools the bank engaged in 2024. 'Our ongoing efforts include equipping young learners with the right tools, providing age-appropriate education and offering them real-world opportunities to practise healthy money habits,' said Mr Calvin Ong, head of DBS Singapore's consumer banking group. Launched in 2017, the Smart Buddy programme is the world's first in-school wearable tech savings and payments solution. School vendors enter the amount for a meal or item into the payment system, and students tap their watch on a contactless terminal to pay. Through an app paired with the watch, POSB and DBS customers can manage their children's allowance and spending habits. Since 2017, around 78,000 watches have been distributed to students in primary and secondary schools, junior colleges and the Millennia Institute. The latest edition of the watch is free for new joiners of the Smart Buddy programme. Existing users can buy the upgraded watch for $40 apiece. Using the device, students can track their heart rate and the number of calories burned when exercising. Another new feature guides students through breathing exercises to reduce stress. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Singapore Lung damage, poor brain development, addiction: What vaping does to the body Singapore Explore Singapore through its stories at Straits Times exhibition Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Karena Cai, 11, trying out breathing exercises with the guidance of her Smart Buddy watch on July 24. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY At the launch of the new watches at Teck Ghee Primary School on July 24, some canteen vendors told The Straits Times that they find it hard to revert to counting notes and coins after getting used to contactless payments. Drink stall owner Ly Li Fang said that half of her daily sales are through contactless means. 'It can be quite difficult to find different coins and notes during busy periods... It's more convenient to accept cashless options,' she said. Madam Tham Mei Fong, a bookstore employee at Teck Ghee, said a quarter of her daily sales are cashless. In the first five months of 2025, around one million monthly transactions were performed via the Smart Buddy watch or card, POSB told ST. Teck Ghee Primary School pupils said they had fun with the watch. Primary 5 pupil Louis Yap said his parents stopped giving him cash in 2023, when he started using the watch. He also uses the watch to track his heart rate when exercising, and suggested a new location tracking feature so his parents could be informed of his whereabouts. Primary 5 pupil Louis Yap checking the balance on his Smart Buddy watch at Teck Ghee Primary School on July 24. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Primary 5 pupil Karena Cai, who has been using the watch for three years now, said she enjoys the savings feature. 'I can usually save about $10 a week,' said the 11-year-old. She receives around $4 to $6 in daily allowance. For each dollar saved in their accounts, Smart Buddy users get up to $10 a month of top-up from the bank. 'I also use the watch to keep track of how many steps I take. Sometimes, my sister and I will compete on how many steps we can take each day.' The bank has also refreshed its financial literacy curriculum under the Smart Buddy programme to include black swan events and economic shocks happening in the real world, such as the ongoing tariff war. It aims to help students understand how matters beyond their control can potentially impact years of careful savings, and why being financially prepared matters. This in addition to the original curriculum teaching healthy saving habits, the difference between needs and wants and how cashless payment works. The first workshop teaching the refreshed content was conducted on July 24 in Teck Ghee Primary School. Nearly 1,000 students attended the 1.5-hour-long financial literacy workshop. 'This holistic approach underscores our broader mission to help raise the next generation of savers in Singapore, who will grow up to become digitally savvy adults confident with their money,' said Mr Ong.
Straits Times
25-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Lions boss treats son Owen Farrell like any other player, says coach
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - British & Irish Lions v Argentina - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - June 20, 2025 British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File Photo MELBOURNE - The familial bond between head coach Andy Farrell and playmaker son Owen looms large over the British & Irish Lions as they prepare for the second test against Australia in Melbourne on Saturday. However, the dynamic between the pair has been strictly professional since Owen's late call-up into his father's squad, according to Lions scrum coach John Fogarty. Owen Farrell missed out on selection for the first test win in Brisbane but the former England captain has been named in the reserves for the clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Farrell and his father have shared plenty of change-rooms, including during the Lions' 2013 tour of Australia, when Andy was defence coach and Owen came off the bench to help the tourists win the third test decider in Sydney. The family ties make for an interesting sub-plot as the pair could celebrate another series win at the MCG on Saturday. In the team environment, though, their special relationship is virtually imperceptible, said Fogarty. "When we're training or when we're in a rugby setting, there's no difference between any player and Owen," Fogarty told reporters on Friday. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Singapore Etomidate found in blood of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Singapore More students to get Smart Buddy watches; most schools have gone cashless Singapore Vape disposal bins at 23 CCs for users to surrender e-vaporisers, without facing penalties Business Microsoft Singapore managing director Lee Hui Li dies while on sabbatical Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly "It's just the same relationship as any player and coach. If you didn't know it was his son, you wouldn't really get it. "You wouldn't really think he was his son. He doesn't treat him in any way differently. "They're two professionals." The coach's decision to call up Owen as a replacement for injured fullback Elliot Daly proved polarising despite the flyhalf/centre's leadership and experience of three previous Lions tours. Farrell had, after all, not played a test for England since 2023 and endured an injury-blighted season with French club Racing 92. But few have questioned the 33-year-old's selection for the Melbourne test following his strong, 80-minute performance at inside centre in the mid-week win over the First Nations & Pasifika XV. Farrell's versatility and experience could prove valuable for the Lions on Saturday should the test prove tight and tense deep into the second half. The players will hear a familiar voice out on the field. "He has huge respect from the other players," Fogarty said. "When he talks, he talks sense, like his dad. "There's similarities between the two of them. They're natural leaders. That's very visible when they both interact with players." REUTERS
Straits Times
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Philippine Supreme Court voids impeachment complaint against V-P Sara Duterte
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte has said the move to impeach her was politically motivated. MANILA - Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte scored a major legal victory on July 25 after the Supreme Court struck down an impeachment complaint against her, ruling it was unconstitutional. The Philippines' lower house of Congress impeached Ms Duterte in February, accusing her of misusing public funds, amassing unusual wealth and threatening to kill Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the First Lady and the House Speaker. The court said it was not absolving Ms Duterte of the charges. The outcome could be a huge boost for the political ambitions of Ms Duterte. She is widely seen as a strong contender for the 2028 presidency, which Mr Marcos cannot contest due to a single-term limit for Philippine presidents. A conviction in an impeachment trial would have seen Ms Duterte banned from office for life. She has said the move to impeach her, which came amid a bitter feud with Mr Marcos, was politically motivated. Ms Duterte is the daughter of firebrand former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is now in the custody of the International Criminal Court over his bloody war on drugs. He has denied wrongdoing. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Singapore Etomidate found in blood of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Singapore More students to get Smart Buddy watches; most schools to go cashless by end-2025 Singapore Vape disposal bins at 23 CCs for users to surrender e-vaporisers, without facing penalties Business Microsoft Singapore managing director Lee Hui Li dies while on sabbatical Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly
Straits Times
25-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
$15m upgrade for Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu; new mosque to be built in Tampines North from mid-2027
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (right) visiting Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu, as part of his engagement with the community. SINGAPORE - Upgrading work on the Alkaff Kampung Melayu mosque in Bedok North has begun and is expected to last more than two years at a cost of $15 million. Separately, construction of a mosque in Tampines North is expected to start in mid-2027 and be completed in 2029. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim made these announcements during a visit to Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque on July 25. The upgrading of Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu Mosque started in April and is expected to be completed in two phases over 26 months, said the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) in a statement on July 25. The works will improve accessibility with features such as barrier-free amenities, and optimise space in the 30-year-old mosque. 'The current layout and infrastructure need to be refreshed and optimised to better serve the needs of our growing congregants and the aged,' said Muis, adding that post-upgrade it will be able to accommodate up to 3,200 congregants, up from the current 3,000. The project will include expanding the main prayer hall on the first floor to include new wings with classrooms and administrative offices, as well as installing a new passenger lift and refreshing the building's facade. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Singapore Etomidate found in blood of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Singapore More students to get Smart Buddy watches; most schools have gone cashless Singapore Vape disposal bins at 23 CCs for users to surrender e-vaporisers, without facing penalties Business Microsoft Singapore managing director Lee Hui Li dies while on sabbatical Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly During the upgrading period, the mosque will still be operational for daily and Friday prayers, with a limited space for about 1,000 congregants, added Muis. An artist's impression of the main prayer hall of Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu. PHOTO: MUIS Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu is also actively raising funds for the $15 million project through multiple avenues, such as religious talks, charity drives and donation boxes placed in mosques islandwide. Meanwhile, the construction of a mosque in Tampines North that had been put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic will begin in mid-2027. Prof Faishal announced that design development of the new mosque, located along Tampines North Drive 5, will kick off by the end of 2025. The larger project will be overseen by the management board of the nearby Darul Ghufran Mosque, he said. Former minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli had said in March that the new Tampines North mosque will ease the load of Darul Ghufran – the only mosque in Tampines and Singapore's biggest. Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (right) interacting with worshippers during his visit at Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu. PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN While the mosque, located next to Our Tampines Hub, can accommodate up to 5,500 worshippers, Mr Masagos said it was overstretched by having to conduct two to three sessions during Friday prayers and Hari Raya prayers. Muis said that Darul Ghuffran mosque's management board would lend their expertise and experience in mosque management, as well as their familiarity with the Tampines area. Speaking to the media after Friday prayers, Associate Professor Faishal said that mosques are vital institutions that play a central role in fulfilling the socio-religious needs of the Muslim community. Earlier in July, he had announced that Darussalam Mosque in Clementi will undergo a $10.3 million upgrade from September, while a site for the future mosque serving the new Tengah town has been reserved along Forest Drive. 'We welcome feedback and views from the community on how we can shape the two new upcoming mosques together,' said Prof Faishal, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs. 'This is an exciting chapter for Muslim residents in the Tampines area, and I look forward to building these mosques together – a space that will serve many generations to come.'
Straits Times
25-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Thailand says open to Malaysia mediating in Cambodia conflict
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A Thai military mobile unit fires towards Cambodia's side after Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery on July 25. BANGKOK - Thailand is open to Malaysia mediating in efforts to find a negotiated solution to its bloody conflict with Cambodia, its foreign ministry spokesman told AFP on July 25. The two neighbours are locked in their most intense fighting in more than a decade, battling with artillery and ground troops over sections of their disputed 800km border. The crisis will come before the UN Security Council on July 25 and multiple major powers have called for a ceasefire and negotiations. Thai foreign ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura said Bangkok was open to talks, possibly aided by Malaysia. 'We are ready, if Cambodia would like to settle this matter via diplomatic channels, bilaterally, or even through Malaysia, we are ready to do that. But so far we have not had any response,' Mr Nikorndej told AFP. Malaysia currently holds the chair of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) regional bloc, of which Thailand and Cambodia are both members. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a Facebook post late on July 24 he had spoken with Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day Singapore Etomidate found in blood of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA Singapore More students to get Smart Buddy watches; most schools to go cashless by end-2025 Singapore Vape disposal bins at 23 CCs for users to surrender e-vaporisers, without facing penalties Business Microsoft Singapore managing director Lee Hui Li dies while on sabbatical Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly He called on both sides to stop fighting and seek a diplomatic solution. 'I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward,' he wrote. Mr Nikorndej said that in the call, Datuk Seri Anwar sought to explore 'whether we can deescalate the situation... whether there is the possibility to hold talks'. But the two sides traded deadly artillery salvos on July 25 for a second day, with Mr Phumtham warning of a risk that the clashes could develop into war. AFP
