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Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
England teammates sing praises of young saviour Agyemang
GENEVA - England's newest hero Michelle Agyemang had her teammates singing her praises after her last-gasp equaliser saved the defending champions from certain elimination, saying the sky is the limit for the 19-year-old. Three months after she made her senior team debut, and four years removed from being a ball girl for her now teammates, Agyemang struck in the sixth minute of stoppage time against Italy on Tuesday en route to a 2-1 victory in extra time, the second consecutive game she has saved England at the brink. The Lionesses meet either Spain or Germany in the final on Sunday. "She's an unbelievable player and she's got the world at her feet, a young player with a bright future and I'm absolutely buzzing for her," said Chloe Kelly, who smashed home the rebound of her own penalty kick in extra time to secure the victory. Agyemang is a skilled bulldozer of a striker with a nose for the net and no fear of battling for possession. "You see it when she comes on," England defender Lucy Bronze said. "Defenders are petrified of her." "She feels inevitable right now," added captain Leah Williamson. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore's domestic recycling rate drops to all-time low of 11% Singapore Male victim of fatal Toa Payoh fire was known to keep many things, say residents Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Singapore 5 teens arrested for threatening boy with knife, 2 charged with causing hurt Singapore Money, housing and isolation the biggest struggles for youth leaving children's homes: Study Singapore Sota parent portal taken down for urgent patching following global cyberattack alerts Singapore COE prices for cars mostly unchanged; premium for commercial vehicles up 2.9% Singapore Cyclist charged after allegedly hitting elderly pedestrian, killing him A ball girl at Wembley for an England World Cup qualifier in 2021, Agyemang made her England senior debut three months ago against Belgium, scoring 41 seconds after she ran onto the pitch, the first of three goals in four caps. She said being mobbed by her teammates on Tuesday "will live in my heart forever". "It means the world to me. I'm so grateful," she added. "Four years ago I was a kid just throwing a ball to some of these girls and now I'm playing with them. It's a great opportunity and I'm so happy I am here." England coach Sarina Wiegman was certainly happy with her youngest Lioness on Tuesday. Agyemang, who also scored a late equaliser in their quarter-final win over Sweden, almost secured the victory in extra time at Stade de Geneve when her cute lob from a tight angle came back off the crossbar. "She has something special. She's only 19 years old, she's very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do," Wiegman said. "When we have to go to her as a target player, she keeps the ball really well. Even when you saw her hit the crossbar, that was not just a shot, she was aiming for it. If she continues like this she has a very bright future." Agyemang's impact in England's two knockout games now has fans wondering whether the teenager will see more of the pitch in the final. Sunday's match in Basel marks the third consecutive final appearance in a major tournament for England, while Wiegman is the first coach in men's or women's football to reach five consecutive finals. REUTERS
Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Italy benefit from domestic developments despite England loss
GENEVA - Italy were within touching distance of a first Women's Euro final since 1997 until a stunning England comeback derailed their dream, but the Italians can look forward to a bright future as they reap the benefits of a more professional approach. The country's top flight for women went fully professional for the 2022-23 season and the effects of that change could be seen on the field as they led reigning European champions England 1-0 until the 96th minute before losing 2-1 in extra time. The Italian players never wilted under the English onslaught and though they lack a bench as deep in talent as the one available to Sarina Wiegman, their replacements performed admirably despite the defeat. "Before the tournament people said we could not get past the group stage, but in the end we were one minute from the final. The players deserved a better ending but sometimes you don't get what you deserve. There is pride amid this bitter defeat -- this hurts but you have to be proud," Italy coach Andrea Soncin told reporters. The 46-year-old has worn his heart on his sleeve throughout the tournament and he paid tribute to how the women's game has developed over the last few years in Italy. "When I started with this group, the main goal was to constantly monitor the players so we could increase the internal competitiveness, and this has given us a lot of benefits," he explained. "We study what the clubs are doing and they are investing a lot, so we have a lot of confidence for the future." That work is already paying off at under-age level, providing a pipeline of promising players to the senior team as they seek to build on their success in Switzerland, which is building a fan base across the gender divide. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore's domestic recycling rate drops to all-time low of 11% Singapore Male victim of fatal Toa Payoh fire was known to keep many things, say residents Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Singapore 5 boys between ages 12 and 15 arrested for threatening boy with knife, 2 charged with causing hurt Singapore Money, housing and isolation the biggest struggles for youth leaving children's homes: Study Singapore Sota parent portal taken down for urgent patching following global cyberattack alerts Singapore COE prices for cars mostly unchanged; premium for commercial vehicles up 2.9% Singapore Cyclist charged after allegedly hitting elderly pedestrian, killing him "In Italy, clubs are developing very well. Our youth football is growing, which requires time. This year the U17s and the U19s got to the (Euro) semi-finals and this is a symptom of what is coming. The fruits will come in the long term," Soncin said. "For sure, many girls but also boys have become passionate about women's football. In future years, these boys will respect women who want to play football." REUTERS
Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Philippines settles for limited US tariff relief, but defence ties intact
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr taking a picture with US President Donald Trump at the White House on July 22. – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr flew to Washington on July 20, hoping to turn warm diplomatic ties with the US into tangible economic gains. But instead of a breakthrough, he is returning to Manila with a modest concession: a 1-percentage point cut in the reciprocal tariff rate on Philippine exports to the US, from 20 per cent to 19 per cent. In exchange, the Philippines agreed to remove tariffs on key American goods, including cars. It was not the outcome Manila had hoped for. The new rate is still higher than the 17 per cent announced in April by US President Donald Trump, and analysts say it spotlights the Philippines' limited bargaining power when dealing with an unpredictable but transactional US partner. Philippine trade negotiators had initially aimed to secure a free trade agreement or a bilateral comprehensive economic partnership deal. 'Well, that's how negotiations go,' Mr Marcos told reporters hours after Mr Trump announced the revised tariff rate on his Truth Social platform. 'When we arrived here in Washington, the tariff rate was 20 per cent... so we tried very hard to see what we can do,' he added, referring to the 1-percentage-point decrease. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore's domestic recycling rate drops to all-time low of 11% Singapore Male victim of fatal Toa Payoh fire was known to keep many things, say residents Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Singapore Five teens arrested for threatening boy with knife, 2 charged with causing hurt Singapore Money, housing and isolation the biggest struggles for youth leaving children's homes: Study Singapore Sota parent portal taken down for urgent patching following global cyberattack alerts Singapore COE prices for cars mostly unchanged; premium for commercial vehicles up 2.9% Singapore Cyclist charged after allegedly hitting elderly pedestrian, killing him That cut came at a cost. Mr Marcos confirmed the Philippines would open up previously protected sectors, including car imports from the US. Other American goods set to receive zero tariffs are still being determined. The Philippines also committed to buying more US products such as soya beans, wheat and medication, which Mr Marcos framed as a move to help Filipinos access more affordable essential goods. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 23 that the US is set to give the Philippines some US$60 million (S$76 million) in foreign assistance funding to support energy, maritime and economic growth programmes. Mr Rubio said the State Department also plans to work with the US Congress to allocate US$15 million to support investments and job creation along the Luzon Economic Corridor, a trilateral initiative with Japan and the Philippines launched in April 2024 to boost infrastructure and connectivity across Manila and surrounding provinces. Lopsided deal? Still, the asymmetry in the deal is hard to ignore. While Mr Trump praised Mr Marcos as a 'strong negotiator' during their joint press conference ahead of their bilateral meeting, he also quipped that the Philippine President was 'negotiating too tough', hinting that a larger concession had been left on the table. The result, analysts say, was not a clear win for Manila, but a strategic compromise. Dr Aries Arugay, visiting senior fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore and chairman of the University of the Philippines' Political Science Department, described the outcome as underwhelming. 'We are worse off than the original' position of the Philippines, he told The Straits Times, noting that South-east Asian neighbours like Vietnam and Indonesia had secured steeper tariff reductions from the Trump administration. 'Marcos was really hoping to make economic gains out of this trip. Unfortunately... the general outcome was not really what was expected,' Dr Arugay said. For Washington, success in this negotiation was always going to be measured differently. Mr Trump appeared content with the outcome, and he did not press the Philippines to increase its defence spending, as he has done with other allies. Manila may have accepted the limited economic gain to preserve goodwill with its treaty ally amid rising tensions with Beijing over the South China Sea, said Mr Georgi Engelbrecht, senior analyst for the Philippines at the International Crisis Group. 'I have a feeling (the Marcos government) was also thinking the priority is to keep Trump close to us, and what we can get is what we can get... It's not perfect, but it could have been worse,' Mr Engelbrecht told ST. Strong military ties Still, the Philippines was able to reaffirm its longstanding defence ties with the US, one of the key goals of Mr Marcos' trip. In that sense, both Dr Arugay and Mr Engelbrecht said Mr Marcos achieved what he needed: a reaffirmation of military cooperation with the US, no public scolding from Mr Trump, and enough progress to signal continuity in the alliance – even if it fell short of a clear economic win. Both Mr Trump and Mr Marcos voiced support for a planned US-funded ammunition production and logistics hub in Subic, a former US military base turned freeport zone located north-west of Manila. Touting America's military stockpiles, Mr Trump said the ammunitions hub is 'very important' and part of broader US efforts to bolster its posture in the Indo-Pacific, where Washington is locked in a rivalry for influence with China. Mr Marcos cast the project as part of his administration's 'self-reliant defence programme', aimed at modernising the Armed Forces of the Philippines and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers. 'It will help the Philippine modernisation of the military,' said Dr Arugay, but added that it also 'really reinforces American presence in the country through the EDCA sites'. He was referring to the Filipino military bases that American troops have access to under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement. The US initially had access to five bases, but Mr Marcos expanded that to nine in 2023. The proposed ammunition facility, initiated under the Biden administration with bipartisan support in the US Congress, is not without risks. Its location in Subic places it within striking distance of the South China Sea, raising concerns over potential escalation. But Mr Engelbrecht downplayed those fears, saying: 'China's not going to launch a rocket just because of that alone.' What matters more is Philippine control over how such facilities are used, he added. 'These are still Philippine bases. Marcos would still need to green-light any activity that the US wants to do,' Mr Engelbrecht said. Despite failing to get a steeper tariff cut, Mr Marcos was the first South-east Asian leader to meet Mr Trump at the White House since his re-election in 2024. That alone sent a signal that Mr Marcos remains a reliable US partner, said the analysts. Yet the challenge moving forward is clear: The Philippines cannot afford to rely on the US alone. 'The Philippines must hedge and diversify, like Indonesia did with its EU trade deal,' said Mr Engelbrecht. Dr Arugay agreed, saying: 'The Marcos administration should not put all its strategic economic and security eggs in the US basket. We must look for new markets.'
Straits Times
23-07-2025
- Straits Times
Sota parent portal taken down for urgent patching following global cyberattack alerts
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The attacks started on July 18, and are specifically targeting school-managed installations, Sota said. SINGAPORE - The School of the Arts (Sota) has taken down its parent portal for urgent patching on Jul 23 after it identified a severe server vulnerability that is being actively exploited in a global cyberattack campaign. In a message sent to parents via the Parents Gateway app on the morning of July 23, the school said: 'We are taking this critical step in response to an active and severe vulnerability identified in the third party server infrastructure supporting the portal. 'This vulnerability is currently being actively exploited in a global cyberattack campaign, which has already compromised organisations worldwide, including government agencies and multinational campaigns.' The attacks started on July 18, and are specifically targeting school-managed installations, Sota said in its message. The unnamed third-party service provider is aware of these reports concerning their server customers, said the school. 'To safeguard our systems and data against this critical threat, we are initiating an immediate and mandatory patching process for all school-managed servers that support our parent portal,' Sota said in the message. 'We are working diligently to complete the patching and restore full service as quickly and safely as possible.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore's domestic recycling rate drops to all-time low of 11% Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Singapore Local buyers are key to recovery of prime district condo market Singapore New online channel for public to report illegal ride-hailing services Singapore Ex-Tanjong Pagar United footballer charged with assault after Singapore Premier League match in Feb Singapore COE prices for cars mostly unchanged; premium for commercial vehicles up 2.9% Life The Projector will resume daily screenings at Golden Mile Tower. Is it exiting Cineleisure next? Singapore Cyclist charged after allegedly hitting elderly pedestrian, killing him The Straits Times has contacted Sota, Cyber Security Agency (CSA) of Singapore, and the Ministry of Education for more information. On July 22, CSA issued an alert notifying users of Microsoft SharePoint to update to the latest version of the software. 'Administrators are strongly advised to upgrade their on-premise Sharepoint Server with the latest emergency update provided by Microsoft,' said CSA. These vulnerabilities affect on-premises installations of Microsoft SharePoint Server Subscription Edition. Affected software include Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016. SharePoint 2010 and 2013 may also be affected by these vulnerabilities, said CSA in its notice. 'For SharePoint servers that do not currently have a patch or are unable to apply them immediately, Microsoft recommends that customers install the latest SharePoint security updates, enable Microsoft AntiMalware Scan Interface integration in SharePoint, and deploy Defender AV on all SharePoint servers,' said CSA. US National Nuclear Security Administration was among those breached by a hack of Microsoft's SharePoint document management software, Bloomberg News had reported.
The Star
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Over 80 per cent of scam emails globally targeted Japan in May: security firm
TOKYO: (Bernama-Kyodo) Over 80 per cent of email scams with identifiable senders targeted Japanese recipients in May, as advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) allow the use of more natural language, Kyodo News Agency reported citing US cybersecurity firm. Of the record-high 770 million scam emails sent globally in May, Proofpoint analysed 240 million containing sender data and found 81.4 per cent of those targeted Japanese speakers, the company said in a recent report. "Fraudulent emails were easily spotted previously because of unnatural wording, but the advancement of generative AI has helped produce natural sentences, enabling them to break through the language barrier," Proofpoint Japan's Yukimi Sota said. According to Proofpoint, which says it analyses around a quarter of emails sent globally, the volume of nefarious emails started increasing sharply around the time when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There were 100 million to 200 million such emails sent each month before 2025, but that figure surged to more than 500 million per month this year, the company said. Many are phishing emails sent from addresses posing as securities firms. They guide recipients to fake websites that are used to steal personal information such as email addresses and passwords, giving hackers the ability to hijack accounts. If corporate email and security credentials are stolen, it could give attackers access to unauthorised internal communication systems on which further phishing emails can be sent. According to Sota, the majority of email scams targeting Japan used a specific cybercrime programme that uses the Chinese language. The number of such emails plunged during the Lunar New Year from late January to early February. "Their unprecedented scale and sophisticated methods raise a possibility of an organised attack led by a foreign government," Sota said, calling on Japanese companies to enhance cybersecurity measures such as adopting multi-factor authentication. - Bernama-Kyodo
