Latest news with #Vers
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 12, 2025
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Containers are seen at the port in Qingdao, in China's eastern Shandong province on Aug 11, 2025. Trump signs order extending China tariff truce by 90 days US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending a tariff truce with China by another 90 days, a White House official said on Aug 11 with only hours to go before US tariffs on Chinese goods were due to snap back to triple-digit rates. The order followed a noncommittal answer by Mr Trump to reporters as to whether he would extend the lower tariff rates a day after he urged Beijing to quadruple its purchases of US soybeans. A tariff truce between Beijing and Washington was set to expire on Aug 12 at 12.01am Eastern time (12pm in Singapore). The order prevents US tariffs on Chinese goods from shooting up to 145 per cent, with Chinese tariffs on US goods set to hit 125 per cent, rates that would have resulted in a virtual trade embargo. 'We'll see what happens,' Mr Trump told a press conference, when asked how he planned to extend the deadline. 'They've been dealing quite nicely. The relationship is very good with President Xi (Jinping) and myself.' READ MORE HERE Trump open to Nvidia selling scaled-back Blackwell chip to China PHOTO: REUTERS US President Donald Trump signalled on Aug 11 that he'd be open to allowing Nvidia Corp to sell a scaled-back version of its most advanced AI chip to China. Mr Trump said he would consider a deal that would allow Nvidia to ship its Blackwell chips to China if the company could design it to be less advanced. 'It's possible I'd make a deal' on a 'somewhat enhanced – in a negative way – Blackwell' processor, he said in a briefing with reporters. 'In other words, take 30 per cent to 50 per cent off of it.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump seizes control of Washington police, deploys National Guard Business Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1 Singapore Keppel to sell M1's telco business to Simba for $1.43b, says deal expected to benefit consumers Singapore ST Explains: Who owns Simba, the company that is buying M1? Singapore Telco price undercutting expected to subside after sale of M1 to Simba: Analysts Singapore ST Explains: What is Vers and which HDB estates could it be rolled out in? Singapore For Vers to work, compensation should account for varied needs of HDB flat owners: Observers Singapore At least $2m lost in S'pore to govt official impersonation scams involving cryptocurrency in Q1 Nvidia declined to comment on the president's remarks. Mr Trump made his assertion on Nvidia's Blackwell chip while confirming that he'd hammered out a separate, unusual deal with Nvidia that will allow the company to sell its less-advanced H20 AI chip to China if it pays 15 per cent of revenue tied to those shipments to the US government. READ MORE HERE Child dies in Italy as European heatwave sets records and sparks wildfires PHOTO: REUTERS A young boy died of heatstroke in Italy while wildfires threatened a Unesco site in Spain and French cities saw record temperatures, as a heatwave baked Europe on Aug 11. Many towns and cities in France, Italy and the Balkans were put on red alert due to the heat. Wildfires fanned by strong winds forced the evacuations of thousands of people throughout the continent and threatened popular tourist sites in Turkey and Spain. READ MORE HERE Trump seizes control of Washington police, deploys National Guard President Donald Trump announced he would take federal control of Washington, DC's police department and deploy 800 National Guard troops there, escalating his push to exert power over the nation's capital. Mr Trump on Aug 11 also threatened to insert federal personnel into other cities, including New York and Chicago, if they did not crack down on what he called 'out of control' crime. During a White House news conference, Mr Trump painted a nightmarish picture of a Washington that's been 'overtaken' by 'bloodthirsty criminals' and 'roving mobs of wild youth' that was at direct odds with statistics showing plummeting crime rates. Violent crimes in the capital reached a 30-year low in 2024, the Justice Department announced weeks before Mr Trump took office in January. READ MORE HERE Sabalenka survives massive Cincinnati struggle with Raducanu Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka fought through a three-hour battle to hold off an inspired Emma Raducanu 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/5) on Aug 11 and reach the fourth round of the ATP and WTA Cincinnati Open. The top seed, who won the Cincinnati final a year ago over Jessica Pegula, increased her lead at the top of the WTA Tour match-win statistics as she secured her 49th of the season. But the struggle was real for Sabalenka, who finished with two aces in the closing stages.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Passenger aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ship injured after water slide breaks
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The passenger reportedly received severe cuts as he sped over the broken edge of the slide. A passenger aboard the largest cruise ship in the world was injured after part of a 14m-tall slide broke on Aug 7 as he was passing through it. The cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Icon Of The Seas, has since closed the slide for the remainder of its journey while an investigation is carried out. Data from cruise ship tracking website CruiseMapper showed that the ship was moving between St Thomas Island in the US Virgin Islands and Coco Cay in the Bahamas on Aug 7. 'Our team provided medical care to an adult guest when acrylic glass broke off a water slide as the guest passed through the slide,' a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said in a statement, reported CNN. 'The guest is being treated for his injuries. The water slide is closed for the remainder of the sailing pending an investigation,' said the spokesperson, adding that the passenger is in stable condition. It is unknown what the extent of the passenger's injuries are. The ship was slated to return to Miami on Aug 9, according to CBS News . There have been no further statements released from the cruise operator since then. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump seizes control of Washington police, deploys National Guard Business Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1 Singapore Keppel to sell M1's telco business to Simba for $1.43b, says deal expected to benefit consumers Singapore ST Explains: Who owns Simba, the company that is buying M1? Singapore Telco price undercutting expected to subside after sale of M1 to Simba: Analysts Singapore ST Explains: What is Vers and which HDB estates could it be rolled out in? Singapore For Vers to work, compensation should account for varied needs of HDB flat owners: Observers Singapore At least $2m lost in S'pore to govt official impersonation scams involving cryptocurrency in Q1 In a video posted on X by user Jim Muldoon, passengers can be heard shouting for the water slide to stop operating as water pours from the hole. 'Oh my god, someone just fell out of the slide,' a person says in the video. However, contrary to similar claims from passengers' videos circulating on social media, British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the passenger did not fall through the hole – he received severe cuts as he sped over the broken edge of the slide. His 'leg and back were cut open pretty bad', said X user @SauniR6 , sharing a closer image of the slide, with the hole appearing to have jagged edges. The slide in question was reported to be the 86m-long Frightening Bolt , which boasts a drop of 14m. It is housed aboard the ship in the nearly 1,600 sq m water park known as Category 6. Speaking to entertainment website Unilad , a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said: 'The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority. 'To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety on board our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines.' The six slides aboard the Icon Of The Seas are from German manufacturer , and are made from glass fibre reinforced plastic. The ship can carry up to 7,600 guests at full capacity alongside a 2,350-strong crew .
Straits Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Forum: Safety and reliability top priorities in OBU installation
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox We refer to Mr Ong Kok Soon's letter ' Advantages of ERP onboard units must not come at expense of safety or reliability ' (Aug 4). Safety and reliability are top priorities in the roll-out of the on-board units (OBUs) in ERP 2.0. To date, we have successfully installed OBUs in more than 650,000 vehicles, or about 65 per cent of all vehicles in Singapore. All installations are carried out by trained technicians in authorised workshops. To uphold consistent standards, the Land Transport Authority conducts regular audits of these authorised workshops and follows up on feedback received. As with any large-scale roll-out, some vehicles may also experience issues that require follow-up attention. When installed according to specifications, the OBUs do not interfere with vehicle systems. Investigations have also confirmed that OBUs were not the cause of any reported vehicle fires. Some vehicle owners have encountered issues such as unresponsive displays or detection problems at carparks and gantries, which may be due to hardware or device malfunctions. Vehicle owners who face issues should return to the workshop that installed their OBU. Unauthorised tampering with the OBU's wiring or placement were also found to affect OBU operations and functions. Vehicle owners are advised against adjusting the OBU positioning or wiring on their own, as this may affect its functionality and void its warranty. The recommended mounting position of the touchscreen display was developed in consultation with the motor industry and research by the Nanyang Technological University. This included psychophysical and rigorous eye-tracking studies to ensure that drivers' vision is not obstructed. Vehicle owners can also discuss preferred mounting positions with installers, fold down the screen, or choose to display information on their smartphones instead of the display unit. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump seizes control of Washington police, deploys National Guard Business Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1 Singapore Keppel to sell M1's telco business to Simba for $1.43b, says deal expected to benefit consumers Singapore ST Explains: Who owns Simba, the company that is buying M1? Singapore Telco price undercutting expected to subside after sale of M1 to Simba: Analysts Singapore ST Explains: What is Vers and which HDB estates could it be rolled out in? Singapore For Vers to work, compensation should account for varied needs of HDB flat owners: Observers Singapore At least $2m lost in S'pore to govt official impersonation scams involving cryptocurrency in Q1 To enhance safety, the touchscreen operates only when the vehicle is stationary or moving at less than 15kmh. Owners can also adjust the sound and brightness of the touchscreen display to their preference. We recognise that vehicle owners may need time to adapt when they install the new device. We thank owners for their support as we continue with OBU installations and introduce new features to improve driving experience. Vehicle owners can contact our ERP 2.0 Call Assist Service at 6377-2255 for any clarifications. Lam Wee Shann Deputy Chief Executive (Technology) Land Transport Authority
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Explosion reported at U.S. Steel plant, multiple people injured
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Firefighters spray water on the site of an explosion at U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, U.S. August 11, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from an aerial video. ABC Affiliate WTAE via REUTERS. An explosion at a U.S. Steel plant near Pittsburgh injured multiple people on Monday, and fire crews could be seen battling flames as heavy smoke rose from the facility, according to CBS News and other local news reports. Dozens of injuries were reported after the explosion at the U.S. Clairton Coke Works plant, which is owned by U.S. Steel, a subsidiary of Nippon Steel, ABC's WTAE affiliate in Pittsburgh said, without citing sources. The extent of the injuries was not known, it said. Clairton Mayor Rich Lattanzi told Reuters in a phone interview from the site on Monday that he believed almost a dozen people had suffered severe injuries in the blast. "I don't know if people are trapped," Lattanzi said. "There are ambulances and police and news media everywhere. It's a horrible day for Clairton. We're praying for everyone involved. We're just praying this isn't as bad as it looks." Lattanzi told Reuters he had heard one person was missing. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro posted on X that his administration was in touch with local officials in Clairton as they responded to the explosion. "The scene is still active, and folks nearby should follow the direction of local authorities," he wrote, asking readers to join him in prayer for the Clairton community. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump seizes control of Washington police, deploys National Guard Business Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1 Singapore Keppel to sell M1's telco business to Simba for $1.43b, says deal expected to benefit consumers Singapore ST Explains: Who owns Simba, the company that is buying M1? Singapore Telco price undercutting expected to subside after sale of M1 to Simba: Analysts Singapore ST Explains: What is Vers and which HDB estates could it be rolled out in? Singapore For Vers to work, compensation should account for varied needs of HDB flat owners: Observers Singapore At least $2m lost in S'pore to govt official impersonation scams involving cryptocurrency in Q1 An official told CNN that some people were trapped under the rubble, and emergency crews were working to reach them. There were no confirmed fatalities, said Abigail Gardner, director of communications for Allegheny County, according to CNN. The Clairton Coke Works, located on the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh, is the largest coke manufacturing facility in the United States. Coke is produced by heating coal at high temperatures. It is used in blast furnaces as part of the process of making steel. Clairton Plant operates 10 coke oven batteries and produces approximately 4.3 million tons of coke annually. The facility serves customers in the commercial coke market as well as U. S. Steel's steelmaking facilities. In June, Nippon Steel, Japan's biggest steelmaker, closed its $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel after an 18-month struggle to obtain U.S. government approval for the deal, which faced scrutiny due to national security concerns. REUTERS
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Trump open to Nvidia selling scaled-back Blackwell chip to China
Nvidia may be allowed to ship its Blackwell chips to China if the company can design it to be less advanced. WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump signalled on Aug 11 that he'd be open to allowing Nvidia Corp to sell a scaled-back version of its most advanced AI chip to China. Mr Trump said he would consider a deal that would allow Nvidia to ship its Blackwell chips to China if the company could design it to be less advanced. 'It's possible I'd make a deal' on a 'somewhat enhanced – in a negative way – Blackwell' processor, he said in a briefing with reporters. 'In other words, take 30 per cent to 50 per cent off of it.' Mr Trump made his remarks on Nvidia's Blackwell chip while confirming that he'd hammered out a separate, unusual deal with Nvidia that will allow the company to sell its less-advanced H20 AI chip to China if it pays 15 per cent of revenue tied to those shipments to the US government. AMD Micro Devices will deliver the same share from MI308 revenues, a person familiar with the situation has said, asking not to be identified discussing internal deliberations. The revenue-sharing agreement for the H20 chip – and the prospect of yet another one for Nvidia's Blackwell product – reflects Mr Trump's consistent effort to engineer a financial payout for America in return for concessions on trade. Such unprecedented arrangements, however, stand to set a precedent for all American companies doing business in the Asian nation and threaten the US government's national security rationale for export controls, experts said. Mr Trump didn't say exactly when he might negotiate a deal with Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang on the Blackwell chip but alluded to a possible meeting soon on the prospect: 'I think he's coming to see me again about that, but that will be a unenhanced version of the big one.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump seizes control of Washington police, deploys National Guard Business Lower-wage retail workers to receive up to 6% pay bump from Sept 1 Singapore Keppel to sell M1's telco business to Simba for $1.43b, says deal expected to benefit consumers Singapore ST Explains: Who owns Simba, the company that is buying M1? Singapore Telco price undercutting expected to subside after sale of M1 to Simba: Analysts Singapore ST Explains: What is Vers and which HDB estates could it be rolled out in? Singapore For Vers to work, compensation should account for varied needs of HDB flat owners: Observers Singapore At least $2m lost in S'pore to govt official impersonation scams involving cryptocurrency in Q1 Nvidia's Blackwell design is at the heart of the most powerful computers that create and run AI software. Those chips are currently too powerful to be sold into China, according to US restrictions. Nvidia and smaller rival AMD have seen their revenues in China slashed by increasingly tight US government restrictions on AI chip exports. While the Trump administration has begun granting permits for some chips to China, those products are older and only equivalent to domestic Chinese offerings, casting doubt on their attractiveness in that market. A newer, better offering might help promote Nvidia's standing with Chinese customers if it can get sign-off from the administration. When the US tightened restrictions in April, Nvidia said it would work on another chip for the China market and would seek permission to export that one. It cautioned that the older Hopper design, the basis of the H20 chip being sent to China only, could no longer be reduced in capabilities. BLOOMBERG
