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Straits Times
2 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
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Greece arrests gang smuggling cocaine-infused leather from Latin America
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox ATHENS - Greek police have dismantled a gang that had been hiding cocaine in sheets of leather that were smuggled from Bolivia to Greece on container ships, police officials said on Friday. They said the method used by the gang signalled a shift in methods for smuggling the drug from South America to Europe. Eleven people have been arrested so far, including nationals form Bolivia and Spain, after police monitored the suspects for months following a tip-off by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the officials said. The gang had set up a laboratory in Athens to extract the cocaine from the leather, which had been dried with salt, they said. Police confiscated at least 300 packages with salt mixed with cocaine and estimated the total amount of cocaine in the lab to be more than 800 kg (1,764 pounds). The suspects are expected to appear before a prosecutor to respond to the charges on Friday. This is Greece's second case involving cocaine poured into garments. In late May, police dismantled a ring which was smuggling clothes soaked into liquid cocaine from Ecuador. REUTERS 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
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Japanese airlines to ban power banks in overhead compartments from July 8
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox From July 8, passengers on board all 23 Japan-based airlines must ensure their portable chargers are visible to cabin staff. Japan's transport ministry has announced that air passengers must keep their power banks in plain sight and not in overhead bins, local media reported this week. From July 8, passengers on board all 23 Japan-based airlines must ensure their portable chargers are visible to cabin staff, reported The Asahi Shimbun. Passengers may charge their devices only in locations where the condition of the power bank can be monitored by cabin crew, The Japan Times reported. Currently, the Japanese transport ministry prohibits passengers from checking in power banks. Batteries exceeding 160 watt-hour (Wh) are banned, while passengers may only bring on board two battery packs rated between 100Wh and 160Wh. The announcement by Japan is the latest in a series of similar moves by other airlines following a spate of inflight cabin fires involving power banks. On Jan 28, 2025, an Air Busan plane caught fire while preparing for departure at Busan's Gimhae International Airport in South Korea, injuring three people. All 169 passengers and seven aircrew were evacuated. The incident was reportedly caused by a power bank. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seller's stamp duty hike will curb short-term speculation; market effect likely minimal: Analysts Singapore Foreigners taking on platform work illegally; NTUC calls for work group to look into 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 Asia Malaysia dismantles ISIS network involving workers from Bangladesh Life Book review: OB Markers sequel Ink And Influence makes catch-22 proposal for The Straits Times Following this incident, passengers boarding flights in South Korea were required to carry portable batteries and chargers on themselves from March 1 . On Feb 24, the cabin of a Batik Air plane was filled with smoke shortly before landing, reportedly from a burning power bank. The plane was on route to Bangkok's Don Mueang International Airport from Johor Bahru. No one was injured. In 2024, three incidents of overheating lithium batteries on planes a fortnight were recorded globally by the US Federal Aviation Administration, compared with just under one incident a week in 2018. In recent months, airlines have imposed bans on charging power banks in-flight and restrictions on overhead storage. Since April 1, passengers aboard Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot flights have not been allowed to use power banks to charge their personal devices in-flight. SIA and Scoot passengers are also not allowed to charge portable power banks via on-board USB ports throughout the duration of the flight. Thai Airways has imposed a complete ban on the usage of power banks during flights since March 15. Passengers are only permitted to bring their power banks on board provided they adhere to capacity limits set by the Thai Civil Aviation Authority. Budget carrier AirAsia has also barred the charging of devices with power banks during flights. More recently, China's Civil Aviation Administration said on June 26 that power banks can only be brought on board if it is clearly marked with the China Compulsory Certification. Power banks that have been recalled by manufacturers due to safety reasons are also prohibited. China has prohibited passengers from charging devices using power banks on board since 2014.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Chinese national missing in Thailand rescued, embassy warns of shady job offers
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BEIJING - A Chinese national who went missing in Thailand after accepting a photoshoot job has been rescued, according to China's embassy in Bangkok, which cautioned Chinese citizens against simply accepting job offers. The embassy said in a statement that the rescue of a person with the surname Zhong was a joint effort of various parties but did not release details. The embassy did not give the person's full name or reveal their gender. China's state-backed local media reported on Friday that a 23-year-old Chinese man by the surname Zhong had been tricked and trafficked into Myanmar after arriving in Thailand for a magazine cover photoshoot in early June. His sister, who received a suspicious call from him weeks ago when he was in an unidentified location in Myanmar, had reported him missing to police in Guangzhou and Bangkok, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said. The embassy in Bangkok warned Chinese citizens to be vigilant against dubious "high-paying jobs" overseas, clarifying that Thailand requires foreign nationals to obtain appropriate permits to work there. The warning comes as concerns about human trafficking and fraudulent employment schemes targeting Chinese nationals abroad grow. Criminal networks have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people to scam compounds across Southeast Asia, many along the Thai-Myanmar border, where victims are forced to work in illegal online schemes, according to the United Nations. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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 Multiple charges for man accused of damaging PAP campaign materials on GE2025 Polling Day Singapore Jail for man who recruited 2 Japanese women for prostitution at MBS Singapore Seller's stamp duty rates for private homes raised; holding period increased from 3 years to 4 Asia Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region Asia Indonesian rescuers widen search for missing after ferry sinks World Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending Bill wins congressional approval The latest incident echoes a similar case that caught national interest in January, when a 31-year-old Chinese actor was duped into a film job in Thailand only to be kidnapped and taken to an online scam compound in Myanmar to work. He was eventually freed by Thai police. After that case, China and Thailand agreed to set up a coordination centre in Bangkok to investigate and combat the scam complexes. The Chinese embassy in Myanmar published a long notice on its WeChat account on Friday addressing the "emergence of new telecommunication network fraud methods". It listed tips and 20 key phrases to look out for, aimed at educating the public in identifying frauds. REUTERS
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Design News: Harvey Norman opens at Lot One, design a Smeg fridge, Gardens by the Bay's rose display
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The grand opening of Harvey Norman at Lot One. The store is spread across 1,300 sq m on Level 3 of the neighbourhood mall. Harvey Norman opens new store at heartland hub Lot One Australian retail group Harvey Norman has just opened its newest store at Lot One, making it the chain's 12th store islandwide. The store is spread across 1,300 sq m on Level 3 of the neighbourhood mall in the heart of Chua Chu Kang, offering a wide range of popular electronic goods and home appliances. These include next-generation laptops powered with artificial intelligence (AI), washing machines, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and the latest roll-outs of gaming products. Shoppers can also look forward to Harvey Norman's 'Shop with Confidence' policy, which includes price guarantees, same-day delivery, a 14-day exchange policy and options for product care and maintenance. The chain chose the mall for its location, which offers easy access to transport nodes such as MRT, LRT and a bus interchange. Connection to the new Jurong Regional Line is expected in 2027. Info: The new Harvey Norman Lot One store is at 21 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4. Go to Harvey Norman's Singapore Facebook page (@HarveyNormanSGP) for updates on promotions and in-store sales events. – Chantal Sajan Smeg's fridge design contest Members of the public are invited to submit SG60-inspired designs for Smeg fridges as part of the brand's ongoing contest. PHOTO: SMEG With Singapore's 60th National Day coming up, Italian home appliance brand Smeg is getting into the festive spirit with a fridge design competition. The Swee, Swee, FABulous lah! Contest invites submissions in the junior category, open to those 17 years old and below, and open category, for those 18 years old and above. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seller's stamp duty rates for private homes raised; holding period increased from 3 years to 4 Asia Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region Singapore Multiple charges for man accused of damaging PAP campaign materials on GE2025 Polling Day Singapore Jail for man who recruited 2 Japanese women for prostitution at MBS Asia Indonesian rescuers widen search for missing after ferry sinks World Trump eyes simple tariff rates over complex talks, says letters will start going out on July 4 World Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending Bill wins congressional approval Business More Singapore residents met CPF Required Retirement Sum when they turned 55 in 2024 Designs for the open category will be for the FAB28 refrigerator, while designs in the junior category are for the smaller FAB10 refrigerator. There are cash prizes available for the winners, and the winning designs will be showcased on actual Smeg fridges in the brand's showroom at Marina One. After the contest closes on July 20, members of the public will be able to vote for their favourite designs from July 21 to 25. The winners will be announced on July 26. – Yamini Chinnuswamy Info: Go to Gardens by the Bay's mid-summer rose display The Rose Romance display can be seen at the park's Flower Dome. PHOTO: GARDENS BY THE BAY The latest seasonal display at the Gardens by the Bay's Flower Dome places the elegant rose front and centre. Until July 20, visitors can enjoy the colourful sight and pleasant fragrance of more than 15,000 roses from 65 varieties. Highlights include the Rosa Marchenzauber, which boasts creamy white petals and an apricot-pink centre. This rose, which some rose enthusiasts have dubbed 'Fairytale Magic', is said to have a sweet and fruity scent. The Rose Deep Love, meanwhile, carries a dark raspberry pink hue and double the petal volume of the classic roses. The flowers will be accompanied by displays of items with meaning and significance in British history and culture, such as a replica of the Caernarfon Castle in Wales, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site. – Yamini Chinnuswamy
