Daily roundup: Kite string rips through clothes and bag strap, nearly strangles motorcyclist on KL highway — and other top stories today, World News
1. Kite string rips through clothes and bag strap, nearly strangles motorcyclist on KL highway
The Singapore Police Force's Airport Police Division (APD) and Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) have been piloting a new police patrol robot named Gibson since early July.
This indoor robot, which was built to enhance police presence and improve officers' mobility, can also be used as a means of transport... » READ MORE
2. MOM probes alleged fake injury claim by Sumo Salad employee amid police probe into owner's death
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Monday (July 21) that it was looking into a fraudulent work injury claim made against EatGreen, the operator of eatery Sumo Salad... » READ MORE
3. Chinese actor Zhang Yiyang revealed to have been executed for murder of 16-year-old girlfriend
Chinese actor Zhang Yiyang was recently revealed to have been executed by a firing squad in December last year for killing his 16-year-old girlfriend... » READ MORE
4. Long John Silver's slowly shifts to 24/7 operations, here are 4 outlets now open round the clock
Often feel peckish in the middle of the night? Long John Silver's has got your back.
In a Facebook post on Saturday (July 19), the fast food chain shared that they have progressively been shifting to 24-hour operations since March... » READ MORE
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Straits Times
33 minutes ago
- Straits Times
New online channel for public to report illegal ride-hailing services
10 illegal chauffeurs had their foreign-registered vehicles impounded during a sting conducted at Changi Airport on July 18 SINGAPORE - It is now easier for the public to report illegal ride-hailing services with a new online form the Land Transport Authority (LTA) launched on its OneMotoring website. This initiative is part of LTA's ongoing crackdown on unlicensed drivers providing point-to-point transport services within Singapore, as well as those ferrying passengers across the border to Malaysia The new reporting platform went live on July 20. Submissions will be used by the LTA for investigations. As at July 23, the agency has yet to receive any reports through the new channel. Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling said on Facebook on July 23 that the reporting channel was set up for users to provide information on foreign-registered cars providing ride-hailing services. 'Let us work together to protect the interests of both passengers and drivers,' she added. Two recent enforcement operations were conducted on July 11 and 18. Acting on tip-offs from the public and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA ), LTA officers arrested 32 people at Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay for providing illegal ride-hailing services. The vehicles involved were impounded . These unlicensed drivers offered rides within Singapore and cross-border services. Under the current legislation, drivers must have a valid Public Service Vehicle Licence ( PSVL ) to offer point-to-point transport services in Singapore, as well as for cross-border services. Offenders can be fined up to $3,000 , jailed up to six months, or both. Their vehicle can also be forfeited. Cross-border transport is restricted to Singapore- and Malaysian-registered taxis who have been approved by both countries' authorities. These taxis can pick up and drop off passengers only at designated locations . Besides the PSVL, Malaysian-registered taxis must also have an Asean Public Service Vehicle Permit. In a July 19 Facebook post, the LTA warned the public against using illegal ride-hailing services because the vehicles do not have the necessary insurance and pose safety risks. In addition, passengers who use such services may find their journeys affected during enforcement operations. LTA also highlighted how such services affect the livelihood of licensed drivers. Since 2022, the authorities have caught 104 drivers for using foreign-registered vehicles for cross-border trips without permission. LTA said that those who have been charged and convicted had been slapped with fines of up to $2,600 and vehicle forfeiture.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Microsoft says Chinese state-backed hackers exploiting flaws in attacks
Microsoft said it had identified at least two China-based groups linked to the Chinese government that it said had been taking advantage of security flaws in its SharePoint software. BEIJING – Microsoft said that Chinese state-sponsored actors were exploiting vulnerabilities in one of its popular collaboration software products, SharePoint, which is used by US government agencies and many companies worldwide. Microsoft said in a notice on its security blog on July 22 that it had identified at least two China-based groups linked to the Chinese government that it said had been taking advantage of security flaws in its SharePoint software. Such attacks aim to sneak into the computer systems of users. Those groups, called Linen Typhoon and Violet Typhoon, were ones that Microsoft said it had been tracking for years, and which it said had been targeting organisations and personnel related to government, defence, human rights, higher education, media, and financial and health services in the United States, Europe and East Asia. Microsoft said another actor, which it called Storm-2603, was also involved in the hacking campaign. It said it had 'medium confidence' that Storm-2603 was a 'China-based threat actor'. The US government's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a notice that said it was aware of the hacking attack on SharePoint. It added that it had notified 'critical infrastructure organisations' that were affected. 'While the scope and impact continue to be assessed,' the agency said, the vulnerabilities would enable 'malicious actors to fully access SharePoint content, including file systems and internal configurations and execute code over the network.' A Microsoft spokesperson wrote in an emailed response that the company had been 'coordinating closely' with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Department of Defense's Cyber Defense Command and 'key cybersecurity partners globally throughout our response'. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China has routinely denied being behind cyberattacks and asserts that it is a victim of them. Microsoft said in its blog post that investigations into other actors also using these exploits were still ongoing. Eye Security, a cybersecurity firm, said that it had scanned more than 23,000 SharePoint servers worldwide, and discovered more than 400 systems had been actively compromised. The cybersecurity firm also noted that the breaches could allow hackers to steal cryptographic keys that would allow them to impersonate users or services even after the server was patched. It said users would need to take further steps to protect their information. Chinese hackers have shown growing sophistication in their ability to penetrate US government systems, leaving American officials increasingly alarmed. During a breach of the US telecommunications system last year, Chinese hackers were able to listen in on telephone conversations and read text messages, members of Congress said. The hack was considered so severe that former President Joe Biden took it up directly with President Xi Jinping of China when they met in Peru in November. In this latest breach, Microsoft said hackers had been using the software weaknesses to attempt, and gain, access to 'target organisations' since as early as July 7. It issued security updates and urged users to install them immediately. Microsoft revealed the vulnerabilities in SharePoint this month, but at first patched them only partially. It said on July 19 that it was aware of active attacks trying to exploit those vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity firms had said that they believed Chinese actors were among those attackers, even before Microsoft said so on July 22. SharePoint helps organisations create websites and manage documents. It integrates with other Microsoft services such as Office, Teams and Outlook. Microsoft said the vulnerabilities affected only on-premises SharePoint servers, meaning those managed by organisations on their own computer networks, and not those operated on Microsoft's cloud. Palo Alto Networks, a cybersecurity company, said in a post about the breach that on-premises servers 'particularly within government, schools, health care (including hospitals) and large enterprise companies' were 'at immediate risk.' 'A compromise in this situation doesn't stay contained, it opens the door to the entire network,' the cybersecurity company said. NYTIMES
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
HK police arrest 18-year-old for writing ‘seditious words' in toilet
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Hong Kong has taken a flurry of enforcement actions under security law commonly known as Article 23. HONG KONG – Hong Kong police arrested an 18-year-old on suspicion he left what they called 'seditious' messages in a toilet, adding to a recent series of national security actions that signal the authorities' continued efforts to curb dissent. The man is accused of being 'involved in writing seditious words in a commercial building toilet on three separate occasions', the government said on July 23. The content allegedly provoked hatred and disaffection against the government and incited others to defy the law. The move is the latest in a flurry of enforcement actions against perceived threats to the Chinese state in the former British colony. Hong Kong is seeking to burnish its status as a finance hub after its image took a hit from strict pandemic controls and clampdown on political freedoms. Earlier in July, police arrested four men for allegedly advocating independence for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. In June, the local authorities took their first known joint operation with Beijing's security officers to investigate a case of alleged foreign collusion. Police also banned a Taiwanese video game for allegedly calling for armed revolution. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore S'pore'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 Youth Courts will take a new approach to cases, focused on underlying issues and supporting needs Life The Projector will resume daily screenings at Golden Mile Tower. Is its Cineleisure exit next? Singapore Ex-Tanjong Pagar United footballer charged with assault after Jurong East Stadium match Business Singapore's digital banks finding their niche in areas like SMEs as they narrow losses in 2024 Asia Japan Prime Minister Ishiba to resign by August, Mainichi newspaper reports Life New Pokemon theme park to open in Japan in early 2026 In its statement on July 23, the National Security Department of the police charged the man for carrying out 'with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention', a crime that is punishable by up to seven years of imprisonment on first conviction. The offence is defined in the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, commonly known as Article 23, which was fast-tracked into domestic law in 2024. It has been invoked in addition to the Beijing-imposed National Security Law of 2020, which the authorities used to detain and imprison dozens of leading democracy activists. BLOOMBERG
