While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 5, 2025
At least 13 people were dead after flash flooding hit south-central Texas early on July 4, with more than 20 girls at a summer camp still missing.
At least 13 people dead, 20 missing in Texas flash flood
At least 13 people were dead after flash flooding hit south-central Texas early on July 4, officials said, with more than 20 girls at a summer camp still unaccounted for.
'We have identified 13 fatalities,' Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told a press conference, after devastating floods swept through the region north-west of San Antonio. He warned more casualties were likely.
Some of the dead were children, Texas Lieutenant-Governor Dan Patrick said.
'About 23' girls were unaccounted for from Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River, which rose 8m in 45 minutes overnight, Lt-Gov Patrick added.
READ MORE HERE
US plans AI chip curbs on Malaysia, Thailand over China
The US wants to prevent China from obtaining AI chips through intermediaries in the two South-east Asian nations.
PHOTO: REUTERS
President Donald Trump's administration plans to restrict shipments of AI chips from the likes of Nvidia to Malaysia and Thailand, as part of an effort to crack down on suspected semiconductor smuggling into China.
A draft rule from the Commerce Department seeks to prevent China – to which the US has effectively banned sales of Nvidia's advanced AI processors – from obtaining those components through intermediaries in the two South-east Asian nations, according to people familiar with the matter.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang
Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival
Singapore PAP has begun search for new candidates; PM Wong hopes to deploy them earlier ahead of next GE
Singapore 20 retired MPs spoke up on many issues in Parliament, helped successors prepare for new role: PM Wong
Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches
Singapore Banks tighten vigilance and processes following $3b money laundering case
Asia JB petrol station shooting: Dead man with bullet wounds dumped at hospital
Singapore Trilateral work group formed to address allegations of foreigners illegally taking on platform work
The rule is not yet finalised and could still change, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss private conversations.
READ MORE HERE
Russia brushes off talks after largest assault on Ukraine
Russia on July 4 said that it sees no immediate diplomatic way out of the war in Ukraine, hours after pummelling the war-torn country with its largest ever drone and missile barrage of the invasion.
The hours-long bombardments sent Ukrainians scurrying for shelters across the country and came after a call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which ended without a breakthrough.
Mr Trump also said he had made no progress in discussions with Mr Putin on ending more than three years of bitter fighting since the Kremlin ordered its troops into neighbouring Ukraine.
READ MORE HERE
Czech Republic hit by major power outage
Crashed cars are seen at an intersection in Prague, after a power outage caused traffic lights to stop working on July 4.
PHOTO: REUTERS
A power outage in large parts of the Czech Republic, including Prague, trapped people in public transport and lifts and idled factories on July 4 after a fallen high-voltage cable disrupted the network.
The incident is likely to add to concerns about the resilience of Europe's power infrastructure after Spain suffered the worst blackout in its history in April and a fire knocked out the power supply to London's Heathrow airport in March.
'There was a massive power outage in part of Prague and in the northern and eastern Czech Republic around 12pm today,' the Industry and Trade Ministry said. 'The cause was the fall of a power cable, not a cyberattack nor a failure of renewable resources.'
READ MORE HERE
Liverpool's Diogo Jota mourned at hometown wake
Floral tributes to Diogo Jota outside Liverpool's Anfield Stadium on July 4.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Hundreds of residents of Gondomar in northern Portugal filed past the bodies of former Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva at a chapel in their hometown on July 4, after their deaths in a car crash in Spain.
At an earlier private wake, Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, FC Porto President Andre Villas-Boas, Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proenca and Jota's longtime agent Jorge Mendes joined the brothers' family including Jota's wife Rute Cardoso, who had married the footballer just weeks earlier.
'It is a moment of great pain for the family, who are left anchored to this tragic accident,' Proenca said as he left the wake.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Tastemakers: The Halal Mixologist builds alcohol-free bar brand
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox In September 2023, Max Ahmad decided to try a new concept and opened Muslim-owned R.I.B. Soul Food in Jalan Kubor. SINGAPORE – By the time Mr Max Ahmad turned 32, he had packed up a six-year career in public service, opened two backpackers' hostels and launched Singapore's first halal rooftop bar. The year was 2017. Atap Bar was carved out of a corner of his second shophouse hostel's rooftop. He served up mocktails under strings of fairy lights, with nary a drop of alcohol. 'I wanted to show that you can have fun, experience nightlife, without alcohol,' says Mr Max, now 40, who is founder of lifestyle company Seriously Fun Collective. He has since added on a string of concepts – Wanderlost Lounge, Fairytail Bar, R.I.B. Soul Food and the now-shuttered poolside oyster bar Nauti Nauti. His e-commerce platform Mockohol, currently closed for restocking and scheduled to reopen by end-2025, sells bottled alcohol-free drinks. He also runs the Halal Mixologist Academy, opened in June 2024, which offers courses on crafting mocktails. Mr Max Ahmad wants to show people nightlife can be fun without alcohol. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Revenue peaked in 2021 at $5 million. Today, his business brings in close to $2 million annually, supported by a lean team of 15. Early drive His entrepreneurial streak was shaped by a sporting childhood. His father, a tennis coach, now aged 68, started training him at five. He was the middle child with two older sisters, now aged 43 and 42, and two younger brothers, aged 37 and 33. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival Asia Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes south-western Japan islands as temblors continue Singapore Tan Cheng Bock and Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership Life 'I applied to over 300 jobs': What people wish they knew before they got laid off Asia Dream wheels, Malaysian deals: Singaporean car lovers find affordable indulgence across the border Asia How a Singaporean heatproofs himself to cope with 40 deg C summer in Chongqing 'My father taught me the importance of winning,' he recalls. 'Sport is competitive. It made me have a mindset to be the best at what I do.' From age seven, weekends meant rising at 6.30am for a 5km run, then two hours of tennis. Weekdays after school were filled with tennis or tuition. While classmates dreamed of being doctors or lawyers, he trained his sights on business. 'I wanted to do something different – where I could stand a chance at winning. Not what everyone else was aiming for,' he recalls. His only toys were racquets and tennis shoes. 'I didn't have much leisure or play growing up,' he says. 'So, I'm now making up for lost time – while combining it with work.' He named his company Seriously Fun Collective. His title? Chief Player. Employees are called Players. But the discipline he learnt in boyhood stayed with him. 'Nothing is handed to you on a silver platter. We have to earn what we want,' he says. 'There is no free lunch in this world.' In junior college, his father handed him two tennis students. Coaching brought in $500 a month, enough for him to stop receiving pocket money. At Nanyang Technological University, where he studied business, his father paid for his first year of study. He funded his remaining two years himself. He charged $80 an hour for tennis coaching, ran court game boot camps at $1,000 a student and recruited other varsity players as coaches. By the time he graduated with a business degree in 2010, he had earned nearly $100,000 – enough to pay his school fees, buy a Vespa and save $50,000. 'That's how I funded my first business,' he says. 'I am not from a rich family. It was all from work I put in.' After graduation, Mr Max joined a statutory board as a manager, where his work entailed working with hotels to develop staff training and development programmes. Meetings with industry partners were often held at hotel lounges, which served alcohol. Although no one partook of alcoholic beverages at those meetings, such venues made Mr Max feel uncomfortable. That discomfort sparked the idea of starting a dry bar. He was also inspired by the world of hospitality and dreamt of running his own hotel, though it felt out of reach. So, he settled for hostels. In 2016, at 30, he left his job after amassing $200,000 in savings. He convinced five friends to pool $375,000 to take over the 50-bed Moni Gallery Hostel in Lavender Street. He ran operations himself and lived on-site. At the end of 2017, he took over the 50-bed The Shophouse Hostel in Arab Street with a new partner. 'The others found the first hostel marginally profitable and not worth their while,' he says. Launching his first halal bar Both hostels brought in thin profits and were sold by end-2019. But it was at his second backpackers' hostel that Mr Max made his foray into the food and beverage industry. It had a 600 sq ft rooftop space, which served as his first halal bar. He spent $60,000 fitting out a 30-seater space and opened Atap Bar in December 2017. 'The idea was to have a bar that served fully non-alcoholic drinks,' he says. 'When I asked my Singaporean-Chinese friends if they'd go to a place like this, they told me I was crazy. People want to drink alcohol at a bar, not mocktails, they told me. 'There was no existing bar like this for me to learn from. I felt I had to try to see if it works.' The kampung-themed bar served mocktails based on local folklore. For example, Sang Nila Utama ($14) was a fizzy blend of elderflower cordial, lemongrass, ginger juice, topped with soda water. 'It took me three weeks to learn how to make drinks and bar bites from YouTube. I had no cooking experience,' he recalls. Food included chicken karaage and nuggets, sold at $8 a plate. Business was poor. 'After the official launch party, we hardly had any paying customers,' he says with a grimace. 'There were many days when it was just my bar manager and me looking at each other , waiting for customers. By the end of the first month, I told him I may have to let him go.' In the second month, a Muslim blogger featured Atap Bar. The post went viral. His bar was full house for months after, which prompted the landlord to raise the rent by 50 per cent. His response was to close the bar in October 2018. Two months later , he launched Wanderlost Lounge at the now-demolished Realty Centre's rooftop in Tanjong Pagar, with his eldest sister and another silent partner. It cost them $150,000 to renovate the hidden spot in an old office block with zero foot traffic. Drinks at the 1,500 sq ft space, which seated 60, were themed after storybooks such as The Little Prince and The Alchemist, and priced at $15+. He says: 'It was all about marketing. I wanted to gamify the experience – make it fun for visitors to seek out this hidden spot.' He targeted young Muslims and teetotallers in their 20s and 30s. Word spread that the much-hyped Atap Bar team was behind it. Within six months, the business turned profitable and broke even by end-2019. Business expansion In December 2019, he and his sister sunk in another $30,000 to refurbish a 1,200 sq ft al fresco space at D'Hotel in Outram Road into another rooftop bar with 45 seats. Fairytail Bar opened in February 2020, just as Covid-19 fears were mounting. When the circuit breaker was announced in April, Mr Max had 10 employees across both bars on his payroll. He recalls: 'We didn't operate, but we continued paying rent. I was very stressed and panicking.' A lifeline came two months later when the hotel, converted into a quarantine facility for migrant workers, asked Mr Max to cater meals for the quarantined guests. His staff pivoted to food prep and packaging. Both bars reopened by July 2020 and were packed again almost every night, with social distancing measures in place. Business held steady through 2021. Revenue hit $5 million and his staff strength rose to 30. In February 2021, Mr Max met his future wife online. By October, they were married. 'I was 35 and felt it was time,' he says. 'I was ready to settle down and I knew she was the one.' 'Our friends and family were shocked we moved so fast,' he says with a laugh. 'But they all agree we are a great match.' In August 2021, Wanderlost Lounge moved out of Realty Centre to Bugis+ mall, where it reopened in December 2021. But as borders reopened and Singaporeans started revenge travelling, receipts fell. In June 2023, Mr Max and his sister spent $130,000 to open Nauti Nauti – a poolside oyster and seafood bar in River Valley, renovating the space previously occupied by a Japanese restaurant. He closed it a year later after incurring a $200,000 loss. Its poor location was a deal-breaker. With no MRT station nearby, getting there felt like a trek. 'We took four months to decide on closing it,' recalls Mr Max. 'By then, the pandemic was pretty much over and customers had less patience for hunting down an oddly located restaurant or bar.' No amount of marketing could save it. It was the first setback for Mr Max, who had not experienced any business failures up to then. He realised his hidden-location strategy no longer worked in an increasingly fickle and novelty-seeking market. Fairytail Bar also closed in August 2023 for hotel renovations. Back on track But ever the optimist, in September 2023, he decided to try a new concept and opened Muslim-owned R.I.B. Soul Food in Jalan Kubor, which serves American Southern soul food such as Crispy Catfish ($19.90+) and Southern Okra Gumbo ($27.90+), featuring the use of Cajun spices. This time, he roped in his wife, now aged 34, who works at a Chinese internet tech firm, as a silent partner. They spent $30,000 on the 950 sq ft unit, which seats 25 indoors and 15 outdoors, and has an R&B theme with menus printed on vintage vinyl records and album sleeves. Appealing to a young Muslim crowd of diners aged 18 to 30s, they recouped their initial investment after 15 months. Mr Max Ahmad at R.I.B Soul Food. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Popular items there are the Mama's Back Ribs ($38.90+), which is BBQ beef back ribs served with roasted vegetables and mashed potato. Mama's Back Ribs at R.I.B Soul Food. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI As well as the tongue-tingling Cajun Jambalaya ($29.90+), which is spicy Cajun rice with a medley of prawns, clams, mussels, catfish and beef meatballs. Cajun Jambalaya at R.I.B Soul Food. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI There are also spooky-themed mocktails, a nod to the restaurant's proximity to the Jalan Kubor Cemetery situated across Victoria Street. Boo Hag ($16+) is a concoction of blue peaflower tea, yuzu, grape and soda. There is also Vampire Venom ($15+), made with strawberry, mint and orange, and served in an IV drip bag. (From left) Mama's Back Ribs, Boo Hag, Butterbeer Tower, Cajun Jambalaya and Vampire Venom at R.I.B Soul Food. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI As always, Mr Max works 12-hour days. He splits his time between Wanderlost Lounge and R.I.B. Soul Food, runs mocktail workshops for schools and corporate clients looking for team-building sessions, and offers consulting to businesses looking to upgrade their drink menus. 'Being the owner of an F&B business, you are not just a boss,' says the employer of 15 people now. 'You also have to sometimes take on the roles of therapist, counsellor, financial adviser and dish out advice to employees facing personal problems.' But he does not regret a moment of it and intends to forge on, carving out new businesses as he goes along. He intends to move into food production, such as healthy drink supplements. He is also diverisfying into marketing services for other F&B businesses. 'I encourage everyone to run a business if they have a chance, at least once in their life. When you start to run a business, it strengthens your resolve and you learn to be resilient.' He adds: 'When you light a lamp for others, it also brightens your own path.'
Straits Times
42 minutes ago
- Straits Times
CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Members using the platform will see a personalised dashboard, with content and resources tailored to their current life stage. SINGAPORE - The Central Provident Fund (CPF) has rolled out a new digital platform that gives members access to financial planning tools, to make better use of their savings. With the 'Plan Life Ahead, Now!' (PLAN) platform, which is available on the CPF app and website, members can project their retirement savings and payout, calculate their home purchase budget, and assess the affordability of health insurance premiums. Members using the platform will see a personalised dashboard, with content and resources tailored to their current life stage. The platform was rolled out on July 5 during CPF's 70th anniversary commemorative book launch event. CPF Board CEO Melissa Khoo said PLAN is being rolled out to empower members to take charge of their financial health. With the retirement payout planner, members can map out their payout goals, and explore ways to leverage CPF to achieve their goals, such as through top-ups. The home purchase planner shows CPF members their home purchase budget, loan options and how their housing decisions can impact their retirement payouts. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival Asia Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes south-western Japan islands as temblors continue Life 'I applied to over 300 jobs': What people wish they knew before they got laid off Singapore Tan Cheng Bock and Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership Asia Dream wheels, Malaysian deals: Singaporean car lovers find affordable indulgence across the border Asia How a Singaporean heatproofs himself to cope with 40 deg C summer in Chongqing World Hamas says it responds to Gaza ceasefire proposal in 'a positive spirit' With the health insurance planner, members can compare premiums and key features across different Integrated Shield Plans and make informed decisions about their healthcare coverage, CPF said. The platform also provides educational resources on financial planning, and a financial fitness questionnaire that allows users to assess their overall financial health beyond CPF matters. Developed in collaboration with national financial education programme MoneySense, it asks questions such as: 'How much savings do you have available in case of an emergency?', and provides relevant tips. In her speech, Ms Khoo said CPF has a deep sense of purpose in being a cornerstone of Singapore's social security system, adding that the fund will continue to innovate as part of a commitment to its members. She said: 'As retirement aspirations become more diverse and with healthier longevity, I believe these values will continue to steer us in meeting future needs.' To commemorate its 70th anniversary, CPF Board on July 5 launched the 'Save & Sound: 70 Years of CPF' book which chronicles the organisation's journey through the years. PLAN with CPF features a personalised dashboard for CPF members to explore retirement payout, home purchase and health insurance planners, among other functions. PHOTO: CPF BOARD It includes behind-the-scenes perspectives from current and former Ministers, leaders and staff of CPF Board, and stories from people of how CPF impacted their lives. The book is not for sale. A digital copy is available at . Members of the public can visit an exhibition about CPF's history at Our Tampines Hub till July 10, where they can also try 'PLAN with CPF'. Talks on housing, healthcare and retirement will be available on July 5 and 6.
Business Times
42 minutes ago
- Business Times
EU-US trade talks focus on tariff offset for automakers
[LONDON] Some European Union carmakers and capitals are pushing for an agreement with US President Donald Trump that would allow for tariff relief in return for increasing investment in the US, according to sources familiar with the matter. Member states were briefed on the status of trade negotiations on Friday (Jul 4) after a round of talks in Washington this week and were told that a technical agreement in principle was close, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The EU has until Jul 9 to clinch a trade arrangement with Trump before tariffs on nearly all of its exports to the US jump to 50 per cent. Trump has imposed tariffs on almost all US trading partners, saying he wanted to bring back domestic manufacturing, needed to pay for a tax-cut extension and stop other countries from taking advantage of the US. US and EU officials will keep negotiating over the weekend, the sources said. European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said that 'progress was made towards an Agreement in Principle during the latest round of negotiations which took place this week' and 'the Commission will now re-engage with the US on substance over the weekend'. Any deal ultimately rests on Trump and expected scenarios for next week include an agreement in principle that maintains the current truce without new tariffs being introduced; talks continue without a deal and country-specific levies that were suspended come into force; or the US considers the EU has not met its terms and announces more unilateral tariffs, according to the sources. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month backed the idea of a so-called offsets rule that would provide tariff relief of European carmakers that produce automobiles in the US. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The commission, which handles trade matters for the EU, has not endorsed an offsetting mechanism for cars, according to the sources. EU officials worry such a move would divert production and investments away from Europe. The EU has indicated it's willing to accept an arrangement that includes a 10 per cent universal tariff on many of its exports, but wants the US to commit to lower rates than that on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, alcohol, semiconductors and commercial aircraft, Bloomberg reported earlier. The EU is also pushing the US for quotas and exemptions to effectively lower Washington's 25 per cent tariff on automobiles and car parts, as well as its 50 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium. The sources cautioned that discussions remained difficult and member states had different views on the level of imbalance they are prepared to accept in any deal. Any initial deal would likely be short and not legally binding, the sources said. The two sides are also seeking an agreement on non-tariff barriers, digital trade and economic security. Some capitals have said they want a quick deal and do not want to escalate, while others want to negotiate from a position of strength by responding to Trump's levies with countermeasures. The EU has been seeking an initial framework agreement with the US that enables a two-step approach, covering non-tariff matters first and then the detail of Trump's universal rates and other tariffs to be negotiated beyond the Jul 9 deadline, the sources said. The two sides have also been discussing agricultural standards and tariff rates, where, one of the sources said, the US has offered to bring rates to 17 per cent from the originally planned 20 per cent, which would be above pre-Trump levels. Talks on Trump's sectoral tariffs on cars as well as steel and aluminium have been particularly difficult and are not expected to be solved by next week, said the sources. On economic security, the two sides have been seeking common ground on screening outgoing and incoming foreign investments, as well as export controls, the sources said. The US has also been pushing to include public procurement in any agreement. 'We want a negotiated solution, but you will know that at the same time we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached,' Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters on Thursday. 'We will defend the European interest as needed, in other words, all the instruments are on the table.' The EU has approved tariffs on 21 billion euros (S$31.5 billion) of US goods that can be quickly implemented in response to Trump's metals levies. They target politically sensitive US states and include products such as soybeans from Louisiana, home to House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as agricultural products, poultry and motorcycles. The bloc has also prepared an additional list of tariffs on 95 billion euros of American products in response to Trump's so-called reciprocal levies and automotive duties. They would target industrial goods including Boeing aircraft, US-made cars, and bourbon. The EU is also consulting member states to identify strategic areas where the US relies on the bloc, as well as potential measures that go beyond tariffs, such as export controls and restrictions on procurement contracts. The EU will assess any end result and at that stage decide what level of asymmetry it's willing to accept and whether any rebalancing measures would be required, Bloomberg previously reported. BLOOMBERG
