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Straits Times
30 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Car review: BYD Seal, Hyundai Ioniq 6 battle for Cat A supremacy
The slightly sportier BYD Seal (left) versus the cushier and roomier Hyundai Ioniq 6. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM SINGAPORE – If you are among the minority of motorists who still prefer sedans for their sleeker, lower-slung design and the attendant superior driving dynamics, here are two mid-sized options. Both are electric rear-wheel-drive models that qualify for the slightly less punitive Category A certificate of entitlement (COE). Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Torque Shop: Buying a used car with a modified exhaust system
If a car cannot pass the periodic inspection, it has to be taken off the road. ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG Is it a problem buying a second-hand car that does not have a catalytic converter? It is a requirement for cars to be equipped with a catalytic converter, or 'cat', which is part of the car's exhaust system. Removing the cat is therefore illegal. Any vehicle that originally came with a factory-fitted cat will not be issued with an inspection certificate if the cat is missing or tampered with. Without this certificate, it will not be possible to renew the car's road tax. Catalytic converters look like exhaust mufflers. Inside, they are filled with very expensive natural elements – such as platinum, palladium and rhodium – that chemically treat exhaust gases to reduce carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides and hydrocarbons. If the cat is not working, you may notice a distinctive smell of exhaust gas when the engine is idling. While your car should still run smoothly, missing a catalytic converter means the exhaust gases are not being treated to alleviate the polluting components emerging from an internal combustion engine. Catalytic converters can be expensive, costing more than a few hundred dollars, and they are model-specific. If you are lucky, you may find a used one at a scrapyard. Otherwise, you will have to get a new one from a parts supplier. An inspection, whether at your own motor workshop or the inspection centres, will reveal if the exhaust system has been modified. Modifications may involve part of the system being changed. Look out for signs of cuts or welds. Unless the modification has been certified, any deviation in the exhaust system will be deemed illegal. Non-approved modifications are strictly forbidden in Singapore, even if the noise and emissions test results are within legal limits. While there may be aftermarket exhaust systems that are approved for road use, they must be certified in Singapore before use. Even with certified modifications, it is important to check that the vehicle's identification number and engine number match the records on the registration document from the Land Transport Authority. Arrange for an experienced mechanic from an authorised workshop to confirm that neither of these numbers has been altered. It would be a nightmare to find that your recently purchased used car is blacklisted, during a routine inspection, because of a discrepancy in the documentation. If the car cannot clear the inspection, it has to be taken off the road. The safest thing to do when shopping for a used car is to insist on a pre-purchase inspection to avoid such risks. If the seller refuses, walk away from the transaction. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Cook Islands PM decries New Zealand's ‘patronising' aid pause
Cook Islands PM Mark Brown defended his nation's ties with China, saying they did not 'compromise' its independence. PHOTO: AFP WELLINGTON - Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown on June 20 condemned 'patronising' neighbour New Zealand, which halted aid to the Pacific island nation after it signed a slew of deals with China. Major partner New Zealand has halted millions of dollars in aid to Cook Islands, citing a 'lack of consultation' over agreements struck with China in February. Self-governing Cook Islands has a 'free association' pact with New Zealand, its former colonial ruler which provides budgetary assistance as well as help on foreign affairs and defence. 'The relationship between the Cook Islands and New Zealand is defined by partnership, not paternalism,' Mr Brown said in a speech to Parliament. 'Decisions to unilaterally pause core sector support reflect a patronising approach inconsistent with modern partnership.' Mr Brown defended his nation's ties with China, saying they did not 'compromise' its independence, adding that no military or defence arrangements had been made. 'No debt commitments, no erosion of our national sovereignty,' he told Parliament. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visited Beijing on June 20, where he was welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. 'There are no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interest between China and New Zealand,' Mr Xi told Mr Luxon, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. The readout did not directly mention Beijing's relationship with the Cook Islands or Wellington's spat with its former colony. Mr Luxon meanwhile reaffirmed in a statement New Zealand's interest in the 'peace, security and prosperity of the Pacific'. 'Repair and restore trust' The Cook Islands caught New Zealand off guard when it signed a string of agreements with China covering deep-sea mining, regional cooperation and economic issues. A New Zealand government spokesperson said aid had been paused because of a 'lack of consultation' surrounding the agreements. New Zealand provided US$116 million (S$149.09 million) to Cook Islands over the past three years, according to government figures. It was due to make an US$11 million development payment in the coming months and would not consider resuming funding until the Cook Islands government took steps to 'repair the relationship and restore trust', the spokesperson added. China and the Cook Islands have both pushed back, with Beijing's foreign ministry saying on June 19 that the deals 'should not be interfered with'. Mr Brown added that the nation had been 'open and transparent'. China has looked to boost diplomatic, economic and security ties with Pacific Island nations in recent years, sowing unease among traditional regional powers the United States, Australia and New Zealand. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
9 months' jail for former primary school teacher who touched seven-year-old pupil in class
The father of three was given a discharge amounting to acquittal on two similar charges ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG 9 months' jail for former primary school teacher who touched seven-year-old pupil in class SINGAPORE – A former primary school Chinese teacher has been sentenced to nine months' jail after he admitted to using criminal force on his pupil with the intention to outrage her modesty. The father of three was given a discharge amounting to acquittal on two similar charges. These charges were not read out in court. On June 20, District Judge Lim Tse Haw said the man, 38, had breached a sacred trust between him and his pupil – for whom he was the Chinese language and form teacher . Sometime around 2019, the seven-year-old pupil approached the man to find out the name of a song he had played in class earlier. As she approached the man, who was sitting down near the front of the classroom, the man reached out and touched the pupil underneath her school skirt. They were alone at the front of the class at this time, as the other pupils were queuing up to go for recess. After three years, she decided to confide her experience to the school's vice- principal in April 2022 . A police report was then made. The judge said: 'Teachers are held in high regard by society. By virtue of the trust we ( place) in them to impart knowledge and good moral values in our students, parents therefore entrust their children in the good hands of our teachers for these reasons.' He pointed out that the pupil in this case was just seven years old. There is a gag order imposed to protect her identity. 'Although the touch was fleeting and did not intrude into her private parts, there was skin on skin contact with her inner thigh under her skirt – a sensitive part of the female body.' The judge added: 'The psychological harm, which included suicidal thoughts and potential problems with interpersonal relationships later in life, could be prolonged.' The Ministry of Education had previously told The Straits Times that the man had been dismissed in April 2022, and that he is no longer teaching in any school. For each count of molesting a child below 14 years old, an offender can be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned or receive any combination of such punishments. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Figure skating-Japan's Sakamoto to retire after 2026 Winter Olympics
FILE PHOTO: Mar 28, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) wins silver in Womens Free Skating during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS Three-times world figure skating champion Kaori Sakamoto is to retire after the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics next year, the Japanese 25-year-old told reporters in Kobe on Friday. Sakamoto became the first woman in 56 years to win the figure skating world singles title three times in a row last year, matching the feat of American Peggy Fleming, who won three world titles between 1966-68. "I feel like I have less than a year left. I'll be 29 at the following Olympics, which is out of the question," Kyodo news reported Sakamoto as saying. "I'll try to bring things to a close the year I turn 26." Sakamoto, who won bronze at the 2022 Winter Olympics, missed out on a fourth straight world title in March when she finished runner-up to American Alysa Liu. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
