President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has reappointed Lucien Wong as attorney-general for another three-year term.The new term will be from Jan 14, 2026, to Jan 13, 2029, said the Attorney-General's Chambers in a media statement on Friday (Oct 10). Wong was appointed as post-independence Singapore's ninth attorney-general on Jan 14, 2017, for a term of three years.He was reappointed for another two more terms on Jan 14, 2020, and Jan 14, 2023. AGC also said that Lionel Yee, who was appointed as deputy attorney-general on Jan 14, 2017, and reappointed for another two more terms in 2020 and 2023, will be reappointed for another three-year term.Yee's fourth term as deputy attorney-general will be from Jan 14, 2026, to Jan 13, 2029. [[nid:723384]]editor@asiaone.com 

Amid increasing global uncertainty, Singapore and New Zealand have elevated bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) to «turn challenges into opportunities», said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (Oct 10). PM Wong and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon were speaking at a joint press conference during PM Wong's first official visit to New Zealand this week, coinciding with 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.«Singapore and New Zealand may be small in size. But we have shown time and again that the power of our partnership far outweighs our scale. »By working closely together, I am confident [that] we can continue to turn challenges into opportunities, and deliver benefits for our peoples and the wider region," said PM Wong. Comprehensive Strategic PartnershipNew Zealand was Singapore's first bilateral free trade agreement partner in 2000. 

The woman found dead in a Sengkang HDB unit on Monday (Oct 6) reportedly held degrees from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the University of Cambridge.The 47-year-old woman, Xu Na, had been found dead along with her father in their home at Block 324D Sengkang East Way at around 1.35pm, according to the police.Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Xu Rong (transliteration), Xu Na's classmate from NUS, said that he immediately recognised Xu Na upon seeing the photo released by the police in their appeal for her next-of-kin.He subsequently contacted his classmates and confirmed her identity, and they all expressed sorrow over her passing.According to Xu Rong, he and Xu Na were undergraduate students at the same time and studied Computer Science at NUS. He also described her as introverted, polite and kind.«At first, we weren't very close. Then she joined the Chinese Language Society at NUS, so I got to know her better. She also likes sports, and I used to play table tennis with her,» he told Shin Min.

Singapore welcomes the agreement by Israel and Hamas to commence the first phase of US President Donald Trump's proposed plan to end the conflict in Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said. In a statement on Thursday night (Oct 9), an MFA spokesperson said the ceasefire and release of hostages «will bring great relief» to the people in Gaza and Israel. «Singapore commends the leadership of President Trump and the tireless efforts of all the mediators involved, especially the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, who have been instrumental in securing this agreement,» the ministry said.MFA also urged all parties to make further progress towards resolving outstanding issues in subsequent phases.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he welcomes the agreement by Israel and Hamas to commence the first phase of US President Donald Trump's proposed plan to end the Gaza conflict. In a Facebook post on Friday (Oct 10), PM Wong said that “it has been two long years” since the Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas. “Far too many lives have been lost, and the suffering has been immense”, said PM Wong.He also acknowledged the role of US President Donald Trump and the regional intermediaries.“I commend the leadership of President Donald Trump, and the invaluable efforts of Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in helping to achieve this breakthrough”. PM Wong added that the “road ahead will not be easy” and hopes that Israel and Hamas will soon reach a final agreement so that Gazans can begin to rebuild their lives and homes.

Unhappy with a six-year-old boy who had kicked a styrofoam wall at a mall, causing his daughter to fall, a man slapped the boy’s face and bruised it.The 39-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to three weeks’ jail on Oct 9. He had pleaded guilty on Aug 20 to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt.He cannot be named to protect the identity of his daughter, who was around three years old at the time of the incident and is referred to as X1 in court documents.In sentencing, District Judge Janet Wang called the assault unwarranted and unprovoked.“Even if the accused was upset by the victim’s (act)… this reaction was way in excess of proportion,” said Judge Wang.The court heard previously that the man, his wife and their three daughters had gone to an indoor playground at Westgate shopping mall in Jurong on Dec 22, 2024.At around 2.30pm, he saw the boy kick a wall made of multicoloured styrofoam building blocks while at least one of his daughters was standing near it.At least one of the building blocks then fell on the floor, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Joelle Loy.

A man who visited a car wash in Johor Bahru has warned other drivers against patronising the business, calling it a «nightmare».In a TikTok video posted on Wednesday (Oct 8), the man, believed to be Singaporean, is heard saying that the establishment's staff refused to do a «normal wash» for his vehicle.The short clip then shows three employees confronting the man, with one of them repeatedly asking him what his problem was and why he was filming.The video has over 431,000 views and nearly 8,900 likes as of Thursday.The Singaporean driver claimed that one of the employees had refused to wash his car as he had rejected the «water wax treatment», which was a pricier service. He also claimed that the staff member had said that because they did not get enough customers that day, they would only do a «water wax treatment» and no «normal wash».The driver added that when he tried to leave, the employees became aggressive and even pulled on his car door to stop him from closing it. They also demanded he delete the videos he took of the place.

Parts of The Clementi Mall were flooded on Wednesday (Oct 8) night, with some areas unwalkable due to the excess water.The incident was captured by a user on Xiaohongshu who uploaded three pictures of the mall at around 8.55pm on Wednesday night.The photos showed various parts of The Clementi Mall, located at 3155 Commonwealth Ave West, with its floors covered in water. One picture also showed some areas being cordoned off with «Caution wet floor» signs placed on the ground.A separate video of the incident was posted to TikTok on Thursday, showing staff cleaning the wet floors.@lunachloe0573Nowadays the weather a bit erratic...♬ Yuletide Reverie - Cotoshu

The long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release would not have been possible without US president Donald Trump, said Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Thursday (Oct 9).This came after Trump on Wednesday announced that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of his peace plan.It involves Hamas releasing 20 living hostages it is still holding, while Israel will withdraw its troops to an agreed line and free nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.Shanmugam cautioned that due to the volatile situation between the two sides, a peace deal agreement is “never done until it is done”.«At least there is more hope than there was previously,» he added. «Trump has to be commended tremendously for pushing both sides, and ultimately, only the United States of America can influence Israel's cause of action.»And he has done that. I think a lot of credit, even for us to be here, has to go to him."

A 3-room HDB flat in Bidadari has just been sold for a record price of $930,000.According to property news portal EdgeProp, the transacted price in October is the highest for three-room flats in Toa Payoh, which the Bidadari estate is part of.The 764 sq ft unit at Block 115C Alkaff Crescent began its lease in 2020 and has since fulfilled its five-year minimum occupation period (MOP), with approximately 94 years left on its lease to date.The selling price for the unit, located around the 16th to 18th floor, surpassed the $920,000 fetched by a unit on a lower floor in July this year.According to HDB data, another unit within the same block and located around the 13th to 15th floors changed hands for $900,000 in December last year.Potential windfallWhen it was first launched in the November 2015 Build-To-Order exercise, the indicative starting price for a 3-room HDB flat in the Bidadari estate was from $297,000, excluding grants.

A 66-year-old woman died after falling from a Toa Payoh HDB block on Wednesday (Oct 8).The police said in response to media queries that they were alerted to the case at Block 195 Kim Keat Avenue at about 10.20am.The woman was found lying motionless at the foot of the block and pronounced dead at scene by a paramedic from the Singapore Civil Defence Force.A photo shared with Stomp showed three individuals — two of whom were holding cloths — standing by a body covered with a white sheet. An object that appears to be a black shoe can be seen on the pavement.The police said that foul play is not suspected, based on their preliminary investigations.Police investigations are ongoing.

A car crashed into a road barrier in Yishun after speeding and attempting to overtake another vehicle on Oct 4.In a video posted to the Facebook page SGRV, a white Honda Civic can be seen accelerating and moving from the rightmost lane to the left in attempt to overtake a car.The car being overtaken was simultaneously moving towards the left lane, causing the Honda Civic to swerve.The Honda driver then hit a road barrier on the left, bumped into the car in the next lane and crashed into the road barriers.A netizen in the comments noted that the street has been undergoing construction for a period of time, while another added that there are often roadblocks due to the construction works.In response to queries from AsiaOne, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that the traffic accident occurred at around 3.10pm along Lentor Avenue.SCDF also said that one person was conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.Migrant workers help driverThe aftermath of the accident can be seen in a separate video posted to TikTok on Oct 5. 

A dog died in a hit-and-run accident in Serangoon on Monday (Oct 6), after its owner had allegedly allowed it to roam freely.In a Facebook post uploaded on Oct 6, a neighbour who recognised the dog said the accident occurred along Serangoon Avenue 1, outside Serangoon Terrace.A video shared in the post showed animal paramedics performing CPR on the dog, which appeared unresponsive. Speaking to AsiaOne, the neighbour, who wished to be known only as Adeline, said she was walking her two dogs at around 11.40pm when the incident happened.«As I was walking, I heard a loud thud, like something had fallen, and saw a van, so I thought something might have fallen from the vehicle,» she said.She added that as the van drove off, she noticed something lying on the road and felt that something was amiss.

National Trade Unions Congress (NTUC) chief Ng Chee Meng has expressed «deep concern» over a civil suit where the district court expressed its «unmixed dissatisfaction» at Income Insurance over its «wholly unreasonable behaviour». The court expressed its disappointment at how Income Insurance had handled claims by the family of a man who died five years after a traffic accident. In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Oct 8), Ng extended his sympathy to the late Ko Wah.«I wish to express my sincere sympathy to the family of the late Mr Ko Wah for the grief and the emotional distress they have had to go through in the past year,» said the labour chief. Court chides Income Insurance Ko was left bedridden and mentally incapacitated after he was knocked down by a van at the basement carpark of an industrial building in Toh Guan Road East in June 2019. He died in October 2024.Ko's son sued the driver of the van and the building contractor to seek damages for his father's disabilities, loss of income and medical and other related expenses in 2021.

The principal of River Valley Primary School has denied a parent's allegation that his son was assaulted by a fellow pupil during recess on Oct 6.In a TikTok clip that has since garnered over 750,000 views overnight, the Primary 3 pupil's father, Adrod, recounted the incident that happened earlier that day.In response to queries from AsiaOne, Jennifer Pang said on Wednesday (Oct 8) their investigation established that the incident involved three students, aged between eight and nine years old, instead of only two students as recounted by Adrod.Referring to the alleged bully as Pupil A and Adrod's son as Pupil B, Pang said that the third student, Pupil C, was a friend ofPupil B's.She said Pupil A had not punched Pupil B during the incident, as was alleged in the video.Pupil B and C chased down Pupil A to retrieve B's stolen wallet, when Pupil C «accidentally hit Pupil B's lips with the wallet during the tussle», she added.Pang also said that the school will help the students learn from the incident and work towards a positive resolution of the matter.  

FairPrice Group has received approval from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to operate driverless vehicles on public roads to transport goods.In a statement on Wednesday (Oct 8), the company said it is the first organisation in Singapore to receive approval from LTA to operate such vehicles.The group, which operates supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice, partnered with autonomous driving technology company Zelos Technology (Zelos) to conduct cargo transportation trials in October 2024, and obtained approval to transition to remote operations with the autonomous vehicles (AVs) in 2025, the statement said.The group aims to add about 30 such vehicles to its fleet.The Zelos Z10 AVs are the first fully driverless vehicles designed for logistics. It has a load capacity of up to 1.5 tonnes and a range of up to 210 km, and will be used for move goods between FairPrice's distribution centres, enhancing operational efficiency.

An eatery in Ang Mo Kio has accused a customer of trying to cheat his way to free meals by submitting dubious refund claims through food delivery platform Grab.Speaking to AsiaOne, Eleanor Ng, the owner of Soi 19 Thai Wanton Mee, said that they have encountered the same customer more than once — in June, August and the latest on Oct 1. His modus operandi was to make an order through the Grab app indicating special requests, but later claimed that items were missing from his delivery after they were delivered. Ng, 44, added that Grab then deducted the full amount from the eatery’s earnings after the customer made the complaint through the delivery platform. The eatery’s boss said that she had make two appeals to Grab through the app before the payments were released to her a week later. “That’s where we found [it was] unfair and started to take notice of the customer’s name,” she said. In a Facebook post on Oct 1,  the eatery said that the same customer had ordered from them again — but this time, the eatery was prepared.

Singapore Pools generated $12.7 billion in turnover for the financial year 2024/2025, according to its annual report, which was released on Wednesday (Oct 8).The amount surpassed the record $12.2 billion the previous year.Singapore Pools added that 97 per cent of the amount, amounting to $12.3 billion, was «dedicated to benefiting Singaporeans and the broader community» in the form of prize payouts ($9.45 billion), taxes ($2.28 billion) and Tote Board contributions ($575 million).«The Tote Board, in turn, uses these funds to support impactful causes in the arts, community development, charity, education, health and sports,» said Singapore Pools Chairman Kai S. Nargolwala and Chief Executive Officer Lam Chee Weng in their joint message.They added that the remaining three per cent ($353 million) was reinvested in business operations as well as technological upgrades «aimed at strengthening capabilities and improving customer experience».

SINGAPORE — The police are looking into a Singapore-based firm that has advertised online for jobs based here, only to later tell interviewees they would be working full-time in a Cambodian resort instead.The facility — Koh Kong Resort — has been sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department for its links to its owner, a Cambodian businessman sanctioned in the US for ill-treating trafficked workers at online scam centres. The resort is also cited by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in a scam-related report.The Singapore firm, Changting Network Technology, positions itself as a technology firm. It had advertised for various roles both on local and overseas job sites, with the purported roles supposedly based in Singapore.However, after securing the job, a hiring manager would inform candidates that they would be based at Koh Kong Resort instead.When contacted, the police said reports against the company had been filed, and that they are looking into the matter.

AUSTIN — The United States Senate confirmed Dr Anjani Sinha, an orthopaedic surgeon from President Donald Trump's home state of Florida, as the United States ambassador to Singapore in an en bloc vote on Oct 7.Dr Sinha was among a group of more than 100 nominees voted in with a simple majority after the Republicans changed Senate rules to end Democratic attempts to slowwalk the confirmation of Trump's appointees with a process that dramatically accelerated their confirmation.Several other appointees critical to Trump's Asia diplomacy were also confirmed in the 51-47 vote. These included nominees for senior State Department positions like Michael DeSombre as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Dr Paul Kapur as his counterpart in charge of South Asian Affairs.Sergio Gor was confirmed as the Ambassador to India while Sean O'Neill was voted in as Ambassador to Thailand.Some Democratic Senators objected to the fast-tracking of nominees, naming some as «blindly loyal» to Trump and «unqualified» for the job in speeches in the days leading up to the vote,

Bodies of a man and a woman were found in a Sengkang HDB flat on Monday (Oct 6), after a resident downstairs reportedly noticed a foul-smelling fluid dripping from her ceiling.The deceased were father and daughter, according to a Shin Min Daily News report.The Chinese evening daily stated that the woman was discovered in the living room while the man's body was found in the bedroom, in a badly decomposed state.In response to media queries, the police said it was alerted to a case of unnatural death at Block 324D Sengkang East Way at 1.35pm on Monday. A man, whose age is not known, and a 47-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the scene.A neighbour on the same floor as the deceased told The Straits Times that the woman appeared to be mentally unwell, and the family rarely left their home.The deaths were discovered after an elderly neighbour living in the unit below noticed liquid dripping from her ceiling on Monday morning, reported Shin Min.Her son, surnamed Zeng, said he visited his mother at about 9am to help clean the red-coloured fluid, which he described as «sticky» and «pungent».

Authorities are investigating cases of gastroenteritis at Raffles Girls' Primary School (RGPS) after 15 students developed symptoms on Oct 1.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a joint statement with RGPS and the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) today (Oct 7) that they are aware of the incident and are investigating it.The statement noted that RGPS immediately suspended the sale of the potentially implicated canteen food item as a precautionary measure, and staff closely monitored the well-being of all affected individuals.«RGPS also conducted a check with all students in the school immediately and observed that the rest of the students remained well,» the statement read. None of the students were hospitalised and all of them returned to school by Oct 2.According to The Straits Times, the affected students had consumed noodles.The statement also revealed that RGPS had informed all parents of the cohort about the situation, and that the school is currently working with CDA and SFA on investigations.

Local businesses hoping to digitalise and adopt artificial intelligence (AI) can find tailored solutions with support from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and partnerships with industry stakeholders.Speaking at the inaugural SMEs Go Digital Day held at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on Tuesday (Oct 7), Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, Tan Kiat How said that «SMEs can punch above their weight» with the effective use of AI.«We cannot stand still. Technology developments, especially AI is advancing rapidly. Customer expectations are increasing, demanding quicker responses and more personalised services,» he said.According to the Singapore Digital Economy (SGDE) report by the IMDA, the number of local SMEs adopting AI has tripled to around 15 per cent between 2023 and 2024 — resulting in cost savings of 52 per cent on average.Go Digital AdvisorAt the event, Tan launched Go Digital Advisor, a new tool in the IMDA's Chief Technology Officer-as-a-Service (CTO-as-a-Service).

The trial of Malone Lam, a Singaporean accused of carrying out a cryptocurrency heist involving hundreds of millions of dollars, was delayed at the last minute on Monday (Oct 6).The postponement was due to the case being «superseded with 11 more defendants and an additional RICO conspiracy count», they told CNA.«We have a status conference at the end of October and we anticipate a trial date being set at that hearing,» a spokesperson said.Lam, 20, faces multiple charges which include wire fraud, money laundering and RICO conspiracy. His trial date was initially set for Oct 6.According to the US Department of Justice, RICO refers to the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act. It is a law which was designed to target mafia bosses, reported The Economist.RICO conspiracy is a felony and the most serious charge Lam faces. It carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Wire fraud and money laundering each carry up to 20 years' jail.Lam and 12 of his associates had formed a «Social Engineering Enterprise» in late 2023 via online gaming platforms, according to prosecutors.

A two-year government grant of up to $100,000 will be available to local businesses that export or operate in overseas markets, amid concerns over the impact of the recent trade tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump.The Business Adaptation Grant (BizAdapt) will support up to 50 per cent of eligible costs for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and up to 30 per cent for non-SMEs, Enterprise Singapore said in a factsheet on Tuesday (Oct 7).The grant will be available from Oct 7 until Oct 6, 2027, and will cover two categories of businesses.The first group includes companies that export to or operate in overseas markets and are affected by the tariffs, and the second group includes businesses with manufacturing facilities locally or overseas that support to reconfigure their operations.  For the first group, the grant will help them conduct free trade agreements, trade compliance assessments, legal and contractual advisory and supply chain optimisation and market diversification advisory.

The police have warned members of the public to be wary of calls from people claiming to be M1 or Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) employees as they could be scammers.At least 13 cases of government official impersonation scams involving MAS and M1 have been reported since September, with total losses amounting to at least $362,000, said the police in an advisory issued on Monday (Oct 6).Victims would usually receive unsolicited calls, including on WhatsApp, from scammers posing as M1 employees.The callers would then claim the victims had outstanding payments or mobile phone deliveries linked to existing mobile plans. Upon denying having such subscriptions, victims would be told to contact «customer service» via WhatsApp to terminate them.Their calls would be connected to another scammer pretending to be an MAS officer, who claimed their personal details had been misused for criminal activities such as money laundering or fraud.Victims were then instructed to transfer money to what the scammers referred to as «safety accounts», make payments via PayNow or cryptocurrency, or hand over cash to strangers. 

SINGAPORE — Teachers in Singapore schools are spending fewer hours teaching and marking, but they are clocking more work time overall due to non-teaching tasks.These include lesson planning, student counselling, co-curricular activities and communicating with parents, a new global survey has found.Singapore's teachers reported working an average of 47.3 hours a week, higher than the OECD average of 41, according to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) released on Oct 7.In the previous edition of the survey in 2018, teachers here said they put in 46 hours a week.The survey's findings also indicate that Singapore teachers are quick to adopt digital technologies, with three in four using artificial intelligence (AI) to teach or facilitate student learning. This is more than double the global average of 36 per cent.The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development study polled 194,000 teachers worldwide, with a total of 55 education systems joining the latest round.

Remember to look up on Tuesday (Oct 7) evening for the first of three supermoons of the year — the Harvest Moon. Its appearance comes right after the Mid-Autumn Festival on Monday (Oct 6), the 15th day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. In the past, the Harvest Moon gave farmers in the Northern Hemisphere extra hours to gather crops with its evening glow.The supermoon on Oct 7 will begin rising around 7pm and will be visible in the sky from around 8pm onwards in Singapore.Keen observers can visit open public areas such as East Coast Park, Marina Barrage, and the Southern Ridges. Supermoons occur when the moon's orbit is closer to the earth, making the moon appear larger and brighter than usual. It will be visible to the naked eye as long as the skies remain clear.According to the weatherman, the 24-hour forecast for tonight will be partly cloudy.The next supermoons after Tuesday's are the Beaver Moon on Nov 5 and the Cold Moon on Dec 4, symbolising the onset of winter.

A drivers' association in Malaysia is calling for Singapore-registered private-hire vehicles (PHV) to be barred from entering the country.The Southern Private Hire Vehicle Association made this demand in a Facebook post on Monday (Oct 6) night, urging Malaysian authorities to act on their requests immediately.In addition to stopping Singapore PHVs from entering Malaysia, the group is asking for the government to start legalising local cross-border point-to-point services, as well as to strictly penalise Singapore PHVs operating illegally in Malaysia.«End the vague 'let's not harm each other' stance and shift towards concrete action,» states another request.The association said that the list of demands was created with agreement from group members and industry stakeholders.«Our industry is not demanding special privileges — we are merely calling for a fair and level playing field,» it added.«If no action is taken soon, local operators will be pushed to the brink of survival, and the industry's order and stability will become increasingly difficult to sustain.»

The task force formed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and train operators SMRT and SBS Transit has convened an independent advisory panel of rail experts to assist in improving rail reliability in Singapore.The task force, chaired by LTA chief executive Ng Lang and includes the CEOs of SMRT Group and SBS Transit Group, aims to address the recent spate of train service disruptions.This will be done by reviewing the incidents to identify worn out components and conducting full audits of the maintenance and operation of critical systems.It will also look at reducing the impact of service delays to commuters, LTA, SMRT and SBS Transit said previously.On Monday (Oct 6), the task force, formed in September 2025, said the independent panel will review the findings of the technical audits and share international best practices that can improve rail reliability.The five-member panel consists of Ir Dr Tony Lee Kar Yun, Patrick Bauchart, Dr Cai Chang Jun, Professor Tsay Huel-Sheng and Kon Shinichiro, who each have different expertise in areas including operations and maintenance, signalling technology and power supply systems.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) will be getting a new leader after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced a leadership change on Monday (Oct 6).How Kwang Hwee, 46, will be appointed Commissioner of Police on Jan 6. He will take over from Hoong Wee Teck, 62, who is retiring after 10 years in the role.How joined the SPF in 1998 and rose to his present post as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Policy) in 2024.He had previously led the Operations Department as its director and was also the Deputy Commissioner for Investigation and Intelligence. How is credited with leading the planning and execution of several major operations, including the security operations of the Trump-Kim Summit in 2018 and the anti-money laundering cases which resulted in the arrest of 10 foreign nationals. 

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of an 18-year-old woman who was reported missing on Oct 3.In a news release on Monday (Oct 6), the police said Nurin Huraiyah Binte Hasnizam was last seen on Oct 3 at around 5pm in the vicinity of Block 556 Bedok North Street 3.Anyone with information is urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential, said the police. [[nid:723311]]editor@asiaone.com 

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has extended his condolences to the families of those who died in the Optus outage.The Australian telco is wholly owned by Singtel.In an interview with Australian broadcaster ABC on Thursday (Oct 2) and released on Monday (Oct 6), PM Wong noted that he fully understands the anger and frustration caused by the incident.«I would like to extend my condolences to everyone who has been impacted by the outage, especially the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.» A 68-year-old woman and two men, aged 74 and 49, died and more than 600 customers were affected across Australia after Optus' emergency call services suffered an outage for about 13 hours on Sept 18. This was Optus' second major outage since 2023.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be making his first official visit to Australia and New Zealand as head of government from Oct 6 to 11.His visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with both countries, and also reaffirms the excellent state of bilateral ties, said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a statement on Oct 6. PM Wong will visit Australia from Oct 6 to 9, and will hold the 10th Singapore-Australia leaders' meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.The leaders will also participate in the signing of the joint declaration to launch the upgraded Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. PM Wong will also call on Governor-General Sam Mostyn and meet with leader of the opposition Sussan Ley.He will then leave Canberra for Sydney where will meet with New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, senior business leaders, and have a dialogue at the Lowly Institute. 

Three people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a HDB flat kitchen in Toa Payoh on Monday (Oct 6).Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at Block 63, Lorong 5 Toa Payoh at around 9.45am.Upon arrival, SCDF found that the kitchen of a third-floor unit was on fire and that the blaze was extinguished using a water jet.As a precaution, about 50 residents from the affected block were evacuated by the SCDF and the police.Two people were assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital, while another person who felt unwell was sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.SCDF added that preliminary findings indicate that the cause of the fire is likely from an electrical origin in the kitchen.