Singapore relies on the sea for much of its need, including energy, food and trade, and hence it is a «fundamental national priority» for the city state to keep its maritime approaches open and secure, said Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam.«It is a matter of survival,» he added, while speaking at the launch of the second Victory-class multi-role combat vessel (MRCV) named Valour at ST Engineering Marine's Benoi shipyard on Thursday (July 23).Turning to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, Shanmugam, who is also Minister for Home Affairs and will assume the additional role of Senior Minister on July 27, pointed out that the conflict's impact has resulted in rising energy costs worldwide.He noted that Singapore has not been spared, with electricity tariffs and petrol prices having gone up, resulting in impact on businesses and households.

A 54-year-old woman lost more than $410,000 worth of gold bars after falling victim to a scam and handing them over to a man posing as a plain-clothes police officer.The Malaysian man, identified as Turah Raju Subramaniam, 39, pleading guilty on Tuesday (July 21) and was sentenced to three years and two months' jail, Shin Min Daily News reported.According to court documents, she was contacted by someone claiming to be from a bank's anti-fraud department, who told her she was linked to a fraudulent $5,400 transaction.She was then transferred to another scammer posing as a senior investigator from the Ministry of Law, who falsely claimed she was under investigation for money laundering. The scammer sent her fake documents stating that she was wanted by the authorities and that her assets would be frozen.The woman was then instructed to transfer $1 million into her credit card account before purchasing gold bars.Following the scammers' instructions, she went to Mustafa Centre and bought 1,600 pieces of 24K gold bars worth more than $412,000.

What was meant to be a five-minute journey turned into a trip to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department for the husband of content creator Sarah Cheng-De Winne.In a social media post, Cheng-De Winne recounted how her husband, Mark De Winne, was flung from his kick scooter and landed several metres away on «hard concrete».«On impact, he couldn't move his limbs or body for more than a minute,» she wrote. Cheng-De Winne said the incident took place earlier this week, when her husband was on his way home after dropping their son off at preschool. The 24-second video shows clips from the past few days, including De Winne being taken to hospital in an ambulance and his subsequent stay there. According to Cheng-De Winne, doctors initially ruled out a brain injury, cervical issue and fractures through scans and X-rays. However, De Winne continued to experience severe pain in his left forearm and fingers despite suffering the worst abrasions on his right arm, which likely bore the brunt of the fall. «He can't close his left hand, grip or carry anything,» she wrote.

A man in Singapore was fined $2,000 on July 10 after he made false declarations when applying for his wife's visa.Tan Kim Lam, 65, was arrested along with his wife, Lin Qiaoming, by Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers on May 8 following an investigation into the offence.He is the first person to be prosecuted under section 57(1)(ka) of the Immigration Act 1959, which came into effect on Dec 31, 2024.Tan first met Lin, now 49, in 2002 through mutual friends in Singapore. Lin was a social visitor at the time.Lin, a Chinese national, then left Singapore illegally to avoid detection as she had failed to regularise her stay after her social visit pass had expired, ICA said.After returning to China, Tan and Lin still kept in touch.Lin purportedly entered Singapore multiple times between 2009 and 2015 under an assumed identity to avoid being identified for her previous offences.Despite lacking proficiency in English, Tan acted as her sponsor for her visa applications under the assumed identity.

The volume of foreign currency purchases on the domestic market with settlement on July 21 also totaled $61.4 mln

Four dry-cargo ships and two sea bulkers carrying military cargoes for the Ukrainian armed forces to the ports of Odessa and Chernomorsk were struck overnight to July 22, and also during the day

According to the report, the conflict is unlikely to shift decisively without a major escalation, including the deployment of ground forces

The Russian Armed Forces are conducting measures to search for and eliminate Ukrainian soldiers still hiding in the basements

Many mercenaries have been killed, while others have broken their contracts and left Ukraine, Alexander Bastrykin pointed out

Canada's premiers are sitting down with Prime Minister Mark Carney Thursday in Charlottetown, where they say they're hoping for more insight into how he plans to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump.

These three charts break down which sectors are in the crosshairs, which provinces will be the hardest hit and how the tariffs will be felt on both sides of the border.

Italy is seeking to extradite Carlo Bruzzese, a Toronto-area man accused of serving as a high-ranking member of the powerful Calabrian 'ndrangheta criminal syndicate, CBC News has learned. The son of a purported mob boss, the 41-year-old Bruzzese was recently arrested by Toronto police.

Private airport operators are flagging significant delays in project implementation. Security vetting approvals from BCAS are taking an unacceptably long time. These delays impact operational efficiencies and passenger convenience at major airports. The Association of Private Airport Operators has requested faster processing timelines. They seek to ensure timely capacity enhancements and improved passenger facilitation.

India's expanding cities are encroaching upon rivers, reducing their width and flow. Many rivers now carry more sewage than freshwater, impacting ecosystems and communities. Efforts to clean these waterways face challenges from ongoing pollution and development pressures. The Brahmaputra river faces erosion, while the Ganga struggles with industrial and ritual waste. Protecting river floodplains and managing sewage are crucial for their survival.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding student protests and police actions. She questioned the government's handling of demonstrations and alleged police brutality against students. The Prime Minister announced fast-track courts for paper leak cases amid ongoing parliamentary protests. Opposition MPs demanded the Education Minister's resignation while BJP leaders called for debate. Tensions briefly escalated between rival party members outside Parliament.

La Communauté du Pacifique (CPS) apporte son expertise technique à ses États membres, dont la Polynésie française. En visite au Fenua, son directeur général, Paula Vivili, rappelle l'importance de soutenir de l'organisation de la Conférence des droits humains à Papeete. Il évoque aussi les Jeux du Pacifique et le Climat.

La fête a mal tourné mardi soir à Outumaoro. Un wagon du manège « le Dragon Vert » s'est désolidarisé de ses essieux en plein parcours. Quatre enfants ont été blessés, dont une fillette de 4 ans, gravement touchée à la tête et opérée dans la soirée.

Fermé depuis début juillet en raison de graves difficultés financières, le foyer catholique Taurua devrait recevoir une subvention de 12 millions de francs du Pays dans les prochains jours.

Figure bien connue du cyclisme polynésien, Taruia Krainer a été percuté par une voiture ce lundi soir à Arue, alors qu'il s'entraînait. Hospitalisé, son pronostic vital n'est pas engagé, mais ses blessures nécessitent une immobilisation d'au moins deux mois. Un accident qui relance le débat sur la sécurité des cyclistes sur les routes polynésiennes.

Depuis le 18 juillet, les quelque 300 habitants de Nukutavake, aux Tuamotu, vivent sans électricité. À cette panne s'ajoutent des coupures de réseau téléphonique et d'internet - sauf pour les chanceux abonnés de Starlink.

A million more workers and pensioners will have to pay income tax this year as Andy Burnham backtracks on his plans to increase the personal allowance.

New analysis has found that half a million workers will have to pay the basic rate of income tax for the first time this year as their pay crosses the long-frozen £12,570 threshold.

Emergency services were called to West Mersea beach, near Colchester, at around 5.30pm yesterday following reports that several people needed rescuing in the water, according to police.

The Delhi High Court has started a suo motu public interest litigation to monitor stray dog management. Notices were issued to the Delhi government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Authorities must submit a status report detailing steps taken by July thirty-first. The court expressed concern over the increasing stray dog population in the city. This action follows Supreme Court directions for all High Courts to oversee compliance.

Shashi Tharoor used a poetic couplet to criticize the government's paper leak response. Prime Minister Modi announced fast-track courts for swift punishment for offenders. This action plan aims to safeguard the future and welfare of the nation's youth. The Congress party has described the Centre's response as significantly delayed. Protests continue at Jantar Mantar and a hunger strike enters its twenty-sixth day.