A recycling truck caught fire at Block 181A Boon Lay Drive on Saturday (Aug 15) afternoon.A video of the incident posted on TikTok shows the contents from the recycling truck emptied out along the estate's driveway as firefighters tackle the fire.The truck is seen parked further up the driveway.  Based on the video, the contents comprise mostly cardboard and plastic.TikTok user _brotherbearrr, who posted the video, is seen using a hose, possibly connected to his kitchen tap, to douse the smouldering pile. In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said that the fire involved contents from the rear compartment of the truck, adding that firefighters extinguished the fire using two hose reels.There were no reported injuries in the incident and the cause of the fire is under investigation.[[nid:742750]]editor@asiaone.com 

A total of 81,750 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes were uncovered at a warehouse unit within the Changi Free Trade Zone (FTZ) during an inspection by Singapore Customs. The cigarettes were subsequently seized, after trademark proprietors confirmed they were fake. In a news release on Tuesday (Aug 18), Singapore Customs said the seizure stemmed from an inspection conducted on June 9, when officers checked a consignment declared as cigarettes under a transhipment permit destined for Mexico.Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in Singapore are designated economic areas that provide advantageous customs and tax conditions to businesses operating within them. In Singapore's nine FTZs, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and customs duties are suspended on goods stored, processed or handled within them; unless such goods leave the FTZ and enter the local market for sale or consumption.During the inspection, officers found cigarettes of assorted brands packed in cardboard boxes and wrapped in black and green packaging.Suspecting the cigarettes were counterfeit, the officers contacted the respective trademark proprietors.

SINGAPORE — A recalcitrant offender has landed in trouble again — this time receiving a jail sentence for assaulting three people, including a security officer, and being a public nuisance near a pre-school.Lim Sok Lay, 54, was fined $4,000 in 2022 after harassing her neighbour, a nurse, amid the Covid-19 outbreak. She was fined another $4,000 in 2025 after causing a ruckus during her son’s lion dance competition.Lim committed some of the latest offences with her daughter Jolene Cheang Wan Ling, 29.On Aug 17, Lim, who is on remand, was sentenced to six months and two weeks’ jail after she pleaded guilty to two counts of assault.She also pleaded guilty to one count each of being a public nuisance and voluntarily causing hurt to a security officer.Cheang, who pleaded guilty to one count each of assault, criminal intimidation and being a public nuisance, was sentenced to five months’ jail and a fine of $1,500.Her bail has been set at $20,000, and she is expected to begin serving her sentence in September.

The FBI reportedly ignored Hugh Hefner’s calls about Jeffrey Epstein, contacting an alleged victim only 15 years after his first warning Read Full Article at RT.com

Fourteen people have been indicted over an alleged cocaine trafficking ring at Penn State fraternities Read Full Article at RT.com

Polynésie la 1ère donne rendez-vous vendredi 21 août 2026 dès 9h10 pour une émission spéciale diffusée en direct à la télévision, à la radio et sur le web localement aussi.

Une menace environnementale d'une ampleur terrifiante, longtemps passée sous silence, se désintègre lentement à quelques kilomètres seulement de la tentaculaire métropole de Los Angeles. Des dizaines de milliers de conteneurs de déchets radioactifs, immergés par les États-Unis il y a sept décennies, rouillent inexorablement au large des côtes californiennes.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi stressed dialogue for resolving bilateral issues between India and Bangladesh. He expressed hope that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India should occur much sooner. Bangladesh government attached tough conditions for New Delhi prior to the possible bilateral visit. An Indian business delegation began a three-day visit to strengthen economic engagement. Both nations share a dream and acknowledge inherent challenges within democracy.

BJP chief Nitin Nabin announced a new team of national office-bearers on Monday. The party brought in experienced individuals and retained some successful office-bearers. Union minister Piyush Goyal returned as treasurer in the reshuffled team. This overhaul includes many new faces and aims for broad representation. The new team will be in place for the upcoming national election.

The Supreme Court has stopped agencies from filing probe reports on Rahul Gandhi's assets. Agencies were directed by the Allahabad High Court to investigate allegations of illegal wealth. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued the High Court order was unknown to law. The Supreme Court issued notices and requested the High Court to defer its hearing. No reports will be submitted to the High Court until further orders.

Officials were taken aback by the Chief Economic Adviser's comments regarding the availability of E10 fuel, which could spark a shift towards lower ethanol blends. Nonetheless, the government is not currently considering the introduction of E10 at fuel stations. Logistical challenges and the necessary infrastructure for managing E10 are cited by officials, who also point out that studies indicate E20 fuel does not pose mechanical risks to older vehicles.

Trump envoy Jared Kushner says the US will not allow Gaza to be rebuilt until the enclave is demilitarized and Hamas gives up its weapons Read Full Article at RT.com

The long arm of the law caught up with two male Chinese nationals, aged 43 and 50 on Sunday (Aug 16), about four months after they allegedly broke into a Balestier temple and stole money from the donation boxes.Police said in a news release on Monday night that the duo were arrested on their return to Singapore after committing the alleged crime at about 12.30am on April 2.The alleged incident happened at a temple on Tai Gin Road, and cash amounting to between $300 and $400 was stolen from the donation boxes.Preliminary investigations revealed that the two men had entered the temple using a card affixed with adhesive tape to remove cash from the donation boxes.Officers from Tanglin Police Division established their identities through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from closed-circuit television.But they had left Singapore on the same day of the alleged crime.They will be charged in court on Tuesday with the offence of housebreaking and theft with common intention.If found guilty of the said offence, they could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.[[nid:742779]]

SINGAPORE — As a child, Mervyn Ong would follow his property agent parents to house viewings and help them distribute flyers in letterboxes. This stirred in him a passion for the profession which he later spent years trying to enter.It took the 38-year-old nine attempts over 15 years to eventually pass the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) examination to become a registered property agent in 2023.“I don’t like to be deskbound. I have wanted to be a real estate agent since young, but the exams were very hard to pass... I am not someone who is study-smart, but I was determined,” said Ong, who even hired a tutor to help him prepare for the examinations.“It took me 15 years, but I don’t feel ‘paiseh’ (about it),” added Ong, using the Hokkien term for embarrassment.Ong loves his job as he finds it meaningful to help people find their ideal homes, at the same time “earn a good income”.In his first year, Ong earned a gross commission of about $80,000. By his third year in 2025, his take-home income had risen to just over $200,000.

The ad buy, which will focus on the senator’s vote to confirm Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, is the largest investment from Planned Parenthood Votes in any state this cycle.

Belgium is battling its largest wildfire on record as flames spread toward the German border Read Full Article at RT.com

Meta is on trial in California for allegedly harming underage Facebook and Instagram users’ mental health for profit Read Full Article at RT.com

Ukraine’s mobilization authorities function like organized crime, with bribes of up to $150,000 paid for senior positions, an MP has alleged Read Full Article at RT.com

A farming family in Kentucky has rejected a $26.48 million offer on their land amid a wider push against AI data centers, WSJ has reported Read Full Article at RT.com

She built an art platform to keep images generated by artificial intelligence (AI) out — but that platform has now been compromised by AI enthusiasts.The platform, Cara, was scraped by an AI enthusiast as part of a «fun project», Singapore photographer Zhang Jingna revealed in an Instagram post last Friday (Aug 14).Scraping refers to an automated process where data is extracted from a website to teach AI — which can in turn be used to create AI-generated art based on what it learns.Taking to the DefendingAIArt subreddit, the enthusiast gloated: «I scraped all of Cara, an anti-AI art platform!»«Was a fun project, happy to answer any questions here,» the user added.The post has since been deleted and the user banned.Expressing her frustrations, Zhang wrote: «What the hell must I do?»Artists just want a place online where platforms don't feed their work to AI. So I built Cara. But people just won't leave us alone.«The laws don't help us, the governments don't help us. What are artists supposed to do?»

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has achieved a 69 percent phaseout of ozone-depleting substances over the past five years, as of the first half of 2026, underscoring its commitment to the Montreal Protocol and the gradual elimination of hydrochlorofluorocarbons, according to the National Center for Environmental Compliance.

BURAIDAH: The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission is participating in the Buraidah International Dates Carnival by showcasing its publications, including the book “Buraidah,” as part of efforts to introduce the Kingdom’s culinary heritage and highlight its connection to local products.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed military and defense cooperation with director of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, First Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, on Thursday. The two officials reviewed Saudi-Iraqi relations in the military and defense fields and discussed regional developments, Prince Khalid said in a post on X.

NEW YORK CITY: Yemen’s permanent representative to the UN, Abdullah Al-Saadi, told the Security Council on Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s sustained political, economic and humanitarian support has been essential in keeping state institutions functioning, even as he delivered a sweeping condemnation of the Houthis and their backers in Iran.

JEDDAH: The Saudi-led multinational maritime defence coalition has finalized key arrangements to activate its command structure, and preparations began to integrate officers and personnel from member states into its command, maritime operations and intelligence structures, the Saudi Ministry of Defense said on Thursday. The announcement was made during the third planning meeting of the Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition at the Western Fleet Command in Jeddah, attended by representatives from 39 countries.

Rachel Reid says when she heard five libraries in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley were set to permanently close their doors, she wanted to help as much as she could.

An Alberta chief is calling for more respect from the provincial government after its Indigenous relations minister missed a marquee event marking the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6.

In a meeting of the House of Commons public safety and national security committee on Monday, MPs collaborated across party lines in deciding to examine Canada's security screening processes as a Canadian NATO intern faces spying allegations.

The move to send 1,000 poll monitors is likely the largest number under a Republican president, a DOJ official said.

President Donald Trump’s interim deal with Iran in June set aside two months for negotiations, but the window has now closed and broader talks are at a standstill.

The ship’s crew lost access last month to drinkable water, running toilets and air conditioning, as the fleet sees heavy use by the Trump administration.