Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has reportedly left Singapore as of Monday (Sept 8) afternoon.This comes a day before Thailand's Supreme Court is due to rule on his hospital detention.Thaksin's private jet departed Singapore's Seletar Airport at 1.46pm, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.The aircraft landed in Bangkok at 2.55pm local time (3.55pm Singapore time).Shortly after the aircraft landed, a black-and-silver Mercedes sedan — frequently used by Thaksin — entered the private jet terminal, which had been cordoned off by airport authorities with barricades and uniformed guards, Reuters reported.Thaksin had told Thai Enquirer on Monday that he had landed in Singapore and will be returning to Bangkok that same evening, as planned.Departure delayedThe 76-year-old billionaire left Thailand on Sept 5, just hours before a Parliament vote confirmed tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul as the replacement for Thaksin's daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra as the country's Prime Minister.

SINGAPORE — While visiting his bedridden friend who was in hospital and unable to speak, a man used her mobile phone to unlawfully access her Central Provident Fund (CPF) account and transferred $54,000 to her bank account.Yu Mingyan then transferred the 62-year-old woman's money to his own bank account.Yu, 34, who committed the offences after correctly guessing her passwords, was sentenced to 18 months and two weeks' jail, and a fine of $30,000 on Sept 8.He will spend an additional month behind bars if he fails to pay the fine.The Singaporean pleaded guilty to two counts of misusing a computer system.Yu also admitted to two other unrelated charges — one count each of helping to carry on the business of an unlicensed moneylender and misappropriating $197 from his then workplace.When caught, he told police investigators that he had misappropriated the money «out of habit».On Sept 8, Deputy Public Prosecutor Jeremy Bin told the court that the authorities had looked into Yu's financial records and found out that he has no means to make any restitution.

A 16-year-old girl missing for over two months has been located.The teen, Jermaine Lim Xinyi, was last seen on July 2 at around 6.55am near 11 Rivervale Link, where North Vista Secondary School is located, according to a police statement on Friday (Sept 5).In an update on Monday morning, the police said that Lim has been found.The police had, on Sept 5, made an earlier appeal to the public requesting that anyone with information about the teen to call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or contact them via online submission at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness/All information will be kept strictly confidential, the police stated.[[nid:722001]]dana.leong@asiaone.com

Four foreigners have been arrested for working illegally as delivery riders here, after islandwide operations conducted by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) over the past few months.Senior Minister of State for Manpower Koh Poh Koon said in a Facebook post on Monday (Sept 8) that enforcement checks were carried out in over 30 potential hotspots following complaints from the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA).In recent MOM operations, 269 delivery workers were checked. A foreigner was arrested and is under investigation for allegedly working illegally without a valid work pass.“In total, we have checked 644 delivery workers in the past few months, leading to the arrest of four foreigners for working illegally without valid work passes,” said Koh.Work group formed to address illegal platform work In July, a trilateral work group was formed to address the issue of foreigners working illegally as delivery riders, and how it affects the earnings of local platform workers.

SINGAPORE — Those with outstanding library fines can have their fees waived by the National Library Board (NLB) under a one-time initiative ending on Dec 31.This is the first time the library is offering a waiver of fines, with the aim of encouraging more people to access its services, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo on Sept 6.NLB will also offer one free book delivery for patrons till the end of the year, Teo said, speaking at the library's 30th-anniversary celebration held at the National Library Singapore in Bugis.The delivery service, typically worth $8.72, will be complimentary for 300 patrons every week until the end of 2025.The one-time waiver will apply to fines incurred before Sept 6. Currently, patrons with outstanding fines are unable to borrow items. But with the waiver, they can borrow items again until Dec 31.To have their fines waived, patrons must borrow either a physical or digital item from NLB by Dec 31. Loan renewals do not count.

SINGAPORE - From 2026, all upper secondary students can opt to do computing as an elective subject, in a bid to equip students with increasingly important digital and computational thinking skills.Previously offered only to G3 students, or those in the Express course, it will now include G2 students as well.Students now take subjects at G1, G2 or G3 levels, which are broadly mapped from the Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) and Express standards, respectively.Mr Ong Kong Hong, the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) divisional director of curriculum planning and development division 1, said: “The syllabuses seek to develop students’ appreciation of computing as a creative field while raising their awareness of cyber security, emerging technology and the impact of computing.”Other life skills, such as inventive thinking, communication, as well as striving for accuracy and thoroughness, will also be honed through the subject, he added.The content covered increases in complexity and depth across the three levels.

If you have tried accessing the Singapore Police Force's (SPF) e-services via its website on Monday (Sept 8) morning and found it looking different, do not worry - it's not a phishing site. In a statement on Sunday (Sept 7), police said it it is changing the access methods for its e-services and refreshing its corporate website. «This is part of our ongoing efforts to enhance data protection, as well as provide a more user-friendly online experience for the public,» police added.The change and refresh began on Sunday evening and were effected after midnight on Monday. Following the change, Singpass and Corppass are now the means of access to police's e-services. [[nid:722208]]Two e-services that do not require Singpass or Corppass are the use of foreign identification number (FIN) when paying for, and checking the status of a Certificate of Clearance, and the use of a foreign vehicle number to check outstanding traffic offences and paying traffic fines. 

A 61-year-old man’s decomposing body was found in his Housing Board flat in Sembawang after neighbours noticed a foul smell from the unit.The man, a security guard who lived alone, had only moved in a few months ago, residents told Shin Min Daily News.They added that he was very friendly and got along well with the neighbourhood children.The police told AsiaOne that they received a call for assistance at Block 363C Sembawang Crescent on Thursday (Sept 4) at around 2.10pm.The man was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead in the unit by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic, they added.A 53-year-old resident, who wanted to be known only as Bai, said that he had noticed a putrid smell and the lights in the unit were turned on for several days.He called the police after consulting with the neighbours.Another resident, 29-year-old Wu, said that the door of the unit was locked when the police arrived.The housewife added that the cops peered through the window and saw the man had collapsed inside.The police said that they do not suspect foul play. Investigations are ongoing.[[nid:713727]]

SINGAPORE – A TikTok user who has racked up multiple correction notices over the years was issued another one on Sept 7.This time, it was over false claims about a government-funded initiative to groom future leaders of the Chinese community.The Pofma Office, which administers the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, has been instructed by Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo to issue the correction direction under Singapore’s fake news law.In a since-deleted post that had originally been put up on Aug 26, Mr Jay Ish’haq Rajoo claimed that National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat had announced that the Government would provide money and resources to attract mainland Chinese to Singapore and nurture them for leadership roles.[[nid:721530]]Mr Jay also claimed the Government is using its money and resources to nurture only leaders who are Chinese.

A fire broke out at Chai Chee Avenue on Friday (Sept 5) night, and 50 residents were evacuated. Four of them were taken to the hospital.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to a fire at Block 31 Chai Chee Avenue at about 11.05pm.«Upon arrival, the living room of an eighth-floor unit was on fire. The fire was extinguished by firefighters with a water jet. There was no one inside the unit when SCDF arrived,» the spokesperson said.SCDF added that four persons, including a firefighter, were assessed for smoke inhalation and sent to the hospital. Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.The Singapore Police Force said a 58-year-old man was arrested for «causing or contributing to risk of dangerous fire», adding that investigations are underway.According to a report by Lianhe Zaobao yesterday, residents said they heard arguments and the smell of gasoline from the flat before the accident.

Two Chinese nationals have been arrested for their suspected involvement in a case of cheating. The 31-year-old man and 30-year-old woman had scammed the victim of $800, shared a news release from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Friday (Sept 5). On Sept 4 at around 2.25pm, SPF received a report from the victim who was allegedly cheated by the duo.Preliminary investigations revealed that on Sept 3, the man and woman had approached the victim at the main entrance of a supermarket located along Joo Koon Circle. They had presented themselves as tourists from Hong Kong who were facing financial difficulties due to a malfunctioning bank card.To fulfil an «urgent hotel payment», the man asked the victim for $800 in cash and showed the victim a fabricated bank transfer receipt as purported proof of payment. The victim was also presented with a counterfeit gold ring and told that it was worth RM11,980 (S$3,656). Believing the duo, the victim withdrew $800 and gave it to them. 

SINGAPORE - Teenager Ryan Lim slipped into depression after a series of post-transplant infections in 2023.The Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary School student received a liver transplant on Sept 7, 2023 - 10 years after he was first diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).It is a rare condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the liver, causing chronic inflammation and, in severe cases, liver failure. There are about two to five cases of AIH per 100,000 children worldwide.Because of his infections, Ryan had to spend more time in the hospital to ensure that his body did not reject his new liver.The teenager, who was looking forward to returning to school, felt that life had dealt him a harsh blow.«I thought I could go back to a normal life after the surgery, like any teenager my age. Instead, I had to be in the hospital longer while doctors battled my infections,» said Ryan, who is now 17 years old.He was five when his mother noticed a yellow hue in his skin and the whites of his eyes, and bloating in his abdomen.

We are oftentimes told that wisdom and street smarts come with age.However, Caleb Chua did not let his age stop him from making a difference in the community when he founded the Homewarmers initiative in April this year alongside some friends he met at a youth leaders programme.Speaking to AsiaOne on Saturday (Sept 6), the 18-year-old, who is pursuing a diploma in Human Resources, said that the ground-up initiative aims to provide seniors living alone with a sense of companionship and belonging through home visits and community events.He continued: «We just want to make sure that there are no seniors left behind in this very busy world, you know?»Chua said that in view of the large number of lonely deaths among seniors and social isolation among youths, he and his team believe connecting with the elderly through in-depth conversations would benefit both parties.When asked if a particular instance stuck with him in his journey, Chua said that visiting an elderly woman surnamed Khoo was one such experience.

Everyone had to leave by 6pm. A thoughtful nod to work-life balance? Or was it to conceal something spookier when this rule was enforced at 35 Hendon Road?The two restored colonial bungalows, which were the training campus for a large European bank, were a stone's throw from the old, disused Changi Hospital. Closed since 1997, it had gained the reputation of being the most haunted place in Singapore.One evening, a member of the staff lingered slightly past 6pm, freshening up in the bathroom for a dinner date. She heard a toilet flush and out of the corner of her eye saw the reflection of a colleague in the mirror, stepping out of a cubicle and moving towards the washbasin.«Oh, you are still here. I thought you had already left,» she said, making casual conversation.After a while, she felt something was not right; her colleague was not responding. When she turned around, the toilet was empty.But when she looked into the mirror again, the reflection of her colleague remained - smiling at her.

«Stunning, traditional, authentic» - that is how some visitors describe the bread at Le Fournil de Saint-Robert, a small bakery in a south-western French village.Local residents and travellers alike are reportedly drawn to the bakery, whose aroma of wood-fired sourdough wafts into the cobbled streets and whose products and services have garnered it an average of 4.7 stars over 67 reviews on Google. The man behind it all is 51-year-old Singaporean Ewan Irwan.Originally from Tampines, he worked in the engineering sector before meeting his then wife, Sophie, a Frenchwoman, in Singapore. In 2003, they moved to France, hoping to build a life together. Engineering jobs proved elusive, but a new calling soon emerged: bread-making.«Baking here is on another level. Most bakers are so dedicated to their craft,» he told The Straits Times on Sept 5.Determined to master the art, Mr Ewan enrolled in a one-year diploma course in Lyon and spent two years in professional bakeries, learning the traditions and techniques of French baking. Yet the hustle and bustle of city life never suited him.

We are oftentimes told that wisdom and street smarts come with age.However, Caleb Chua did not let his age stop him from making a difference in the community when he founded the Homewarmers initiative in April this year alongside some friends he met at a youth leaders programme.Speaking to AsiaOne on Saturday (Sept 6), the 18-year-old, who is pursuing a diploma in Human Resources, said that the ground-up initiative aims to provide seniors living alone with a sense of companionship and belonging through home visits and community events.He continued: «We just want to make sure that there are no seniors left behind in this very busy world, you know?»Chua said that in view of the large number of lonely deaths among seniors and social isolation among youths, he and his team believe connecting with the elderly through in-depth conversations would benefit both parties.When asked if a particular instance stuck with him in his journey, Chua said that visiting an elderly woman surnamed Khoo was one such experience.

It began as a refusal to pay $1 extra to travel back from Pulau Ubin to mainland Singapore, but ended with one man having to pay 12 times the initial cost instead.In a Straits Times Forum letter published on Sept 1, Simon Seah Sing Hon shared that it may not be worth going to the island «if issues with transportation to and from the place discourage visitors».He had visited Ubin on Aug 22 (along with his wife, he later told Shin Min Daily News) but when he wanted to return at 6pm, was told by the ferry operator that he and the other passengers would have to pay $5 instead of the usual $4 to take the boat.This was because only 10 passengers were gathered at the jetty, and the boatman said he usually needed 12.Seah added that he also upped the price to $6 before departing.«The National Parks Board's website states that bumboats set off only when there are nine to 12 passengers,» Seah added. «The operator was obviously relying on passengers' urgency to return home to insist on his full load.»We did not agree, and he left with just the eight passengers who agreed to pay $6."

A chain collision involving five cars took place at Tampines Ave 10 on the evening of Sept 4, resulting in five people, including two children, being taken to the hospital.A video of the accident posted by the Facebook page SG Road Vigilante shows a white car switching lanes suddenly and ramming into the back of a stationary red car at the rightmost lane.The force of the collision sends the white car upwards, and its bonnet can be seen crumpling.The red car can be seen briefly hitting a car in front, which is also sent forward by the collision towards a third car.   

For almost a year, a Singapore Prison Service (SPS) officer helped an inmate smuggle prohibited items, including medication and lewd pictures, into Changi Prison Complex.From August 2021 to June 2022, Mohammad Asri Abd Rahim, 39, who has since been suspended from duty, helped Mohamad Yusof Kasim, 50, to smuggle in contraband items for inmates.For his assistance, Asri received at least $3,700 in bribes from Yusof, also known as “Kimo”, through the latter’s friends and acquaintances.On Sept 5, Asri and Yusof each pleaded guilty to multiple charges involving acts of corruption.A third man identified as Murali Vigneshwaran, 36, who was also involved in the case, pleaded guilty to one corruption-linked charge.Deputy Public Prosecutor Andrew Chia told the court that Asri joined SPS in April 2012. His roles included managing inmates at the Changi Prison Complex Institution B.Inmates known as Correctional Unit Attendants (CUAs) were tasked to help out with housekeeping matters.

Over 1,500 e-vaporisers and related components were detected and seized by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) between Sept 1 and 4 in continued enhanced checks, it said in a Facebook post on Friday (Sept 5).Within the specified period, ICA detected 123 cases of travellers having vapes on them, including those who had voluntarily disposed of their vapes at checkpoint bins.Approximately 70 per cent of the cases involved short-term visitors, while the remaining 30 per cent were Singapore residents.This comes after more than 850 vape products were intercepted by the authority between Aug 18 and 22 amid stepped up checks at the various air, land and sea checkpoints.In its Facebook post, ICA emphasised that vaping is illegal in Singapore and that foreigners who visit or live in our country must abide by the laws.«Since Sept 1, 2025, individuals caught possessing, using or importing e-vaporisers will face higher penalties,» ICA stated.

Sixteen women and one man, aged between 21 and 41, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in vice-related activities.Between Sept 3 and 4, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Central Police Division and Bedok Police Division conducted raids in the vicinity of MacPherson Road, King George’s Avenue and Sims Avenue, resulting in the arrests.Cash amounting to more than $2,000, mobile phones and vice-related paraphernalia were seized. The 41-year-old man was arrested for allegedly collecting earnings from vice-related activities which violates Section 146(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961. Under the Women’s Charter 1961, any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person can be jailed for a term not exceeding seven years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000.Investigations against the 16 women are ongoing.The police said they will continue to take «tough enforcement action» against those involved in syndicated vice activities.

The Government must “continually earn” public trust to “avoid the dysfunction that has bedevilled so many other countries”, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in his opening address of the 15th Parliament on Friday (Sept 5).In a speech that sets out the Government’s priorities for the next five years, he said that Singapore has defied the trend of eroding public trust in governments and other institutions seen “almost everywhere across the world".This is due to the country cultivating a different ethos of governance and politics, he said, which values “stewardship over expediency” and “enduring responsibility over transient gain”.“We have been able to do so because we have built trust, both between government and the people, and amongst citizens themselves.”“This trust has allowed us to make hard choices when needed, and to plan for the future beyond current election cycles.”But he warned that such trust must be continually earned through “continuous dialogue, listening, accountability and a shared sense of purpose”.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's hurried departure from Bangkok on Thursday night (Sept 4) to Singapore, his first destination, did not go to plan, according to reports from Thailand.The private jet carrying the 76-year-old billionaire could not land in Seletar Airport on Friday (Sept 5) because the airport shuts at 10pm.Instead, the plane was diverted to Dubai and landed there around 3am (7am, Singapore time), reports said.«I intended to travel to Singapore to have a health check with the doctor who took care of me while I was abroad,» Thaksin said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.But he claimed that Thai immigration officers delayed him for «almost two hours», adding that he has the same rights as any other Thai when it comes to travel.During the flight, the pilot notified him that the delays caused by the immigration officers meant that he could not land at Seletar Airport.AsiaOne understands that Seletar Airport, which receives private jets, operates between 7am and 10pm.«Since I couldn't land in Singapore, I decided to have the pilot change my plans to Dubai,» he wrote.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung recently addressed heightened Government measures to stop vaping, including placing red vape bins island wide.In an episode of local podcast The Daily Ketchup, which was released on Thursday (Sept 4), Ong was asked about the red-coloured vape disposal bins, which allow abusers to surrender their devices without penalties. The hosts of the podcasts narrowed in on the leniency of this initiative in particular.To this, Ong responded that this approach was his call, as there were «a lot of young people» among vape users, with 30 per cent of users being under 30 years of age.To «throw the book at them» with the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) would be harmful for their future as the offences would go on their records, he said.The health minister added that he has faith that young people can be convinced to stop vaping, unlike hardcore drug users who are difficult to persuade.[[nid:720627]]Additionally, when asked if there were locations which had a surprising number of vapes disposed, Ong said: «Certain spots, I don't know why (the bins) are full.»

SINGAPORE — Three new charges were handed to a suspected Kpod peddler on Friday (Sept 5) over allegedly possessing more than 800 Kpods for sale.Jodan Chin Wei Liang, 27, was accused of possessing for sale 804 vape pods which were analysed and found to contain etomidate on July 10 at a carpark in Bishan Street 13.He also allegedly had two more Kpods for the purposes of selling them at a flat in Bishan that day.On Sept 5, a Health Sciences Authority (HSA) prosecutor sought an increase in bail for Chin from $10,000 to $15,000. This was granted by the court.Chin also made an application to leave jurisdiction to Malaysia and Vietnam. But this was rejected by the judge as Chin had indicated he would leave Singapore for an «unlimited» period of time.Chin said: «For my family, I am responsible for grocery runs across the border, so I am not sure of the schedule.»In rejecting the application, District Judge Janet Wang asked Chin to reapply to leave jurisdiction and state his dates of travel.Chin agreed, and added: «I will do my best to co-operate with everything for investigations.»

An enforcement supervisor from a Health and Sciences Authority-contracted company has been charged for attempting to obtain bribes in exchange for information regarding a HSA vape raid.Michael Anthony Pillai, a 34-year-old Singaporean, was charged in court on Friday (Sept 5) under the Prevention of Corruption Act.Pillay had attempted to obtain bribes amounting to $8,000 on multiple occasions in 2024 from Chua Wee Ming in exchange for exclusive information about vape raids conducted by HSA, said a statement by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).He was working for WSH Experts, a private agency subcontracted to aid HSA's tobacco regulation unit, reported CNA.Chua, a 34-year-old Malaysian man, has been linked to a vape stash worth more than $6 million which was seized by HSA.Chua's methods to do so included getting a 38-year-old man to smuggle vapes into Singapore and enlisting a fellow Malaysian man to conduct surveillance on the warehouse holding the confiscated vapes, reported CNA.

Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) have foiled another attempt to smuggle e-vaporisers and related components through Singapore's borders.In a Facebook post on Thursday (Sept 4), ICA said that auxiliary police officers at Woodlands Checkpoint discovered duty-unpaid cigarettes in the car's boot and directed it for enhanced checks. There, ICA officers uncovered 34 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes and 18 e-vaporisers and related components. In response to AsiaOne’s queries, an ICA spokesperson said that the suspect is a 37-year-old male Singaporean.The case has been referred to the Singapore Customs and the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation.Stepped up checks at Singapore's bordersAs part of whole-of-government efforts against vaping, ICA has stepped up checks at Singapore's air, land and sea borders.Over a five-day period between Aug 18 and 22, ICA intercepted more than 850 vapes.

For Wong Nan Hui and Cassandra Yu, the beginning of their relationship started with a literal crush.They first met in 2022, when they were colleagues at a local media company. After finding themselves on the same bus to work one fateful day, Nan Hui tried to strike up a conversation with Cassandra just as tragedy struck her AirPods.«As we were alighting, her AirPods slipped out of her hand and got crushed by a bus as it drove past us,» he recalled. While her AirPods did not survive, sparks between them came alive.Their arbitrary chats blossomed into a relationship when they realised that they had many things in common, such as having similar family backgrounds, personal values and plans for their future.Three years later, the couple were ready to move onto the next phase of their relationship and applied for a Build-to-Order (BTO) flat together. They were successful in booking a three-room flat at Kallang View, a Plus BTO flat.

The first Friday of September - Teachers' Day.But this day is more than just a school holiday; it's also about celebrating our teachers, and their hard work and dedication in educating the young.Prime Minister Lawrence Wong did just that in a social media post on Friday (Sept 5), emphasising the important role teachers play, especially in today's technologically advanced world.«They don't just teach lessons in the classroom — they build character, spark curiosity, and guide our children to grow with confidence,» PM Wong wrote.Thanking all teachers and educators for their dedication, patience and care, he said the government will continue to support them in nurturing and inspiring students.«Happy Teachers' Day!» said PM Wong. 

A 28-year-old man has been convicted in court after losing control of his car and causing a car crash that split the vehicle into two, killing his two passengers.Ong Wei Long was sentenced to two years in jail on Sept 4 after pleading guilty on one count of dangerous driving.He will also be disqualified from driving for 10 years following his release from prison.According to court documents, Ong had been driving at a speed of up to 140 kmh at midnight on Aug 11, 2023 when he lost control of his car and collided into a tree along the slip road from the Central Expressway (CTE) towards Seletar West Link.The impact of the collision resulted in the car splitting into two.Tan Bing Quan, a 26-year-old passenger, was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedics from multiple injuries.Lim Xin Rong Shannon, also 26, died about a week after the accident in hospital, reported The Straits Times. The cause of death was a cervical spine injury.

SINGAPORE - Keep calm and trust ourselves.That is interim Singapore coach Gavin Lee's message for his charges after his debut as the Lions' tamer ended in a 2-1 loss to Malaysia in an international friendly at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Sept 4.The hosts, whose starting XI comprised mainly foreign-born players, led 2-0 through goals by Stuart Wilkin and Joao Figueiredo, before substitute Ilhan Fandi halved the deficit in the second half.In a broadcast interview right after the match, the 34-year-old Lee said: «We should trust ourselves a little bit more. I thought there were some very good phases from us, both in attack and defence, but it's just about repeating it, and I think that requires a little bit of calmness, a little more trust in what we do.»But it's the first step in our journey, and I'm sure we will continue to improve."He sang a similar tune at the post-match conference when asked for the lessons learnt from the loss.

SINGAPORE — The Italian swimmers who were arrested for shoplifting at Changi Airport have been banned from re-entering Singapore, the Singapore Police Force said on Sept 4.In response to media queries, the police confirmed earlier reports that two female Italian nationals, aged 20 and 22, were arrested on Aug 14 for shoplifting.As part of the standard procedures for cases involving foreigners arrested in Singapore, the police said they had informed the Embassy of Italy in Singapore of the case to provide consular assistance.After considering the facts and circumstances of the case, and in consultation with Singapore's Attorney-General's Chambers, the police said they issued the two women a 12-month conditional warning.In this period, the pair — Benedetta Pilato and Chiara Tarantino — are not to commit any other offences.Both have since left Singapore and will be banned from re-entering, added the police.Italian media had reported on Aug 29 about the alleged offence involving the pair, who were part of the Italian contingent that had competed at the July 11 to Aug 3 World Aquatics Championships here.

After their multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) were impounded by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), numerous travel agencies in Johor Baru have stepped forward to say that they are facing bankruptcy, reported The Star on Aug 24.Some of these MPV owners reportedly said that their vehicles are still stuck in Singapore, even though they have already paid the fines for ferrying passengers from Johor Baru to Singapore without proper permits. The vehicles reportedly cost between RM250,000 ($76,470) and RM500,000. Some Malaysian vehicle owners have also attempted to go to courts in Singapore to reclaim their assets but have not had any success, The Star reported.«After 11 months in court, the judge told us the car is officially seized with no further appeal. No documents were issued, leaving us unable to audit our accounts properly,» tour operator Cheries Chia said.Tour company Muhammad Siddiq Kunyu shared with The Star that three of his MPVs were seized in Singapore this year.He had hired a lawyer in Singapore to pursue the matter, but there has been no updates.

SINGAPORE - Multi-coloured lights flash for several seconds as Singpass scans users' faces before the authentication tool lets them bank or transact online.This feature activates randomly or when cyber intrusion is suspected, drawing on the intelligence gathered by an elusive anti-fraud team at the Government Technology Agency (GovTech).Facial verification protects citizens' online accounts by matching their faces with government records in real time. It deters remote online activities on users' accounts, including malware infections, without their knowledge.The heightened checks have come on the heels of a spate of phishing scams in 2021 and 2022 targeting OCBC customers, who lost a total of about $13.7 million.The incident, and the discovery that scammers had also targeted Singpass accounts, prompted GovTech to set up its anti-fraud team in 2022.

When he discovered that a man had allegedly molested a female commuter, SMRT Trains employee Tippu Sultan S Hamid sprung into action and detained the suspect until police arrived.On Thursday (Sept 4), 60-year-old Tippu was among four public transport staff recognised for assisting the police in separate cases of outrage of modesty on the public transport network.They each received the Community Partnership Award from the Public Transport Security Command (TransCom) for their contributions.On April 18, 2025, the Senior Station Manager heard shouting and saw a female commuter chasing after a man at Pioneer MRT station. Tippu approached the man and told him that he would need to come with him as some complaints had been made. He also asked to keep the suspect's identification card to ensure the latter did not attempt to escape.When Tippu approached the woman to investigate, she told him that she had felt the suspect grab her left buttock while she was riding the escalator. Realising that he could not handle the situation himself, Tippu alerted TransCom and detained the suspect.