Parliament voted in favour of an amended version of a motion put forth by Progress Singapore Party (PSP) Non-Constituency MPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa on Wednesday (Nov 13) after a debate that lasted five-and-a-half hours. This motion called for the Government to «review its policies relating to hawkers and the management of hawker centres to provide better support for hawkers to sustain and grow Singapore hawker culture, so that Singaporeans can continue to enjoy good and affordable hawker food». During his speech, Leong highlighted that high operational costs, harsh working conditions, and the expectation to provide cheap food are pressing issues faced by hawkers here. The PSP secretary-general then proposed that social enterprise hawker centres be phased out as contracts expire, replacing them with centralised management under a new government agency called Hawker Singapore. This new agency would oversee the management of all hawker centres in Singapore and the promotion of hawker culture domestically and internationally, working together with other relevant agencies, he added.

SHOALWATER BAY, Australia - The expansion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) in Queensland has been completed after eight years of development. With the expanded training area now five times the size of Singapore, this means that the scale and complexity of overseas exercises involving the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) can be increased in the future, Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How said on Wednesday (Nov 13). Heng was speaking to reporters after witnessing Singaporean and Australian soldiers being put through their paces during a simulated beach landing as part of Exercise Trident. He also flew on a CH-47F chinook to view the new facilities within the expanded SWBTA and interacted with SAF and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) soldiers who participated in the bilateral exercise. Jointly developed by Australia and Singapore since 2016, the expansion of the overall training area was set out in a treaty between the two countries in 2020. State-of-the-art facilities such as the combined arms air-land ranges and urban operations live-firing facilities have been included in the expansion.

The body of a 52-year-old man was discovered in his Toa Payoh flat last Sunday (Nov 10), several days after his death. The police told AsiaOne they were alerted to the case at 11.15am on Sunday, where they pronounced the man dead at the scene. It is not known when he died.  The man, Bai Zongren (transliteration), had been living alone in his unit at Block 157 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 for several years after divorcing his wife, according to a neighbour who spoke to Shin Min Daily News. He also had a daughter, who moved out with his ex-wife after they split.  The neighbour, who did not want to be named, added that Bai would occasionally get visits from relatives. «His mother used to live on the fifth floor, but she died a few years ago.»  The neighbour told Shin Min that she was unaware of Bai's death when she passed by his unit several days ago. As Bai's door was locked, she assumed the flat was empty.  When she passed by his unit again on Saturday, she detected a foul smell but thought that it was from wastewater. She said she only found out about his death when she saw the police at his door.

After their rental agreement with a sublessor fell through, a couple asked for their deposit to be returned. They waited three weeks to no avail and decided to visit the sublessor's home for discussions. But the negotiations turned physical, with the woman brandishing a knife at the couple after she was attacked. The incident occurred at about 7pm last Sunday (Nov 10) at a condominium in Yishun, reported Shin Min Daily News. Chen, 41, said he had seen an advertisement for the four-bedroom unit on Oct 13 and contacted the poster, who said she had rented the apartment from the original tenant. The woman told Chen she could sublet the unit to him and his wife if the homeowner was agreeable to it.  After viewing pictures and videos of the apartment, the man immediately made a PayNow transfer of $1,000 to the woman as deposit. The couple viewed the unit the next day, where both parties discussed the rental agreement in detail. A week later, however, the woman told them that she had not gotten the approval of the condo owner to sublet the apartment.

SINGAPORE — Pupils who sat the PSLE will receive their results from 11am on Nov 20. The Education Ministry and Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, in a joint statement on Nov 13, said arrangements have been made for pupils to collect their results. Pupils will get details on collection arrangements from their schools, it added. Those who are unable to collect their results from school in person can appoint someone to do so on their behalf on Nov 22. Eligible pupils will receive the Secondary 1 (S1) Option Form to select secondary schools with their PSLE results. Pupils are required to use their unique S1 personal identification number found on the top-right hand corner of the form to log in to the S1 Internet System to submit their school choices from 11.30am on Nov 20 to 3pm on Nov 26. Parents who need help with the online submission can contact the primary school before 3pm on Nov 26. Posting results will be released between Dec 18 and Dec 20 through SMS, the statement said. This information can also be accessed through the S1 Internet System or at the pupil's primary school.

Fugitive lawyer Charles Yeo, who is in custody in the UK, is currently awaiting an extradition hearing, reported CNA on Tuesday (Nov 12).  A court date for the extradition hearing has not been determined, but Yeo is set to attend a bail hearing on Friday, according to the report. In an Instagram post on Nov 1, the former chairman of the Reform Party said the Singapore government had made a formal request for his extradition. In his post, Yeo also said that he will be presenting himself, together with his legal team, at Westminster Magistrates Court on Nov 11. Yeo left Singapore in July 2022 after being charged earlier that year with multiple offences relating to harassment and wounding the religious feelings of Christians in several social media posts. In August 2022, a warrant of arrest was issued against him for breaching the conditions for overseas travel while on bail. 

12 men and three women, aged between 19 and 63, were arrested for various offences during a multi-agency enforcement operation against errant public entertainment outlets on Friday (Nov 8) night. The offences include working without a valid work permit, suspected drink driving, driving without a valid license and insurance, suspected consumption and possession of controlled drugs, and the possession of scheduled weapons.  Members of the media, including AsiaOne, were invited to observe the enforcement operations, led by Bedok Police Division, in Joo Chiat on Friday night.  The enforcement operation is part of their ongoing efforts to clamp down on illicit activities and regulatory offences in the area, said the police in a statement on Wednesday. Upon arriving at the scene just after midnight on Saturday, members of the media were led to the second floor of the first KTV outlet. 

A grand prize of $10 million is up for grabs at the upcoming Toto draw on Thursday (Nov 14) at 9.30pm. The Group 1 prize money has snowballed over the past three draws after no Group 1 winners were picked. According to Singapore Pools' website, the prize started at $1.2 million on Nov 4 before snowballing to $2.9 million on Nov 7 and $6 million on Nov 11. The last draw on Monday yielded three Group 2 winners who won $215,010 each. Tomorrow's draw will be a cascade draw, meaning that the prize money will be split between the Group 2 winners in the event that no Group 1 winner is chosen. If there are no Group 2 winners, the prize will be split among the Group 3 winners, and so on. The last time a Group 1 prize snowballed above $10 million was during the October 21 draw where two lucky winners bagged over $6.6 million each.

SINGAPORE - When an online retailer began selling his products on e-commerce platform Qoo10 in August 2023, he did not bat an eyelid when it took 30 to 45 days for the platform to disburse his first payout, compared with about three to seven days for other e-commerce sites he was using. But nearly a year later in July, payments owed to his business by Qoo10 had ballooned to about $1.6 million, as the platform’s payment delays exceeded two months and disbursements began trickling in, in smaller amounts. The Singaporean, who wanted to be known only as Mr T and did not wish to divulge what he sold, pulled the plug on his Qoo10 shop this year in the middle of July, and filed a civil claim with the courts. He obtained a default judgment in October for Qoo10 to pay him what he is owed, after the e-commerce site failed to serve a notice of intention to contest or not contest the claim. Mr T, who added that he had borrowed nearly $1 million from banks, friends and relatives to pay his suppliers, said: “I am not holding out hope that I will get much, or any, of my money back from Qoo10... By this point, I just want closure because it’s been so stressful.”

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) reported a 42 per cent fall in its half-year profit on Wednesday (Nov 13), as the firm was hurt by the absense of S$1.2 billion it had logged through the divestiture of Telkomsel shares in its prior corresponding period. Last year, Telkomsel, the Indonesian associate of Southeast Asia's largest telecom firm, agreed to merge with its parent's IndiHome broadband arm in an effort to expand into Indonesia's fixed broadband market. SingTel's Australian unit Optus, currently embroiled in a legal battle with the country's competition watchdog, reported operating revenue of A$4.02 billion (S$3.51 billion) during the six months, in line with A$4.02 billion reported a year ago. «Optus and NCS drove the positive momentum, underscoring our focus on execution and operating rigour,» the group's Chief Executive Officer Yuen Kuan Moon said. Southeast Asia's largest telecom firm said net profit for the six months ended Sept. 30 was S$1.23 billion, as compared to S$2.14 billion last year and missing a Visible Alpha estimate of S$1.37 billion.

The Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) will be able to mandate mental health treatment for those who cause unreasonable interferences in the community if a bill to amend the Community Disputes Resolution Act (CDRA) goes through.  The bill was proposed in Parliament by Minister for Community, Culture and Youth Edwin Tong on Tuesday (Nov 12). The CDRT currently hears disputes under CDRA between neighbours involving acts of unreasonable interference with the enjoyment or use of places of residence. Under the bill, the tribunal will be able to issue Mandatory Treatment Orders (MTO) should there be a belief that the acts of disturbance stem from an underlying psychiatric condition. «In those cases, the issue therefore is not just a disamenity one,» Minister Tong said. «Hence, the MTO is intended to address the root cause of certain acts that a resident may engage in.» Tong added that their priority remains in persuading the resident to go for treatment voluntarily, and that the CDRT-issued MTO is a measure of last resort. There are also criteria that must be met for the MTO to be issued.

SINGAPORE – The police are investigating deepfake nude photos of Singapore Sports School (SSP) students that were created and spread by other students. In response to queries from The Straits Times, school principal Ong Kim Soon said SSP is “aware of the incident involving the creation and sharing of deepfake photos by our student-athletes”. “The school does not condone such harmful behaviour,” he said, adding that it has launched an investigation and lodged a police report. The police, in response to queries from ST, confirmed that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing. A reader who identified himself as a parent of a victim had alerted ST in an e-mail on Nov 12 about the deepfake nude images that were being circulated. “Many parents of affected female students in Singapore Sports School are making police reports about deepfake nude photos of their daughters generated by male students from the school,” the parent said. When contacted, the parent said that female teachers were also targeted, and that the school has offered affected students counselling.

As a group of friends circled a hearse, chants were heard. Then, they stopped and bowed to the portrait displayed at the front of the vehicle. This was not a typical Buddhist funeral, but rather the unconventional birthday celebration of a funeral director, reported Shin Min Daily News. According to the Chinese evening daily, a video circulating online showed the friends chanting a birthday song. The hearse's interior had been decorated with balloons and a birthday banner, with the man even laying inside for photos. The clip garnered criticism from netizens, with some deeming it overboard and disrespectful to the funeral industry. In an interview with Shin Min, director of Xin An Funeral Services Chen Weisong (transliteration) explained that he had celebrated his birthday at the company's premises with his friends and family last week. Halfway through the performances by singers, his employees and business partners had surprised him with the birthday-themed hearse bearing his portrait. Chen told 8world he was not angry and did not think it was taboo. «I was too embarrassed to turn down their gesture,» he said. 

The police are on the search for a driver who fled the scene after crashing their rental car last Saturday (Nov 9). The incident occurred at around 1.55am and involved a GetGo rental car that had driven through a road divider at Bedok Reservoir Road. In a video provided to Shin Min Daily News, the car is severely damaged with a broken windshield and liquid leaking onto the road. A part of the divider can be seen embedded in its bonnet. An eyewitness, surnamed Huang, was on the way to open his hawker stall at 1.45am when he drove past the scene. «I saw a car rushing towards the road divider. My car also drove over some metal objects which made crackling sounds, which I later found out were broken pieces of the road divider,» Huang said when speaking to Shin Min. He stopped his car along the roadside and got out to investigate but didn't see a driver in the GetGo car. Police looking for driver In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said that the GetGo car «was believed to have self-skidded along Bedok Reservoir Road». The police were unable to locate the GetGo driver upon arrival at the scene. 

Errant employers who are found to have carried out more severe discriminatory practices may be fined or face legal consequences under a proposed workplace fairness law. The Workplace Fairness Bill, which was introduced in Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 12), will allow the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to take a range of actions against the company and/or person responsible for their discriminatory practices if passed. For example, job advertisements seeking preferential characteristics in candidates may be classed as lower severity. In such cases, MOM can give directions to employers to rectify the breaches and prevent future recurrence, said MOM in a press statement.  In moderately severe cases such as when firms fail to rectify earlier identified breaches, the ministry may then impose financial penalties. And in the most severe cases such as when it is found there was a clear intention to discriminate, MOM can take legal action against the errant employer by recommending the Courts to impose higher quantum financial penalties.

SINGAPORE - Singapore and China took steps to refresh their relationship and deepen collaboration in areas such as trade and finance at the apex bilateral cooperation meeting between the two countries on Nov 11. At the first Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting held since Mr Lawrence Wong took the helm in Singapore as prime minister in May, progress and continuity were stressed amid the leadership transition. “With every new generation of leaders, you need to refresh the relationship, continue to strengthen mutual understanding, so that you can build trust and confidence with one another,” Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who took over from PM Wong as JCBC co-chair in 2024, told the Singapore media after a series of meetings held under the umbrella of JCBC on Nov 11. Leaders from both sides agreed to continue to collaborate and tap opportunities in emerging areas to deliver high-quality outcomes that will benefit both countries and contribute to regional prosperity, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

SHOALWATER BAY, Australia - Amidst the camaraderie of shipmates and delicious meals, nothing compares to the longing for home when Corporal First Class (CFC) Lim Shi Xian is out at sea aboard a Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) vessel. After weeks in the RSS Persistence, the 22-year-old full-time national serviceman was recently joined by a familiar face - his younger brother who has also been deployed to the same overseas exercise during his national service.  Like CFC Lim, 21-year-old Corporal (CPL) Lim Shi Rong, is participating in Exercise Trident at Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) in Australia. CFC Lim is a fast craft specialist with the RSN while CPL Lim is a platoon marksman with 3rd Battalion, Singapore Guards.  Held from November 6 to 15, the bilateral Exercise Trident involved more than 1,900 troops from the Singapore and Australian militaries training together in a space four times the size of Singapore. This year's Trident will see soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Singapore Guards conduct assaults by landing via fast crafts and chinooks from the RSN’s vessels. 

The Singapore High Court on Nov 11 ordered beleaguered online marketplace Qoo10 to be wound up and for liquidators from AAG Corporate Advisory to take over management of the insolvent company. This comes after Korea Culture Promotion (KCP), which operates culture portal sites and issues culture gift certificates in South Korea, sought to wind up Qoo10 over nearly 76 billion won (S$72.4 million) in unpaid debt. Describing itself as one of Qoo10's «many merchants left high and dry», KCP alleged that Qoo10 had defaulted on 5.8 billion won in payments for gift certificates, according to court papers seen by The Straits Times. KCP also claims Qoo10 refused to honour its guarantees to secure more than 70 billion won in debt from its two e-commerce platform units, Tmon and WeMakePrice. Both Qoo10 subsidiaries have filed for corporate rehabilitation in the Seoul Bankruptcy Court, after failing to make payments to merchants using their platforms since early July 2024.

An elderly man sustained injuries to his head and knees after falling from his wheelchair, which got stuck in a drain with a broken cover in Paya Lebar.  The incident took place below Block 121, Paya Lebar Way at around 6am on Nov 6, reported Shin Min Daily News. The man's maid was pushing him when one of the wheels from his wheelchair got stuck, witnesses told the Chinese evening daily.  Photos provided by these witnesses showed the man bleeding from his forehead and knees, and his helper cleaning his wounds with tissue. The man's wife, surnamed Feng, told Shin Min her husband suffered a stroke in 2008 and had been recovering well until a fall in 2014 caused an infection. He now has limited mobility, and requires a wheelchair to get around. He also has heart problems and relies on a pacemaker, his wife told Shin Min. On weekdays, the helper would bring him to a nearby coffee shop for breakfast at around 6am, pushing his wheelchair over that drain that happens to be on their usual path, the 73-year-old woman said. The couple had noticed that cracks and small holes in the drain covers around three months ago.

SINGAPORE — Road users who cause accidents leading to death or serious injuries will face the full force of the law and can be handed maximum jail sentences. To prevent less egregious offenders from being overly punished, as other road users might have also contributed to the accident, changes in the traffic rules are being proposed. This will allow the courts to have more discretion in sentencing these offenders. To achieve this, the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill was introduced for first reading in Parliament on Monday (Nov 11).

Low crime doesn't mean no crime - and this father's vigilance may have paid off. A father confronted a man who allegedly tried to pick up his primary school daughter when she was alone in Thomson Plaza, according to a video uploaded to Facebook group SG Kaypoh on Thursday (Nov 7). The video has since been reposted on multiple platforms, with the earliest being a post on TikTok - now deleted - on Wednesday by TikTok user Busybeesingapore. According to the Facebook post, the father had left his nine-year-old daughter alone to play with a claw machine in the mall's arcade and went to the washroom. When he came back, he was told by his daughter that she had purportedly been approached by a 30-year-old man who asked for her phone number and told her to text and call him. 'No motive, just making friends' Returning to the arcade, his daughter identified the man and the father confronted him. In the video, the father can be heard forcing the man to remove his daughter's phone number from his device, and also happened to see his other messages.

Police may be getting powers to instruct banks to restrict transactions of potential scam victims, according to a bill tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday (Nov 11). Under the Protection from Scams Bill, the police will be able to issue restriction orders (RO) to banks so long as there is reasonable belief that scam victims will make monetary transfers to the scammer, according to MHA. Under this bill, money transfers, ATM facilities and all credit facilities (e.g. credit card transactions, personal loan facilities) will be restricted for potential scam victims. «This will enable the police to better protect targets of ongoing scams who refuse to believe that they are being scammed,» the ministry stated said in a press release on Monday When issued, the RO will be sent by default to the seven major retail banks in Singapore: OCBC, DBS Bank, UOB, Maybank, Standard Chartered, Citibank and HSBC. Other banks not included may also be sent an RO where there is reasonable suspicion that an account under these banks might be involved.

Some Bishan residents are frustrated with the noisy crows in their neighbourhood that have been disrupting their lives. In a video posted to Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Nov 6 by one such resident, numerous crows can be seen perched on a tree near an HDB block. These crows then proceed to fly back and forth from one tree to another while cawing loudly. According to the Facebook post, this occurred at around 1.30am at Block 197, Bishan Street 13 and the resident estimated that there were over 200 crows in the area. The birds «made a lot of noise, like two gangs fighting,» the resident said. Other residents interviewed by Shin Min Daily News said that the crows posed a problem in their neighbourhood. When the Chinese evening daily visited the estate on Nov 6, crows were spotted at nearly every single tree in the car park behind the block. The birds do not shy away from people. A 65-year-old retiree surnamed Zeng told the Chinese evening daily that this issue has persisted for many years, affecting residents' lives and public hygiene.

SINGAPORE — The man arrested for allegedly stabbing a priest at St Joseph's Church in Bukit Timah has been charged with voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon. Basnayake Keith Spencer, 37, appeared at the State Courts via video-link on Monday (Nov 11) at 10.10am. The Singaporean man, who had close-cropped hair, was expressionless during court proceedings as the prosecution applied for him to be remanded at Changi Prison Complex Medical Centre for three weeks for a medical examination. His case will be heard in court again on Dec 2.

A fire broke out at a HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio after a washing machine caught fire on Sunday (Nov 10) afternoon. The incident occurred at around 3.25pm in a unit located on the 20th floor of Block 260B, Ang Mo Kio Street 21. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne that the fire was started due to a washing machine in the service yard. Preliminary investigations showed that the fire was likely caused by an electrical fault. The fire was extinguished by members of the public using buckets of water and dry powder extinguisher before the SCDF arrived to the scene. «There were no reported injuries,» said the SCDF. According to SCDF statistics, the overall number of fires increased by 8.6 per cent to 1,954 cases in 2023, up from 1,799 cases in 2022.  SCDF said that they stepped up the number of fire safety enforcement checks in 2023, where they conducted 15,044 fire safety enforcement checks and issued 1,466 Notices of Offence and 2,734 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices.

SINGAPORE - Ms Serene Low, 58, often felt at a loss caring for her 84-year-old mother who was diagnosed with dementia in 2020. The teacher, who is married with three children, said she was quite clueless about how to communicate with her mother and manage her behaviour – especially in the initial months after the diagnosis. For example, her mother would wake up in the middle of the night and start screaming, and Ms Low had to calm her down. The frequency of such incidents has eased with medication. The senior would also throw tantrums during the day. Those stresses took a toll on Ms Low’s sleep pattern and well-being, and she had to stop work for more than a year. Ms Low has a helper to help her care for her mother, who needs assistance with daily activities such as bathing. She added: “My main challenge is the emotional upheavals I go through because of her difficult behaviour. I felt guilty feeling that she has disrupted my life, like I was being selfish.”

SHOALWATER BAY, Australia - Against the choppy waters, two fast craft from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) rapidly approached the shores at Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA) in Queensland, Australia. As soon as the ramps were lifted, dozens of soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Singapore Guards and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) hit the sand. They moved quickly, supported by two Apache helicopters from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) hovering above as they secured the beach. The training on Saturday (Nov 9) morning is part of the bilateral Exercise Trident, where more than 1,900 troops from the Singapore Army, RSN, RSAF and the ADF are taking part in a vast space four times the size of Singapore. Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Enriquez Michael Zachary, Singapore Armed Forces lead for Exercise Trident, said this year's edition, from November 6 to 15, is a testament to the strong relationship between the Singapore and Australian militaries. 

SINGAPORE - The Singaporean Sinhalese man arrested for stabbing a priest at a church in Bukit Timah on Nov 9 has been identified as Basnayake Keith Spencer. Basnayake, 37, had previously been seen at St Joseph's Church in Upper Bukit Timah, but was not a regular, parishioners told The Straits Times. A video circulating online following the attack on 57-year-old Reverend Christopher Lee on Nov 9 showed a lean, bald man in a bloodied white T-shirt being led away from the church with his hands behind his back. ST found out that the man in the video is Basnayake. He was convicted and jailed in 2019 for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, having pleaded guilty to stabbing his former girlfriend at a party while he was on drugs.

Two restaurants in Little India have been suspended from operating for two weeks from Nov 8 to 21. According to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Friday (Nov 8), both The Banana Leaf Apolo and Shahi Briyani House had their licences suspended for failing to meet hygiene requirements. The Banana Leaf Apolo, located at 56 Race Course Road, received 14 demerit points over a 12-month period and was fined a total of $1,000 due to failing to keep its premises clean, ensuring appliances are kept clean, and selling unclean food. The well-known restaurant, whose signature dish is its fish head curry operates two other eateries in Serangoon and Sixth Avenue. Another restaurant, Shahi Briyani House at 10 Rowell Road, received 16 demerit points over a 12-month period and was fined a total of $1,100 for failing to keep its premises clean and free of infestation, and failing to register an assistant. According to the SFA, a licensee who accumulates 12 or more demerit points within a 12-month period may face a suspension of their licence for either two or four weeks, or it may be cancelled entirely.

A woman scanned a QR code at Jollibee for a free ice cream, only to find she had subscribed to a service that charged her $7.99 on her Singtel bill. In a Facebook post on Saturday (Nov 9), user Andy Quek shared his wife's troubling experience at a Jollibee outlet in Waterway Point, which occurred on Nov 1. He stated that she had scanned a QR code placed at the counter, which promised free ice cream in exchange for completing a survey. After entering her phone number, however, she discovered that she had unintentionally subscribed to a mobile service, leading to an unexpected charge of $7.99 to her Singtel bill. PHOTO: Screengrab/Facebook/Andy Quek Despite cancelling the subscription immediately, the charge still appeared on the account, prompting Quek to take further action.

SINGAPORE – An already momentous year for Singapore’s kitefoiler Maximilian Maeder got even better on Nov 9, when local food and beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng (Yeo’s) extended their sponsorship deal by another four years from 2025 to 2028. Yeo’s had inked a three-year agreement with Maeder in 2022 to support his journey towards the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he made history by winning a bronze medal in kitefoiling’s debut. While the quantum of the new accord was not specified, Yeo’s is also pledging another $180,000 to the Singapore Sailing Federation (SingaporeSailing) over the next four years to promote kitefoiling. On Yeo’s backing, Maeder said: “They will for the next four years play a big part in supporting my endeavour to go and compete and train... but what I find so wonderful is bringing others along as well, and that is what really makes me so happy to be together with Yeo’s and to work together with them.” At the Marseille Marina in August, two-time world champion Maeder clinched the bronze to become Singapore’s youngest Olympic medallist and the first Singaporean sailor to stand on the podium at the quadrennial Games.

The singing of hymns was interrupted by the cries and screams of frightened children when a 37-year-old man suddenly stabbed Catholic priest Reverand Christopher Lee at St Joseph's Church in Bukit Timah on Saturday evening (Nov 9). The attacker, a Singaporean Sinhalese man, had stabbed the priest with a foldable knife after approaching him during communion. The former had previously declared to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority that he is a Christian. PHOTO: Facebook/St Joseph's Church The man, who was not named, will be charged in court on Monday (Nov 11) with voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon. The police will also seek a court order to remand the man for psychiatric assessment.  If found guilty, the man faces a jail term of up to 15 years, as well as a fine or caning.  Four other items including potentially dangerous weapons were also found in the suspect’s possession. 

SINGAPORE – A priest was stabbed while he was conducting evening mass at St Joseph’s Church on Nov 9. The suspect, a 37-year-old Singaporean man, has been arrested. He is believed to have acted alone, and the police said they do not suspect that this was an act of terrorism, for now. The 57-year-old priest, Rev Christopher Lee, was attended to by paramedics, and was conscious when taken to the National University Hospital. In a Facebook post on Nov 9, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said the attacker was a Singaporean Sinhalese man, who had earlier declared to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority that he is a Christian. “Police have arrested the attacker and investigations are ongoing,” said Mr Shanmugam. He added that the priest is in stable condition. 

The cost of living and job security are concerns that come up frequently among residents during walkabouts, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said. The Government has taken steps towards addressing these issues and they will be covered in upcoming public consultations on Budget 2025, he added. In a press conference with local media on Nov 8, PM Wong said preparations for Budget 2025 had started and consultation sessions with the public will begin in December. There are four broad themes – economic strategies for the next bound; opportunities for skills upgrading and jobs for workers; support for Singaporeans across different life stages; and strengthening Singaporeans’ sense of solidarity and unity as the country marks SG60.

A student from St Joseph's Institution (SJI) International has died during an overseas school trip to the Maldives. A report on Friday (Nov 8) from Maldives media The Edition stated that the incident took place near Dhigurah island in the Alif Dhaal Atoll, located less than 100km southwest of the country's capital Male. The 15-year-old from Singapore, who was not named or gendered, was on a whale shark research project and was reportedly hit by the propellers of a boat while snorkelling. Despite being transferred to the Dhigurah Health Centre immediately, they were announced dead on arrival. CNA identified the teen to be from SJI International and reported that the school made a statement late on Nov 8. Dr Michael Johnston, the school's chief executive officer, said: «It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of one of our students during a recent overseas school research trip. »Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the family during this difficult time. The school community is mourning our tragic loss, and we are providing all possible support to the family."