SINGAPORE — The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) imposed a three-year suspension in September on a young doctor for faking two medical certificates to cover two days of absence as a houseman in 2022.This is the most severe penalty that SMC can impose on a doctor for wrongdoing, short of striking the person off the register.In October, the council imposed a similar penalty on Dr Wong Yoke Meng, a doctor with 40 years of practice. He inappropriately prescribed hormone replacement therapies to 18 patients, causing actual harm to at least three of them. He had been punished by SMC for other breaches in 2001, 2011, 2015 and 2024.

A total of 88 people were caught for various offences, including over $1.4 million in undeclared cash brought into Singapore, during a multi-agency enforcement operation spanning a week across the land, air and sea checkpoints.The police, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore Customs and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said in a joint statement that over 14,000 travelers and 280 vehicles were checked between Oct 9 and 15.More than 11,700 pieces of luggage and hand-carry bags were also scanned or searched, the authorities said, adding that the operation was part of «continued efforts to detect and enforce against Singapore’s cross-border cash reporting regime and other illegal smuggling activities».Eleven foreigners, aged between 34 and 60, were caught moving more than $20,000 —or its equivalent in foreign currencies— into or out of Singapore without making a declaration, or by making an inaccurate one, authorities said.The largest amount was detected on Oct 13, when three men and a woman were separately found carrying over $1.2 million in cash in various currencies.

SINGAPORE — People living with asthma are most vulnerable when taking a breath of air, yet their use of widely prescribed inhalers to help them breathe better contributes to the worsening of air quality.Doctors say asthma patients should be managing their conditions better instead of turning to the inhalers frequently for treatment, to prevent more damage to the environment.Scientists from SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP) have found that these inhalers generate a significant amount of greenhouse gases.

In an attempt to «protect» a beer promoter arguing with customers accused of not paying for drinks, a man threw glass bottles at them.Several foreigners were caught in the crossfire during the fight on Saturday (Oct 18) night at a coffee shop on Tyrwhitt Road.An eyewitness surnamed Yang told Shin Min Daily News that the beer lady quarrelled with two customers over money for alcohol.«Another male customer wanted to help her and threw the bottles and glasses at them,» the 52-year-old said, adding that the police were called in for help while other customers pulled the man away.The police reportedly also reviewed the CCTV footage from the coffee shop.The beer promoter said that the whole incident was a «misunderstanding».«No one was injured and nothing serious happened,» she added.[[nid:721753]]chingshijie@asiaone.com 

SINGAPORE - In the days leading up to her move to Macau in 2024 to work as an aerialist, Ms Megan Lau grappled with doubt.As a philosophy, politics and economics graduate from the National University of Singapore (NUS), the 24-year-old could not help but wonder if she was trading a secure future for a fleeting dream.In her last year of university, she had applied on a whim to join the House Of Dancing Water, touted as the world's largest water-based show, after seeing a casting advertisement online.She was taken by surprise when she received a callback for auditions, and later an offer to join the cast.«Am I making the right decision? Am I throwing my degree away?» she remembers asking herself on the morning of her departure in October 2024.The dream of performing professionally had been a seed planted long ago, when she started ballet at the age of five.She believes everything she did - years of dance training and aerial practice - had prepared her for this moment.Still, she had to weigh the pros and cons of taking up the offer.

At least 30 lucky draw and 13 e-commerce scams have been reported in Singapore since August 2025.According to the police in a statement on Saturday (Oct 18), the losses have amounted to at least $160,000 in total.In the lucky draw scams, the victims encountered Facebook live streams promoting scratch cards offering the chance to win cash prizes.After they had purchased the cards, the scammers would ask them to transfer more money to «upgrade» their chances of winning or increase the amount of the cash prizes, with some allowing deferred payment.Once the victims won, they would be asked to transfer money again for various reasons, such as for administrative fees, to receive their winnings.In e-commerce scams, the victims would come across Facebook live streams selling «gold mine bags», said to potentially contain gold.If the victims did not win, the scammers would ask them to purchase more bags, or to purchase «upgraded» bags which purportedly had a higher chance of containing gold.

A Palestinian baby girl has been named Singapore as an expression of gratitude to the country that had provided her family with aid and support, according to the newborn's father. In an Instagram post uploaded on Saturday (Oct 18) by Love Aid Singapore — a humanitarian organisation led by Singaporean activist Gilbert Goh — the baby's father explained the reason behind his daughter's name.«Amidst the famine, her pregnant mother was eating from the Singapore kitchen,» said Hamdan, who has worked as a cook with the group for two years.«I am happy and I really want to name her Singapore because I really love them.»According to Love Aid, Hamdan's daughter, born on Oct 16, is the first Palestinian child in Gaza to be named Singapore. The girl's birth certificate, which was shared on social media also showed that she weighed 2.7kg at birth.

Commuters who tap in at the six stations between Punggol Coast and Kovan as well as those along the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) during morning off-peak timings will enjoy free rides come Dec 27.This was announced by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow on Saturday (Oct 18), on the sidelines of the official opening of Punggol Coast Bus Interchange.Those who wish to enjoy the free rides will have to tap in at the abovementioned stations before 7.30am or between 9am and 9.45am on weekdays, excluding public holidays, said Siow.According to a statement by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on the same day, no registration is required to enjoy the free rides, but the same fare card or payment mode must be used for entry and exit.Guest of honour for the opening ceremony and Punggol GRC MP, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong told the media that he had received feedback from residents about the crowd on the the North-East Line (NEL), as the northeast region becomes more densely populated.He then suggested bringing back the free off-peak morning rides.

Twenty one people were injured in a lorry collision on Wednesday night (Oct 15) and one driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing grievous hurt.The police said in a statement on Friday evening (Oct 17) that the 24-year-old driver was ferrying nine passengers when he allegedly ran a red light at the traffic junction of Choa Chu Kang Way by Sungei Kadut Avenue and Sungei Kadut Loop.The lorry collided with another lorry, which had 11 passengers, as the latter vehicle was proceeding through the junction on a green light.Apart from the driver who ran the red light, the remaining 21 people from both vehicles were taken to hospitals.The injuries they sustained include fractures, lacerations and bodily pains.

Twelve persons aged between 25 and 35 have been arrested for their suspected involvement in the possession and distribution of e-vaporisers on Oct 16. The 12 were arrested at a carpark in the vicinity of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 when they were allegedly gathering and distributing the e-vaporisers.“They are believed to be part of an e-vaporiser syndicate that orchestrated the importation and distribution of e-vaporisers from Malaysia into Singapore, and has been supplying to residents,” the police said in a joint statement with the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Saturday (Oct 18).Following the arrests, raids were conducted at Upper Jurong Road, Canberra Drive and Jalan Sendudok, which included two storage locations allegedly used by the syndicate.Police said they coordinated with HSA to seize more than 64,000 e-vaporisers and its related components during the raids. The seized vapes have an estimated street value of $560,000.Eight cars, electronic devices such as mobile phones and SIM cards, and cash amounting to more than $16,000 were also seized during the operation. 

A happy holiday in Singapore took a sour turn when this tourist's $3,000 was allegedly stolen by a hotel housekeeper.A Taiwanese tourist, known as Yang, said his cash was taken by a housekeeper at Village Hotel Sentosa on Friday (Oct 17).In his post on Threads, Yang said he checked into the hotel on Thursday evening (Oct 16) and went to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore.Before leaving, Yang said he placed around $3,000 worth of cash in a plastic bag from Marina Bay Sands. He then left the bag on a white counter in his hotel room.According to Yang's post, the plastic bag with cash was stolen on Friday.«When this happened, I felt so helpless,» Yang wrote in Chinese. «The hotel manager said he really trusts his staff and there was no way such an incident would happen.»Rummaged through hotel's garbageYang said he rummaged through the hotel's garbage collection to no avail until the police arrived.After searching the housekeeper and her storage locker, the police found the same Marina Bay Sands plastic bag Yang used for his money, he wrote.