A group of Singapore Armed Forces (BMT) recruits on their 24km-long route march brought early festive cheer to parkgoers at East Coast Park (ECP).On Thursday (Dec 4), TikTok user iwchickenwings shared a video of her wholesome encounter with the recruits during a Christmas gathering.In the video, the user and her group were singing along to «Jingle Bells» when the passing recruits joined them for a singalong, instead of the usual SAF route march songs.A second platoon following them later took it a notch higher by joining in to sing «Happy Birthday». But the wholesome exchanges did not end there.After the video was posted, one soldier came across the post and asked if this was where they «started a happy chain (of songs)». Soon after, others from the route march that night also joined the comment wall to identify themselves. «We were marching yesterday when you guys were celebrating. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed [it]», one of the recruits said.Another added: «Our sergeants encouraged us to join in.»

A 57-year-old man was arrested on Thursday (Dec 4) for his suspected involvement in a series of theft in dwelling cases. In a statement on Dec 5, the police said they were alerted to a case of theft at a drinks stall at a hawker centre along Old Airport Road, where $20 in cash was stolen. The police said the suspect was identified with the aid of images from police cameras and through ground queries. Preliminary investigations revealed that he is also believed to be involved in other similar cases of theft in dwelling. The suspect will be charged in court on Dec 6. If found guilty, he can be fined and jailed for up to seven years. The police also advised businesses, especially those operating in high-traffic public areas, to secure valuables such as tip boxes and cash containers to prevent opportunistic theft. [[nid:726273]]editor@asiaone.com 

Singapore marathoner Soh Rui Yong’s hopes of contending for a medal at the 2025 SEA Games are now uncertain after an abnormal finding surfaced during his pre-Games medical screening. But he is unfazed and remains hopeful. In a Facebook post on Friday (Dec 5), Soh wrote: «The doctor says I’m getting old. Looking forward to proving my heart health at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon this weekend.» The medical screening was conducted at Changi General Hospital a day earlier. Soh was informed that he might not be cleared to compete as his electrocardiogram (ECG) results were «abnormal, with multiple premature ventricular complexes» and that he would “likely to need further cardiovascular evaluation before clearance”, reported The Straits Times. Soh told The Straits Times that he has not experienced any cardiovascular difficulties previously and hopes that the issue will be resolved in time for his race on Dec 16. In spite of the situation, Soh still intends to compete in the half marathon and marathon at this weekend's Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. 

Many parents of students with disabilities have concerns about the school-to-work transition for their children when they turn 18 and complete schooling at special education schools (Sped), said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (Dec 5). He was speaking at the launch of Vista @ Enabling Village in Bukit Merah on Friday morning, where he also announced the launch of a new taskforce on assurance for families with persons with disabilities at the event. Vista, a four-storey block at the Enabling Village, provides a dedicated space for those with disabilities after they turn 18 and age out of the system. It will also host initiatives that strengthen support for caregivers. 

Barisan Sosialis — once Singapore’s largest Opposition party — is one of the 14 dormant political parties that were deregistered on Thursday (Dec 4). This comes after the authorities gave the political parties three months to give proof of their continued existence to ensure they comply with the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act. Under the law, those involved in Singapore’s political process, such as political parties and Members of Parliament, are designated as politically significant persons and are subjected to measures to mitigate the risk of foreign interference. For instance, they have to report single donations of $10,000 or more, and are required to disclose if they have been granted migration benefits such as permanent residency or honorary citizenship by foreign governments. The Ministry of Home Affairs told The Straits Times that Singapore now has 20 registered political parties. Eleven of them contested in the 2025 General Election. According to a notice in the Government Gazette on Thursday, the political parties that have ceased to exist are:

Commuters travelling from Bedok and Kembangan MRT stations could face waiting times of up to 17 minutes during off-peak hours as planned works on the East-West Line (EWL) enter the final phase. This is because one platform at the two train stations will be closed for tests to be done on the newly fitted tracks linking the EWL to the new East Coast Integrated Depot, said Chia Choon Poh, group director of rail at the Land Transport Authority (LTA). «We need to retest the system to make sure that it is safe, reliable, and ready for passenger service,» he said on Friday (Dec 5). Since Nov 29, there has been no train service between Bedok and Tampines stations, as well as between Tanah Merah and Expo stations due to the track works which saw the removal and installation of several track segments. Shuttle bus services have been made available for commuters travelling between the closed stretches. 

A Singaporean man has made the news in Thailand after marrying a nurse from Kalasin province in Northeast Thailand. Their whirlwind romance reportedly involved him quitting his $12,000 a month job in Singapore to settle down in Thailand, with the wedding dowry of cash and gold valued at over $250,000, according to Kalasin News. The 32-year-old man, identified only as Jordan, told the news outlet that he'd met his wife, «Eve» Ratchadaporn, 29, at a cafe in Bangna district in Bangkok. They exchanged contact numbers and began texting on the Line messaging app, sparking a long-distance relationship. The pair decided to marry after dating for a year, with Jordan making the move to Thailand. Jordan, who speaks Thai, told the news outlet that he and his wife wanted to build a life for themselves in Thailand. He added that he'd taken on a job at a local company for half his original salary at a bank in Singapore — equivalent to about 300,000 baht (S$12,162). Jordan expressed that he appreciates the Thai culture where «you have to create whatever you want yourself». 

Taxi rides between Singapore and Malaysia are set to become more convenient and accessible, as both countries will each increase their fleet of licensed cross-border taxis and allow passengers to be freely dropped off at their desired destinations. This comes after a meeting between Singapore's Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke at the 12th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat on Wednesday (Dec 4). In a joint statement on Dec 5, both transport ministries said the ministers had acknowledged the demand for more convenient cross-border ride services and agreed to enhance the cross-border taxi scheme. Each country's quota for licensed cross-border taxis will be gradually raised from the current 200 to 500, subject to the implementation of safeguards against illegal domestic trips and insurance requirements. 

Minister of Parliament for Chua Chu Kang GRC Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim will be appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Social and Family Development on Jan 1, 2026.He had been set to take up the position on Feb 1, but his appointment has been brought forward as Zhulkarnain «has discharged his professional obligations earlier than initially scheduled», the Prime Minister's Office said on Friday (Dec 5).Zhulkarnain was a senior partner at law firm Dentons Rodyk, where he handled dispute cases and corporate and regulatory advisory matters.He made the decision to give up legal practice to join Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's Cabinet as a political office holder after the 2025 General Election in May.Singapore's code of conduct for ministers states that a minister who is a partner in a professional firm or other business must, cease to practise for remuneration or to play any part in the day-to-day management of the firm's affairs upon taking office.The two-term MP oversees the Keat Hong ward and is vice-chair of the South West Community Development Council and Chua Chu Kang Town Council. [[nid:718138]]

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has taken over 14,400 enforcement actions this year for smoking in prohibited areas, as of November 2025.Smoking is currently banned in more than 49,000 indoor and outdoor premises, with NEA enforcement officers patrolling hotspots.For instance, smoking is prohibited within five metres of bus stops to protect the public from second-hand smoke exposure.In response to queries by AsiaOne, a NEA spokesperson said: «We encourage smokers to be socially responsible when smoking in public places, and not to light up in smoking-prohibited places.»Friendly and timely reminders from family, friends and other members of the community can help to reinforce the right social behaviour and norms."Earlier this month, a man claimed he was fined $300 after leaving his extinguished cigarette butt on top of a rubbish bin. [[nid:725338]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

Food handlers will no longer be required to wear masks or spit guards from Jan 1, 2026, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).The change was announced in a press release on Dec 4, and is part of SFA's regular review of Singapore's food safety regulatory framework.Food handlers involved in the sale and preparation of food were previously required to wear masks and spit guards since April 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.At the time, the rule was implemented to prevent any substance expelled from the mouth or nose from contaminating food.«Food contamination has primarily been due to inadequate sanitation, poor handling and temperature management, and contact between raw and ready-to-eat foods,» said the agency in its latest statement.It also assessed that there is a low risk to food safety when handlers do not wear such gear.«Nonetheless, food businesses should continue adopting good food safety practices to ensure food safety for all consumers,» said SFA. Such practices may include proper food handling, time and temperature control, thorough cleaning, and good housekeeping.

A 15-year-old teen was among 268 people assisting in police investigations for their suspected involvement in scams as scammers or money mules, where victims reportedly lost more than $4.66 million.Officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven police land divisions conducted a two-week operation between Nov 21 and Dec 4, said the police in a statement on Thursday (Dec 4). A total of 91 women and 177 men, aged between 15 and 78, are believed to be involved in more than 800 cases of scams, comprising mainly e-commerce scams, friend impersonation scams, job scams, government official impersonation scams, investment scams and rental scams.They are being investigated for the alleged offences of cheating, money laundering and providing payment services without a licence.The latest enforcement operation comes right after another two-week operation conducted between Nov 7 and 20.During that operation, 250 people were asked to assist in police investigations. 

A 23-year-old man was charged in court on Thursday (Dec 4) with trafficking 28 etomidate-laced vapes, also known as Kpods. Basil Wang Zhuang Zhen was found with a disposable vape when he drove into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint on Tuesday evening, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Thursday. HSA officers then conducted a raid at his home in Marsiling in the early hours of Wednesday. A total of 33 e-vaporisers and pods, 104 bottles of cough syrup as well as prescription medicines including over 3,500 tablets of diazepam and codeine phosphate were discovered and seized by HSA. Diazepam is an anti-anxiety medicine while codeine is used as a cough suppressant. HSA said Wang intended to sell 28 of the vape pods, along with all the cough syrup and all the prescription tablets. 

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.1. Outstanding bilateral issues are 'complex', do not mar overall Singapore-Malaysia relations: PM WongThe outstanding bilateral issues between Singapore and Malaysia are complex and not easy to resolve, but will not be allowed to «colour or undermine» the two countries' overall co-operation, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (Dec 4)... » READ MORE2. 100 residents evacuated after fire at Boon Keng coffee shop, 1 taken to hospital

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has revoked the licence of a travel agency on Thursday (Dec 4) over concerns about the authenticity of the financial information it provided. In a statement on Dec 4, STB said Toyou Travel was no longer permitted to carry out any travel agent activities. «STB has reason to be believe that the company contravened Section 13(b) of the Travel Agents Act 1975 by submitting false financial statements for some years, constituting an offence involving dishonesty,» the statement read.Toyou Travel must now refund all its existing customers or hand over their existing obligations to licensed travel agents to fulfil.Checks by AsiaOne on Toyou's website show that it offered mainly inbound travel services to Singapore under the categories of educational tours, overseas studies, leisure and customised tours. The website is written mostly in Mandarin.Under the Act, licensed agencies must submit their auditor-certified financial statements to STB each year, within six months of the close of the licensee's financial year. 

A Malaysian man who successfully escaped from a job scam syndicate based in Cambodia has shared how he and others were forced to make scam calls to victims, posing as «officers from a cyber security agency from Singapore». During a press conference held in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (Dec 3) following his release, Muhammad Syafiq Pubalan Abdullah, 40, also said that under his watch, «one Singapore was scammed out of $67,000». The businessman shared that he had been tricked into the syndicate by a friend of more than 12 years who urged Syafiq to open a Malaysian restaurant in Cambodia, reported The Star. After arriving in Bangkok, he was taken to Cambodia by a driver. Syafiq estimated that there were about 700 Malaysians held at the centre, with many facing torture while being held captive. The victims, aged between 17 and 35, were often beaten up, he said. He shared that he was also hit every day during his first week in the centre, and was forced to eat pork or be beaten up. 

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has coordinated a delivery of over seven tonnes of humanitarian aid to Thailand, in response to cyclonic storms and monsoon rains that have caused severe flooding to the city of Hat Yai in Thailand.The southern city, a major transport and trade hub in Thailand's Songkhla province, saw widespread damages and casualties after heavy rains inundated Thailand's south late last month.As of Wednesday (Dec 3), the death toll in Hat Yai alone has hit 142 — more than half of the 267 people who lost their lives across eight provinces. In a Facebook post on Dec 3, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said more than seven tonnes of aid contributed by the SAF was transported via a Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 transport aircraft to Thailand. The ministry added that the relief supplies included food, hygiene supplies, medicine and water.The delivery was coordinated by the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre (Changi RHCC). 

Workers' Party (WP) chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh's appeal against conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee in 2021 was dismissed by the High Court on Thursday (Dec 4). In delivering the verdict, Justice Steven Chong said he found that Principal District Judge Luke Tan's decision to convict Singh, 49, in February of lying to the Committee of Privileges was supported by evidence. «From the time Singh learnt about the untruth to the time it was decided Ms (Raeesah) Khan should clarify the untruth... the appellant was hoping that he would not have to deal with it,» said the judge. Singh paid the $14,000 fine right after the court session on Thursday morning. «Might as well get it done,» he told reporters at the payment station, accompanied by his lawyers Andre Jumabhoy and Aristotle Eng, along with his father Amarjit Singh.Speaking to reporters afterwards, Singh said he was «disappointed» with the verdict, but accepted the judgment «fully and without reservation». 

About 100 residents living in a Boon Keng HDB block were evacuated after a fire broke out at a coffee shop slightly after midnight on Thursday (Dec 4).The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to the fire at Block 11 Upper Boon Keng Road at 12.30am.When firefighters arrived, the kitchen exhaust duct of the coffee shop was on fire. Several stalls had heat and smoke damage. SCDF then extinguished the blaze with two water jets. One person was assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital, SCDF said. The damaged kitchen exhaust duct following the fire. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Sean Ler When AsiaOne arrived at the scene this morning, a strong charred odour was still lingering in the air.Several residents said that they immediately evacuated their homes after noticing the burning smell.