As AsiaOne's resident motoring correspondent, I do spend quite a lot of time on the roads. One of the things about driving in Singapore though is having to watch out for the infamous 'cop on top' - traffic policemen stationed at overhead bridges with their laser cameras, ready to nab speedsters. Of course, as a law-abiding citizen, I probably shouldn't have much to worry about. But it's always wise to keep a lookout anyway just to make sure I don't fall afoul of the law. What is it like on the other side of the fence though? Well, the Traffic Police (TP) invited us to follow them on one of their speeding enforcement operations exercise this week to find out what goes on when they head out to catch speeding vehicles.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore and congregants celebrated the election of Pope Leo XIV early on May 9 (12.06am SGT). This pontiff, who succeeds Pope Francis, will be the first American to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.  «The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore gives thanks to almighty God for blessing us with a new Vicar of Christ,» it said in a statement on Friday (May 9). The statement said that Pope Leo XIV was chosen to be the 267th Pope by 133 cardinal electors on Thursday (May 8) at 6.06 pm Rome time. «We rejoice at the election of Pope Leo XIV as the successor of Saint Peter and Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church. »The Roman Catholic Archdiocese unites with the universal church in praying for the Holy Father as he begins his Apostolic ministry,« it added. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong posted an Instagram story early on Friday morning of the newly elected pope waving to the crowds. He captioned the story: »His Holiness Pope Leo XIV".

An elderly man who lost contact with family members for six days has been found on the roof of a newly-constructed flat in Bidadari. Lau Sung Pong, 81, was reported missing on May 1 after he failed to return home. In an interview with AsiaOne, 55-year-old Joyce said that her father, Lau, who has dementia but had been advised by doctors to maintain his daily routine, accidentally got off the bus two stops later than intended. «He's generally strong and healthy, though his kidneys are not in the best condition due to his age,» said Joyce, who asked not to be identified by her full name. She is her father's primary caregiver. After spending two hours searching for Lau on foot and car without success, Joyce contacted the police. Together with several family members, the police combed through the Bidadari and Woodleigh area to find the elderly man.

After his son was slapped in a road rage incident, this father isn't too keen on turning the other cheek. The father is now seeking an apology from a man who struck his 13-year-old son after the two — on bicycles — collided with each other at a traffic junction in Tampines, Shin Min Daily News reported on Thursday (May 8). The teenager was attempting to cross a traffic junction along Tampines Ave 7 and 12 last Friday (May 2) around 5.45pm, according to a video post of the incident uploaded to SG Road Vigilante's Facebook page the following day. Mid-crossing, the teen appeared to struggle with the bicycle and didn't seem to notice the oncoming adult cyclist approaching from the opposite end of the junction. While the adult cyclist managed to stop in time, the teenager did not and jerkily moved forward, colliding with the man. In response, the man abruptly slapped the teen, causing both of them to stumble briefly before they continued on their paths. Speaking with Shin Min, the teenager's father, surnamed Qiu (transliteration), shared on Wednesday that his son had cycled away because the crossing light was turning red.

Two people have been arrested after a video of a man getting violently attacked went viral, according to the police on Wednesday (May 7). A 31-year-old man and 35-year-old woman were arrested for their alleged involvement in a case of voluntarily causing grievous hurt with common intention and suspected drug consumption. In the 49-second video posted on Facebook on Tuesday, the victim can be seen handing over a plastic bag to a man in what appears to be a transaction. After a few words were exchanged, the victim then appears to return the man his banknote while tapping on his phone. However, the man receiving the handoff suddenly delivers an uppercut to the victim, sending the latter's glasses flying. The man follows this up with a flurry of blows, causing the victim to reel backwards and collapse on the ground, as punches continue to rain down upon him. As the victim tries to right himself, the attacker kicks him in the head, knocking him back against the wall. The victim's bloodied face and hands and face are shown as the video ends.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has signed a contract with Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems to acquire two more Invincible-class submarines, growing its fleet to six from 2034 onwards.  The procurement of two additional submarines was previously announced by Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Committee of Supply 2025 debate in Parliament on March 3.  «Four submarines are not optimal for a submarine fleet,» said Dr Ng. He explained that submarines are subjected to more rigorous and frequent maintenance cycles as they operate under intense pressure. This is in turn affects operational time. «This is why most navies that operate submarines have more than four — Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam», added Dr Ng.  The Republic of Singapore Navy started building four custom-made Invincible-class submarines, in Germany, in 2017. Two of the four existing submarines, the RSS Invincible and RSS Impeccable, were commissioned in September 2024 and have begun operations in Singapore waters. 

SINGAPORE — Cardinal William Goh is one of 133 cardinals from about 70 countries — and the first Singaporean — choosing the new pope in the papal election that starts on May 7 at the Vatican. The 67-year-old head of the Catholic Church in Singapore also has a shot at becoming the next pope, like the other cardinals gathered in Rome to pick the leader for the 1.4 billion Catholics globally. Cardinals are second in rank only to the pope in the Church's hierarchy. After the pope dies, all cardinals under the age of 80, who are known as cardinal electors, come together to choose the new pope. They typically choose someone from among their ranks. Pope Francis, who died on April 21, elevated Cardinal Goh to a cardinal in 2022. Cardinal Goh is the first and only Singaporean to be appointed a cardinal so far, and he heads the 395,000-strong Catholic Church here. One of six children of a housewife and a clerk, Cardinal Goh grew up in a zinc-roofed house in Hougang and later worked as a forex dealer before he answered the call of priesthood. He was ordained as a priest in 1985 at the age of 27.

SINGAPORE - Seven years ago, a foreigner molested a woman at Serangoon MRT station and left Singapore without being apprehended. But Zhang Yang, 34, was arrested upon re-entering the Republic in March. The Chinese national was sentenced to three weeks' jail on May 7 after he admitted to one count of outrage of modesty. A second similar charge was taken into consideration for sentencing. The offence happened on Aug 22, 2018. Zhang, a construction worker at the time, did not know the 21-year-old victim. She was at Serangoon MRT station, intending to travel to Little India. As she walked towards one end of the platform while waiting for the train, Zhang walked towards her and brushed his arm against her shorts. After they crossed paths, he turned and walked back towards her. She immediately moved to an area where more people were standing as she was afraid he would touch her again. But Zhang followed closely behind her and molested her a second time. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jordy Kay said: «This occurred less than a minute after the first incident. The victim was shocked and felt scared.»

SINGAPORE - Seven years ago, a foreigner molested a woman at Serangoon MRT station and left Singapore without being apprehended. But Zhang Yang, 34, was arrested upon re-entering the Republic in March. The Chinese national was sentenced to three weeks' jail on May 7 after he admitted to one count of outrage of modesty. A second similar charge was taken into consideration for sentencing. The offence happened on Aug 22, 2018. Zhang, a construction worker at the time, did not know the 21-year-old victim. She was at Serangoon MRT station, intending to travel to Little India. As she walked towards one end of the platform while waiting for the train, Zhang walked towards her and brushed his arm against her shorts. After they crossed paths, he turned and walked back towards her. She immediately moved to an area where more people were standing as she was afraid he would touch her again. But Zhang followed closely behind her and molested her a second time. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jordy Kay said: «This occurred less than a minute after the first incident. The victim was shocked and felt scared.»

An 18-year-old Chinese national studying in Singapore was allegedly kidnapped in Kuala Lumpur, with a ransom of $628,381 demanded from his parents. The teenager's parents had received videos on Friday (May 2) at around 11.44am showing their son being held hostage, reported China Press.  At the time, his mother, surnamed Cheng, 40, and father, surnamed Ye, 43, were in Dubai for work.  Cheng explained that in the videos sent to her, her son's mouth was sealed with black tape, his hands tied to a chair, while being physically abused. At one point, when the tape was removed, the boy would plead for help over the phone, urging his family to pay the ransom quickly.  The perpetrators also reportedly threatened to bury him alive. The family noted that the videos featured at least two distinct voices, indicating that more than one person was involved in the staged abduction. One video even included fake blood to make the scenario appear more convincing. The couple immediately flew to Malaysia after receiving the news.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed his gratitude to Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for their contributions to Singapore as they retire from politics after the recent general election. In a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 6), PM Wong expressed his gratitude to the «two giants of public service», thanking them for their «immense contributions to Singapore and Singaporeans». He also shared valedictory letters he had written to SM Teo and DPM Heng in his post. «Their decades of service have helped build the strong foundations that my team and I now stand on, as we chart the way forward for Singapore,» said PM Wong. 

SINGAPORE - The two independent candidates who contested the May 3 election intend to use their new-found platforms to engage with Singaporeans on local and national issues, even though neither was elected. Mountbatten candidate Jeremy Tan, 34, told The Straits Times on May 5 that he has not ruled out contesting the next general election. Mr Darryl Lo, 28, who contested in Radin Mas, was coy about his plans, saying he was unsure if he would continue being involved in politics. Political observers said the pair - part of an «evolving profile» of political independents - had polled better than expected, and were able to put their views across coherently during their campaigns. They also noted that Mr Tan and Mr Lo performed better at the ballot box than some candidates from small opposition parties fielded in single seats. Mr Tan, a retired business owner, ran against maritime lawyer Gho Sze Kee from the ruling PAP in Mountbatten. Both are political newcomers.

«If global temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, Asia's economic future will be in severe jeopardy if we do not do anything,» remarked Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean. He was speaking at Temasek's Ecosperity event held on Tuesday (May 6). He cited the Asian Development Bank's estimates on GDP losses given a high-end greenhouse gas emissions scenario and warned against regular flooding with disruptions to the food supply chain with heat and weather extremities. «Our region is not just vulnerable to the crisis. We are integral to solving it,» said SM Teo. He also noted the path forward for Asia should see growth, maturity and adoption of green technologies, as well as closer collaborations between governments, business and investors to complement efforts on climate action for a low-carbon future.

Seven students dressed in boldly coloured outfits belted out the lyrics to the song Drip by BabyMonster while executing slick dance moves, drawing curious and appreciative looks at Nanyang Polytechnic's (NYP) Student Life Carnival, a co-curricular activities (CCAs) showcase, in April. They are members of the K-Wave Club, a cultural club inspired by all things Korean. Preparation for performances like this often takes more than a month, with rehearsals running into the night as performers sing and synchronise their dance moves over and over in front of a large mirror.  Members of the K-Wave Club performing at the Student Life Carnival in April. PHOTO: Sylvia Tan All this is done without hired instructors, and with performers learning dance and vocal techniques from other members and alumni instead.

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean man was part of a group arrested in Bangkok for selling drug-laced electronic cigarettes, amassing nearly 16 million baht (S$627,000) in suspected ill-gotten gains, said the police in Thailand. The 37-year-old Singaporean man, identified by the police as Neo Ming Loon, was among six suspects arrested on April 30. Evidence, including vaping equipment and cash, was also seized in two raids — one at a house in the Bangkok subdistrict of Din Daeng, the other at an apartment in the Pathum Thani province north of the Thai capital. The Royal Thai Police's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) said in a statement on May 2 that they had received a report about smuggled e-cigarettes or vapes that were mixed with narcotics like ketamine and hawked as «Kpods» to tourists. Suspicions were partially confirmed when an undercover officer managed to purchase a vape from one of the suspects described as a low-level dealer at around 2,500 baht, said the police. Investigations found that etomidate, a substance commonly used as a medical anaesthetic, and not ketamine, had been mixed into the vape pods.