SINGAPORE - A British author is looking to get in touch with the family of a Singaporean World War II pilot, who was the inspiration behind a major character in a book she wrote. Ms Onjali Rauf, who has won multiple awards for her work in Britain, wrote The Lion Above The Door in 2021. It features a major character based on wing commander Tan Kay Hai, a decorated, daredevil Singaporean pilot who flew with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during WWII on at least 190 missions. «Tan Kay Hai's story has made such a huge impact on my life - The Lion Above The Door would never have been written if I hadn't learnt of him,» said Ms Onjali, who arrived in Singapore on April 21 for a series of speaking engagements with various schools, including Tanglin Trust School, United World College South East Asia and Dulwich School. «He represents all the millions of brave men and women who fought during World War II, but whose names and efforts can barely be found in our history books.»

SINGAPORE - The Bank of Singapore (BOS) has uncovered cases of misuse of medical benefits by its staff, and up to 40 employees left the bank last week. Hundreds were involved in the internal investigation by the bank, and some were believed to have been sacked. The investigation was first reported by finance industry career portal efinancialcareers.com on Wednesday (April 24). In response to queries from The Straits Times, a BOS spokesperson declined to provide details, citing confidentiality. But the spokesman added: «Where wrongdoing is alleged, the matter will be investigated and reviewed according to the bank's investigative and disciplinary framework.» CNA reported that BOS, the private banking arm of OCBC, launched an investigation in 2023 into employee medical claims involving one of its company panel clinics. ST understands the clinic in question is Thompson & Thomson (RadLink Medicare), which is located in CIMB Plaza. It is one of the panel clinics under Fullerton Health. BOS' medical insurance scheme allows employees to claim up to $10,500 for medical and dental expenses.

A 70-year-old man's decomposing body was found in his Bukit Merah HDB flat on Thursday (April 25) after a neighbour had noticed a pungent smell emanating from the unit. The police told AsiaOne that they were alerted to a case of unnatural death at Block 121 Bukit Merah View at 3.28pm that day. The man was found lying motionless and was pronounced dead at scene. When a Shin Min Daily News reporter visited the ninth floor of the block at about 5pm on Thursday, it was reported that a foul stench lingered in the corridor. A 65-year-old woman surnamed Jiang, who lives on the same floor as the deceased, said the man moved in over a year ago and lived alone. Describing the man as a kind person, Jiang said the deceased would typically exchange greetings and chat with the residents. He would often eat with her and her husband at the community centre and had a good relationship with his neighbours. «We made plans last week to attend an activity at the community centre together, and he told us to take care of ourselves,» she recalled. «I never thought that the next update from him would be this bad news.»

SINGAPORE – The police are investigating a case of a teenager found living in a wet market stall for almost a year. Stall owners at the Circuit Road Market and Food Centre said the girl, who barely spoke and merely gestured, relieved herself in pails in the stall as she would not leave even to use the toilet. They said she lived in the stall, which measures around two by three metres, with her father who rented it. The Straits Times understands that the girl and her father are Singapore permanent residents. The stall owners, who declined to be named, said National Environment Agency (NEA) officers conducting checks at the market in early April noticed the girl. The police said they received a call for assistance on April 4 at Block 80 Circuit Road, which is the address of the market. A 63-year-old man is assisting with investigations into ill-treatment of a child or young person by neglect under the Children and Young Persons Act, said the police. Those convicted can be jailed for up to eight years, fined up to $8,000, or both.

The Japanese yen fell to a record low against the Singapore dollar on Thursday (April 25) at a rate of 114.53 yen per Singdollar. It then fell further to 115.25 yen per Singdollar at 8am on Friday, according to Google Finance. Despite this, some money changers AsiaOne spoke to said they have seen little change in the demand for Japanese yen from customers. An employee of Asmart Exchange in Toa Payoh said that he has not seen any increase in the number of customers purchasing yen or the amount that they exchange of late. He said that this is because the yen has been falling for a few months now. The Singapore dollar had been strengthening against the yen since the start of 2023. «The rate was already favourable before, so I think most people have already exchanged earlier,» he added. Similarly, an employee at Arcade Money Changers said he has seen a regular, consistent demand for Japanese yen over the past two months. With the rise of apps like YouTrip and Instarem, many travellers also prefer to exchange their currency online whenever there are favourable rates.

Road rage can bring the worst out of us. A cyclist and driver ended up in a public dispute after they collided at a zebra crossing along Jurong West Ave 5 on Tuesday (April 23). Their altercation seemed to boil over when the topic of race was added into the already-heated discussion. The cyclist recorded part of this incident and the clip was shared on Facebook group SG Road Vigilante - SGRV on April 25. The driver was standing next to his red Toyota Wish when the cyclist suggested they take the argument to Jurong Police Division Headquarters, located nearby. «You crashed into me, follow me go police station,» he said.

A dispute between two TCM clinics in Bedok recently came to a head when the police were called in to mediate the situation two days in a row. Yang Yongli (transliteration), 46, the owner of Aileen TCM Foot Reflexology & Tuina, told Shin Min Daily News that the main physician of Yueqi Chinese Medical & Acupuncture Hall had allegedly harassed her and verbally abused her employees on multiple occasions. Both clinics are located on the ground floor of Block 84 Bedok North, two units apart. A staff member of Aileen TCM surnamed Yun, 48, told the Chinese evening daily that she felt helpless and wronged by the unwarranted insults towards her. Recounting an incident that occurred last Sunday (April 21), Yun said that she was sitting outside the store when she saw the physician of Yueqi TCM opening the clinic. She claimed that when she smiled and nodded to him, he suddenly flew into a rage and swore at her. To avoid a conflict, Yun ignored the man. This caused the physician to allegedly scold her for half an hour, reported Shin Min. An enraged Yang later called the police after learning about the incident.

Residents of Pine Grove condominium in Bukit Timah have been dealing with unwelcome visits by uninvited visitors. Stomp contributor Sook Hui shared with Stomp that monkeys have been entering apartments and leaving a trail of destruction. «Pine Grove is under attack by monkeys again,» she said. «For the unfortunate residents who suffer visits from monkeys (sometimes more than 20), their entire home will be in a mess with smashed eggs, overturned or broken cookie jars and bowls and remnants of half-eaten fruits strewn everywhere.» She shared a video with Stomp of around 10 monkeys from her window, with some of them entering and exiting her neighbours' units. Some of them appeared to be nibbling on fruit. Considering the situation, the Stomp contributor shared that most residents do their best to keep their doors and windows closed at all times, or install narrow grilles to keep the primates out. «However, this is not always possible,» Sook Hui said. «The Singapore weather is getting hotter by the day and not all units can afford to install full-house air-conditioning nor redo all their grilles.»

It was a typical Monday morning for Chia Tong Chai, 64, who was driving to work with two colleagues in their company van. But the trio, who work at First Choice Pest Specialist in Tampines, never made it to their workplace after a speeding car caused a multi-vehicle collision at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Avenue 4. His colleague, Norzihan Juwahib, 57, was killed in the accident. A 17-year-old Temasek Junior College student also died. Speaking to Shin Min Daily News at his home on Friday morning, Chia, whose right arm was in a sling, recounted the accident on Monday (April 22). His mind went blank for a moment after the collision, he said. He had hurt his right arm, but disregarding the intense pain, he quickly got out of the van and checked on his colleagues. Norzihan, who was in the rear seat, was unconscious, he said. The other passenger, a man, who was in the front passenger seat, was hurt but conscious. Norzihan later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

A man who left his 43 cats behind in poor living conditions when he moved to a new home has been sentenced to 20 days jail. Muhammad Danial Sukirman, 31, pleaded guilty to 10 charges of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to a pet on Wednesday (April 24), Lianhe Zaobao reported. Another 34 charges under the Animal and Birds Act, as well as one charge of failing to comply with a written notice requiring his attendance before an officer from the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), were also taken into consideration for sentencing. This is the National Parks Board's (NParks) largest animal cruelty prosecution in terms of pet numbers to date, reported Today. It is also believed to be the first jail sentence meted out for a conviction under Section 42(1)(d) of the Act, pertaining to neglect by pet owners. Foul stench from flat Danial's cats were found by the police on Nov 5, 2021 after they received complaints of a foul stench coming from a flat at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6. Unable to reach Danial, police officers at the scene called in a locksmith to let them into the flat. 

Muhmmad Haiqal was floored when he opened his door to find his food delivery order left on the ground, next to his slippers. The Sengkang resident told AsiaOne that he had ordered dinner from a prata shop nearby for himself on Wednesday (April 24) and was alerted that his food had arrived only when the delivery was marked as completed. In a post put up on Facebook group Complaint Singapore the next day, Haiqal said that he did not opt for contactless delivery and had expected the delivery rider to knock on his door or ring his doorbell. There is a «leave at door» option on the Foodpanda app. «[The rider] could have hung [the food] on my gate or rang the bell like every other rider has done,» Haiqal wrote. «Out of all the places, you put the food right on the floor beside my slipper? Where did you learn your manners from?» One netizen, who encouraged Haiqal to contact Foodpanda, said: «I think if it's a hygiene issue, it should be reported because anyone who handles your food is somewhat liable for keeping the food safe to consume.»

A total of 309 people aged between 16 and 75 are being investigated for their suspected involvement in scams where victims lost more than $9 million. In a two-week operation conducted in April by the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven police land divisions, 214 men and 95 women were found to be involved in more than 1,600 cases as scammers or money mules, the police said in a news release on Thursday (April 25).  They are being investigated for the offences of cheating, money laundering or providing payment services without a licence. The scams are related to mainly investment, jobs, friend impersonation and e-commerce. There were also internet love scams. The police, who said they take a serious stance against anyone who is involved in scams, added: «Members of the public should always reject requests by others to use your bank account or mobile lines as you will be held accountable if these are linked to crimes.» Those found guilty of cheating face a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine. Those convicted of money laundering can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to $500,000, or both.

Mr Muhammad Azril Mahmood is still in Intensive Care Unit but in a stable condition. «He's depressed and keeps blaming himself,» Mr Azril's father-in-law Mohamed Kassim Yusoff told Shin Min Daily News. «But there are counsellors helping him and we, too, try to comfort him.» Mr Kassim, who lost his granddaughter, 17-year-old Afifah Munirah Muhammad Azril, in the crash in Tampines on April 22, told the Chinese daily he was angry about the accident but «time heals». The driver allegedly responsible for the crash that claimed the lives of two victims, 42-year-old Muhammad Syafie Ismail, was charged on April 25. He was charged with dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing hurt, reckless driving and failing to stop after an accident. According to charge sheets, Syafie allegedly failed to stop on a red light and crashed into two cars before hitting another.

SINGAPORE — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) will expand its overnight dialysis capacity from 36 slots in two centres to 250 slots in five centres by 2027 to meet the evolving needs of its patients, as well as to keep pace with fast-rising demand from a rapidly ageing population. This was announced at NKF's 55th anniversary event, held at its headquarters in Kim Keat Road on April 25. With 41 dialysis centres, NKF is the biggest dialysis provider in Singapore, caring for around 5,500 of the roughly 9,000 people here who are on dialysis. Other patients are treated mostly at private dialysis centres. The fight against kidney failure continues as, each day, six new patients are diagnosed with kidney failure in Singapore. «The total number of kidney failure patients is rising: 10 years ago it was 5,500, today it is 8,800,» said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung at the event. The major culprits are diabetes and hypertension, which are precursors to kidney failure, he added.

SINGAPORE - A 69-year-old woman was taken to hospital after she was involved in an accident with a bus on the evening of April 25. In response to queries, the police said they were alerted to the accident at the junction of Bedok North Avenue 3 and Bedok North Street 2 at about 5.40pm. The woman, who was riding a power-assisted bicycle, was conscious when she was taken to hospital. The Singapore Civil Defence Force said she was taken to Changi General Hospital. Public transport operator SBS Transit spokeswoman Grace Wu said the accident involved service 222. The cyclist was making a right turn at the junction when the accident happened, she said. No one on the bus was injured. The bus driver attended to the cyclist before she was taken to hospital, said Mrs Wu. She added that SBS Transit is investigating the cause of the accident, and trying to contact the cyclist to provide help. ALSO READ: SMRT bus captain dies after crashing vehicle into tree in Woodlands

Remember Ridout Road? In 2023, Ridout Road became the topic du jour when online critics raised allegations about cabinet ministers renting black-and-white colonial houses. Netizens questioned how the ministers were able to afford the rent for such properties, with terms like 'Good Class Bungalow (GCB)', 'black-and-white colonial house' and 'heritage properties' being thrown around interchangeably. It was then we realised there was a crucial knowledge gap: Are people aware of the differences between a GCB and a black-and-white colonial house? On the other side of the newsroom, our consumer insights team also conducted a sentiment analysis. They discovered that audiences are seeking more than just a straightforward recitation of facts and figures on the Ridout Road saga.

A good cut of steak is always a little pricier than other dishes — but this diner certainly wasn't expecting his meal to cost an extra $2,000. In a post to the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on Wednesday, user Lin Zhi Hao (transliteration) stated that he had visited Common Grill by Collin's on Tuesday (April 23) and ordered a ribeye steak, priced at $20.90. When he finished his meal and foot the bill, however, he realised that he had paid a total of $2,020.90 — an extra $2,000. In photos of the receipt from Collin's, Lin showed that he had visited the outlet located in Geylang and appeared to have made payment at 6.35pm via Nets. This would mean that the amount was directly debited from his bank account. «Upon noticing this discrepancy, I immediately brought it to the attention of your staff,» Lin wrote, addressing Collin's. «I was informed that I would need to wait two weeks to receive a refund.» Unable to accept the delay for such a large sum of money to be returned to him, he insisted that he wanted a refund there and then.

When a fishball noodle seller in Punggol noticed a CCTV camera purportedly aimed at her stall, she decided to use a broom to shift the camera away. This led to a spat with a neighbouring chicken rice hawker who had installed the camera. The altercation occurred at a coffee shop located at Block 639 Punggol Drive at around 10pm last Saturday (April 20), reported Shin Min Daily News. The 35-year-old chicken rice hawker surnamed Zou told the Chinese evening daily that he was checking the camera feed of his stall that day when he noticed that the camera angle had changed. Upon reviewing the footage, he discovered that the culprit was the female owner of the neighbouring stall. Wanting to correct the position of the CCTV camera, Zou contacted the stallholder for help — but the duo got into an argument via voice messaging. The hawker then decided to head down to his stall himself to re-angle the camera lens. However, Zou claimed that the stallholder swore at him and accused him of deliberately pointing the security camera at her. He alleged that she then hit him on the back of his head.

The $2 million price tag to this flat might be steep, but it seems that it is not enough to put off interested buyers. The five-room Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) unit at block 138B Lorong 1A Toa Payoh has attracted several queries since it was listed on PropertyGuru on April 16. The high asking price has also baffled netizens, with one of them suggesting that it is «better to buy a condo».  Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Joyce Lim from ERA Singapore said that the current home owner is in his forties, and he set the $2 million asking price after evaluating the recent sales transactions of other flats in the vicinity. HDB records show there were about 20 flats on Lorong 1A Toa Payoh that changed hands for more than a million-dollars in the past year.

SINGAPORE - Ms Jayanthi Gamage was at work in August 2023 when an e-mail arrived in her inbox. Included in that letter from the University of London were four letters - PASS - which marked the end of her seven-year journey to complete a law degree and a dream come true. Describing the 43-year-old Sri Lankan’s journey as a ‘long’ one makes light of it - it spanned two countries miles apart, and saw her juggling her studies while working as a domestic helper in Singapore. A job as a helper here earned her twice as much as her previous job as an audit assistant in Sri Lanka, Ms Gamage told The Straits Times. So three years after starting her law course, she decided to leave the comforts of home in 2019 to fund her degree. She quashed any qualms of venturing to a foreign country for the first time, as she was determined to make her childhood dream come true. Law is a calling, said Ms Gamage, who failed the entrance exam to Sri Lanka Law College 10 consecutive times from 2000.

Long wait times are common in the F&B scene, and it's never a pleasant experience for everyone involved. But one home-based business in Singapore has recently come under fire for their signs which demanded food delivery riders to wait patiently or consider other jobs «that require no waiting». A photo of the «rude and degrading» placards was posted by Instagram account SG Riders on Tuesday (April 23). The first sign included instructions on how delivery riders should collect orders, with a note informing riders that they «can sit down on bench FOC [free of charge]». Another sign below read: «If you arrive early… learn to wait!!! Orders take time to prepare… You can always cancel your order.» A third sign said: «If you cannot wait… maybe this job [is] not for you… Here are some jobs that require no waiting you can consider: Toilet cleaner, gravedigger, landscaping, eldercare.»

A 42-year-old man was charged in court with four offences on Thursday morning (April 25) for his involvement in Monday's multi-vehicle accident in Tampines that killed two people. Muhammad Syafie Ismail, who appeared in court with his arm in a sling, was charged with dangerous driving causing death; dangerous driving causing hurt; dangerous driving; and failing to stop after an accident. He was offered bail of $30,000 and must not have any contact with any of the prosecution witnesses, reported The Straits Times. The accident, which occurred at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 4, involved four cars, a van and a minibus. According to the police, the speeding vehicle crashed into three cars, a van and a minibus, reported The Straits Times. Muhammad Syafie, who was taken to the hospital after the accident, was discharged on Wednesday and arrested.

Anthony Soon, an administrative manager at car workshop Success United, has filed a police report claiming he is the victim of false allegations and harassment after he posted a video of the Tampines crash that claimed two lives on Monday (April 22). The 25-second clip, which has since been removed, appeared to be dashcam footage from a white Mercedes. It showed the Mercedes being sideswiped by a black car, which then speeds towards a junction, blows through a red light and causes a multi-vehicle collision. The accident happened at the junction of Tampines Ave 1 and Ave 4. The 42-year-old male driver of the black car was arrested on Wednesday for dangerous driving causing death, and his driving licence has been suspended with immediate effect. After he posted the video on his Facebook page on the day of the accident, Soon, 45, said he was accused by neitzens of being the Mercedes driver and playing a role in the crash. But Soon, whose company is an authorised insurance reporting centre, said he was merely helping the Mercedes owner share the video as the latter claimed he had «no access to Facebook».

Singapore's QR code immigration clearance system has been the envy of many Malaysian travellers and there have been calls for Johor to implement a similar system at their checkpoints. Well, they may not have to wait long, if a pilot initiative proves successful. For a start, Malaysians who travel to Singapore on factory buses will soon be able to clear immigration via QR codes. The system will be implemented at both land checkpoints in Johor in phases starting from June, reported the New Straits Times (NST). The initiative, spearheaded by Malaysia's Ministry of Home Affairs, comes after Singapore's successful implementation of its QR code clearance system in March. Singapore's system has received positive feedback from travellers from both sides of the Causeway for its ease and convenience, especially benefiting those travelling in larger groups who can register their information under a group QR code.

He thought it was ridiculous. A man was surprised that he was charged 30 cents for «takeaway» by a food court stall even though he brought his container. Stomp contributor Kin was then told the 30 cents charge was actually for something else. This was after he ordered the six-piece set with noodles from the yong tau foo stall at the Cantine food court in Paya Lebar Square on Apr 19 and used the FairPrice Group app to make payment. A screenshot of the app shows that the set cost $6.40 and he was charged an additional 30-cent «takeaway fee». Because he was using the app to pay, he also received a 10 per cent discount and was charged $6.03. But the Stomp contributor was puzzled by the «takeaway fee» since he had brought his own container. Sharing a photo of the food, he said: «The bowl is mine. I brought my own bowl for packing back to the office to eat.» So he asked the stall assistant why he was charged for takeaway. «She said because you fried your tofu, need to charge 30 cents,» recounted the Stomp contributor.

SINGAPORE – Growing up, former Singaporean diplomat Sean Bai was a die hard Manchester United fan. One of the low points he remembers in the club’s illustrious history was on April 30, 2012, when Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany headed in the winning goal against their Derby rivals. It proved to be a pivotal moment as City went on to win the English Premier League (EPL) for the first time — at the expense of United. Now, 12 years later, Bai and Kompany are set to work in tandem at EPL side Burnley, where the latter has been head coach since 2022. Bai, 39, officially started as Burnley’s chief of staff on April 24, replacing Marc Boixasa who left the club to take up a key role with Saudi Pro League leaders Al Hilal. Speaking to The Straits Times, Bai, who had been Singapore Premier League club Geylang International’s general manager since Oct 2023, called his decision a “no brainer”.

SINGAPORE - Barely two weeks after celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri, two families had to arrange for their loved ones to be buried at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery on April 23. And their graves were just one plot apart from each other. Madam Norzihan Juwahib, 57, and Afifah Munirah Muhammad Azril, 17, were killed in a six-vehicle collision in Tampines on April 22. Six others were taken to hospital. Madam Norzihan’s family had just celebrated Hari Raya at her new flat in Sengkang a day before the accident, her niece told The Straits Times at the cemetery. Wanting to be known only as Ms Atiqa, she said her aunt lived alone and had moved into her flat less than four months ago. Said the 26-year-old: “Our family were devastated when we heard the news. That was her first and last Raya (at her new place).” Madam Norzihan was buried at 4pm, surrounded by about 50 loved ones, including her 79-year-old mother. Family members remembered her as a joyful and caring person who showered her mother and eight siblings with love. She treated them often to meals and accompanied her mother to medical appointments.

SINGAPORE – A new variant of phishing scams, involving fraudulent Budget 2024 infographics, is making its rounds online, said the police in an advisory on April 23. In this scam variant, potential victims would receive a Telegram message containing an infographic on Budget 2024 supposedly from the Ministry of Finance (MOF). The infographic – accompanied by a link – would then direct victims to verify their eligibility for government cash disbursements on the website. Those who click on the link would be directed to another fraudulent website requesting victims’ names and Telegram accounts’ contact numbers to verify their so-called eligibility for government assistance. Victims who fill in their information and click on the verify button may receive notifications from Telegram that a new device has attempted to log in to their accounts. But it would be too late as they would have revealed their information by then. The fraudulent infographic would also be forwarded to other Telegram users in the victims’ contact list, and they would be added to unknown Telegram group chats related to purported investment opportunities.

A 26-year-old man is expected to be charged in court on Apr 24 for his involvement in the defamation of KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) over alleged miscarriage claims, said the police in a media statement on Tuesday (Apr 23). The article titled «The baby is probably dead - Woman shares a harrowing account of her miscarriage at KKH A&E» was published on alternative news source Wake Up Singapore's (WUSG) website, Facebook page, and Instagram page on March 23, 2022. The article alleged that a pregnant patient suffered a miscarriage after waiting four hours to see a doctor at KKH for Covid-19 treatment and abdominal pains. The hospital lodged a police report over falsehoods made in the article two days later. In the media release, the police said they consulted the Attorney-General's Chambers after receiving the police report from KKH and were authorised to investigate the matter.

When Norzihan Juwahib succumbed to her injuries at the hospital on Monday (April 22), it was yet another blow dealt to her family. The 57-year-old's death was the third in the family within a year.  Norzihan was one of the two people who died after a six-vehicle collision at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Avenue 4 that morning. In an interview with 8world on Tuesday, her younger brother revealed that the family had also lost their father and another sister in the past year. «My mother is really strong and there're really no words to describe the grief of losing three family members within one year,» he said. Norzihan, who was single and worked at pest control firm First Choice Pest Specialist, was the eldest of six siblings. Her brother described her as quiet, independent and being close to the family. She was the primary caregiver for their 78-year-old mother, who lives in Tampines.

KIEL, GERMANY — While many Singaporeans may prefer to stay away from the sun these days, when UV levels are going north, Military Expert 3 Hariiheran Naidu loves basking in it.  As a submarine instructor with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the 36-year-old is often inside a vessel for long periods of time.  So whenever he is back on our sunny shores, he tries to get as much sunlight as he can, usually by taking his young daughter out to play football.  ME3 Hariiheran spoke to AsiaOne in Kiel, Germany, where the Inimitable, the last of four Invincible-class submarines, was unveiled in a launch ceremony on Monday (April 22) officiated by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.   Apart from sunlight, the other thing a submariner would experience a shortage of would be space. Finding room to work out or relax on board is a challenge, said ME3 Hariiheran, who joined the Navy in 2007. 

SINGAPORE - She was regarded by her peers and juniors as a “high-flier”. In Primary 6, Afifah Munirah Muhammad Azril was the head prefect at Meridian Primary School in Pasir Ris. In 2020, Afifah, then studying at Cedar Girls’ Secondary School, returned to her alma mater to nurture and speak to pupils, a 12-year-old boy living in the same block as her in Pasir Ris told The Straits Times. But the bright girl with so much potential met a tragic end on the morning of April 22. The Year 1 student of Temasek Junior College was one of two killed in a six-vehicle accident at the junction of Tampines Avenue 1 and Avenue 4. At about 7am, Afifah, 17, was in her father’s car on the way to her college’s running event at Temasek Polytechnic when it was involved in the collision that landed eight other people in hospital.

SINGAPORE - Six people were taken to hospital following a chain collision on the PIE on the evening of April 22. When contacted, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the accident along the PIE towards Tuas, before the BKE exit, at about 9.40pm. Three people were taken to National University Hospital and another three were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. A video of the aftermath of the incident, which was circulated on messaging platform Telegram, shows six cars, including a red Trans-Cab taxi, on the second left-most lane of the expressway. At least four cars seem to be damaged, with either their boot compartment, car hood, or both, crumpled inwards. Two left-most lanes of the expressway were blocked due to the accident. Police cars, a fire engine and five ambulances were at the scene, as seen in the video. The Straits Times has contacted the police for more information. The multi-car accident on the PIE follows another multi-vehicle accident earlier on April 22.

Two people died following an accident involving six vehicles at a traffic junction in Tampines on Monday (April 22) morning. They include a 17-year-old female car passenger and a 57-year-old female van passenger, who were taken unconscious to hospital where they later died, the police told AsiaOne. Six other people were conveyed conscious to hospital — three male car drivers aged between 42 and 48, a 64-year-old male van driver, a 11-year-old male car passenger and a 11-year-old male minibus passenger. Additionally, a 42-year-old female car driver and 39-year-old male van passenger later sought medical attention on their own. The 42-year-old driver of the black MPV is assisting with police investigations. On Monday morning, dashcam footage posted on Facebook group Singapore Road Vigilante showed a black multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) speeding along Tampines Avenue 1 while switching lanes. A 45-year-old salesman surnamed Li was driving his daughter to school when he saw the MPV driving erratically.

On a cold, snowy morning in the bustling German port city of Kiel, Singapore launched its fourth Invincible-class submarine — the Inimitable. Built by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and German manufacturer thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tkMS), it is part of a four-submarine fleet that replaces the Navy's Challenger- and Archer-class vessels.  The first submarine, Invincible, was unveiled in 2019, while the second and third — the Impeccable and the Illustrious — were launched in December 2022, also in Kiel.  On Monday (April 22), the Inimitable joined the family at a launch ceremony at tkMS' shipyard, which AsiaOne attended. It was officiated by Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. In keeping with naval tradition, a new vessel is always launched by a female civilian, known as a lady sponsor.