A man was left with scars on his face after a night out with his friends turned awry.  Lun Chenxi, 27, told Shin Min Daily News that he was drinking with six friends at a bar at Grantral Mall in MacPherson on Saturday (Aug 31) night.  The group arrived at the bar at about 9pm, and left at 2am on Sunday morning.  Just as he was walking down the stairs, the financial advisor slipped and fell.  «I suspect I was pushed down the stairs. As soon as I fell, someone rushed over and hit me,» Lun said.  As he was tipsy and suffered head injuries, the man had trouble recalling the details of that night.  «According to my friend, the attacker claimed he was unhappy with me for picking a fight with his brother, so he attacked me.  »In reality, I don't know the two brothers very well. When we were drinking together, we got along with one another."  After getting beaten up, Lun vaguely remembered someone helping him up. He was already in the hospital when he woke up. 

Roland Tay Hai Choon, known as an undertaker who arranges free funerals for murder victims or the poor, was fined and penalised for tax evasion on Sept 5. The 77-year-old had under-declared his income from his businesses for three years, resulting in a total of $250,312.49 in income tax being undercharged. He had also failed to register his businesses for goods and services tax (GST) when required, resulting in $286,963 of unaccounted tax. On Sept 5, Tay, who had been charged in 2022 and out on $80,000 bail since, pleaded guilty to three counts of tax evasion and one charge of failing to register for GST. District Judge John Ng then meted out a $3,000 fine for each of the four charges, to be paid on the same day or he would have to serve a three-month jail term for default. The undertaker must also pay to the taxman a total penalty of $529,321.28. This is the mandatory penalty for his four offences.

«This is protocol photo? I want a friendship photo.» This was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unexpected response when asked to pose for an official photo with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during the former's two-day official visit in Singapore from Sept 4 to 5.  PM Wong was hosting PM Modi to a meal at the Istana on Sept 4. On PM Modi's arrival, the two prime ministers posed for official photos before he gamely asked that question, as seen in PM Wong's TikTok video posted yesterday (Sept 4). PM Modi then embraced PM Wong, wrapping an arm around each other's shoulders, both smiling warmly. That 'friendship photo' symbolises the excellent, broad-based, and multifaceted bilateral relations the two countries have shared over the past 59 years.  https://www.tiktok.com/@lawrencewongst/video/7410770492023426311?lang=en The two-day visit was at the invitation of PM Wong. PM Modi was sworn in as India's prime minister for a third term on June 9, while Wong took office as Singapore's fourth prime minister on May 15.  This is PM Modi's fifth visit to Singapore. He last visited Singapore in 2018.

It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. That someone is Shahrul Nizam Suhaimi who takes pride in working as a cleaner in Singapore, according to multiple TikTok posts uploaded in July. Shahrul, a 25-year-old Malaysian and father of one, makes a nearly-daily commute to Singapore just to do his job as a cleaner. He documented this journey while working in Bukom Island in a viral TikTok post that has since garnered 1.2 million views and over 42,000 likes. He has been working in Singapore for nearly three years, reported the New Straits Times (NST).

Amid relatively fierce competition for a vacant food stall in Holland Drive, one bidder who made an offer of $7,012 came out on top. If successful, the tenderer will set a record for the highest monthly rental rate at Holland Drive Market & Food Centre, reported 8world. The particular stall received at least four other bids ranging from $4,150 to $4,880 in the August tender exercise, according to a report published by the National Environment Agency (NEA). The space is popular as the stallholder is allowed to sell cooked food, halal cooked food, Indian cuisine, drinks or cut fruits. In comparison, another vacant stall at the same food centre — which can only sell Indian cuisine — also received at least five bids, with the highest offer being $688. NEA says that it reserves the right to not accept any bid, including the highest bid received on the tender notice. The final results of the August exercise has not been released.

It is not unusual to find a Catholic going giddy over Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Singapore, but one Hindu youth – 28-year-old Shukul Raaj Kumar – also cannot wait to create a beautiful moment with the pontiff.  His opportunity will come on Sept 13, when he shares the stage with the Pope, Mr Shukul was handpicked to be part of a small panel of young people who will engage the Pope at an inter-religious meeting at Catholic Junior College. The event, which takes place on the final day of the Pope’s 12-day Asia-Pacific tour, has been described by some observers as the most unusual item on his three-day Singapore itinerary. It will be attended by more than 600 participants, with the majority being young people from more than 50 schools and interfaith and religious organisations. As far as Mr Shukul understands, he was picked because of his significant contributions to interfaith dialogue in Singapore and abroad. Now serving as the chief coordinator of the Inter-Religious Organisation’s youth wing, which has 134 young people from 10 religions, he continues to advocate for interfaith engagement and understanding.

Temasek Foundation has announced the appointment of Jennie Chua as its new chairman of the board.  This foundation is the philanthropic arm of Singapore's state-owned global investment company, Temasek. It supports a diverse range of programmes that uplift lives and communities in Singapore and beyond.  Chua, 80, has served on the board of Temasek Foundation (TF) since its beginnings in 2007.  She succeeds Benny Lim, 68, who has served as the foundation's chairman since 2020.  Lim, who is also the chairman of the Housing and Development Board, will continue to remain on the board of the foundation.  «During his tenure, he (Lim) provided oversight in guiding TF's strategic transformation.» «Together with the board, he also steered the organisation through its Covid-19 initiatives, complementing other nationwide efforts in building resilience against the pandemic and supporting Singaporeans in staying safe», TF said in a media statement.  The foundation also extended its gratitude to Lim for his «valuable contributions and dedication». 

It is not unusual to find a Catholic going giddy over Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Singapore, but one Hindu youth – 28-year-old Shukul Raaj Kumar – also cannot wait to create a beautiful moment with the pontiff.  His opportunity will come on Sept 13, when he shares the stage with the Pope, Mr Shukul was handpicked to be part of a small panel of young people who will engage the Pope at an inter-religious meeting at Catholic Junior College. The event, which takes place on the final day of the Pope’s 12-day Asia-Pacific tour, has been described by some observers as the most unusual item on his three-day Singapore itinerary. It will be attended by more than 600 participants, with the majority being young people from more than 50 schools and interfaith and religious organisations. As far as Mr Shukul understands, he was picked because of his significant contributions to interfaith dialogue in Singapore and abroad. Now serving as the chief coordinator of the Inter-Religious Organisation’s youth wing, which has 134 young people from 10 religions, he continues to advocate for interfaith engagement and understanding.

A search and rescue operation is currently underway in the Eastern Anchorage of the Singapore Straits (off Tanah Merah) after a tugboat, OSHIO, reportedly sunk at about 2.15pm on Sept 4. The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) is coordinating the operation with the Police Coast Guard (PCG) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).  According to shiptracking platform Vessel Finder, the OSHIO's position was last tracked in the Eastern Anchorage (off Tanah Merah). It reportedly sunk at 2.15pm on Sept 4. INFOGRAPHIC: Vessel Finder According to a media statement by the MPA, two crew were reportedly onboard the tugboat at the time of the incident.  A 39-year-old crew member who was earlier rescued by PCG was taken to the hospital, where he subsequently died.  The nationality of both crew members are not known. The gender of the missing crew was not revealed. 

SINGAPORE — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong during a two-day visit to the city-state starting on Wednesday (Sept 4), Singapore's government said. Modi will also meet Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and former Prime Ministers Lee Hsien Loong and Goh Chok Tong during the trip, his fifth to Singapore and first since 2018. He will also participate in a business roundtable with local business leaders and meet semiconductor players. Modi will be accompanied by Indian government officials including the Foreign Minister and National Security Advisor.

One of the most significant impacts of Pope Francis' visit to Singapore is expected to be spiritual, along with his message of inter-religious harmony.  The 87-year-old pontiff's upcoming visit from Sept 11 to 13 has also led to a surge in demand for related souvenirs.  Pope Francis is the first head of the Catholic Church, since the late Pope John Paul II, to visit Singapore in 38 years.  From spiritual items like rosary beads to trendy «I Love Papa Francesco» T-shirts and bucket hats, souvenirs are flying off the shelves at the Catholic Centre on Waterloo Street. There were dozens of customers streaming in and out the pop-up store on the second floor when AsiaOne visited on Wednesday (Sept 4) afternoon. Souvenir hunters can also get their fix at a store in La Salle House and through an online shop. The Catholic Foundation, which manages the official souvenirs to commemorate the papal visit, said they are «heartened and encouraged» by the turnout at their pop-up stores since July.

The death of eight-month-old Trevor Neo Yu Hin came as a shock to his family members, who were planning to celebrate his first birthday in December.  Trevor's parents were charged in court on Tuesday (Sept 3) over his death at a Hougang flat last Sunday. The baby's great-uncle, who only wanted to be known by his surname, Neo, told 8world that Trevor's parents moved in with him when he was about a month old.  They lived together with Neo's two brothers.  «Both of them have jobs. My nephew used to work as a food deliveryman, but I don't know what he's doing now because he changes job frequently.  »They rarely speak to us and only talk to us about the baby's feeding times,« said Neo.  Trevor's parents subsequently hired a nanny to take care of him from Monday to Friday. They would bring the boy to the nanny's place and pick him up at 7pm.  »After they picked him up in the evening, my siblings and I would take care of him till his bedtime at around 9pm, and we'd carry him into his parents' room."  During the weekends, Trevor's maternal grandparents and Neo's family would take turns caring for him. 

A shark was spotted at Sentosa's Palawan Beach in a video uploaded to the Sgfollowsall Instagram account on Wednesday (Sep 4). In the video which has since garnered over 6,300 likes, a blacktip reef shark can be seen swimming in clear, shallow water along the coastline of Palawan Beach. The incident took place on Sept 1.  As the shark approaches, children can be heard screaming as someone warns them not to «throw water» at the animal. An object can then be seen thrown at the shark, causing a splash and dissuading the shark's advance. The shark then changes directions before swimming away as the video ends. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_deeBRP4X7/ An eyewitness named Andy said that there was a «much smaller» shark that was seen prior to this 1.5m shark, Stomp reported. «We were curious and surprised, but we ignored it because it was small,» he told Stomp. «Then in the next moment, came this 1.5m blacktip reef shark.» He said that multiple beachgoers in the sea began «screaming and shouting», and the lifeguard immediately flew a red flag to indicate that swimming was no longer allowed.

SINGAPORE - Vaccinations against mpox clade I will be given to healthcare workers who are at highest risk of exposure to mpox as well as to close contacts of confirmed cases, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Sept 4. This is to ensure that the people who need it most will be given the protection, he said at a press conference held at the ministry. Immediate contact tracing will be carried out for close contacts of confirmed clade I cases and they will be quarantined for 21 days, the incubation period observed in Africa. JYNNEOS, the live, non-replicating vaccine, has been used in Singapore for protection against mpox and smallpox, and will be offered for free to the two groups of people. Singapore’s current supply of JYNNEOS is sufficient based on this vaccination strategy and the Ministry of Health will continue to monitor the situation adjust its strategy as the mpox situation and vaccine supplies evolve globally, the minister said. Mr Ong said: “Mpox is a troublesome virus which we can manage.” Recognising that every virus has different characteristics, he added: “Never fall into the trap of fighting the last war.”

Some brave Woodlands residents sprang into action to subdue a raging fire while waiting for help to arrive, earning praise from netizens. In a video posted to TikTok by user Amritpal Singh on Monday (Sept 2), flames and smoke can be seen engulfing an area which was cordoned off by barricades. A few men, seemingly residents, were seen trying to put out the fire with a hose.  «The superheroes who helped contain the fire before SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force) arrived, kudos,» read the video caption. https://www.tiktok.com/@amritpalsingh7/video/7409667264489868562 Speaking to AsiaOne, Singh said that the incident happened last Sunday (Sept 1) at around 4.20pm along Woodlands Street 81, in front of Block 870. «Three to four members of the public assisted with fire extinguishers initially, with about 10 extinguishers used,» the 32-year-old cabin crew recounted. «Two of them took out pipes and started spraying water to contain the fire. About 10 to 15 minutes later, the SCDF arrived and took over.»

A kitchen fire in a fourth-floor Sembawang HDB flat on Sept 3 led to the evacuation of 50 residents by the police as a precaution. In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it responded to the fire at Block 469 Admiralty Drive at about 2.35pm.  Firefighters from Yishun Fire Station and Woodlands Fire Station put out the fire, which was confined to the kitchen area, with a water jet.  The fire, which was confined to the kitchen area, was extinguished with a water jet. PHOTO: Facebook/Singapore Civil Defence Force The fire also left heat and smoke damages at the living room of the affected unit.  During the firefighting operations, one person was found in one of the bedrooms. The rescued person was assessed for smoke inhalation and later taken to the Singapore General Hospital. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

«Misleading claims».  This was the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) response to The Workers' Party's (WP) Facebook post on Sept 1 (Sunday) claiming that they had earlier proposed the recently announced waiver of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) administrative charge in Parliament back in 2017.  On August 30, the authorities announced that starting October 1, motorists who fail to pay ERP charges will have the administrative charge waived if they settle their missed fees within a five-day grace period. In its Sunday post, the WP noted that Faisal Manap, MP for Aljunied GRC, had filed a parliamentary question to then-Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan in 2017 about allowing motorists to pay for failed ERP deductions electronically within a reasonable period without incurring the administrative fee, or pay a less punitive fee. Khaw's written reply then explained that motorists who make good their failed ERP deductions are required to pay an administrative fee to cover the costs of processing the ERP violation, notification and payment.

SINGAPORE - For Ms Kuan (not her real name) and her husband, making day trips across the border to indulge in good food and pampering treatments is a cherished ritual. When travelling as a couple, they would simply hop on the Causeway Link bus, which takes them from the Queen Street Bus Terminal to Malaysia’s Causeway checkpoint in Johor Bahru for less than $5 each. But when they want their 10-month-old baby to join in the fun, they need to explore other transport options. For a recent four-day vacation to Johor, Ms Kuan turned to a cross-border chauffeured service that she found online. She booked a seven-seater Toyota Innova as she needed more space for her family of three, her father-in-law, three pieces of luggage, a baby stroller and a car seat, which she requested at the point of booking. On the day of their trip, a Malaysian driver showed up punctually to whisk them from their home in the east of Singapore to various attractions in the Johor coastal town of Desaru, before dropping them off at a hotel in Johor Bahru in the evening.

Looking for a quick swim, a man visited the ActiveSG swimming pool at Kallang Basin last Saturday (Aug 31) evening.  To his dismay, he found that three-quarters of the pool was taken up by a water polo team for their training.  «About 30 members of the public were forced to squeeze into the remaining quarter of the pool,» the man, surnamed Tan, told 8world. «Everyone was very uncomfortable, we had to keep giving way to one another, it was very awkward situation.»  The 62-year-old, who lives in Hougang, added that the temporary closures of the public pools at Toa Payoh, Ang Mo Kio, Queenstown and Hougang have contributed to the growing crowds at the pools at Kallang Basin, Kallang-Paya Lebar and Serangoon.  The four pools were closed for redevelopment and are expected to be re-opened in between 2025 and 2030.  The situation is made worse when certain parts of the pool are reserved for training sessions for the water sports teams. Tan also reportedly encountered a similar situation on Aug 8 at Serangoon Swimming Complex, where three lanes of the pool were reserved for training. 

SINGAPORE - Annoyed with his older brother’s behaviour at home, a man used a homemade flamethrower to lure the older man out before slashing him with a chopper. In the midst of the scuffle, Daniel Fock Ming Chai cut his 32-year-old brother on the right hand, chest and right leg. The brother was left with multiple lacerations, as well as cuts to his forearm tendon and nerves in his right thumb and fingers, which will likely leave permanent numbness. On Sept 3, Fock pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon. Two charges of mischief by fire will be taken into consideration for the 27-year-old’s sentence. Deputy Public Prosecutor Colin Ng told the court that the pair had a strained relationship growing up. After their parents’ divorce in 2000, Fock lived with his mother in a rental apartment while his brother lived with their father in a flat. DPP Ng said Fock’s mother moved out of the rental property some time in March 2023 to live in her shop. He did not elaborate on where the shop was.

All beaches at Sentosa have been reopened for swimming and sea activities, just in time for the school holidays. This includes the Tanjong beach, which was the most affected of the three beaches on that island, said the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) in a media statement on Tuesday (Sept 3). «The reopening has been carried out in accordance with the relevant national guidelines to ensure that water quality at Tanjong Beach has returned to normal and stable levels through regular monitoring,» SDC stated. They also expressed «heartfelt gratitude» to workers, volunteers, island businesses and partner agencies that have assisted with cleanup and restoration of the beaches. «Sentosa is excited to welcome all visitors back to the island's three beaches, including Tanjong Beach, for swimming and water activities,» the SDC said. Sentosa was among multiple coastlines in Singapore that were affected following the oil spill on June 14.

SINGAPORE — In the newly opened Bidadari Park — once a cemetery, now a green refuge for people and migratory birds — lies a scenic lake that can also protect the Bidadari estate from flash floods. Alkaff Lake is the centrepiece of the roughly 13ha verdant park which is nestled in the middle of the new Bidadari estate. While it brings back memories of the Alkaff Lake Gardens of the 1930s which lasted till the 1960s, the new lake has another, more practical function: to hold storm water to prevent floods in the densely built Bidadari estate during heavy rains.  The first-of-its-kind lake, engineered by national water agency PUB, serves as a natural and biodiversity-friendly retention pond to manage the growing threat of flash floods amid climate change. And Bidadari Park — inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood — has different features at every corner, from marshlands to thick groves and rolling hills.

The police have arrested a 21-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man for their alleged involvement in the death of their eight-month-old son.  In a statement to the media on Sept 3, the police said that they were alerted to a case of death at KK Women's and Children's Hospital at about 12.40am on Sept 2 (Monday). Both were later arrested in relation to the case.  They will be charged in court on Sept 3 for causing and allowing the death of a child below 14 years of age in the same household.  If convicted, the man and woman could be jailed for up to 20 years. They could also be liable to a fine or caning.  Police investigations are ongoing.  ALSO READ: Couple dismiss maid after CCTV footage shows her aggressively rocking baby