It's been a harrowing journey for this couple - but it's culminated in a joyful event that they will remember for the rest of their lives. A homemaker, who only wished to be known as Laura, had gone through multiple health scares throughout the year before she attended the Papal Mass on Thursday (Sep 12), she told AsiaOne in an interview at the National Stadium in Kallang. She was attending the mass with her husband, named Shaem, a 47-year-old security consultant and of Hindu faith. «This year has been a very spiritual year,» the 43-year-old Catholic said. «I had a lot of health scares this year,» she explained. «I think I grew closer to God - my family, my daughters, we've all gotten closer to God.» Recounting the incidents that left her and her family shell-shocked, Laura told AsiaOne that the scares began when she went for a mammogram earlier this year. «During the check, they also detected a few spots, so I had to go for even more [checks],» she said. She underwent a nail-biting period of tests - thankfully, they didn't discover any illnesses within her.

One passenger on board a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight in Hong Kong was offloaded and handed to the authorities due to his angry outburst. According to aviation tracking website Flightradar24, flight SQ897 taxied close to the runway at the Hong Kong International Airport but turned back. The plane was bound for Singapore.  The flight, which was set to take off at 8.25pm on Tuesday (Sept 10), only departed three hours later at 11.23pm, according to the Hong Kong Airport Authority's website. It eventually arrived in Singapore at 2.48am on Wednesday, according to the Changi Airport website. This delay had been caused by a passenger who allegedly lost his temper after his request for alcohol before take-off was denied by cabin crew, reported Hong Kong-based online platform HK01 News. Upon assessing the situation, the cabin crew contacted the control tower and requested to turn back. They also called the police to assist them in managing the unruly passenger, reported Taiwan-based news channel TVBS.

In this episode of What do you think?, AsiaOne heads to the streets to ask Singaporeans their thoughts on the recent public transport fare adjustments. From Dec 28, adult fares for travellers will see an increase of 10 cents per journey, while concession card holders will face a 4-cent increase per journey. The revision also included an extension of concessions for graduating students, allowing them to enjoy concessionary fares for four months after the end of their course of study. Following the announcement, some Singaporeans expressed mixed reactions on the increase. While some interviewees shared that they did not feel that the revision was reasonable, as it adds to their rising cost of living, most interviewees AsiaOne spoke to felt that the adjustment was justified if it helps to maintain and improve our public transport system. Additionally, some interviewees we spoke to were aware of existing concessions available and how such support were helpful for those who need it. Watch the full video to learn how Singaporeans are reacting to the change.

Pope Francis has commended Singapore for its rapid development, but called for «special attention» to be given to the most vulnerable in society. In his speech at the National University of Singapore's University Cultural Centre on Thursday (Sept 12), the 87-year-old pontiff noted the Republic's «growth and resilience». «Those arriving here for the first time cannot fail to be impressed by the mass of ultra-modern skyscrapers that seem to rise from the sea,» he said in Italian. Speaking to an audience which included members from social welfare groups and religious orgnaisations, the Pope also commended the various policies to improve quality of life here, and in particular the most vulnerable. These include through public housing measures, the «high quality» education and an «efficient» healthcare system. The Pope said: «I hope that special attention will be paid to the poor and the elderly, whose labours have laid the foundations for the Singapore we see today. »As well as protecting the dignity of migrant workers. [They] contribute a great deal to society and should be guaranteed a fair wage."

A three-year-old boy was saved from a flat fire by his nine-year-old brother, who also called the SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force) for help. The SCDF said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Sept 10) that they were alerted to the blaze at a flat in Block 104 Jalan Bukit Merah at about 11.20am that day and extinguished the flames with a water jet. Two persons had evacuated from the unit before SCDF's arrival, and about 35 residents from the 9th to the 11th floors were evacuated by SCDF as a precautionary measure. Speaking to Shin Min Daily News on Tuesday evening, the occupant of the flat, surnamed Liu, said his 3-year-old son might have been playing with a lighter in the bedroom, and accidentally set the mattress on fire. «My nine-year-old son was also at home then, but he likes to play with his phone and likely didn't notice that his younger brother was playing with fire,» said the 71-year-old. Liu said his older son immediately took the boy outside when he noticed the fire and called the SCDF for help.

One passenger on board a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight in Hong Kong was offloaded and handed to the authorities due to his angry outburst. According to aviation tracking website Flightradar24, flight SQ897 taxied close to the runway at the Hong Kong International Airport but turned back. The plane was bound for Singapore.  The flight, which was set to take off at 8.25pm on Tuesday (Sept 10), only departed three hours later at 11.23pm, according to the Hong Kong Airport Authority's website. It eventually arrived in Singapore at 2.48am on Wednesday, according to the Changi Airport website. This delay had been caused by a passenger who allegedly lost his temper after his request for alcohol before take-off was denied by cabin crew, reported Hong Kong-based online platform HK01 News. Upon assessing the situation, the cabin crew contacted the control tower and requested to turn back. They also called the police to assist them in managing the unruly passenger, reported Taiwan-based news channel TVBS.

The managing director of the Nail Palace group was sentenced to four months’ jail on Sept 9 for contempt of court, the first jail sentence meted out in a move to protect consumers against unfair practices. Two companies under the group, one running the Bukit Panjang Plaza outlet and the other the Eastpoint Mall outlet, were also each fined $15,000 for contempt of court. The outlets were found in 2022 to have misled customers, and ordered to stop recommending unnecessary nail anti-fungal treatment to customers. The outlets were also ordered to take certain steps to notify consumers about the court orders made against them. But managing director Kaiden Cheng and the outlets failed to comply with the court orders regarding the steps they were supposed to take to notify consumers. This is the first time that the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) has instituted contempt proceedings against an errant business and its manager for breaching court orders, the regulator said on Sept 10.

In November 1986, the late Pope John Paul II knelt to kiss the tarmac at Changi Airport upon his arrival to Singapore. His traditional gesture to mark a state visit was followed by songs and prayer at the old National Stadium, before blessing the crowd of some 70,000 people there. Devout Catholic Ronnie Lim, however, did not have much to say about Pope John Paul II visit. «I didn't attend the mass at the National Stadium,» said the 63-year-old in an interview with AsiaOne. «And I don't really remember much about that visit.» Lim was 25 years old then.  Given that the last pope to visit Singapore lasted only five hours, Lim's reaction is entirely understandable. Now, with the arrival of Pope Francis on Wednesday (Sept 11) for a three-day visit, Lim is excited to create new memories of his own. Along with his wife and daughter, he is among the 5,000 volunteers who have signed up to sing, cheer, document and support the pontiff's visit.

Pope Francis has arrived in Singapore, and over a thousand people travelled to Changi Airport to catch a glimpse of him on Wednesday (Sept 11) afternoon. Many members of the public turned up wearing the yellow and white of the Vatican flag, waving both the Singapore and Vatican City flags. The crowd waiting for Pope Francis' arrival at Changi Airport. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Ching Shi Jie As they awaited Pope Francis' arrival, the crowd sang Catholic hymns. When the Pope appeared at Changi Jurassic Mile, he was met with cheers from the public as they waved their flags enthusiastically. As he travelled along the pathway on a buggy, Pope Francis waved and smiled at the welcoming procession, who cheered «Viva il Papa (Long live the Pope)». This continued even after the Pope left the area in a Hyundai Ioniq electric car.

Pope Francis arrived in Singapore on Wednesday (Sept 11) afternoon, the final stop of his 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region. At Changi Airport, the Pope was greeted by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong, archbishop of Singapore and leader of the Roman Catholic Church Cardinal William Goh and former cabinet minister and labour chief Lim Boon Heng, among other guests. There, four children performed to the song Singapore Town, and presented him with flowers. The 87-year-old then headed to Changi Jurassic Mile, where he was welcomed by about 1,000 Catholics. His arrival in Singapore marks the first visit by a pontiff since 1986, when the late Pope John Paul II made a five-hour stopover.

It doesn't have to be a Taylor Swift concert — a brass band for the Pope is more than enough to bring people together. And that's what Hai Sing Catholic School student Arissa Nabilah Arman did.  The 14-year-old, who plays the tuba in her school's concert band, shared with AsiaOne why she decided to perform for Pope Francis' visit to Singapore. Arissa, a Malay-Muslim, is one of the volunteers in the combined schools' brass band that will play in the papal mass at the National Stadium on Thursday (Sept 12). «I've always decided if there was a music event — including religion — I would participate in it no matter what,» she said.  «Music always brings people together, regardless of religion, race, or anything of that matter.» Her parents were of the same mind when they learnt that she wanted to perform for the Pope. «They were the ones who encouraged me to join in the first place,» the teen said. «My family doesn't mind because they know my passion for music, and they know music knows no bounds whatsoever, so they know I'll perform either way.»

Operations by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) are still taking place following a fire in Loyang on Tuesday (Sep 10) morning. The fire, which began at around 7.45am on Tuesday, took place at Digital Realty, a data centre located along 3 Loyang Way. The SCDF were alerted to the fire at about 8am. «The fire involved lithium-ion batteries housed in battery rooms on the third floor of a four-storey building,» the SCDF said in response to AsiaOne's queries.  Four water jets were deployed to combat the fire while the sprinkler system was activated in the building. Around 20 individuals were evacuated from the building prior to the arrival of the SCDF. No injuries were reported. An unmanned firefighting robot was also deployed for a damping down operation to cool the batteries, the SCDF stated, also highlighting that this would likely be a «prolonged operation». No reported injuries Digital Realty, an international real estate firm, operates three data centres locally. Two of these centres are in Loyang, while the last is in Jurong.

An elderly personal mobility aid (PMA) user selling tissues outside a temple in Bugis has been accused of terrorising fellow tissue sellers and residents of the area. One of the tissue sellers, surnamed Hong, told Shin Min Daily News that he has been bullied by the «hot-tempered» and «notorious» man several times over the past year. The 84-year-old claimed that the PMA user would verbally abuse the other tissue sellers outside the popular Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple. The man often occupies the area near the exit of the temple, which has high footfall, and would supposedly scold others who get in his way. «He treats the entire street as his own territory,» said Hong. When a Shin Min reporter visited the temple, many said they recognised the PMA user and knew of his ferocious temper. Another tissue seller, 80, said she has seen the man throwing away items at the temple exit that belonged to others. Hence, she dares not approach the temple and can only sell tissues at one corner.

SINGAPORE - Gamblers at Singapore's two casinos must abide by new laws regarding the withdrawal of bets after results have been announced, and the recording of games on the premises. With the passing of the Casino Control (Amendment) Bill on Sept 10, it will also be a crime for people to breach family visit limits when the changes take effect. During the second reading of the Bill in Parliament, Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling said casino-related crime remains low in Singapore. Only 0.2 per cent of all crimes reported in 2023 happened at Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. That year, 137 criminal cases were reported at both casinos, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in August. MHA said the changes to the Casino Control Act, which was last amended in 2012, are part of a regular review to ensure it keeps up with changes in the gambling industry. Ms Sun said the Bill was drafted after a review by MHA, the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has voiced its support for the new Platform Workers Bill, which was passed in Parliament on Tuesday (Sept 10). In a media statement on the same day, NTUC said that the passing of the bill is welcomed and strongly supported by it as well as its affiliated associations: the National Taxi Association, National Private Hire Vehicles Association and National Delivery Champions Association. «This development marks a win for our platform workers, and a significant milestone in NTUC's ongoing efforts to safeguard platform workers' livelihoods,» it said. It added that the Platform Workers law will allow NTUC to protect and enhance platform workers' rights and welfare when it forms Platform Work Associations (PWAs) in the future. 'Significant win for platform workers' The law will open up more grievance resolution mechanisms for platform workers, including conciliation with the Ministry of Manpower and escalation to the Industrial Arbitration Court, when necessary. This structured system ensures platform workers have access to fair dispute resolution depending on their issue's severity, said NTUC.

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean casino high-roller who incurred a multimillion-dollar baccarat debt with The Star Gold Coast Casino has been ordered to repay the casino about A$38.7 million (S$33.6 million). Wong Yew Choy incurred an A$43 million debt at the casino in Queensland, Australia, between July 26 and Aug 2, 2018, but left Australia on the last day without settling it. Star Entertainment Queensland, which operates the casino, attempted to recover the debt with a signed blank cheque he had previously given Star Sydney, a related establishment. Wong had exchanged the cheque for gambling chips in May 2017 as part of a cheque-cashing facility agreement. But the cheque was not used then because he settled his gambling losses on that occasion via a bank deposit. The Supreme Court in Brisbane heard that when The Star Gold Coast Casino tried to cash the cheque in 2018, it bounced. It emerged that Dr Wong had instructed his bank on Aug 3, 2018, not to honour any cheque purporting to draw on his account in favour of The Star Gold Coast Casino.

Six men were charged in court for their suspected involvement in illegal cyber activities committed in Singapore, the police and Internal Security Department (ISD) said in a joint statement on Tuesday (Sept 10). All of them — five Chinese nationals and one Singaporean — have been remanded for further investigations as the police continue to investigate their local network of contacts and the global syndicate to which they are linked.  The men, aged between 32 and 42, were arrested on Monday.  About 160 officers from the Singapore Police Force's Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department, Special Operations Command, and the Internal Security Department conducted simultaneous raids at multiple residential locations island-wide. «This is a significant operation as the individuals are suspected to be carrying out global malicious cyber operations from Singapore,» the police said. 

SINGAPORE — After having some drinks at the bar where he worked, Pua Yui Loon, 28, drove on the BKE at an «extreme speed» of 141kmh in the early hours of Feb 6. The Malaysian then hit a motorcycle, killing the motorcyclist and injuring the pillion rider. But instead of stopping, Pua drove across the Causeway back to his condo in Johor Bahru, and was only caught when he tried to enter Singapore via bus the next day. On Sept 10, Pua was jailed for three years and 10 months, and was disqualified from driving for 10 years after pleading guilty to one charge of dangerous driving causing death. Another five charges, relating to failing to render assistance, failing to report the accident, failing to stop, moving the car and dangerous driving causing hurt, were taken into consideration for the sentence. On Feb 6, Pua had beer with customers at the lounge bar in Geylang where he worked as a cashier, before leaving the premises at around 1am. He drove one of his colleagues to Paya Lebar, before driving towards Woodlands Checkpoint via the BKE.

Several children at an award ceremony were reportedly left close to tears, after some adults in the audience jeered at them. The incident occurred at final of the National Chinese Creative Reading Competition held on Sept 6 at the Woodlands Regional Library, reported Shin Min Daily News. The event, organised by Popular Bookstore chain and National Library Board, saw three groups of participants competing — those from preschool, Primary 1 to 3 and Primary 4 to 6. A parent of a participant told Shin Min that a video of the prize-giving ceremony for the winners of the last group was later shared in a chat group. The ceremony to award the top five finalists saw about 200 parents and 80 children in attendance and everyone was in high spirits, she added. «When I got home, I saw a video posted in the chat group of the scene at the time,» said the woman. But the contents of the clip were shocking. The woman alleged that from what she saw in the clip, two women sitting in the audience had booed loudly and made hand signals when some of the children went up on stage to receive their prize.

SINGAPORE - The upcoming Founders' Memorial at Gardens by the Bay's Bay East Garden is set to cost $335 million to construct. Responding to a question from Mr Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC), Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong told Parliament on Monday (Sept 9) that the development cost is based on current outlook and projections. The sum «encompasses building construction and fit-out costs for the exhibition galleries, viewing gallery and outdoor amphitheatre, education and family spaces and amenities, and a 5ha outdoor public garden», said Mr Tong in a written response. He added that the annual operating cost of the memorial «is being worked out in tandem with the development of operational plans». Slated to open in end-2028, the memorial - which was mooted in 2015 following founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew's death - will be dedicated to independent Singapore's pioneers and the values they exemplified. It broke ground on June 5.

A fiery debate erupted in Parliament on Monday (Sept 9), after Workers' Party (WP) MP Gerald Giam raised concerns of the «symbiotic relationship» between the People's Action Party (PAP) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) at the second reading of a draft law. The Aljunied GRC MP was debating the Platform Workers Bill, which proposes better labour protection for workers such as ride-hailing drivers and on-demand delivery workers. If the law is passed, platform workers would be able to join union-like associations, which the NTUC had said on Aug 29 that it would formally represent platform workers. In his speech on Monday, Giam pointed out that many PAP members serve as advisors to NTUC-affiliated unions, and questioned if they could fully advocate for workers' interests. «Over time, the deep entrenchment of PAP influence within unions could lead to the perception that unions are not independent bodies representing workers but extensions of the PAP's political machinery,» he said.

SINGAPORE — The chorus of popular National Day song Home greeted the 10-member Team Singapore contingent as they arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Sept 10 to a warm welcome from a crowd of 100 consisting mostly of family and friends. The group, which also included a handful of fans, members of the Purple Parade — a movement to support the inclusion of people with disabilities — and Team Nila supporters sang «This is home truly» from local singer Kit Chan's song as the athletes walked through the arrival hall shortly after 6.45am. There were smiles and some tears as the Paralympians returned home to a busy week — they will embark on an open-top bus parade through the heart of the city on Sept 14. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong was first to greet the athletes who competed across six sports during the Aug 28-Sept 8 Games. They earned three medals — two gold and a silver — in their best showing at a Paralympics.

Adult commuters taking public transport can expect to pay 10 cents more per journey starting from Dec 28. Meanwhile, concession card holders will see an increase of 4 cents per journey. This group includes students, seniors, persons with disabilities, and those on the Workfare Transport Concession Scheme (WTCS). The Public Transport Council (PTC) announced the revised fares at a press conference on Monday (Sept 9), noting that it has granted a 6 per cent overall increase in fares, which is less than a third of the 18.9 per cent maximum allowable quantum. The remaining 12.9 per cent will be deferred to future fare review exercises. Graduating students will continue to enjoy concessionary fares for four months after the end of their course of study, the PTC said. This extension will apply to students whose concession eligibility ends on or after Dec 28, 2024.

SINGAPORE — Singapore is forecast to have the largest share of passenger electric vehicles (EVs) in South-east Asia by 2040, according to a report from Bloomberg's energy research service BloombergNEF.   A total of 80 per cent of all passenger vehicles here are expected to be electric by that year, compared with a regional average of 24 per cent, the report said. Thailand, in second place, is forecast to have a 41 per cent share, followed by Vietnam (31 per cent), Indonesia (25 per cent), Malaysia (15 per cent) and the Philippines (10 per cent). Singapore had the highest EV adoption rate among the six South-east Asian countries in 2023, according to BloombergNEF, with EVs accounting for about 19 per cent of all vehicles sold here. In the first seven months of 2024 alone, EVs formed 32.1 per cent of new car registrations, based on data from the Land Transport Authority.

His visit may be brief but this experience will leave a memory enough to last the staff of St Theresa's Home a lifetime. The staff of St Theresa's Home have expressed their eagerness to meet Pope Francis in person, they shared with AsiaOne. St Theresa's Home is a nursing home under the Catholic Welfare Services that provides care to the elderly and aged sick, so that they may recuperate or live out their final years with proper support. Executive director Victor Seng is among the staff members of the Home who are excited to meet the pontiff. «Pope Francis' visit to Singapore is something the whole country is very happy about,» he said. «What makes me happier still — a dream come true — is that the Pope is coming to visit St Theresa's Home.» Speaking on behalf of residents and staff, Seng said that he feels «privileged and honoured» to have the Pope visit the Home.

SINGAPORE — A new Bill will put in place measures to counter digitally manipulated content during elections, including misinformation generated using artificial intelligence (AI) — commonly known as deepfakes. The proposed safeguards under the Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Bill will apply to all online content that realistically depicts a candidate saying or doing something that he or she did not. This includes content made using non-AI techniques like Photoshop, dubbing, and splicing. If the Bill is passed, candidates will be able to ask the Returning Officer (RO) to review content that has misrepresented them. A false declaration of such misrepresentation is illegal and could result in a fine or loss of a seat. Others can also make requests to review such content, which is set to be made illegal from the issuance of the Writ of Election to the close of polling on Polling Day. The move comes ahead of a general election that must be held by November 2025.