A forested area near Kranji MRT station has become the turf of illegal sex workers offering their services to migrant workers. A car factory employee surnamed Zhang told Shin Min Daily News that he was walking through the woodland on his way to work last weekend when he spotted two tall «beautiful women» standing at the entrance of a trail next to a drain. «They ogled me and even waved and called me over. It's obvious they're soliciting customers,» said the man. He added that he often sees migrant workers loitering around the area at night and believes there is a hidden brothel in the jungle. Acting on the tip-off on Thursday (Sept 12), a Shin Min reporter retraced Zhang's route and found a migrant worker standing by the drain at about 9pm. The worker was seen looking around him and appeared to be waiting for someone. The reporter returned at about 10pm and saw migrant workers surrounding two «beautiful women» wearing low-cut tops and tight bottoms. Subsequently, one of the «women» and a worker headed into the bushes.

The gloomy weather could not dampen the excitement of the nation's para-athletes as they embarked on a celebratory parade through town on Saturday (Sept 14). About a hundred fervent supporters had turned up at the OCBC Aquatic Centre in the morning to cheer on the 10 Team Singapore Paralympians before the bus parade started. Speaking to the media, swimmer and double gold medallist Yip Pin Xiu said she was «very excited» for the bus parade. The 32-year-old had previously participated in a similar event back in 2021. «It's a really nice experience because you get to be on the bus with your fellow teammates, and you get to see all these Singaporeans come out and support you,» she added.

SINGAPORE - A make of snowskin yam mooncakes from Malaysia has been declared not fit for eating after the confection was found to have unsafe levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. This is the second time in as many days that the seasonal snack has been recalled due to food safety issues. On Sept 13, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in a statement said levels of the E. coli bacteria detected in Baker's Cottage's snowskin signature yam mooncake exceeded limits allowed under Singapore food safety rules. As a precaution, SFA has directed the importer, Ewayz, to recall the affected mooncakes, which involve products with a Dec 31, 2024 expiry date, the statement added. E.coli, a foodborne pathogen, is usually found in the intestines of people and animals. Foodborne pathogens can be introduced during the production process when cross-contamination occurs, said the statement. According to the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, most types of E. coli are harmless, but some types can make people ill.

SINGAPORE - Singapore-headquartered e-commerce platform Qoo10 and its logistics subsidiary Qxpress are under police investigations, following complaints by vendors about delayed payments of thousands of dollars each and disruptions to deliveries by Qxpress. In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Singapore Police Force said on Sept 12 that reports were lodged against Qoo10 and Qxpress, and that it is investigating. Qoo10, which is backed by the likes of private equity firm KKR and e-commerce giant eBay, did not respond to ST's requests for comments. Both KKR and eBay declined to comment. Vendors told ST that Qoo10, which also has operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and Hong Kong, has failed to pay them on time. A spokesman for a haircare retailer, which declined to be named, said Qoo10 owes the company nearly $32,000. He added that the retailer removed its listings from the platform on Sept 12. «Previously, we were still able to receive payment from Qoo10, albeit with slight delays,» he said.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on Thursday (Sept 12) after smashing a window and throwing items down from a flat on the eighth floor. The police told AsiaOne they received a call for assistance at Block 608 Bedok Reservoir Road at about 12.30pm that day. Shin Min Daily News had received a tip-off from a member of the public, who provided a video showing a resident breaking a window, causing glass shards to fall to the ground floor. Another video reportedly showed the man tossing a single size mattress out of his window. A Shin Min reporter who visited the scene noted that two TV sets and other items had also been thrown down. The handcuffed man was taken away in a police vehicle at about 2.30pm. A neighbour living on the same floor as the man told the Chinese evening daily that he was surprised by the commotion as the latter appeared to be an ordinary person and would greet other residents too. The police said that a 28-year-old man was arrested for rash act endangering the life or the personal safety of others. No injuries were reported, and investigations are ongoing.

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.  1. 'It's an honour and privilege': Punggol residents in awe of being neighbours to Pope Francis during his stay On Wednesday (Sept 11) afternoon, 84-year-old Annette Zhao joined hundreds of people braving the pouring rain to welcome Pope Francis in a sleepy Punggol estate.  The retired teacher managed only to catch a brief glimpse of the 87-year-old pontiff as his Hyundai Ioniq 5 arrived at St. Francis Xavier Retreat Centre for a private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus...» READ MORE 2. Edwin Tong thanks Pope Francis, says his visit has galvanised communities and youth

The lead boat of the Invincible-class (Type 218SG) submarine is home. A homecoming ceremony for the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) Invincible was held on Sept 13 at Changi Naval Base. She was received by Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral Kwan Hon Chuong, senior RSN officers and submariners.  The Invincible was launched in February 2019 and is the first of four Type 218SG built by the RSN, Defence Science and Technology Agency and German shipbuilder thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (tKMS). 

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong expressed his gratitude for the Papal visit and its impact on various communities in Singapore, especially the youth. Speaking at the interfaith dialogue with Pope Francis held at Catholic Junior College (CJC) on Friday (Sept 13), Minister Tong recalled his first meeting with the pontiff in January 2022 at the Holy See in Vatican City. During this meeting, the two discussed the importance of peace and harmony in multi-religious societies as well as the past 200 years that the Catholic Church has been in Singapore. Addressing attendees comprising of students, religious leaders and youth leaders amongst others at CJC, Minister Tong stressed the value of religious harmony in setting a foundation for a cohesive Singapore. «We are one of the world's most religiously diverse countries, and religion is an important part of life for many Singaporeans,» he explained. «We have put in place laws, policies and structures that foster racial and religious harmony and gather strength in diversity.»

SINGAPORE — The next time a major earthquake or cyclone hits the region, Singapore will be able to deploy a World Health Organisation (WHO)-certified emergency medical team (EMT) within 72 hours. To qualify as a WHO EMT, the team has to be fully self-sufficient during its deployment. This means that the EMT must generate its own electricity and clean water, manage all its medical and waste disposal, and arrange its own accommodation. «Self-sufficiency is important for EMT because you have a small life-saving window immediately after a disaster. The first hours and days are critical,» said Sean Casey, WHO's programme area manager for emergency operations and regional EMT focal point. «Being able to deploy quickly and to be self-sufficient if there are no local facilities operational, there are no hotels to stay in, there is no food in the market... and to provide high quality clinical care to the standards that any of us would accept for ourselves or for our families is one of the core principles of EMTs,» he added.

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.