SINGAPORE - A 31-year-old Singaporean man, who was arrested by Thai police in his landed property residence near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport for suspected drug trafficking offences, was deported to Singapore and arrested by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on Sept 19. He will be charged in court on Sept 20 with drug trafficking. The wanted fugitive in Singapore, who has not been named by the Singapore authorities, was nabbed by Thai police on Sept 17 and deported two days later, said CNB. Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) had been tipped off about the man by CNB on Aug 12, said Lieutenant-General Panurat Lakboon, secretary-general of the ONCB. The fugitive’s drug trafficking activities were uncovered by investigations into two separate drug cases in December 2020 and November 2022, CNB said on Sept 19. An arrest warrant was issued against him for his suspected role in supplying drugs to associates for subsequent sale and trafficking in Singapore.

SINGAPORE — A man who said he has a fetish for «anime girls mostly in uniform attire» admitted to molesting three primary school girls aged 11 to 14. On Sept 19, Kieron Ng Kay Lin, 20, pleaded guilty to one charge of outraging the modesty of an 11-year-old girl. The charges involving the two other victims, 12 and 14, and a separate charge under the Protection from Harassment Act will be taken into consideration during sentencing. Other than these three victims, there were many other young girls whose legs he had touched, said the prosecution. According to an Institute of Mental Health (IMH) report, Ng confessed that he had repeatedly done this since 2021. When asked how many girls he had touched, he said: «Two digits but below 60.» The girls were mostly below the age of 16, and the majority of them were in school uniform. Ng was arrested for molesting a 12-year-old girl in May 2023 but was released on bail. In July 2023, he committed a similar offence and was arrested again. He was again released on bail but reoffended the next month.

Three children aged 11, 13 and 15 were found in a residential unit in the vicinity of Anchorvale Lane in Sengkang when the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) carried out a raid in the morning of Sept 17 (Tuesday).  The CNB said in a media statement on Sept 19 that appropriate arrangements have been made to ensure that the welfare of the children was taken care of. The children have also been placed in the care of their next-of-kin. The operation saw the arrest of five Singaporean men between the ages of 19 and 39 for suspected drug trafficking. A large assortment of drugs: about 6.5kg of cannabis, 957g of 'Ice', 292g of 'Ecstasy', 695 lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) stamps, and 1,434 Emirin-5 tablets were recovered during the raid, which included the homes of the five men and two motor vehicles.  The drugs seized are worth an estimated $333,000 and could potentially feed the addiction of 1,480 abusers for a week.  If found guilty of trafficking more than 500g of cannabis, the five men may face the mandatory death penalty. 

SINGAPORE — A woman's eggs age a lot faster than the rest of her, cutting her chances of giving birth to a baby as she gets older. But researchers from Singapore have made a breakthrough in reversing the age of women's eggs, paving the way for greater success in assisted reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). While still restricted to the petri dish for now, the research findings offer renewed hope for older women looking to take motherhood off the back burner after taking time to focus on other life priorities, including their careers. The discovery centres on how the follicular environment plays a crucial role in the development and quality of a woman's oocytes, or immature egg cells. Putting a young egg cell in an aged follicle aged it, while the reverse actually rejuvenated older egg cells, scientists from the Mechanobiology Institute (MBI) at the National University of Singapore and the NUS Bia-Echo Asia Centre for Reproductive Longevity and Equality (ACRLE) found.

More than three-quarters of Singapore residents agree that the death penalty should be used for the most serious crimes, including trafficking a significant amount of drugs and murder, according to a 2023 survey by the Minister of Home Affairs (MHA).  This figure of 77.4 per cent is higher than the 73.7 per cent found by the ministry in 2021. In a report released on Thursday (Sept 19), MHA said that they commissioned a survey in 2021 to understand Singapore residents' attitudes towards the death penalty. And two years later, the ministry conducted the survey again - involving face-to-face interviews with 2,000 Singapore citizens and residents - to find out how their attitudes might have changed over time. Death penalty an effective deterrent against serious crimes MHA said that the 2023 survey also found that a «significant proportion» of respondents agree that using the death penalty should be mandatory for the most serious crimes. This includes trafficking a significant amount of drugs, discharging or attempting to discharge a firearm with intent to cause physical injury, and intentional murder. 

At the 2023 edition of the Singapore Grand Prix, a Formula One (F1) fan in Singapore who met Ferrari racer Charles Leclerc snagged his autograph on a rather unusual item — a pack of potato chips. TikTok user Gawmtit shared in a viral video then that there was «nothing else» for Leclerc to sign on and dubbed their interaction as the «funniest thing that's ever happened to me». Continuing the humorous 'practice' this year, the same fan got Japanese F1 driver Yuki Tsunoda to sign a packet of Mamee noodle snack at a promotional event held on Tuesday (Sept 17). «Second funniest thing to happen to me,» captioned Gawmtit in a TikTok posted the same day. The 24-year-old Red Bull racer is seen smiling as he autographs the snack packet in the five-second-long clip, which has garnered over 23 thousand views and three thousand likes at the time of writing. https://www.tiktok.com/@gawmtit/video/7415567559367396625 «Last year was potato chips, now its Mamee noodles,» commented one netizen.

SINGAPORE - For a second day, passengers on the Circle Line (CCL) had their journeys disrupted after several trains briefly lost power at about 8pm on Sept 18, stalling for about 15 minutes. Rail operator SMRT said in a statement that a fire broke out in one of the power system cubicles at Kim Chuan Depot, leading to a power trip that disrupted the power supply to the entire 35km rail line. “This caused some trains to stall, and lighting within the trains was affected,” SMRT added. The operator said the fire was extinguished by its engineers, who were on site, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force was also activated. SMRT said it restored power to the CCL by 8.10pm and normal train service resumed at around 8.15pm. “We sincerely apologise for the disruption to your journey this evening,” it added. https://www.facebook.com/SMRTCorpSG/posts/920996323393025 The rail disruption on Sept 18 comes after 11 CCL trains stalled for about an hour during the evening peak period on Sept 17 due to a power fault that also affected the entire MRT line.

SINGAPORE — A former finance director of Singapore-listed New Silkroutes Group was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison on Sept 16 after pleading guilty to manipulating its share prices to allow its shares to be used as consideration for corporate deals. According to sentencing documents, William Teo Thiam Chuan, 55, played a «critical» role in the market-rigging scheme, which the prosecution alleged was masterminded by Goh Jin Hian, former chief executive of the investment holding firm. On Sept 16, Teo pleaded guilty to six charges under the Securities and Futures Act for abetment by conspiracy over false trading and market-rigging transactions. Another 25 charges were taken into consideration.  Goh, 55, the son of former prime minister Goh Chok Tong, Teo, Kelvyn Oo Cheong Kwan, the group's former chief corporate officer, and Huang Yiwen, the sole director of GTC Group, a commercial market maker that New Silkroutes had engaged, were handed in September 2023 a total of 132 charges related to false trading offences. The pre-trial conference for Goh, Huang and Oo is scheduled for Sept 26.

Waiting in line to collect the Health Promotion Board (HPB)'s free fitness tracker at an appointed time will soon be a thing of the past. Ahead of the launch of National Steps Challenge on Oct 1, HPB has rolled out self-collection via vending machines in 25 shopping centres across the five regions of Singapore.  This is similar to the collection of free masks and hand sanitisers distributed by the Temasek Foundation during the Covid-19 pandemic.  How to collect AsiaOne tried collecting a fitness tracker via vending machine on the first day of operation at Frasers Centrepoint in Orchard.  The redemption process is straightforward, only requiring five clicks and one scan:

The driver of a Singapore-registered car and its passenger have come under fire for tossing trash out of the window while driving in Malaysia. The incident, captured on a TikTok video that has since gone viral, shows the driver's shameful act being swiftly rebuked by a fellow motorist. The video, which began circulating on social media around Sept 15, shows a black Mitsubishi with a Singapore licence plate stopping at a traffic light. The car's passenger, who appeared to be a man sitting up front in the passenger seat, can be seen tossing an orange peel out the window and onto the road. However, the litterbug's actions did not go unnoticed. In a display of civic duty, another driver, dressed casually in a khaki shirt and jeans, is seen getting out of his vehicle and approaching the Mitsubishi. He calmly picks up the discarded peel, knocks on the passenger window to get the occupants' attention, and proceeds to return the trash through the partially opened window. While the exact location and date of the incident remain unspecified, some netizens have speculated that it took place in Klang Valley, Selangor.

SINGAPORE — Teachers are not required to share their personal phone numbers, and do not need to respond to work-related messages after school hours, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing. Instead, they should use official channels like their e-mail and office number when contacting parents, and respond to work-related messages after school hours only in the event of emergencies, he added. «Within a normal work day, if it's not an emergency, beyond 5pm, you don't have to respond to whether (the parents') son must wear a brown or yellow T-shirt,» said Chan, who was speaking at the Ministry of Education (MOE) Schools Work Plan Seminar on Sept 18. «All this is to establish boundaries, to allow educators to focus on conducting class and student activities, and to ensure that our educators have protected time after school hours to take care of (their) families, rest, and recharge,» he added. The event was held at the Singapore Expo and attended by over 1,700 people, including teachers, school leaders and parents. Minister of State for Education Gan Siow Huang and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Shawn Huang were also present. 

A couple seeking to rent an apartment believed they had done their due diligence to avoid a scam but they still fell victim to one. After verifying their property agent's licence and meeting his assistant for house viewings, a woman and her husband found themselves waiting for their keys alongside two other couples on Monday (Sept 16), all of whom had signed leases for the same unit. Their agent has since remained uncontactable, said the woman who only wanted to be known as JM. In an interview with AsiaOne on Wednesday, JM, a fitness instructor in her 30s, shared that she and her husband saw a condo unit at Paya Lebar Road listed for rent on Facebook Marketplace. After getting in touch with the agent, they were introduced to his «personal assistant», and had only met her during the two house viewings. For JM, who has been renting for 12 years, this is not an unusual move as she and her husband have encountered similar arrangements in the past.

SINGAPORE — Cordlife resumed its cord blood banking services on Sept 15 after a hiatus of 9½ months, during which it overhauled its facilities and operations to meet the standards required by the Ministry of Health (MOH).  The green light it has received from the ministry comes with caveats, including being allowed to receive no more than 30 new cord blood units (CBUs) a month for the first six months. This is less than 10 per cent of the roughly 400 units a month that it used to get. The majority of parents sign up to bank their babies' cord blood in the third trimester of pregnancy, so it will likely be a month or so before Cordlife starts receiving new CBUs when the babies are born. MOH shut down the firm's operations on Nov 30, 2023, after finding that seven of its 22 storage tanks had been exposed to temperatures above minus 150 deg C, which could result in damage to the stem cells in the cord blood, making them non-viable. Cord blood contains stem cells that may be used to treat blood diseases and some cancers, such as leukaemia and lymphoma, should the baby develop these illnesses later in life. 

A man riding a personal mobility aid (PMA) appears to have lost his temper while crossing the road — he kicked a car that was blocking his way. In a video clip posted to Facebook group Singapore Road Vigilante on Tuesday (Sept 17), the PMA user and his female pillion can be seen crossing a busy road that leads to Lorong 4 Toa Payoh while vehicles are waiting to make a left turn. As the slope connecting the road to the pedestrian walkway is blocked by a silver car, the PMA user is seen trying to go around the vehicle to get across the road. However, the car moves forward with traffic and ends up cutting him off. The man is then seen kicking the car's rear bumper before the vehicle drives off, allowing him to ride his PMA onto the walkway. The PMA user's actions sparked criticism from some netizens, who questioned whether he truly needed mobility aid. One such netizen commented: «Looks like an able-bodied person [who] misused the system. Singaporeans are becoming lazy». «Can still kick. Obviously not handicapped,» wrote another commentor.

Two people were caught on camera peeing in a public place in separate incidents. The first incident took place on Aug 6 afternoon. Stomp contributor Norman shared a video of a little girl who had apparently just gone No.1 under an escalator on the Bugis MRT station platform for the East-West Line and was returning to her mother waiting nearby. «This behaviour is both unsanitary and disruptive to other commuters,» said Norman. «I have witnessed individuals urinating on the platform, ignoring the discomfort and safety concerns it creates for others. This situation poses serious hygiene risks and affects the reputation of the MRT service.» Since it was a child, the behaviour may be forgivable, but the next incident involved an adult. It happened at the Geylang Lorong 9 carpark on Sept 15. Stomp contributor Keat shared a video of a grown man in T-shirt and jeans who stood on the grass facing the wall of a building and looking down. It was in broad daylight. «So brave to wee in a big open area where people are walking by,» said Keat. «He thinks Singapore is a kampong.»

A woman has been feeding birds every day in Bukit Merah even after enforcement action was taken. Facebook user Goh Andy shared a video of the woman throwing pieces of bread onto a grass patch at Block 78 Redhill Lane, where a large flock of birds can be seen. In his post, Andy said he «advised» the woman not to «scatter and toss bread», only for her to ignore him and walk away. The incident occurred on Sept 11, at around 2.40pm. In the video, Andy can be heard saying in Hokkien: «Told you so many times not to feed but you still do it, I am going to report to NEA, I tell you.» However, the woman, who is holding a loaf of bread, does not respond. She is instead seen putting away the bread into a trolley bag and leaving. In response to a Stomp query, a spokeswoman for Tanjong Pagar Town Council said: «The town council and National Parks board (NParks) are aware of the feeder who is feeding the pigeons daily at 85 Redhill and Bukit Merah Central. »We have spoken to the feeder and enforcement actions were taken by NParks but unfortunately the feeding still persists.

SINGAPORE — A local site engineer and a Bangladeshi construction worker died on Sept 17 after they were struck by heavy machinery at a worksite in Lentor Avenue for the upcoming North-South Corridor. The Bangladeshi worker, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic, while the engineer, 38, was unconscious when taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he died due to his injuries. Two other workers, aged 32 and 47, were also taken to the same hospital after the accident, which happened at about 1.20pm. They suffered minor injuries and have since been discharged, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in response to queries. LTA said the four were assembling a winch drum that was resting on two concrete blocks when the winch, which is typically used in the lifting of heavy materials, slid off the blocks and struck them. Photos of the accident's aftermath that were shared on private messaging platforms showed two workers, wearing high-visibility jackets and safety helmets, lying face-down on the ground. A third worker can be seen trying to help one of them up.

SINGAPORE — Not sure if you can recycle a frying pan? What about that takeaway plastic container with food? Or maybe clothes that are still in good condition but you do not want any more? You can now ask an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot if an item, especially one that is not obviously recyclable, can be placed in the blue bins for recycling near your homes. The National Environment Agency's (NEA) Bloobin AI chatbot, named after Singapore's blue recycling mascot, was rolled out on messaging applications WhatsApp and Telegram on Sept 16. Those unsure can ask it questions or send the chatbot a picture of an item to check if it can be recycled. Go to https://www.cgs.gov.sg/recycleright/check-my-item/, or scan these QR codes to access the chatbot directly on WhatsApp or Telegram.

SINGAPORE – Strong winds and heavy rain lashed Singapore on the evening of Sept 17, toppling trees, snarling traffic and causing damage to a glass canopy outside UOB Plaza.  A resident who lives near Mount Faber told The Straits Times that he was running up the hill when he experienced strong winds and saw tree branches falling. “The next moment, one part of the tree that was in front of me fell,” he said, adding that it was the first time he had witnessed a tree falling since he started exercising in that area about five years ago. “The route is a one-way road, so all the vehicles and I had to turn around and leave the area.” Photos and videos seen by ST show fallen trees in various locations in Singapore, including Beach Road, Xilin Avenue, Jalan Membina, on the Pan-Island Expressway before the Bukit Timah Expressway exit, and on the Central Expressway near the Yio Chu Kang Flyover. In one video, an uprooted tree opposite Parkroyal on Beach Road is seen causing a standstill on a three-lane road as motorists try to manoeuvre their way out via the rightmost lane.

SINGAPORE - A power fault on the Circle Line (CCL) on Sept 17 caused delays of about 30 minutes during the evening peak-hour commute. In an update, transport operator SMRT said on Facebook that there was a momentary power fault on the CCL at about 5.50pm on Sept 17 and there were no train services in both directions. The fault was resolved within 15 minutes, it said. “Our engineers recovered power to the network and train services resumed. Our station staff have been deployed to assist commuters who have been affected by the delay,” SMRT said. SMRT advises commuters to take other lines and said that free regular bus services have been activated. “We are sorry to affect your evening commute,” it added. Commuter Lars Gruenitz, who said he has been stuck in the train at Bartley station for close to an hour, told ST that there were no announcements made. The 48-year-old added that the doors are kept closed and there is “no aircon” half the time. “I am heading home after a long work day… It does not feel nice, and scary to some extent,” said Dr Gruenitz.

From blessing babies at the National Stadium to greeting nursing home residents, Pope Francis touched the hearts of many people during his recent visit to Singapore. For one man, exchanging words with the 87-year-old pontiff on Sept 13 was an «unexpected gift». Donning a red tie, Lawrence Chong greeted the Pope as he arrived for an inter-religious dialogue with youths at Catholic Junior College (CJC) on the final day of his visit here. Some netizens later gushed on social media about the images of Chong and Pope Francis embracing while engaged in a warm conversation, which was captured during a live-stream of the event. «What a beautiful moment with the Pope,» one commented in Chong's Facebook post. 

SINGAPORE — At least eight victims in September have fallen for a phishing scam involving a fake local motoring website, the police said on Sept 17. The victims lost at least $28,000 in total after they were led to the fake website where they keyed in their personal details. They received e-mails from a sender pretending to be OneMotoring by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), informing them that their vehicles' road tax or road licence was expiring, the police said. The victims were then directed to a website that masqueraded as the OneMotoring portal, where they keyed in their vehicle registration numbers, personal information and credit and debit card details. They realised they had been scammed only when they saw unauthorised transactions made on their accounts. The police said LTA does not inform vehicle owners of expiring road tax via e-mails, and their correspondences will not contain payment links. Instead, they do so via text messages sent from «gov.sg», e-letters in users' OneMotoring accounts or hardcopy letters sent to their place of residence.

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing is a familiar face in the public sphere, but behind the political figure lies a devoted father of three. In a recent interview with 8world, the 54-year-old offered a glimpse into his family life, sharing the joys and challenges of raising his children, one of whom has cerebral palsy. Speaking about his 13-year-old son, Chan admitted to longing for more time with all his children. «Whether or not a kid has special needs, they will always have their individual requirements. So as a parent, as a dad, of course I wish for them to enjoy the best life,» he said. The weight of public scrutiny is something Chan acknowledged his children face, particularly his 23-year-old daughter. He recalled how people would comment on her academic performance: «When my daughter used to do well in school, others would often laugh and say, 'You're the minister's daughter, of course you should do well.'» He recognised that she would face criticism regardless of her results, with some who may say she didn't meet expectations as a minister's daughter if she didn't excel.

A tourist found himself in trouble after he insisted on paying for his meal only after he was done eating. The police were eventually called in to mediate the spat, which took place at the Chinatown Complex Food Centre on Sept 8, reported Shin Min Daily News. The 'cai fan' stall owner, surnamed Yu, said that the middle-aged tourist is from China, and the food he ordered had cost $3.60.  «He said that in his hometown, they pay after eating. He also pointed at his crossbody bag and said he had money,» said 34-year-old Yu. «I saw him sitting at a table near the stall and decided to let him eat first.» Sometime later, the man returned to the stall and asked for additional rice and dishes. When Yu asked the tourist to first pay for his earlier order, the man refused. «I've never encountered such a situation, so I told him he affected my business and I'd call the police,» recounted the stall owner. The tourist reportedly tried to leave the stall about five minutes later, but was stopped by Yu's wife. Police officers then arrived, and spoke to the man.

The bubble tea may have been cool, but couldn't survive one man's hot temper. A security guard at a Hougang condominium recently threw out a bag containing cups of bubble tea after getting into an argument with a delivery rider. A video uploaded to Facebook group SG Road Vigilante on Sunday (Sept 15) showed the delivery rider — who filmed the incident — telling a security guard at Central View that he will place the items on a stool outside the guardhouse. «I throw,» the security guard threatens as he picks up the plastic bag with bubble tea. «You put here, I throw already.» In response, the rider asserts that the guard cannot throw away the drinks, which the latter disputes. «Guard house cannot put! You understand or not?» The guard says as he swings the bag of bubble tea. According to the rider, he had called the resident who placed the order. The resident, however, didn't pick up the phone and did not provide a unit number for the delivery. He said that his solution was to leave the drinks at the guard post for the resident to pick up.

SINGAPORE – The police said they are investigating a bullying incident involving a group of secondary school students, after a 2023 video showing the group taunting a fellow student surfaced online. In the TikTok video posted on Sept 15, at least five teenagers who appear to be wearing Bukit View Secondary School uniforms are seen surrounding a peer with a backpack at the void deck of a Housing Board flat. The group, dressed in long pants, appear to be laughing at the smaller boy who is in shorts. One of them then grabs the boy’s backpack and kicks him in the back, sending him sprawling to the ground. The video, which is now deleted, had clocked almost 600,000 views as at 11am on Sept 16. In response to The Straits Times’ queries, Bukit View Secondary’s principal Jaswant Singh said the incident took place in October 2023 outside the school’s premises. It was not reported to the school at the time. He added that the school immediately checked on the victim following the circulation of the video. The victim did not report any injuries at the time.