SINGAPORE - Two people were sent to hospital and 20 people were evacuated from Lucky Plaza on Oct 20 after a fire broke out in the Orchard Road building. In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 9.45am. The evacuation of the 20 individuals took place before SCDF arrived at the scene. SCDF said the fire involved the contents of a charcoal stove in a unit on the sixth floor, adding that members of the public had extinguished the fire using buckets of water before its officers arrived. Two people were then taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. https://www.facebook.com/maybelle.moliyok/videos/1053021296147279/ The cause of the fire is under investigation.

It was a painful lesson for them. The married Singaporean couple who were fined a total of $849,000 for evading the goods and services tax (GST) have live-streamed their apology for the «mistake». Rayson Loo Sian Hao, 33, was fined $453,000 while his wife, Rochelle Wang Siew Ching, 34, was fined $396,000 on Oct 15. Each pleaded guilty to 11 charges of fraudulent evasion of GST amounting to $67,810. Another 13 charges of fraudulent evasion of GST amounting to about $24,105 and 25 charges of causing incorrect declarations to be made, by not including the freight charges amounting to about $4,172 in the import declarations, were taken into consideration during the sentencing. The couple run an online shop called Vanity Closet, which was set up as a retailer of fashion products and its main business involved conducting livestream sales of branded goods from overseas retail outlets through its Facebook page.

SINGAPORE – The owner of a shophouse unit in East Coast Road intended to secretly build a mezzanine floor, but his scheme was foiled by the accidental discovery of a layout plan that showed the unauthorised level. The management corporation of the Frankel Estate development, which comprises four strata-titled units, had come across a “lighting plan” pasted on the wall of the unit on Feb 19, 2022 amid renovation. This plan – unlike the one submitted for renovation approval – showed a 676 sq ft mezzanine floor, comprising a living area, two bedrooms and a bathroom, which was connected to the base level by a staircase. When told to stop the works, homeowner Ng Jun Quan and his contractor initially denied that they were building a mezzanine floor. The works continued despite subsequent objections by the management corporation. Under the law, owners of strata-titled units have to obtain approval through a 90 per cent resolution passed at a general meeting before carrying out works that increase floor area.

One man recently experienced a new kind of «horror» at Universal Studios Singapore's Halloween Horror Nights on Thursday (Oct 17). The 21-year-old, who identified himself as Ian, shared his experience in a post to Instagram page SgFollowsAll.Backup, saying that he was punched after confronting a group of people who attempted to cut the queue for the Sweet Home horror house. While he was waiting in line with his friends, he noticed three women trying to cut the queue. After warning them not to do so, Ian and his friends received verbal threats. When an opening became available, the women managed to cut in line and move to the next row. Three men, who were in the same group as the women, also attempted to cut the queue. Noticing this, Ian said: «I told them [the three men] again not to cut queue and stood between the rope which they unhooked». This was when the trio started to attack him.

SINGAPORE — A man molested his mother-in-law multiple times in late 2023 after she moved into his house to help care for his newborn. The woman found out only after a month when she felt him sniffing her hair while she was sleeping. She was horrified to learn of his acts by checking CCTV footage in the house. On Oct 17, the 37-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was sentenced to 12 months' jail and two strokes of the cane. He pleaded guilty to one count of outrage of modesty, one count of voyeurism, and two counts of making a gesture to insult another person's modesty. Five other charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing. The court heard that the 51-year-old victim moved into the man's house in August 2023 to help her daughter and son-in-law care for their newborn. The victim stayed there for about four months. During this time, she slept in the living room. Deputy Public Prosecutor Claire Poh said: «The victim trusted the (man) as he was her son-in-law and (a) member of the same household.»

A primary school vice-principal has resigned after allegations of him having an extramarital affair with a student's parent surfaced online. Photos of the alleged affair first appeared on Thursday (Oct 17) in a Facebook post from a netizen claiming to be his wife. The post, which sparked a flurry of comments, has since been taken down. In response to media queries, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said that they are aware of the incident and are looking into the matter. The vice-principal in question has tendered his resignation and is currently on leave. The affected school will continue to closely monitor the teachers' and students' condition, and provide support when necessary. MOE added that the personal conduct of school leaders must be maintained at high standards to safeguard the integrity and reputation of public service. ALSO READ: Marital dispute between Singaporean man and South Korean wife plays out online aishahm@asiaone.com

SINGAPORE - While MediShield Life premiums will go up following a review of the scheme, most people will not feel the brunt of the increase due to support measures to cushion the blow, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Oct 18. “When premiums go up, we subsidise more, we top up MediSave more,” he said in an interview on The Big Show on SPH Radio station Kiss92. The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Oct 15 that starting in April 2025, premiums for MediShield Life will go up. By March 2028, the premiums will increase by an average of 22 per cent.  This change is part of an expansion of the national insurance scheme, allowing people to claim more for hospital stays and providing coverage for additional outpatient treatments and selected new ground-breaking therapies. MOH said more than nine in 10 people here will receive help to more than offset the increases, with $4.1 billion going towards support measures.

The fifth day of Pritam Singh's trial unfolded in the State Courts on Friday (Oct 18), where the defence continued their cross-examination of Loh Pei Ying. Loh was secretarial assistant to former Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan. After pressing Loh on whether she had advised Khan to keep up with the lie the latter had told in Parliament, the trial took on a lighter tone. Bringing up a meeting on Nov 25, 2021, defence lawyer Andre Jumabhoy asked Loh if she had told the WP disciplinary panel that Khan was «naive and stupid». The phrase appeared in the notes taken during the meeting by WP chair Sylvia Lim. «I can't remember if I used those terms, but I definitely would have said naive,» Loh answered, adding it was possible she had said Khan was stupid. She also said she thought that Khan was «sometimes» self-centred. On Nov 30, 2021, five days after the meeting, the WP announced that Khan had resigned from the party.  Jumabhoy then asked Loh if she would describe Khan as «lao hong», while spelling the Hokkien term out in court.

The new Tuas Port will be the world’s largest fully automated port when it's fully completed in the 2040s, capable of handling 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually - almost double of what Singapore’s ports currently handle.  With this capacity, this new port will serve even more of the world’s largest container vessels, shipping alliances, and shipping lines.  Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said during the ground-breaking ceremony for the new PSA Supply Chain Hub (PSCH) on Friday (Oct 18) that with intensifying competition from other major ports, Singapore will have to sharpen its competitive edge to remain the preferred port of call.  The new $647.5 million supply chain hub at Tuas, equipped with advanced robotics and automation systems, is expected to be completed in 2027.

SINGAPORE — A teacher has been fired from a My First Skool pre-school centre in Tampines following a report of alleged inappropriate child management. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) received a report from the pre-school on Sept 26, and told The Straits Times (ST) it is separately looking into feedback from two other parents at the same centre. The centre removed the teacher from care and teaching duties on Sept 24, and her employment was terminated on Sept 27. The exact school location and the parents cannot be named, as it could lead to the identification of the affected child, which is not allowed under the Children and Young Persons Act.

A 17-year-old Singaporean was handed a two-year detention order in September under the Internal Security Act (ISA), said the Internal Security Department (ISD) on Friday (Oct 18).  Investigations revealed that the self-radicalised teen had made plans to conduct a suicide knife attack near Tampines West Community Centre, after making a pledge of alliance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in May. He had chosen the location as it had high footfall and was within a walking distance from his home, and planned to execute the attack on non-Muslims males during the September school holidays.  His plans involved using either a kitchen knife or a pair of scissors from his home as his weapon. To make sure that he could kill or seriously injure his targets, the teen wanted to stab them in the neck, and even practised stabbing motions with the pair of scissors. 

An Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Singapore last Friday (Oct 11) was hit by turbulence about two hours after take-off. In a Reddit post on the following day, one affected passenger said the aircraft encountered «some major bumps, and everything went flying, including a few people». Photos he shared show food items and packaging strewn across the plane aisle as well as liquid stains on the overhead baggage compartments and the cabin's roof. Replying to comments, the passenger said there was no warning and the turbulence «took everyone by surprise». He estimated that the episode lasted four to seven minutes, with «one huge drop in altitude».

A Sengkang resident was dismayed when he found soil and flower pots scattered in front of his unit after returning from a short holiday. Stomp contributor Chong, who went overseas on Oct 10, said he found soil in front of his main door and gate when he returned on Oct 13 at about 9.30pm. «I don't know what happened as I was not around,» he said. He shared that he reported the incident to Ang Mo Kio Town Council (AMKTC) the next day. PHOTO: Stomp «Someone from AMKTC called me and told me they had sent their staff down to clean the corridor on Oct 11,» he said. He also heard from a neighbour that a quarrel occurred in the corridor at the time of the incident. «The pots containing the soil are not mine and have been outside a neighbouring unit for a very long time,» he added.

SINGAPORE – After he drank alcohol, a man caused a ruckus at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) by throwing a flowerpot and assaulting several people, including a staff member. The staff member suffered a head injury and was hospitalised after the assault on Sept 21. On Oct 17, British national Jonathan David Lowe, 43, was sentenced to six weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance and one count of voluntarily causing hurt. He was also fined $1,000. Four other charges of hurting other members of public were taken into consideration for his sentencing. The court heard that Lowe is a company director of a firm named Keylon Interiors. He had come to Singapore as a tourist for the Formula One race when the incident took place. At about 8pm on Sept 21, Lowe downed two cups of whisky while at MBS’ rooftop bar with colleagues and clients. Closed-circuit television footage recorded him entering a hotel lift with five other men at about 10.40pm. Footage played in court showed Lowe folding his arms, then stretching both of his arms upwards.

SINGAPORE — Home-grown fashion retailer Love, Bonito has laid off 29 employees globally, 14 of whom are from Singapore. This accounts for 6.9 per cent of the company's total workforce. Affected employees will receive a support package in line with local regulations, said Dione Song, chief executive of Love, Bonito. «This includes a payout based on length of service, including encashment of pro-rated annual leave and notice period,» she said. In addition, Love, Bonito will extend the affected employees' medical insurance, and work with relevant agencies to provide career transition support, alongside recommendation letters, Song added. She said: «Our immediate focus will be on helping impacted individuals, as well as the remaining employees, through this transition phase.» The company did not respond when asked which job functions were affected and if the lay-offs would affect its expansion plans. Love, Bonito opened its first brick-and-mortar store in the Philippines in July 2024. In June 2023, the company launched its first pop-up store in New York City, which had remained open until the end of the year.

Several Sembawang residents have voiced concerns over public safety after the telecom equipment room in their HDB blocks were turned into storerooms. Shin Min Daily News reported on Thursday (Oct 17) that Block 590, 590A and 590B along Montreal Link are affected. A reporter observed that at least three telecom equipment rooms were filled with items including mattresses, plastic boxes, sofas and refrigerators. The rooms also appeared to be unlocked and their electrical risers were damaged, which sparked worry among residents there. One of them, surnamed Zhang, said that some of the items placed in the rooms also pose a safety hazard as they are highly flammable. «It is so dangerous that anyone can enter the rooms and create a mess,» the 56-year-old driver said. «The consequences would be unimaginable if a fire were to break out. And many residents would be affected.»

Following a two-week suspension by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) starting Tuesday (Oct 15), gelato shop Tom's Palette has released a video on Instagram apologising for the lapses at its Bugis outlet. According to the notice by SFA, the branch of the popular scoop shop, located at 51 Middle Road, had accumulated 12 demerit points within a 12-month period. It was fined $800 for the offences of failing to «register [an] assistant», as well as selling «food which is not clean». The period of suspension will end on Oct 28. Tom's Palette has two other outlets in Kovan and Outram which are unaffected by the suspension. The video by Tom's Palette released on Oct 16 showed a team member apologising «for the sudden closure of our Bugis outlet». A caption to the video read, «Sorry guys we messed up.» Bacterial contamination detected in gelato In the clip, the female spokesperson shared that they wanted to «give an explanation of exactly what happened, so that you guys know what's going on as well». The woman stated that SFA had gone to their Bugis outlet in May to investigate their Sicilian Pistachio flavour.

The Insurance Act was amended after Parliament passed a Bill on Wednesday (Oct 16). The new amendment requires the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to seek the approval of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) for applications related to insurers that are co-operative societies (co-ops) or are linked to co-ops. The bill was tabled and discussed on Wednesday, following the government's announcement on Monday that it halted the deal between Income and German insurance provider Allianz in its current form to safeguard public interest, although it remains open to a transaction that addresses its concerns. As he presented the Bill for debate, MAS deputy chairman and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat said: «We are making the amendments on an urgent basis because the proposed transaction is under active consideration by Income's shareholders.»

SINGAPORE — A female cyclist who jumped onto a car bonnet and clung on to it during a row with a driver in East Coast Road in June 2023 was sentenced to a five-day short detention order (SDO) on Oct 17. Offenders given an SDO are jailed for a short time, but they will not have a criminal record after their release. Nicolette Tan Shi-en, 33, who was a lawyer at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty in April to a harassment charge involving the driver, Elaine Michele Ow, 49. One count of causing an obstruction along the road was considered during sentencing. The incident was caught on a video which went viral in June 2023. Stressing that Tan's behaviour cannot be condoned, District Judge Janet Wang said in her judgment on Oct 17: "As a legal professional, the accused (Tan) is well-versed in the traffic rules and regulations. And it was precisely her perception of a traffic violation on Ow's part that accounted for her confrontation with the latter.

SINGAPORE — Mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation One Championship has laid off a number of employees — including those from its Singapore headquarters — on Oct 16. In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesperson said: «On Wednesday, One Championship made the difficult decision to lay off a few dozen employees as part of its overall strategic plan to bring the company to profitability in the coming months. »This decision was not made lightly and reflects our ongoing commitment to streamlining operations and focusing on long-term sustainability and growth." According to its LinkedIn profile, One has a global staff strength of between 201 and 500. Besides Singapore, it also has offices in Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York, London, Shanghai, Milan, Bangkok, Manila, Jakarta and Bengaluru. Its institutional investors include Temasek Holdings. While One did not reveal how many of its staff in its Singapore office were let go, an affected party who declined to be named said that over 20 of his colleagues here, across the broadcast, e-sports, finance, marketing and public relations departments, were laid off.

It's Halloween season. As some prepare to celebrate this eerie occasion, others question their boundaries. Stomp contributor Koncerned Kat was walking along a park connector in Katong when she stumbled upon a 'pet cemetery' in a resident's backyard. Likely inspired by Stephen King's horror novel of the same name, the Stomp contributor shared that the cemetery featured four graves with names written in red on white crosses. There was also a freshly dug grave with a red light emanating from within. To top it off, a sign with the words «Pet Cemetery» is splattered with 'blood' next to some cobwebs. PHOTO: Stomp «It's not even Halloween yet and this guy has already set up an elaborate and seemingly bloody pet cemetery,» said the Stomp contributor. «Is this even appropriate or legal as it seems to imply bloody violence towards animals?»

A fire broke out at Northshore Primary School in Punggol on Wednesday (Oct 16) night at around 8.50pm. The fire was put out and there were no injuries reported. Smoke was seen billowing from the school and «a burning smell permeated the scene», resident Chen Jiaqi (transliteration) told Lianhe Zaobao. The fire involved an electrical distribution board in an office located on the ground floor. The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to the fire and put out the fire with two water jets. Photo: Lianhe Zaobao In response to queries from AsiaOne, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said it was alerted to the fire at around 8.50pm. Fire engines were dispatched to the scene and firefighters managed to extinguish the fire with two water jets. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  AsiaOne has reached out to Northshore Primary School for comments.

SINGAPORE — The new Plus and Prime flats launched on Wednesday (Oct 16) will come with a subsidy clawback clause of between six and nine per cent, said the Housing and Development Board (HDB), as it rolled out 8,573 Build-To-Order (BTO) homes under a new flat classification system. The new launch will sort BTO projects into the Standard, Plus and Prime categories based on their proximity to the city centre, transport connectivity and amenities. It replaces the system of demarcating estates as either mature or non-mature. Plus and Prime flats, which are in more attractive locations, come with significant additional subsidies to keep them affordable, said HDB. It has said the subsidy recovery clause is needed to curb the «lottery effect» of owning flats in prime and central locations. «To maintain parity with other BTO flat buyers who are not accorded additional subsidies, Plus and Prime flat owners will be required to pay HDB a percentage of the resale or valuation price (whichever is higher) of the flat upon selling it, after meeting the 10-year minimum occupation period (MOP),» said HDB on Oct 16.