SINGAPORE — A number of accidents involving elderly drivers in recent months have sparked debate over whether seniors should continue to take the wheel. In September, at least two elderly drivers were involved in police investigations following separate accidents. One of them, aged 77, was arrested over an accident in Toa Payoh that led to the death of an 83-year-old cyclist. In another case, a 70-year-old driver's car collided with the rear of a double-decker bus at a Hillview bus stop. Such accidents often draw hundreds of comments on social media, with netizens sparring over the merit of having a driving cut-off age. In Singapore, the statutory age limit for taxi, private-hire car and heavy vehicle drivers is 75, but there is no restriction for those who do not drive for a living. Motorists aged 65 and above, however, must be certified fit to drive by a Singapore-registered doctor once every three years in order to renew their licences.

Selling tissues may already be a taxing job to do, but things may have gotten even tougher for some of these vendors. Some local tissue sellers at Bedok Food Centre under Block 216 are claiming that foreigners from China have been stealing their customers, 8world reported on Monday (Nov 4). A local tissue seller surnamed Chen (transliteration) told the Chinese publication that she was wheelchair-bound after suffering a stroke years ago and has been relying on selling tissues at the food centre to make a living. «They come every day to steal my business, which has really impacted people like me who make a living through selling tissues,» she said. Believing these peddlers to be unlicensed, she added that they also operate in nearby food centres and coffee shops. Chen said she hopes that the authorities would be able to step up enforcement to protect legal tissue sellers in Singapore. 'Selling tissues daily' In a Facebook post on Complaint Singapore last Monday (Oct 28), user Lee Cheokcheng questioned if it was legal for foreigners to sell tissues at food centres.

SINGAPORE — Tech companies are rolling out sensors to detect vaping, amid a sharp rise in the seizures of electronic vaporisers in Singapore. Communications and security company Motorola Solutions has, since September, been marketing its Halo Smart Sensor at organisations here, including at schools that have seen a spike in students caught vaping. Each sensor, which is about the size of a saucer, retails for about $2,000. It is usually placed overhead in toilets, classrooms or offices. Schools in the United States have placed similar devices in bathrooms, which have little adult supervision. The device monitors 16 data points including particulates, carbon monoxide and the number of people in the room. It is able to monitor the quality of air and detect dangerous vaping chemicals. When triggered, Halo sensors send an alert via SMS to a security control centre or teachers, who can then look around for e-vaporisers and the offending students.

SINGAPORE — Singapore Premier League (SPL) club Balestier Khalsa have forwarded a letter of apology from a parent of an Under-15 player to ActiveSG Football Academy, following alleged racist abuse from the parent during a Singapore Youth League match on Nov 2. The parent allegedly directed abuse at an ActiveSG player during the match at Kallang Football Hub which Balestier won 4-1. In a statement posted on their social media on Nov 3, Balestier vice-chairman Darwin Jalil said the club management has «engaged the relevant parties and spoken to representatives from our opponent to mediate the matter». He added: «The club has forwarded a written apology to ActiveSG Football Academy from the parent who admitted to the allegations.» When contacted, ActiveSG Football Academy principal Aleksandar Duric said of the incident: «I have a feeling that this will not be the last time that this will happen again. Because if we don't stop this, sooner or later, there will be more and more. »I understand that there are parents with a lot of jealousy and anger and sooner or later, this will go out of hand.

A myriad of programmes will be held next year in commemoration of Singapore's 60th birthday. Speaking at the Community Club Management Committees' (CCMC) 60th Anniversary dinner at One Punggol on Monday night (Nov 4), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that these events will be platforms for Singaporeans to connect, contribute and show care for one another. PM Wong, who also chairs the People's Association (PA), announced that the theme of SG60, Building Our Singapore Together, will support Singaporeans' commitment to a renewed social compact during the Forward Singapore exercise. “So we will have more opportunities, more platforms in SG60 next year for Singaporeans to connect with one another from all walks of life, for us to show our care and support for one another, and for everyone to contribute actively, in big ways or small to our community and to our nation”, said PM Wong. 

A myriad of programmes will be held next year in commemoration of Singapore's 60th birthday. Speaking at the Community Club Management Committees' (CCMC) 60th Anniversary dinner at One Punggol on Monday night (Nov 4), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that these events will be platforms for Singaporeans to connect, contribute and show care for one another. PM Wong, who also chairs the People's Association (PA), announced that the theme of SG60, Building Our Singapore Together, will support Singaporeans' commitment to a renewed social compact during the Forward Singapore exercise. «SG60 aims to celebrate our nation-building journey and reflect on our shared values of multiculturalism, boldness, resilience and openness that have united and allowed us to prosper against the odds,» he said. These SG60 programmes will provide opportunities for Singaporeans to collaborate, share ideas, and co-create solutions to shape the future of the Singapore story. The list of upcoming programmes includes Chingay, a annual parade organised by PA to celebrate Singapore's multiculturalism.

She called it the craziest plane ride of her life. TikToker Bernice Lim posted a video on Sunday (Nov 3) recounting a wild 13-hour flight on Singapore Airlines that brought her back to where she started. She and her family were on the SQ878 flight from Singapore to Taipei on Thursday. «My family was so excited because this was their first time flying Singapore Airlines,» said the TikToker in the almost two-minute video.

A woman has claimed that a school bully punched and kicked her 11-year-old son for ignoring him. Chen, 46, told 8World that her son was hospitalised after coming home from a school in the north with a swollen head and complaining of nausea. «I'm so heartbroken that I don't know how to describe it,» said the single mother. Chen said that the bullying incident happened on Oct 8 afternoon, while her son and his classmates were waiting at the canteen for an oral examination. According to the boy's version of events told by his mother, he had slipped after placing his hand on a freshly-painted wall. Chen said that her son ignored a classmate who asked what had happened. She added that the classmate then became «angry» and hurled profanities at her son, who later told him to «don't talk to me like that». The classmate then pushed Chen's son to the ground, while punching and kicking him. A teacher was notified and brought the boy to the school office for medical treatment. According to Chen, the bully is one or two years older than her son but is also in the Primary 5 cohort.

A person was sentenced to six months in jail and fined $306 for sharing his internet banking account details and One-Time Password with another person.  That person had allegedly received RM$1,000 (S$302) for the illegal arrangement, said the police in statement on Monday (Nov 4).  The person's bank account was then used to launder more than $160,000 of money obtained from criminal conduct.  The unnamed individual is one of 74 people arrested by the police between Sept 9 and Nov 1 for allowing their Singpass credentials or bank accounts to be used for criminal activity. A total of 59 men and 15 women, aged between 18 to 59, were charged in court under the new amendments to the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act and the Computer Misuse Act, said the police. Some cheated banks into opening accounts Some also cheated banks into opening personal bank accounts before handing over the ATM cards and credentials of the accounts to unknown persons. 

A metal rod collapsed and fell onto the road at a traffic junction in Jurong, narrowly missing the vehicles on the road below. The incident occurred on Oct 3 at approximately 9.28am at the junction between Jurong West Avenue 2 and Jalan Bahar, according to a video posted on SG Road Vigilante's Facebook page. The metal rod was from an MRT track being constructed for the Jurong Region Line (JRL). Traffic was moving as usual when the metal rod fell onto the road. The rod landed just slightly to the left of a white van, which stopped momentarily before continuing on its path. Vehicles behind the van were also seen driving slowly to avoid the rod.

SINGAPORE — More than 100 live quail chicks were found discarded in a green rubbish bin in Lim Chu Kang late on Oct 27. In a social media post on Nov 3, the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) said a person called its wildlife rescue hotline and reported hearing chirping sounds coming from the bin. Upon investigating, Acres found a quail chick on a black rubbish bag inside the bin, and heard more chirping from inside the bag. The bag contained a total of 106 live chicks, along with lifeless chicks and unhatched eggs, said Acres. «It was a frustrating find for us,» said the animal welfare group. «And despite our best efforts, none of the chicks survived.» Acres added that a case has been filed with the National Parks Board (NParks) to investigate the circumstances leading to the abandonment of such a large number of fertilised quail eggs and chicks. In response to queries from The Straits Times, NParks confirmed it had received feedback regarding the alleged abandonment of quail chicks and was looking into the matter.

SINGAPORE – A film that references a past local court case about a communist leader’s tombstone has been barred here after the authorities deemed it potentially illegal and “likely to be prejudicial to national interests”. Singaporean director Daniel Hui’s Small Hours Of The Night was pulled from screening at the 35th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) – the nation’s largest annual film festival – where it had been slated for its local premiere. The festival will run from Nov 28 to Dec 8. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has refused classification of the docu-drama, which means it cannot be screened in public or distributed.  In the film’s entry on the IMDA Films Classification Database, the media authority said the film revolves around discourses about the impact of Singapore’s judiciary on personal lives. It features a person being interrogated on issues with references to past judicial cases.