SINGAPORE — The USB charging ports on public buses here are of significantly lower voltage, which greatly reduces the likelihood of electrocution, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said. «These ports operate at a significantly lower voltage of about 5V DC (direct current), compared to the 230V AC (alternating current) voltage of standard three-pin sockets,» it said in response to queries. LTA added that it regularly checks on public bus operators to make sure that their monthly inspections on their vehicles are up to maintenance standards. Some 870 public buses here are equipped with USB charging ports, the authority said. As at May 2022, Singapore has about 5,800 public buses. Malaysia has banned the use of three-pin sockets and USB ports on express buses since Nov 6, after an 18-year-old died from electrocution on Nov 1. He was using an electric socket to charge his phone while he was on an express bus to Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Nov 20 that the teenager died due to faulty electrical wiring installed by unlicensed parties.

SINGAPORE — When Jillyn Lee, 19, first tried a matcha drink in 2022, she was captivated by its rich and creamy taste. The Singapore Polytechnic student has since made drinking matcha — powdered green tea — a daily ritual, enjoying it at least twice a day. Her obsession with the superfood even led her to Japan in October 2023, when she visited tea shops and returned with 30 tins of matcha worth $900. However, the global surge in popularity for the green powder, packed with nutrients and antioxidants, over the past year could spell trouble for enthusiasts like her. Brewing trouble Photos circulating on social media show snaking queues and signs outside tea shops in Tokyo advising customers about out-of-stock products or purchase limits.

The People's Action Party (PAP) elected its 38th central executive committee (CEC) - the party's top decision-making body - during the biennial PAP Conference on Sunday (Nov 24). Party chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the top decision-making body's new members during the event's finale, after party cadres voted on the matter earlier that morning. Over 3,000 attendees, including PAP cadres, guests and branch activists, were present at the conference, which was held at the Singapore Expo. Aside from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the new CEC comprises:

The People's Action Party (PAP) elected its 38th central executive committee (CEC) - the party's top decision-making body - during the biennial PAP Conference on Sunday (Nov 24). Party chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the top decision-making body's new members during the event's finale, after party cadres voted on the matter earlier that morning. Over 3,000 attendees, including PAP cadres, guests and branch activists, were present at the conference, which was held at the Singapore Expo. Aside from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the new CEC comprises:

SINGAPORE — About 3,000 PAP cadres, activists and guests — including several who featured in a video sharing personal stories and interactions with him — paid tribute to Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Nov 23. People's Action Party chairman Heng Swee Keat lauded the outgoing party chief for his contributions in a speech on the first day of the biennial PAP Awards and Conference. SM Lee has been secretary-general of the PAP since 2004, and has served the party and its Teck Ghee branch since 1984. Heng, who is Deputy Prime Minister, noted that the party had successfully completed the third handover of the premiership since Singapore's independence, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong taking office in May. PM Wong is currently the PAP's deputy secretary-general. «Thank you, secretary-general, for four decades of guidance, wisdom and foresight,» he said. As prime minister, SM Lee led the country through the global financial crisis of the late 2000s, and through the more recent Covid-19 pandemic.

A Singaporean man was arrested on Friday (Nov 22) for making a false bomb threat at Bangkok's Don Mueng International Airport. The man, identified as Ho, made the hoax call targeting an AirAsia flight taxiing for takeoff at 2.47pm on Thursday (Nov 21), according to Khaosod English. The aircraft, flight FD 3114, was bound for Hat Yai in Songkhla province and carried 162 passengers and six crew members, reported The Nation. As a result of the threat, takeoff for flight FD 3114 was immediately halted and passengers evacuated. The plane was then brought back to the bay for an inspection. Officials called off the emergency situation at 7.30pm, after confirming that no suspicious object was found on the plane or among passengers, The Nation reported. Ho arrested at airport terminal At a press conference on Nov 23, Police Lieutenant General Choengron RimPadee, Commander of Immigration Division 2 and spokesman for the Immigration Bureau, said that Ho was arrested at around 7pm on Nov 22.

The recent spate of heavy rain has not only disrupted outdoor plans but also impacted businesses as well. Some hawkers at East Coast Lagoon Food Village, located along East Coast Park, in particular, have reportedly borne the brunt of the recent wet weather. According to 8world, several hawkers at the beachside food centre have shared that footfall, along with their takings, have halved in the past two weeks. As a result, some of them said they will be extending their operating hours on the weekends to make up for the shortfall. The Meteorological Service Singapore had stated in its fortnightly forecast on Nov 15 that moderate to heavy thundery showers will be expected in many parts of the island on most days in the second half of November as north-east monsoon conditions set in. Business affected Hawkers interviewed by 8world stated that as seating at the food centre are mostly outdoors, businesses would invariably be impacted by rain. One hawker stated that they would try to open for longer when the weather is good.

This doll has teeth, as does their distributor - and some companies may be about to find out. Pop Mart has announced their plans to take action against unauthorised use of Labubu's likeness in promotions done by other brands in Singapore, according to a post on its official Facebook account on Friday (Nov 22). The company manages the intellectual property (IP) for Labubu and The Monsters, a story series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung. In 2019, blind-box brand Pop Mart entered an exclusive licence agreement with Lung, covering other characters aside from Labubu including Zimomo, Tycoco, Spooky and Pato. «We have recently discovered instances of unauthorised use of Pop Mart's intellectual property (IP) by certain brands, including Recoil and PlayMade,» the Facebook post said. 

INCHEON, South Korea - Former teacher Tong Ming Yan, a Singaporean, and her South Korean husband Jang Jong-seok were looking forward to moving back to Singapore with their two children in June, after having lived in South Korea for two years. They had booked their flight and Tong had made arrangements to return to her teaching position at St Gabriel's Secondary School. The family had already sent ahead half of their belongings. But their move has been stalled. Tong, 35, lies in a vegetative state at a South Korean hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest during a gastroscopy. While she was resuscitated after nearly 20 minutes, she had already suffered irreversible brain damage, according to a medical report seen by The Straits Times. Tong had signed up for a 350,000 won (S$336) comprehensive health screening at an Incheon hospital that included the gastroscopy - an examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract - and colonoscopy under sedation. «We discussed and felt that it would be good for Ming Yan to undergo the test before going back to Singapore, for peace of mind,» Jang told ST.

While others learn subjects like maths or science, this student learnt to save lives—a skill that proved useful recently. Secondary school student Mark Eli Fernando has saved the life of a cardiac arrest victim along Pasir Ris Street 21, according to a Facebook post by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Friday (Nov 22). Fernando received a notification of a cardiac arrest incident from his SCDF myResponder application at about 11.30am on Sep 7, 2024. Without wasting any time, Fernando followed the notification and rushed to the scene, finding a man unconscious inside the unit. He drew upon the first aid training he received as part of the Pathlight Hummingbird Scouts from Pathlight School, retrieving an automated external defibrillator (AED) from the lift lobby before returning to the unconscious man. Fernando began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the man, also using the AED in an attempt to revive him. Fernando's efforts were subsequently rewarded as the cardiac arrest victim regained consciousness before the SCDF arrived.

The death of two community cats in Marine Parade recently has drawn outcry and calls for eyewitnesses. The two cats, both siblings, were killed in traffic accidents at the same spot two days apart, according to a Facebook page called Cats of Marine Terrace.  The first cat, a tuxedo named BatBat, died around midnight on Nov 16. «Many witnesses saw a car driving very fast along the one-lane small road and hit BatBat. Passers-by caught up with the driver; however, the driver insisted that he did not hit the cat and expressed angry behaviour,» the post read. An update made later that day shared claims by witnesses that the car had sped up to hit the cat, despite two vehicles previously managing to avoid it. The post added that a police report was made later that morning. AsiaOne has contacted the Singapore Police Force for more information. Cats of Marine Terrace is also looking for dash cam footage from other cars who were in the vicinity during the accident.

Lim started her part-time job as a swim coach as a university student for her monthly expenditures. Now, she works full time as a HR manager but continues her coaching job every weekend. Speaking to AsiaOne, the 24-year-old laments her busy schedule that often extends into 10-hour work days. Despite that, she has never thought of quitting her side hustle, which makes up about five per cent of her current pay, to get more rest and time for her personal life. «I use [income from coaching] as spending money so that I don’t have to touch my main salary.» As a young adult without any significant financial commitments, she gives a portion of her full-time salary to her parents as monthly allowance and puts a majority of the remaining balance into her savings. Side hustle culture among Gen Z Lim is just one of many young adults with side hustles to support their income. To better understand the saving and investment preferences of its readers, including young adults, AsiaOne conducted a survey which received 1,190 valid responses.

SINGAPORE – Two people were taken to National University Hospital after an accident near the Woodlands Checkpoint on Friday (Nov 22). The police said they were alerted to an accident involving three cars along the BKE towards the checkpoint at about 12.05am. A 36-year-old female driver and her passenger, an eight-year-old boy, were conscious when taken to the hospital by the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Police investigations are ongoing. A video of the scene posted on Facebook shows a red car and two white multi-purpose vehicles stationary on a two-lane road, with debris scattered around them. A boy is seen sitting on the side of the road next to the red car, with what looks like blood on the surrounding road surface. Motorcycles are seen manoeuvring between the damaged vehicles. An eyewitness, who gave his name only as Mr Shairul, said the accident happened on the viaduct leading to the checkpoint and that an off-duty medic was on site tending to those involved in the accident. Mr Shairul said the woman, whose leg was bleeding, was crying, while the boy told the medic that his neck and chest hurt.

A SBS Transit bus driver was killed after an accident in Kaki Bukit on Thursday (Nov 21) night. The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne that a bus was believed to have skidded at the junction of Kaki Bukit Avenue 2 and Kaki Bukit Road 1 at 11pm. The 58-year-old bus driver was unconscious when he was conveyed to Changi General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Five passengers, aged between 26 and 38, were also taken to hospital, the police added. Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, an eyewitness surnamed Yao said that she was working at her car repair shop in Kaki Bukit Industrial Estate when she heard a loud bang. «My colleagues and I ran out to see a bus had hit a tree,» said the 30-year-old. «There were still some passengers on the bus. My colleagues quickly called the police.» Photos shared on the Singapore Road Accident Facebook page showed the windshield of the bus was smashed. Shin Min reported that the bus also collided into a street lamp and traffic light. A crowd of passers-by had formed while several police officers and SCDF personnel attended to the injured. 

SINGAPORE — Morgan Stanley, said it opened its new Southeast Asia headquarters in Singapore's swanky downtown business district this week. An expanding list of global investors and financial institutions have flocked to Singapore, lured by low taxes, political stability and the city-state's location as a gateway to Southeast Asian markets. «We are excited to open our new Southeast Asia headquarters, an investment that reflects our commitment to Singapore and the wider region where we see significant long-term growth opportunities,» Morgan Stanley chief executive officer Ted Pick said in a statement dated Nov 20. The bank said its new offices will be spread across five floors and 9,941 square metres (107,000 square feet). Morgan Stanley has been a prominent player in Singapore since 1990 with the financial hub serving as its Southeast Asia headquarters, according to the statement. It also has offices in Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila.

Victims of online harms may soon be able to hold their assailants to greater accountability as part of a joint proposal put forth by the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) on Friday (Nov 22). The proposal - which includes a complaints mechanism, agency powers to obtain user information, as well as statutory torts (a type of civil wrong) - aims to give victims of online harms more ways to seek help and recompense.  Online harms include online harassment, deepfakes, hate speech, and false statements among other forms of abuse. Should the proposal be approved, a new agency will be established to take on complaints from victims of such harms or their representatives. The agency would then be able to give directions to perpetrators, platform administrators and online service providers and order them to stop.  When dealing with false statements and statements affecting reputation, the agency would also be able to grant the complainant a right of reply to such statements. 

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong has been in politics for more than two decades, serving various portfolios from Manpower to Health. But the 65-year-old revealed that he was a bundle of nerves before accepting his latest role in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's Cabinet.   Speaking to actress Joanne Peh in her A Conversation with Minister series on Thursday (Nov 21), Gan recalled then-DPM Wong asking to speak with him in his office. «I asked myself, 'Did I do something wrong?'» said Gan in the YouTube video that was shared on the 8World channel, causing Peh to break out in laughter. «It feels like you are being called into your boss' office,» she quipped. Gan said that Wong then asked him to be DPM, on top of being Minister for Trade and Industry, to mentor the newer crop of ministers. A Member of Parliament for Choa Chu Kang GRC since the 2011 General Election, Gan was previously the Minister of Health and Manpower Minister. Together with Wong, he was also co-chair of a multi-ministerial taskforce from 2020 to 2023 which directed and coordinated Singapore's response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A car was found flipped after an accident in Yishun on Thursday (Nov 21) morning. Its driver was nowhere to be found. A photo posted to Facebook group Complaint Singapore shows a blue car lying on its side on the pavement. Police officers can also be seen standing around the scene, which has been cordoned off. Another photo posted to Facebook group Singapore Road Vigilante shows smoke rising from the car's engine. Its bumper and right headlight look badly damaged. But none of the photos posted online show the car's driver. Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police said they were alerted to the accident, which occurred at the junction of Yishun Central 2 and Yishun Central, at about 8.30am on Thursday. When officers arrived at the scene, however, the driver of the car was missing. Investigations are ongoing.

A woman who pre-ordered popiah from a stall in Tampines was upset when the stall owner turned her away after making her queue for 40 minutes.  The woman, surnamed Tan, told Shin Min Daily News that she placed an order for $33 worth of popiah at a stall along Tampines Street 81 last Sunday (Nov 17) for her auntie's birthday.  Tan, 69, added that she had paid for the food in advance.  «When I went to collect the popiah at about 10.40am that day, the stall owner asked me to queue up. »I was in a rush and there were more than 10 people in line, so I asked her to give me a refund but she kept asking me to queue up,« Tan said.  When it was finally her turn, the stall owner allegedly told Tan she didn't want her business and gave her a refund.  »I had already queued for 40 minutes. If she didn't want to accept my order, she should have just refunded me on the spot instead of making me wait in the queue,« Tan said.  The woman was especially upset because the stall owner did not explain why she decided to reject the order.  »I've made bulk orders of popiah at the stall in the past, and this has never happened," she said.

SINGAPORE — Singapore's economy blew past estimates for third-quarter growth, leading the Government to raise its forecast for full-year 2024. But it also tipped growth in 2025 to slow to a range of 1 per cent to 3 per cent range, reflecting heightened global uncertainties generated by Donald Trump's return to the White House, further escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine and China's continuing slowdown. The official 2024 growth forecast was raised to 'around 3.5 per cent' from a previous range of 2-3 per cent, after third-quarter growth accelerated to 5.4 per cent — the strongest year-on-year growth since the fourth quarter of 2021 and higher than the 4.1 per cent initial estimate. The full-year upgrade marks a strong rebound from 2023 when the economy grew just 1.1 per cent.

SINGAPORE — At least $2.7 million has been lost since January to con men posing as property agents, amid a resurgence of e-commerce rental scams.  More than 430 cases of this kind, in which scammers impersonated agents registered with the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA), were reported from January to October 2024.  Victims would contact the scammers, who listed their contact numbers on property rental listings shared on social media platforms or rental advertisement sites, said the police on Nov 21.  These scammers would impersonate agents and prove their credibility with photos of property agent passes, business cards or photos and videos of the rental property. In some cases, the scammers engaged people to pose as colleagues or personal assistants to attend viewings with the victims, under the pretext that the agent could not make it.  Victims would then be asked for their personal details for the tenancy agreement, and asked to make payment for deposit or rental through bank transfers or PayNow.