SINGAPORE — A 13ha plot of prime land abutting Singapore Botanic Gardens will come into the Government’s possession, following a land swop deal between the Republic and the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.In exchange, Tunku Ismail will receive an 8.5ha piece of state land near the 13ha plot, which he can develop, subject to regulatory approvals.The exchange involving the land in Tyersall Park — an area privately owned by the Johor royal family since the 1800s — is expected to be completed later in 2025. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced the deal on June 10.Tyersall Park is the historical Singapore residence of the sultan of Johor, and Singapore has over the years purchased some land from the royal family.Portions of the land that Singapore bought from the family have been developed as the Botanic Gardens’ Tyersall and Gallop extensions.On June 10, the agencies said Tunku Ismail currently owns 21.1ha of land in the area, including the 13ha plot that is part of the swop.

A new enforcement 'officer' will be deployed at the carpark next to Geylang Serai Hawker Centre and Market to keep watch on errant motorists. The 'officer', or a digital sentry system, will be implemented following multiple complaints about frequent traffic congestion at Deck 3A of Block 2, Geylang Serai Road. In a Facebook post on Tuesday (June 10), Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, who is MP for Kembangan at Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, highlighted the issue and noted that the congestion situation has inconvenienced many residents and visitors.He expressed concern for the safety of seniors and individuals with mobility issues, who may be obscured from the view of oncoming vehicles due to the traffic buildup. While parking enforcement officers have been actively managing the situation, Prof Faishal pointed out that their efforts are not a sustainable solution, as some motorists resume parking and waiting in the area once the officers leave.

SINGAPORE — A man who sued his late mother's estate for half of the rent it had collected over two decades on a Housing Board coffee shop won his case when a judge ordered the estate to pay him his share.But just 38 per cent, and not 50 per cent, as he had contended in his suit.Tia Oon Lai, 69, who co-owned a 30-year lease on the coffee shop with his mother, sued her estate after she died, claiming for a half-share of the rent that had been paid to his mother by food court operator Koufu from October 1998 to June 2018.The eldest son claimed this was because his father had «gifted» the coffee shop to him and his mother in equal shares.He alleged that his mother, Madam Su Ye Chu, had committed breach of trust through the «unauthorised dissipation» of his share of the rent.Tia also sued his eldest sister Sally, 74, and youngest sister Poh Kim, 62, both of whom began handling their mother's finances in 2015.In a written judgment on June 9, the High Court said Tia failed to prove that his father had gifted the lease to him and Madam Su in equal shares, or even that his father had paid for the lease.

A man has returned a Jinro toad statue after closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage captured him stealing it outside a restaurant in Tanjong Pagar.In a post on Monday (June 9) circulating on social media, the man, wearing a white cap, can be seen walking past the restaurant alongside a woman when the large statue catches his attention. The amphibian is the well-known mascot of the Korean soju brand, Jinro.Approaching it casually, he picks up the statue and walks off with it. Another woman, believed to be his friend, is seen playfully hitting him from behind after he takes the statue.[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/DKrrDLmBTwB/[/embed]According to another video on Facebook, the alleged theft took place outside a Korean restaurant in Tanjong Pagar. Based on the CCTV footage timestamp, the incident is believed to have occurred on Sunday (June 8) at around 1.19 am.The video also stated that the statue was a rare promotional gift from Jinro, with an estimated value of around $500.

Six months after securing their first appearance at the Asean Women's Championship, the national women's football team will not feature in it after the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced on June 9 that they have withdrawn from the Aug 6-19 tournament.Fans and some players, however, were kept in the dark, and those who tuned in to watch the live broadcast of the tournament draw ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam, on June 9 were left wondering why Singapore were omitted from the draw — Timor-Leste were included instead.The FAS' statement on the withdrawal was issued only seven hours after the ceremony.In its statement, the national sports association said that the «decision-making process involved careful consideration of overlapping fixtures, team readiness and our broader commitment to key Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions».The decision to pull out of the tournament was influenced by the need to manage player welfare, maintain performance standards and prepare the teams for the challenges ahead, added the FAS.

His home is choc-a-bloc with things he has collected over the years, but he does not want to part with them.The 78-year-old man, known as Lim, lives alone in a Bedok Reservoir flat and is worried that the charity trying to help him clean up his house may leave him with «nothing», according to Shin Min Daily News.He sells the stuff collected to earn a living. Lim told the Chinese daily that he was worried volunteers would «throw everything away».«If everything is thrown away, then I will have nothing,» he said.«I don't want that, and I fear I won't be able to find the things I need.»In a Facebook post on June 2, charity Helping Joy said that Lim has been living in a «heavily cluttered» flat with items accumulated over years, with no space to move.It has since cleared some of the belongings from his home following «12 hours of hard work and battling cockroaches» in a project that began on Sunday, according to multiple posts on Monday (June 9).The charity said Lim's home posed health risks and a fire hazard to both him and his neighbours.

Worried that their early-morning wedding celebrations on Saturday (June 7) might annoy their neighbours, a couple left a note in the lift asking for a little understanding.Their «sorry in advance» got plenty of kind messages back from residents at Block 77 Marine Drive — a true show of modern-day kampung spirit.Bernard Kuah, 32, told AsiaOne that he and his wife, Chermaine Wong, had sought permission from the town council to post the note in both lifts.The couple were concerned that the wedding «gatecrash», a traditional Chinese ritual where the groom and his entourage pick up the bride after overcoming a series of funny — and slightly embarrassing — challenges, would disrupt their neighbours' sleep.It was scheduled from 4am to 7am that day, Kuah, an HR manager, said.The couple put up the notice three days before the wedding — giving neighbours ample time to see it, rather than finding out at the last minute, he said.«Just a day later, we went to run some wedding errands and was taking the lift back home and saw Post-it notes on our posters,» he added.

What's the National Day Parade (NDP) without the classic NDP packs?Spectators attending this year's parade, preview shows and National Education shows can look forward to receiving one of seven artwork-adorned totes illustrated by 41 artists with disabilities from the ages of 10 to 73.Three of the featured artworks, titled Care, Contribute and Future, are drawn by 20 students from Special Education (Sped) schools engaged through SG Enable, and envisions Singapore's shared future.Meanwhile, the other four pieces, named Multiculturalism, Resilience, Openness and Boldness, are inspired by history and the creation of 21 artists from non-profit organisation ART:DIS, which supports persons with disabilities through arts.  

Two women were arrested within an hour for thefts at shops in the transit area of Changi Airport.In a statement on Monday (June 9), the police said that they were alerted to a suspected case of theft in Changi Airport Terminal 3 at 2.25pm on June 2.A purse had allegedly been stolen from a Furla retail outlet in the Departure Transit area.Officers from the Airport Police Division were able to identify and locate the two Indian nationals, aged 29 and 30, within an hour of the crime through CCTV footage, and were subsequently detained before they could leave Singapore.

SINGAPORE — Slightly over a year ago, Ms Caitlin Lim noticed the circles around her eyes were getting darker. She visited an aesthetic clinic in the hope of a solution and took up the doctor's suggestion to use fillers.«I had never considered injectables because I'm scared of needles, but I thought that I'd just try it,» said the marketing executive, now 28. «The lack of fat around my cheeks created shadows under my eyes, and the fillers really made a difference.»A small volume of gel-like substance, injected just above her cheekbones, settled her concerns and made her face look fresh and plump, she said.Like Ms Lim, a growing number of people in Singapore in their 20s and 30s are getting injectables to improve their facial appearances. Some of these cosmetic enhancements have long carried the stigma of creating an unnatural appearance, partly because of the use of Botox by Hollywood celebrities who experienced less-than-desired results due to a range of factors.

SINGAPORE - More than 20,000 devotees gathered to witness the consecration of the Sri Sivan Temple on June 8.The Geylang East temple, one of the oldest Hindu temples in Singapore, has a history that dates back to the 1800s.The event was attended by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam.Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, the ceremony’s guest of honour said: “Today’s consecration ceremony is very significant. This temple itself has a very special place in the heart of the Hindu community in Singapore.”Mr Shanmugam unveiled a plaque commemorating the consecration ceremony.Devotees began streaming into purpose-built tents outside the temple from 7am, waiting eagerly for the main event – a Maha Kumbhabishegam (“grand consecration” in Sanskrit). It refers to the process of pouring sanctified water from vessels on the roof of the temple.

Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow has announced that Tengah and Brickland will have a total of eight new bus services within the next 18 months.Speaking to media on Sunday (June 8), Siow stated that two of these bus routes will be in service by the end of this year.Dr Choo Pei Ling, MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC, announced that bus service 872 will begin operating from Tengah Bus Interchange from Aug 10.It will provide a direct link for Tengah residents to Chinese Garden MRT station while passing through areas in Bukit Batok, Plantation Crescent and Jurong East.«We hope that residents like this National Day present from us,» she said.The second bus service, which is still in the works, will begin at Brickland and pass through two MRT stations, according to Siow, who added that further details will be released closer to the end of this year.He also stated that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will introduce two more express bus services in Tengah by the end of next year.Both routes will start at the Brickland area, with one going towards the city and the other to one-north.

SINGAPORE - In a few weeks' time, five women and five men will be flying to a villa in Japan on a trip inspired by South Korean reality television series Single's Inferno.The participants will not have met before going on the four-day, three-night trip, and will share a room with those of the same gender, as in the show.They are paying $1,111 each for a yacht trip, an Osaka day trip and an activity of their choice such as Universal Studios Japan and tea ceremony in Nara, among other things.Around 40 Singaporeans have signed up for three such trips, planned by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts design practice student Leo Ching Ling, 24, and business owner Ric Ang, 50.The pair, who met while Ms Leo was interning at a company Mr Ang was working in, have held around 10 social mixers around the numerology theme since August 2024 under their events brand Until 1111. Their parties offer compatibility readings, tarot card readings and purpose-infused crystal-making.Numerology is a practice that assigns a number to individuals based on their birthdate and name. The belief is that these numbers hold insights into personality, life path and potential.

A 65-year-old bak kut teh stall owner in Bishan had died in January this year of overwork, his wife revealed, with his last wishes for her to carry on the business.Ang Yong Seh, owner of Xin Ming Road Bak Kut Teh, had worked tirelessly to repay a $100,000 debt incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic to keep their business afloat, his wife Lilian Chua, 66, told Shin Min Daily News.Following the pandemic, he often worked 18-hour days behind the stove at his stall located at Block 36 Sin Ming Drive.Speaking to Shin Min recently about her husband's sudden passing, Chua said her husband had been battling the flu for three weeks but still continued to work up till four days before his death.«I was worried for his health at the time but he told me, 'Don't worry, I can still live for a few more years',» said Chua.However, on Jan 9 this year, he suddenly experienced breathing difficulties and was rushed to hospital at about 11pm, but died several hours later.In a June 4 interview with online food channel HappyCat, Chua indicated that the reason she held on to the stall was because of her husband's last wishes.

With six children and three part-time jobs to juggle, Ms Lydia Susiyanti Sukarbi, the 36-year-old sole breadwinner of her household, may not have much.But what she has – compassion, generosity and grit – she gives freely.Three times a week before the crack of dawn, she dishes out free breakfast to underprivileged children who live in her Ang Mo Kio neighbourhood.Ms Lydia, a former school canteen stall vendor, started her Breakfast Buddy initiative in February as she had seen first-hand how some students went without recess so that their younger siblings had money to buy food to eat. “How can we, as neighbours, step up for these kids? I feel I should help to fill this gap,” said Ms Lydia, who lives with her family in a two-room Housing Board rental flat.“Breakfast Buddy is more than giving them breakfast. It’s to let the children know there are resources for them, and I’m here to share my resources. If it’s within my capability, I will give.“I’m like an auntie, mother, teacher to them. And they share many things with me.”

SINGAPORE - In a few weeks' time, five women and five men will be flying to a villa in Japan on a trip inspired by South Korean reality television series Single's Inferno.The participants will not have met before going on the four-day, three-night trip, and will share a room with those of the same gender, as in the show.They are paying $1,111 each for a yacht trip, an Osaka day trip and an activity of their choice such as Universal Studios Japan and tea ceremony in Nara, among other things.Around 40 Singaporeans have signed up for three such trips, planned by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts design practice student Leo Ching Ling, 24, and business owner Ric Ang, 50.The pair, who met while Ms Leo was interning at a company Mr Ang was working in, have held around 10 social mixers around the numerology theme since August 2024 under their events brand Until 1111. Their parties offer compatibility readings, tarot card readings and purpose-infused crystal-making.Numerology is a practice that assigns a number to individuals based on their birthdate and name. The belief is that these numbers hold insights into personality, life path and potential.

Three women and one man aged between 47 and 61 were arrested and charged on suspicion of involvement in multiple spiritual 'blessing' scams.The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a press release on Friday (June 6) that they had received a report three days prior from a woman who was allegedly cheated by the three others in Chinatown.«The first woman had initially approached the victim seeking directions to a Chinese physician. A second woman then intervened, claiming knowledge of a suitable physician but explained that consultations could only occur outside the premises due to overcrowding,» the release stated.This second woman wanted the victim to pose as her relative, and the trio went to meet the third woman, who claimed to be a Chinese physician and told the victim she was «experiencing misfortune due to negative spiritual elements».«The three woman and the victim then arranged to meet at Hong Lim Park and the victim was convinced to surrender $700 in cash and a gold necklace with a Guan Yin pendant to the 'Chinese physician', who then placed the items in a black plastic bag and performed a purported blessing ritual,» the release read.

It's past midnight and most would be asleep, but for this individual, sleep would not come easily.A Geylang resident is in distress over loud music being blasted past midnight near his rented apartment, according to a Reddit post by user Obsessionmachine on Saturday (June 7).In his post, Obsessionmachine shared a video of the neighbouring estate across the road, Crystal Mansions.Loud music can be heard blaring, apparently emanating from somewhere within Crystal Mansions.«This is happening at 1am,» the user clarified.«Can't locate the source of this music. Police couldn't help either. I suppose this will be my life until my rent agreement is over in one and a half year.»The user also sought help from other Redditors, asking if there is anything he could do to resolve this issue.One user suggested contacting Jalan Besar's Member of Parliament, also highlighting noise control regulations.«You have the right to a quiet night's rest,» they said. «You need to believe that while seeking resolution.»