Chong Jun-Yu was behind the wheel in the wee hours of the morning when he overheard his passenger’s distressing video call with a friend.“Her friend was drunk and contemplated ending her life over relationship issues,” the 47-year-old recalled about the incident last November.“I sensed she was very worried throughout the journey.”Chong, a full-time property agent, had been doing private-hire vehicle gigs in the past year at that time.But he could sense that his distressed passenger, who was her early '30s, would not be able to “handle it” on her own.“I could have minded my own business, but it’s not something I would do. If I can help, I should,” said Chong.Using details from the video call, the pair found a woman perched on the parapet on the 14th floor at a flat in Bidadari.While the passenger tried to talk her friend down, Chong reached through a gap in the wall and grabbed her arms to prevent a fall.“I cannot remember how long it was, it felt like forever,” he added.“The police came quite fast, but my arms were quite numb and there were bruises from rubbing against the railing.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the national water agency PUB have completed repair and safety assessments of the affected road sections along Tanjong Katong Road South, as well as the surrounding roads. In a Facebook post uploaded by LTA on Friday (July 1), it stated in a joint statement with PUB, that the checks were conducted in consultation with the Building and Construction Authority, confirming that the roads are now safe for use.«Road reinstatement works are ongoing, and the roads will reopen progressively,» it said. «Tanjong Katong Road South, from East Coast Parkway (ECP) to Mountbatten Road, will open to traffic on Saturday afternoon from 12pm, while the opposite direction, from Mountbatten Road to ECP, will open on Monday morning from 5am.»

What was meant to be a typical dinner turned into a nightmare after a man discovered maggots in his soup while dining at a claypot restaurant in Hougang on Wednesday (July 30).Speaking to AsiaOne, Leon Wee, said he was having dinner with his girlfriend at around 9pm when he encountered the «extra ingredient» in his dish.«It was so gross. There were so many of it inside the soup,» said the 29-year-old interior designer. Wee explained that he did not finish the chicken herbal soup but instead filtered it, only to discover about 15 to 20 larvae in the broth.According to Wee, the restaurant is located at Hougang Green Shopping Mall.He added that while he had visited the eatery a couple of times before, this was the first time he had experienced something like this. After spotting the maggots, Wee approached a waitress to provide feedback about the meal, but was only given an apology and an offer to offset the cost.«They ignored it at first and didn't even check if I was alright, only offering to waive my dish which costs about $6 to $9,» he said. 

A red e-vapouriser disposal bin in Bedok was more than half-filled by July 29 — just four days after the Bin The Vape initiative was launched.This was announced by MP for East Coast GRC Tan Kiat How in an Instagram post on July 31.«I'm heartened that many have stepped forth to voluntarily dispose of their e-vaporisers,» he wrote.The bin, which is located in Heartbeat@Bedok, has been safely emptied by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), according to Tan.«I encourage those who have not done so to come forward to bin your e-vapourisers during this campaign period and take the first step towards a better health,» he wrote.Tan is also the Senior Minister of State for Health. Campaign began amidst concerns about etomidateOn July 25, the Ministry of Health, HSA and People's Association launched the Bin The Vape campaign, encouraging vape users to kick the habit and safely dispose their devices in designated bins set up at 24 locations island-wide.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's National Day message will be delivered on Aug 8 (Friday), the eve of National Day. PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, will deliver his message in English. This is his second National Day message since he took over as Singapore's fourth prime minister on May 15, 2024. His message will be broadcast at 6.40pm on CNA and radio station CNA938. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong will deliver the message in Mandarin, and it will be broadcast on Mediacorp's Channel 8 and radio station Capital 95.8FM at 8.40pm.Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim will deliver the message in Malay. This will be broadcast at 8.30pm on Mediacorp's Suria. Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, and Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash will deliver the message in Tamil. This will be broadcast at 9pm on Mediacorp's Vasantham and radio statio Oli 96.8FM. 

A single ticket bought online snagged over $12.8 million in prize money at the latest Toto cascade draw on Thursday (July 31).The winning ticket was bought through the Singapore Pools account betting service under the QuickPick Ordinary Entry and was the only one with the winning number combination.The winning numbers were 7, 19, 20, 21, 22, 29, and the additional number was 37.The Toto draw yielded no Group 1 winners in the previous three draws, causing the jackpot to snowball from around $1.2 million on July 21, to $2.9 million on July 24 and $5.8 million on July 28 draw.A cascade draw is triggered when there are no Group 1 winners for three consecutive draws. The jackpot can only snowball up to the fourth draw under Toto rules.There were 20 Group 2 winners who shared the prize of $73,408.

Eight men and 20 women, aged 21 to 61, were cuffed for their suspected involvement in vice-related activities on Wednesday (July 30).Officers from the police and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority had raided 12 locations island-wide, including Orchard, Boon Lay and Joo Chiat, that day. Officers preparing for a raid on July 30.PHOTO: Singapore Police Force Assets seized in the operation totalled over $610,000 and comprise of cash, bank account funds, two luxury cars and 18 luxury watches, as well as two phones, laptops and vice-related paraphernalia, said the police.

SINGAPORE — A 49-year-old man who is on trial for raping a woman after she hired him to repair the lights in her flat claimed that they had consensual sex after she made the first move.Taking the stand on July 31, the third day of his trial, Koh Lee Hwa said he ended up having sex with the woman after she pulled him by the arm.Denying that he had raped her, Koh said the sexual encounter took slightly over 10 minutes, which he compared with the «standard» length of time for sex between him and his wife.«How could it happen so fast if it was rape?» he said through a Mandarin interpreter.The prosecution said Koh's testimony was «unbelievable» and contended that the woman did not do anything to suggest that she wanted intimacy from him.The Singapore permanent resident faces one count of rape, one count of sexual assault by penetration and two counts of outrage of modesty.The offences were allegedly committed between about 11.40am and 12.40pm on Aug 23, 2021.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) can soon issue no-boarding directives to detect and stop high risk travellers even before they arrive in Singapore, said the authority at its 2025 Workplan Seminar on Thursday (July 31).The directive will instruct transport operators to deny boarding to individuals who pose security, immigration, or health risks on transportation bound for Singapore.This initiative will bolster Singapore's border security by preventing them from even reaching its checkpoints. More details on the implementation timeline will be shared in due course, said ICA.ICA's new Services Centre (ISC), which has been operating since April this year, was also officially opened by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam at the seminar.The event showcased ISC's enhanced processes — including self-service kiosks where customers can collect their passports or identity cards on their own at any time on their appointment date.

Five foreign women, aged 21 to 48, were arrested at Changi Airport for suspected drug trafficking, after close to 27kg of cocaine was found in their luggage on Tuesday (July 29).The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a media release on Thursday (July 31) that the arrest was made following an exchange of intelligence with the Narcotics Bureau of the Hong Kong police.At the transit area of Terminal 4, CNB officers spotted a 21-year-old woman exchanging luggage with a 32-year-old woman.The pair and another three women were arrested and their belongings searched. Officers found about 26.9kg of cocaine and 10g of cannabis concealed within stuffed toys.Senior Assistant Commissioner Sng Chern Hong, covering director of CNB, said the authority is ready to work with its close counterparts to disrupt drug syndicates and their operations.«Those who attempt to traffic drugs through Singapore will be stopped and dealt with in accordance with the law,» he said.«Singapore is not a transit point for drug smugglers, and we will not allow our travel hubs to be misused for criminal activity.»

After over two decades of service in the region, Singapore-based budget airline Jetstar Asia will operate its final flights on Thursday (July 31).Speaking to the media at Changi Airport Terminal 4 on Thursday, Jetstar Asia's CEO, John Simeone, 56, reflected on the airline's final day, while praising the team behind its success. «It is a sad and emotional day. I've been in the crew lounge since 5.30am this morning to see off all the crew, and I'll be here tonight to welcome our last flight from Manila,» Simeone, whose career in aviation spans 26 years, said.The Australian, who took over as CEO in January 2024, reflected on the challenging journey of leading the airline through its final months.«One of the things I'll miss the most is the friendliness and dedication of the crew,» he said. «I've found this group of people to be incredibly committed professionals in the aviation industry, and I am so proud of what they have done.»

The authorities have been alerted after a Primary 4 student was approached by two teenagers who tried to sell him an e-vaporiser on his way home from school.The incident involved a student from Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) and occurred on July 25 at a zebra crossing along Dover Rise, which is situated between Fairfield Methodist School and Anglo-Chinese Junior College.Speaking to AsiaOne, Soh Mei Foong, the principal of Fairfield Methodist School (Primary), said that the school immediately reported the incident to the authorities after being alerted on July 25.«Students were informed of the incident and reminded not to engage with strangers and to inform trusted adults, should they be approached by any stranger or suspicious person,» she said.The school will also be stepping up their surveillance efforts within the vicinity of the school premises after school as a precautionary measure, said Soh.A parent of a nine-year-old student from the school told Lianhe Zaobao that he received a WhatsApp message from the class' group chat regarding the incident last Friday. 

There will be no train service on the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) on two Sundays — Aug 31 and Sept 21 — to allow for integration testing of a new communications-based train control signalling system with new third-generation and upgraded second-generation light rail vehicles (LRVs).«This (closure) is needed to provide a longer period for continuous testing of the new signalling system simulating actual operating conditions», said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and rail operator SMRT in a joint statement on Wednesday (July 30).LTA and SMRT added that the the new signalling system is similar to that used on MRT lines and allows «better control of train speeds» so that commuters can «enjoy smoother and more reliable rides». The closures will allow the system to be comprehensively and rigorously tested, over a longer period, to ensure proper integration with the new and upgraded LRVs. Signalling system works are expected to be completed and deployed by end-2025.During the closures, a shuttle bus service — LRT shuttle B — will operate in the direction of BLRT service B, at a frequency of five to 15 minutes. 

He may have been in a rush, but the time he saved crossing the street may have cost him his life.A youth was seen dashing across a pedestrian crossing at a junction along Yio Chu Kang on Tuesday (July 29) evening, according to a post on Facebook group Singapore Road Vigilante (SGRV) the same day.Based on the clip, the accident is believed to have occurred at the junction of Yio Chu Kang Road and Hougang Avenue 9.In the video, the youth, carrying a bag, can be seen pausing for a moment at the side of the junction, before making a dash across the crossing while the pedestrian lights were still red.However, as he reaches the left-most lane, a taxi appears.Unable to stop in time, he makes contact with the right side of the cab, and is sent tumbling to the ground, landing on his side.In the collision, the youth drops his phone to the ground, while a blue object — possibly the taxi's sideview mirror — also falls onto the road towards the middle of the junction.Fortunately, the youth is able to get back on his feet, picking up his phone before walking over to the other side of the crossing.

SINGAPORE — The dry rising main at Block 229 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 was not in proper working condition when the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fought the blaze there on July 29.SCDF said on July 30 that because the dry rising main was not working, water could not be charged up to the affected floors.Firefighters had to set up hoses directly from the fire engine below up to the 10th and 11th floors via the staircase.The fire had engulfed a flat on the 10th floor and spread to a unit on the 11th. A total of seven people, including a firefighter and a child, were taken to hospital.An SCDF spokesman said: «This is more onerous, but it is a contingency that SCDF firefighters regularly train for during their routine drills.»The dry rising main is a vertical red pipe installed in a building, and is typically dry when not in use.During a fire, it is charged with water from a fire engine, allowing water to reach the upper floors of a building.SCDF said it is working with the town council to investigate the incident. It is also working to rectify the dry rising main fault to ensure it is in proper working condition.

As SG60 celebrations kick into high gear, you've probably seen some reflections on social media on how far we've come - and where we're headed next. Perhaps, it's also time to move past some of the lingering stereotypes that hold us back, like the idea that Singaporeans love to complain.So what happens when everyday Singaporeans try to do the opposite? Instead of reacting negatively and pointing fingers when they spot an issue, some are devising solutions and rolling up their sleeves as they follow through on plans with dedication.Take for instance 39-year-old Johny Tan, a healthcare administrator and grassroots leader. He started the Boon Lay Clean-Up Project - an initiative that invites everyone, including those residing outside Boon Lay - to contribute towards a cleaner estate.Tan, whose work revolves around the study of population health, was inspired by research showing that clean environments improve well-being and reduce stress. He kickstarted this community effort to collectively uplift the welfare of fellow residents.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will back the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in its crackdown against etomidate-laced vapes, said Coordinating Minister for National Security & Minister for Home Affairs, K Shanmugam.Speaking on the sidelines of a media event on Wednesday (July 30), Shanmugam said that MHA will be classifying etomidate as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) as an «interim measure» while the Ministry of Health (MOH) conducts further studies to form legislation regarding etomidate and related substances.Etomidate is currently classified as a poison that is regulated under the Poisons Act.Listing it as Class C drug under the MDA allows for «tougher enforcement measures», where abusers will be subjected to mandatory supervision and rehabilitation regimes if convicted.Now the abusers are given a fine and sellers can face up to two years in jail.«Those who import, sell, distribute etomidate-laced vapes can expect much stiffer penalties than today,» he said.

The illegal purchase of e-cigarettes — or e-vaporisers — is primarily done through messaging platforms, according to a survey by Milieu Insight published on Tuesday (July 29).The survey on the usage of and attitudes towards vapes and heated tobacco products was conducted via mobile devices from March 23 to April 8, 2025. Responses from 5,622 people in Singapore aged between 21 and 69 years of age were collected.According to the findings, messaging platforms are the primary channel through which users of such products get their supply.In the first quarter of 2025, 36.2 per cent of users indicated, in response to a multiple-choice query, that they used messaging platforms to buy their products.Among this group, more than 78 per cent use Telegram to buy vapes and heated tobacco products. Respondents also indicated that they got their products from overseas (30.7 per cent) and from friends and family (27.1 per cent).

An 83-year-old woman allegedly lost control of her vehicle, hitting a motorcyclist before crashing into bollards outside a coffee shop in Clementi on Monday (July 28).The incident occurred at about 6.35pm at Block 449, Clementi Avenue 3.A post shared in the Facebook group SG Road Vigilante showed a photo of the damaged car crashed into the bollards, with a crowd gathered around the scene.The accident appeared to have occurred at a zebra crossing leading to the coffee shop located beneath an HDB block.According to Shin Min Daily News, when reporters arrived at the scene that evening, they saw that the front and right sides of the car were badly dented, and the licence plate had fallen off. Members of the public told the Chinese evening daily that serious injuries could have resulted had the bollards not blocked the car’s path.An ice cream vendor, who wished to be known only as Pan, 65, told the Chinese daily that he'd rushed to the scene after hearing the crash. 

SINGAPORE — Eighteen migrant workers who paid kickbacks of $900 to $7,000 as a condition for renewing their work passes in December 2020 were working for Ang Mo Kio Town Council.Loo Kim Huat, 68, the director and group head of conservancy at WIS Holdings, which manages Weishen Industrial Services, was on July 24 fined $90,000 and ordered to pay a penalty of $42,000 by a district court for his role in the scheme, which resulted in the collection of $112,400 in kickbacks from the workers.A spokesperson for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) told The Straits Times on July 29 that the 18 workers involved in the case were conservancy workers for Ang Mo Kio Town Council.In response to queries, a spokesperson for Ang Mo Kio Town Council said it was not aware of the employment arrangement involving the workers in 2020 until MOM issued a public statement on the case after Loo's sentencing.Weishen Industrial Services is a term contractor engaged in one of the town council's seven divisions, the spokesperson added.

Two social experiments conducted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in June gave a glimpse about how members of the public might respond to potential threats.The experiments, which fall under the SGSecure movement, were conducted on June 10 and 13 during peak lunch and dinner hours. They featured situations mimicking bomb threats meant to provide observations on how the public responds to potential threats that could be easily overlooked in today's fast-paced environment.The first experiment involved a dummy Improvised Explosive Device (IED) hidden in a luggage that was left in a high traffic area of Our Tampines Hub, while the second involved a car loaded with empty gas cylinders that was parked at Bishan Community Club.Based on MHA's observations, just 17.3 per cent of the 2,530 people who walked past the suspicious objects in both experiments noticed them. However, of those who noticed the suspicious object, only about 5.9 per cent intended or took steps to inform the authorities, while the majority (90 per cent) walked away without taking any action.

Convinced by his online 'girlfriend' to live out his retirement years in China with her, a man reportedly gave up his HDB flat and transferred over $120,000 to her.With just a few thousand left in his bank account and nowhere to go, he sought help from a friend, who told him he had fallen for a love scam.Chen (not his real name), 59, told Shin Min Daily News that he met his 'lover' on Facebook in 2023. The woman claimed to be divorced and in her 30s, and said she is from Hangzhou.An internet romance bloomed between the pair, who started calling each other «wife» and «husband».A few months after they started dating, Chen's 'girlfriend' said she was experiencing financial difficulties and asked if he could lend her money.«It started with a few thousand dollars,» he recalled. «She said she needed it for living expenses, and as a couple, helping each other is normal.»He added that the woman would sometimes cry when telling him about her life hardships.

A local charity has raised a five-digit sum to show its appreciation to the migrant workers who helped to rescue the driver of the car which fell into the Tanjong Katong sinkhole.The fundraising campaign by ItsRainingRaincoats on Giving.sg, which started on Monday (July 28), saw more than $24,000 raised within 24 hours.More than $72,000 have been raised from over 1,600 donors as of Wednesday afternoon.Founded by lawyer Dipa Swaminathan in 2015, the charity said that the campaign is its way of saying «thank you» to the workers.At about 5pm on Saturday, a stretch of road along Tanjong Katong Road South collapsed, causing a vehicle to plunge into the hole.

SINGAPORE – The US government did not negotiate its tariffs on Singapore and did not want to commit on whether the 10 per cent baseline tax could rise or fall in the future, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.DPM Gan, who visited the US from July 20 to 26, added that he did not get to further discussions on pharmaceutical tariffs being contemplated by the Trump administration.He told the SG60 IPS-SBF Conference on July 29 that these talks did not take place as he did not get the chance to meet Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. He did, however, meet other officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. They discussed ways to keep up the long and mutually beneficial bilateral economic relationship, as well as potential collaboration in areas like the digital economy.DPM Gan also met business leaders in New York, and congressional leaders handling trade issues in Washington. He also visited an ST Engineering aerostructures factory in Maryland.

SINGAPORE — The liquidators for three companies of Ng Yu Zhi, the alleged nickel-trading fraudster at the centre of a $1.5 billion nickel trading scam, scored a legal victory on July 29 to recover more than $900 million from nine former directors and employees for their role in Singapore's biggest Ponzi scheme.In 2021, the liquidators of Envy Asset Management (EAM), Envy Global Trading (EGT) and Envy Management Holdings (EMH) sued Ng, former directors Lee Si Ye and Ju Xiao, and former employee Cheong Ming Feng.Court documents state that Ng's three companies received about $1.09 billion, US$277.2 million (S$357 million) and €980,000 (S$1.4 million) in investor funds, supposedly for nickel trading.Of those sums, $593 million, US$192.2 million and €880,000 remain outstanding to investors.

SINGAPORE — A 49-year-old renovation contractor went on trial in the High Court on July 29 for allegedly raping a woman at her home after she contacted him to repair the lights in her flat.Koh Lee Hwa, a Singapore permanent resident, faces one count of rape, one count of sexual assault by penetration and two counts of outrage of modesty.He was 45 years old when the offences were allegedly committed between about 11.40am and 12.40pm on Aug 23, 2021.Details such as the woman's age and the other occupant of the flat have been redacted from court documents provided to the media.According to the prosecution's opening address, the woman got to know Koh in 2015 when she engaged him to renovate the flat.Over the years, she occasionally contacted him regarding renovation and electrical works.Before the incident, their last messages were exchanged in 2019 regarding some works.On Aug 21, 2021, the woman contacted Koh via WhatsApp to repair the faulty light in the common toilet and the light switch in the kitchen.