SINGAPORE — Two workers died in the first half of 2025 after they were struck by flying compressed gas cylinders in separate incidents, the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council said on Aug 6.In the first incident, a worker had on March 28 removed a cylinder containing carbon dioxide from a newly installed fire suppression system, after the system triggered a false fire alarm.The cylinder was then placed upright and free-standing on the ground, and shortly after it flew and struck another worker standing nearby.The worker who was hit was taken to a hospital, where he died.In the second incident, which occurred on May 15, an excavator was being used to transfer scrap metal when a discarded fire extinguisher cylinder containing carbon dioxide suddenly flew and struck a worker seated nearby.The injured worker was taken to a hospital and later died.The WSH Council said in its advisory that the cylinder's valve connector likely broke when the excavator's electromagnet pressed on a scrap metal pile.

Almost half of the primary schools in Singapore were oversubscribed in Phase 2C of the Primary 1 registration exercise this year and will have to hold a ballot, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said.Of the 81 schools balloting, Princess Elizabeth Primary School is the most oversubscribed, according to the latest data on MOE's website.With only 41 spots for 232 applicants, there is less than a one in five chance of being selected.Nan Hua Primary School is the next most oversubscribed, with 41 spots available for 166 applicants, followed by South View Primary School with 41 spots for 155 applicants.Phase 2C of the Primary 1 registration process ended at 4.30pm on July 31, with results scheduled to be posted on Aug 12.Balloting is conducted when the number of applicants exceeds the school vacancies, which can happen in any phase from 2A to 2C Supplementary, according to MOE.The balloting process is conducted centrally by MOE, with priority given in this order: 

A 17-year-old girl who broke her home detention curfew was arrested alongside a 22-year-old man after they crashed into a Singapore Prison Service (SPS) vehicle while attempting to flee.A video and picture seen by AsiaOne on Aug 1 shows a collision between a yellow car and a grey, unmarked van near a multistorey carpark at Yishun Street 22.Jeffrey Kuan, the resident who had captured the video, told AsiaOne that he heard a loud bang from his window at about 9.30pm on July 31.Upon looking out, he saw «plainclothes officers» dragging a woman — seemingly in handcuffs —to a grey van as she resisted.Several police cars arrived at the scene soon after, and officers were conducting checks, said Kuan.Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) confirmed that a 17-year-old girl and a 22-year-old man had been arrested in the vicinity of Blk 269A and 269B Yishun Street 22.The teen had been admitted to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre on Oct 16, 2024 for drug consumption and was placed under home detention on June 6 this year.

SINGAPORE – Singapore will be fielding its largest-ever contingent for the Dec 9-20 SEA Games, but high-profile names such as the national men’s Under-22 football team and two-time marathon champion Soh Rui Yong have been omitted from the initial list.The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on Aug 6 announced the first batch of athletes and teams selected for the Games, with a total of 762 athletes across 42 sports provisionally picked for the event. The national sports associations have until Aug 15 to lodge appeals for their athletes.It is understood that the Young Lions missed the initial cut as they have not produced any international results that meet the SNOC’s qualifying criteria of matching the third-placed finishers of the previous edition.The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) had withdrawn the team from the Asean U-23 Championship from July 15 to 29, whose results could have been used to support their nomination for the SEA Games.

A 27-year-old man was arrested in Woodlands on Wednesday (Aug 6) for allegedly possessing weapons, e-vaporisers (also known as vapes), and duty-unpaid cigarettes.Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police said they received a call for assistance at the junction of Woodlands Avenue 2 and Avenue 5 at about 5.45am.The man was arrested for offences under the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 and Gun, Explosives and Weapons Control Act 2021, as well as suspected drug-related offences.He was suspected to have in possession knife-related weapons, reported The Straits Times.The police said it also found e-vaporisers and duty-unpaid cigarettes in his vehicle.A seven-second clip uploaded to Xiaohongshu shows at least seven police vehicle lined up along Woodlands Avenue 5. Officers are seen near the man's car and laying down on the roadside grass items seized from the vehicle.The police said the suspected drug-related offences have been referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau. The vapes and duty-unpaid cigarettes will be referred to the Health Sciences Authority and Singapore Customs respectively.

Local influencer Runner Kao pushed his anti-vape message further in a recent TikTok video by sharing an apparent first-hand account from a youth who claimed to have used Kpods in the past.Kao, who has over 266,000 followers on TikTok, has recently been using his platform to warn youths against vaping, often using Gen Alpha slang to connect with younger audiences.In the video posted on Tuesday (Aug 5), Kao, whose full name is Kao Rong Sheng, appears to be eating when a youth approaches him to share about his experience with Kpods.Kpods refer to drug-laced e-vaporisers that can contain the anaesthetic etomidate, or they can also contain ketamine, another anaesthetic with hallucinogenic properties.In the caption to his video, Kao stated that the youth wanted to share his story to warn others against using Kpods.The youth revealed that he has since kicked the habit and has remained clean for 17 months.He added that his girlfriend was the one who convinced him to stop.Sharing his own experience with vaping, the youth claimed that there are two types of Kpods — «clean» and «dirty».

Two Malaysian men were arrested at two separate occasions at Woodlands Checkpoint for attempting to smuggle drugs into Singapore via Malaysia-registered vehicles.Follow up investigations also led to the arrest of a third man, who is Singaporean, near Bras Basah, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) in a joint statement on Wednesday (Aug 6).On July 31, a 33-year-old man was caught with about 414g of Ice (methamphetamine) and 46g of Ecstasy tablets after ICA officers conducted checks on a Malaysian-registered car at Woodlands Checkpoint.The amount of ice seized is enough to feed the addiction of about 230 abusers for a week, according to the authorities.The drugs, estimated to be worth around $52,000, were found in a black flask inside the vehicle and in a bundle hidden in his groin area.They were seized along with cash of various currencies — including Singapore dollar, Malaysian ringgit and Thai baht — amounting to around $5,985.

The Police Coast Guard will be patrolling the bay area on board upgraded boats and crafts during the upcoming National Day Parade 2025.This is part of security measures implemented by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) on National Day which will cover both land and sea, according to the police.Nearly 2,000 police officers from the various divisions and units will be deployed to ensure security at the Padang and its vicinity. They will be supported by auxiliary police officers as well as the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Armed Forces and Ministry of Health.During the parade, two Marina Reservoir Patrol Boats (MRPBs) and a 3-series PC Class Patrol Craft will conduct patrols along the Singapore River, Kallang Basin, and Marina Reservoir to maintain security and manage restricted zones.Both patrol boats feature upgraded safety systems and lifesaving equipment. They are also equipped with advanced navigation systems and have Xenon Search Lights to facilitate search and identification tasks.

Nineteen drivers who were providing illegal ride services in Singapore and across the border were recently nabbed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).It said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Aug 6) that the errant drivers were caught during patrols at Gardens by the Bay and Changi Airport, and joint operations with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority at one of Singapore's land checkpoints.All the vehicles were impounded.LTA also reminded members of the public to not engage such illegal ride-hailing services.«They not only put your safety at risk, but your journey may also be disrupted if the illegal service you're using is caught in our enforcement ops,» said the authority.Offenders who illegally provide ride-hailing services may be fined up to $3,000, jailed for up to six months, or both. Their vehicles may also be forfeited.

While out jogging in Bedok on Sunday (Aug 3), 22-year-old Ilham Jufri witnessed a heartbreaking scene when a dog ran across the road and was struck by an oncoming vehicle. Without hesitation, Ilham dashed across the road to carry the injured dog to safety.In a post uploaded to Facebook by Ilham's father, Jufri Salim, he shared that he was first notified of the incident in the evening, after his son rescued a toy poodle which was hit by a car. According to Jufri, while holding the dog in his arms, Ilham noticed that the poodle was having seizures, prompting him to immediately call the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).However, the poodle was still not out of danger. «Minutes later, the disoriented dog suddenly bolted back across the road into traffic. [My] son chased after it, shouting for help,» Jufri said, adding that at least 10 passersby joined in the effort. «A young lady finally managed to catch the dog and [Ilham] took over from there [ensuring] its safety and [getting] it medical help.»

A 93-year-old man died recently after a traffic accident left him in a vegetative state for the past one-and-a-half years.The 57-year-old car driver involved in the accident pleaded guilty on Aug 4 and was jailed for six months. His driving licence was suspended for five years.Chen Miankun (transliteration), was riding his personal mobility device (PMD) in Yishun when he was hit by a car early last year.He was on his way to buy ingredients from the market nearby to cook for his wife, who has Alzheimer's, when a car ran a red light and hit him, according to his daughter who spoke with Shin Min Daily News. At the time, the daughter was overseas and did not find out about the accident till the next day after calling the police.The CCTV had been accidentally switched off by her mother, and the daughter was informed that her father was missing only when another tenant at the unit returned home at night.«He took only his wallet with him and didn't have his ID, so the police didn't find us until the day after the incident,» his daughter told Shin Min.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has received Australia's highest civilian honour, the Order of Australia, for his contributions toward growing its bilateral relationship with Singapore.Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who is on a state visit to Singapore, conferred on Lee the award of Honorary Companion in the General Division of The Order of Australia at an investiture ceremony on Aug 5.A citation from the Prime Minister's Office, Australia, said that «throughout his 40-year political career, and particularly as Prime Minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024, Lee has made significant contributions to advancing Australia-Singapore relations».«He has been a strong and influential advocate for closer ties between our two countries and has consistently driven agreements and initiatives which encourage stronger and mutually beneficial relationships,» the citation added.The economic relationship between Australia and Singapore has grown enormously during Lee's term as PM, the citation said, with Singapore becoming Australia's largest trading partner and investor in South-east Asia.

Morning commuters can expect a 25-minute delay between Boon Lay and Buona Vista stations on the East-West MRT Line on Aug 6 due to a track point fault.Operator SMRT said on X at 6.03am that passengers should factor in an additional 15 minutes of travel time between Boon Lay and Clementi when travelling eastwards towards Pasir Ris.In an updated post at 6.32am, the operator said the delay extended to Buona Vista station, meaning the affected stations also included Dover, Jurong East, Chinese Garden and Lakeside.The delay was lengthened to 25 minutes, SMRT said at 7.17am, adding that free bus services are available between the affected stations.The train operator advised travellers heading towards Jurong East station to transfer to the Thomson-East Coast Line and Circle Line at Woodlands and Bishan stations respectively.SMRT President Lam Sheau Kai said that a point machine fault occurred near Jurong East station during the start of service on the morning of Aug 6, leading to trains driven slower for safe operations.

An aesthetic doctor hounded his former girlfriend incessantly as their relationship broke down over a period of around one year.His actions culminated in an attack in which he violently forced her into his car in a public area and restrained her against her will.On Aug 5, Chua Cheng Yu, 40, was convicted after he pleaded guilty to four charges – the use of criminal force; causing intentional harassment, alarm and distress; voluntarily causing hurt; and unlawful restraint.He will return to court on Oct 1 to be sentenced.Chua had met his former girlfriend, identified in court documents as Zhang, at Veritas Medical Aesthetics, the clinic he founded and worked at. He is still listed as a doctor on its website.Zhang joined the clinic in 2021 as a manager.The following year, she and Chua entered into a romantic relationship, which was plagued with constant quarrels and disagreements, according to court documents.Zhang tendered her resignation some time in March 2023, amid a souring relationship with Chua.

In the first six months of 2025, consumers have lost over $108,000 in beauty service prepayments, revealed the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) — a staggering 464 per cent increase from the $19,000 losses that was reported in the beauty industry in the first half of 2024.The consumer watchdog said on Tuesday (Aug 5) it received 558 consumer complaints in the beauty sector from January to June 2025, down slightly from the 600 complaints made across the same period in 2024.Of the beauty sector complaints this year, feedback on aggressive or misleading sales tactics comprises about 28 per cent, with many cases involving consumers who were pressured into signing high-value packages under unclear or exaggerated promises.In one instance, a consumer who had signed a contract value of over $370,000 alleged that the business engaged in aggressive, high-pressure sales tactics, made false promises that were not fulfilled, offered misleading discounts and overcharged.«Despite a slight drop in complaint numbers, the beauty industry remains a concern due to the sharp increase in prepayment-related losses,» said Case president Melvin Yong.

A record number of more than 578,000 crossings were made on June 20 at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, surpassing the previous peak of over 562,000 crossings on Dec 24, 2024,  the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on Tuesday (Aug 5).A daily average of more than 525,000 travellers crossed during during the June school holidays from May 29 to July 1, 2025, a 10 per cent increase compared to the June school holidays in 2024.Travellers who departed the checkpoints during the June peak period had to wait up to three hours for immigration clearance, due to traffic tailback from Malaysia. The agency also said that those travelling to Malaysia over the National Day weekend can expect longer waiting time to clear immigration at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, the ICA said.It expects heavy traffic at both land crossings from Aug 8 to Aug 10. 

The wife of Mohammed Fairuz Razali, 38, who was involved in a fatal motorcycle crash along Bedok North Road on July 18, is looking for the man who administered CPR to her husband after the accident.In a Facebook post on August 3, 39-year-old Hazura said that witnesses saw how the man «did not give up» while trying to revive Fairuz.«He performed CPR on my late husband and tried his best, even doing mouth-to-mouth multiple times to help revive him before the ambulance arrived...and for that, I am forever grateful,» she wrote.She then asked for those living in Singapore or nearby to share her post and requested that the kind Samaritan, or anyone that may know him, contact her privately.«I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart,» she said, adding that she hoped he will be blessed with «the greatest rewards for [his] kindness and humanity».AsiaOne has reached out to the woman for more information.