Senior Minister of State for Defence Zaqy Mohamad visited personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and a non-governmental organisation (NGO) at the King Abdullah II Air Base in Jordan on Monday (Aug 18). SMS Zaqy, who was in Jordan for a working visit from Aug 17 to 18, also met with Major-General Yousef Huneiti, chairman of the Jordan Armed Forces' Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday (Aug 17). Personnel from the Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), as well as from NGO Humanity Matters, along with a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, were deployed to deliver Singapore's ninth tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza last Tuesday (Aug 12). The aid comprised medical supplies from the Ministry of Health and food supplies from various NGOs. The relief effort was coordinated through the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre. 

Upon seeing a car on fire near the KK Women's and Children's Hospital, a SMRT bus captain jumped into action to help put out the blaze.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire involving the engine compartment of a car along Bukit Timah Road at about 5pm on Sunday (Aug 17).A clip of the incident posted online showed a man in SMRT uniform attempting to douse the flames razing the front bonnet of a white car.In response to AsiaOne's queries, deputy managing director of SMRT Buses Vincent Gay said the bus captain was operating service 960e along Bukit Timah Road when he noticed the car on fire on the opposite side of the road.With passenger safety in mind, he calmly stopped the bus at the next bus stop outside KKH and rushed to assist without hesitation, using the fire extinguisher on board the vehicle, Gay said.

A man caught smoking at Changi Airport by two National Environment Agency (NEA) officers and accused them of racial bias has been met with backlash from netizens.In a video he posted to TikTok on Aug 16, the man — who goes by thomasong220 — can be heard questioning if the officers are racist for penalising him despite letting an Indian couple and Indian man off for the same offence.The two-minute clip shows a female officer on a call with her supervisor. She does not respond to the man, while the male officer standing beside her only tells the man not to interrupt her while she is on the phone.The man then retorts that he is also on the phone, continuing to question if they are being racist. He also claims that they are refusing to follow him to the police station so he can lodge a report against them.The original TikTok video has garnered over 538,000 views as of Tuesday (Aug 19). The clip was also posted on various other social media platforms.Although a few netizens questioned why others who committed the same offence did not face consequences, they did not fully agree with the man.

Three women and one man, aged between 34 and 59, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in the online sale of counterfeit goods.The quartet were nabbed during a series of raids at multiple locations including Woodlands and Ang Mo Kio, where police found more than 1,100 allegedly fake items. In a media statement on Monday (Aug 18), police said the raids were conducted between July 24 and Aug 15.The items seized included luxury bags, wallets, sunglasses, pouches, scarves and brooches, with an estimated street value in excess of $99,000. Police investigations are ongoing. Those convicted of possessing goods with falsely applied trademarks for the purpose of trade may be fined up to $100,000, jailed for up to five years, or both.[[nid:719899]]editor@asiaone.com

Those caught vaping in public transport premises will be removed and reported to the authorities, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has warned.In a Facebook post on Monday (Aug 18), LTA said that for those found intoxicated, the police may be called in.The authority is the latest Government agency to step up enforcement efforts against vaping, following Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement of a “nationwide enforcement” campaign a day earlier.“Our station staff are on active patrol to keep our public transport safe and smoke-free,” LTA said. “Anyone caught vaping will be removed from the premises and reported to the authorities. For those found intoxicated, the police may be called in too."

The Malaysian Special Branch's former director Dato' Sri Haji Mohd Khalid bin Haji Ismail has been conferred the prestigious Pingat Jasa Gemilang, or Meritorious Service Medal, by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Dato' Sri Haji Khalid was presented with the award by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Monday (Aug 18). The award was given for his instrumental role in enhancing the strong professional ties and cooperation between the Malaysian Special Branch (MSB) and the Internal Security Department (ISD) during his tenure as director, a statement from ISD said. 

Three students at Sengkang Green Primary School have been suspended after they allegedly bullied a classmate and threatened to «dissect» her and her family.A voice message allegedly sent by one of the Primary 3 students was uploaded online by Facebook user Yin Ni, who said she is the victim's mother, on Aug 14.In the clip, the voice of a young boy can be heard spewing vulgarities and saying, « I might dissect her, I might dissect her into pieces like you.»So, which one do you want me to do? Dissect her, or end her life in school? Choose one. Either don't want one, I will kill you instead and your husband. (sic)«In response to media queries, Sengkang Green Primary School said it has engaged with the parents of the three students on their actions, and the students were immediately suspended.The school will review and take further disciplinary action which may include caning after police have looked into the matter, it said, adding that the students involved have been counselled.The school also said that its investigations found that the affected student had also engaged in »hurtful behaviours", and it will address them.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has commenced airdrop operations to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.In an updated Facebook post on Saturday (Aug 16), the Ministry of Defence said that the operation commenced on Friday (Aug 15) and was conducted in close coordination with the Royal Jordanian Air Force and other participating air forces.  This follows the deployment of a C-130 transport aircraft and personnel from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and Singapore Army to deliver Singapore's ninth tranche of humanitarian aid for Gaza on Aug 12.

The Workers' Party (WP) responded to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's National Day Rally speech, urging the Government to «engage widely» and consider all options amid uncertainty.In a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Monday (Aug 18), the opposition party referenced Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) labour force report for the second quarter of this year.According to the report, global economic uncertainty is expected to persist in the coming months and may weigh on hiring and wage growth — especially in outward-oriented sectors.«Against this cautious backdrop, the Workers' Party urges the Government to engage widely and explore all solutions tabled in good faith, including previously untapped ones,» said WP.«Singapore should leave no stone unturned in our collective efforts to build a truly resilient nation for the future and keep our Singapore flag flying high.»The party suggested that the Government «tackle present concerns» for businesses and employees.

With just four out of the 11 available stalls open, a food court at Le Quest Mall in Bukit Batok has been dubbed on social media as “saddest Koufu in Singapore”.Already grappling with low footfall, its remaining stall owners’ fortunes took a further hit after a new hawker centre opened next door in March.Jenny Lim’s mixed rice stall, which she runs with her husband, has been a mainstay at the Koufu food court since it opened five years ago.When asked by AsiaOne on Friday (Aug 15) how much they make in a month, Lim, 57, said: “Why don’t you ask us what our losses are like instead?”Her answer? A staggering $8,000 in losses each month. She declined to reveal the cost of renting the stall and other operating costs. A video posted on TikTok on Aug 14 showed the near-empty food court with seven vacant stalls — some of them still bearing their signboards. “Only drinks, cai fan (economy rice), western and chicken [rice stalls]. The saddest Koufu in Singapore,” said user yokey017 in the caption.The video has since garnered over 157,000 views and 1,000 likes. 

Nathaniel Zachariah Tan, 27, was due to marry his polytechnic sweetheart in mid-November — only to have the rare brain disease that had plagued him for years claim his life on Aug 12.In his final act, Tan donated his liver, two kidneys and an iliac artery, potentially saving the lives of four people.He was also placed in his coffin in a suit embroidered with his wedding vows, according to Shin Min Daily News. A standee of Tan dressed in his suit was also placed at the funeral wake.«He was a very loving person. Before he died, he told his fiancee that if he passed away one day, his organs should be donated to help others in need,» said his mother Queenie Tan, 62.«He was buried with a cross and in the suit he had planned to wear for his wedding,» added Mrs Tan, noting that the suit had been ordered long ago. When her son's condition worsened, it was sent to Beijing for alteration, and eventually shipped back for the funeral.