Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.1. New Suzuki showroom opens as Champion Motors celebrates its 50th anniversaryChampion Motors, the authorised distributor of Suzuki cars in Singapore, celebrated its 50th anniversary with the opening of its new showroom on Aug 27... » READ MORE2. Are you an art junkie, theatre geek or heritage seeker? Here are some SG Culture Pass events to check out

HDB has unveiled its masterplan for the Mount Pleasant area, with about 6,000 new flats planned, according to a press release on Monday (Sept 1).The number of new flats is up from the previous figure of 5,000 announced in July 2023, while the number of BTO projects within the 33 ha site has decreased from six to four.National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said: «This will provide more housing options for Singaporeans and better support young families who wish to live near their parents for mutual care and support.»Come October, the first BTO project, Mount Pleasant Crest, will be launched with about 1,350 units of two-room Flexi to four-room flats, alongside 270 units of public rental flats.More details on the project will be announced during the sales exercise in October, while the remaining three projects will be progressively launched in the years ahead.Integrating heritageThis Mount Pleasant site was where the Old Police Academy (OPA) was located between 1929 and 2005.

A man has been fined $60,000 for purchasing imitation firearms through Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao, then illegally importing the goods for sale online here. Ng Jie Sheng, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of contravening Singapore's import and export regulations on Tuesday (Sept 2).He was allowed to pay half of the fine initially, with the remaining half paid over six-month instalments.According to previous news reports, Ng was nabbed after posting the items for sale online in 2023, Shin Min Daily News reported.He was eventually charged with importing over 150 replica guns, including toy rifles and toy pistols, into Singapore without a permit, The Straits Times reported in March this year.Under the Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations, police approval is required for the importation of replica guns.According to Shin Min, police had received a tip-off in May 2023 about the sale of replica guns on an e-commerce platform and raided Ng's home at Race Course Lane on May 26.

The existing cross-border scheme has its shortcomings and has room for improvement, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a post on Facebook on Tuesday (Sep 2).«We recognised that the current cross-border scheme can be improved, such as designating more pick-up and drop-off points, and facilitating expedited clearance,» LTA stated, acknowledging that there is demand from Singaporeans travelling to Malaysia which the taxi service is unable to meet.«This includes large families with young children, elderly Singaporeans visiting relatives in Malaysia, and businessmen travelling across the border for meetings. There are Singaporeans willing to pay for these services, and Singaporean drivers who are keen and able to serve this demand,» said LTA.The post stated that Acting Minister Jeffrey Siow and Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling had met representatives from the National Taxi Association (NTA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and the Singapore-JB Taxi Association alongside LTA last week to discuss cross-border point-to-point travel.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make a two-day official visit to India from Sept 2 to 4 at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced on Tuesday (Sept 2). During his visit, PM Wong will call on India President Droupadi Murmu and meet with Prime Minister Modi, and will also have meetings with India's ministers in charge of chemicals and fertilisers, education, external affairs, health and family welfare, and national security adviser Ajit Doval. PM Wong, who is also the finance minister, will visit the Raj Ghat on Wednesday (Sept 3) to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.The visit «reaffirms Singapore and India's mutual commitment to strengthen ties», added PMO in its statement.This year, Singapore and India celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations. 

A 20-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly performing a dangerous stunt on his motorbike along East Coast Park Service Road on Sunday (Aug 31).A video posted on TikTok shows two riders mounting the pavement and riding past a bus stop, before seemingly avoiding Traffic Police officers seen in the background.In response to queries from AsiaOne, the police said that Traffic Police officers were patrolling in the location when they spotted a group of motorcyclists gathered at a car park.  The group was then stopped for a routine check.Preliminary investigations revealed that the 20-year-old had allegedly performed a dangerous stunt with his motorbike at the said location. He was subsequently arrested for dangerous driving. Police investigations are ongoing.

More thundery showers and strong winds are expected over the next two weeks due to Sumatra squalls, said the Meteorological Service Singapore on Monday (Sept 1).Sumatra squalls are an organised line of thunderstorms that typically develop over Sumatra island or the Straits of Malacca. It generally moves eastwards towards Singapore and the surrounding region under the influence of south-westerly or westerly winds.According to the Met Service, this weather phenomenon commonly occurs during the south-west monsoon and inter-monsoon periods, and usually affects Singapore overnight or in the morning. In its forecast for the coming fortnight, the Met Service said that Singapore and the surrounding region have been experiencing the south-west monsoon, adding that Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds in the pre-dawn and morning on several days. Moderate to heavy thundery showers are also expected over most parts of the islands on several days.

A 59-year-old man who sexually abused his young grandniece over four years was sentenced to 21 years’ jail by the High Court on Sept 1.The man admitted that he began molesting the girl in 2019 when she was seven years old.The sexual assaults took place at home, in the back of a van, and even at a cinema.He pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated rape and two charges of aggravated sexual assault by penetration.Six other charges, for sexual offences against the victim, were taken into consideration during sentencing.The man cannot be named owing to a gag order to protect the victim’s identity.Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Yu Hui told the court that in 2019, the man moved into the unit where the girl lived with her parents, younger brother, grandmother and uncle.The man had his own room, while the girl slept in the living room.From 2019 to 2021, he would call the victim into his room and touch her inappropriately.Given her young age, the victim did not tell anyone about the incidents as she did not understand what the man was doing to her, said the prosecutor.

SINGAPORE — A camp instructor who sent sexually explicit messages and an obscene photo to a 15-year-old girl he met at a school camp was jailed on Sept 1.Ilyas Mohd Yusoff, 24, was sentenced to eight weeks' jail after pleading guilty to sending the obscene photo to the girl on Snapchat.He did this for sexual gratification as he wanted the victim to threaten to leak the photo to others, so that he would be aroused when blackmailed in this manner, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Gladys Lim.The victim cannot be named owing to a gag order to protect her identity.In March 2023, the victim's secondary school engaged the company where Ilyas worked to run a three-day school camp.After the camp, Ilyas and the victim followed each other on Instagram, even though his company prohibited instructors from maintaining contact with students through social media after the camp.For around three months, Ilyas and the victim chatted on Telegram and Instagram, with Ilyas later asking the victim for her Snapchat account, so he could send her images that would disappear after a set time.

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.1. McDonald's launches new McCrispy Burger — and 36,000 are freeIf you love McDonald's Chicken McCrispy, you're going to love this new menu item. The fast food giant announced the launch of its new McCrispy Burger via a press release on Sept 1... » READ MORE2. Prive Group abruptly shutters all restaurants

US comedian Sammy Obeid has been issued a correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) regarding the social media posts he made regarding his cancelled Singapore show.«Obeid's account of protracted back-and-forth interactions with the Government is inaccurate,» said the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) on Monday. The ministry explained that the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) never discussed his script or content with him or his representatives.«IMDA never requested edits, nor did it suggest removing any material,» MDDI stated. «The cancellation had nothing to do with the event.»On Aug 27, Obeid announced that his stand-up show on Aug 31 has been cancelled and accused authorities here of trying to censor it.He told his Instagram followers that he had toned down his script - originally focused on the ongoing war in Gaza - and only referenced Palestine and Israel a few times.He said his script went through multiple rejections afterwards and was revised a few times until he was allegedly told there was no time for more resubmissions.

«Above all» has been the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) catchy tagline for generations.But what else do you know about them?RSAF turned 57 today (Sept 1), and for an idea of what this modern air force does, a good starting point is a Facebook video posted by Dr Ng Eng Hen, then the Defence Minister, in April. It set out three pillars that guided RSAF's work over the past year - Ready Today: Safeguarding our Interests, Sharpening our Edge; Ready Tomorrow: Developing Capabilities; and People at Heart.[[nid:722058]]From NDP to humanitarian missionsThe past two months were a great example of RSAF demonstrating its readiness for today's challenges. 

Two men aged 24 and 26 were taken to court on Saturday (Aug 30) after allegedly injuring another man with a chopper in Geylang.The police said in a statement on Friday night (Aug 29) that they received a call for assistance in the vicinity of Sims Avenue at about 6.40am that day.Preliminary investigations found that the two men had attacked a 51-year-old man after a purported dispute. The victim was conscious when taken to the hospital.Reporters from Shin Min Daily News, who had received a tip-off about the incident, visited Lorong 25A Geylang on Friday and saw bloodstains on the road and building facade.The marks on the road trailed approximately 100 metres to a clinic along Sims Avenue, according to the paper.An employee at the eatery, who had witnessed the incident, told Shin Min the victim was sitting at a table outside. The two young men had approached his table, and the three later walked out to the street.'Whole scene was so scary'The eyewitness said he then saw one of the men swing a chopper at the victim. The victim had reportedly raised his arm to block the blow and got slashed there.

Singapore football is shaking things up again, this time at its top official level.In a media statement on Monday (Sept 1), the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said that Chew Chun-Liang has stepped down from his role as general secretary with immediate effect. Chew, 48, was announced as general secretary barely a year ago on Sept 13. He was formerly Sailors CEO from December 2020 to 2022.«The FAS extends its deepest gratitude to Chun-Liang for his dedicated service and contributions to Singapore football during his tenure, and wishes him the very best in his future endeavours.»In light of this development, FAS is pleased to appoint Badri Ghent as the new general secretary," FAS said. The general secretary post is the top official seat at the FAS secretariat, overseeing day-to-day operations, implementation of strategies and policies, and the hiring of department heads. 

Mediacorp will be retrenching 93 staff members as part of its efforts to adapt to the rapidly evolving media landscape.This number accounts for slightly over 3 per cent of the company’s total workforce.Mediacorp announced on Monday (Sept 1) that the retrenchments are «to better align its operations amid ongoing economic and commercial uncertainty».While the company did not specify which departments are affected, they said that the retrenchment is part of an organisation-wide exercise.Affected employees, meanwhile, have been given until the end of September to apply for alternative roles within the company. Those who are unsuccessful in securing alternative placement by the end of this period will ceased to be employed after Sept 30.

A total of 195 individuals were nabbed for e-vaporiser related offences during islandwide enforcement operations at public entertainment outlets, with six found in possession of etomidate-laced pods.Some 16 multi-agency operations were conducted over a two-week period from Aug 15 to Aug 23, said the police and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a joint statement on Aug 31.The operations involved more than 270 officers from the Singapore Police Force, Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and HSA, who conducted checks on over 1,600 people across 151 public entertainment outlets, including pubs, bars and KTV lounges.«The enforcement operations are part of the Home Team’s ongoing efforts to support the Whole-of-Government’s efforts to crack down on vaping,» said the agencies.More than 340 e-vaporisers and related components were seized from the 195 people, aged between 17 and 61, during the raids.Six out of the 195 were also found in possession of pods containing etomidate.All persons were issued fines for possessing e-vaporisers, while the six with etomidate-laced vapes will be investigated for possession of etomidate. 

A train fault on the Circle Line resulted in no train services between Marina Bay and Promenade for about 35 minutes on Monday (Sept 1) morning.Rail operator SMRT announced the disruption on social media at 8.41am.It said then that free regular bus services was available between Marina Bay and Promenade MRT stations.In an update at 9.18am, SMRT said train services resumed its scheduled operations at about 9.10am.President of SMRT Trains Lam Sheau Kai said the train fault occurred at about 8.35am, and staff were immediately deployed to rectify the fault.He said the affected train was moved towards the overrun tracks to clear the line, and train services are resuming.«We apologise for the disruption during the morning peak commute and sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding,» Lam said.Previous disruptionsThis is the latest incident in a recent series of train disruptions across Singapore's MRT and LRT networks.Most recently, a signalling fault on the Downtown Line, which is managed by SBS Transit, delayed train services between Bukit Panjang and Beauty World MRT stations on Aug 28.

Cathay Cineplexes, a fixture in Singapore's film scene since 1939, is preparing to close a significant chapter in its history.The cinema chain will be undergoing voluntary liquidation, operator mm2 Asia announced on Monday (Sep 1) in a filing on Singapore Exchange.«Cathay Cineplexes had attempted to negotiate amicable resolutions with the various creditors, but (it) was unable to arrive at mutually agreeable restructuring outcomes of its payment obligations owed to these creditors,» the entertainment company said. Going forward, the board of Cathay Cineplexes will voluntarily liquidate their cinema chain to repay creditors, mm2 Asia explained, adding that the board determined operation to be «no longer feasible».The cinema chain faced multiple payment demands from landlords of its outlets over arrears and other monies owed over recent months, according to The Business Times.$122.4m net lossLast week, financial results of Cathay Cineplexes saw a net loss of $122.4 million in the 2025 fiscal year, up from $1.9 million in 2024, CNA reported last Friday (Aug 29).

SINGAPORE - Rental rates have more than doubled for privately held HDB shop units, particularly over the past year, while rents for shops directly leased out by HDB have mostly held steady.Median rentals for heartland shops held by private landlords rose from $3.51 per sq ft (psf) in the second quarter of 2024 to $7.34 psf in the second quarter of 2025.This is the highest ever rental rate for privately held HDB shops, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Realis data that dates back to 1999.Meanwhile, shops directly rented out by HDB have seen rents rise at a more gradual rate.HDB said rents for nine in 10 of such shops have remained largely unchanged over the past five years.Property analysts and agents attributed the rise in rental rates for privately held HDB shops to increased demand for such units after consumer sentiment improved post-pandemic, even though there are signs that this demand is now moderating.