We are oftentimes told that wisdom and street smarts come with age.However, Caleb Chua did not let his age stop him from making a difference in the community when he founded the Homewarmers initiative in April this year alongside some friends he met at a youth leaders programme.Speaking to AsiaOne on Saturday (Sept 6), the 18-year-old, who is pursuing a diploma in Human Resources, said that the ground-up initiative aims to provide seniors living alone with a sense of companionship and belonging through home visits and community events.He continued: «We just want to make sure that there are no seniors left behind in this very busy world, you know?»Chua said that in view of the large number of lonely deaths among seniors and social isolation among youths, he and his team believe connecting with the elderly through in-depth conversations would benefit both parties.When asked if a particular instance stuck with him in his journey, Chua said that visiting an elderly woman surnamed Khoo was one such experience.

«Stunning, traditional, authentic» - that is how some visitors describe the bread at Le Fournil de Saint-Robert, a small bakery in a south-western French village.Local residents and travellers alike are reportedly drawn to the bakery, whose aroma of wood-fired sourdough wafts into the cobbled streets and whose products and services have garnered it an average of 4.7 stars over 67 reviews on Google. The man behind it all is 51-year-old Singaporean Ewan Irwan.Originally from Tampines, he worked in the engineering sector before meeting his then wife, Sophie, a Frenchwoman, in Singapore. In 2003, they moved to France, hoping to build a life together. Engineering jobs proved elusive, but a new calling soon emerged: bread-making.«Baking here is on another level. Most bakers are so dedicated to their craft,» he told The Straits Times on Sept 5.Determined to master the art, Mr Ewan enrolled in a one-year diploma course in Lyon and spent two years in professional bakeries, learning the traditions and techniques of French baking. Yet the hustle and bustle of city life never suited him.

We are oftentimes told that wisdom and street smarts come with age.However, Caleb Chua did not let his age stop him from making a difference in the community when he founded the Homewarmers initiative in April this year alongside some friends he met at a youth leaders programme.Speaking to AsiaOne on Saturday (Sept 6), the 18-year-old, who is pursuing a diploma in Human Resources, said that the ground-up initiative aims to provide seniors living alone with a sense of companionship and belonging through home visits and community events.He continued: «We just want to make sure that there are no seniors left behind in this very busy world, you know?»Chua said that in view of the large number of lonely deaths among seniors and social isolation among youths, he and his team believe connecting with the elderly through in-depth conversations would benefit both parties.When asked if a particular instance stuck with him in his journey, Chua said that visiting an elderly woman surnamed Khoo was one such experience.

It began as a refusal to pay $1 extra to travel back from Pulau Ubin to mainland Singapore, but ended with one man having to pay 12 times the initial cost instead.In a Straits Times Forum letter published on Sept 1, Simon Seah Sing Hon shared that it may not be worth going to the island «if issues with transportation to and from the place discourage visitors».He had visited Ubin on Aug 22 (along with his wife, he later told Shin Min Daily News) but when he wanted to return at 6pm, was told by the ferry operator that he and the other passengers would have to pay $5 instead of the usual $4 to take the boat.This was because only 10 passengers were gathered at the jetty, and the boatman said he usually needed 12.Seah added that he also upped the price to $6 before departing.«The National Parks Board's website states that bumboats set off only when there are nine to 12 passengers,» Seah added. «The operator was obviously relying on passengers' urgency to return home to insist on his full load.»We did not agree, and he left with just the eight passengers who agreed to pay $6."

A chain collision involving five cars took place at Tampines Ave 10 on the evening of Sept 4, resulting in five people, including two children, being taken to the hospital.A video of the accident posted by the Facebook page SG Road Vigilante shows a white car switching lanes suddenly and ramming into the back of a stationary red car at the rightmost lane.The force of the collision sends the white car upwards, and its bonnet can be seen crumpling.The red car can be seen briefly hitting a car in front, which is also sent forward by the collision towards a third car.   

For almost a year, a Singapore Prison Service (SPS) officer helped an inmate smuggle prohibited items, including medication and lewd pictures, into Changi Prison Complex.From August 2021 to June 2022, Mohammad Asri Abd Rahim, 39, who has since been suspended from duty, helped Mohamad Yusof Kasim, 50, to smuggle in contraband items for inmates.For his assistance, Asri received at least $3,700 in bribes from Yusof, also known as “Kimo”, through the latter’s friends and acquaintances.On Sept 5, Asri and Yusof each pleaded guilty to multiple charges involving acts of corruption.A third man identified as Murali Vigneshwaran, 36, who was also involved in the case, pleaded guilty to one corruption-linked charge.Deputy Public Prosecutor Andrew Chia told the court that Asri joined SPS in April 2012. His roles included managing inmates at the Changi Prison Complex Institution B.Inmates known as Correctional Unit Attendants (CUAs) were tasked to help out with housekeeping matters.

Over 1,500 e-vaporisers and related components were detected and seized by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) between Sept 1 and 4 in continued enhanced checks, it said in a Facebook post on Friday (Sept 5).Within the specified period, ICA detected 123 cases of travellers having vapes on them, including those who had voluntarily disposed of their vapes at checkpoint bins.Approximately 70 per cent of the cases involved short-term visitors, while the remaining 30 per cent were Singapore residents.This comes after more than 850 vape products were intercepted by the authority between Aug 18 and 22 amid stepped up checks at the various air, land and sea checkpoints.In its Facebook post, ICA emphasised that vaping is illegal in Singapore and that foreigners who visit or live in our country must abide by the laws.«Since Sept 1, 2025, individuals caught possessing, using or importing e-vaporisers will face higher penalties,» ICA stated.

Sixteen women and one man, aged between 21 and 41, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in vice-related activities.Between Sept 3 and 4, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Central Police Division and Bedok Police Division conducted raids in the vicinity of MacPherson Road, King George’s Avenue and Sims Avenue, resulting in the arrests.Cash amounting to more than $2,000, mobile phones and vice-related paraphernalia were seized. The 41-year-old man was arrested for allegedly collecting earnings from vice-related activities which violates Section 146(1) of the Women’s Charter 1961. Under the Women’s Charter 1961, any person who knowingly lives wholly or in part on the earnings of the prostitution of another person can be jailed for a term not exceeding seven years and shall also be liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000.Investigations against the 16 women are ongoing.The police said they will continue to take «tough enforcement action» against those involved in syndicated vice activities.

The Government must “continually earn” public trust to “avoid the dysfunction that has bedevilled so many other countries”, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in his opening address of the 15th Parliament on Friday (Sept 5).In a speech that sets out the Government’s priorities for the next five years, he said that Singapore has defied the trend of eroding public trust in governments and other institutions seen “almost everywhere across the world".This is due to the country cultivating a different ethos of governance and politics, he said, which values “stewardship over expediency” and “enduring responsibility over transient gain”.“We have been able to do so because we have built trust, both between government and the people, and amongst citizens themselves.”“This trust has allowed us to make hard choices when needed, and to plan for the future beyond current election cycles.”But he warned that such trust must be continually earned through “continuous dialogue, listening, accountability and a shared sense of purpose”.

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's hurried departure from Bangkok on Thursday night (Sept 4) to Singapore, his first destination, did not go to plan, according to reports from Thailand.The private jet carrying the 76-year-old billionaire could not land in Seletar Airport on Friday (Sept 5) because the airport shuts at 10pm.Instead, the plane was diverted to Dubai and landed there around 3am (7am, Singapore time), reports said.«I intended to travel to Singapore to have a health check with the doctor who took care of me while I was abroad,» Thaksin said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.But he claimed that Thai immigration officers delayed him for «almost two hours», adding that he has the same rights as any other Thai when it comes to travel.During the flight, the pilot notified him that the delays caused by the immigration officers meant that he could not land at Seletar Airport.AsiaOne understands that Seletar Airport, which receives private jets, operates between 7am and 10pm.«Since I couldn't land in Singapore, I decided to have the pilot change my plans to Dubai,» he wrote.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung recently addressed heightened Government measures to stop vaping, including placing red vape bins island wide.In an episode of local podcast The Daily Ketchup, which was released on Thursday (Sept 4), Ong was asked about the red-coloured vape disposal bins, which allow abusers to surrender their devices without penalties. The hosts of the podcasts narrowed in on the leniency of this initiative in particular.To this, Ong responded that this approach was his call, as there were «a lot of young people» among vape users, with 30 per cent of users being under 30 years of age.To «throw the book at them» with the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) would be harmful for their future as the offences would go on their records, he said.The health minister added that he has faith that young people can be convinced to stop vaping, unlike hardcore drug users who are difficult to persuade.[[nid:720627]]Additionally, when asked if there were locations which had a surprising number of vapes disposed, Ong said: «Certain spots, I don't know why (the bins) are full.»

SINGAPORE — Three new charges were handed to a suspected Kpod peddler on Friday (Sept 5) over allegedly possessing more than 800 Kpods for sale.Jodan Chin Wei Liang, 27, was accused of possessing for sale 804 vape pods which were analysed and found to contain etomidate on July 10 at a carpark in Bishan Street 13.He also allegedly had two more Kpods for the purposes of selling them at a flat in Bishan that day.On Sept 5, a Health Sciences Authority (HSA) prosecutor sought an increase in bail for Chin from $10,000 to $15,000. This was granted by the court.Chin also made an application to leave jurisdiction to Malaysia and Vietnam. But this was rejected by the judge as Chin had indicated he would leave Singapore for an «unlimited» period of time.Chin said: «For my family, I am responsible for grocery runs across the border, so I am not sure of the schedule.»In rejecting the application, District Judge Janet Wang asked Chin to reapply to leave jurisdiction and state his dates of travel.Chin agreed, and added: «I will do my best to co-operate with everything for investigations.»

An enforcement supervisor from a Health and Sciences Authority-contracted company has been charged for attempting to obtain bribes in exchange for information regarding a HSA vape raid.Michael Anthony Pillai, a 34-year-old Singaporean, was charged in court on Friday (Sept 5) under the Prevention of Corruption Act.Pillay had attempted to obtain bribes amounting to $8,000 on multiple occasions in 2024 from Chua Wee Ming in exchange for exclusive information about vape raids conducted by HSA, said a statement by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).He was working for WSH Experts, a private agency subcontracted to aid HSA's tobacco regulation unit, reported CNA.Chua, a 34-year-old Malaysian man, has been linked to a vape stash worth more than $6 million which was seized by HSA.Chua's methods to do so included getting a 38-year-old man to smuggle vapes into Singapore and enlisting a fellow Malaysian man to conduct surveillance on the warehouse holding the confiscated vapes, reported CNA.