The United States' ambassador to Singapore, Dr Anjani Sinha, presented his credentials to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Monday (Nov 17) at the Istana.According to diplomatic protocol, all foreign ambassadors and high commissioners will present their credentials to the President before assuming their duties in Singapore.In a Facebook post on the same day, Dr Sinha said that he looks forward to deepening the mutual respect that will anchor US-Singapore ties in the years ahead.«As I officially begin my mission as the Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Singapore, I look forward to strengthening the bonds of friendship, prosperity, and shared purpose that have defined our 60 years of partnership - and to deepening the mutual respect which will anchor US-Singapore ties in the years ahead,» wrote the new ambassador.

The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link reached another key phase on Saturday (Nov 15) as Train Set 02 arrived at the Wadi Hana Depot in Johor to commence testing and commissioning.RTS Operations' chief executive officer Dr Ahmad Marzuki Arrifin told Bernama that the delivery and placement of the train onto the tracks is a «major milestone» for the RTS project.«The delivery of this train marks the project's transition into the pre-operational phase, of various system testing and integration activities, to ensure that the train and its infrastructure function flawlessly and comply with safety standards,» Bernama quoted Ahmad Marzuki as saying.At a press conference on Nov 3, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke had said that the trains will arrive in Johor Bahru from mid-November and testing will commence between «mid-November and December». 

Two men, aged 19 and 21, were charged in court on Monday (Nov 17) for allegedly importing e-vaporisers into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint.Lim Teck Wee, 19, and Muhd Amirul Iqbal Mohd Nazri, 21, were caught in separate cases on Nov 15.In a media statement on Monday, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said that more than 1,600 e-vaporisers and related components were found in the Malaysia-registered van driven by Lim. The Malaysia-registered van driven by Lim Teck Wee was found with over 1,600 e-vaporisers and related components. PHOTO: Health Sciences Authority Amirul Iqbal was found with 1,000 e-vaporisers in the Malaysia-registered car he was driving.

The Government has issued an order to block Malaysian news site MalaysiaNow from being accessed in Singapore, after it «rejected» carrying correction directions under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma).Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo directed the Infocomm Media Development Authority to issue access blocking orders requiring internet service providers to disable access to the website on Monday (Nov 17), two days after the issuance of the Pofma order.The correction order concerns a Nov 9 article which alleged mistreatment in the case of Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, who was executed on Oct 8 for drug trafficking.The article contains five falsehoods, said the Ministry of Home Affairs on Nov 15, and the Pofma order requires the Malaysian news site to include correction notices on the falsehoods alongside the article on its website and its Facebook, X and LinkedIn posts.

Two men were arrested after a fight broke out at a durian stall in Ang Mo Kio on Saturday (Nov 15) between a long-time employee and a new hire. A customer at a nearby coffee shop, who declined to be named, told Shin Min Daily News that the incident allegedly started with an argument, which then escalated into a fight.«I heard that the two men disliked each other, which led to a fight. When the police arrived, they questioned them and both were subsequently taken away in a police car,» said the customer. It is understood that another employee, also present at the scene, was reportedly assisting one of the men involved in the altercation.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that a call for assistance was made at Block 530 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 at about 10pm. The location is the address of an S11 coffee shop.Two men, aged 26 and 31, were arrested for affray. 

A diner at a Jurong Point eatery who discovered bugs in her meal has called out the staff for their indifferent reaction.Taking to the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on Sunday (Nov 16), the woman said she spotted the extra ‘ingredients’ halfway through her bowl of noodles at the Eat outlet in Jurong Point.«I walked to the counter to kindly alert the staff member to come over,» she said. «Not only that she didn’t, but she stared at me and said, 'if you don’t want to eat then just bring it to the return tray area'.»The woman said that she turned down the staff’s “unwilling” offer to cook another bowl of noodles, as well as a refund for her meal.«This is not a question about money,» she said. «There is a problem with (her) attitude.»The woman’s Facebook post has since garnered over 40 comments, 90 shares and 290 reactions.In the comments, several netizens lamented what they saw as declining service standards.«I would rather spend a bit more for consistent quality and healthy food,» said WM Tan.AsiaOne has contacted Fei Siong Group, which owns the Eat chain of eateries, for comment.[[nid:626681]]

Singapore's key exports rose 22.2 per cent year-on-year in October, up from seven per cent in September, according to data from Enterprise Singapore on Monday (Nov 17).Singapore's non-oil domestic exports (Nodx) for October far exceeded forecasts — both Bloomberg and Reuters polls predicted a 7.5 per cent rise. The rise in Nodx was driven by growth in exports of both electronics and non-electronics, said EnterpriseSG, adding that Nodx growth for the first 10 months of 2025 is 4.1 per cent year-on-year. Electronic exports rose 33.2 per cent, extending the 30.4 per cent rise in the previous month.Growth in shipments of electronics was particularly driven by the 77.7 per cent spike in personal computer exports, while exports of integrated circuits rose by 40.9 per cent.Non-electronic exports also expanded in October, rising to 18.8 per cent year-on-year in October from 0.5 per cent in September.Growth was mainly driven by a 176.8 per cent jump in non-monetary gold exports.

Those travelling to Malaysia during the upcoming year-end school holidays — from Nov 21, 2025, to Jan 1, 2026, — can expect longer waiting times to clear immigration at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Monday (Nov 17).ICA has sought travellers' understanding to cooperate with its officers, observe traffic rules and maintain lane discipline.During the recent Deepavali long weekend from Oct 17 to 20, close to two million travellers crossed Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.The peak was on Oct 17 when over 550,000 travellers cleared immigration through the land checkpoints in a single day, the authority said.Car travellers departing during peak periods over the long weekend had to wait up to three hours for immigration clearance, due to traffic tailback from Malaysia.

Two Singaporean men, aged 27 and 32, who are among the 27 Singaporeans and seven Malaysians wanted by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) over their alleged involvement in a scam ring operating in Cambodia, were arrested on Sunday (Nov 16).They were deported to Singapore and arrested on arrival on Sunday. Wayne Soh You Chen, 27, and Brian Sie Eng Fa, 32, will be charged in court on Nov 17 for facilitating the commission of a serious offence, in furtherance of the illegal purpose of a locally-linked organised crime group. In a media statement on Nov 16, the police said that  Soh was arrested in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, while Sie was arrested during a raid in Khon Kaen, Thailand. 

A member of HDB dragon boat team has died after a race at the Singapore Sports Hub’s Water Sports Centre in Kallang on Sunday (Nov 16) morning.The 49-year-old was competing in the Singapore Regatta Waterfest as part of a 30-member team of staff from HDB. Responding to AsiaOne’s queries, HDB said that it is «deeply saddened» by his death. He had collapsed while resting after the race, the statement said.«He was transported to the hospital for medical attention, where he later passed on after unsuccessful resuscitation attempts by the emergency crew,» said HDB. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and our own colleagues who are grieving this sudden loss. We are in close contact with the family and are providing them our fullest support and assistance during this difficult time.«An eyewitness, who declined to be named, told AsiaOne that he saw the man lying near the railings outside the toilet in the Water Sports Centre at around 10am.»Another passerby immediately called for the medic’s assistance and we helped to carry him onto the stretcher before he was wheeled away," he said.

The Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) renewal programme which started in 2018, nearly two decades after the train line entered revenue service in 1999, is on track for completion by end-2026, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Sunday (Nov 16).«The Bukit Panjang LRT system has been undergoing renewal works for the past few years. We've made significant progress. About 88 per cent of the renewal programme is completed,» LTA said.The transport regulator added that work on two of four renewal projects — light rail vehicle replacement and upgrading, and implementation of a new communications-based train control signalling system — was completed in October and November.In an update in July, rail operator SMRT said that the new signalling system is similar to the one used on MRT lines and allows «better control of train speeds» so that commuters can «enjoy smoother and more reliable rides». 

A video clip of several stray dogs being handled aggressively while being captured at a Seletar West Farmway nursery has gone viral, prompting angry responses from netizens.In an Instagram post by user Germtay on Friday (Nov 14), which was later reposted by Wakeupsingapore and Rescuewithlovesg on their platforms, Germtay claimed that the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) had sent four lorries to catch the dogs after an alleged biting incident, even though «it was not proved who bit the stranger who reported».The user later added: «Why does AVS need to capture all dogs when only one dog bit someone? What did they do wrong? Exist?»According to Germtay, the contractors were hired by the AVS, which is under NParks, to capture the dogs. «They also refused to say how will the dogs be treated and where they will go,» Germtay alleged.«Is this how NParks, AVS treat animals?» captioned the user in one part of the clip which showed a dog being forcibly pushed into a crate by two men using long poles.

Sustainability and the Environment Minister Grace Fu will be visiting Belem, Brazil, from Nov 17 to 21 to attend the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its associated meetings, said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE).In a media statement on Sunday (Nov 16), MSE said that Fu, who is also the Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, will represent Singapore in the negotiation of an outcome for COP30.She will participate in fireside chats on urban heat resilience and sustainable food systems and will also join a youth programme organised by youth delegates from the Climate Youth Development Programme.The minister, who will be accompanied by officials from the National Climate Change Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, and Ministry of Trade and Industry, is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts to discuss efforts to advance global climate action and strengthen bilateral cooperation on environment sustainability and climate resilience.

A delivery rider was admitted to an intensive care unit in hospital after colliding into a lorry on Nov 13 evening.The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force told AsiaOne they were alerted to the accident along Commonwealth Drive at about 7.30pm.Besides severe abrasions all over his body, Shin Min Daily News reported that the crash left the 47-year-old motorcyclist with injuries to his kidneys and a deep wound on his left forehead that exposed the bone.His wife, who only gave her name as Chen, told Shin Min Daily News that her husband’s injuries were serious but not life-threatening.The 38-year-old said that she knew about the accident after contacting the nearest hospital after her husband was uncontactable overnight.Chen added that she immediately took leave from work and went to National University Hospital.Shin Min reported that the delivery rider has undergone an MRI scan and would require further examination to determine the extent of his injuries.He is also awaiting stitches and surgery.She added that her husband does not know how the accident happened.

SINGAPORE – For years, Madam Rahimah Lee Abdullah and her husband tried to have children, but they had no luck.So when Mohd Ridwan came into their lives in 2004, they felt they were blessed. He was born in Bintan, an Indonesian island about a 45-minute ferry ride away.Madam Rahimah said they never got around to formally adopting the baby, but to the couple, he was their own. The boy became a Singapore citizen in September 2004.He was their only child, and they were his parents.Speaking to The Straits Times in their three-room flat in Bedok on Nov 12, Madam Rahimah, 66, said: «He was my only son. I loved him so much. Which mother doesn't love her children?»The teenager loved the couple. He called Madam Rahimah «mummy» and her husband «daddy».He was doing well in school, regularly scoring As at ITE College Central. He had dreams of becoming a pilot.But Ridwan's life was cut short in July 2021, while playing basketball with friends on a court near Block 18 Bedok South Road.

SINGAPORE – A worker died after falling at an MRT construction site for the Jurong Region Line on Nov 13.The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the 46-year-old construction supervisor had fallen from a height of about 9m while descending scaffolding at the site near Block 202 Pandan Gardens, near Jurong East, at around 5.30pm.He was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.A stop-work order has been issued for the worksite, said LTA.It added that a safety timeout has been called for at-height work activities across LTA projects to review compliance with safety procedures.The worker was employed by Leze Construction, a subsidiary of a sub-contractor of main contractor Daewoo-Yongnam Joint Venture, said LTA, which is the project developer.“We are deeply saddened by this incident, and extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased worker. We are working with the contractors to provide them with support and assistance,” said LTA.

SINGAPORE - Where the marks on Rumi from Netflix's animated film K-pop Demon Hunters are purple, those on nine-year-old Phoebe Hu's arms and body are light brown.As a result, she is often bullied in school, with her schoolmates telling her she will turn dark-skinned soon.Often called «cafe au lait» spots by doctors, the flat, light-to-dark brown birthmarks that resemble «coffee with milk» on Phoebe's skin are the underlying signs of a genetic condition known as neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).NF1 causes changes in skin pigment, including flat, light-brown spots and freckles on the armpits and groin. It also causes the growth of benign, slow-growing tumours that develop on or under the skin from nerve cells. These tumours, called NF tumours, can appear as soft lumps throughout the body.Phoebe's condition was discovered when she began having pain behind her right ear around March 2023, her mother Pearlyn Goh, 42, said.She was brought to KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), and an MRI scan, three doctors and a genetic test later, Phoebe was diagnosed with NF1.

SINGAPORE - Malaysian news portal MalaysiaNow has been ordered to carry correction notices over false statements in a Nov 9 article concerning the treatment of Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, a drug courier who was executed on Oct 8.The Pofma Office, which administers the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, was instructed by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong to issue the correction direction to MalaysiaNow under Singapore’s fake news law, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Nov 15.Under the order, MalaysiaNow will be required to carry correction notices alongside the article on its website, Facebook, X and LinkedIn posts.MHA’s Nov 15 statement identified five broad falsehoods in the MalaysiaNow article.The first false statement was that Pannir’s execution was carried out without regard for the rule of law, said MHA, noting that all prisoners awaiting capital punishment are afforded due legal process.

A 23-year-old man will be charged for his alleged involvement in the murder of a 68-year-old man, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) shared in a news release on Friday (Nov 14).This follows the alleged slashing of the victim at 5000C Marine Parade Road, the address of Laguna Park condominium, the previous afternoon.The 68-year-old man was taken in an unconscious state to Changi General hospital, where he subsequently died.The 23-year-old man was initially arrested at scene for causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous weapons, and had two penknives seized. Preliminary investigations revealed that he purportedly had a dispute with the victim.The accused will be charged on Nov 15 with murder under Section 302(1) of the Penal Code 1871, which carries the death penalty.'Something was wrong'Speaking to Stomp, a family living on the 10th floor of the condominium said that they had heard muffled shouting which carried on for about a minute.

SINGAPORE - A 37-year-old Malaysian man suspected of being involved in government official impersonation scams is expected to be charged on Nov 15.He is likely to be charged with the offence of abetment by conspiracy to assist another to retain benefits from criminal conduct.The police, in a statement on Nov 14, said there has been a trend of Malaysian nationals travelling to Singapore to assist scam syndicates in collecting cash, gold and valuables from scam victims.The police said they received a report of a government official impersonation scam in which a scammer was impersonating a staff member from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on Sept 28.The victim was told by someone claiming to be a government agency officer that the funds in her bank account were misused and that her bank account was involved in money laundering.She was later contacted by different individuals who claimed to be from the MAS.She was instructed to surrender her money and valuables for the purpose of investigations.