Former deputy prime minister Heng Swee Keat has been appointed as the Singapore Institute of Technology's (SIT) first chancellor for a five-year period from June 1. As chancellor, Heng, who continues to chairs the National Research Foundation and is a director of the GIC board, will be SIT's highest-ranking ceremonial office holder and ambassador, said the university in a media statement on Wednesday (June 3).He is expected to preside over key university ceremonies such as convocations, and represent SIT at major institutional and external engagements.«Drawing upon his extensive leadership experience and professional networks, Heng will also support the university in strengthening partnerships and advancing strategic priorities, including industry and philanthropic engagement,» SIT said in its statement. Reflecting on his appointment, Heng stated that SIT occupies a distinctive and important role in Singapore's higher education landscape, preparing graduates with applied skills and industry experience.

More than 290 participants from various police divisions, specialist units, and cadets from the National Police Cadet Corps gathered to mark the annual Police Day at a parade at the Home Team Academy on Wednesday (June 3). In its 55th year, the event was graced by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong, who noted that the nature of crime is constantly evolving and becoming more complex yet less visible.«Despite these challenges, the Singapore Police Force continues to serve with unwavering dedication, working to stay ahead of emerging threats and to protect our way of life,» he said. «On Police Day, we honour their commitment, recognise their sacrifices, and express our gratitude to them and their families for all they do to keep Singapore safe.»A total of 16 awards including Best Land Division, Best National Service Operationally Ready Unit, Best Full-time Police National Service Officer, and Best Police National Serviceman of the Year were presented at the event. Among the award recipients was Jurong Police Division, which was named Best NS Operationally Ready Unit.

Local baking supplies provider Phoon Huat is freezing the prices of more than 100 essential products for the month of June to help customers cope with the rising cost of living.The price lock has been implemented at all 19 of its RedMan and Phoon Huat stores islandwide, said the company in a statement on Wednesday (June 3).Products covered under the price freeze include household and pantry necessities such as flour, chocolate, shortening, whipped cream, butter and milk powder.Also included are common breakfast foods such as Nutella, nuts and cornflakes, alongside meal essentials such as pasta, tomato sauce and curry pastes. 

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is proposing that tariffs of 10 per cent or more be imposed on products from dozens of major trading partners following a probe into imports of goods allegedly made with forced labour.The report released early Wednesday (June 3) by the US Trade Representative said Canada, Mexico, Taiwan and the United Kingdom and some other countries and territories would face 10 per cent additional tariffs for allegedly failing to enforce a forced labour import ban.A 12.5 per cent additional tariff would be imposed on Singapore, China, Japan, India, South Korea and dozens of other countries.«The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable. This creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,» USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer said in a statement.He added that «each of our trading partners must do more to ensure that trade does not perversely encourage and entrench forced labour globally».The USTR said failure to prevent such imports is «unreasonable and burdens or restricts US commerce».

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a 16-year-old teenage girl, Siti Nurqirin Asyura Izhar Izuddin, who was last seen over a month ago in Woodlands.In a news release on Wednesday (June 3), the police said Siti Nurqirin Asyura was last seen at about 5.55pm on April 30 at 10 Woodlands Ring Road.The address is the location of Woodlands Ring Secondary School, which is currently undergoing upgrading works. Those with information are urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential, the police said.[[nid:737179]]editor@asiaone.com 

SINGAPORE – Five mainland leopard cats living in Changi’s coastal forest will be relocated from the second half of 2026 to protect them from development.The National Parks Board (NParks) and the non-governmental Singapore Wildcat Action Group (Swag) said on Wednesday (June 3) that the relocation will ensure the animals' welfare and long-term survival as the Changi landscape is transformed.They did not reveal the locations of the new habitats as this could attract unwanted visitors such as poachers.While leopard cats are one of the most widely distributed wild cats globally, they are critically endangered in Singapore. Fewer than 50 are estimated to reside here, with most of them in Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and the Western Catchment Area.The existence of the elusive species in Changi was first detected in January 2019 after one was killed in a traffic accident. It is believed that the Changi population hailed from leopard cats that swam across the strait from nearby Pulau Tekong.

Tampines residents in the vicinity of the new GreenQuartz Build-to-Order (BTO) HDB estate have been dealing with heaps of renovation waste left nearby, Shin Min Daily News reported on Tuesday (June 2).The clutter, which accumulated amid homeowners renovating their flats prior to moving in, was apparently left unattended for two weeks.Speaking with the Chinese-language publication, a resident in the area said the large piles of waste created an environment that was both dirty and messy.«There is a lot of large garbage piled up in the open space downstairs,» the resident said. «This situation has been going on for two weeks.»I'm worried that if no one clears it, it could be a fire hazard due to the heat, or it could be a nest for rats or snakes."A Shin Min reporter that visited the area noted about four locations with waste placed at the foot of the blocks, mainly in open spaces beside drop-off points.While large trash bins were provided for residents to use, they were already full and residents resorted to tossing their garbage in areas around the bins instead.

The two Singapore residents who were aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship continue to test negative for the hantavirus and have been allowed to quarantine at home, said the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA).In response to AsiaOne's queries, the CDA said the duo, a 67-year-old Singaporean and a 65-year-old Singapore Permanent Resident, were last tested on May 22.Both men also tested negative for the Andes strain responsible for the outbreak on the MV Hondius.They had been isolated at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) after returning to Singapore in May, as part of the recommended 42-day monitoring period after their last exposure to the virus.Both disembarked from the ship on April 1, and were on the same flight as a confirmed hantavirus case who later died.According to the CDA, the men were allowed to transition to home quarantine from May 25, though it was not revealed if they chose to do so.The duo are being monitored daily by the CDA and will be tested again before being released from quarantine.

While more than half of public bus drivers in Singapore in 2021 were Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs), they made up just four in 10 of the pool of such drivers last year. To attract more locals to sign up as bus captains, the Government will fund a rise in their starting salaries by $450 a month, and the first-year of sign-on bonuses by $2,000 from January next year.«With higher starting salaries and higher sign-on bonuses, most local bus captains can earn $600 more per month in their first year of service, effectively increasing the average monthly salaries to more than $4,000,» said the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), and the four public bus operators in a joint statement on Wednesday (June 3).Meanwhile, all current bus captains will also receive a one-time salary adjustment under a collective agreement between the NTWU and the the operators — SBS Transit, SMRT, Go-Ahead Singapore, and Tower Transit.The move is to «manage wage relativity, improve retention and recognise the contributions of in-service bus captains», said the tripartite partners in the statement. 

Joining the ticket war for the upcoming BTS concerts in Singapore?Remain vigilant against concert ticket scams, the police have warned.In such cases, victims would come across offers for the sale of concert tickets on messaging or social media platforms such as Telegram, Xiaohongshu, X, Carousell and Facebook, the police said in a press release on Tuesday (June 2).Scammers would provide screenshots or videos of fake tickets or receipts to convince victims of the authenticity of the tickets, and then rush the victim into paying under the pretext that the offer was time-sensitive and/or limited in quantity.When victims claimed that they did not receive their concert tickets, the scammers would say that they did not receive the initial payment and request for additional payment. Victims would realise that they had been scammed when the tickets were not delivered or when the seller became uncontactable. Fans are advised to buy concert tickets only from authorised platforms such as Ticketmaster, which states clearly in its terms and conditions that tickets cannot be transferred or resold.

Three Chinese nationals have been charged on Wednesday (May 3) after they allegedly locked a woman and child on the balcony of a hotel room in Marina Bay Sands on Monday.Du Kai, 34, Ren Jiliang, 30 and Li Yue, 29, each received a charge of robbery with hurt, according to charge sheets seen by AsiaOne.The trio had allegedly lured a 45-year-old woman into the hotel room under the pretence of exchanging foreign currency, but purportedly ambushed her and forced her to hand over $50,000 in cash.Both the woman and her child who she had brought along were locked on the room's balcony while the trio allegedly fled.AsiaOne understands that the woman climbed over to the balcony of an adjacent room for help.Du, Ren and Li then allegedly attempted to leave the country for Shanghai, but their plane was recalled by police and the trio were subsequently arrested.The money was recovered from the men, said police.If found guilty, the men each face jail for between five and 20 years, along with at least 12 strokes of the cane.Their cases will be heard again on June 10.[[nid:737202]]khooyihang@asiaone.com

While conventions may be a place to share your hobbies with likeminded people, it is by no means a completely safe space.That is something Singaporean cosplayer Rimi, who declined to provide her real name, can attest to after she realised a man had allegedly attempted to record upskirt footage of her while she was at a Nijigen Expo 2026 in Malaysia last Saturday (May 30).Nijigen Expo 2026 is an anime, manga and gaming convention that was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from May 30 to June 1.Footage from a camera set up at her booth in Nijigen that recorded the incident has gone viral since Rimi, also known as Rimirinx3, shared it on Instagram, garnering over 17,600 likes and over 700,000 views as of Wednesday morning.In the video, the 30-year-old cosplayer can be seen tending to her booth and a customer when a man dressed wholly in black - along with a black mask - approaches her from behind.While Rimi continues working at her booth, the man angles a phone attached to a selfie stick under her skirt, surreptitiously taking glances down at the phone and remaining out of Rimi's line of sight.

A 41-year-old female driver was hurt after her car rolled over on its roof at a multi-storey car park in Woodlands.The police said in response to AsiaOne's queries that they were alerted to the accident at Block 622A Woodlands Drive 52 at about 6.50pm on Tuesday (June 2).The vehicle is believed to have self-skidded, the police said, adding that the driver did not want to be taken to the hospital.The Singapore Civil Defence Force told AsiaOne it assessed two persons for minor injuries. Both declined to be taken to the hospital.Videos and pictures of the incident circulating online show the upside-down black car at the bottom of a downward ramp, near the car park's exit.Traffic police officers had also blocked off the top of the ramp.

A manager in Singapore has shared her frustrations about managing younger employees, saying workplace feedback is often misinterpreted — even when it is meant to ensure work responsibilities are carried out.Sharing her experience on social media, the manager, who wished to be known only as Sabrina, told AsiaOne that she had let go of countless Gen Z employees due to recurring issues with punctuality, accountability and their ability to respond professionally to workplace feedback.«I have let go of more Gen Z employees in the office than I can count. It is like walking on thin ice whenever you need to bring feedback up to them,» said the 35-year-old, who has been with her current company for five years.«You never know how they will perceive it, even though you try your best to make it as professional and gentle as possible.»According to Sabrina, her company maintains a relatively flexible work culture and does not require employees to strictly adhere to traditional office hours as long as their work is completed.

Having robbed a 45-year-old woman from China in a hotel room at Marina Bay Sands, three male Chinese nationals aged beween 29 and 34 rushed to the airport and boarded a flight bound for Shanghai on Monday (June 1).One of the suspects had restrained the victim by the neck during the robbery, and she and her child were later locked in the balcony of the room.But the trio's getaway plan was foiled after police cracked the case within four hours and recalled their aeroplane which had already left the boarding gate. In a news release on Tuesday, the police said they received a report about the case at about 7pm on Monday.The victim had got acquainted with someone on a messaging platform, who claimed to offer foreign currency exchange services.She agreed to exchange $50,000 of cash for foreign currency, and for the exchanged amount to be deposited into her bank e-wallet.Accompanied by her child, the woman brought along the money to meet one of the alleged robbers near Marina Bay Sands.He brought her to a hotel room, where another suspect was hiding in the bathroom. 

New rules on the use of motorised personal mobility aids (PMAs) and mobility scooters took effect on Monday (June 1) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is reminding users to be mindful of the changes.In a Facebook post the same day, LTA pointed out that motorised PMAs cannot go faster than 6kmh on public paths. These mobility devices could previously travel up to 10kmh on such paths.PMAs on public paths must also comply with size and weight requirements. They cannot exceed 150cm in height, 70cm in width, and 120cm in length; with a maximum laden weight of 300kg.Mobility scooter users must also have a valid Certificate of Medical Need from a doctor or occupational therapist. Seniors aged 70 and above are exempted.

BreadTalk Group-owned food court chain Food Republic is set to close its last remaining outlet in Beijing — also its first store in mainland China — at 8pm on June 15, after more than two decades of operations in the capital city.The Beijing outlet is located in The Malls at Oriental Plaza — one of Beijing's most popular shopping complexes.At its peak in 2016, Food Republic reportedly operated more than 40 outlets across mainland China, including in Chongqing, Shanghai and Tianjin.Following the closure of the Beijing outlet, Food Republic will have four outlets remaining, all in Shanghai.According to a 2024 research report by China-focused market research firm Daxue Consulting, the Chinese food service market reached RMB5.2 trillion (S$983 billion) in 2023 and was projected to hit RMB5.6 trillion by 2025. However, the growth was also fuelled by increasing digitalisation, including the proliferation of food delivery services.Daxue Consulting's report placed the number of food delivery service users at 553 million as at June 2024, with the market projected to reach RMB1.96 trillion in 2027.

Stay in the know with our top stories today.1. South Korean burger chain Lotteria opens second Singapore outlet in the WestAttention Westies! If you have yet to try Lotteria's burgers because travelling all the way to Jewel Changi Airport is a hassle, here is some good news for you... » READ MORE2. Don't pick the durians, says town council, as durian trees bloom at Lorong Lew Lian

After almost nine years of waiting, a woman finally tied the knot with her fiance, who is currently an inmate at Tanah Merah Prison School.Despite having six marriage applications rejected over four years, Nurashikin Husni Thamrin never gave up on marrying the man she loved, Berita Harian reported.The 38-year-old team manager eventually wed Faredz Ashim on Jan 15, marking the end of a long journey that began when the couple first planned to marry in 2017.Fiance arrested two weeks before wedding in 2017Just two weeks before their big day in 2017, Nurashikin said her fiance was arrested.It was reported that Faredz, 39, was first arrested in 2012 for drug-related offences and served a three-year prison sentence. He was arrested again in 2017.For the second case, he reportedly received a reduced sentence of 14 years.‘They finally approved my application’Nurashikin had been applying to the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) for permission to marry Farez since 2020. However, her requests were repeatedly denied until 2024.

Singapore is in for more muggy nights this June as the south-west monsoon reaches our shores, said the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) on Tuesday (June 2).In addition to the humidity, nighttime temperatures are expected to be high, hovering above 28 deg C on several nights in the first fortnight of the month.In the daytime, the daily maximum temperatures are forecasted to average between 33 deg C and 34 deg C on most days. However, the mercury could peak at around 35 deg C on a few days when there is less cloud coverage, MSS added.The south-west monsoon usually extends into September and is typically a drier season compared to other times of the year.The monsoon will likely bring lesser than average rainfall to Singapore, but the occasional thundery shower is still expected to hit in the late morning and early afternoon.Sumatra squalls may also bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds in the pre-dawn and early morning of some days, the weatherman said.

National carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) on Tuesday (June 2) announced the retiming of its flights operating to and from Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo due to weather conditions caused by Typhoon Jangmi. At least 14 flights scheduled between June 2 and 3 have now been retimed:SQ672 and SQ671 between Singapore and Nagoya;SQ622, SQ623, and SQ618 between Singapore and Osaka;SQ636, SQ631, SQ632, SQ633 between Singapore and Tokyo's Haneda Airport;SQ638 and SQ637 between Singapore and Tokyo's Narita Airport.In addition, flights between Singapore and Los Angeles via Tokyo's Narita Airport have also been retimed:

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a 15-year-old teenage girl, Nur Qaseh Qalisha Fadhlee.She was previously reported missing on May 8 and found more than a week later on May 17.In a news release on Tuesday (June 2), the police said Nur Qaseh Qalisha was last seen in the vicinity of Block 186 Boon Lay Avenue at about 7.20pm on May 27.She was wearing a black full-length long-sleeved dress in a floral design.The address is across the road from Boon Lay Shopping Centre. Those with information are urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential, the police said.[[nid:735166]]editor@asiaone.com 

For some youth, it may just take a matter of days for them to get radicalised from extremist content online, said Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam on Tuesday (June 2).This is because digital platforms have increased interactivity between people and sources of extremism, with algorithms working to feed more of the same content to users, added Shanmugam, who is also Minister for Home Affairs.«Extremist content is now very directed, it's very personalised, it's very engaging, and it's available — plentiful.»So it has accelerated the speed at which radicalisation happens," he told participants at a Religious Rehabilitation Group event.On average, the speed of radicalisation over the last decade has changed from two years to one, but can even be a matter of days for some, he cautioned.With artificial intelligence (AI), these risks are on the rise, he said, sharing the story of a 17-year-old arrested in August 2024.

Residents near Mount Faber say the sound of chickens crowing in the early morning has become an unexpected «alarm clock», adding a kampung-like atmosphere to the urban neighbourhood.A TikTok video posted on May 21 showed about 10 chickens gathered along Mount Faber Road, near the junction of Wishart Road and Morse Road. A mother hen with three chicks were also seen roaming on the road, to the delight of netizens who were surprised to see wildlife in a built-up area.Some said the sight evoked memories of Singapore's kampung days, with one commenter reminiscing «the good old days in the 1960s».Another TikTok user shared how «I miss the days when I could see chickens and ducks in the village».

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has appointed former PSA International group chief executive officer Tan Chong Meng to chair the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) from June 2 (Tuesday).Tan, who was appointed to the CPA in June 2024, takes over from Eddie Teo who was appointed a member of the council in August 2018 and became its chairman on January 2, 2019. The CPA advises the President in the exercise of his custodial powers such as in past reserves of the Government and the appointments of key personnel in the public service. Under the Constitution, it is mandatory for the President to consult the CPA while exercising his custodial powers.In a press statement on Tuesday, the Istana also announced the reappointment of Singtel senior advisor Chua Sock Koong as a CPA member, and the appointment of Singapore LNG Corporation chairman Gan Seow Kee and former DBS chief Piyush Gupta as members. Both Gan and Piyush were formerly alternate members in the council. Meanwhile, Energy Market Authority chairman Tan Ching Yee has been appointed as an alternate member of the council.