A youth is assisting police with investigations into suspected arson after two fires broke out at a Bukit Panjang HDB block on Wednesday (July 15).In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said that they were alerted to the fire at Block 501 Jelapang Road at around 8.10pm that day.A video shared on social media also showed the fire raging inside a unit while thick black smoke billowed out.Multiple fire engines and an ambulance were also seen at the HDB carpark while residents watched the scene unfold in a second clip. A male youth was identified for suspected mischief by fire and investigations are ongoing, said the police.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that two fires had taken place at the same block that day, in response to media queries.

A viral TikTok by Singaporean chef and F&B operator Jason Chua has sparked online debate about public healthcare.In his video on July 7, Chua described his father's experience at Changi General Hospital's (CGH) Accident and Emergency (A&E) department. He had taken his father to the A&E at 7am, after the latter experienced shortness of breath and cold sweats. At around 9pm that same day, some 14 hours later, his father was still waiting for a ward bed in the emergency department.Chua said he suggested bringing his father home and returning the next morning, but claimed that hospital staff did not allow this.«Is there any nurse or who can tell me why does it take so long?» Chua said in the video.He updated later that night that his father was warded at 11.36pm.Not the only oneSince posting his video, netizens have shared similar experiences of waiting at the A&E departments of various hospitals.

A 40-year-old woman was arrested for public nuisance on Wednesday (July 15) after getting into a fight with a masseuse at People's Park Complex.Just two weeks ago, the same woman had fought with a male masseur from another massage parlour at the third floor of same building, reported Shin Min Daily News.The recent scuffle between the two women occurred outside a row of massage shops on the second storey, according to the news report.In videos seen by AsiaOne, a woman in a black dress is seen arguing with the masseuse in a pink mini dress, who repeatedly asks in Mandarin why she is being attacked.As their exchange escalates, the masseuse grabs hold of the other woman's clothing and tugs at her. The woman in black retaliates with a forceful kick, and the pair begin trading blows.As the struggle intensifies, shoes and other personal belongings are sent scattering across the corridor. The woman in black does not let up. She grabs the masseuse's head and strikes her repeatedly. 

A woman who quarrelled with a security officer at Eastpoint Mall and threatened to make him lose his job is facing public backlash.The dispute appears to have occurred because the woman was prevented from entering the mall's nursing room to fill her daughter’s water bottle until she showed her baby to him through the intercom camera.A viral video, initially posted by Instagram user joseph_twj on Monday (July 13), begins in the Fire Control Centre where a security guard is seen refusing to give a woman filming him his name.He said: «You're not a police officer or something to ask for my name. I'm a security officer.»In their argument, the woman accuses him of speaking rudely while the officer retorts that she is no better, describing her as «yaya», or colloquial for arrogant.Incensed, she proceeds to threaten him: «I make sure you don't have your job.»In a complaint letter to the mall, the woman wrote that she had made a passing comment to a family member about the situation being «stupid», to which the security guard allegedly replied «you then stupid» over the intercom, reported Stomp.

A Singaporean man has been arrested in Bali for the alleged murder of his girlfriend at a boarding house on Wednesday (July 15).The 25-year-old suspect, identified by the initials MZ, is accused of strangling his girlfriend, AS, a 26-year-old woman from Tegal, Central Java, following a dispute in their relationship, reported Indonesian news outlet NusaBali.The victim was later found by her brother, who reportedly discovered her body under a pile of dolls in the suspect's room, according to another news outlet Detik.com.It was also reported that the suspect's new girlfriend had raised concerns about an unusual odour at the premises, but her concerns were dismissed.Denpasar police chief Leonardo D. Simatupang said police were dispatched to a boarding house along Jalan Mekar II in Pedungan Village, South Denpasar, after receiving a report at around 7pm on Wednesday about the discovery of the body.Leonardo said officers gathered several clues from the scene, including the suspect's characteristics, identity and vehicle details.

As part of efforts to transform the built environment (BE) sector and improve its productivity, Singapore is accelerating the momentum of remote site supervision (RSS) adoption, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat.«I believe this can be a game changer for improving industry productivity,» he said at the Association of Consulting Engineers' (ACES) 55th anniversary dinner held at Shangri-La Singapore hotel on Wednesday (July 15) evening.RSS leverages digital tools such as 360-degree cameras, smart drones and artificial intelligence-powered data tracking to allow professional engineers or qualified persons (QPs) to supervise multiple project sites virtually, including from their offices.Its adoption is expected to help QPs save the time spent travelling between project sites to conduct routine inspections.In doing so, the time saved can improve their productivity and optimise manpower deployment, while enhancing workplace safety, Chee explained.He cited the example of CapitaLand Development's ongoing mixed development J-den project at Jurong East, which has reduced its supervision man-hours during structural works by 40 per cent.

A 67-year-old man died after the car he was driving crashed into the rear of an SBS Transit bus in Ang Mo Kio on Thursday (July 16) morning.The police told AsiaOne that they were alerted to the accident involving a car and a bus along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 towards Upper Thomson Road at about 8.35am.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said two people were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.The man was taken unconscious to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.A 61-year-old woman who was travelling in the car was taken to the same hospital while conscious.Video of the aftermath posted on TikTok showed a red car with its front badly crumpled after it collided with the rear of an SBS Transit bus that had stopped at a bus stop.The footage also showed SCDF officers performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a person. Two ambulances, two SCDF pump ladders, and a Traffic Police car were also present at the scene.In response to AsiaOne's queries, SBS Transit spokesperson Grace Wu said that «a Service 165 bus was rear-ended by a car while at a bus stop along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1».

Police have issued an advisory on the resurgence of a scam campaign which utilises the GST Voucher (GSTV) scheme to take over Telegram accounts.In a statement on Thursday (July 16), the police said victims received Telegram messages containing infographics and a fake link, which encouraged them to check their eligibility for the upcoming GSTV disbursements in August.Upon clicking the links, victims would be asked to disclose personal information such as mobile numbers, names and NRIC numbers.They may also be prompted to provide Telegram verification codes which would allow scammers to take over their accounts.Using the victims' Telegram accounts, the scammers would disseminate phishing links to the victims' contacts or add them into chat groups promoting fraudulent investment schemes.Members of the public are reminded that they will never be asked to disclose personal credentials or bank log-in details to claim their GST Vouchers.

The upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is expected to intensify cross-border competition, and local businesses will need to sharpen their value propositions instead of competing primarily on price.A study commissioned by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) and Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) projects that Singaporeans will spend an additional $1.05 billion annually on retail and F&B purchases in Johor Bahru (JB) once the RTS Link opens.At the same time, local businesses stand to gain an estimated $756 million annually from JB visitors, resulting in an additional net annual spending outflow of about $290 million — 0.4 per cent of Singapore's total retail and F&B sales in 2025.Released on Thursday (July 16), the study was conducted in March 2026 and surveyed around 1,700 people in Singapore and 400 in Johor. It also drew on Mastercard historical transaction data, government statistics and a case study of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen high-speed rail network.

A total of 579 suspected scammers and money mules are being investigated by the police.This follows a two-week operation conducted by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and seven Police Land Divisions between July 2 and 15.Police said in a news release on Thursday (July 16) that the 359 men and 220 women, aged between 15 and 83, are being probed for their alleged involvement in scams.They are believed to be linked to more than 1,469 scam cases, mainly involving e-commerce, friend impersonation, job, government official impersonation, investment and rental scams.Victims reportedly lost about $18 million, the police said.The investigations cover various alleged offences including cheating, money laundering, or providing payment services without a licence.If found guilty of cheating, an individual may face a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine, while those convicted of money laundering may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined up to $500,000.Meanwhile, carrying on a business to provide any type of payment service without a licence may result in a fine of up to $125,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both.

Students at St. Joseph's Institution (SJI) hoping to stay up for the FIFA World Cup final can breathe easy, as the school will begin lessons later on Monday (July 20) to allow students more time to rest after the early morning match.In a statement to AsiaOne, SJI confirmed that an email had been sent to parents and students regarding the adjustment to school hours.«Schools play an important role not only in academic learning but also in helping young people engage meaningfully with significant moments beyond the classroom,» said SJI. It added that the FIFA World Cup final was a rare global sporting event that many students and families may wish to experience together.

A bus captain scolded by a passenger for «driving at your own pace» was complying with a planned schedule and had done no wrong, said bus operator Tower Transit and the Land Transport Authority (LTA).Addressing the viral complaint in a Facebook post on Wednesday (July 15), LTA said bus captains are «required to regulate their speeds and keep to planned schedules».«This helps prevent bus bunching and ensures more regular and reliable bus arrivals for all commuters on the route,» it explained.Tower Transit also confirmed separately that a review of trip details found that their bus captain was operating the service in accordance with the planned schedule.It said a bus sometimes travels below the speed limit even when the road ahead is clear because it has to maintain «even spacing between buses» to ensure «waiting times remain as consistent and predictable as possible for commuters». The service 984 bus captain had been filmed by an unhappy passenger, who confronted him about the slow journey.

«Disgusting» was how some Bedok residents described the sight of blood-stained sanitary pads and used tissues strewn around the foot of their HDB block. Residents told Lianhe Zaobao that this issue has persisted for months, adding that the soiled materials are believed to have been thrown from a flat at Block 636 Bedok Reservoir Road. Acting on a tip-off, a Lianhe Zaobao reporter visited the HDB estate on Monday (July 13) evening and found a discarded sanitary napkin in one of the drains, and several used tissues scattered nearby. Litter was also seen on the service ledges of several floors.Resident Chen Xianzhang, 67, said he has repeatedly come across blood-stained sanitary pads and used tissues downstairs in recent months. «If it were a tissue, it could have accidentally been blown away by the wind. But sanitary napkins are personal items, so it's obvious that they were thrown there deliberately,» added Chen. He condemned the behaviour as «disgusting» and said it was damaging the estate's environment.