Singapore's Keppel posted a 25 per cent rise in half-year profit on Thursday (July 30) on the back of stronger contributions from asset management and operating segment that include its infrastructure business.The asset manager's net profit, excluding the non-core portfolio for divestment, rose to $530 million for the six months ended June, compared with $431 million reported a year earlier.The infrastructure arm, Keppel's biggest contributor to earnings, recorded a 55 per cent increase in profit to $339 million, driven by robust performance in the integrated power business, outweighing softer spark spreads and the impact of the Middle East conflict on costs.Profit rose 54 per cent at the connectivity division, which operates Keppel's data centre business, cashing in on rising demand for AI and digital infrastructure. The segment commercialised all five of its Bifrost Cable System fibre pairs.Meanwhile, its real estate segment posted a net loss of $19 million, extending a decline from last quarter due to the absence of gains from a partial disposal of Saigon Centre last year.

A 19-year-old French national, who posted a video of himself licking a straw and returning it to an iJooz vending machine, was fined $600 for public nuisance on Thursday (July 30).Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance, while a second charge of mischief was taken into consideration.The French teenager was charged over an incident at Goldhill Centre along Thomson Road at around 2pm on March 12.After attending a boxing session there, he went to an iJooz vending machine and bought a drink.While filming the act, he took a straw from the machine, licked about half of it and placed the contaminated straw back on the straw dispenser.Maximilien then collected the drink, took the contaminated straw and left.He later edited the footage and uploaded it to Instagram, according to the statement of facts.

Former permanent secretary for home affairs development Chew Hock Yong will take over as chairman of National Parks Board (NParks) from August 1, the Ministry of National Development (MND) announced on Thursday (July 30).He takes over from Loh Khum Yean, who became NParks's board chairman in October 2023.Chew, 58, has over three decades of public service experience and leadership roles across multiple ministries, including serving as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Social and Family Development and Ministry of Home Affairs.After retiring from the civil service in 2022, the 58-year-old was appointed as chairman of the former Workforce Singapore (WSG), until June 30, when the agency merged with SkillsFuture to from the new Skills and Workforce Development Agency.

The conversation over the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) «First to Board, First to Use» trial has evolved beyond strollers and prams, with wheelchair users and disability advocates weighing in their concerns on accessibility needs and wants. The Disabled People's Association (DPA) said in an Instagram post on Sunday (July 26): «A wheelchair doesn't fold. A stroller usually does.» «For wheelchair users, that bay isn't a preference — it's often the only way to travel accessibly and affordably. »Better bus designs can serve wheelchair users and parents with strollers. Removing an access need shouldn't be the trade-off,« it added. The »First to Board, First to Use" trial is part of an initiative to make public transport more inclusive for commuters.

Two Malaysian men, aged 30 and 40, were arrested on Wednesday (July 29) for their alleged involvement in at least two separate cases of government official impersonation scam.In a news release on Wednesday night, the police said the duo were arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint.According to the police, the cases, which took place on July 24 and 28 respectively, had similar modus operandi.In both cases, the female victims were told by a person claiming to be a Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) official that they were implicated in money laundering involving their bank accounts.The first victim, acting on the scammer's instructions, proceeded to hand over $9,000 in cash to an unknown man for the purposes of «investigations», while the second victim was deceived to hand over gold bars worth over $20,000 and an assortment of valuables worth approximately $10,000.Both victims believed that they had handed over their valuables to an «officer» from the authority.

Just 10 years old, Emilio Cerda is already doing what most Singaporeans can only dream of doing — representing the country on the global stage.The Singaporean has set his sights on the upcoming 2026 Pokemon World Championships in San Francisco from Aug 28 to 30.Emilio will be taking part in the trading card game (TCG) competition's junior division, which will see him test his mettle against players under 12 years of age from all over the world. «If he goes and he wins, it's fantastic because there's like $2 million (S$2.5 million) in the prize pool, so he'll basically be paying for university with a first place placing,» said Emilio's father, Jose Cerda, 40.Cerda, an American on a spousal visa, is married to a Singaporean who grew up in Hong Kong. They also have a daughter, six, who has just started on her Pokemon journey.«But if he goes and he just has the best time and wins a couple of games — or even if he doesn't — it just ends the weekend with a positive experience,» Cerda told AsiaOne on Tuesday (July 28).«That to me, as far as his Pokemon journey goes, is the best gift I can give my son.»

A total of 147 people are under police investigation for allegedly allowing scammers to use their bank accounts to facilitate money-laundering.The suspects were identified during an islandwide enforcement operation targeting individuals suspected of perpetrating government officials scams, impersonation scams, investment scams and job scams.From June 17 to 30, the Cyber Command's Anti-Scam Centre (ASC) partnered with local banks to detect and freeze 158 bank accounts linked to scam activities.More than $150,000 in suspected scam proceeds were seized, said the police on Wednesday (July 29).The police said they also collaborated with social media platforms, messaging-application providers and telecommunications companies to take down 1,123 online enablers and disable 370 phone lines that had been used to support scam operations.For assisting another to retain benefits from criminal conduct in certain circumstances, offenders can be jailed for up to three years, or fined up to $50,000, or both.

Though they may be small, their hearts are big enough to care for an entire forest.Four young residents of East Coast GRC approached MP Edwin Tong to appeal for the preservation of Clementi Forest, the minister shared in a Facebook post on Tuesday (July 28).Tong said the issue was raised during a Meet-the-People Session on Monday night, when the children came to him with «something close to their hearts».«They came prepared to make their case: with a very well written script, conveyed articulately, along with drawings to depict the issue clearly to me,» Minister Tong said, adding that he found the materials «very persuasive».The children told him they regularly take part in activities with Forest School, where they learn about nature, biodiversity and the importance of protecting the environment.«It was heartening to see how passionately they spoke about the forest and respectfully put forward their views,» he said. «Every resident deserves to be heard, regardless of age.»Tong added that he promised to support their appeal and ensure their views are conveyed to the relevant agencies for proper consideration.

A commuter's power bank stored in a backpack reportedly emitted smoke on a MRT train, prompting the evacuation of passengers at Buangkok station on Wednesday (July 29).Pictures of the incident circulating on social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Reddit show a bag and personal items covered in white powder on the platform floor.Officers from the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) are also seen at the MRT station.A Xiaohongshu user said in a post at 5.20pm that they had noticed a burning smell onboard a train travelling from Hougang to Buangkok station.«At the next stop, Buangkok, everyone exited the train. A power bank inside someone's bag was releasing smoke,» the user claimed.One commuter, Chen Yongwen (transliteration), told Lianhe Zaobao that a TransCom officer had sprayed a dry powder fire extinguisher and smoke from the backpack stopped shortly after.Chen claimed that a man, who appeared to be in his 30s, said he owned the bag.«The officers asked if there was a power bank in the backpack, but I didn't hear his answer clearly,» he said.

A fire broke out at the basement carpark of a condominium in Yishun on Wednesday (July 29) night.The incident, involving a car, happened at about 8.20pm at Orchard Park Condominium. A resident, who declined to be named, told AsiaOne she heard what sounded like an explosion, adding that the smell of smoke was very strong.Pictures seen by AsiaOne show flames from a vehicle parked at the carpark, and thick black smoke could be seen coming out from an opening.  Flames and thick smoke could be seen from the first floor of Tower 7. PHOTO: AsiaOne reader AsiaOne understands that the vehicle involved is not an electric vehicle.