A total of six bus interchanges will undergo upgrading as part of ongoing efforts to make public transport more comfortable, family-friendly and inclusive, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Tuesday (Aug 18). The six interchanges are Bishan, Bukit Batok, Bukit Merah, Eunos, Punggol and Tampines.The authority added that works to improve accessibility, commuter amenities and staff facilities will begin in 2027.As part of the upgrading works, systems such as air-conditioning, ventilation systems and lighting will be replaced and upgraded to improve comfort and energy efficiency.Inclusive facilities such as priority queue zones, additional seating, baby care/family washrooms, wheelchair accessible toilets, tactile guided paths and Braille signs on handrails will also be enhanced.

Banking veteran Hsieh Fu Hua has taken over as chairman of the National Wages Council (NWC), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced on Wednesday (Aug 19).He takes over from Peter Seah, who chairs the boards of DBS Group Holdings and Singapore Airlines, after the career banker asked to relinquish his appointment for «personal reasons». «After deliberation, MOM has decided to accede to the request,» the ministry said in its statement.Hsieh was appointed deputy chairman of the NWC for the 2026/27 session. He has extensive experience across the business, social and public sectors, and is currently serving as chairman of the National University of Singapore Board of Trustees and Director on the GIC Board.On Aug 11, CapitaLand Investments announced in a Singapore Exchange (SGX) filing that Hsieh has been appointed as its board's deputy chairman.The 75-year-old was formerly the chief executive of SGX, and was president of both the National Council of Social Service and Temasek Holdings.

A 26-year-old man was arrested on Monday (Aug 17) for his alleged involvement in a case of loanshark harassment in Sembawang.Police said in a news release on Tuesday that they were alerted to case of loanshark harassment at a residential unit along Sembawang Drive at about 8.45pm on Sunday, where the gate of the unit was affixed with a bicycle lock.Officers from Woodlands Police Division identified the man through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras. The police arrested him on the next day. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man is believed to be involved in another case of loanshark harassment at a residential unit along Jurong East Street 13. The man will be charged in court on Wednesday under the Moneylenders Act. If found guilty, the man could be fined between $5,000 and $50,000, jailed for up to five years, and receive up to six strokes of the cane.The police reiterated that they have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment activities. 

Singapore's regulatory framework requires construction and demolition (C&D) waste to be properly processed and sorted for recycling, and such waste is not allowed to be exported for disposal, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).The agency was responding to a query from AsiaOne on Tuesday (Aug 18), following Malaysia media reports that Singapore agreed to immediately halt the export of C&D waste to Malaysia during a phone call with Johor Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp Johor) director Zainal Fitri Ahmad on Monday.But Singapore did reaffirm during the call that it does not allow C&D waste to be exported for disposal, NEA said.It added that only homogeneous material streams such as ferrous scrap, recovered from C&D waste, are considered recyclables that can be exported, subject to the relevant regulatory requirements being met.Singapore trucks dumping wasteOver the past week, several media outlets, citing Johor officials, had reported that trucks originating from Singapore were believed to have dumped construction scraps in Johor.

Three male individuals, aged between 15 and 21, were arrested on Monday (Aug 18) for their alleged involvement in a case of motorcycle theft in Tampines.Police said in a news release on Tuesday night that they were alerted to the case at about 10pm on Sunday at a carpark along Tampines Street 83.Officers from Bedok Police Division and the Police Operations Command Centre established the identities of the trio through follow-up investigations and ground enquiries, arresting them within 15 hours of the report being made.The stolen motorcycle was also recovered.Both the 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old teenager will be charged in court on Wednesday with the offence of theft of a motor vehicle with common intent.If found guilty of the said offence, they could be jailed for up to seven years and fined.Police investigations into the 15-year-old teenager are ongoing.[[nid:742775]]editor@asiaone.com 

Michelle Zan was only seven when she first picked up the racket and shuttlecock, beginning her journey as a badminton player.Her efforts led her to become a national athlete, representing Singapore in countries across Asia and beyond.Despite the glory that comes with representing our country, she hung up the racket last year.«There were many highs and lows during my entire sporting journey that really shaped who I am today,» the 19-year-old told AsiaOne on Tuesday (Aug 18).«I wouldn't say that I had any expectation for fame or glory... I was there purely because I enjoyed playing the sport.»Now, Zan has set her sights on something completely different.On Tuesday, Zan received the Singapore Government Scholarship at the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA) scholarship award ceremony, with hopes to pursue a career in the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB).«There are many fundamental differences between my role as a sporting athlete and as someone in the public service,» she told us.

A netizen advocating for the wellbeing of guide dogs during the National Day Parade fireworks display said she was verbally harassed online.The Facebook user, Kay Lin, posted on Complaint Singapore Unrestricted on Monday (Aug 17) about how a man allegedly sent her a private message and called her a «f***ing slut».She alleged that the man was also a member of the Dogs Singapore Facebook group and that the message was sent in response to her advocacy regarding the welfare of guide dogs participating in this year's National Day Parade.A screenshot shared by Kay Lin appeared to show a message containing insults directed at her, including calling her a «waste of oxygen».«No wonder no guy want you. F***ing slut like you should just end your life,» the message stated.Kay Lin responded to the man's message in a Facebook post, outlining what she described as the potential effects of loud fireworks on guide dogs.«Just [because] guide dogs look calm, [it] doesn’t mean they aren’t suffering in silence [during] fireworks,» she wrote.

A man has come up with an unconventional way to deal with passengers who play music or videos loudly on public transport — he offers them free earphones.In a video shared on TikTok on Friday (Aug 14), Josh Goh is seen approaching a female bus passenger who can be heard playing a video on her phone. He then offered the woman a pair of earphones. While Goh tried to persuade her by telling her the earphones were free and brand new, she did not accept them.He took the rejection in stride, jesting that she may have turned down the earphones because they were not wireless ones.The volume on her phone, however, did die down after the exchange.Free earphonesSpeaking to 8world on Tuesday, Goh shared that the incident took place last Sunday.

Two men were taken to hospital after an accident involving two cars and a motorcycle along Loyang Avenue on Sunday (Aug 16).Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force said they were alerted to a road traffic accident along Loyang Avenue at about 2.05am.A 31-year-old male car driver and a 20-year-old male motorcyclist were taken conscious to Changi General Hospital.The car driver was arrested for drink-driving, the police said.Footage of the accident's aftermath, shared on Facebook page SGRV Admin, shows a black car mounted on the kerb at a bus stop, appearing to have collided with a bollard.Another car was parked by the side of the road, with a motorcycle lying on the ground in front of it. 

Singapore gave themselves a lifeline in Bangkok after Harhys Stewart struck on the stroke of half-time to hand the Lions a 1-0 lead over Thailand in the second leg of their ASEAN Championship semi-final on Tuesday (Aug 18).The goal cut Thailand's aggregate advantage to 3-2 and changed the mood inside Rajamangala Stadium, leaving Gavin Lee's side needing just one more unanswered goal to force extra time.Heavy rain before kick-off had left the pitch slick and waterlogged in patches, while there were noticeable empty seats around the vast stadium as both sides settled into a cautious opening.Singapore quickly took control of possession and worked the ball forward with intent, particularly down the flanks, but struggled to find the decisive pass against a compact Thai defence.Thailand, meanwhile, were content to absorb pressure and break quickly, carrying the greater threat despite seeing less of the ball.The hosts nearly profited in the 19th minute when Patrik Gustavsson was released into space down the right and Izwan Mahbud rushed off his line to intervene. Gustavsson went to ground, but a VAR review found no foul.

Singapore beat Thailand 2-1 at Rajamangala Stadium on Tuesday (Aug 18), but their Asean Championship campaign ended at the semi-final stage after a 4-3 aggregate defeat.The Lions had given themselves hope when Harhys Stewart struck just before half-time to cut Thailand's aggregate lead to 3-2, but a second-half penalty converted by Kakana Khamyok restored the hosts' two-goal cushion. Singapore responded almost immediately when Ryhan Stewart's dangerous low delivery across the six-yard box was turned into his own net by Pansa Hemviboon, reducing the aggregate deficit to one goal and setting up a tense finish.Singapore, however, could not find the goal they needed to force extra time.Heavy rain before kick-off had left the Rajamangala pitch slick, and drizzle returned in the second half as Gavin Lee's side chased a route back into the tie.Singapore started positively and enjoyed most of the early possession, moving the ball down both flanks, although Thailand looked the more dangerous side on the counter.

Have you noticed a burning smell in the air and worried that Singapore is experiencing haze?The «sharp, acrid» smell that one might occasionally detect during the haze season does not necessarily mean that air quality is poor, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Aug 18).This is because the odour from a mixture of gases emitted from faraway forest and peat fires can be discerned by humans even at  «very low concentrations». «These gases are separate from the pollutants NEA monitors for the PSI and PM2.5 readings,» the agency added.NEA publishes the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings and 24-hour PSI readings on the myENV app and its website.Singapore may experience hazy conditions in the coming days if fire in the southern and central parts of Sumatra and various parts of Kalimantan continue to intensify, the Meteorological Service Singapore forecast on Monday.

A 17-year-old male teenager was arrested by the police after he falsely claimed to two travel companions that he was in possession of a bomb and a vape at Woodlands Checkpoint.The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Aug 18) that the teenager had just completed immigration clearance at the bus arrival hall of Woodlands Checkpoint when he made the claim.An ICA officer, who was then conducting profiling duties, overheard the remark and stopped the teenager and his two travel companions.The trio were referred for further checks, which subsequently established that the claims were false.The 17-year-old was arrested by the police for public nuisance and investigations are ongoing, ICA said.ICA reiterated that security at Singapore's checkpoints is its top priority, and all reports made regarding security threats or contraband will be taken «very seriously».«We will not hesitate to take action against those who make false or misleading claims, causing unnecessary alarm to the public,» ICA said.

A 15-year-old has been arrested in connection with a bomb threat at Xinmin Secondary School that prompted the evacuation of students and staff last week. In an update to AsiaOne on Tuesday (Aug 18), the police said a teenager had been arrested and that investigations into the case are ongoing.The incident occurred on the morning of Aug 13, when the school activated its emergency evacuation procedures after being alerted to a potential bomb threat.Police later conducted a thorough search of the premises and found no suspicious items.Subsequent reports indicated that the scare was allegedly triggered by a note discovered by a teacher in a Secondary 3 classroom.The note reportedly claimed that there was a bomb on the school grounds, prompting the school to alert the police and evacuate students and staff as a precaution.

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers called the bluff on the driver of a Malaysia-registered lorry during an inspection at Tuas Checkpoint on Aug 11.Pictures posted on ICA's Facebook show bread trays stacked in the cargo box of the lorry truck.One photograph shows what appears to be cartons of cigarettes concealed underneath loaves of bread.The lorry, driven by a 39-year-old Malaysian man, was directed for enhanced checks.There, search and examination officers found a total of 1,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within a consignment of assorted bread.

To curb the proliferation of online investment scams, messaging platforms must introduce measures that make it harder for an unknown person to contact another user.The seven designated messaging and conferencing services — WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, Apple iMessage and FaceTime, as well as Google Message and Google Meet — must also prevent the impersonation of Government officials by fake accounts taking advantage of profile names or pictures.The police, which issued new codes of practice under the Online Criminal Harms Act on Monday (Aug 17), said in a news release that 52 per cent of scam cases reported in 2025 occurred on designated online services.WhatsApp and Telegram accounted for about 23 per cent of all scam cases, and about 18 per cent of Government officials impersonation scams (GOIS) took place through WhatsApp that year.Urgent action is needed to address GOIS cases, police said, and the seven messaging platforms must comply with requirements to prevent the spoofing of officials by Sept 30.

A recycling truck caught fire at Block 181A Boon Lay Drive on Saturday (Aug 15) afternoon.A video of the incident posted on TikTok shows the contents from the recycling truck emptied out along the estate's driveway as firefighters tackle the fire.The truck is seen parked further up the driveway.  Based on the video, the contents comprise mostly cardboard and plastic.TikTok user _brotherbearrr, who posted the video, is seen using a hose, possibly connected to his kitchen tap, to douse the smouldering pile. In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said that the fire involved contents from the rear compartment of the truck, adding that firefighters extinguished the fire using two hose reels.There were no reported injuries in the incident and the cause of the fire is under investigation.[[nid:742750]]editor@asiaone.com 

A total of 81,750 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes were uncovered at a warehouse unit within the Changi Free Trade Zone (FTZ) during an inspection by Singapore Customs. The cigarettes were subsequently seized, after trademark proprietors confirmed they were fake. In a news release on Tuesday (Aug 18), Singapore Customs said the seizure stemmed from an inspection conducted on June 9, when officers checked a consignment declared as cigarettes under a transhipment permit destined for Mexico.Free Trade Zones (FTZs) in Singapore are designated economic areas that provide advantageous customs and tax conditions to businesses operating within them. In Singapore's nine FTZs, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and customs duties are suspended on goods stored, processed or handled within them; unless such goods leave the FTZ and enter the local market for sale or consumption.During the inspection, officers found cigarettes of assorted brands packed in cardboard boxes and wrapped in black and green packaging.Suspecting the cigarettes were counterfeit, the officers contacted the respective trademark proprietors.

SINGAPORE — A recalcitrant offender has landed in trouble again — this time receiving a jail sentence for assaulting three people, including a security officer, and being a public nuisance near a pre-school.Lim Sok Lay, 54, was fined $4,000 in 2022 after harassing her neighbour, a nurse, amid the Covid-19 outbreak. She was fined another $4,000 in 2025 after causing a ruckus during her son’s lion dance competition.Lim committed some of the latest offences with her daughter Jolene Cheang Wan Ling, 29.On Aug 17, Lim, who is on remand, was sentenced to six months and two weeks’ jail after she pleaded guilty to two counts of assault.She also pleaded guilty to one count each of being a public nuisance and voluntarily causing hurt to a security officer.Cheang, who pleaded guilty to one count each of assault, criminal intimidation and being a public nuisance, was sentenced to five months’ jail and a fine of $1,500.Her bail has been set at $20,000, and she is expected to begin serving her sentence in September.

The long arm of the law caught up with two male Chinese nationals, aged 43 and 50 on Sunday (Aug 16), about four months after they allegedly broke into a Balestier temple and stole money from the donation boxes.Police said in a news release on Monday night that the duo were arrested on their return to Singapore after committing the alleged crime at about 12.30am on April 2.The alleged incident happened at a temple on Tai Gin Road, and cash amounting to between $300 and $400 was stolen from the donation boxes.Preliminary investigations revealed that the two men had entered the temple using a card affixed with adhesive tape to remove cash from the donation boxes.Officers from Tanglin Police Division established their identities through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from closed-circuit television.But they had left Singapore on the same day of the alleged crime.They will be charged in court on Tuesday with the offence of housebreaking and theft with common intention.If found guilty of the said offence, they could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.[[nid:742779]]

SINGAPORE — As a child, Mervyn Ong would follow his property agent parents to house viewings and help them distribute flyers in letterboxes. This stirred in him a passion for the profession which he later spent years trying to enter.It took the 38-year-old nine attempts over 15 years to eventually pass the Real Estate Salesperson (RES) examination to become a registered property agent in 2023.“I don’t like to be deskbound. I have wanted to be a real estate agent since young, but the exams were very hard to pass... I am not someone who is study-smart, but I was determined,” said Ong, who even hired a tutor to help him prepare for the examinations.“It took me 15 years, but I don’t feel ‘paiseh’ (about it),” added Ong, using the Hokkien term for embarrassment.Ong loves his job as he finds it meaningful to help people find their ideal homes, at the same time “earn a good income”.In his first year, Ong earned a gross commission of about $80,000. By his third year in 2025, his take-home income had risen to just over $200,000.