Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will make official visits to Kazakhstan from Aug 24 to 27, and to Uzbekistan from Aug 27 to 31. This will also be SM Lee's first visit to Central Asia, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Sunday (Aug 23).While in Kazakhstan, SM Lee will visit Astana, where he will call on President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev, and Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev.He will also be conferred the Order of Dostyk (Friendship) of the First Class Award — one of Kazakhstan's highest civilian honours — by President Tokayev and deliver a lecture at Nazarbayev University, where he will be conferred an honorary professorship.SM Lee will then head to Almaty, where he will be hosted to lunch by Mayor of Almaty Darkhan Satybaldy and meet with Singapore and Kazakh business leaders.Kazakhstan is Singapore's largest trading partner in Central Asia, with bilateral trade in goods amounting to $326.6 million and bilateral trade in services reaching $159 million.

SINGAPORE — A 34-year-old man was arrested for allegedly drink driving and driving without a valid licence after an accident in Geylang on Sunday (Aug 23).His 31-year-old male passenger was also arrested for permitting a person without a valid licence to drive.In response to queries from The Straits Times, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to an accident involving a car and a van at the junction of Guillemard Road and Geylang Road at about 3.30am.A 54-year-old male van driver was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.Images of the aftermath of the accident posted on a Facebook group, Professional PHV Drivers Singapore: Grab, Gojek, Tada n Ryde, show a grey van flipped onto its side at the junction, surrounded by passing traffic.Several people can be seen trying to push the van back onto its wheels.The user who uploaded the post said that «many strong men (tried) to push the van back but to no avail», adding that the police were directing traffic at the accident scene.Police investigations are ongoing.

More than 10 residents were evacuated after a fire broke out in Bukit Batok on Saturday (Aug 22) afternoon. The fire broke out at about 1pm in a two-storey maisonette on the third floor at Block 628, Bukit Batok Central, reported Lianhe Zaobao.Videos of the aftermath shared by Lianhe Zaobao on TikTok shows the walls outside the unit blackened by smoke. The windows were also reportedly shattered and debris was scattered on the floor outside the unit. The homeowner, identified as Anna, told the Chinese daily that she was having lunch nearby with her husband and two of their children when the fire broke out. Her other two daughters, aged 15 and 19, were home at the time. «I immediately rushed home after receiving a call from my daughter, but I'm not sure what caused the fire,» she said. A neighbour in the adjacent unit, Lian Mengnan (transliterated), 72, said that the fire was suspected to have started from the electrical wiring next to the sofa, reported Lianhe Zaobao. Lian recalled that he was picking up a package outside his house when his neighbour's daughter ran out in a panic to ask for help. 

An elderly woman battling a rat infestation at her HDB block in Chinatown has turned to a homemade bait recipe, reportedly catching nearly 20 rats in just three weeks.The incident occurred at Block 32, New Market Road and has been ongoing for almost a year, reported Shin Min Daily News. Xie (transliterated), a 76-year-old cleaner who lives on the fifth floor, told the Chinese newspaper that she has lived there for decades and despite there being a hawker centre downstairs, rats rarely come upstairs. However, residents have reportedly spotted the rodents running around the corridors, biting on things and causing hygiene issues since the end of last year.  Xie, who leaves home very early each day, said she often sees rats scurrying around when she opens her door at around 4am or 5am. She added that her home security camera also captured footage of rats running along the top of her iron gate last year. She bought sticky rat traps, using fried anchovies, duck bones and oyster sauce as bait, to lure the rats. She usually sets two or three traps at a time. 

Three years after news broke that a prominent Workers' Party politician, Nicole Seah, stepped down from politics amid allegations of an affair with fellow party member Leon Perera, who was married at the time, many netizens are asking one curious question: Where are she and her husband now?1. Nicole worked as manager at French multinational advertising firmAlthough Nicole's social media accounts have gone silent since 2023, screenshots of her LinkedIn page recently resurfaced on Reddit.Based on cached Google search results, her most recently listed position was deputy general manager at Publicis Media, a French multinational advertising and public relations company.A screenshot showed Nicole worked at a global advertising firm.However, her account appears to have been taken down at the time of this article.2. Husband worked as sales manager at manufacturing companyHer husband, a Singaporean engineer who goes by Bryan, has also kept a low profile.

A 60-year-old private-hire driver found himself trapped after a tree fell on his car in Dempsey on Saturday (Aug 22) morning.The driver, identified as Saiful, told The Straits Times (ST) that he had heard a loud cracking sound as he was turning his white Nissan multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) out of the Museum of Ice Cream along Loewen Road. «I looked up and I could see the tree on the left side of my car slowly toppling in front of me,» he saidThe 60-year-old tried to reverse his vehicle, he recalled, but part of the tree had already toppled onto the passenger's side of the car, crushing the roof and trapping Saiful, who was unable to open the door from the inside.Employees from a spa in the area later came out and helped free him from the driver's seat, reported ST. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and an ambulance reportedly arrived shortly after and assessed Saiful for injuries. He was unhurt and his family arrived soon afterwards.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the SCDF said it received a call for assistance at about 10am to the incident along 75 Loewen Road, but no ambulance assistance was required.

Three Beatty Secondary School students were praised after tracking down the owner of a lost wallet and returning it intact. The owner of the wallet, TikTok user @davidngrwdaywe, shared about the deed in a since-deleted video that was uploaded on Friday (Aug 21). According to CCTV footage, the incident happened on Aug 12 at around 4.56pm. The boys had found the wallet on Bus 129. They used the owner's identification card found inside to locate him and went to his home to return the wallet. In the CCTV footage, the students were seen standing outside the owner's flat. Despite ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door several times, they received no response. One of the boys noticed the CCTV camera and said: «Can show [the wallet] to the camera I think they're looking through the camera.» Another student showed the wallet to the camera and reassured the owner that nothing had been stolen, urging him to claim back his wallet. In the post's captions, the wallet owner praised the students for their good deed. 

A group of more than 10 cyclists seen on video being chased by Traffic Police (TP) officers in the wee hours of Aug 14 morning along West Coast Avenue is among 17 errant cyclists and one personal mobility device (PMD) user nabbed in a joint enforcement operation with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) that day.Police said in a news release on Sunday (Aug 23) that the operations were conducted in the vicinity of Jalan Anak Bukit and West Coast Highway, adding that a total of 26 offences were detected, with 18 individuals issued with composition fines.

SINGAPORE – It was a clear afternoon on March 26, 2022, when educator Joseph Lee, 49, was cycling along Senja Road, off Woodlands Road.He was wearing a bright red T-shirt and helmet.But as he turned at the junction with Senja Way, a taxi in a right-turn-only lane illegally drove straight, side-swiping him.Lee was flung off his bike and the impact from landing fractured his collarbone in two places.The cabby's insurer later accepted full liability and paid damages.Yet for Lee, the months of painful recovery and dependency on others for basic tasks like bathing and eating were very frustrating.He said: «There are cyclists who break the rules, doing things like running red lights and nothing happens to them. But I did everything I was supposed to do. Yet, I was the one suffering.»With Singapore's roads becoming more dangerous in recent years, cyclists have become increasingly at risk.Accidents involving cyclists hit a four-year high in 2025, with a total of 772 accidents, of which 17 were fatal. There were 620 accidents involving cyclists in 2024 and 581 in 2023.

During the day, they set goals, manage people, grow businesses and keep a keen eye on the bottom line.By evening, they slip into their jerseys and boots and gather on a football field to play, train and network.Bosses United is a group of business owners in Singapore who bond over a game of football at least once a week, and which also doubles up as a networking group, its co-founder Albert Ng told AsiaOne on Tuesday (Aug 11).Ng is the head of Docu Connex, which deals mostly in printers.Other companies in the almost 100-strong membership roster include recognisable brands spanning various industries from food to landscaping such as Jack's Place, Way Fengshui and TEHC Group.Bosses United plays in venues across Singapore, against corporate teams, including local banks and Singapore Airlines' cabin crew.They take their football seriously, and even have the likes of football legend Fandi Ahmad and former national footballer Samawira Basri coaching them occasionally and giving them tips.

Awoken by the smell of smoke and persistent knocking on her front door, Siti Sara Hamid’s first thought was to evacuate her grandmother due to her mobility issues.Sara, 29, and her family of five were asleep when police officers instructed residents from Block 979B Buangkok Crescent to evacuate, following a blaze at a unit at about 12.30am on Aug 20.The challenge of evacuating older residents with mobility difficulties was highlighted after four fatal fires in HDB estates in 19 days between July 28 and Aug 16.All the victims were elderly, aged between 65 and 88 years old. Around 220 people were evacuated.MPs and social service agencies have said the evacuation process is a concern and they are looking at ways to improve emergency preparedness and evacuation support.Shaken and unsteady on her feet, Sara’s grandmother, 83, was helped to the first floor by neighbours.

A car fire occurred at an open-air Toa Payoh carpark on Friday (Aug 21) evening.Footage from the incident shows the vehicle engulfed in orange flames, sparking a small explosion, while a large crowd of onlookers kept their distance.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the incident near Block 148 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh at around 6.05pm and that the fire involved the engine compartment of the car, which was extinguished with a water jet.No injuries were reported.The cause of the fire is under investigation.@doublebubble.coCar on fire at Blk 148 Lorong 1 TPY♬ original sound - Double Bubble Co.

A female motorcyclist died after an accident with another rider on Friday (Aug 21).In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) shared that they were alerted to the two-motorcycle accident along the BKE towards the PIE at around 11.30am.One rider was conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and another to Woodlands Hospital.The 32-year-old male motorcyclist was taken conscious to the hospital, but the 45-year-old woman was conveyed unconscious and later died at the hospital.Earlier on Tuesday (Aug 18), a 25-year-old male motorcyclist died following an accident along Seletar West Link.A 57-year-old woman was subsequently arrested for careless driving causing death and investigations are ongoing.[[nid:743197]]drimac@asiaone.com

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to address four topics during the National Day Rally (NDR) on Sunday (Aug 23).In a Facebook post on Saturday, PM Wong highlighted the rapidly changing world, stressing that Singapore «has to change with it».Giving a glimpse of what's to come at this year's NDR, PM Wong said in his video post that he will share more about how Singapore will navigate these changes.This boils down to four topics, the first of which is the need to harness technology, «but on our terms».The next, he says, is that Singapore needs to stay open and connected, while maintaining cohesion.Families must also receive more support going forward, PM Wong stated.[[nid:742228]]Importantly, Singapore must also «continue planning and building for the future», he emphasised.Earlier this month, PM Wong had called on Singaporeans to keep faith with one another and stay true to the ideals of the national pledge in his National Day message on Aug 8.

Remember the accidental baby selfie trend that took social media by storm?It seems Singaporeans have moved on from posting babies to hunting a criminal. Specifically, a «Jun Jie».If your name is Jun Jie or Tan Jun Jie, and you recently saw a social media post accusing someone with your name of theft, corruption or some other dubious crime, fret not, you are probably not in trouble.Businesses in Singapore recently hopped on a social media trend of calling out «Jun Jie» for allegedly committing crimes at their establishments.The posts typically start off on a rather serious note, with the business addressing the supposed offender directly.They then reveal, for example, an item that was allegedly stolen, accompanied by attractive product images.But before anyone named Jun Jie can start looking over his shoulder, the businesses reveal that the entire thing is a joke, and the alleged crime is often something far more innocent than it initially sounded.As an apology for the unnecessary scare, some businesses even offer real Jun Jies a freebie.

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is investigating claims that a wheelchair assistant at Changi Airport had $5 docked from his pay for being 11 seconds late for work.In response to queries from The Straits Times, MOM said on Aug 21: «We are aware of this case and have contacted Aventa Services, the employer of the affected employee, to establish the nature and extent of the deductions.»The ministry said that it will take appropriate enforcement actions if the deduction is found to be unauthorised or excessive.The incident first came to light in an Aug 12 LinkedIn post by Juliet Low, the founder of direct hire caregiving app Maid Without Borders Singapore.In the post, she detailed her encounter with a wheelchair assistant at Changi Airport who said he had $5 docked from his pay because he was 11 seconds late a few weeks ago. The assistant was said to be earning $7 an hour.«He actually showed me a picture of his payslip stating the 11-second deduction. That's almost an hour of his pay - for 11 seconds,» Low wrote, adding that the deduction was «completely disproportionate».

Two traffic police officers were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after their vehicle caught fire early on Friday (Aug 21).Dashcam footage shared by SG Road Vigilante on Facebook shows a vehicle engulfed in flames.Thick smoke can be seen as several firefighters attempt to put out the blaze.According to the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the incident occurred along the BKE towards Woodlands, on a slip road towards the SLE, at around 12.10am.The two traffic police officers were patrolling when they noticed smoke emitting from their vehicle's engine compartment and evacuated immediately.The duo, alongside a member of the public, attempted to extinguish the fire before it was put out by firefighters with a water jet.The officers were conveyed conscious to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.[[nid:743197]]drimac@asiaone.com

A Singaporean security guard was sentenced to 14 days' jail and fined RM7,000 (S$2,200) after pleading guilty to insulting Islam in Johor Bahru last month. Mohamed Anim Atam, 56, was sentenced on Friday (Aug 21) and ordered to serve his jail term from the date of his arrest on Aug 18, Bernama reported.He was charged under Section 298 of the Malaysian Penal Code, which carries a maximum one-year jail term, a fine, or both. If he fails to pay the fine, he will face an additional three months of jail time.According to charge sheets, Mohamed Anim committed the offence at about 5pm on July 30 in Johor Bahru.He had made offensive remarks about Islam while travelling in an e-hailing vehicle, reported The Star.A man recorded the incident and later uploaded the footage to social media.On the next day, a police report was lodged. Deputy Public Prosecutor Eizlan Azhar sought an appropriate sentence, noting that the case had gone viral on social media and involved race, religion and royalty issues, The Star reported.