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. 

A 20-year-old Singapore motorcyclist who was riding to Port Dickson was killed after an out-of-control lorry struck him along an expressway on Sunday (May 21) morning.In a media statement issued on Sunday afternoon, Batu Pahat police chief Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said the incident happened at about 5am at the 82.4km mark of the North-South Expressway near Batu Pahat. The Singaporean rider, Lutfi Adib Yusof, encountered a breakdown and had stopped on the emergency lane of the expressway, said Assistant Commissioner of Police Shahrulanuar.«He was suddenly hit by a lorry from the same direction which was believed to have lost control before the accident occured,» the police chief said.He added that Lutfi suffered serious head injuries and was pronounced dead on the way to the Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital.The 45-year-old male lorry driver, a Malaysian, did not suffer any injuries. Police investigations are ongoing. [[nid:737102]]editor@asiaone.com 

Fitness enthusiasts who frequent Clementi Stadium will have to find a new exercise spot soon.In social media posts uploaded on Monday (June 1), Minister for Education Desmond Lee announced that the 43-year-old stadium will be closed from July 7 until 2030 for redevelopment works.The redevelopment was previously mentioned by Lee in 2024, when he was then Minister for National Development. In his posts, Lee, who is MP for West Coast-Jurong West GRC, said the repurposed stadium will feature a new running track, a softball field, a multipurpose field for baseball or football, as well as sheltered courts. 

Five people were taken to hospital after a taxi and a car collided at a junction near Gardens by the Bay on Monday (June 1) afternoon.The accident, involving a Comfort Delgro taxi and a Lexus LBX hybrid car, happened at about 2.30pm along Marina Gardens Drive outside the entrance to Gardens by the Bay South. Map showing where the accident between the Comfort Delgro taxi and Lexus hybrid car took place on Monday (June 1) afternoon. GRAPHIC: Google Maps, AsiaOne When AsiaOne arrived at the scene at 2.35pm, both the taxi and car were stopped near the middle of  the junction.The curtain airbags of both vehicles were deployed.

The Union of Security Employees (USE) is standing in solidarity with the two female security officers who were involved in an altercation with a Hong Kong school principal last week.In a Facebook post on Saturday (May 30), the union said it visited Safra Jurong «to show our support» to the officers. «During the interaction, the women officers shared how challenging the situation was.»Their singular focus was to stop the children from alighting in an unsafe zone along a busy main road at evening peak hour," said the union.  

A total of eight drivers, aged between 25 and 51, will be charged in court on Tuesday (June 2) for speeding offences involving heavy vehicles not fitted with speed limiters.The police said in a news release on Monday that the alleged offences were committed between April 2025 and February this year.Six cases involved bus drivers who exceed their vehicles' imposed speed limit of 60kmh. Of these, five allegedly drove along the Pan Island Expressway or the Bukit Timah Expressway between 74kmh to 77kmh, while a 51-year-old male driver purportedly drove along Sheares Avenue towards Central Boulevard at 81kmh.The remaining two cases involved the drivers of a cement mixer and a prime mover, which have an imposed speed limit of 40kmh and 50kmh, respectively. The first driver allegedly drove along Sheares Avenue towards Central Boulevard at 55kmh, while the second driver purportedly drove along the same stretch of road at 67kmh.If found guilty of speeding, the drivers could be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to three months, or both.

The Traffic Police have continued their crack down on owners of heavy vehicles who failed to install speed limiters on their vehicles by the statutory Jan 1 deadline.Earlier in January, police said 141 of 2,434 heavy vehicles had failed to do so by the deadline. These lorries were registered before January 1, 2018, and have a maximum laden weight of between 5,001kg and 12,000kgA speed limiter is designed to limit a vehicle's maximum speed.In an update on Monday (June 1), the police said they have taken enforcement action against 67 heavy vehicle owners for speed limiter-related offences. Police investigations revealed that the owners had failed to fit their vehicles with an approved speed limiter and also failed to produce their vehicles for inspection.Those who fail to ensure a speed limiter is fitted can be fined up to $1,000 or jailed up to three years. The offence of failing to produce a vehicle for inspection carries a penalty of three months jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Barely a month after SGFR Store opened its ninth outlet in Jurong Point, the popular snack and candy retailer opened its 10th outlet at Lot One Shoppers' Mall in Choa Chu Kang on Sunday (May 31), once again drawing a huge young crowd.Videos posted on the brand's TikTok and by those who attended the opening show a mostly young crowd gathered outside the fourth-floor store. They grooved to music while making the juggling hand gesture tied to the viral «6-7» meme. Co-founder Luqmaan Haakim said in a video post on Saturday that the first five people in the queue will each receive a Samsung Galaxy A07 phone, and also be gifted popular snacks such as crunchy gummies, twister gummies, mochi meltz, spicy fries and Dubai chewy cookies. There were also gifts for the sixth to 20th person in the queue. And there were indeed those who were willing to queue.TikTok user Xinxiang posted a video taken at about 2.50am on Sunday showing some ten youths seated in an open area on the ground floor near MacDonalds, waiting for the mall to open at 10am.

Singapore badminton star Loh Kean Yew lost to Frenchman Alex Lanier in the men's singles final of the Singapore Badminton Open on Sunday (May 31).Loh claimed the opening game 21-17 against Lanier, drawing cheers from the crowd, before losing the second set 15-21.Loh then conceded the last set 14-21.The US$1 million (S$1.3 million) KFF Singapore Badminton Open was held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Loh will earn US$34,000 from this tournament.During the prize presentation, the 28-year-old briefly stepped onto the top rung of the podium as his name was announced, before quickly realising his mistake.The crowd then burst into laughter, along with Loh, who also apologised with a laugh.Ranked 14th, Loh had booked his place in the championship match with a hard-fought semi-final victory over Japan's Koki Watanabe on Saturday (May 30).The last Singaporean men's singles winner in this tournament was Wee Choon Seng in 1962.Loh is set to feature next in the June 2 to 7 Indonesia Open, a Super 1000 event, in Jakarta.[[nid:737034]]

Four persons were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Choa Chu Kang on Sunday (May 31).The incident happened at about 1.20pm in the living room of a 14th floor unit at Block 439 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4. At least three Singapore Civil Defence Force fire engines and a light fire attack vehicle were at the scene. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Nuriyah Fatin When AsiaOne reached the scene at about 1.40pm, at least three Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire engines and a light fire attack vehicle were present. Police officers who were at the scene set up a cordon at the ground floor area beneath the affected unit as there were glass shards and debris on the ground.

A 22-year-old man was arrested by the police on Saturday (May 30) for his alleged involvement in a home break-in in Yishun.Police said in a statement on Sunday that they were alerted to a case of housebreaking at Block 225 Yishun Street 21 at about 9.50am on Saturday.The victim purportedly lost cash amounting to $520, bank cards, identity cards and a EZ-Link card.Officers from Woodlands Police Division and the Police Operations Command Centre identified and arrested the suspect at Block 744 Yishun Street 72 within four hours of the report being made.Except for the cash, all other items which were purportedly stolen, were recovered and seized as case exhibits.He will be charged in court on June 1 with the offence of housebreaking, an offence which carries a penalty of up to ten years imprisonment and a fine.Police advised homeowners to always secure all doors, roller shutters, windows and other openings with good quality grills and closed-shackle padlocks before leaving their premises, even if for a short while.Those who observe any suspicious persons or activity can call the police at 999.[[nid:736891]]

The first of 44 six-car trains for the Cross Island Line (CRL) has arrived in Singapore.In a social media post on Sunday (May 31), the Land Transport Authority showed the first trainset being unloaded from Jurong Port — where new MRT trains are typically unloaded at.Earlier in April, Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow had given the public a preview of the CR151 trains when he visited Qingdao rail depot.Similar to the trains for the Thomson-East Coast Line, each car on the new train will have five doors on each side.They will also have wider gangways — flexible connections between two train cars — for smoother passenger movement and a more comfortable journey, LTA said. 

Two accidents happened, almost simultaneously, along both sides of a stretch of the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) near Mount Pleasant Flyover on Saturday (May 30) morning.Police told AsiaOne that the accident along PIE towards Tuas, involving five cars and a motorcycle, happened at about 8.20am.  Map showing where the two accidents happened on Saturday (May 30) morning. GRAPHIC: Google Maps, Social media A 41-year-old male motorcyclist and an eight-year-old male car passenger were taken conscious to the National University Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) ambulances, respectively.Videos of the accident posted on social media show emergency vehicles at the two rightmost lanes of the three-lane expressway. 

As conflicts evolve, there is a need for more networks of flexible and issue-based arrangements to complement multilateral co-operation, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing.In his address at a Shangri-La Dialogue plenary session on May 31, Chan said that while multilateral institutions are the pillars of international co-operation, countries cannot be «held hostage by the lowest common denominator» as new domains evolve rapidly.Instead, nations should develop flexible partnerships with like-minded countries, forming «coalitions of the able and willing».«These serve as the connecting beams of our cooperative lattice - to bridge gaps, test ideas and path-find in new and uncharted territories,» he said.Chan said that with these networks, countries can work to build trust in domains such as cyber and artificial intelligence.He highlighted how Singapore has worked with the Netherlands and South Korea to start global discussions on military AI governance.

Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing hosted Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles to a late-night meal at Lau Pa Sat.Marles, who is also Australia's Minister for Defence, is in Singapore to attend the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD). In a Facebook video uploaded by Chan on Saturday (May 30), the two leaders were seen clad in casual polo tees for a «late-night» makan at the tourist hotspot on Friday.«Australians know a good barbecue when they see one. That is why I introduced Richard to our version of it - satay and BBQ chicken wings,» wrote Chan.Their table had a spread of satay, barbecue chicken wings, fried hokkien mee, fried carrot cake, beer and what appears to be sugarcane juice.

SINGAPORE – After months of emotional turmoil, Rose (not her real name) was relieved to finally hear her son’s apology in January.Her 28-year-old son Ben (not his real name) said he wanted to take responsibility for his actions when he was high on Kpods, or etomidate-laced vapes, in 2024 and 2025.Under the influence of the substance, he attacked his mother in November 2024. Determined to help him get clean, Rose called the police on him then. That did not deter him from vaping, and when his mother locked him out of their home in July 2025, he climbed over the parapet outside their flat and tried to enter through the window.He was sentenced to 10 weeks’ jail on May 18 after being convicted of three charges, including violating a personal protection order and using criminal force on a police officer.Although Rose, 57, said she was sad to see her son incarcerated, she was also relieved that he has turned over a new leaf. Ben has stopped using Kpods since August 2025, and has been regularly attending group sessions at an addiction recovery centre.

A 50-year-old man was pinned to his seat after his vehicle skidded and hit a lamp post at Tengah Link on Friday (May 29).In a video posted on the Facebook page Singapore Road Accident, over 10 buses were seen stuck along Bukit Batok Road and unable to turn into Tengah Link due to the crash.At 5.59pm, Tower Transit announced that bus services 452, 453, 674, 831G, 870, 871, 872 and 992 towards Tengah would be diverted. When contacted by AsiaOne, the police said they were alerted to the accident at around 4pm and the driver was believed to have «self-skidded» at the junction.He was taken unconscious to the hospital, and police investigations are ongoing.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has launched a national initiative - Screen Smart from the Start - to support parents in fostering healthy digital habits with their children.Speaking at National Family Festival Family Carnival at Singapore Expo today (May 31), PM Wong said that the national movement by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information will help families foster healthy digital habits from young.He said that new challenges will naturally emerge as society evolves with developments such as digitalisation, and this will influence how people interact with one another and how families raise children.Pointing out that although digitalisation creates new opportunities for both parents and children to access knowledge at their fingertips, this also creates new challenges as excessive screen time could affect children's development and socialisation skills. This, in turn, causes kids to gradually grow distant from their families.PM Wong also noted that managing technology and screen time has become a «more intense» challenge today due to addictive features, harmful content, and toxic online interactions.

A 68-year-old male driver and his passenger were taken to hospital on Saturday (May 30) after the taxi he was driving crashed into a tree and caught fire following an accident with another car in Hougang.The accident happened at about 3.50pm along Yio Chu Kang Road outside Bowen Secondary School.  Map showing where the accident happened. GRAPHIC: Google Maps, Social media An eyewitness, surnamed Tan, told AsiaOne that she was on her way to Kovan in a Grab car when she noticed traffic slowing down near the school."As the accident had just happened, there were no first responders yet. But several passers-by, construction workers and motorists stopped to help. 

SINGAPORE – A woman from Singapore died in Bhutan on May 30 after she reported feeling unwell during a hike to an iconic Buddhist site.She had been on a tour organised by Chan Brothers and was descending from Tiger’s Nest Monastery when she told the accompanying guide that she was feeling unwell, said the travel company in reply to queries on May 30.“Immediate assistance, including CPR, was administered on site while emergency arrangements were activated,” Chan Brothers said. She was later taken to Paro Hospital.The woman had been part of a tour group that left Singapore on the company’s chartered flight on May 26, and was participating in scheduled activities before the incident, Chan Brothers said.The monastery, one of Bhutan’s most sacred Buddhist sites, clings to a granite cliff 900m above Paro Valley, according to Chan Brothers’ website. It sits 3,120m above sea level.

SINGAPORE – A T-shirt slogan from his new line of merchandise reads “Smash beyond limits”.On May 29, Loh Kean Yew exemplified the catchphrase with a splendid comeback as he edged closer to making a breakthrough at the US$1 million (S$1.3 million) KFF Singapore Badminton Open.The world No. 14 matched his best performance at his home open, which he achieved in 2022, with a 16-21, 21-6, 21-8 victory over Chinese Taipei’s 18th-ranked Chi Yu-jen in their 55-minute men’s singles quarter-final.It was the third time in successive days he had gone the distance and won, much to the delight of the deafening 6,260-strong crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.Loh said: “I’m happy to win in a Super 750 quarter-final, and it makes it even more meaningful to win in Singapore.”

A 24-year-old Singaporean has become one of the 13 finalists in Icelandair's global search for a «really bad photographer».The Icelandic carrier took to social media on Thursday (May 28) to announce the list of finalists for its campaign which closed applications on April 30.Singapore's Mikael is amongst finalists from cities like Hamburg and Paris, who are in the running for a 10-day trip to Iceland in June with travel expenses covered, and a whopping US$50,000 (S$64,000).According to Icelandair, the campaign drew 127,642 applications, which were whittled down to «the best of the worst» — 13 individuals aged between 24 and 73.

Singapore's defence minister Chan Chun Sing met with his Malaysian counterpart Mohamed Khaled Nordin on Saturday (May 30) at the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue. The call at Shangri-La Hotel, where Asia's premier security summit is being held, saw both defence ministers reaffirming the warm and longstanding bilateral ties between the two countries.They also discussed ways to further enhance mutual trust and understanding between the two defence establishments, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said on Saturday. According to Mindef, the two defence establishments hold regular interactions across a wide range of activities, including bilateral and multilateral exercises, visits, professional exchanges, and cross-attendance of courses.The ministry added that these regular interactions underscore the warm and longstanding defence relations between the two countries, and help strengthen mutual understanding and trust.

SINGAPORE - The big question hanging over this year's Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier defence forum, is: «Where is China?»For the second year running, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun has given the free-wheeling Singapore security meeting a miss, skipping opportunities to meet US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as counterparts from Australia, France, Britain, Japan and other nations.In his place, Beijing sent a low-profile delegation of People's Liberation Army «experts and scholars» - a step down from the usual high-powered presence.A highlight of the dialogue's annual programme has been a robust speech by China's defence minister or senior official laying out Beijing's defence doctrine and outlook on global tensions. But the speech helmed by China has been dropped from this year's programme, like in 2025.Even Hegseth took note.«I wish my counterpart was here at this conference, but I look forward to other options when we can cross paths and communicate, talk about things where often actions at sea or actions in the air are perceived differently,» he said during his own keynote speech on Saturday.

The victim of an alleged murder in Choa Chu Kang was laid to rest on Thursday (May 28).The body of Chua Bee Ting, 21, was claimed by her parents and sent for cremation later that evening, reported Shin Min Daily News. They also returned to the crime scene to perform a ritual.The funeral started at Mandai North Crematorium around 7pm, attended by Chua's parents and three relatives.According to the Chinese daily, when staff removed the casket lid and her family viewed her remains, Chua's father broke down in tears.«You said you'd earn a lot of money after your internship, buy your favourite car, and give me money to spend,» he said.«You don't need to give Dad money. Dad can earn it, but you've gone so soon!»Her mother also sobbed: «I can't bear to part with her.»Family members reportedly all wept as they paid their last respects before Chua's casket was closed and her body cremated.Man charged with murderOn May 26, Chua was allegedly stabbed to death by Mohamad Faiz Umar in Lift A of Block 248 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 2, sometime between 8.53pm and 9.22pm.The pair are believed to be ex-lovers.

Final moments with loved ones in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) may be fleeting, but nurses at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) have found a way to help patients and their families create long-lasting memories — hand sculptures.In a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 26), the hospital shared about Sumini, an ICU patient, and her family who participated in the activity.The hand sculpting exercise was started in 2025 as a «gesture of compassion», and turned into a care initiative to help families to cherish the final moments with their loved ones.«The ICU can be scary and painful place to be, but with a little compassion, kindness and innovation, it is also a place of where one can hold on to the memories of their loved ones,» the hospital wrote.Capturing final momentsIn a series of photos, TTSH showed the sculpting process, which began with Sumini's husband, Jumaat, tightly gripping her hand while a nurse helped with the moulding mixture.«Moments after their hands left the moulding mixture, they continued holding on to each others' hands,» the hospital wrote, adding that the couple had been together for over 50 years.

Seeing red and blue lights flashing behind him, this driver gave way thinking it was an emergency vehicle — but a closer look left him confused.The incident involved a black Toyota Voxy multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that was travelling along Clemenceau Avenue at 8.15pm on Wednesday (May 27).In a video uploaded to SG Road Vigilante's Facebook page on Friday, the MPV can be seen approaching the rear of the dashcam driver's vehicle as an LED panel placed on the MPV's windscreen flashes red and blue lights.The dashcam driver slows down as they exit the underpass to allow the MPV to overtake. A second LED panel on the rear window of the MPV can also be seen flashing red and blue lights.At the next traffic stop, a clearer view of the rear LED panel appears to show slight blemishes in the lighting, with lines of dead diodes visible from the driver's perspective.The video ends with a screenshot of Land Transport Authority (LTA) records indicating that the car is a registered private-hire vehicle.«Gave way to a car with blue and red LED blinkers on Clemenceau Avenue, assuming it was a police vehicle,» the Facebook post read.

A 34-year-old male motorcyclist died after an accident along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) that involved a trailer.The accident happened at about 9.50am on Friday (May 29) along BKE towards the Pan Island Expressway (PIE), after Dairy Farm Road exit.Videos posted on social media show a Malaysia-registered motorcycle lying on its side between the two rightmost lanes of the expressway. The motorcyclist can be seen lying on his back a short distance away from his motorcycle. Debris was strewn along a 200-metre stretch of road.Meanwhile, the trailer was seen stopped along the road shoulder with a traffic police officer standing nearby.At least three Traffic Police (TP) expressway patrol cars, two TP motorcycles, and a crime scene investigation van were present at the scene.Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the male motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic.The police added that the 29-year-old male trailer driver is assisting with ongoing police investigations.

A teenager accused of licking a straw from a vending machine before putting it back has returned to Singapore after an overseas trip, and his case has been adjourned to June 26.French national Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 18, had been allowed to leave Singapore for a school-related trip to the Philippines in May.Defence lawyer Kanthan Raghavendra of Kalidass Law Corporation had said in April that the trip was a requirement for him to graduate.Maximilien, a student at Essec Business School located at one-north, was expected to be away from May 2 to 25.On April 24, he was charged with committing mischief and being a public nuisance.He allegedly committed the offences at Goldhill Centre in Thomson Road on or around March 12.Maximilien allegedly licked a straw from an iJooz machine before putting it back in the straw dispenser. He allegedly filmed himself doing it and uploaded the clip on social media.Court documents stated that iJooz, known for its vending machines that serve freshly squeezed orange juice, had to replace all 500 straws in the dispenser after the alleged incident.

A safety inspection at a construction site for a two-storey terrace house in Thomson Green on Friday (May 29) uncovered a string of safety lapses that exposed workers to serious injuries.AsiaOne followed Ministry of Manpower (MOM) inspectors on the site visit and observed unguarded openings, building materials placed near unprotected edges, unguarded machinery, and cluttered walkways, among other lapses.There was also no safe evacuation route for workers in an emergency.The house being built includes an attic, but it was deemed too dangerous for the inspectors to access. The temporary staircase leading to the attic did not provide adequate footing and anyone who slipped risked sliding towards exposed rebars.«On the findings today, we will certainly take the necessary enforcement actions,» said Audrina Chua, director of MOM's occupational safety and health inspectorate. 

A 27-year-old man will be charged in court on Saturday (May 30) for his alleged involvement in a case of loanshark harassment in Bukit Batok.The police said in a news release on Friday night that they were alerted to the case at about 9.50am on Friday.The alleged incident took place at a home along Bukit Batok West Avenue 8.A photograph of the alleged crime scene provided by the police shows a debtor's note placed at the gate of the unit. The gate was also secured with a bicycle lock.The note reads: «Paying back debts is a matter of principle.»Officers from Jurong Police Division identified the man via follow-up investigations and with images from police cameras, and arrested him the same day.The bicycle lock and debtor's note were seized as case exhibits. The penalty for loanshark harassment for first-time offenders is a jail term of up to five years, along with a fine of between $5,000 and $10,000, and mandatory caning of up to six strokes.The police reiterated that they have zero tolerance for loan shark harassment.

The world is beset with multiple risks and uncertainty that countries must confront squarely, To Lam, Vietnam's top leader, said on Friday (May 29) while inaugurating Asia's premier defence forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue.He said the challenges facing the world include an erosion of international rules and law, a crisis of development models including slowing growth and climate change, and a crisis of trust among nations.«The three crises confronting our world today are not inevitable realities that we are bound to accept,» Lam said, calling for reinforcing international law, setting up inclusive and sustainable growth drivers, as well as initiating dialogue and transparency.The free-wheeling Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual event in Singapore which runs until Sunday, draws a mix of defence ministers, generals, intelligence chiefs, diplomats, analysts and weapons makers.US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and counterparts from Australia, Britain, France, Japan and other nations were in the audience. A notable absentee was China's Dong Jun, who skipped the event for the second year running.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 16-year-old male teenager Muhammad Syawqierullah Akbardeen.In a news release on Friday (May 29), the police said he was last seen at Block 85 Whampoa Drive at about 6.15am on May 15.The address is near Whampoa Block 91 Food Centre and Whampoa Community Club.Syawqierullah was last seen wearing a grey top and brown pants.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.[[nid:735166]]

Ride-hailing platform Grab, also Singapore's sixth taxi operator, announced on Friday (May 29) the implementation of two updates for its cross-border service under the enhanced cross-border taxi scheme. The updates are: a reduction in the required lead time for booking such rides and an automated notification for travellers to book their return trip.Passengers can now book cross-border rides in as little as 6 hours, down from the previous requirement of having to schedule their trips at least 12 hours in advance.Meanwhile, they will receive an automated push notification to book their return leg immediately after securing their initial journey.Grab on Friday also announced an increase in the discount for cross-border rides from the present 20 per cent to 30 per cent during the June school holidays — from May 29 to June 28.