SINGAPORE — A doctor and an acquaintance were each sentenced to a year in jail on Aug 12 for consuming MDMA, also known as Ecstasy.The doctor, Rayson Lee Rui Sheng, 36, and Tan Li Ming, 29, were among 49 men arrested in a police raid during a party held at a villa at the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa hotel on Aug 9, 2023.Following a trial, each man was convicted of one count of drug consumption in June.In earlier proceedings, the court heard that Lee was at the villa to attend another acquaintance’s birthday party.He arrived at around 8pm on Aug 8, 2023, mingled with friends, and then left for a club in Clarke Quay, where he was introduced to Tan.The two men went to the villa separately in the wee hours the next day.Police, acting on information, conducted checks at the hotel shortly after 5.30am and found substances believed to be controlled drugs.The Central Narcotics Bureau were alerted.During the operation, the authorities also found several substances suspected to be controlled drugs, including Ecstasy and ketamine, and drug paraphernalia.

An orchid-themed park, an activity promenade and more recreational spaces are possible features in National Parks Board's (NParks) plans to rejuvenate the Istana Park and Dhoby Ghaut area. These updates were announced by Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan at an event held at Temasek Shophouse on Wednesday (Aug 12). Under the plan, the current Istana Park will be merged with the existing Dhoby Ghaut Green and Penang Road Open Space, along with the 500m stretch of Orchard Road between Buyong Road and Handy Road that will be pedestrianised. This will create a new park more than three times the size of the existing Istana Park.«The significantly larger space will allow for a refresh of the area with new attractions and offerings, possibly including more family-friendly features, greenery and flexible spaces for activities and programmes,» NParks said. 

This year's Hungry Ghost Festival begins on Aug 13 (Thursday), and many Chinese are expected to make offerings of candles, food, joss sticks and others from Wednesday night onwards.Over the years, this practice has sometimes caused neighbourly disputes and even resulted in fire.It has also caused cleanliness and hygiene-related concerns with food offerings attracting animals and pests such as rats.In an advisory posted on its social media on Wednesday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) urged members of the public to be considerate and to keep shared spaces clean while paying respects.It also sought the public's cooperation not to toss or scatter joss paper, and to clear offerings after prayers.«Leaving items behind may constitute littering,» it added.An infographic shared by the agency suggested that those burning offerings can do so based on sincerity, burning smaller amounts of joss paper to reduce smoke and ashes. 

Two of the NRL's most successful modern coaches weigh into the debate about the concessions afforded to the league's forthcoming PNG franchise.

Anna Turley said there needed to be a 'fair and equitable system' for distributing asylum seekers across the country.

Tonight, millions of Britons will witness the best solar eclipse in a generation - and you will not want to miss out.

[UN News] Local officials in the DR Congo (DRC) reported on Tuesday that deaths from the Ebola virus disease have surpassed 2,000, with half of that number in the last 20 days.

[Maka] Neide dos Santos, 24, was sitting in a bus parked near UNITA's provincial headquarters in Uíge at about 2pm when stones began striking the vehicle. Another activist and the driver were with her.

[New Times] Rwanda is targeting the interruption of transmission of leprosy and onchocerciasis (river blindness) by 2030, under a new five-year plan to tackle neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

Former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud will serve as Russia's arbitrator in a dispute. This arbitration concerns Ukrainian bank Oschadbank's claims regarding lost assets in four regions. The dispute arises from Russian military actions and follows an earlier Crimea-related arbitration. Justice Chandrachud previously declined similar appointments from Russia. A three-member tribunal will now hear this significant investment treaty case.

The Congress party spent Rs 248.6 crore on recent assembly elections across five states. Its total receipts during this period amounted to Rs 207.1 crore, showing a deficit. General party propaganda accounted for Rs 143 crore of the total expenditure. The party allocated Rs 105.6 crore towards its candidates and their campaigns. After the polls, the party's cash in bank balance significantly decreased by 45 percent.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered an extended parliamentary discussion on student protests. He proposed sitting in Parliament from today until tomorrow to address concerns. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi rejected the offer, demanding accountability for alleged police actions. Rahul stated the opposition seeks answers, not lectures from the home minister.

Two people were killed and a dozen others wounded in a Ukrainian drone raid on Krasnodar Region, the local governor has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Lamenting that allegations surrounding the operations of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) have become “fodder” for those opposed to the regional court, veteran attorney Bert Samuels yesterday argued that the claims have no bearing on the court’s integrity. Speaking during a press conference, Samuels said the allegations do not concern the delivery of judgments, the credibility of the CCJ’s president, or its judges.

As the busiest stretch of the hurricane season approaches, some residents living near the banks of Sandy Gully are worried that floodwaters could rise rapidly and destroy their homes because of the large amount of debris, displaced surfaces, and collapsing walls along the waterway. Sandy Gully is the largest conduit for carrying stormwater to the sea in the Corporate Area. The Gleaner yesterday visited two communities along the waterway where residents are increasingly anxious about the condition of the gully and the potential threat of flooding.

WESTERN BUREAU: A 33-year-old British man sought refuge inside the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James, on Monday night after gunmen fired shots into the vehicle he was driving, injuring him. About 9:30 p.m., the man – a forex trader of a Valley Mill address in the United Kingdom – was travelling with his partner and two Jamaican relatives along Queen’s Drive, near the airport, when the attack occurred. According to police reports, after the vehicle stopped at a traffic light, a motor car pulled up alongside it, and the occupants opened fire.

The Supreme Court has stayed proceedings that could result in the dismissal of a St Elizabeth case-management officer over her alleged involvement in partisan political activity ahead of the general election last year. The stay bars the Office of the Services Commission and the Attorney General’s Department from taking further action against the officer, Toni Bailey-Cowan, while she challenges the constitutionality of the proceedings.

More than $75 million in cash and thousands of pieces of counterfeit merchandise carrying the labels of globally recognised brands were seized by law-enforcement authorities during multiple operations on the weekend. The counterfeit merchandise, which includes more than 300 pairs of ‘Nike Air Force One’ sneakers as well as ‘Gucci’, ‘Polo’, ‘Reebok’, ‘Crocs’, and ‘Jordan’ apparel, has an estimated value of $4 million.

Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln reportedly tried to go overboard as families raised concerns about the conditions on the ship Read Full Article at RT.com

A child has been killed and eight people wounded in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Krasnodar Region Read Full Article at RT.com

After spending a lot more time with the celebrity TV chef in recent months amid his fallout from his own family, Adam Ramsay-Peaty has picked up Gordon's recognisable mannerisms.

Chef Jamie Oliver's plush lawns are rather lusher than most, and the secret it easy to spot - a large personal lake just a stone's throw from the back of his Essex mansion.

Workers at Parliament Hill Fields Lido in leafy Hampstead Heath have told how break-ins, brawls and boozing have forced the spot into closure twice this summer.

SINGAPORE — Nearly two-thirds of Sentosa Cove properties changed hands at a loss in the last three years, while resale gains on profitable transactions shrank by some 60 per cent, research by analysts showed.Landed homes seem to fare slightly better than condominiums, with roughly half of landed resale deals closing above water since 2023.Sentosa is the only place in Singapore where foreigners can buy a landed property, subject to approval from the Government. Capital values of the 99-year-leasehold homes built on Sentosa have long trailed those of properties on the mainland.Several factors, from accessibility to pricing, explain its niche demand.But, since 2023, steep increases in stamp duties for foreign buyers have curtailed demand for the luxury homes on the island, heavily promoted from the start as a playground for the wealthy. Data compiled by Mogul.sg, covering landed and non-landed homes, showed that 64.5 per cent of resale transactions between May 2023 and June 2026 were unprofitable, up from 62.8 per cent between March 2020 and April 2023. 

Travellers departing Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint are advised that there is currently heavy departure traffic at Woodlands Checkpoint.In an advisory posted on its social media at 11.19am, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said this is due to tailback from Malaysia.The authority added that delays are expected and advised travellers to check traffic conditions before embarking on their journey.Checks by AsiaOne on the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) traffic camera at 11.45am show that the tailback stretches up to Woodlands Crossing. The tailback extended to Woodlands Crossing. PHOTO: Land Transport Authority However, traffic remains smooth along the Woodlands Flyover towards Woodlands Checkpoint.

A group of people have drawn criticism online for setting up a badminton net across a public walkway at Sembawang Park, obstructing pedestrians using the path.In a photo shared on Facebook on Sunday (Aug 9), five people in red shirts are seen gathered along the walkway, with the net having a Singapore flag on display. Several folding chairs and badminton bags could also be seen around the setup.An eyewitness claimed the incident took place on the morning of National Day, and there were about 10 people involved.The incident garnered mixed reactions online, with some netizens criticising the group's actions while others argued that pedestrians could opt for alternative routes. One commenter said that celebrating National Day with friends and enjoying a game of badminton was perfectly reasonable, but public spaces should remain accessible to everyone.

A group calling itself MCP Veterans attempted to physically seal off the offices of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president and former Head of State Lazarus Chakwera and secretary general R ichard Chimwendo Banda on Tuesday, in a dramatic escalation of the internal power struggle now consuming the opposition party. The audacious move appears to have […] The post MCP faces internal split over Chakwera leadership: Faction attempts to seal offices appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

The US president clarified that the strait was under complete control

At the same time, in the president's opinion, the US is in «a very good position» on the Iranian issue