A total of $179,700 in fines were issued from September to October over vehicle safety at worksites, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Wednesday (Dec 17).In a Facebook post, MOM said that 1,318 «unsafe observations», six remedial orders and one stop-work order were recorded at 627 sites across Singapore.«Many of the lapses were preventable,» the ministry said, adding that these included poor vehicle maintenance and weak traffic management, across sectors such as construction, transport and storage, manufacturing, marine, and services.MOM highlighted four areas for employers to review in terms of their vehicular safety measures: forklift operation, forklift modifications, vehicle maintenance, and traffic management.Employers should ensure that their workers who are operating forklifts undergo refresher training every three years. In addition, keys should be kept locked when not in use.Forklifts should also be kept in their safe and original conditions. This means only using parts provided by the forklift's manufacturer or supplier.

The Singaporean community in Hong Kong has raised HK$1.8 million (S$304,000) for the victims of the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po that broke out on Nov 26.In a joint statement by the Singapore Consulate-General in Hong Kong, the Singapore Association Hong Kong, the Singapore Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong), and the Singapore International School (Hong Kong) on Wednesday (Dec 17), the group said that the funds were raised through a donation drive.«The Hong Kong people have proven time and time again that their 'Lion Rock Spirit' and resilience will always shine through in the face of adversity. During this difficult time, the Singapore community in Hong Kong stands together with Hong Kong and its people,» the statement read.The «Lion Rock Spirit» is a term used by Hongkongers for their determination, especially when against the odds.Funds raised by the Singaporean community will go towards the support fund set up by the Hong Kong government to assist the victims.

Parliament will debate Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh's convictions when it sits in January next year, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah on Wednesday (Dec 17). In a statement issued in her capacity as Leader of the House, Indranee said the matter will be raised for discussion at the upcoming Parliament sitting. «It is necessary for Parliament to take notice of Mr Singh's actions and convictions, and deliberate on an appropriate response. This matter will therefore be raised for discussion at the upcoming sitting of Parliament in January 2026,» the House leader said. Singh, who is also the Workers' Party's (WP) chief, had his appeal against his convictions for lying to a parliamentary committee in 2021 dismissed by the High Court on Dec 4. The High Court found that the two counts of lying to the committee were supported by evidence. 

SINGAPORE — Unhappy with a male bus passenger who had flashed him an obscene hand gesture, a man flung a glass bottle at the vehicle from the side of a road.The bottle broke a window of the double-decker bus and struck the passenger's 57-year-old wife, causing the woman to sustain facial wounds that had to be stitched up.Three days after the incident in July, Quztaza Kamarudin, 38, was arrested after he was identified as the man who had thrown the bottle.While out on bail, he stole a bottle of whisky from a convenience store.On Dec 16, the Singaporean pleaded guilty to one count each of causing hurt to the woman by performing a rash act, committing mischief and theft.Court documents stated that the incident involving the broken bus window took place on July 5.Quztaza boarded bus service 190 in Bukit Panjang at around 5.30pm that day and sat on the upper deck of the vehicle.He then drank soju from a bottle before the vehicle reached a bus stop near The Heeren shopping mall in Orchard Road at around 6.40pm.He was about to walk down from the upper deck of the vehicle when Lim Phang Kai, 60, and his wife blocked his way.

The police have, on Wednesday (Dec 17), charged three key executives of online trading platform Samtrade FX for allegedly engaging in fraudulent practices and money laundering. In a news release on Dec 17, the police said that the three men — Goh Nai De, Goh Li Xiang and Yue Jingyuan Alfred — conspired to make 11 «Ultimate Trader» accounts appear profitable — by fraudulently tilting the trades in these accounts. These accounts were then offered in Samtrade FX's «copy trading» product where clients could choose to «copy» the trades executed in the said accounts. This led to the vast majority of Samtrade FX's clients copying the allegedly rigged «Ultimate Trading» accounts, which the police said were under Yue's control. Between a nearly 12-month period —  from Jan 1, 2021, to Dec 27, 2021 — Yue allegedly adjusted the bid-ask spreads of trades in these accounts so that copied trades appeared profitable to Samtrade FX's clients, without them knowing that the trades were fraudulently tilted, the police added. 

A company director will be charged in court on Wednesday (Dec 17) over her alleged involvement in cases of criminal breach of trust by agent and forgery-related offences.In a statement on Tuesday (Dec 16), the police said that the 55-year-old woman is suspected to have misappropriated over $400,000 in maintenance fees paid by residents of four condominiums.The acts were uncovered following a series of reports made between April 2021 and May 2024.According to the police, the woman's company was the appointed managing agent (MA) of the four condominiums.Under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA), the MA assists the management council of a development in the day-to-day running of the estate. This may include handling the monthly maintenance fees from residents. Contrary to the established procedure for residents to issue cheques to the bank accounts of the respective condominium's Management Corporate Strata Title, the woman offered alternative modes of payments to residents.These include paying in cash to her or making transfers to the bank account of her company as the managing agent.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is warning the public against two products being sold on e-commerce platforms that contain controlled substances.The agency detected tadalafil, a prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction, in a product called Ferrari Candy — which is marketed as a sexual enhancement product claiming to boost stamina and vitality, it said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 16).The product's logo looks similar to that of the car manufacturer of the same name, but they are unrelated. It is also advertised as «Rerrarii Candy» on TikTok.The inappropriate use of tadalafil is dangerous and can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, headache, migraine, irregular heart rate, and priapism (painful and exceedingly long erections), said SFA.The medication can also pose serious risks to individuals with heart-related problems as it can cause potentially life-threatening low blood pressure in those who are on heart medications, especially those containing nitrates.

Some of the athletes representing Singapore at the ongoing SEA Games in Thailand were caught by surprise when they received their competition bibs.Only parts of their names had been printed by the organisers, and a few of them were tickled at the outcome.The moment was captured by distance runner Soh Rui Yong and posted to TikTok on Dec 12.«We're doing bib collection now and we have some really interesting results because I don't think they got the names in order,» Soh said in the clip.The 34-year-old points out that the name on his bib «was not so bad» as it was just his French name Guillaume, which he rarely uses publicly.National 800m record holder Thiruben Thana Rajan's bib, however, simply said «Rajan».«That's my dad's name, my dad's running tomorrow,» Thiruben quipped amid laughter from some of his teammates.Muncherji Zubin Percy was also in a similar predicament with his bib reading his father's name, Percy.On the other hand, national 3,000m steeplechase record holder Vanessa Lee was handed a bib which simply read «Zhuang» — the last character of her Chinese name.«This is what my mum calls me,» she said.

He owns a card purportedly worth over $1 million — equivalent to a piece of private property in Singapore — but he isn't about to sell it just yet. At the recently concluded Singapore Card Show, held at the Singapore Expo over two days from Dec 13 to 14, one collectible in particular stole the limelight — a Japanese Pikachu Illustrator Promo card. The card — owned by Singaporean card collector, Chew Zhan Lun, 33 — is considered one of the «holy grails» in the Pokemon card-collecting world due to its rarity. Chew, who is the co-founder of card trading platform CTRL Collectibles, told media at the event that he had rejected a US$1 million (S$1.3 million) offer just last week by an individual to purchase the card. Speaking to AsiaOne on Tuesday (Dec 16), Chew shared that he had bought the card for «around $600,000» from a private collector. Why so expensive?According to Sports Illustrated, the cards were awarded to winners of a comic illustration contest in Japan in 1997 and 1998, with only 39 copies of it believed to exist. 

Donations have been rolling in for the Boys' Brigade Share-a-Gift charity initiative, but help is needed to deliver gift hampers to low-income families. The urgent public appeal for volunteers was put out by The Boys' Brigade on Tuesday (Dec 16), which revealed that only about a quarter of its daily delivery slots have been filled. «At this point, we are still 75 per cent away from meeting our daily delivery targets,» said project chairman Henry Tan in a statement. «We kindly urge the public to join us as delivery volunteers, and continue supporting our online donations, so that we can fulfil the wishes of all 40,251 beneficiaries and bring Christmas joy to the homes in need.» According to its website, food hampers will be distributed to 10,586 of the beneficiaries. Hamper distribution started on Dec 9 and will continue until Dec 26, except on Christmas Eve and Christmas. A check by AsiaOne found that multiple time slots through Dec 18 to 26 are still open for signups for vehicle owners. 

The current wet weather in Singapore is likely to continue for the rest of December due to the prevailing northeast moon, the Meteorological Service Singapore said on Tuesday (Dec 16). Thundery showers are expected in the afternoon on most days, extending into the evening on some days. On a few days, the showers could be widespread and heavy, added the weatherman. The total rainfall is expected to be near average over most parts of the island — with daily maximum temperatures between 32 deg C and 34 deg C on most days. The first half of December also saw mostly thundery showers. Temperatures were similar — at between 32 deg C and 34 deg C, with a high of 34.5 deg C recorded at Newton on Dec 5. On Dec 4, heavy thundery showers affected many parts of the island in the afternoon, with a total rainfall of 134.2mm — the highest rainfall recorded for the first half of December — in Jurong West. [[nid:726094]]editor@asiaone.com 

A Singaporean man lost all his digital assets of at least $100,000 after being tricked into downloading a 'beta game launcher' which contained malware.Phishing scam victim Mark Koh, 44, told Lianhe Zaobao on Monday (Dec 15) that he is an angel investor interested in Web3 — a term describing the next generation of the internet, one which is decentralised and blockchain-based.Angel investors are individuals who support the funding of startups or entrepreneurs, typically in exchange for equity.Koh explained that he had seen a Telegram message about a new project called «MetaToy» and got into contact with a user named «Shanni», who reportedly claimed to be co-founder of the «Meta team».He said the user patiently answered his questions about the game project and did not pressure him.«As someone who has evaluated countless Web3 projects, I believed I could identify scams, and this project looked legitimate,» he told Zaobao.The man subsequently downloaded a «game launcher» provided by «Shanni». Unknown to him at that time, he had downloaded malware targeting his crypto wallets.

SINGAPORE — An online post in September 2025, which made allegations of workplace bullying at the Law Society of Singapore, has sparked an ongoing probe at the organisation.The Straits Times understands the allegations come in the wake of a spate of resignations at the Law Society in 2025, with about a third of more than 70 full-time employees leaving their jobs.A chief executive had quit less than four months into the job. Separately, the departure of a long-time senior executive spurred further resignations.At one point in time, the human resources department was unstaffed.The investigation, which is being conducted by TSMP Law Corporation, was commissioned by the Law Society's audit committee in September.When asked about the probe, TSMP's joint managing partner, Senior Counsel Thio Shen Yi, said a progress report has been submitted to the audit committee.He declined to give further details.ST understands a number of former and current employees were interviewed between October and December.A number of other issues were highlighted during the probe.

PATTAYA — Singapore's Olympic bronze medallist Maximilian Maeder has claimed the kitefoiling gold at the SEA Games on Dec 16 with a day to spare after a perfect run in 12 races in the waters off Jomtien Beach.There will be four more races on Dec 17 but the SEA Games debutant has an unassailable lead over his rivals.Thailand's Joseph Weston currently sits second, ahead of Warner Janoya of the Philippines and Indonesia's Wayan Wiranatha.The 19-year-old Singaporean has had a year of change after the Paris Olympics in 2024, where he clinched a bronze medal.Maeder switched his coaching set-up ahead of his next Games bid in Los Angeles in 2028.After spending five years with coach Ivica Dolenc, he began training with the Swiss team under coach Matthieu Girolet in mid-2025.His 2025 campaign has seen some highs and lows. He first retained his Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta title in April, before placing second at the French Olympic Week.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be replacing its older diesel buses with more than 600 new electric buses that will be rolled out progressively for passenger service from end-2026. Six contracts for a total of 660 new electric buses, comprising 360 single-deck and 300 double-deck buses, were awarded by LTA to four tenderers including BYD and ST Engineering Mobility Services, said LTA in a news release on Monday (Dec 15). The contracts are valued at over $320 million and mark LTA's first large-scale purchase of electric double-deck buses. «LTA is committed to having a 100% cleaner energy bus fleet by 2040,» said the authority, adding that electric buses are expected to make up half of the public bus fleet by 2030. The new buses will feature improved battery technology and capacity, enabling the buses to travel over longer ranges and operate more efficiently. Each bus will also be equipped with a passenger information display system that provides real-time audio and visual updates to assist commuters with navigation throughout their journey. 

SINGAPORE — A man who crashed his car near his home after consuming alcohol asked his passenger to get him a bottle of alcohol from his apartment.Court documents stated that Claire Sng Wei Ying returned with a gym shaker bottle containing gin and Samuel Gomes-Lim Jia'En, 35 then drank almost all of its contents.As a result, a Traffic Police officer could not determine his actual breath alcohol concentration at the time of the accident.On Dec 15, Sng, 27, was fined $10,000 after she pleaded guilty to performing an act that could obstruct the course of justice. Gomes-Lim's case is still pending.Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Teng Yin Hang told the court that shortly before the accident, the pair had lunch at a Sentosa beach at around 2pm on April 14, 2024, and shared two cans of alcoholic soda, among other things.The pair left the beach about three hours later and entered the car.The DPP said that Gomes-Lim was entering his condominium complex in the Dairy Farm area at around 6pm when the vehicle crashed into a pillar.Gomes-Lim and Sng then exited the car and took a lift to an unspecified floor at the property.

The Bondi Beach shooting on Sunday (Dec 14) presents a stark reminder for Singapore — as history has shown — that hate speech has «real and serious consequences», said Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam.In a Facebook post on Dec 15, Shanmugam, who is also the Minister for Home Affairs, said that while the precise causes and reasons for the attack in Sydney are not known yet, hate speech has often been one underlying cause in other cases. «It creates an environment more prone to violence,» said Shanmugam, noting that the Executive Council of Australian Jewry had indicated in a special report on Dec 2 that the number of reported antisemitic incidents in Australia has continued at «unprecedently high levels» for a second consecutive year. Australia is among the world's seven largest Jewish diaspora communities in the world. 

No matter how you prefer your kopi or tea made, the caffeinated beverages are priced the same at this food court in Bras Basah. A hot cup of coffee or tea — no matter the choice of milk — costs $2. The iced version is $2.60, reported Shin Min Daily News on Monday (Dec 15). According to the report, the drinks stall at Bras Basah Complex's Shifu Food Court recently came under online scrutiny for its standardised pricing. Some netizens pointed out that beverages with no milk are typically priced lower than those containing condensed milk or evaporated milk. In response, stall owner Li Yuanquan (transliteration) highlighted to Shin Min the various discounts available for students, hotel guests and members of the complex's merchants association. For example, students can get a cup of hot coffee or tea at $1.60, and the iced version at $2.30. «We set a fixed price so when calculating discounts, it's easier and more efficient to calculate. The drinks we brew using our coffee maker are also of good quality,» he added. 

If you are celebrating Christmas Eve with your family and friends and are thinking about how to get to your destination thereafter, there's good news. Transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT will extend the operational hours of their train services on Christmas Eve (Dec 24). In addition, the operational hours of 56 bus services will also be extended on that day.NSL, EWL, CCL and TEL Train services on SMRT's North-South Line, East-West Line, Circle Line and Thomson-East Coast Line will be extended for those travelling by rail.The last train departing from the North-South Line's Orchard MRT station will leave at 1.15am, while the last train departing from the East-West Line's City Hall MRT station will depart at 1.21am.On the Circle Line, the last train leaving from Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront MRT stations are at 12.47am and 12.43am respectively. The last train departing from Woodlands North and Bayshore MRT stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line are at 12.48am and 1am respectively.There will be no extension for Bukit Panjang LRT and Changi Airport services.

Apple users should update the mobile operating system software of their devices, said the Singapore Cyber Emergency Response Team (SingCert) on Sunday (Dec 14). The advisory follows the finding of two zero-day vulnerabilities in Apples' WebKit, which SingCert says have been exploited in attacks. «Users and administrators of affected Apple devices are strongly advised to update to the latest software versions immediately,» said SingCert in its advisory. Apple WebKit is an open-source web rendering engine used to power the Safari web browser on Apple's computing and mobile devices — macOS, iPadOS, and iOS. The two WebKit vulnerabilities identified — CVE-2025-43529 and CVE-2025-14174 — affects the following products:

A 55-year-old man was arrested on Sunday (Dec 14) for his suspected involvement in a case of housebreaking and theft.The alleged theft took place at about 11.42am earlier that day at a food and beverage establishment along Chun Tin Road.In a statement on Dec 15, the police said more than $155 in cash was stolen from the business, adding that the suspect was identified with the aid of images from police cameras and follow-up investigations.He was arrested within seven hours of the report and the stolen cash was recovered and seized by the police.The suspect will be charged in court on Dec 16.If found guilty of housebreaking and theft, the man could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.[[nid:726340]]editor@asiaone.com 

A motorcyclist died after a collision involving five vehicles in Yishun on Sunday (Dec 14) night.Photos of the incident were uploaded to the Professional PHV Drivers Singapore Facebook group. One of the photos shows paramedics attending to a motorist, while others show police officers at the scene.The road appeared to be cordoned off by the authorities, and was littered with debris from the cars involved in the crash.Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they were alerted to a traffic accident at the junction of Yishun Avenue 3 and Yishun Central at around 10.20pm that day.The police said that the collision involved two motorcycles, two cars and a lorry.They told AsiaOne that a 20-year-old male motorcyclist was pronounced dead at scene by an SCDF paramedic. A second male motorcyclist was conveyed conscious to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, while three other individuals were treated for minor injuries but declined to be sent to the hospital.According to the police, a 38-year-old male car driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death. 

An elderly man who saw a crow trap set up by the National Parks Board (NParks) in Toa Payoh allegedly cut the cable ties securing the netted structure. This led to the escape of the captured birds. The police on Monday (Dec 15) said it was alerted to the case at about 6.15pm on Oct 20. The crow trap at the grass patch near Block 181 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh had been deployed by NParks as part of operations to manage the bird population. The 77-year-old culprit was identified on Oct 22 through investigations and CCTV footage. He will be charged in court on Dec 16 with committing mischief that disrupted a public agency's work, said the police. If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 10 years and/or fined. «The police take a serious view of such acts of mischief and will not hesitate to take firm action against those who damage public property or any apparatus deployed to serve public functions,» it said. [[nid:718592]]lim.kewei@asiaone.com

BANGKOK — It was a case of third time lucky for Singapore's Letitia Sim, who won the women's 200m breaststroke final on Dec 14 to become the first swimmer to complete the SEA Games hat-trick in her stroke.In doing so, she also underlined her status as South-east Asia's queen of breaststroke.No one has achieved the feat since the 50m event was added to the programme in 2011. Sim had missed out in 2023 and 2022, when she finished second in the 50m and 200m respectively.But the 22-year-old has come of age since, improving on her speed and stamina, as she touched the wall first at the Huamark Aquatic Centre in a Games record 2min 27.37sec. Thailand's Pimchanok Chinveeraphan (2:31.50) was second, with Indonesia's Adellia (2:32.50) third.She said: "This means a lot. It showed the progress that I made throughout the past two SEA Games. I was extremely nervous for this event compared to the other ones because it's definitely one of the tougher races for me mentally and physically because you are just constantly doing it.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has written to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressing his condolences over the recent shooting at Bondi Beach.The shooting, carried out by a father and son duo at the famed beach in Sydney, happened on Sunday (Dec 14) during a Jewish celebration to mark the beginning of Hanukkah. The mass shooting resulted in the deaths of 15 people with some 40 taken to hospital, including two police officers and four children, one of whom later died from her wounds, Reuters reported. The victims' ages ranged from as young as 10 to 87. In a letter on the same day, PM Wong shared that he was deeply saddened to learn about the tragic incident and labelled it as an «act of terrorism».«This senseless violence struck a place cherished by Australians and visitors alike, including many Singaporeans,» he said, condemning the shooting.«Such acts have no place in our societies, and undermine the peace and security we all cherish.»PM Wong also extended his condolences to the affected families and expressed Singapore's solidarity with Australia.

A Chinese national suspected of breaking into three landed properties was brought back to one of his targeted houses in Serangoon Gardens on Monday (Dec 15) morning.Huang Xiaozong, 40, is accused of climbing over the gate of a home along Chuan Drive at about 8.40pm on Dec 7 and stealing a pair of wedding rings, a diamond-studded pendant, several necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings.The pieces of jewellery are valued at about $47,750, according to court documents seen by AsiaOne.The foreigner arrived at the row of terrace houses in an unmarked police vehicle at about 10.55am on Monday.Escorted by two officers, Huang kept his head down as he was questioned by another investigator near the burgled house. He left the scene at 11.02am. 

SINGAPORE - A Singaporean family of six holidaying in Sydney found themselves in the middle of a terror attack on Dec 14 when gunmen fired on beachgoers in Bondi Beach, leaving at least 16 dead and dozens injured.Recalling the harrowing experience, Ms Karin Lee, 44 and Mr Edward Wong, 49, told The Straits Times in a phone interview about 12 hours later that they were at the famous beach from about 1pm (10am SGT) with their triplet daughters, 12, and son aged five.The family had been in the Australian city since Dec 6 to celebrate the girls’ completion of PSLE, and was slated to return home on Dec 15.It was a very peaceful and sunny day when they arrived at the beach, said Ms Lee, with lots of families with young children having a good time. Once they had set up their belongings in the middle of the beach, the kids then went to play in the water.About five hours later, the family decided to pack up when they suddenly heard loud sounds that seemed like gunshots.Mr Wong’s first thought was: This is not normal.

SINGAPORE – A total of 44 people were taken to the hospitals after an accident involving two double-decker buses in Jurong West on the morning of Dec 14.In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the accident slightly before 11am.Upon SCDF's arrival, a person was trapped in the driver's seat of a bus, it said. The person was rescued using hydraulic rescue equipment, it added.Forty-two passengers and two bus drivers were taken to the hospitals, the authorities said. Police said a 49-year-old bus driver is assisting with ongoing investigations.Bus service 98, operated by Tower Transit, had rear-ended an SBS Transit-run bus service 99, which was stationary, at 10.54am in Jurong West Avenue 1, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a Facebook post at about 2.10pm.Those who were injured have been taken to the hospitals and are receiving medical attention, LTA said, adding that it and both transport operators are investigating the accident.LTA said: «We would like to apologise for the hurt and distress caused by this accident.»

Singapore on Friday (Dec 12) joined six other countries to enter a new US-led multilateral framework on economic security and technology.The framework, named Pax Silica, combines the Latin word «pax» - meaning peace, stability and long-term prosperity, and the word «silica» which refers to the compound that is refined into silicon used in computer chips that enable artificial intelligence (AI). According to the US State Department, the framework is intended to secure supply chains, trusted technology and strategic infrastructure. The inaugural summit on Dec 12 involved partners which the State Department said are home to the most important companies and investors powering the global AI supply chain.Writing on his X account, Undersecretary of State Jacon Helberg said the Pax Silica declaration operationalises US President Donald Trump's insight that artificial intelligence is the «new backbone of economic power».«This is the first time countries are organising around compute, silicon, minerals and manufacturing as shared strategic assets,» Helberg said. 

SINGAPORE – A total of 44 people were taken to the hospitals after an accident involving two double-decker buses in Jurong West on the morning of Dec 14.In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the accident slightly before 11am.Upon SCDF's arrival, it said, a person was trapped in the driver's seat of a bus. The person was rescued using hydraulic rescue equipment, SCDF said.Bus service 98, operated by Tower Transit, had rear-ended an SBS Transit-run bus service 99, which was stationary, at 10.54am in Jurong West Avenue 1, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a Facebook post at about 2.10pm.Those who were injured have been taken to the hospitals and are receiving medical attention, LTA said, adding that it and both transport operators are investigating the accident.LTA said: «We would like to apologise for the hurt and distress caused by this accident.»When ST arrived at the scene at around 12.30pm, the police have cordoned off the accident site. SCDF personnel were also there.Some of the injured were being attended to at a shelter near a HDB block.

A private jet which took off from Singapore's Changi Airport skidded off the runway after landing at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido on Friday (Dec 12) evening.The incident occurred shortly at about 6.40pm, reported Kyodo News Agency and Japan's NHK broadcasting network.There were five passengers on board, including a small child, along with three flight attendants. No injuries were reported, according to firefighters who rushed to the scene.The aircraft's fuselage was not damaged and there was no fire, added NHK.One of the New Chitose Airport's two runways was closed, but other aircraft operation were not affected, according to Japanese broadcaster HBC News, which posted a video of the aftermath on its YouTube channel.The aircraft appeared to have overshot the runway upon landing, coming to a stop on snow-covered ground.The report added that it was snowing at New Chitose Airport at the time. Authorities are investigating the incident.It was the second flight incident to have occurred in the region that day.

SINGAPORE - Even the best teachers struggle with large classes, a sentiment echoed by primary and secondary school teachers The Straits Times spoke to.With Singapore's plans to hire more than 1,000 teachers annually over the next few years, teachers say they hope the added manpower will eventually result in smaller class sizes.Average class sizes grew slightly from 2023 to 2024, based on the latest figures. In primary schools, the average class size rose from 33.6 to 33.8. In secondary schools, it increased from 32.6 to 32.9, and in junior colleges, from 23.1 to 23.2.The pupil-to-teacher ratio in primary schools was 15.6 in 2024, up from 14.5 in 2020. In secondary schools, the student-to-teacher ratio increased from 11.9 to 12.7 over the same period.The number of teachers fell from 30,396 in 2023 to 29,605 in 2024, even as the student cohort continued to shrink. Primary 1 enrolment, for example, dropped from 39,372 to 37,785 over the same period.

Nicholas Khaw, who won Singapore's first gold medal at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand on Dec 10, has credited his family and team at the Police Logistics Department (PLD) for their unwavering support. Khaw, a full-time police national serviceman and his partner Diyanah Aqidah, 26, made history in the mixed poomsae pair taekwondo category by beating Vietnam's Nguyen Thi Kim Ha and Nguyen Trong Phuc.In a Facebook post on Dec 12, the Singapore Police Force shared that Khaw, 20, trains on weekdays after assisting with the logical needs of police operations during the day. He also trains during the weekends as well. Khaw also admitted that during the competition, he didn't think they stood a chance of performing well. 

Two women were taken to the hospital after a chain collision along Bedok Reservoir Road on Dec 12. TikTok user Gracie Daisy shared the incident in a video on the same day. The clip shows a damaged white car which had seemingly crashed into the back of a prime mover. There was also some white debris nearby. A few metres in front of the white car was a black vehicle with a dented rear bumper.Another video posted by Daisy on the same day shows a white BMW attached to a tow truck.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said that they were alerted to the incident on Dec 12 at around 4.30pm. The accident involved four cars and one prime mover. A 36-year-old female car driver and her 37-year-old female car passenger were taken conscious to the hospital.A 39-year-old male car driver is also assisting with investigations and police investigations are ongoing.[[nid:726702]]melissateo@asiaone.com

Businesses across the Causeway have seen a drop in customers from Singapore by up to 30 per cent this year-end — atypical for the holiday season — according to reports.However, some of these Johor Bahru (JB) businesses have cited reasons other than the stronger ringgit for the dip, according to Shin Min Daily News.The ringgit has appreciated against the Singapore dollar in recent months, with one Singapore dollar now buying RM3.17. It was above RM3.30 for most of 2025, The Straits Times reported.On Dec 5, Malaysian publication The Star reported that Johor business owners have seen noticeably fewer Singapore patrons, with the holiday season being «unusually quiet» this year.Some blamed the decrease in Singapore patrons on the less favourable currency exchange rate, along with the unpredictable weather.«The crowd from Singapore is missing, even on weekends. This is probably the worst year-end crowd we have seen since the Covid-19 pandemic,» business operator Robin Jian was quoted by The Star as saying.