Quiet anticipation turned into cheers and tears at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Saturday (March 7) night as some 152 Singaporeans and their dependents returned home on Singapore Airlines flight SQ8001.Family members, friends and relatives of those onboard starting streaming in to the waiting area of the arrival hall near belt 47 just after 8pm. Several were seen checking flight tracking applications on their mobile phones with eager anticipation. Afterall, it has been almost a week of uncertainty and worry for some, after the United States and Israel struck Iran on Feb 28. 

A staff member of Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh has shared how the founder had helped her as she paid tribute to him at his funeral, she shared in a TikTok video uploaded by Shin Min Daily News on Friday (March 6).The founder, Toh Poh Seek, died at age 81, according to a Facebook post by Ji Xiang ang ku kueh a day prior.«I'm truly so grateful,» the staff member, Zheng Mulan, told Shin Min. «During my most difficult period, he helped me.»«I lived at his home for half a year - I ate at his home, even as I lived in it,» she revealed.The 47-year-old explained that she came to Singapore from China to earn a living, and worked with Ji Xiang for about 14 years.In 2016, Zheng was involved in a car accident and racked up a medical bill between $30,000 and $40,000, according to Shin Min.«Boss Toh called my son, who was in secondary school at the time, sharing that he would help pay my medical expenses and that my son shouldn't worry about it,» she recalled.«I never expected to receive such care while living in a foreign country,» she stated. «I consider them my godparents.»

Even as the first of two repatriation flights from Muscat in Oman is still underway, Singapore is already planning to mount another repatriation flight — this time for Singaporeans and their dependents from Saudi Arabia. In a message sent to Singaporeans there, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the Government has been exploring options to bring Singaporeans back from different parts of the Middle East to Singapore. «We are currently making plans to dispatch a repatriation flight for Singaporeans and their dependents from Saudi Arabia to Singapore during the window of March 10 to 12, 2026,» the message read. It added that the date and time are subject to flight approvals and ground situation, with details to be disseminated to Singaporeans once they are confirmed.Meanwhile, plans are also underway to provide overland transport from Doha in Qatar, Manama in Bahrain, Al Khobar and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for Singaporeans to Riyadh — one day before the confirmed flight date.  

«Seeing your national carrier at an airport it does not serve is so cool.» This was what Ms Francesca Danielle wrote on her Instagram just before boarding SQ8001, a government-assisted repatriation flight from Muscat in Oman to Singapore on Saturday (March 7) afternoon.The 41-year-old, a mother of two young daughters, is among Singaporeans who become stranded in the Middle East as tensions rose following strikes on Iran launched by Israel and the United States on Feb 28.She was on a work trip in Dubai with five other colleagues and were initially scheduled to return home on March 3, but found their Emirates flight cancelled after the strikes.In a video story posted on Instagram before boarding the flight, Francesca recounted how she and fellow Singaporeans received assistance from officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). 

The first of two repatriation flights organised by Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for Singaporeans stranded in Middle East has begun its journey home. Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight SQ8001 departed from Muscat International Airport in Oman at about 2.45pm on Saturday (March 7). It is expected to land at Changi Airport Terminal 3 at about 9.20pm.  Singapore Airlines flight SQ8001 departed Muscat International Airport at about 2.44pm. PHOTO: FlightRadar24 AsiaOne has reached out to MFA to check on the number of citizens who boarded the repatriation flight. 

A 41-year-old woman was found dead at the foot of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block in Sengkang on Friday (March 6) afternoon. The incident happened at about 12pm at Block 289A Compassvale Crescent. A video posted on TikTok showed two Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) ambulances parked along a driveway in front of the block. In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police and SCDF said the 41-year-old woman is believed to have fallen from height. She was found lying motionless at the foot of the block and was pronounced dead at the scene by a SCDF paramedic. Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect any foul play. Investigations are ongoing. 

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Saturday (March 7) thanked United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan for his country's assistance to Singaporeans residing there.In a Facebook post on Saturday afternoon, PM Wong said he discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East with the UAE president earlier in the day.PM Wong thanked Sheik Mohamed for UAE officials' support and assistance to Singaporeans residing there.«Our officials have been working closely together to ensure Singaporeans remain safe, and to facilitate arrangements for those who wish to return home,» PM Wong wrote.He added that a protracted conflict in the Middle East will have «serious consequences» for the world and expressed his hope that the parties involved will find ways to de-escalate and restore stability to the region.The prime minister also said that Singapore values its «close friendship» with the UAE, and stands in solidarity with the UAE and its people during what he described as a «challenging time».

Johor may require cross-border taxis from Singapore to install a location tracking system to monitor their movements and ensure that passengers are picked up and dropped off at designated locations, said Johor state executive councillor Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh. Fazli, who also chairs the Johor State Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee, told Bernama in an interview that this is in line with Singapore's requirement for Malaysian cross-border taxis to be fitted with an ERP2.0 on-board unit (OBU). «Malaysia is expected to implement a similar, or at least an equivalent measure. However, the matter of installation cost is still under discussion,» Bernama reported Fazli as saying.He added that this would also allow the transport department to conduct monitoring and take necessary enforcement actions.

Two lawyers have been ordered to bear a cost of $5,000 each for their roles in mentioning two fictitious cases in a closing submission cited in court. In a judgment on March 6, Justice S Mohan said it was “plainly evident” that an AI tool had been used in the preparation of the draft. While there is no inherent objection to the use of AI tools in the industry, Justice Mohan said such tools can play the part of only the «handmaiden». «The fundamental point remains that lawyers bear ultimate responsibility for ensuring that all materials placed before the court – including case authorities – are, without exception, true and accurate, and crucially, verified by them to be so,» said the judge, who added that AI tools will become an increasingly prevalent feature of the legal ecosystem.The case surrounds the estate of the late Tan Thuan Teck and three suits filed by his sons against the late Tan's brothers and their company. Tan's sons had filed the suits in 2023 to recover money their father had lent to his brothers and their company. 

Two groups of Singaporeans in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates seeking to return home via the first government-organised repatriation flight from the region embarked on a five hour bus ride to Muscat in Oman early on Friday (March 6) morning. They were sent off by the Singapore Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate-General in Dubai respectively, and were accompanied on their bus rides by Singapore Embassy/Consulate officers. In Oman, the returning Singaporeans were supported by the Singapore Embassy in Muscat and a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Crisis Response Team until their departure via the chartered flight on Saturday. The flight is due to land in Singapore on Saturday evening, while another flight is scheduled to land on Sunday. 

Singapore's legal profession is standing at «one of the most consequential crossroads» in its history, with artificial intelligence (AI) set to automate about 44 per cent of legal tasks, said Minister for Law Edwin Tong.Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs, was speaking at a forum titled «The next chapter: Shaping Singapore's legal future», organised by the Ministry of Law on Friday (March 6).

A Malaysian man will be charged on Saturday (March 7) for his suspected involvement in a government official impersonation scam.The 38-year-old is the second Malaysian who has been arrested over two days for facilitating scam syndicates to collect cash and valuables, said the police in a statement on Friday (March 6).In all, more than 50 Malaysians have been nabbed for being scam mules in Singapore since May last year.The police said they received a report on March 4 from a victim who was contacted by someone claiming to be from HSBC bank, about unauthoritised transactions made on her credit card.When she denied having a HSBC credit card, the call was transferred to another person claiming to be an officer from the «Commercial Affairs Department» who informed her that she was suspected to be involved in money laundering.The scammer first instructed her to make a withdrawal of $15,000 that was deposited into her bank account.She was then told to purchase more than $130,000 worth of gold from pawnbroker Maxi-Cash, and to leave them on the passenger seat of her unlocked car left at a car park on Upper Boon Keng Road.

Three Chinese passengers, aged between 20 and 23, were caught red-handed by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Changi Airport Terminal 1's green channel on Feb 27.In a post on its social media on Friday (March 6), ICA said the three travellers were seen behaving suspiciously after they had collected their luggage.They were profiled for baggage screening at the green channel and asked if they had any items to declare, to which the trio replied that they had nothing to declare.ICA said its search and examination officers subsequently discovered more than 300 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in their luggage.The trio were arrested and the case referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation. 

When I was 10, Milo trucks may not have been the best thing in the world, but they were certainly a contender for it.Now, it seems a new truck is giving even that a run for its money — a Pokemon-themed truck is making its way around Singapore, and fans are delighted.This Pokemon truck has made a pit stop outside Bugis+, and AsiaOne was invited for a sneak peek on Friday (March 6) morning.Even though crowds were admittedly sparse on a weekday morning, the atmosphere was already very much celebratory with staff members handing out free Pokemon-themed sun visors and Ditto-shaped flyers.Some fans had already started trying out the free demo for Pokemon Pokopia on the Nintendo Switch 2, which is available in the truck itself.Others, including families, were seen hanging around a colouring booth as they waited their turn for the demo.Speaking with AsiaOne, a fan, surnamed Ho, shared that she had seen this truck on Instagram and was excited to have a look.She has been a fan of Pokemon since the early days of Pokemon Red, Blue and Yellow, available on the Game Boy.

Whether you are headed out for last-minute shopping, or simply staying out with friends to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan, you can do so with a peace of mind.Public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT will extend the operating hours of train services on the eve of Hari Raya Puasa (March 20). In addition, the operating hours of 53 bus services will also be extended to complement the extension of train operating hours. Commuters are advised to plan their journeys early and to note the changes. NSL, EWL, CCL and TELThe last train will depart North-South Line's City Hall MRT station for Marina South Pier and Jurong East at 12.30amMeanwhile, the last train to depart from the East-West Line's City Hall MRT station for Tuas Link and Pasir Ris will also be at 12.30am.On the Circle Line, the last train leaving from Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront MRT stations will be at 11.55pm and 11.30pm respectively.The last train departing from Bayshore and Woodlands North MRT stations are at 12am and 12.12am respectively.There will be no extension for Bukit Panjang LRT and Changi Airport services.

Officers with Singapore's national water agency PUB may soon have powers to forcibly enter a landowner's premises to address coastal flood risks. These powers are part of the Coastal Protection and Other Amendments Bill, which was tabled for Second Reading in Parliament on Friday (March 6). Should the Bill be passed, these powers will help PUB officers carry out coastal protection functions, deter undesirable behaviours and provide immunities for officers carrying out their duties. In particular, the power to conduct forced entry can only be used as a last resort, such as in the event of an imminent coastal flooding event. «This power of forced entry will only be used judiciously, and only where there is an imminent coastal flooding event,» Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu told the House. «I would like to assure Members that we have set a high bar to activate this clause.» Immunities for authorised officers will also only apply if they have acted in good faith and with reasonable care.

Derek Tan, Chief Infrastructure Planning Officer at the Ministry of National Development (MND), will be appointed chief executive officer of the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) effective May 1, on Friday (March 6).Tan will be appointed chief executive officer (designate) on April 1.He will take over from Kelvin Wong Wee Siong, who was appointed to the role on Nov 2, 2020,  MND and BCA said.A HDB scholar, Tan joined the Housing Board in 1999 and served as the board's group director of housing management from June 2017 to July 2022.The incoming CEO is credited with leading the group to effectively address multiple challenges, including revamping processes and procedures during the Covid-19 pandemic to minimise service disruptions, while maintaining high service standards.He assumed his current role at MND in 2024 and later took on the concurrent role of executive director of planning in December 2025.In his present role, Tan is responsible for driving and coordinating the pro-enterprise work areas and inter-agency infrastructure coordination across the ministry.

In a move to clamp down on vaping and etomidate abuse, a new law was passed in Parliament on Friday (March 6) which will see users, sellers and smugglers face stiffer fines.Under amendments to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sales) Act, vape users can be fined up to $10,000 from May 1, five times the current amount.Fines for sellers have been raised by 20 times of up to $200,000, while smugglers can be slapped with fines of up to $300,000, 30 times the current amount.They can also be jailed up to six years and nine years respectively.The Bill, which includes a name change to the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act (TVCA), will also target adults who recklessly leave etomidate-laced vapes, or K-pods, where children can access them.Adults who do not take «reasonable steps» to prevent children from using K-pods can be jailed for up to 10 years for the first offence.Onus will be on owners of entertainment venues such as bars and nightclubs to exercise due care to prevent the use and storage of vapes in their premises.

SINGAPORE/DUBAI - Soon after the first Iranian missile and drone attacks on Dubai last week, two Indian entrepreneurs based there tried to move more than $100,000 each from their local bank accounts to Singapore to hedge risk.Technological glitches in the aftermath of the Iranian attacks initially scuppered those plans, the entrepreneurs, who did not wish to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters.One of them said he managed to subsequently transfer the sum to his Singapore bank account via another Emirates-based bank.Scores of other wealthy Asians are making enquiries or taking similar steps to move their Dubai-parked assets to the regional financial hubs of Singapore and Hong Kong, industry advisers and lawyers said, as the US-Israel war on Iran clouds the Gulf's safe-haven aura and rattles investors.While the rich typically diversify their investments across regions and asset classes, they choose where to be based depending on tax, regulatory, privacy and operational considerations.

Investigations into a private ambulance are ongoing after footage showing it driving recklessly near Stadium Road went viral online.The incident occurred on March 3 at around 11am, according to footage uploaded to the SG Road Vigilante Facebook group which has since garnered over 150,000 views.In the video, a Goodwill Ambulance Services van is seen speeding and overtaking another van after turning into Kallang Airport Way.The ambulance subsequently speeds up and even drives over the chevron markings to overtake the camcar while filtering onto the road towards the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE).The ambulance can then be seen driving over the kerb and stopping, narrowly missing oncoming traffic.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said that they received a report and that an investigation is ongoing.AsiaOne has reached out to Goodwill Ambulance Services Group for more information.[[nid:730930]]dana.leong@asiaone.com 

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will assist foreign visitors in Singapore affected by the Middle East airspace closure to travel to Oman. In a media statement on Friday (March 6), STB said the special flight will depart Changi Airport for Muscat in Oman at 5.30am on Sunday.The board urged affected such non-resident travellers — whose travel arrangements between Feb 28 to March 8 have been cancelled by an airline due to the closure of airspace in the Middle East — to express their interest by 9am on Saturday, via its website. Tickets for flight SQ8002, operated by Singapore's national carrier, Singapore Airlines, are priced at S$600 per seat.Children aged two and above are required to have their own seat and will be charged the same fare.STB sought travellers' understanding that seating will be assigned at random, although efforts will be made to group families together.

Budget 2026's Committee of Supply debates have ended with the passing of the largest annual budget in Singapore to date of over $207.9 billion.This is amid the backdrop of a changed world global uncertainty, Leader of the House Indranee Rajah said in Parliament on Friday (March 6).«The international order that underpinned stability and prosperity for over nearly eight decades is breaking down,» she said.«Geopolitical tensions have increased, the multilateral system that had served us well has weakened. More countries are resorting to unilateral action. The rule of law is under strain with the resurgence of a might is right approach.»Budget 2026 is therefore presented as an action plan for Singaporeans to navigate this changed world and secure their future, she added.In order to do so, Singaporeans must make use of the resources available.One key aspect discussed in Budget 2026 was artificial intelligence (AI).

A married couple were hauled to court on Friday (March 6) after they allegedly carried out a plan to avoid paying overseas customs tax on gold jewellery by claiming to be victims of snatch theft.The couple, Hewa Sahabanduge Waruna Kanishka, 30, and Jayasekara Gamlath Ralalage Yehelichathurika, 29, were charged with obstruction of justice with common intention.Hewa, who had lodged a police report over the fake theft, was handed another charge of providing false information to a public servant.In a media release, the police said Hewa had made a report on March 4, alleging that a stranger had stolen his black sling bag containing gold jewellery, a phone, and $400 in cash along Queen Street in Bugis.The «stolen» items were worth an estimated $21,668.«In view of the seriousness of the report, the police deployed significant resources to investigate the alleged offence and to search for the perpetrator,» it said.But officers discovered discrepancies in Hewa's account, and he allegedly admitted to having lodged a false report to evade overseas customs tax.

FairPrice Group will be handing over operations of its convenience retail operations at all Esso stations to Cold Storage over the next few months.Announced on Thursday (March 5) in a joint statement by Aster Mobility Solutions 1 and Cold Storage, the new partnership will introduce «new in-station experiences that enriches everyday living conveniences and evolving mobility needs».Aster, a subsidiary of Indonesia's Chandra Asri Group, bought over ExxonMobil's network of 60 Esso petrol stations in Singapore in October 2025. «Aster's partnership with Cold Storage reflects our shared commitment in Singapore – our people, our progress, and our everyday moments. Together, we are reimagining what the service station experience can be,» said Andre Khor, Deputy CEO of Aster.Cold Storage will roll out a refreshed convenience retail concept «designed to complement Esso's fuel and mobility services, offering a thoughtfully curated range of everyday essentials, fresh and ready-to-eat options tailored for customers on the move», according to the statement. 

The gross monthly household income ceiling for the Additional Subsidy for childcare and Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme, or KiFAS, will be raised to $15,000, from January 2027 said Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming on Friday (March 6).Speaking during the Committee of Supply debate in Parliament, Goh said that income thresholds for all subsidy tiers will also be increased to reflect household income changes, helping to further reduce fees for more families.«This will further improve affordability of pre-schools for more than 60,000 lower- and middle-income families with young children,» Goh said.He added, «For example, a median income household earning $12,500, with two children in Anchor Operator childcare, will see their total out-of-pocket fees for both children reduce by 35 per cent from $730 in 2026 to $470 in 2027.»Goh highlighted that, since the start of the year, full-day childcare fees have been capped at $610 for anchor operator pre-schools and $650 for partner operator pre-schools, representing a 15 per cent reduction since 2020.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam made a working visit to Rome, Italy, from March 4 to 5, where he co-chaired a World Bank meeting, and had bilateral meetings with leaders from Italy and the Holy See.On Wednesday (March 4), President Tharman met Italian President Sergio Mattarella where the two leaders exchanged views on regional and global developments. They also welcomed the growing cooperation between Singapore and Italy in areas including culture, defence, economy and science.

Accounts manager Gillian Khor, a mother of three, was driving home during the evening peak period on Wednesday (March 4) when she encountered a traffic jam along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 near Lorong Chuan.Suspecting it was due to an accident, the 45-year-old got the «shock of her life» when she saw a familiar face lying on the road — her dad. Khor, whose husband and children were with her in the car, told AsiaOne she immediately parked her vehicle at the side of the road. She said: «I was on my way home facing a huge traffic jam. I did think it was an accident and feared it might be my dad as this road was really near my house. Got the shock of my life to see his bike and then him lying on the floor.» She then asked her husband to drive the car home while she accompanied her 66-year-old father, Khor Tong Peng, in the ambulance to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The Grabfood rider had been on his way to pick up an order at New Tech Park when he was involved in a multi-vehicle collision along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 towards Boundary Road. 

A 50-year-old man will be charged in court on Friday (March 6) for allegedly disrupting the National Parks Board’s (NParks) crow population management operations.The police said on Thursday (March 5) that they were alerted three days ago about a man who had allegedly damaged crow traps at a grass patch near Block 51 Havelock Road on two separate occasions.  As a result, the trapped crows escaped.«Through investigations and with the aid of CCTV footage, the identity of the man was established and arrested on March 4,» added the police.He will be charged for two cases of mischief that disrupted a public agency's function.If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined, or both.In Singapore, house crows are deemed an invasive species that pose a threat to native biodiversity. The highly intelligent species is protective of its young and can attack upon sensing threats.The Municipal Services Office received about 15,000 reports on crow-related issues in 2025, triple that of 2020, when there were nearly 5,000 reports. These include complaints about noise, feeding and soiling.

A brood of four peregrine falcon chicks hatched in Singapore on Feb 20 and 22, marking the second recorded hatching of the species here.Their birth was announced by the National Parks Board (NParks) on Thursday (March 5). The four peregrine falcons being fed by a parent. PHOTO: NParks  Describing the species as «possibly Singapore's rarest breeding bird», NParks noted that this year's hatching was two more than last year.The chick's parents, now fondly referred to as Singapore's «resident pair of peregrine falcons», were first observed to be nesting at OCBC Centre in 2024, the first local record of the species breeding in Singapore.According to NParks, last year's research revealed a diverse range of prey species, including invasive birds such as feral pigeons. 

Two men and a woman will face forgery charges on Friday (March 6) for allegedly creating false quotations for a Housing Board project.The police said on Thursday that a 47-year-old man was a manager of a company engaged by the HDB project’s contractor between June 2016 and February 2020.The company was a sub-contractor hired to carry out mechanical work.The man allegedly instigated two of his staff — a 39-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman — to create 46 false quotations using the names of two other contractors.She will face an additional charge for allegedly instigating an employee of one of the contractors to falsely confirm to HDB that the two quotations were issued by their company, said the police. Those found guilty of forgery they can be jailed for up to four years or fined, or both.If convicted, the woman may be jailed for up to two years, or fined, or both for her additional charge.chingshijie@asiaone.com 

The new Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) campus on Coney Island will be officially opened in the second half of 2026, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth, Goh Hanyan on Thursday (March 5).With the new campus, OBS will be able to offer the MOE-OBS Challenge (MOC) programme to all Secondary 3 students by 2030, Goh said during the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's (MCCY) Committee of Supply debate in Parliament.Construction of OBS Coney began in June 2021, and it will be OBS' third campus, in addition to its existing Pulau Ubin and East Coast campuses.Prior to OBS Coney, about 65 per cent of the Secondary 3 cohort from across 90 schools — 18,000 students — took part in MOC last year, Goh said. MOC is a five-day residential programme, where students are grouped into teams of 12 and embark on outdoor challenges meant to build up physical and mental ruggedness, while providing them with opportunities to interact with peers from diverse backgrounds.

SINGAPORE — Graduates fresh out of local universities saw a further drop in employment, especially among those who found full-time roles, though salaries held steady.Results from the latest graduate employment survey, which were released on March 5, showed that 74.4 per cent of graduates secured full-time positions in 2025, down from 79.4 per cent in 2024.Overall, a higher proportion of graduates entered the labour force, from 90.7 per cent in 2024 to 92.2 per cent in 2025. This refers to those who are either working or unemployed but actively looking for a job.Among those who did find full-time jobs, the median gross monthly salary stayed at $4,500 in 2025, the same as in 2024.A higher proportion of graduates applied for jobs but did not get any offers in 2025, rising to 8.5 per cent, from 5.7 per cent in 2024 and 4.1 per cent in 2023. At the same time, more graduates took on part-time or temporary employment, with 7.2 per cent doing so in 2025, from six per cent in 2024 and 4.1 per cent in 2023.

Many Singaporeans are complacent about terrorism, said Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong on Thursday (March 5).«The SGSecure social experiments conducted last year showed that many of us are not as vigilant as we think, perhaps because many Singaporeans don't think that a terrorist attack is likely to happen in Singapore,» he said.Through the Play Your Role campaign as part of SGSecure, Singaporeans are encouraged to take action in keeping the country safe, instead of simply being aware of threats.Speaking to reporters at the launch of the new SGSecure campaign and roadshow at Bishan's Junction 8, Tong said: «A terror attack in Singapore is not unimaginable. With the new series of the SGSecure roadshow, we hope to drive home the point that terrorism is perhaps closer than we think, and it is really not a question of 'if', but 'when'.»

A total of 50 multipurpose courts for badminton or pickleball will be built over the next five years as part of plans by Sport Singapore (SportSG) to democratise sports in the community, said Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo.Neo, who is also Senior Minister for Education, made the announcement at the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's (MCCY) Committee of Supply debate on Thursday (March 5).The 50 courts include the recently opened eight dual-use pickleball courts at The Kallang and soon-to-be completed eight pickleball courts at the Little India Bus Terminal.The acting minister acknowledged that there may be issues relating to noise levels at courts near residential estates, adding that SportSG will work with community stakeholders to mitigate this.

A new high-performance entity to support athletes and help them stay longer in competitive sport will be launched on April 1, said David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth.Speaking during the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's (MCCY) Committee of Supply debate in Parliament on Thursday (March 5), Neo said that the High Performance Sport Institute, Singapore Sports School (SSP) and Unleash the Roar! will be consolidated into Sport Excellence Singapore, or SpexSG, from April.By combining the expertise and capabilities across the three entities, the ministry will be able to optimise resources, enhance athletes' daily training environment and strengthen governance of Singapore's high-performance sport system.«This consolidation will materially transform the sporting ecosystem for the better,» Neo said.Comprehensive athlete support systemAthletes can look forward to enhanced support through a dedicated Athlete Life Management system and receive holistic guidance from a team of athlete life performance managers, said Acting Minister Neo.