SINGAPORE — To fund his lavish lifestyle, a man orchestrated traffic accidents between September 2019 and January 2024 to get private cash settlements from innocent drivers.Danial Ali Liaqat Ali, 28, was involved in at least 73 road traffic accidents over four years. Most of them were staged.On June 5, he was sentenced to 32 weeks’ jail and fined $6,000.He will also be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 48 months after his release from prison.Danial pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including cheating, dangerous driving and inconsiderate driving.Another 25 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.While driving, Danial would look for opportunities to engineer a near-collision or a collision with another vehicle.He would drive dangerously close to them, deliberately failing to brake, or accelerating into them to cause a side-swipe collision.Following each incident, Danial would approach the drivers and demand a private cash settlement of between $180 and $1,500 from the drivers.Court documents did not state how much he received in total from the fake accidents.

A motorcyclist and his pillion were taken to the hospital after an accident at a pedestrian crossing along Serangoon North Avenue 1 in the early hours of Friday (June 5).In footage of the aftermath shared by Instagram user Zatiman, a woman can be seen sitting on the road in front of a white saloon car and a motorcycle. Behind the car is a minivan that is believed to have been involved in the accident.Multiple people can be seen surrounding the three vehicles, with some making phone calls while others gestured at each other and inspected the vehicles.«Allegedly the guy driving the small van at the back is a teeny bit drunk,» Zatiman wrote in his post. «Even I can hear it.»Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force said they were alerted to the accident at about 12.05am.A 39-year-old male motorcyclist and his 38-year-old female pillion were taken conscious to Sengkang General Hospital.A 26-year-old male van driver is assisting with ongoing police investigations.[[nid:737426]]khooyihang@asiaone.com

A Singaporean father has turned to fundraising to raise about $400,000 after doctors told him that his son urgently needs heart surgery, according to fundraising platform Give.Asia.Muhammad Rauf, 16, was born with a rare and complex congenital heart condition, said the Singapore-based platform.His father, Muhd Hidayat, who created the Give.Asia page, wrote that doctors diagnosed his condition as a «single ventricle physiology», which is a severe cardiac defect associated with numerous additional complications.In January 2026, his condition deteriorated significantly.

Seven teenagers were arrested after allegedly assaulting a 14-year-old girl at a carpark of a shopping mall on Orchard Road on May 3.Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, the victim's mother said her daughter had gone out for dinner with friends before being lured to a parking lot on the 11th floor of a shopping mall in Orchard to meet an online acquaintance.At the car park, the victim was allegedly assaulted by at least seven girls, four of whom she had previously met online.The attack reportedly lasted about 40 minutes, during which the teenager was allegedly kicked, punched and slapped.Following the attack, the victim fled the scene and went to The Centrepoint before making her way to her grandmother's home in Bedok, where she then called her mother.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that they received a call for assistance in the vicinity of Bedok Reservoir Road at around 11.25pm.A 14-year-old female teenager was taken conscious to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

If you enjoy watching football matches in the company of family, friends and neighbours, and are looking for a budget-friendly option, look no further than your neighbourhood.A total of 50 Community Clubs (CCs), five ActiveSG sport centres, and The Kallang will be screening selected live matches at their premises, starting with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at 3am on June 12.On the same morning, Bukit Canberra, Choa Chu Kang, Clementi, Pasir Ris and Sengkang sport centres will screen the match between South Korea and the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, The Kallang will screen all four final matches — semi-finals 1 and 2, the third-place play-off and the final — starting on July 15.The People's Association (PA) said selected CCs will also feature pre-match activities, interactive football-themed games, lucky draws and festive decorations, while its venues will be set-up to deliver a «stadium-like atmosphere».

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers had to bring out their crowbars yet again as they pried open the undercarriage of another Malaysia-registered bus during an enhanced inspection at Woodlands Checkpoint last Tuesday (May 26).The latest incident comes barely two weeks after another Malaysia-registered bus hid more than 3,200 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes in various compartments, including under the bus' floorboard.In a video posted on social media, ICA officers are seen in prone position within the bus' luggage compartment inspecting what appears to be a welded panel with small openings seen at a section of the joint area. Officers then used a crowbar to tear apart panels, revealing several cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes tucked deep within. Lashing straps are then used to create a «hook» to pull out cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes which were bundled together.

A dispute over alleged seating arrangements between two diners broke out at Haig Road Market & Food Centre on Wednesday morning (June 3) and escalated into a physical altercation. The diners — a man and a woman — reportedly quarrelled and hurled hot porridge and drinks at each other, according to Shin Min Daily News.A 45-year-old man who sells backpacks outside the hawker centre, and who wished to be known only as Lin, told reporters that the woman involved in the altercation was his wife.He added that she was taken to the hospital for treatment after experiencing breathing difficulties caused by the shock of the incident.A video of the post-incident scene shared by the Chinese daily shows police officers investigating the case and speaking to the man outside a drinks stall, while the woman was seen being taken away in an ambulance.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police confirmed that a report had been lodged. The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it had taken one person to Raffles Hospital.[[nid:734927]]xingying.koh@asiaone.com

Five women were arrested and three massage parlours are being investigated, following enforcement operations carried out by the police against errant massage parlours on Thursday (June 4).All five women are being investigated for vice activities, namely offering sexual services in exchange for money, while the massage establishments are being investigated for regulatory breaches, said the police in a news release on Friday.AsiaOne was among the media invited to the raids led by officers from Jurong Police Division where women aged between 36 and 51 were arrested for allegedly providing sexual services under the guise of massages. The first massage parlour was located on the second floor of a shopping centre in Boon Lay.

Three motorcyclists were taken to hospital after a four-vehicle accident along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) on Friday (June 5) morning.The accident, involving three motorcycles and a car, happened at about 8.50am along the PIE heading towards Changi, before the Eng Neo Avenue exit. Map showing where the accident happened. GRAPHIC: Google Maps, AsiaOne/Charlotte Ong At about 9.15am, AsiaOne saw that two of the six lanes along the expressway were closed as Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics attended to the injured.At least two motorcyclists were seen lying on their sides along the first lane, while a white Nissan compact crossover sports utility vehicle (SUV) was seen stopped along the second lane. Some damage could be seen on the SUV's right rear bumper. 

A total of 30 motorists were caught for various traffic offences at Woodlands Checkpoint over the recent Vesak Day long weekend, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) in a statement on Friday (June 5).These stepped-up traffic enforcement operations were conducted by ICA officers from between May 28 and June 1, aimed to detect and deter drivers engaging in queue cutting, illegal manoeuvres, and other dangerous road behaviour.The enforcement actions unfolded at the checkpoint's departure area, where officers clamped down on a variety of dangerous driving practices. 

After a «stressful» scramble for tickets, a domestic helper who sought an advance salary from her employer has succeeded in securing seats to K-pop supergroup BTS' upcoming concert in Singapore.A week ago, Nant Lah Sann Hie (Mo), a 26-year-old helper from Myanmar had given a handwritten letter to her employer, Yvonne Lareina Lee, with the polite request.Lee, a 45-year-old livestreamer and business owner, told AsiaOne they secured a VIP ticket on Wednesday (June 3) for the septet's Dec 20 Singapore show through a help-to-buy service.[[nid:736583]]Tickets are priced from $148 to $388, and the first pre-sale — reserved for fans, known as Army, who signed up for the Army Membership Presale on Weverse — started at noon on June 3.Lee described the ticketing process as «super nerve-wracking» as they «knew demand would be extremely high and that securing tickets would not be easy».Despite having enlisted a help-to-buy service in hopes of securing the ticket, Lee added that they still logged onto Ticketmaster to increase their chances.

A 37-year-old man will be charged in court on Friday (June 5) for allegedly molesting a 62-year-old woman at a quiet stretch of road in Choa Chu Kang.In a news release on Thursday, the police said the alleged offence happened at about 7.40am on May 27 in the vicinity of Sungei Tengah Road.Checks by AsiaOne show that the stretch of road, which runs along an aquarium, farms and nurseries, is known to be quiet.The man was identified and arrested by officers from Jurong Police Division on Wednesday following extensive follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras and closed-circuit television cameras.If found guilty of aggravated outrage of modesty, the 37-year-old faces a jail term of between two and 10 years, along with mandatory caning. The police advised victims of molestation to move away from perpetrators and call the police immediately when it is safe to do so. Where possible and safe, victims should try to note key details such as the perpetrator's physical appearance, clothing, the time and location of the incident. [[nid:737393]]

A Hong Kong secondary school principal was on Wednesday (June 3) sacked after he was caught on video swearing at security guards during a student trip to Singapore on May 22.In doing so, San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School also rejected Lee Cheuk Hing's resignation, which would have been effective on August 31. A statement from the school's incorporated management committee issued on Wednesday reads: «If he were to stay on as principal until August 31, the school's normal operations would be severely impacted, hindering teachers and students from moving on as quickly as possible.»The committee noted that Lee's behaviour was «vulgar» and in contravention of the professional code of conduct for teaching staff stipulated by the Education Bureau. It added that Lee would be immediately dismissed and relieved of all duties without notice or payment in lieu.

Football's biggest tournament — the 2026 Fifa World Cup tournament — starts next Thursday (June 11) and fans will have plenty to look forward to as Mediacorp revealed its line-up for the 28 matches to be aired for free.The 28 matches are: the opening match between hosts Mexico and South Africa; 23 group stage matches; two semi-finals; the third and fourth place match; and the final, which is scheduled to to be played on July 20.This also means that football fans will get to catch all 48 teams in action — at least once.Fans of South Korean star Son Heung-min could catch him in action on June 12 during his country's game against the Czech Republic, while Cristiano Ronaldo — who is playing his last World Cup tournament — could feature during the match between Portugal and Congo on June 18.

Mark Lee's wife Catherine Ng is hosting what is believed to be Singapore's first open-water polo competition on June 26.The 52-year-old homemaker told AsiaOne in an interview today (June 4) that the event, titled EagleWings Cup, has been a work-in-progress for the past six months with local water polo coach Kuah Kar Huat and their committee of parents.She said: «Some parents and I have been speaking to coach Kar Huat after we saw videos of water polo played at sea overseas. He said it's possible to conduct it here if we can find sponsors.»They had discussed the possibility of holding this event since last year but only began putting plans into place in January and scheduling the competition in June to coincide with the school holidays.Sea water polo was played at the 6th Asian Beach Games held in Sanya, China, in April and in an article by Xinhua, coaches said challenges include dealing with the waves and currents, while the high salinity of sea water makes it uncomfortable for athletes to open their eyes.

Eight Singaporeans, including a six-month-old baby, were trapped after a boat they were in reportedly overturned in Lagoi, Bintan on Sunday (May 31).Sayyid Muhammad Fariid Syed Amzah Alsagoff and his wife Sharifah Shafiqah Syed Ezzat, both 27, were on a three-day family vacation in Bintan with their six-month-old baby daughter from Saturday, reported Berita Harian (BH) on Wednesday.The incident occurred just as the family were on their mangrove tour on Sunday, at around 2pm.The boat they were in was caught in sudden heavy rain and strong currents as it approached a mangrove area known to be home to snakes and other dangerous wildlife.The boat was carrying 10 people, comprising of eight family members, including the baby and a nine-year-old child, the boat captain and a tour guide.Sharifah was seated next to her husband, with their infant daughter strapped to his chest in a baby carrier under his life jacket.All passengers reportedly wore life jackets except for the baby, as there were no infant-sized jackets available.

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will be launching 6,800 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in five estates in the June 2026 sales. In all, seven BTO projects will be on sale across Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Merah, Sembawang and Woodlands. The most number of units are expected to be offered in Sembawang, with an estimated total of 2,000 units, according to information from HDB's MyNiceHome website.The two projects near Sembawang MRT station have the most diverse options with one project offering 1,130 two-room flexi, three-, four-, five-room and 3Gen flats. The other project, bounded by Admiralty Lane and Sembawang Drive, will offer 870 units across two-room flexi, three-, four- and five-room.The Lakeview project is also the first new BTO project in the area in over four decades. The project marks the first of three in the estate, with two other projects to be launched in the next two years to bring young families closer to their parents living in the area.

A newly MOP-ed flat in Bidadari has recorded its first resale transaction, and it has already crossed the million-dollar mark. The 4-room flat at Alkaff Oasis was recently sold for a cool S$1.15 million, making it one of the latest examples of how strongly buyers continue to view newer flats in Bidadari.Newly MOP-ed unit in Alkaff Oasis completes first sale at S$1.15M Alkaff Oasis and the wider Bidadari estate, which recently saw its first recorded resale transaction. PHOTO: Google Maps The first recorded resale transaction at Alkaff Oasis was officially registered on Wednesday (June 3). The sale involved a 4-room flat located at Block 111A Alkaff Crescent. The unit sits on a mid-high floor, between the 10th and 12th storeys of the 17-storey development.

HOUSTON – Singapore has secured enough liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes to make up for lost supplies from Qatar for the rest of 2026, ensuring it has 100 per cent of the gas it needs, Singapore Energy Market Authority (EMA) chief executive Puah Kok Keong said on Wednesday (June 3) in Houston.In an interview with Reuters, Keong stated that replacement cargoes were purchased from Australia, US and African suppliers.He added that if the Qatar supply disruption – caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran – ends in the coming months, Singapore has the option to resell the replacement cargoes.According to the EMA chief executive, Qatar supplies 10 per cent of the natural gas Singapore uses for electricity generation, the equivalent of one cargo per month.Singapore is interested in buying more LNG but will do so from diverse suppliers including the US, Australia, Africa and the Middle East to reduce risk, said Keong.[[nid:734107]]

Little India has seen success with its pest control efforts bringing the number of rat burrow sightings down to zero recently, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).In a Facebook post on Thursday (June 4), the agency said it did not detect any burrows during the surveillance cycle between March and April, marking progress from the average number of 37 spotted every two months in 2025.The «encouraging result» was made possible through a combination of active surveillance, stakeholder engagements and enforcement efforts. «But keeping rats away remains a shared responsibility — it takes everyone playing their part,» said NEA, adding that members of the public who spot rodents, signs of rat activity or conditions that can harbour rats should make a report via the OneService app.Food and beverage outlets are not the only places affected by rats, with one recently spotted scurrying around a train carriage on the MRT's East-West Line in May.