Singapore's former chief planner Dr Liu Thai Ker died on Sunday (Jan 18) morning at the age of 87. AsiaOne understands that Dr Liu was hospitalised following a fall about a week ago. He passed away peacefully at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, surrounded by family members.Dr Liu was widely known as the architect of modern Singapore. He was involved in the planning for 20 out of the 24 Housing and Development Board (HDB) towns during his time as the agency's chief architect and later chief executive officer from 1969 to 1989.He later became the Urban Redevelopment Authority's chief executive officer and chief planner from 1989 to 1992.In an interview with AsiaOne in 2024, Dr Liu shared his belief that the purpose of urban planning is for people and the land.Dr Liu explained: «People to create the environment that is liveable for them, and also to create the environment that gives people a sense of belonging and community.»When asked about what makes a good planner, Dr Liu said that a planner's job is to understand the fundamental, unchanging needs of human beings.

To fund her gambling addiction, a domestic helper in Singapore allegedly stole $86,000 from her employer within a period of eight months and pawned seven pieces of gold jewellery worth $20,368.She was sentenced to 20 months' jail for her crimes, after being charged with one count of criminal breach of trust and one count of theft, Shin Min Daily News reported on Saturday (Jan 17).According to Shin Min, the court heard that in May 2024, the 42-year-old defendant, a Myanmar national, was entrusted with an ATM card and pin number by her 75-year-old employer.The helper was told that she could use the ATM card to withdraw $2,000 every month for groceries and basic needs. She would also help to withdraw funds whenever the employer wanted to travel to Johor Bahru.Later that year, the employer allowed her an advance of $10,000 on her salary. She was earning around $700 to $800 a month at the time, Shin Min reported.However, between December 2024 and July 2025, the defendant illicitly withdrew $2,000 on 43 occasions, amounting to $86,000 in total.

The traffic police have started to crack down on the owners of lorries which did not install speed limiters by the statutory Jan 1 deadline.The enforcement operation, conducted from Jan 16 to 17, targeted the owners of non-compliant lorries that failed to meet the deadline, despite multiple reminders from the authorities.141 of these 2,434 lorries, registered before Jan 1, 2018, and with a maximum laden weight (MLW) between 5,001kg and 12,000kg, had not installed speed limiters.A speed limiter is designed to limit the maximum speed that a vehicle can travel. 

During a road test in Punggol on Saturday (Jan 17), an autonomous vehicle operated by ComfortDelGro (CDG) collided with a road divider. The incident happened at around 3.10pm, CDG told AsiaOne.One of its autonomous vehicles had been undergoing routine mapping and familiarisation around Edgedale Plains when it detected a small object on the road and responded accordingly.While the safety operator on board had taken over the steering of the vehicle manually, the vehicle collided with the road divider.There were no passengers on board, and no one was hurt.«Our vehicles will take a safety timeout while we review the matter as part of our standard protocols and in coordination with the relevant authorities,» CDG said. 

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Saturday (Jan 17) ordered the recall of two additional infant formula products over the presence of cereulide toxin.Cereulide is a toxin produced by some strains of the Bacillus cereus bacterium, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea.The affected products are from Nestle and Dumex.Both the SFA and Communicable Diseases Agency (SFA) said in a joint statement that the detection follows stepped up surveillance and testing of infant formula products after the SFA's direction to stop the sale of five batches of Nestle's infant formula and follow-on formula on Jan 8. «SFA has detected cereulide toxin in two additional formula products. These products may have used the same raw ingredient supplied by the same source used in the earlier batches of implicated infant formula products,» the agencies said.

A Singaporean man was jailed for 13 weeks' and two days for driving drunk without a licence and crashing into a lorry at a carpark.He initially placed the blame on his wife, lying to the police that she was at the wheel while he was in the back seat.According to a report by Shin Min Daily News, 40-year-old Ang Kok Cheng Don pleaded guilty to four charges on Friday (Jan 16).He was also fined $8,000 and banned for six years from holding a driver's licence.Lied to police, blamed wifeThe court heard that Ang had been driving his father's car and had bumped into a lorry and scratched it at around 9.10pm on May 3, 2022, at the carpark in Block 122 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3.When the police arrived on the scene, he lied that his wife was the one driving and that he was in the back seat during the incident.Since she was frightened and a novice driver, he claimed that they had exchanged seats before he got out of the car to talk to the lorry driver.Ang's wife also repeated the lie and told the police that she had gone home after switching seats and had only returned after her husband called her.

A 17-year-old driver of a Mercedes-Benz A45 led police on a car chase from Paya Lebar to Marine Parade, ultimately ending in a foot pursuit near Still Road South on Friday (Jan 16) night.At around 10.50pm, officers were patrolling along Paya Lebar Road when they signalled for a car to stop for a routine check, the police said in response to queries from AsiaOne.The driver refused to comply and sped off, leading to a chase through Paya Lebar.

Five men and one woman, aged between 32 and 55, were arrested on Thursday (Jan 15) for their alleged involvement in conducting unlawful remote gambling operations.The six were arrested during simultaneous raids at multiple locations islandwide, including Boon Lay Avenue, Tengah Drive, Pandan Gardens, Bukit Batok West Avenue 8, Jurong West Street 91 and Jurong West Street 93, the police said on Saturday (Jan 17).More than $70,000 in cash and electronic devices such as computers, mobile phones, and gambling paraphernalia were seized by officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department and Special Operations Command.Preliminary investigations indicate that the six persons were involved in illegal horse betting and lottery betting activities, and are being investigated for offences under the Gambling Control Act.

SINGAPORE - A man who smuggled five Pomeranian puppies into Singapore from Malaysia by placing them in a plastic container inside a car boot in 2023 has been sentenced to 16 weeks' jail.On Jan 16, Bryan Peh Jia Hao, 22, admitted to multiple charges of illegally importing the dogs and failing to ensure they were not confined in a manner that subjected them to unnecessary suffering.In October 2023, Peh was approached by his friend, Callurn Lim Yuan Jin, who asked if he was interested in smuggling in puppies from Malaysia for $250 to $300 per animal.Lim was allegedly in a scheme with his wife, Ng Siew Teng, to illegally import puppies from Malaysia to sell in Singapore.Peh agreed and carried out several illegal importations for the couple that month.On Dec 27, 2023, while Peh was attempting to smuggle five puppies into Singapore, he was stopped by an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officer for a random check.During the inspection, two puppies were found in a pet carrier enclosed in a plastic storage container in the boot of the car. Another three puppies were found in the same container, but outside the pet carrier.

After several weeks of thundery showers forecast, the second fortnight of January should turn «relatively drier», the Meteorological Service Singapore said on Friday (Jan 16).Moderate to heavy thundery showers are still expected over most parts of the island in the afternoon and evening on the first few days of the second half of January, added the weatherman.However, brief localised thundery showers may still occur on several afternoons, after the weather turns drier.The total rainfall is expected to be below average across most parts of the island - with daily maximum temperatures between 32 and 33 deg C on most days, reaching 34 deg C on a few days.The first half of January saw relatively dry and windy conditions with short-duration thundery showers over parts of the island in the afternoon on some days.Temperatures were relatively cool - at below 33 deg C on all days, with a high of 32.7 deg C recorded at Tuas South, Choa Chu Kang, and Jurong Island on Jan 1, 5 and 13 respectively.Most parts of the island recorded well below-average rainfall.

Sixty students from River Valley Primary School reported symptoms of gastroenteritis after eating meals from the school's central kitchen operator on Jan 14 (Wednesday). They felt sick after their lunch break and had food poisoning symptoms the next day. Four pupils were still recovering at home as of Jan 16, while the rest had returned to school. No one was hospitalised, said the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) in a joint statement.«The school has been in touch with affected students and their parents, and will continue to monitor the students' well-being,» the statement read.MOE and the school are also working closely with SFA and CDA to investigate the matter, with the school simultaneously stepping up cleaning and sanitisation of the canteen and other common areas. Pupils have also been reminded to practice good personal hygiene and rest at home if they are unwell.

At seven, algebra was an abstract concept to me and exams were certainly not my strong suit. But for seven-year-old Theodore Kwan, that's all the years he needs to ace an O-level equivalent maths exam, Lianhe Zaobao reported on Thursday (Jan 15). Kwan, who will turn eight in June, took the IGCSE Pure Mathematics examination at the Extended level in October last year — his results were released along with other O-level candidates on Thursday. The IGCSE Pure Mathematics examination is divided into two levels, Core and Extended, with the latter being the more advanced test.At seven, he is the youngest in Singapore to receive an A* grade for the exam, with the previous record holder being eight years and 11 months old, according to the Singapore Book of Records. Speaking with the Chinese publication, Kwan's mother, Dr Crystal Tang, shared that the result came as a pleasant surprise to both her and her husband. 

Two men, aged 18 and 20, have been arrested for allegedly stealing multiple motorcycle side mirrors in the western part of Singapore. The police said they received multiple reports of side mirrors being stolen from motorcycles in Jurong West, Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang. The alleged thefts took place between Dec 31, 2025, and Jan 15 this year. In a statement on Friday (Jan 16), the police said the duo were identified by officers from Jurong Police Division with the aid of police cameras. The 20-year-old man will be charged in court on Saturday for theft of motor vehicle parts. Meanwhile, investigations against the 18-year-old male suspect are still ongoing. The said offence carries a penalty of up to seven years' jail and a fine.Motorcycle owners are advised to take the following precautionary measures: park their vehicles in well-lit areas; install anti-theft alarms; use a motorcycle canvas and secure both ends; and use additional locking devices such as disc brake locks or suspension guards. [[nid:728079]]editor@asiaone.com 

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers have arrested a 26-year-old Malaysian lorry driver for attempting to smuggle 8,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes at Tuas Checkpoint on Jan 2. In a Facebook post on Friday (Jan 16), ICA said that anomalies were detected in a scanned image of the vehicle, which declared its consignment as plastic products. The Malaysia-registered lorry was directed for further checks, and officers found a total of 8,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes.From the video posted by ICA, the «plastic products» appear to be tupperware containers. The case has been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation.Buying, selling, conveying, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act. Offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty evaded, jailed for up to six years, or both. Vehicles used in these offences and proceeds of sales of duty-unpaid goods may also be forfeited.[[nid:727812]]editor@asiaone.com 

Eighty-eight people have been arrested in an island-wide anti-drug operation which began on Sunday (Jan 11), said the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on Friday (Jan 16). A total of about 213g of cannabis, 170g of Ice, 1g of heroin, five Ecstasy tablets, 23 Erimin-5 tablets, vape-related products — including 37 pods believed to contain etomidate — and around $1,100 of cash was seized, said CNB in a press release. The street value of the drugs is estimated to be more than $23,000.The operation covered areas such as Bedok, Woodlands, Race Course Road and Telok Kurau. In one of the arrests involving a 34-year-old Singaporean woman in Edgedale Plains on Jan 12, CNB officers found about 160g of cannabis and 59g of Ice in a plastic box behind her children's bedroom door. The next day, officers arrested a 39-year-old Singaporean man at his home in Hougang Avenue 5, having found a small amount of Ice, five Ecstasy tablets, 2 Erimin-5 tablets and drug utensils.  

A man seen having a spat with a mother over her child's alleged misbehaviour on the MRT has sparked online debate about parenting in public spaces.In a video shared on Facebook on Tuesday (Jan 13), he can be seen confronting the woman for allowing her son to jump around on the train. Based on the MRT's next-station display, the incident is believed to have occurred on the purple line.He can be heard questioning the woman's parenting, saying, «What kind of mother are you? Everybody is looking at you.»Unhappy with the confrontation, the woman responded, «I did not ask him to jump around.» 

Two SBS Transit bus captains were presented the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) Community First Responder Award on Friday (Jan 16) for putting out a car fire in Ang Mo Kio on Thursday morning. Lim Swee Shen, captain of service 133, and Liew Poh Chye, captain of service 71, told reporters at the presentation ceremony at Seletar Depot that they are extremely happy to receive the recognition.At about 7.45am on Thursday, 35-year-old Lim was plying his route along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 when he noticed smoke emitting from a black BMW ahead.Fearing that an explosion might occur, he immediately stopped the vehicle and grabbed a fire extinguisher, running towards the car without hesitation.«I saw the smoke and thought I needed to extinguish the fire quickly, else the situation might become more dangerous later,» said Lim, who has been a bus captain with SBS Transit for 10 years.«It's my duty as a bus captain, and also human nature,» he said on his decision to help.Video footage of the incident posted on social media showed the BMW driver opening the car's bonnet to reveal fiery flames.

A woman received a call from an unknown number and then went to strike up a friendship with the stranger who claimed they had met before.Over the next two months, she handed him $60,000 in cash, believing that he was helping her invest the sum.The physical transactions took place without her ever seeing the man.The 55-year-old cleaner, surnamed Wang, realised she had fallen for a scam when the man cut off contact after learning that she had no more funds, reported Shin Min Daily News.The victim told the Chinese evening daily that a person named «Li Lindong» (transliteration) had called her on messaging platform WhatsApp last October.«He said he had seen me in Chinatown several days ago and called as he wanted to know me. I occasionally accompany my mother there, so I didn't think too much about it and believed him,» she said.Wang said the man frequently called her to chat and had sent her pictures of himself in luxury cars and a mansion, as well as photos of his «daughter».About two weeks after they connected, Li suggested that Wang join him in forex trading.

A new dance space has opened at Marina South Pier MRT station, offering young performers a free and accessible venue to practise their moves.SMRT announced the MirrorMoves initiative in a TikTok video uploaded on Thursday (Jan 15), showcasing the open space fitted with full-length mirrors for dancers to utilise.According to SMRT, the new space at Marina South Pier MRT station is the first of its kind, and is free for all to use.

A woman was caught ripping off Chinese New Year decorations from the gate of a HDB flat in Boon Keng on Sunday (Jan 11).The resident, identified as Lee, shared a YouTube video on Jan 12 documenting the incident. In the eight-minute recording, three women are seen stepping out of the lift at around 7.33pm as they approach the unit. There was a fourth woman in the lift who did not step out. One woman, dressed in a white top with sunglasses, approaches the unit. As she rings the doorbell, her two other friends, dressed in a black tube top and purple halter top, laugh and move back towards the lift. The woman in black later walks forward and points at something on the HDB gate saying, «What do you mean? He caused violence here?» The women in white then rings the doorbell again and takes a photo of the unit. She continues waiting outside the unit as her friends wait near the lift. She repeatedly says, «Are you okay, sir? I just want to talk to you,» claiming that she saw the Boon Keng resident in a Reddit thread and wanted to «know if you're okay». 

Catholic Junior College (CJC) will be relocated to a new campus near Punggol Digital District (PDD) in 2034, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Friday (Jan 16).The relocation under the second phase of the JC Rejuvenation Programme — previously announced during MOE’s Budget debate in February last year —  will be the third-oldest junior college’s first since its founding in 1975.CJC’s move from its Whitley Road campus in Novena will bring it closer to firms and institutions in the 50ha tech park, which is touted as Singapore’s first smart district.This means that the school can explore collaborations and partnerships, as well as «enrich» the educational experience of students with opportunities in the digital sector, MOE said.Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said that CJC’s relocation — a «deliberate» choice — aims to allow students to better connect their pre-university education to a “world beyond college”.He cited the Singapore Institute of Technology’s (SIT) move to a new campus within the PDD last year as an example of how schools can apply learning to real-world practice and deepen collaboration with industry partners.

SINGAPORE — A 22-year-old man was convicted on Jan 15 by the High Court of raping his younger cousin at his home when he was a teenager.The assaults took place between 2016 and 2018, when the perpetrator was between 12 and 15 years old and his victim between eight and 10 years old.The man, who denied all the allegations, went on trial in May 2025 on three charges.On Jan 15, he was convicted of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault by penetration.In a written judgment, Justice Valerie Thean found the victim's testimony on these two charges to be unusually convincing.On the other hand, the man's evidence was not credible, said the judge.The judge acquitted him of the third charge of rape because the victim could not give sufficient details about a specific incident.Justice Thean said: «While I accept she was a truthful witness, I am concerned with the sufficiency of detail on (the charge). I find it unsafe to hold that the prosecution has met its burden of proof on this charge.»

A teenager is among five persons to be charged in court on Friday (Jan 16) for their alleged involvement in money mule and scam-related activities.The five persons —three men, a woman and the teen — aged between 18 and 32, are suspected to be involved in offences such as cheating, unauthorised access to computer materials, unauthorised disclosure of Singpass access code, assisting in retaining proceeds from criminal conduct, and abetting by conspiracy to commit cheating.Police said on Thursday night that the 18-year-old had allegedly set up two bank accounts in April 2025, with the intention of surrendering the internet banking credentials to a criminal syndicate.He was promised $1,000 for each bank account, but had received only $1,000 after relinquishing both accounts. For his actions, he will be charged with four counts of abetting by conspiracy to commit cheating and abetting to secure unauthorised access to computer systems. The offence of abetting by conspiracy to commit cheating carries an imprisonment term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong was sworn in on Thursday (Jan 14) by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam as a member of the President Council for Minority Rights (PCMR).According to the President's Office, the role of the council is to examine all legislation to ensure that they are not disadvantageous to any racial or religious community. It also considers matters affecting any racial or religious community referred by Parliament or the Government. Finally, the council also advises the President on nominations to the Presidential Council for Religious Harmony, Malay Community Committee and the Indian and other minorities communities committee.Former Singapore prime ministers had been appointed as permanent members of the council, which is currently chaired by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon. Some of the permanent members are: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam, former foreign minister S Dhanabalan and former Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi.Writing in a Facebook post on Thursday, PM Wong acknowledged the important work of the PCMR.

Four motorists, aged between 32 and 53, were arrested as part of an island-wide night enforcement operation on New Year's Eve, the Traffic Police said on Thursday (Jan 15).They were arrested for offences including driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a valid driving licence.A total of 89 vehicles were stopped for checks.An additional 103 summonses were issued for other traffic offences such as using a mobile phone while driving, speeding and using an unapproved helmet.Under the Road Traffic Act 1961, motorists caught for driving while under the influence of alcohol may face a minimum fine of $2,000, up to $10,000, or imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.Repeat offenders face a fine between $5,000 and $20,000 and imprisonment for up to two years.Offenders may also face disqualification from driving all classes of vehicles.Driving without a valid licence carries a fine of up to $10,000 and a jail term of up to three years. The penalty is doubled for repeat offenders, and their vehicles may also be forfeited.

Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) is working with Sats to refine bento meals, recipes and food presentation, and exploring establishing an on-site kitchen, said principal Lee Peck Ping on Thursday (Jan 15). On Thursday (Jan 15), members of the media were invited to tour the new hybrid canteen and sample the bento boxes served by Sats.Lee, 47, said: «We have been engaging students and parents since 2024 as part of our plans to roll out this new canteen model. This is to really address the sustainability of the existing school canteen as well as to address the queue times.» The bento set options sparked online attention recently after a netizen likened the offered pre-packed meals to «cookhouse food» served in the military.On Jan 3, Reddit user Taenyfan95 shared photos of two bento lunch options, claiming it was what Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) students were offered. The two meals shown consisted of rice with a side of vegetables and protein, plated in turquoise-coloured trays. 

A 41-year-old male motorcyclist was taken to hospital on Wednesday (Jan 14) afternoon after an accident with another motorcycle along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE).The accident happened at about 3.05pm, along the BKE towards the Pan Island Expressway.In a video posted by SG Road Vigilante, two motorcycles were seen travelling - one behind the other - between the first and second lanes of the expressway. The 41-year-old was riding in the rear motorcycle. As they neared a lorry on the second lane, the motorcycle ahead slowed down. The 41-year-old tried applying his emergency brakes but still came into contact with the other motorcycle.The impact caused him to skid and bump into the lorry, now on his left. This second contact presumably caused the motorcyclist to skid towards the railing on his right. He then crashed into the railing, narrowly missing the other motorcycle.

Two SBS Transit bus captains have received plaudits for jumping in to extinguish a car fire in Ang Mo Kio.Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a vehicle fire along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 at about 7.45am on Thursday (Jan 15).Footage of the incident posted by TikTok user rjlovesdriving on Thursday afternoon shows a black BMW stopped in the middle of the road as plumes of thick smoke billow out of its shut front bonnet.The driver, who had got out of the car, then opens the bonnet to reveal fiery flames which engulfs the front of the car.At the same time, a bus captain of service 133 races over with a fire extinguisher and douses the car and the blaze wanes slightly.

The body of a 76-year-old man was found dead at the foot of an HDB block in Punggol on Thursday (Jan 15).He is believed to have fallen from height.A video of the incident posted on Facebook group Singapore Incidents on Thursday shows a police tent placed over the body. A police cardon is seen around an area of the estate's driveway, in front of the centralised refuse chute of two blocks.Four police fast response cars are also seen in the video.

Pritam Singh's designation as the Leader of the Opposition (LO) will end «with immediate effect», Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 15).In his statement, PM Wong highlighted how Parliament had voted to express its view that Singh was unsuitable for his role as LO, adding that Singh had disagreed with court findings and «maintained his innocence».Explaining that Singh is entitled to his personal views on the matter, PM Wong asserted that «questions of guilt or innocence are determined through the impartial court process».His conviction by the District Court on two counts of lying to the Committee of Privileges (COP) followed by the dismissal of his appeal to the High Court is a «final and conclusive» legal outcome that must be respected, PM Wong said.«Having considered the matter carefully, I have decided that Singh’s criminal convictions, taken together with Parliament’s considered view of his unsuitability, make it no longer tenable for him to continue as the LO,» he stated.

A 2025 survey found that 90 per cent of polytechnic students got jobs within six months of completing their final exams or full-time National Service.The Polytechnic Graduate Employment Survey (GES), conducted jointly by all the five polytechnics — Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic, Singapore and Temasek — found that students obtained jobs, accepted an offer, or started a business. In a joint statement on Thursday (Jan 15), the polytechnics said that the GES, which captured graduate's employment outcomes tweaked as at Oct 1, 2025, also showed that the median gross monthly salary for graduates in full-time permanent employment rose from $2,900 in 2024 to $3,000 in 2025.Salary for humanities and social sciences graduates was $3,200, while graduates from health sciences took home $3,011.Despite the rise in median salaries, the polytechnics noted that the proportion of graduates getting jobs has remained relatively steady over the years, despite a slight dip. 

A SBS Transit bus captain allegedly made a crass remark when he was confronted by a passenger who believed he did not sufficiently accommodate her open stroller during boarding and alighting.«Your husband never give [sic] you last night?» he purportedly asked mother-of-two Athirah Khairwan.The 28-year-old content creator, who took to TikTok to share her upsetting encounter, told AsiaOne she had boarded bus service 145 at about 10.26am on Monday (Jan 12) with her young children in a double stroller. As she was in the process of wheeling the stroller onto the bus from its rear door, the doors suddenly shut on the stroller with her kids, shocking her and other passengers.«My baby was panicking but thank God there's no injuries,» Athirah said, adding that she had been angry as the bus captain did not check on them or express any concern afterwards.When they reached Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, Athirah found that the vehicle was stopped some distance away from the kerb, which hindered her from alighting with the «heavy» stroller.

Ongoing geopolitical uncertainties - including recent developments in resource-rich Iran and Venezuela - have placed renewed spotlight on the issue of energy security.But what happens if these uncertainties deteriorate further into an energy security crisis - one that cripples our power supplies, including critical information technology (IT) systems? Themed «Are you ready for disruptions?», this year's Total Defence exercise, named Exercise SG Ready (ESR) 2026, will see businesses, communities and homes face simulated prolonged power outages, as critical IT systems struggle to operate under the energy strain.It is aimed at encouraging the public to plan for potential disruptions, including strengthening their continuity plans.

Grouping HDB blocks with fewer units to vote for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) as a single cluster so that there are sufficient households participating in the process is being considered by the Ministry of National Development (MND).In a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday (Jan 14), National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said that MND will be reviewing the voting process for HIP. He was responding to a parliamentary question from Fengshan MP Hazlina Abdul Halim, who asked if the HIP voting framework would be reviewed in light of a recent case where some Tiong Bahru residents narrowly missed the threshold.«We understand that under the current voting process, blocks with fewer eligible units may face greater risks of not reaching 75 per cent of votes to proceed with HIP,» he said.«We will review the voting process for such blocks to balance between helping older estates to benefit from the HIP, while respecting the decision of flat owners.»

The rear-view markings of an advertisement on a taxi have stirred discussion among drivers online, due to their resemblance to a police car.A photo shared on the Roads.sg Facebook page on Tuesday (Jan 13) showed the rear of a ComfortDelGro taxi with two red-and-blue lines over its boot, with the poster pointing out its similarity to the markings on police vehicles.While the red bands are in a 'V'-shape on police vehicles, the red-and-blue lines are in an inverted 'V'-shape on the taxi. Based on a logo printed on the vehicle wrapping, the advertisement belongs to Bando, a manufacturer of driving belts, conveyor belts, and various other rubber and plastic products.When contacted, a spokesperson for Bando told Lianhe Zaobao that the taxi advertisements are visibly different from police car markings, and expressed surprise that there could be any confusion.Bando added that the advertisement was created by advertising agency Moove Media, which they believe had ensured the design complied with relevant laws before it was launched.