A man who emailed fake bomb threats to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) was hauled to court on Thursday (July 9).Koh Jye Shyang, 40, was charged with two counts of communicating false information of a bomb threat for the two messages he sent in the afternoons of July 3 and July 6, according to charge sheets seen by AsiaOne.On July 3, he allegedly submitted a false message to HTX via FormSG, saying: «There is a bomb in the Home Team Science and Technology Agency building in 1 Stars Avenue, #12-01, Singapore 138507. Please evacuate the premises immediately.»Three days later, on July 6, he purportedly sent the following message to PM Wong's email addresses: «There is a bomb placed in the Parliament House at 1 Parliament Pl, Singapore 178880. Please evacuate the premises immediately.»Koh was arrested on Tuesday (July 7).The police said in a statement on July 8 that thorough checks of both premises were conducted, including a systematic sweep of the buildings and their surroundings. No items of security concern were found.

When his vehicle was struck, this driver didn't react with rage, but compassion instead.A driver has earned plaudits after a Malaysian motorcyclist rear-ended him along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE), as seen in a video uploaded to Facebook group SG Road Vigilante on Wednesday (July 8).In the video, which has garnered over 322,000 views and 1,400 likes as of Thursday morning, the driver can be seen in a white sedan along the rightmost lane of BKE.When a car in front stops, the white sedan follows suit but lane-splitting motorcyclists continue to zip past both vehicles.However, one motorcyclist with a Malaysian license plate wasn't able to manoeuvre past the white car fast enough, striking it in its left rear.The impact sends the motorcyclist tumbling head-over-heels, smashing face-first into the asphalt.Rolling into a sitting position, the man orientates himself before pushing up the visor on his helmet, looking ahead and gesturing while shouting: «Hey!»He can be seen grasping at the white sedan's door, possibly attempting to get back on his feet, but seemingly fails to put strength into his legs.

A man who used a 13-year-old girl to satisfy violent sexual fetishes while profiting from prostituting her was sentenced to 22 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane on Monday (July 6).Amongst other things, Foong Yong burned the girl's buttocks with a lit cigarette and scratched her chest with metal keys.Foong, 27, pleaded guilty to six charges of statutory rape, according to court documents obtained by AsiaOne. A further 14 charges for various sexual offences were also taken into consideration during sentencing.Prosecutors told the High Court that Foong engaged in multiple penetrative sex acts with the victim between May and July 2023.He also took advantage of the girl's youth and vulnerability by suggesting that she have sex in exchange for money, from which he later benefited financially.Violent fetishesIn the early morning of May 19, 2023, Foong first met the victim on Omegle, an online video conferencing platform. 

A $500 flower garland might look like a generous show of appreciation. To IRAS, it also looks like taxable revenue. At some nightclubs in Singapore, patrons can buy flower garlands to present to hostesses and performers as a form of tipping.But the venue operator, as the entity managing the entire flower garland offering and sales process, should be clear that the income from such activity is considered business revenue and taxable, said the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).«[Customers] are paying for the right to publicly honour a performing artiste and to partake in the entertainment experience provided by the establishment,» it explained in an article published on its website. «This transaction constitutes a supply of service under the GST Act and is subject to GST.»The GST amount should be accounted for using the total sum paid by a patron for the garland, even if the operator and the giftee take different cuts of the sale.For example, if a customer pays $500 for a flower garland and the nightclub keeps $300 while giving $200 to the performing artiste, GST still applies to the full $500.

National carrier Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its subsidiary Scoot on Thursday (July 9) announced flight timing changes and cancellations on services operating to and from Sapporo, Seoul, Taipei and Tokyo due to weather conditions caused by Super Typhoon Bavi. At least 16 flights scheduled for July 10 and 11 have been cancelled:TR874 and TR875 between Singapore and Tokyo's Narita Airport on July 10;TR872 and TR873 between Singapore and Seoul on July 10 and 11;TR866, TR874, TR867 and TR875 between Singapore and Tokyo's Narita Airport on July 11;TR892 and TR893 between Singapore and Sapporo via Taipei on July 11;SQ876, 877, 878, 879 between Singapore and Taipei on July 11.In addition, the following flights between Singapore and Taipei on July 10 have also been retimed: 

Eight people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a dormitory in Tuas on Wednesday (July 8), with two suffering minor burn injuries.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the fire at No. 1 Tuas Avenue 8 at 11.40am that day. The fire involved items at the entrance of a dormitory unit on the second floor and was extinguished with a hose reel, according to the SCDF.Eight people were taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation, including two of them, who sustained minor burn injuries.The cause of the fire is under investigation.More people were injured in fires — rising from 80 in 2024 to 94 in 2025 — according to SCDF's annual statistics report released on Feb 11.[[nid:737901]]helmy.saat@asiaone.com

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers called the bluff on the driver of a Malaysia-registered lorry during an inspection at Woodlands Checkpoint on June 27.Pictures posted on its Facebook on Thursday (July 9) show a refrigerated truck with cartons stacked on several pallets.Shrink wrap was also used to pack the cartons neatly together, giving the cargo a legitimate appearance. According to ICA, the lorry, driven by a 56-year-old Malaysian man, had its consignment of goods declared as «tube ice». Acting on information received from its Integrated Targeting Centre, and anomalies in the scanned images of the vehicle detected by an ICA image analyst, the truck was directed for enhanced checks, where search and examination officers found over 2,400 cartons and more than 3,000 lose packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes.In this instance, the driver was arrested and the case 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. 

Two Malaysian men, aged 38 and 44, were arrested for their alleged involvement in overseas scam operations targeting Singapore residents on Wednesday (July 8), after they were brought back to Singapore from Malaysia by officers from the police's new Cyber Command.In a news release on Thursday morning, police said the State Courts of Singapore had issued Warrants to Arrest (WTA) for the duo.This follows a raid in Kuala Lumpur conducted by the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) on January 13, 2025, where 16 Malaysian nationals were arrested for their suspected involvement in government official impersonation scams targeting Singaporeans.According to the police, they are believed to be linked to over 50 reported cases, with total losses exceeding $1.4 million.Responding to the WTAs issued for the two men, the RMP handed over the duo to officers from the police's Cyber Command on Wednesday.They will be charged in court on Thursday with the offence of being a member of a criminal conspiracy to cheat.

About 1.5 million eligible adult Singaporeans will receive up to $850 in GST Voucher (GSTV) while around 710,000 senior citizens will receive MediSave top-ups of up to $450 under the GSTV – MediSave scheme.In a statement on Thursday (July 9), the Ministry of Finance said the cash payouts will vary according to recipients' assessable income for the Year of Assessment 2025 and the annual value of their homes.Eligible seniors will receive between $150 and $450 in MediSave top-ups, depending on their age and the annual value of their place of residence. The funds will be credited automatically into their CPF MediSave accounts.Together, about $1.4 billion will be disbursed under the GSTV – cash and GSTV – MediSave schemes this year as part of the permanent GST Voucher scheme in 2026. 

To some, it might just be an old passport. But for one man, his late mother's travel document allows him to bring her along on his journeys.«It's my way of bringing her along to see the world we both loved,» wrote Instagram user Nathan Yong in a post on Tuesday (July 7).The accompanying photo showed her passport in Naryn province, Kyrgyzstan.Yong, a designer, said he felt the urge to take the photo after realising it was the 100th day since his mother's demise, «the day our family is meant to gather in prayer for her».«Perhaps it is just a coincidence. Or perhaps, in ways beyond our understanding, she was reminding me that she is still with me,» he wrote.«I miss her more than words can express, yet there is comfort in feeling that she's still sharing this journey with me.... I wish we could have experienced this together one more time.»Wish you were here mum,« he added.'The love you still need to express'Yong's post has received nearly 5,000 likes as of Wednesday evening, with netizens touched by his words.»Can feel that you love her so and I'm sure she knows that too," said one user.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a 13-year-old teenage girl, Hailey Goh Ming Shan, who was last seen in Tampines.Police said in a news release on Wednesday (July 8) night that Hailey was last seen in the vicinity of UOB Tampines Centre at about 6am the same day.She was wearing a purple T-shirt and black shorts.Anyone with information is urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.All information will be kept strictly confidential.[[nid:735166]]editor@asiaone.com

As Parliament sat on Tuesday (July 7), a 40-year-old man allegedly sent an anonymous email to the Prime Minister's Office, lying that there was a bomb at Parliament House.Just four days earlier, the suspect purportedly submitted an online form to the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), lying that there was a bomb at the HTX building.In a news release on Wednesday night, the police said officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and Central Police Division identified the culprit and arrested him on Tuesday.Several electronic devices believed to have been used to perpetrate the threats were seized from him as case exhibits.The police said that upon receiving the false threats, officers conducted thorough checks of both premises, which they said included a «systematic sweep» of the buildings and their surroundings.No items of security concern were found.AsiaOne understands that the threat on Tuesday was received at around noon when Parliament was in session.The man will be charged in court on Thursday for communicating false information of a harmful thing.

A 63-year-old man was found dead in a HDB flat in Yishun on Tuesday (July 7), after neighbours noticed a «bad stench for days» and flies in their home.A photo shared by an anonymous user in Facebook group Complaint Singapore the same day shows a police hearse parked along a road.«Since last week, my house has had so many flies. I was quite puzzled because there's no unattended rubbish lying around my house, so I just dismissed the case,» the post captioned.The user noticed several police cars at the car park at around noon.The neighbour was found dead in a unit just two floors below the user.Replying to AsiaOne's queries, the police said they were alerted at about 12.35pm on Tuesday to a case of unnatural death at Block 286 Yishun Avenue 6.The 63-year-old man was found dead inside the flat.Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play.Investigations are ongoing.[[nid:739679]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

Phase 2A of the registration exercise for children entering Primary 1 in 2027 will begin at 9am on Thursday (July 9), with no vacancies available at Canossa Catholic Primary School in MacPherson.The school, which has 120 places in total, received 61 applications in Phase 1. With 60 places reserved for Phases 2B and 2C, this means that it has no available spots for Phase 2A.The first phase, which opened on June 30, closed on July 2, with eligible applicants receiving their results on Wednesday.This phase is for a child who has a sibling studying in the same primary school.Meanwhile, Phase 2A is primarily for the child of an alumni. Those whose parents are staff members at the school, or members of the school's advisory or management committee, are also eligible for this phase.Children who study in the school's Ministry of Education (MOE) kindergarten also come under Phase 2A.The setting aside of 60 places in each school for Phases 2B and 2C is intended to ensure continued access to all schools in later phases, according to the ministry.

Temasek Holdings delivered strong results for the latest financial year, achieving a net portfolio value of $518 billion amid a turbulent year marked by global trade tensions.The Singapore-headquartered investment company released its annual report on Wednesday (July 8) for the financial year ended March 31, highlighting strong long-term returns with a 20-year total shareholder return of 6.8 per cent.At the same time, Temasek also achieved 10-year total shareholder return of 7.1 per cent, «demonstrating the portfolio's ability to perform through market cycles».The five-year total shareholder return was comparatively lower at 4.6 per cent however, due to headwinds in Chinese capital markets between 2021 and 2024.Temasek's portfolio comprises three segments, with around 40 per cent Singapore-based Temasek portfolio companies, 40 per cent global direct investments and 20 per cent Partnerships, Funds, and Asset Management Companies.According to Temasek's report, around 26 per cent of its portfolio is exposed to the Americas and 17 per cent is exposed to China.Total exposure to Europe, the Middle East and Africa is around 12 per cent.

Former senior minister of state Koh Poh Koon has taken his place on Parliament's backbench after stepping down from political office, with a new seating arrangement released on Tuesday (July 7) reflecting the change.The People's Action Party (PAP) MP, whose final day as senior minister of state for manpower and health was June 1, is now seated in the second row of the House.He is positioned between Workers' Party chair Sylvia Lim and Radin Mas MP Melvin Yong, according to Parliament's latest seating plan.Koh left political office for family reasons after more than a decade in public service. Following the Prime Minister's Office announcement of his resignation on May 22, he said in a Facebook post that he was grateful for the opportunity to serve but had decided it was time to put his family first.«I have been an absent husband, father, and son since I stepped into [political office] in 2015, placing the needs of Singapore and my constituents above my family,» said Koh then, who has two daughters.

Safety measures at LRT stations, including the installation of platform barriers, will be re-examined by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and train operators after a man fell onto the tracks and was fatally struck by a train.Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow said this on Tuesday (July 7) in a written response to parliamentary questions raised by MPs Liang Eng Hwa and Edward Chia about the fatal accident.On May 8, at about 5am, commuter Loh Hee Chen fell onto the tracks at Segar station on the Bukit Panjang LRT line. His family believes it was an accident arising from a dizzy spell.In his reply on Tuesday, Siow conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family and said he was unable to share case-specific information as investigations are still ongoing.«Every loss of life matters,» he said. «Even a single fatality on our network is one too many.»[[nid:736284]]

a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } What began as an act of kindness turned into months of sexual abuse, after a man repeatedly returned to assault a 71-year-old woman with severe dementia.The abuse came to light only after one of the victim's sons reviewed CCTV footage from his mother's home and saw Mohamad Zakir Jaafar allegedly engaging in the sexual acts.Zakir, 55, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (July 7) to two charges of rape and one charge of outrage of modesty, according to court documents obtained by AsiaOne.Two other outrage of modesty charges, as well as three charges relating to Zakir's possession of two knuckle dusters and a plastic replica handgun, will be taken into consideration during sentencing.Prosecutors told the High Court that the victim was diagnosed with dementia in February 2019 and subsequently scored 0/10 on a mental test, which indicated the severity of her dementia.

A «fast-growing» dengue cluster with 135 cases so far has been detected in the Countryside Road/Lentor Avenue area, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Tuesday (July 7).And with Singapore currently in the traditional peak dengue season, there are currently a total of 17 dengue clusters, of which seven are located in the Yio Chu Kang and Seletar-Serangoon area.Just last week alone, 131 dengue cases were reported, a rise of 12 cases from the previous week, said NEA in a statement. According to the agency's website, there have been 1,311 dengue cases in the first 26 weeks of the year.NEA added in its statement that it is stepping up inspections and vector control operations.For the cluster in the Countryside Road/Lentor Avenue area, multiple rounds of inspections have detected mosquito breeding in various receptacles such containers, flowerpot plates and bins. In all, 86 breeding habitats were found, of which 69 were in homes, 15 in common areas and two at construction sites.

Fourteen men and three women between the ages of 45 and 76 were arrested simultaneously at various locations islandwide on Monday (July 6) in a police crackdown on illegal online gambling.More than $720,000 in cash, electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers, along with gambling-related items were seized.In a statement on Tuesday, the police said officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, the Police Intelligence Department and the Special Operations Command conducted the raids at multiple locations.The areas included Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Potong Pasir, Changi, Pasir Ris, Bedok, Joo Chiat, Tampines, Kaki Bukit, West Coast, Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang.Four of the men, aged between 47 and 76, and one woman, 47, will be charged in court on Wednesday with gambling-related offences, said the police, while investigations against the remaining suspects are ongoing. Under the Gambling Control Act, the penalty for illegal betting operators is a fine of up to $500,000 along with a jail term of up to seven years.

The number of fires at coffee shops has remained largely constant between 2021 and 2025, with about 15 to 19 cases recorded annually, said Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Tuesday (July 7).Shanmugam, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, was responding to a parliamentary question from Workers' Party (WP) MP Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), who asked if coffee shop fires at Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks are an area of increasing concern.She also asked if fire standards at coffee shops are monitored by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).In his written reply, Shanmugam stated that food and beverage establishments, including coffee shops, are subject to a suite of requirements under the Fire Code.These include measures to reduce the risk of a fire from cooking-related activities, and to ensure the safety of people in the coffee shop during a fire, he explained.The SCDF also carries out enforcement checks, in the form of both scheduled visits and unannounced inspections based on feedback, to ensure compliance.In addition, annual fire safety checks are conducted at coffee shops by HDB.

Singapore is setting aside $800 million over the next five years as part of efforts to unlock new possibilities to transform the transport ecosystem so as to strengthen its global connectivity and competitiveness.The planned investment, under the National Research Foundation's Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2030, was announced by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow in Parliament on Tuesday (July 7), as he spoke in support of a motion on reinforcing Singapore's position as a global transport hub.Explaining the impetus, Siow noted that transport is one of Singapore's largest economic sectors, contributing about a tenth of its gross domestic product (GDP), and 7 per cent of jobs held by Singaporeans. The sector keeps people and goods moving by air, land and sea.«Transport is the foundation on which our economy is built,» Siow said, as he recapped the Economic Strategy Review's recommendation that Singapore must further strengthen its role as a connected global hub.

Five workers had previously filed unpaid wage claims against KPA Engineering in 2025, prior to the incident on June 22 when over 100 migrant workers approached the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), said Dr Tan See Leng.In a written parliamentary reply on Tuesday (July 7), the Minister for Manpower said MOM has an existing framework to proactively monitor salary-related risks and protect workers.He was responding to questions raised by Yio Chu Kang SMC MP Yip Hon Weng and Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Choo Pei Ling.Dr Tan referenced the recent incident involving 407 workers from KPA Engineering, SK Industries, and VVR Plant Engineering, who approached MOM and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) with long-term unpaid salary claims.

Over the past three years, about 85 per cent of full-time national servicemen (NSFs) transport operators attained their civilian driving licence, said Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (July 7).Chan, who is also Coordinating Minister for Public Services, was replying to a parliamentary question by Workers' Party MP Kenneth Tiong (Aljunied GRC), who asked for the number of NSFs who get civilian driving licences through NS annually.The first-term MP also asked if the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) would consider extending driver training and civilian licensing to NSFs in vocations with periods of low operational activity, and whether those who pass their Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) driving test can convert their qualification on the same probationary terms as new civilian drivers, in lieu of the mileage requirement tied to licence conversion.In his reply, the defence minister reiterated that NSFs' priority must be their military duties and operational training so as to meet the SAF's operational requirements.

Hundreds of drones will take flight inside the National Stadium as NDP 2026 stages its first-ever indoor drone show, alongside the largest special effects and lighting presentation in the parade's history. Singaporeans can expect several NDP firsts this year, said the NDP 2026 Executive Committee.Some 300 drones will perform in synchrony with electronic music artist Jasmine Sokko and two aerialists suspended 30m above the stadium floor.  a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; } The show will also feature more than 170 special effects machines — more than double the scale of previous NDPs — alongside an expanded lighting system with the largest deployment of moving lights and lasers to date, comprising more than 1,600 moving lights and approximately 50 lasers.The parade and ceremony segment will feature 32 contingents and the largest civilian parade participation in more than a decade.

Drivers who intentionally use their vehicles to endanger others and cause death or grievous hurt may face harsher penalties, if amendments to traffic laws are passed.The Road Traffic (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday (July 7) by Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann, proposing several amendments to the law.Aside from harsher penalties to drivers for dangerous or careless driving, the Bill also includes stepping up enforcement for the holding of mobile devices while driving and lowering alcohol level limits for drink-driving.According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), traffic fatality rates have risen by about 24 per cent between 2021 and 2025, while traffic violations have gone up by around 38 per cent in the same period.Presently, drivers that deliberately endanger another person using a vehicle and causing death can only be convicted for murder or culpable homicide if it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that he intended to kill, or knew that his actions are likely to cause death.

«Ministers have no time to watch movies.»That was Acting Culture, Community and Youth Minister David Neo's quip in Parliament on July 7, after Workers' Party MP Kenneth Tiong asked whether ministers had watched either the Teochew or Mandarin-dubbed version of Chinese hit film Dear You.While Neo's quip drew laughs in the House, the exchange came amid a wider, more serious discussion involving Singapore's decades-old restrictions on dialect content.In the latest Parliament sitting on July 7, the government's bilingual policy was one of the key topics that MPs raised questions about.Dear You, which became a box-office hit in mainland China, is a drama that follows a man who travels to Thailand to search for his lost-long grandfather. The film's limited Teochew-language screenings have sparked public pushback for the film to be screened in its original dialect for its commercial release, instead of its Mandarin-dubbed version, on account of the Government's bilingual policy.Tiong and Neo were among 11 members of the House who voiced their opinions on Dear You.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has approved 272 screenings of the Teochew version of Dear You and will consider approving more if the film distributor applies for additional screenings to meet audience demand.Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, shared this in Parliament on Tuesday (July 7) while responding to questions from MPs about IMDA's decision to screen the Mandarin-dubbed version, instead of its original Teochew version, on account of the Government's bilingual policy.«Guidelines on language use in media are implemented by IMDA. They support the Government's longstanding policy to promote Mandarin as one of four official languages, and have generally served us well,» the senior minister of state said, as he explained the authority's initial decision.But he also acknowledged that Singapore's language environment has evolved, pointing to how IMDA has exercised greater flexibility to allow more dialect content in films each year.The authority is reviewing the current film classification framework with respect to the use of dialect in films. 

A 29-year-old motorcyclist was taken to the hospital after crashing into a concrete wall along the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) on Sunday (5 July) morning.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said it was alerted to the accident at about 6.35am. The incident occurred along the KPE in the direction of the Marina Coastal Expressway, before the Nicoll Highway exit.According to the police, the motorcycle was believed to have skidded on its own.Dashcam footage posted on Facebook page, Roads SG, show the motorcyclist travelling in the left lane before moving into the centre lane to overtake a car. After completing the manoeuvre, the motorcyclist returned to the left lane but appeared to lose control and veered into the concrete wall.The impact caused both the rider and the motorcycle to fall onto the road. The motorcycle then skidded across the lanes, coming to a stop some distance away from the rider, while the rider rolled towards the road shoulder.The Singapore Civil Defence Force told AsiaOne that one person was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.Police investigations are ongoing.[[nid:739670]]

A 52-year-old man was taken to hospital after a car believed to have self-skidded along Balestier Road plunged into a roadside drain on Sunday (July 5).Footage of the aftermath shared on social media show a silver sedan lodged in a roadside drain along a slip road leading to an expressway.Police officers and ambulances were also seen present at the scene.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to an accident involving a car believed to have self-skidded along Balestier Road at about 8.20pm.The accident occurred at a slip road leading to the Central Expressway towards the Ayer Rajah Expressway, said the police.A 52-year-old male passenger was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. SCDF said another person was assessed for minor injuries but declined to be taken to the hospital.A 56-year-old male car driver is assisting with ongoing police investigations. [[nid:739625]]xingying.koh@asiaone.com

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) foiled an attempt to smuggle 3,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore via a Malaysia-registered lorry, according to a Facebook post on July 7.In the post, ICA said search and examination officers at Tuas Checkpoint directed a lorry for enhanced checks and found duty-unpaid cigarettes within the cargo consignment on June 26.ICA officers seized the cigarettes and arrested the 40-year-old Malaysian driver in connection with the case. The suspect and all exhibits have been referred to Singapore Customs for further investigation.ICA reaffirmed its commitment to «facilitating trade and travel while keeping Singapore’s borders safe and secure».[[nid:739028]]laili.abdeen@asiaone.com

Errant cyclists and unsafe riding behaviour is in the spotlight again after a group of cyclists was caught on dashcam footage riding through at least two red lights in Pasir Ris on Sunday (July 5).Footage of the incident posted by TikTok user Zan M shows a group of at least seven cyclists riding along Pasir Ris Drive 3 at about 9.30am.They were first spotted running a red light at the junction outside Pasir Ris Bus Interchange, where pedestrians were crossing with the lights in their favour.Meanwhile, two buses waiting to make a right turn had to make a narrower turn to keep a safe distance from the group.Moments later, the same group is seen again running a red light outside Pasir Ris Park.

Have you ever tried to outrun an MRT train? In a viral Instagram video on Sunday (July 5), local content creator Michael Collins shared his race against a train from Shenton Way to Marina Bay.In the video, the 26-year-old explained that he had two minutes and 35 seconds to reach Marina Bay station in order to get onto the same train he had alighted from at Shenton Way station.«I have always dreamt of being the first man to beat the MRT,» wrote Collins in the caption.He described how he had «studied every single MRT line» and «researched every newly opened MRT station» to find stations that are less than 600m apart.He told AsiaOne that he started by manually keying in every adjacent MRT station into Google Maps to find which stations were situated most closely to one another.Through his research, he found four pairs of stations that fit the bill: Chinatown and Clarke Quay, Rochor and Little India, Downtown and Telok Ayer as well as Shenton Way and Marina Bay stations.

Veteran Opposition leader Goh Meng Seng is stepping down as leader of the People's Power Party (PPP) which he founded in 2015. In a Facebook post on Monday (July 6), PPP said it has completed its central executive committee's (CEC) «renewal plan».William Lim Lian Chin has been elected as the party's secretary-general, while both Goh and Derrick Sim have decided to step down from their posts and the CEC.«The party thanks them for their past contributions and leadership with great gratitude. »The party under the new leadership will continue to strive on in providing Singaporeans a real voice of truthful concerns and contribute towards the robust development of democracy for Singapore," it added. 

Elite troops from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Indonesian National Defence Forces (TNI) completed a six-day joint exercise on Monday (July 6), culminating in them jointly launching an attack on an enemy.The exercise, codenamed Exercise Chandrapura, saw personnel from the SAF's 1st Commando Battalion and the TNI's Special Forces Command exchanging professional knowledge on commando tactics, techniques and planning procedures, according to a news release by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef).Personnel from both armed forces also conducted exchanges on close-quarters combat, fast-roping, rappelling and an airborne static line jump.The interactions culminated in a field training exercise at Safti City, where both armies jointly launched an attack on an enemy objective.