SINGAPORE – Popular messaging platform WhatsApp will be rolling out a new feature that lets users hide their phone numbers and show their preferred usernames instead.Ahead of the feature’s roll-out later in 2026, the platform has already locked down high-profile usernames such as @LawrenceWong, @OngYeKung and @VivianBalakrishnan, The Straits Times has learnt.These are the names of Singapore’s Prime Minister, Health Minister and Foreign Minister, respectively.The lockdown prevents impostors from claiming the names of these public figures, government entities or celebrities, the tech platform told The Straits Times.“To protect against impersonation, we’ve held the highest-profile names... so they can only ever be claimed by their legitimate owners. Lookalike derivatives of known names are held as well,” said a spokesperson.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will make a three-day state visit to Malaysia from July 13 to 15.The visit is at the invitation of Malaysia King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, and will be President Tharman's first state visit to Malaysia since becoming Singapore's ninth president in September 2023.Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Saturday (July 11) that President Tharman's visit follows that of Sultan Ibrahim's state visit to Singapore in May 2024.During his state visit, President Tharman will travel to Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. In Kuala Lumpur, he will be accorded a state welcome ceremony at the Istana Negara, after which President Tharman will call on Sultan Ibrahim and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah.They will also host a state banquet in President Tharman's honour. While in Kuala Lumpur, he will receive a courtesy call by Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. 

A 42-year-old man was sent to the hospital on Saturday (July 11) morning after a knife incident at a commercial property along Lavender Street.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) stated that the incident took place at about 9.35am at 114 Lavender Street. According to the agencies, the man was conveyed conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.The said address is the premises of mixed-used commercial development CT Hub 2.AsiaOne understands that a woman, who is believed to be known to the man, was also present at the scene — where the man is said to have inflicted the injury on himself following a dispute with her.Sources at the scene told AsiaOne that the duo are believed to be in a relationship and that the incident took place, but AsiaOne has not been able to independently verify this.The incident allegedly took place in the vicinity of a pub there. Employees from the public entertainment outlet, who were waiting for their private-hire rides, did not wish to be interviewed when approached by AsiaOne. Police investigations are ongoing. 

A 26-year-old woman died in the hospital after she fell from height at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block in Yishun on Saturday (July 11) morning.The incident happened at about 1.10am at Block 257 Yishun Ring Road.When AsiaOne reached the scene at about 7.30am, some blood could still be seen along the concrete pavement beneath the back of a stack of flats. Conservancy workers from the town council were seen washing down the area.

SINGAPORE - About 15ha of forest in Clementi's Sunset Way area will make way for new public housing developments in the coming years.The Housing Board on July 10 announced plans for the 23ha Maju Forest. The board had commissioned an environmental study for the greenfield site - land that has never been built on - which has been largely zoned for residential use since 1980.HDB said about 8ha of the site, which is bounded by Brookvale Drive, Clementi Road and Sunset Way, will be retained to «provide refuge for wildlife and facilitate fauna movement».This includes a natural freshwater stream and vegetation that has high biodiversity value, as well as the area around the Old Jurong Railway Line where a new 4km-long nature trail is being studied.Nature groups were engaged throughout the planning process, the board added.

SINGAPORE - Locally grown vegetables from at least three farms here will soon no longer be available at supermarket giant FairPrice, The Straits Times has learnt.The decision, part of FairPrice's regular product review, highlights the tussle between providing customers with the best value-for-money products and the national effort to support local growers so as to improve food resilience, say industry players.The affected urban farms are Artisan Green, SG Veg Farms and Netafarm - a farm and R&D facility in Neo Tiew that has decided to significantly scale down following the news.The farms had been supplying vegetables such as Asian leafy greens and kale since the early 2020s.FairPrice Group told ST that it gathers feedback from suppliers and farms and data from stores to better understand evolving consumer demand, identify opportunities to improve its assortment and offer the right vegetable varieties at the best value.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) search-and-rescue unit Rescue 10 was activated on Friday (July 10) night to evacuate a man onboard a ship who required urgent medical attention.In a Facebook post on Saturday, RSAF said its personnel «safely airlifted» the patient to the new helipad at Singapore General Hospital (SGH). An eyewitness, Andrew Ong, said he sighted the helicopter approaching SGH at about 10.35pm. A video posted by Ong shows the helicopter descending towards the new helipad, with emergency vehicles seen waiting near the landing area.

SINGAPORE — Eleven former Certis Cisco enforcement officers were on July 10 convicted over accusations of misappropriating confiscated products or keeping stolen items such as vapes and contraband cigarettes.The 11, which included a female former officer, had committed the offences when they were at the Health Sciences Authority's (HSA) enforcement unit under the Tobacco Regulation Branch on a temporary transfer.The former officers who were convicted are: Muhammad Khairul Izzul Shah Abdul Karim, 38; Muhammad Fitri Jaffar, 39; Muhammad Haziq Khamzah, 32; Nurazmy Yussof, 33; Sufian Mohamed, 45; Mohamad Aidil Abu Bakar, 47; Mohamed Fiaros Mohamed Zakaria, 43; Muhamad Hazim Mohamed Jalil, 34; Muhammad Faddley Abdul Wahid, 38; Muhammad Syafiq Tahar, 39; and Olivia Chan Wei Ying, 39.A spokesperson for Certis said that the individuals involved in the case are no longer with the company.«Certis does not condone such criminal acts and we expect our officers to uphold the highest level of discipline and professionalism,» the spokesperson added.

While many retirees enjoy a slower pace of life, one 68-year-old Tampines resident has taken it upon himself to use his photography skills to catch litterbugs and parking violations in his neighbourhood.The self-declared mission has earned Tan Qiangsheng (transliteration) both praise and criticism from residents.Tan, who moved in a decade ago, told Shin Min Daily News that he started noticing residents committing acts such as littering cigarette butts, spitting on the floor and parking outside designated spaces.Unable to tolerate such behaviour, Tan reportedly began photographing the incidents as evidence.It is not known exactly which unit Tan lives in.According to Tan, he spends «every morning, afternoon and evening» observing from his window and taking photographs of any alleged offences before submitting them to the authorities.Besides taking photos and videos, Tan also writes down his observations. Once a month, he reportedly heads down to the National Environment Agency, spending over an hour travelling there, to submit the compiled records and evidence. 

The taxi driver who lost consciousness while driving on the East Coast Parkway has died, police said in an update on Friday (July 10).During the Monday incident, the 73-year-old male driver was ferrying a woman named Winnie Lee and her six-year-old son. After realising he had become unresponsive, they exited the ComfortDelGro taxi.In response to AsiaOne's queries today, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force said they were alerted at about 12.50pm on Monday.The man was taken unconscious to the hospital where he subsequently died, the police added. Lee, 36, previously told AsiaOne that she was heading towards Crawford Lane to meet her husband for lunch when she noticed the bushes along the expressway's guardrails brushing against the car's window.A ComfortDelGro spokesperson had told AsiaOne earlier that the driver was taken to a hospital and was receiving medical attention.Police investigations are ongoing.[[nid:739789]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

The number of marriages registered in Singapore continued to decline in 2025, with couples marrying later, according to figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat).In a statement on Friday (July 10), SingStat said 24,688 marriages were registered in 2025, down 6.2 per cent from 26,328 in 2024.The average number of marriages registered annually between 2023 and 2025 stands at 26,442, lower than the 27,156 recorded between 2016 and 2019, reflecting a longer-term downward trend.Compared with a decade ago, marriage rates for men and women also fell.In 2025, there were 39.1 marriages per 1,000 unmarried males aged 15 to 49, down from 44.2 in 2015. Among unmarried females in the same age group, the rate fell to 38.1 per 1,000, from 41.1 a decade earlier.

He went in with hopes of fixing a toothache, but left with holes in his mouth, wallet and bank account. A man surnamed Li from Shaanxi province in China visited Datuanyuan Dental Clinic last September to seek a cure for his aching tooth, South China Morning Post reported on Friday (July 10).The 63-year-old told Chinese media that the clinic had put out advertisements claiming that patients would be able to «get a dental implant in the morning and eat meat in the afternoon», and even «have a complete set of teeth» to «live past 100».Believing their advertisements, Li got on a car that the clinic provided, even receiving a free check-up.'Only had 30 yuan left'Convinced by the clinic's various offerings, Li placed his faith — and his teeth — in their hands.However, what was supposed to be a quick fix became a nightmare for Li as the remaining 12 teeth he had in his mouth were all removed, with the clinic placing 10 artificial teeth in Li's mouth, Guangming Online reported.Li was also charged 18,800 yuan (S$3,573.03) for the procedure, draining his bank account and leaving him 6,200 yuan in debt.

A simple ice cream craving led to a heartwarming encounter when a stranger stepped in to help a woman who was short of cash to pay for the treat.The scene played out at an «old-school ice cream truck» on Thursday (July 9), shared TikTok user _1000mg, who did not mention the exact location.She had stopped there on her way home as she was «craving something cold after a warm and long day» and was about to order two ice creams when she noticed a «cash only» sign. After rummaging through her bag and realising she had no cash, the user asked the ice cream seller if he accepted PayNow, but he did not.Still craving the sweet treat, she was about to call her partner to bring some cash when another woman beside her offered to help pay first.The user immediately logged in to her bank app to PayNow the woman for the ice creams, but the woman left.«She smiled, declined my offer to pay her back, and walked away while I waited for my ice cream.»The user, after collecting her ice cream, ran after the woman to repay her, but was refused again. 

A woman was left shaken after allegedly spotting someone peering through a hole while she was using a temporary female toilet during Home Improvement Programme (HIP) works at her home in Yew Tee.In a Facebook post on Friday (July 10), user Nahk Naze shared her account of the incident, which she said took place at the temporary shower facilities serving Blocks 563 and 564 along Chua Chu Kang Street 52.According to the post, she noticed a hole in the toilet wall and allegedly saw someone behind it. When she shouted, she saw someone run away.Nahk Naze alleged that the hole «was deliberately made to peep» and that it led to a storage area accessible only to workers.In an update posted in the comments, Nahk Naze said HDB officers visited Block 563 at about 11.30am on Friday, after the incident was reported to them.It is unclear if a police report has been lodged.

Singapore has been named the world's leading maritime centre for the 13th consecutive year in the 2026 Xinhua-Baltic international shipping centre development (ISCD) index.In a news release on Friday (July 10), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said the recognition is significant as it marks its 30th anniversary.«It reflects three decades of close partnership between MPA and the maritime community to strengthen Maritime Singapore’s ecosystem, underpinned by strong connectivity, a comprehensive range of maritime services, and Singapore’s role as a trusted platform for the global maritime community to connect and collaborate,» the authority said. The ISCD index is an internationally recognised benchmark of leading maritime centres, and assesses maritime hubs across a range of indicators, including port performance, maritime business services, and the overall business environment.Connected to over 600 ports worldwideLast year, Singapore handled a record 44.66 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in container throughput and 3.22 billion gross tonnage in vessel arrivals.

One person was taken to hospital after a traffic accident involving a van near the Kuo Chuan Presbyterian school zone in Bishan on Friday (July 10).Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to an accident along Bishan Street 13 at about 1.10pm. Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School students are typically dismissed at 1.25pm. The school is about 700 metres away from the accident site. The person was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.The Straits Times reported that the injured person is a female pedestrian who was hit by the van.When AsiaOne reached the accident site, a silver van with a cracked windscreen was seen overturned near a sheltered walkway.A section of the shelter was damaged in the accident.Debris, including a tyre, were scattered across the scene, and police officers were seen inspecting the area.

SINGAPORE – Customers using their DBS or POSB cards to shop at Giant and Sheng Siong supermarkets islandwide can enjoy $3 off select brands of rice and eggs every Saturday, starting July 18.The DBS Saturday Savings programme, which will run until Aug 29, is part of the bank’s $10 million initiative to help Singaporeans manage cost pressures, it said in a statement on July 10.Each customer is limited to one redemption per item per day.The offer is valid for Giant Farm Fresh Eggs (30s) and Giant Jasmine Fragrant Rice (5kg) from Giant, and Egg For You Fresh Eggs (30s) and Happy Family Fragrant Jasmine Rice (5kg) from Sheng Siong.There are 90,000 redemptions up for grabs each week, available on a first come, first served basis and while stocks last.The offer cannot be combined with other promotions, discounts, vouchers or CDC vouchers.“Our commitment was to provide practical benefits that help Singaporeans stretch their dollar,” said Calvin Ong, head of DBS’ consumer banking group. “By offering these savings on Saturdays, we hope to make these grocery trips a little more affordable.”

Two lorries were towed away by the traffic police (TP) for failing to install speed limiters by the July 1 statutory deadline.In a news release on Friday (July 10), police said TP officers conducted checks at selected companies during a two-day islandwide enforcement operation, from July 1 to 2. A traffic police officer conducts checks on speed limiter installation during the two-day enforcement operation. PHOTO: Singapore Police Force The second statutory deadline for speed limiter installation, which applies to lorries registered before January 1, 2018 and with a maximum laden weight (MLW) of between 3,501kg and 5,000kg, came into effect on July 1.