East-West line service fully restored after 6-day disruption; What to know about VEP for Singapore vehicles: Singapore live news
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The East-West line service has been fully restored as of Tuesday (1 Oct) morning. For safety reasons, there'll also be Temporary Speed Restrictions on westbound trains travelling on the repaired sections of the track. To know more about the restored EWL services, read here.
Starting from today (1 Oct), Singapore vehicles will require a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) to enter Johor. But have you activated yours yet? If you need some help, check out a guide for VEPs here.
Former oil tycoon OK Lim will pay about $4.6b to his liquidators and HSBC. He continues to deny the claims from the civil suits but will be applying for bankruptcy as he doesn't have enough assets to "pay all of them".
Trump's latest suggestion of how to end crime in the US has netizens drawing comparisons to the horror film franchise, The Purge. He claimed that if the police has "one really violent day", crime will "end immediately".
Broadway star Gavin Creel died of a rare and aggressive form of sarcoma which was only diagnosed in July 24. He was 48. Creel is a beloved and celebrated stage actor who used his platform to advocate for racial equality, to call out sexual inappropriateness behind-the-scenes, and to fight for LGBTQ rights. He counted stars like Sara Bareilles, Andrew Rannells, Sutton Foster, Jane Krakowski, and Aaron Tveit among his close friends.
A man bought a Taylor Swift signed guitar at an auction for US$4,000 then proceeded to smash it with a hammer. One of the organisers confirmed the authenticity of the guitar. An event attendee said that part of Texas where the auction was held is heavily conservative. Swift drew the ire of Trump, and his supporters, after she voiced her support for Kamala Harris in the upcoming US presidential elections.
Chris Martin said Coldplay will retire from making studio albums after its 12th one. The band's frontman said the self-imposed limit is important to ensure they still make high quality songs. Coldplay's 10th album, Moon Music, will be released 4 Oct. For more on Martin's post-Coldplay plans, read here.
Ministers Vivian Balakrishnan and K. Shanmugam shot down claims that Lee Hsien Yang wrote on Facebook while announcing that he had paid them over $619,000 for defamation. In a lengthy statement (that are largely similar) addressing his points, both ministers described him as someone "who will say anything". For more the full statement, read on.
Singapore's private housing prices have taken a hit for the first time in year. However, public housing still remains in demand, which saw HDB flat prices rise for the 18th consecutive time. For a full analysis of the housing market, read here.
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East-West line service fully restored after 6-day disruption
The East-West line service has been fully restored as of Tuesday morning (1 Oct).
This marks the end of a six-day disruption that began with a faulty train that damaged the tracks on 25 Sept.
In a Facebook video, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) have successfully completed all safety checks and tests.
LTA shared, in a separate press release on Monday, that the workers had replaced all 10 rail segments which developed new cracks. For safety reasons, there'll also be Temporary Speed Restrictions on westbound trains travelling on the repaired sections of the track, which means that trains will travel slower at 40km/h.
These restrictions will be imposed for three days, until Thursday (3 Oct). This is part of the standard process following rail replacements, LTA explained.
Commuters are advised to plan for an additional five minutes of travelling time.
Singapore's ex-oil tycoon OK Lim agree to pay liquidators, HSBC $4.6b
Former Singapore oil tycoon Lim Oon Kuin will pay about $4.6 billion to the liquidators of his company and creditor HSBC Holdings Plc.
This has been approved by Singapore's High Court and will end the multi-year civil cases against him and his family.
OK Lim and his children Evan Lim Chee Meng and Lim Huey Ching will file for bankruptcy. They didn't admit liability.
Lim, 82, said he continues to deny the claims with regard to the civil suits, but “I do not wish to take up any more of the court’s time and resources". He added that he doesn't have assets to "pay all of them and will therefore be applying for bankruptcy".
Singapore private home prices fall for first time in a year, HDB flat prices still rising
Singapore's home prices are finally taking a hit for the first time since 2023. An index of private home prices saw a drop of 1.1 per cent last quarter from the previous three months.
The city state is now on course for its worst year in new home sales since the global financial crisis.
However, public housing prices are still increasing due to continued demand. A price index for second-hand HDB flats estimated prices to have risen by 2.5 per cent in the third quarter.
This is the largest jump in two years, and the 18th consecutive rise.
Shanmugam, Balakrishnan respond to Lee Hsien Yang's claims
Lee Hsien Yang, estranged brother of former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, announced on Sunday (29 Sept) that he has paid a total of $619,335.53 for defamation.
In the same Facebook post, he claimed that the amount was equal to "13.6 months rental for the two Ridout houses", and that he paid it to "to try to honour my father's wishes in connection with his home".
Both Law Minister K. Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan have responded with statements on their own via Facebook.
The statements, which are largely similar, addressed firstly, the issue that they should have sued Lee in England. Shanmugam argued that they sued him for libels that were published in Singapore, and "which were primarily meant for, and concerned, Singaporeans".
Both ministers also said they had urged Lee to cross-examine them during the trial, but he was a no-show.
They also reiterated that the damages Lee paid will be donated to charity.
As for Lee's claim about paying the money to "honour" his father's wishes, Shanmugam and Balakrishnan described it as "extraordinary".
"Mr Lee Hsien Yang knows that the defamation cases have nothing to do with Mr Lee Kuan Yew," they wrote.
They added, "It is also rich of him to claim that he tried to honour Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes when he knows that his conduct, vis-à-vis his father, has been the subject of scathing remarks by the Courts."
Coldplay will retire from making studio albums after its 12th one
Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin revealed that the band's 12th album will be its last "proper album".
Martin revealed that in an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe and explained, "Because less is more and, for some of our critics, even less would be even more! It’s really important that we have that limit."
The band's 10th album, Moon Music, releases on 4 Oct.
By self-imposing the limit, the band is able to make quality songs as "the quality control is so high right now".
Additionally, making an album involves a lot of people and Martin wants to "give the others some of their life for themselves".
The end of Coldplay's studio albums doesn't mean the end of the band's music journey, though.
Man pays US$4,000 for signed Taylor Swift guitar then wrecks it
It would have been a collector's item for many Swifties, but for this Texas man, it was the object of his displeasure.
During an auction to support agricultural education for local youth, an authentic, signed Taylor Swift guitar was sold for US$4,000.
In a video that has gone viral, the winner can be seen taking a hammer to the guitar and smashing it repeatedly.
An organiser for the event confirmed the authenticity of the guitar to The Independent.
One event attendee told the publication that it "wasn't unheard of" to auction a Taylor Swift guitar, but that the phones "came out" when the winner announced his intention to destroy it.
He added that the part of Texas where the auction was held is heavily conservative.
Swift drew the ire of Trump, and by extension his supporters, when she publicly came out in support of Kamala Harris for the upcoming US presidential elections.
After her announcement, Trump went on his Truth Social platform and wrote, "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!"
Gavin Creel, Tony Award-winning Broadway star, dies at 48
Celebrated singer, songwriter and stage actor Gavin Creel died on 30 Sept.
He was 48 and lost his life amid treatment for a rare and aggressive form of sarcoma. Creel was diagnosed with metastatic melanotic peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma in July 2024.
Creel was beloved among the community and counted stars like Sara Bareilles, Andrew Rannells, Sutton Foster, Jane Krakowski, and Aaron Tveit among his close friends.
As an out, gay actor, he also used his platform to fight for racial equality and LGBTQ rights.
He won his first Tony Award in 2017, playing the role of Cornelius Hackl on the revival of Hello, Dolly! alongside Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce.
Creel's death was confirmed by his partner, Alex Temple Ward.
Donald Trump suggests 'The Purge' idea as a way to end crime
Reel life is set to imitate real life, should Donald Trump be elected the US President this year.
During his Pennsylvania rally on Sunday (29 Sept), the 78-year-old claimed that crime in the US is "at a level we’ve never seen". He added, "We have to let police do their job, [even] if they have to be extraordinarily rough."
To further drive his point, he said, "If you had one day, like one real, rough, nasty day … If you had one really violent day... One rough hour — and I mean real rough — the word will get out and it will end immediately, you know? It will end immediately.”
His remarks led to netizens drawing comparisons to the horror film series The Purge where all crime is legal for one night a year.
When asked about his comments, a campaign official said Trump was "clearly just floating in jest".
Meghan Markle looked sensational on Saturday evening as she attended the LA Children's Hospital Gala. For the special occasion, the Duchess recycled her striking Carolina Herrera gown. See photos...
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