Iswaran gets single-man cell because of 'higher safety and security risk'; 2 shophouses partially collapse at Syed Alwi Road, 6 injured: Singapore live news

We feature a curated selection of some of the biggest, most important, and fascinating news that’s making waves online

Singapore's former Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge for Trade Relations S. Iswaran arrives at the State Court for the start of his 12-month jail sentence in Singapore on October 7, 2024.
Singapore's former Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge for Trade Relations S. Iswaran arrives at the State Court for the start of his 12-month jail sentence in Singapore on October 7, 2024.

And that's a wrap. Thanks for tuning in. We'll catch y'all again tomorrow.


Hello to all our readers, Yahoo Singapore will be bringing you live news updates today.

Former transport minister S Iswaran will be placed in a single-man cell. The Singapore Prison Service explained that it was due to the "higher safety and security risk". For more clarity on their processes, read on.

Two shophouses partially collapsed at Syed Alwi Road on Tuesday (8 Oct), leaving 6 injured. The cause of the incident is "suspected" to be a gas explosion. To find out more about the collapse, read on.

Singapore made the list of best places to have a 'workcation'. It shares the 7th spot (on a list of 30) with Los Angeles and Jakarta. Our "futuristic" attractions are a draw for visitors, but let's not forget our colourful neighbourhoods that brings gives people a look at our local culture. Here's the full analysis.

Joker: Folie à Deux bombed at the US box office. Yet, it was a failure that couldn't have been avoided. A sequel had to be greenlit considering the astronomical success of Joker. So, who is to blame? The director, the executives, or DC?

Children on board a recent Qantas flight got exposed to graphic nudity and sexually explicit texting by accident. A passenger on the flight said "impossible to pause, dim, or turn it off".

Indonesia will allow visa-free entry to Singapore permanent residents who visit Batam, Bintan and the Karimun Islands. This move aims to boost tourism and investment in the regional economic zones. To find out more about the visa-free policy, read here.

Two passengers were supposedly forced off a flight by a "sexist" male flight attendant because they were wearing crop tops. Another mother and her toddler were also kicked off the flight together but no reason was given for them. For the airline's comments, read here.

Taylor Swift narrowly surpassed Rihanna to become the richest female musician. Her increased net worth came from her hugely successful Eras Tour, her catalog, royalties, and real estate in the US. For more how rich Taylor Swift is, read here.

Singtel faced a service disruption, which led to emergency hotlines being affected. Singapore banks also reported that their customer care hotlines were disrupted. For more on the outage, read here.

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER9 updates
  • Featured

    2 shophouses partially collapse at Syed Alwi Road, 6 injured

    Two shophouses partially collapsed at Syed Alwi Road on Tuesday (8 Oct), leaving 6 injured. (PHOTO: Facebook/Singapore Civil Defence Force)
    Two shophouses partially collapsed at Syed Alwi Road on Tuesday (8 Oct), leaving 6 injured. (PHOTO: Facebook/Singapore Civil Defence Force)

    Two shophouses partially collapsed at Syed Alwi Road in the early hours of Tuesday (8 Oct).

    According to a Facebook post by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), the team was alerted to the incident at 1.30am.

    "Upon arrival, SCDF immediately commenced a search of the area to ascertain if anyone was trapped under the debris. Two search dogs and a drone were also deployed to augment the search operation," they wrote.

    As passersby reported hearing a loud blast, a firefighting machine was deployed as a precautionary measure, to disperse any potential build up of flammable gases using its water mist spray function.

    Firefighters rescued a victim who was trapped on the second storey of the affected shophouse at 84 Syed Alwi Road using a ladder.

    No one was found trapped under the debris, said SCDF.

    SCDF shared, "Two persons were assessed by paramedics for minor injuries and conveyed to Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Four other persons were also assessed for minor injuries but they declined to be sent to the hospital."

    CNA reported that, according to the Building and Construction Authority, the cause of the incident is "suspected" to be a gas explosion.

    For more on the shophouse collapse, read here.

  • Featured

    Iswaran gets single-man cell because of 'higher safety and security risk'

    Former transport minister S Iswaran will be placed in a single-man cell. The Singapore Prison Service explained that it was due to the "higher safety and security risk". (PHOTO: Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images)
    Former transport minister S Iswaran will be placed in a single-man cell. The Singapore Prison Service explained that it was due to the "higher safety and security risk". (PHOTO: Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images)

    Former transport minister S Iswarahas been placed in a single-man cell, according to the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).

    It was reported by CNA that the cell is about 6.9 sq m including toilet space and he has been provided with a straw mat and two blankets on which to sleep.

    In response to queries by CNA, SPS explained, "S Iswaran underwent safety, security and medical assessment, as per other inmates. As we assessed that there is a higher safety and security risk for S Iswaran to be housed with other inmates, we have housed him in a single-man cell."

    SPS said that all inmates receive the same treatment and are subject to the same prison rules and processes. They can be "housed in different types of cells" depending on their "safety and security risk, as well as medical needs".

    They added, "Inmates with severe medical conditions or clinical needs, upon the Prison Medical Officer’s assessment, may be housed in an Assisted Living Correctional Unit or a Medical Ward for medical monitoring."

    Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months' jail after being convicted of four charges of obtaining valuable items as a public servant and one charge of obstruction of justice.

    He turned himself in at the State Courts on Monday (7 Oct) afternoon to start his sentence.

    On the same day, he also released a statement addressing the issue where he announced that he won't be appealing the sentence.

    He said, "It was important to me that the Public Prosecutor amended the charges against me under the Prevention of Corruption Act to those under section 165 of the Penal Code regarding the acceptance of gifts by public servants.

    "I accept that as a Minister what I did was wrong under section 165. I accept full responsibility for my actions and apologise unreservedly to all Singaporeans."

    For more on Iswaran, read here.

  • Singtel outage: Emergency, bank hotlines affected

    Singtel faced a service disruption, which led to emergency hotlines being affected. (PHOTO: Roslan Rahman/AFP)
    Singtel faced a service disruption, which led to emergency hotlines being affected. (PHOTO: Roslan Rahman/AFP)

    Singtel is experiencing outage, which has resulted in public service hotlines being affected.

    In a Facebook post, Singtel wrote, "Some of our customers, including public service hotlines, may be experiencing intermittent fixed voice service issues."

    They added, "Our engineers are working urgently to deploy workaround measures as we try to resolve our fixed voice service issue."

    The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it was aware of the issue, on Facebook, and urged the public to send them mobile phone text messages instead.

    Singapore banks – such as DBS Group Holdings, United Overseas Bank, and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. – also separately reported issues with their customer care hotlines.

    In their latest update, Singtel shared that they have isolated the problem.

    "Recovery measures are being rapidly deployed and services are progressively being restored," they wrote.

    For more on the Singtel outage, read here.

  • Taylor Swift claims richest female musician title from Rihanna

    Taylor Swift narrowly surpassed Rihanna to become the richest female musician. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
    Taylor Swift narrowly surpassed Rihanna to become the richest female musician. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

    She may sing about not wanting money and just wanting someone who wants her company, but it doesn't mean Taylor Swift isn't raking in the dough.

    According to Forbes, Swift has narrowly surpassed Rihanna and her Fenty Beauty empire to become the richest female musician.

    Rihanna's net worth is estimated to be US$1.4 billion (S$1.8 billion).

    Swift, who reached billionaire status late last year, had a net worth increase as a result of her successful Eras Tour. She is now valued at an estimated US$1.6 billion.

    Forbes reported that Swift's increase in fortune also comes from her catalog being valued at US$600 million, an additional US$600 million in royalties, and about US$125 million in real estate from her multiple homes across the US.

    For more on how rich Taylor Swift is, read here.

  • Passengers claim they're kicked off plane for wearing crop tops

    Two passengers were supposedly forced off a flight by a
    Two passengers were supposedly forced off a flight by a "sexist" male flight attendant because they were wearing crop tops. (PHOTO: The Independent)

    A group of passengers, including a toddler, were supposedly forced off a Spirit Airlines flight because two of them were wearing crop tops.

    One of them, identified as Teresa, went on Instagram and claimed a "sexist" male attendant took issue with their outfits.

    In a video posted by Teresa, she can be seen wearing a white spaghetti-strap tank top with a green and white striped sweater placed over her chest. Her friend was sporting a similar tank top, but with a dark blue sweater.

    They removed their sweaters after boarding the plane because it was too hot.

    Teresa claimed that a male flight attendant began "harassing" them and asked them to "cover up".

    “He then continued to treat us poorly and give us no reasoning as to why he wanted to kick us off," she shared.

    For more on her experience and comments from the airline, read here.

  • Singapore PRs get visa-free entry to Batam, Bintan

    Indonesia will allow visa-free entry to Singapore permanent residents who visit Batam, Bintan and the Karimun Islands. (PHOTO: Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B. via Getty Images)
    Indonesia will allow visa-free entry to Singapore permanent residents who visit Batam, Bintan and the Karimun Islands. (PHOTO: Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B. via Getty Images)

    Indonesia will allow visa-free entry to Singapore permanent residents who visit Batam, Bintan and the Karimun Islands.

    This is an attempt to boost tourism and investment in the regional economic zones.

    Under this new policy, visitors can stay up to four days. The rules will cover several port points in the Riau region, which contain the Karimun Islands.

    It was reported that there are roughly 545,000 permanent residents in Singapore.

    To find out more about the visa-free policy, read here.

  • Airline plays R-rated film for all passengers with no way to turn it off

    Children on board a recent Qantas flight got exposed to graphic nudity and sexually explicit texting by accident. (PHOTO: AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
    Children on board a recent Qantas flight got exposed to graphic nudity and sexually explicit texting by accident. (PHOTO: AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

    Children on board a recent Qantas flight got an eyeful of body parts.

    No, not the gruesome kind (although that wouldn't have been necessarily better), but the sexual kind. During a recent flight from Sydney to Tokyo, the R-rated film Daddio – starring Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn – was accidentally broadcast to every screen.

    A technical error, which meant movies couldn't be individually selected on the in-flight entertainment system, resulted in the staff asking passengers what film they would most like to watch.

    Daddio was selected, which was how the blunder occurred.

    The film featured graphic nudity along with explicit sexting and passengers said it was "impossible to pause, dim, or turn it off".

    "It was super uncomfortable for everyone, especially with families and kids onboard," they added.

    For more on this movie snafu, read here.

  • Joker: Folie à Deux is a flop. So why isn't anyone getting fired?

    Joker: Folie à Deux bombed at the US box office. Yet, it was a failure that couldn't have been avoided. So, who is to blame? (PHOTO: Warner Bros. Pictures)
    Joker: Folie à Deux bombed at the US box office. Yet, it was a failure that couldn't have been avoided. So, who is to blame? (PHOTO: Warner Bros. Pictures)

    This will probably go down in Hollywood history.

    A critically-acclaimed, Oscar-winning, US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion) comic book movie sank to a new low with its sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux.

    The film collapsed in the US box office with a domestic opening of $37.8 million. It also became the first comic book movie in history to receive a D CinemaScore.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), director Todd Phillips spent the weekend in seclusion on a ranch property he owns.

    Could it have been avoided, though? The thing is, Joker: Folie à Deux was in a unique position where it had to be made, especially after the brilliant success of Joker.

    "It is a collective failure, but it was right to make this movie," says one top veteran producer and financier to THR.

    However, a failure is a failure. So who is to blame? That seems to be a tricky question, as THR opined.

    Was it Phillips, who was given "an extraordinary level of autonomy and final cut"? Insiders said there was "no test screening" to avoid spoilers. Yet, it was noted that movies like Avengers: Endgame had multiple test screenings.

    Was it the fact that no DC executives were involved this time? After all, former DC Films president Walter Hamada worked on Joker and received an executive producer credit.

    If you're curious about the downfall of Joker: Folie à Deux and what possibly went on behind the scenes, read here.

  • Singapore ranked among world's best global cities for a workcation

    Singapore ranks among the top 10 places to have a 'workcation'. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
    Singapore ranks among the top 10 places to have a 'workcation'. (PHOTO: Getty Images)

    With remote working becoming more prevalent after COVID-19, a 'workcation' has become more common.

    For the uninitiated, a 'workcation' (a portmanteau of work and vacation) is when you combine, well, work and a vacation – quite literally.

    People might stay in one place for a couple months, or a year depending on the visas available, or they might just country hop.

    Despite a high cost of living, Singapore placed 7th on the list of 30 places, sharing the spot with Los Angeles and Jakarta.

    Singapore's "luxurious" and "futuristic" attractions, like the Marina Bay Sands, is a draw for visitors. And, we also have colourful neighbourhoods to explore that provide a peek into our local culture and everyday life.

    To see the full list of top 'workcation' places, read here.