Latest news with #S'porean


Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
S'porean arrested after causing $2,800 damage to BMW in JB, allegedly also involved in 2023 road rage incident
S'porean arrested after causing $2,800 damage to BMW in JB, allegedly also involved in 2023 road rage incident A Singaporean man who was arrested for a road rage incident in Johor on June 7 is alleged to have been involved in a similar incident in 2023. The 40-year-old was arrested on June 8 at 6.20pm, said Johor Bahru North police chief Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh in a statement. He said a 31-year-old Malaysian man had made a police report, claiming that a person in a Singapore-registered Toyota Altis had honked his car horn at him. Assistant Commissioner Balveer said the Singaporean was upset that the Malaysian's BMW had blocked his path in the Taman Tun Aminah area. "An argument took place and the suspect allegedly kicked the complainant's car, causing damage," said AC Balveer. The Johor Bahru Magistrate Court granted a police application for the Singaporean to be detained for mischief, damage of property and utterance of insult until June 12 to assist with investigations. Facebook user Vicky Sing, who said she was the girlfriend of the Malaysian driver, posted videos and photos of the incident on June 7. One of the videos shows the Singaporean man kicking the car. On June 9, she shared an Oct 6, 2023, post by another Facebook user Tok Zhi Wei of the driver of the same Singapore-registered Toyota Altis kicking another car. Ms Sing also shared photos of a quotation for 9,300 ringgit (S$2,800) from a Malaysian auto workshop to repair her boyfriend's BMW. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:

Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Forum: What about a safety net for local students wanting a place in university?
I was heartened to learn that our Government is extending support to the 151 Singaporean students at Harvard (S'porean undergrads at Harvard can continue studies in universities here, June 6). I am sure the Government will similarly extend support to Singaporean students at other elite US universities if the situation deteriorates there. I sympathise with the Singaporeans studying at Harvard, but I wonder if the message is that our local universities do in fact have the capacity to take in more local students. Or is it that our local universities will reduce the number of places available to local students, to accommodate the returning US students? Many local students do not have the financial resources to seek an overseas education, and universities at home are their only option. But due to limited capacity, not every eligible applicant is accepted. So, I was surprised to learn that local universities are able to accommodate the affected Singapore students at Harvard. Wouldn't this be at the expense of eligible local applicants? Finally, these Ivy League students no doubt have the ability and resources to study in the US. They took the decision to study abroad willingly. In the face of adversity, is our Government expected to offer a safety net back home? What about a safety net for local students? Roy Tan Choon Kang More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
2 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Explosions, fires on S'pore-registered cargo ship off India's Kerala coast; no S'porean on board
Pictures and videos show a thick plume of black smoke rising from the Singapore-registered ship. PHOTO: INDIAN COAST GUARD/X Explosions, fires on S'pore-registered cargo ship off India's Kerala coast; no S'porean on board Multiple explosions and fires erupted on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship bound for India's financial capital Mumbai on June 9 , causing 40 containers to fall into the Arabian Sea and forcing several crew members to jump overboard to escape the flames, officials said. In a media release on June 9, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said that no Singaporeans are on board the container vessel Wan Hai 503, managed by Wan Hai Lines (Singapore). MPA added that it had been informed about a fire onboard the ship, approximately 80km south-west of Azhikkal, Kerala, India. There were 22 crew members onboard at about 12.30pm (Singapore time) when the incident occurred, according to the authority. MPA said 18 crew members have been accounted for and are in the process of being transferred from lifeboats to a passing vessel. Some injuries have been reported among those onboard, the authority said, adding that four crew members remain unaccounted for. 'According to preliminary information ... there were 22 workers on board the ship ... 18 jumped into the sea and are in rescue boats. Efforts are underway to rescue them,' Mr Shekhar Kuriakose, secretary of the state's disaster management authority said, adding that the vessel was not 'currently sinking'. Pictures and videos shared by the Indian coast guard on X showed a thick plume of black smoke rising from the ship, and some containers lying open and in disarray near the point where the smoke was escaping. 'Vessel is presently on fire and adrift,' a defence ministry public relations officer said on X. Officials did not disclose the nature of the cargo in the containers, nor what caused the explosions. MPA said it is in close contact with the vessel's management company to provide support and is monitoring the situation closely. MPA added it will be investigating the incident. A container vessel sank in another accident off Kerala in May , releasing 100 cargo containers into the Arabian Sea. The directorate general of shipping said on June 6 there were no reports of oil pollution because of that incident. REUTERS Additional reporting by Vihanya Rakshika Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
S'porean Harvard undergrads can take up places in 6 local unis if they choose to return
The Ministry of Education said that the autonomous universities are ready to support Singaporean students in Harvard if they wish to continue their studies back home. PHOTO: AFP S'porean Harvard undergrads can take up places in 6 local unis if they choose to return SINGAPORE - Singaporean students who are currently undergraduates at Harvard have been told that autonomous universities here can offer them placements if they wish to discontinue their studies in the US and return home, owing to recent developments. This was conveyed on May 30 by the Republic's ambassador to the US, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, in a virtual town hall with the affected students. In response to queries from The Straits Times, a Ministry of Education spokesperson said the Republic's autonomous universities 'stand ready to support Singaporean students in Harvard if they wish to continue their studies in Singapore'. The spokesperson added this was shared with affected students so that they can consider returning to Singapore as a possible option to continue their studies. The autonomous universities consist of the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Social Sciences, the Singapore University of Technology and Design and Singapore Institute of Technology. There are currently 151 Singaporean students in Harvard, according to university statistics. Among them are 12 Public Service Commission scholarship holders. The studies of foreign students in Harvard have been thrown into limbo since US President Donald Trump's administration announced on May 22 that it had revoked Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Programme certification with immediate effect. As a result, the nearly 6,800 international students in the Ivy League college were given an ultimatum to either transfer to another institution, or face deportation. A federal judge later blocked the move, with the Trump administration rolling back its stance on May 29 and giving Harvard 30 days to submit evidence contesting the administration's plan to revoke the school's right to enrol international students. International students make up more than a quarter of Harvard's student body, but US President Donald Trump said the university should cap its international intake at 15 per cent. The Trump administration's targeting of Harvard is part of a wider crackdown on other universities over several allegations, including claims of anti-Semitism and anti-white bias, which have been used as leverage to pressure them into enacting policy changes. Then on June 4, Mr Trump kept up the pressure on the world's wealthiest university by signing a proclamation targeting foreign students in Harvard. Besides suspending the entry of foreign nationals looking to study or take part in exchange programmes at Harvard, the order also directed the Secretary of State to consider revoking existing student visas for current Harvard students who 'meet the proclamation's criteria'. It does not apply to foreign nationals attending other US universities through a student exchange programme and also exempts those whose entries are deemed to be in the US' interests. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had said on May 27 that it is monitoring the impact on the academic prospects of Singaporean students, with the Singapore Embassy in Washington DC engaging the US State Department and Department of Homeland Security. The ministry had also set up support structures for affected students, including a group communication channel hosted by MFA's Consular Department and the Singapore Global Network. ST has contacted the Singapore Embassy in Washington DC for more information. Since the crackdown on Harvard, the Trump administration has also taken greater steps to stymie the intake of international students into the US. In an internal cable that was reported by Politico on May 27, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had directed all overseas missions to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visa applicants. The State Department also plans to issue guidelines on 'expanded social media vetting', with only visa appointments that have already been scheduled slated to be honoured. The extent of the social media vetting, as well as a timeline for it to be rolled out, have not been disclosed yet. Additional reporting by Angelica Ang Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.


Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
S'porean actor Adrian Pang plays doctor in BBC series Doctor Who's latest episode -- but not that Doctor
S'porean actor Adrian Pang plays doctor in BBC series Doctor Who's latest episode -- but not that Doctor Singaporean actor Adrian Pang has a minor role in the latest episode of the long-running BBC science fiction TV series Doctor Who. Entitled The Story And The Engine, the episode premiered on streaming service Disney+ on May 10. The series stars Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Varada Sethu as his companion Belinda Chandra, Pang played a doctor in a hospital scene with Sethu who played a nurse. His lines consisted mostly of medical jargon. In the credits, his character is listed as "Consultant" instead of "Doctor", probably to avoid confusion with the main character, who is "The Doctor". Stomp has reached out to Pang for more info. A co-founder of theatre company Pangdemonium with his wife Tracie, Pang is a familiar face on local stage, TV and the big screen. He starred in the 1998 movie Forever Fever and played Lee Kuan Yew in The LKY Musical in 2015 and 2022. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on: Share this article Show Comments