A five-year-old Spanish boy died in hospital last Friday (Aug 25) after getting struck by a fallen tree in Bukit Timah.

The incident happened on Aug 17 at around 4pm, reports Shin Min Daily News via Lianhe Zaobao.

The boy was seriously injured and rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for treatment.

A Facebook post by a church friend asked for the victim's friends and their family members to pray for his recovery.

It also revealed that the doctors could not operate on him, as his conditions were unstable.

It is understood that the boy's father is in Singapore for work and had brought his whole family over.

After receiving news that the boy had passed away, a 73-year-old witness to the incident said: "Such a young life, gone just like that. This is truly a tragedy."

A 68-year-old woman died from her injuries after getting hit by a taxi at Orchard Road before the Bras Basah Road junction today (Aug 28) at 3.18am.

Facebook user Lim Lian Chin William posted a photo from the scene of the accident in the Singapore Taxi Driver community group.

In response to Stomp media queries, the police said that they were alerted to the accident at 3.18am today.

The 68-year-old female pedestrian was unconscious when she was sent to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) where she subsequently succumbed to her injuries.

The 50-year-old male taxi driver was arrested in relation to the case.

Police investigations are ongoing.

JOHOR BARU - This year's Kembara Mahkota Johor will see Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar "cruise around" to meet the people in his Morgan three-wheeler vintage car.

The Johor Ruler is expected to travel around the 10 districts here in the vintage model during the expedition between Sept 9 and 12.

Besides Sultan Ibrahim, other members of the royal family, including Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail, are also expected to travel in similar vehicles during the Kembara.

Sultan Ibrahim said that he was in the midst of preparing for the trip.

"I am looking forward to meeting my rakyat during the four-day Kembara. I enjoy my annual trips which allow me to mingle and spend time with my people," he said.

Sultan Ibrahim also purchased 10 customised Morgan three-wheelers, which will be personally driven by him, his family members and friends. The vintage car was first designed in 1909 by Morgan Motor Company Ltd in the United Kingdom.

Kembara Mahkota Johor has become one of the state's most iconic events since it was first introduced 16 years ago.

The Johor Ruler came up with the idea after a trip to Singapore in 2001.

Sultan Ibrahim said he wanted to know the rakyat better, especially their living conditions, as there was usually limited interaction during formal occasions.

In this eagerly anticipated event, Sultan Ibrahim would use various modes of transport including motorcycles, four-wheel drives, boats, buses, trains and trucks to travel around the state.

In 2010, Sultan Ibrahim was documented in the Malaysia Book of Records for being the first Ruler to obtain a Class 26 locomotive driving licence.

He drove the train throughout the 391km journey.

So, you've scrimped and saved, avoided splurging wherever possible and made the best financial decisions over the past couple of years.

Congratulations, and now you're going to invest all that money into… what? A car?

In Singapore? Are you ins… oh, it's a second-hand car? Actually… that's not a bad idea.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, YOU GOT SOMETHING AGAINST NEW CAR OWNERS?

Not at all! More power to people who can afford buying the most expensive item in Singapore next to property, I say. But here's the thing - buying second-hand cars in Singapore can cost you 50 per cent to 70 per cent less than a new car.

That's significant, regardless of the contributing factors. Here's what you need to know before you buy a second-hand car.

1. HOW "USED" IS THE USED CAR?

I don't think I need to spell it out, but determining a car's usage goes way beyond the car's backseat, residual smell and general cleanliness. Those things you can spot and immediately decide if you're willing to pay for the car. I'm talking about things you can't immediately notice, such as - how well maintained is the car's engine?

One easy way would be to look at the car's mileage - If a car has seen more of the world than you have, you'll probably want to think twice (or three times) about buying the car. But that doesn't mean that an extremely low mileage is preferred either - not only is it seen as a premium by some sellers, but lack of use can lead to its own share of engine problems.

Make sure you get a car with an appropriate mileage for its age - about 15,000 to 18,000 km per year.

A related point is to find out how many previous owners a car has had. When cars seldom get to be more than 10 years old in Singapore, having 3 or more owners might be too many, and may imply problems with the car.

2. IS THIS A PARF CAR OR A COE CAR?

This is a very important question to consider because it informs you how much you can get back in "scrap value".

Put simply, a PARF car is a car that is less than 10 years old. This means that when the car nears its 10th birthday, you can recover at least 50 per cent of the PARF value if you choose to deregister it. That means you get some money back! And it's a pretty significant amount too.

On the other hand, a COE car is a car that is more than 10 years old. It's called a COE car because someone renewed the car's COE in order to keep using it. They either paid for a new 10-year COE, or paid half that amount for a 5-year COE.

While COE cars seem cheaper than PARF cars, it's only because when you deregister your car, you only get the unused portion of your COE back, nothing more, nothing less. In that sense, COE cars are practically worthless.

And let's not forget that as older cars, COE cars may need more repair work if they've not been well-maintained in the past.

3. DON'T FORGOT TO CHECK WHEN ROAD TAX IS DUE

Road tax is paid annually, which means you might sometimes get a bargain if the seller had already paid road tax for the year before you buy the car off them.

Most of the time, though, road tax becomes a hidden, unexpected cost that creeps up on you like a vampire or zombie in the night. And if your car is more than 10 years old (i.e. a COE car), then that analogy becomes even more sinister since you must pay up to 50 per cent more road tax for older cars.

Always find out how much road tax your car will be charged and when the renewal due date is.

4. EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE BUYING A SECOND-HAND CAR, YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR OWN CAR INSURANCE!

If you're new to driving and are getting your second-hand car from a direct seller, you might not realise that you are obliged to get your own car insurance. Technically, you're not allowed to buy over the seller's insurance.

This means that you might be left unaware of your options in choosing the best car insurance for you.

Since there are so many competing insurance providers in Singapore, it pays to compare car insurance policies before making your decision. And even though you're not obliged to stick with an insurer after a year, for the sake of convenience, it's best to choose the right policy from Day 1. Or Day 0, even.

You can compare car insurance policies easily with our Car Insurance Wizard.

One thing you'll want to look out for (other than the premium, of course) is the excess you agree to pay. Say you want to make a claim, this amount decides the maximum amount you must pay out of your own pocket before the insurance company chips in.

Say the claim is for $2,000 and your excess is $500. You will need to pay $500 and the insurance company pays $1,500. But if the claim is only for $400? You will need to pay the entire $400 claim yourself, since it's below the $500 excess amount.

Another thing to watch out for is the fine print - I know this seems like an obvious statement when it comes to insurance agents, but it's particularly important when it comes to car insurance.

Find out what your insurer's policy on car modifications is - will they still accept claims if the car has modifications?

This is really important when buying second-hand cars, because it's possible that a seller may forget to mention that they've changed the tyre rims and as a result, you may have problems claiming insurance later.

Do you have any more advice about buying a second-hand car? Share your wisdom with us.

So you're all grown up now and one of the things you need to do to get this adulting thing right is to buy your first insurance policy.

Okay, so poring over insurance policies and actually speaking to insurance agents rather than running away from them isn't exactly the most enjoyable way to spend a Tuesday night.

But making sure your first insurance policy is right for you isn't rocket science-yes, even if you have no clue what insurance you need or even why you need it.

Here are five tips to get yourself on the right track.

1. LISTEN TO WHAT THE INSURANCE AGENT HAS TO SAY, BUT DON'T FEEL OBLIGED TO BUY FROM HIM

You should totally avoid insurance agents like the plague-unless you actually do want to buy insurance but aren't sure what plans you need.

If you have no clue where to start, it would probably benefit you to make an appointment with an insurance agent in your social circle, or even one of the random ones who's accosted you on the street. Sit down with them and have them explain the various types of insurance policies.

You're not going to need all of the plans the agent talks about-for instance, be aware that the agent is likely to try to get you to sign up for an investment-linked savings plan, which may not be a good idea. But some plans are more appropriate as your first insurance policy, such as health insurance and personal accident insurance.

The agent will be able to give you a pretty comprehensive overview of what the various insurance plans are for. Of course, there is no substitute for reading the actual policy. But if you're totally clueless, an agent can give you a good introduction.

2. UNDERSTAND WHAT INSURANCE YOU ACTUALY NEED

Once you've parted ways with the agent, you should have a decent idea of what the various types of insurance entail. Now you need to figure out what you really need-obviously, if the agent had his way, you'd be buying everything.

As a general rule of thumb, a health insurance plan is highly recommended for every young Singaporean who's started working. Yes, we have MediShield Life, but it is very limited in scope and you'll be stuck in overcrowded government hospitals if you have only that to rely on.

If you have dependents-such as children, aged parents, a non-working spouse-who rely on you financially, you should also consider life insurance. Note that there is a big difference between a straight-up life insurance plan and investment-linked life insurance.

You might also be wondering if investment-linked life insurance is actually a good idea. This article elsewhere on MoneySmart explains how it works and might help you decide whether this is something you want to buy into.

3. COMPARE PLANS FROM THE VARIOUS INSURANCE COMPANIES

The insurance agent you spoke with is likely to be working for one insurance company. Don't jump up and sign up for his plan immediately. The last thing you want is to regret your first insurance policy.

You now need to compare plans between several companies.

You can do this for free using MoneySmart's insurance wizards-here's one for personal accident insurance. The personal accident insurance wizard makes it easy to compare quotes from insurance companies.

4. UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR FIRST INSURANCE POLICY WORKS BEFORE BUYING

When you've narrowed down your search to a few plans, you want to delve into the nitty gritty details and really understand how each one works before making your final decision.

Other than looking at and comparing the lists of what's insurable and exceptions, you also want to understand concepts like deductibles and co-payment.

A deductible is basically a sum of money you need to pay before you can make a claim. So, for instance, if your health insurance has a $5,000 deductible, that means that if you get hospitalised and your bill is $10,000, you'll have to pay the first $5,000 before you're allowed to claim the remaining $5,000.

A co-payment portion is very common in health insurance policies. It basically means that you will need to pay a percentage of the bill you're trying to claim. So, if your policy requires 10 per cent co-payment, you'll have to fork out $10,000 on your own if you make a claim for a $100,000 bill.

5. CHECK IF YOU CAN AFFORD THE PREMIUMS

The more kiasee amongst us might immediately jump at the chance to get insured for every mishap under the sun.

But before you sign up for an insurance policy, ask yourself if it's really what you need, and whether you can afford the premiums. Take into account that premiums for, say, health insurance will rise as you get older.

While it can be tempting to get insurance for everything short of the common cold, resist the urge, as over-insuring yourself could cost even more than all the payouts you claim over a lifetime.

Do you have any insurance policies? Tell us which ones in the comments!

Riding bicycles are sure fun, but it can get very tiring pedalling your way around - especially when you ride using the shared bikes, which aren't exactly lightweight or have any gears to accommodate the different speeds.

So when e-scooter sharing was first introduced here, Singaporeans welcomed the idea with open arms.

Two home-grown firms have begun offering shared e-scooter services two months ago - first there's Telepod, then came Neuron Mobility.

And now, a third player has joined the fray - and it's planning to roll out its e-scooters at almost 30 locations islandwide.

This is a very aggressive launch, considering that the two other existing players started out small.

PopScoot said that it will officially launch in September.

But they are having a soft launch now whereby pilot decks will be deployed at ManuLife Centre, Republic Plaza, Tiong Bahru Plaza and City Square Mall.

Telepod, which shelved plans to launch the service in Punggol, has about 20 e-scooters at 7 locations islandwide now.

On the other hand, Neuron Mobility - which recently started a shared e-scooter and bicycle trial at Singapore Science Park 1 - has partnered with Park Regis Hotel to offer eight e-scooters for rent to hotel guests.

The startup is planning to have 100 scooters spread across 10 to 15 more stations in the CBD soon.

GOOD RESPONSE FROM SINGAPOREANS

The uptake of e-scooter sharing has proved to be fairly good so far, despite a significantly higher pricing than the shared bikes.

To date, both Telepod and Neuron Mobility have about 2,000 registered users.

Neuron's e-scooters cost 50 cents per 15 minutes ($2 for an hour), while Telepod's e-scooters cost $1 for 10 minutes ($6 an hour). PopScoot's e-scooters will cost $2 for 30 minutes, with a grace period of 10 minutes charged free for every ride.

For comparison sake, an ofo bicycle costs only $1 an hour.

But as opposed to bicycles, e-scooters are much faster and are less labour-intensive, so you hardly have to break a sweat as you zip around town.

And contrary to popular belief, e-scooters have a very low learning curve.

"For someone riding for the first time, the learning curve to ride an electric scooter is considerably easy. An average person should be able to ride the scooters almost right away, with some familiarisation," PopScoot said on its website.

It is also relatively safe to ride as e-scooters are banned on roads.

They are only legally allowed on footpaths at the top speed of 15 km/h or cycling paths at 25km/h.

Failure to comply will result in a fine up to $5000, jail up to 6 months, or both.

NO ABUSED E-SCOOTERS SO FAR

While news of vandalised or damaged shared bicycles are widespread on the news in recent months, there's been no such abuse cases for e-scooters so far.

E-scooter companies said they have a system in place that allows them to track missing e-scooters.

For instance, since Telepod's e-scooters do not have docking stations, they must be returned to specific parking areas. And they are able to track their scooters in real-time so onced moved, they will be alerted.

For PopScoot, it uses a Bluetooth app-based unlocking system so e-scooters are released from their docks instantaneously when activated via mobile phones.

"PopScoot will roll out a primarily docked system for a start, which will address indiscriminate parking. In terms of deterring vandalism, there is a deposit that will go some way to mitigate the problem," said Kelvin Emmanual Ng, Chief Marketing Officer of PopScoot.

"This combined with a GPS system and the dedicated docking will mean we can track down and prosecute any perpetrators in most cases."

The in-app GPS provides the ability to locate available scooters islandwide and track the travelling route of the users. As a location-based mobile solution, it is also able to turn docking locations into data hotspots in the future.

Ng also said that the startup is looking to organise community events and campaigns to educate and endear Singaporeans to PopScoot.

"So far, we are encouraged by the lack of or minimal reports on abuse of e-scooters. We believe e-scooters do occupy a different space in the mind of the public - and their perception of its value, scarcity, coupled with its physical weight will veer them away from having a 'throwaway' mentality they may have for bicycles."

MOVING TOWARDS A CAR-LITE CITY

In line with the support of a sustainable environment, PopScoot offers an affordable and convenient transit solution that reduces road congestion by encouraging car-lite cities.

The Government has also continued to push towards its car-lite vision through initiatives such as the National Cycling Plan and the upgrading of supporting infrastructure.

These developments have driven up the popularity of Personal Mobility Devices (PMD) such as e-scooters and opened up vast market opportunities for e-scooting co-share services.

"Electric-scooters on-demand is the way forward for Singapore, due to its technologically-savvy population, compact urban layout and pro-car-lite Government," said Ng.

"Our launch in September will be a major first step towards our goal of making e-scooter sharing mainstream in Singapore by making every journey affordable, convenient and enjoyable. We hope to work with investors and partners to transform the last mile commute scene in Singapore and other smart cities around the world."

A businesswoman in Singapore was shocked when she was mistaken for a sex worker when a number of people texted her for "special service", China Press reported.

The 43-year-old received the WhatsApp message on Saturday from an unknown man enquiring about her "part-time job".

"I was upset and asked him how he got my number.

"At first he told me that it was from a friend but later said he had got the wrong number.

"When I said I'd lodge a police report, he admitted that he got my number from a porn site, and kept apologising," she said.

Less than two hours later, the woman got a similar text message from another man.

The victim said she learnt that someone had posted her number on the website with a message that she could only provide sex service after 9pm because she had to take care of her children during the day.

"I am a businesswoman and I've never been involved in vice," she said.

Facebook user, Mei Tan recently visited Koh Grill & Sushi Bar, a Japanese restaurant at Wisma Atria famed for their Shiok Maki, but found bugs crawling around in a container of shichimi chilli powder.

The incident happened on Aug 26, at around 7pm.

The group took a video of the insects and uploaded it onto Facebook.

In the video, three of the creepy-crawlies could be seen on the underside of the container lid, while more were buried in the powder itself.

A voice could also be heard saying:

"Inside is full of bugs, and they already put so much in their soup."

The restaurant promptly replaced the customers' ramen, which they had seasoned with the spices.

In response to queries from Stomp, a Koh Grill & Sushi Bar spokesman confirmed the incident and said that they tried contacting Mei through Facebook to offer their sincere apology, but did not receive any reply.

The spokesman also added that this was the first time such an incident had happened in 20 years, and various measures have been implemented.

Firstly, all chilli powder within the shop were thrown away, despite not finding any insects in the remaining stock.

A new batch of chilli powder was ordered, and all existing containers for the spices were replaced with new, transparent ones.

The spokesman further assured that the store would check every container daily to prevent that the recurrence of such incidents.

Stomp understands that the insects were not cockroaches, and could have come about due to moisture in the powder, an understandable circumstance as the condiment is shared among customers.

Read also

Haidilao Beijing outlets rapped for unhygienic kitchens, more inspections to follow

A man was involved in a standoff with police officers near Block 3, Bendemeer Road, today (Aug 29) at around 12.22pm.

Stomp contributor Ben who witnessed the incident from his home filmed the event and sent it to Stomp.

In the first video, a police officer could be seen with his taser drawn.

According to Ben, the officer had fired the taser at the suspect.

The suspect attempted to remove the taser barbs, as the officer called for backup.

Another two officer quickly arrived at the scene and proceeded to restrain the suspect, grabbing his arms while attempting to pin him down to the ground.

The suspect put up a fight but ultimately fell after one of the officers tripped him.

Another officer and a passer-by also helped to pin the suspect to the ground.

In a second video, the suspect could be seen held down by a group of police officers.

In response to Stomp's queries, a police spokesman said:

"On Aug 29, 2017 at 12.22pm, the Police were alerted to a man, believed to be of unsound mind, who was causing public nuisance at Blk 33 Bendemeer Road.

"When Police officers engaged the 50-year-old man, he turned violent and splashed paint thinner at the police officers.

"Two police officers sustained facial injuries.

"The man was subsequently arrested for voluntarily causing hurt against public servants.

"Police investigations are ongoing."

A TransCab taxi exploded into flames along the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) tunnel today (Aug 29) at around 7pm.

Stomp contributors Crystal, Edwin, Love, Andy and Ashfeq alerted Stomp to the incident.

In a video Crystal sent, the bonnet of the stationary taxi can be seen engulfed in flames.

The Stomp contributor, who was in the tunnel when the incident took place, said in a telephone interview that she saw two people walking towards the entrance of the tunnel, while a third lingered near the vehicle.

Another video sent by Edwin shows a ball of fire emerging from the taxi following an explosion.

Other witnesses at the scene said that there were announcements asking drivers to leave their cars and exit the tunnels.

A video sent to The Straits Times shows heavy traffic in the tunnel after the fire broke out.

Said an announcement that can be heard in the background of the video: "This is an LTA emergency announcement. Drive out of the tunnel now via the nearest exit. If unable, turn off your engine and walk to the nearest emergency exit with a bluish-white flashing light."

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said in a Facebook post published at 7.53pm that they have responded to the incident.

The post said: "SCDF is attending to a vehicle fire in the KPE tunnel towards TPE before PIE exit.

"The fire has been extinguished.

"There are no reported injuries."

A netizen recently uploaded a video of an alleged gang fight to the All Singapore Stuff's Facebook page.

According to the contributor, the incident happened about two to three weeks ago, near Boon Keng MRT Station.

In the video, a large group of people could be seen approaching a smaller group, some of them wielding poles and elongated objects.

An altercation occurred between the two, with a member of the smaller group stepping forth and raising an elongated object, seemingly to taunt the larger group.

Suddenly the larger group started rushing at the members of the smaller group, and the scene plunged into chaos.

Members of the smaller group started running away, even as the other group chased after them.

The video has earned the ire of many netizens.

One Facebook user commented:

"So much energy why don't these guys work overtime (OT) better earn money for their family!"

PORT KLANG - The investigation into the collision of a US warship and a Liberian-flagged merchant vessel off the coast of Johor will be completed in a month, says Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

The Transport Minister said Malaysia was liaising with the Singapore and US governments on the matter.

"Our team will investigate the incident which took place in Malaysian waters," he said after opening the ASEAN Regional Training Centre for Vessel Traffic Services at the Maritime Transport Training Institute here yesterday.

Also present was Japan's Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Keiichi Ishii.

Read also

Sea search for missing US warship sailors suspended

On Aug 21, the US 7th Fleet reported that the USS John S. McCain, a guided-missile ­destroyer, collided with Alnic MC.

Malaysia led a search-and-rescue operation for 10 missing US ­sailors.

The operation was officially called off on Monday morning after all the bodies were found.

Liow said the probe would be restricted to the technical and procedural aspects, and standard operating procedure of the Alnic MC, as that on the USS John S. McCain came under the purview of the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Earlier, Liow thanked the Japanese government for funding US$2.7mil (S$3.7 million) for the training centre, procurement of equipment and student expenses through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund. He said the centre started its first programme on July 24 involving 18 participants from ASEAN countries.

On MCA, Liow, who is the party president, said it planned to strengthen its social media ­presence ahead of the next ­general election.

"In the last two general elections, MCA only fared average in our online and social media engagements.

"We need to pay more attention to the social media because the younger generation use it extensively," he said, when asked about his double-act role in a National Day video titled "Citizens".

He said the video was his way of telling the Chinese community that MCA understood their concerns.

"Citizens" is a six-minute short film featuring politician Liow having a no-holds-barred conversation with a citizen - also played by Liow.

The minister said he had received positive feedback on the video effort.

Singapore is sending up to four Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) CH-47 Chinook helicopters to lend a helping hand in relief operations following the deadly Tropical Storm Harvey which lashed Texas and Louisiana with record rainfall.

United States President Trump has accepted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's offer of help when he spoke to Mr Trump over the phone when the president was making his way to survey devastated Texas.

"Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called United States President Donald Trump on August 29, 2017 to express his concern and sympathies over the loss of life and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana," a spokesman for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement last night.

Expected to swing into operation today (Aug 30), the Chinook helicopters are from Singapore's Peace Prairie detachment, which is stationed in Grand Prairie, Texas. They will airlift troops and evacuees, as well as transport supplies to where they are needed most.

A statement from the Ministry of Defence today said: "Prime Minister Lee said this was a small gesture to express our appreciation and gratitude to the US and in particular the State of Texas, which have been good hosts for our Peace Prairie detachment. President Trump thanked PM Lee and accepted his offer of help."

Read also

Houston floods spark chaos, much more rain to come

Harvey has brought catastrophic flooding to Texas, killing at least 12 people and crippling Houston, America's fourth most populous city where tens of thousands had to flee their homes. Damage was expected to run well into the tens of billions of dollars, making it one of the costliest US natural disasters, reported Reuters.

Described as "epic" by President Trump, the storm has been compared with Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed New Orleans 12 years ago, killing 1,800 people and causing an estimated US$108 billion (S$146 billion) in damage.

Singapore's Peace Prairie Detachment also provided similar assistance after Katrina in 2005.

LEE AND TRUMP TO MEET AT WHITE HOUSE

On a separate note, the MFA spokesman said PM Lee and Mr Trump are looking forward to their meeting at the White House in October.

Read also

Why didn't Japan shoot down N Korean missile that flew over Hokkaido, ask angry netizens

In their phone conversation, both leaders also discussed North Korea's continued and deliberate provocations, including the latest ballistic missile launch, which flew over Japan yesterday (Aug 29).

"PM Lee said Singapore was deeply concerned and had issued a statement condemning this reckless action," added the spokesman.

chenj@sph.com.sg