If it rained every day like how it did this morning, public transportation will be filled to the brim with workers on the way to work. Peak hour will be hell (more than it is already), and taxis will be even harder to come by either.

Thank god there's Uber right? Well, not when there's a surge going on around your pickup area.

You know, those dreaded multiplications that almost always don't tell you the actual figure you'll need to fork out at the end of your ride.

http://t.co/7zV1Wr7zRl So am I sway or what? #uber#SMRTbreakdown#SMRT@Uber_SINGpic.twitter.com/AnxUgnReSA

— Magdelene (@magmagx) July 9, 2015

If the major MRT breakdowns back in July last year were any indication, surge pricing can lead to devastating effects to the masses almost immediately, especially in Singapore where the population is dense with Uber users.

In light of the recent #MRTbreakdown, we've disabled surge to help commuters get home easily

— Uber Singapore (@Uber_SING) July 7, 2015

Though to be fair to Uber, they were quick to quell the situation by suspending the surge, and making necessary refunds to those who were affected before their official announcement.

Uber Moves Away From Surge

"Upfront fares: no math and no surprises." The intention is clear on this one.

Today, in a move to provide more transparency for fares during peak periods, Uber has announced that they will do away with the guesstimate multiplications in their surge pop-ups and replace them with upfront fares, set to be released globally 'in the next few months', as Techcrunch found out.

The upfront fares feature has been so far rolled out in selected cities in the United States and India since April, and more cities are set to follow.

How the upfront fare works is based on a calculated sum of factors - expected travelling times, distance of the trip, local traffic conditions, and how many riders and drivers nearby at any given moment.

Now instead of the lightning bolts that send shudders down the spine of your wallet, users will simply be shown the actual fare before they confirm a ride.

"There's no complicated math and no surprises: passengers can just sit back and enjoy the ride."

Now you will get to know exactly how much you need to pay, and getting heart attacks every time your Uber bill comes in will be a thing of the past.

See also: Uber vs Grab vs Taxis: Which is the cheapest mode of transport and when

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For little Daniel, who was just two years old when he died, home should have been where he felt safest, where he should have been loved and protected.

But the Telok Blangah flat where he spent his brief life was a house of horrors where, for more than a month, he was abused almost daily.

Day after day, the toddler, who was born Mohamad Daniel Mohamad Nasser, would be slapped, kicked and stamped on, until he took a fatal blow to his head that ended his month of suffering.

One of his two tormentors was his mother, the person who should have loved and protected him.

The other was her live-in boyfriend.

Yesterday, Zaidah, 41, who goes by only one name, and Zaini Jamari, 46, each pleaded guilty in court to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to Daniel, and three counts of ill-treating him.

The court was told that the couple, who are both cleaners, had abused Daniel almost every day for more than a month until he died of a head injury on Nov 23 last year.

Between Oct 18 and Nov 22, they repeatedly slapped and kicked him, and forcefully fed him chilli.

Once, Zaidah stamped him on his chest after he fell when she hit him.

The abuse in a one-room rental flat at Block 19, Telok Blangah Crescent, was so horrifying that Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Claire Poh likened Daniel's living conditions to that of a "concentration camp".

Zaidah also faced 26 other charges of ill-treating her son, while Zaini had another 18 charges.

They will be taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that Daniel was Zaidah's fourth of six children.

Her three older children, of whom the eldest is 20 years old, no longer live with her.

Their father is not known.

Daniel's father was in prison when he was born.

Zaidah has since lost contact with him.

A check on the Registry of Muslim Marriages shows that she had been married once, to another man in 1991.

Her fifth child, conceived with Zaini, is a girl who is now almost two.

She was about seven months pregnant with her sixth child when she started abusing Daniel.

The family lived in the flat which was rented by her friend, Ms Puspawati Abdul Razat, 50.

Ms Puspawati's 15-year-old niece also lived there.

From September to early October last year, Daniel and his half-sister were placed in the care of another woman, Ms Yusnita Mohamed Idrus, 41.

But she stopped in mid-October because she had to undergo an operation later that month.

On Oct 21, Ms Puspawati's niece came home and saw Zaidah punishing Daniel by making him stand beside a fan, DPP Poh told the court.

SLAPPING

When the toddler became sleepy and could no longer stand straight, Zaidah slapped his face several times and shouted in Malay: "When night (falls), you do not want to sleep, when morning (comes), you want to sleep."

She then kicked his stomach when he fell to the floor.

Zaini then pulled the boy up by his hand and forced him into the kitchen, and punished him by making him stand there.

On Nov 9, Zaidah made her son stand with both his hands on top of his head as punishment.

When she complained to Zaini about the toddler, he kicked the boy hard on his back, then kicked him again on his rib after he fell to the floor.

Six days later, Ms Puspawati's niece noticed that Daniel was again standing beside the fan as punishment.

For no apparent reason, Zaidah suddenly slapped his face hard several times until he fell to the floor.

After she kicked him, Zaini stepped forward and slapped his face before kicking his stomach about five times.

On Nov 18, Zaidah slapped the boy until his mouth bled.

When he fell, she twisted both his hands and stepped on them.

After that, she carried him by his hands and legs to the toilet before changing his nappy on the bed.

Between 10am and noon four days later, she tried to feed him but he refused to eat.

Zaidah then slapped his face thrice before passing the bowl of food to Zaini.

When Daniel continued refusing to eat, they slapped him.

Zaidah then hit his back until he fell.

When he did not get up, she forcefully stamped on his chest with her right leg.

She also yanked his left arm to make him stand.

Daniel managed to swallow about three spoonfuls of food before refusing to eat any more. She then ordered him to stand in a corner.

At around 8pm, he was made to stand near the bed.

When the tired toddler rested his hand on the bed frame, Zaidah slapped his face several times before Zaini joined in.

DPP Poh said: "The deceased then lay down on the floor and closed his eyes. (Zaini) then brought him to the fridge and force-fed him two spoonfuls of dried chilli.

"As the deceased was still weak and did not respond, (Zaini) brought him to the toilet and washed the dried chilli from his mouth. He then punished the deceased again by making him stand in the living room."

The toddler was still standing about 45 minutes later.

Tired from the punishment, he could not stand properly and almost fainted.

When Zaidah saw this, she shouted at him, pinched his body and cheeks before slapping him several times.

Though Daniel was weak by then, she thought he was pretending and complained to Zaini, who then slapped him several times.

When one of the blows missed and landed on his daughter, Zaidah got angry and kicked Daniel on the chest and stomach several times.

Zaini also kicked his stomach, and the boy hit his head against the floor when he fell.

After that, Zaini forced dried chilli down his throat, causing mucus to flow from his nose.

He then took the toddler to the toilet and washed his face before ordering him to sleep.

Around 8am the next day, he tried to wake Daniel but the boy was motionless.

He alerted Zaidah and they tried to rouse the boy but failed.

Ms Puspawati and her niece called an ambulance, and Daniel was taken to the Singapore General Hospital.

He was pronounced dead about an hour later.

DPP Poh said the couple were not suffering from any mental disorders when they abused Daniel.

Zaidah and Zaini will be sentenced on July 5.

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, they can each be jailed up to 10 years and fined.

Zaini can also be caned.

And for each count of ill-treating Daniel, they can each be jailed up to four years and fined up to $4,000.

DPP: Abusers 'displayed a callous lack of remorse'

A woman and her boyfriend abused her two-year-old biological son until he died last year.

When cleaner Zaidah, 41, who goes by only one name, stood in the dock yesterday to answer for her crime, she did not show any emotion and was dry-eyed.

Zaidah and her boyfriend, Zaini Jamari, 46, who is also a cleaner, were expressionless when they faced Principal District Judge Bala Reddy.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Claire Poh said the couple had "displayed a callous lack of remorse", adding that this was shown by their initial attempt to cover up the abuse.

The court heard that an ambulance was called when the toddler, Mohamad Daniel Mohamad Nasser, was found motionless around 8am on Nov 23 last year.

When a paramedic asked Zaidah about his injuries, she lied that Daniel had a habit of pinching himself.

When interviewed by the police, the couple said the bump on his forehead was the result of his falling on the toilet floor.

They later went back to the one-room rental flat at Block 19, Telok Blangah Crescent, they were living in at 7pm and "coolly watched television", said DPP Poh.

The court also heard that the couple had previous criminal convictions.

Zaidah was in and out of drug rehabilitation centres from 1996 to 1997 after consuming morphine.

In 2006, she was jailed for 5½ years for morphine abuse.

DPP Poh said that Zaini was placed on probation for a year in 1985 for housebreaking and theft by day.

She urged the court to jail him for at least nine years, with nine to 12 strokes of the cane for his current offences.

She asked for Zaidah to be jailed for a longer term because, being a woman, she cannot be caned.

In mitigation, the couple, who did not have a lawyer, pleaded for leniency and promised not to commit the offence again.

DPP Poh added that Daniel was clad in only diapers when he was abused and the blows landed on bare skin.

She said: "Unlike an older child who may have the maturity and physical strength to protect one's self by running away, the deceased had no means of escape from the one-room HDB unit. He was entrapped.

"(Zaidah's and Zaini's) crimes towards the defenceless two-year-old child are, simply put, horrific and inhumane."

ashaffiq@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 24, 2016.
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He was shocked when he got to the carpark yesterday morning and saw that two of his cars had been splashed with bright red paint.

The car rental company owner, who wanted to be known only as Mr Long, 22, said he was walking towards his car when he saw the damage.

His own car and one of his three rental cars had been vandalised at his HDB block's carpark at Tampines Avenue 7.

The bonnet and windscreen were covered in red paint with a note left under the front wiper.

On it was a name, a unit number and O$P$ (which is short for Owe Money, Pay Money).

But it was not his name or his unit number. Mr Long said: "I told myself to stay calm."

He immediately called the police to make a report and then called The New Paper hotline.

Mr Long, who only set up his rental company in March, sent both cars to the workshop yesterday.

He said: "The longer I take to clean up the cars, the more clients I will have to push away and more money will be lost."

On seeing the note, the TNP team visited the sixth floor of the block, looking for the man named in the note.

Neighbours said the flat had also been given the red paint treatment last Friday.

At the unit mentioned in the note, faint red stains on the gate and floor were the most noticeable signs of the recent vandalism.

The front door had been painted with a fresh coat of white to hide the damage.

REPORTED

A woman in the unit said: "It has already been reported to the police, and we have been told that it is a scam.

"We do not owe anyone money and if we were to just pay up, it would be a waste of our money.

"I do not wish to antagonise anyone, and I have been advised to avoid speaking to the public about this," she said.

The incident has frightened the residents on the floor, but they are confident of sticking together.

Said a neighbour, who did not wish to be named:"The entire floor is worried, but we must stand together and help each other."

Police said they received calls over both incidents.

There has also in-car camera footage of the incident.

It has been established that it was a case of unlicensed money lending harassment, they added.

Investigations are ongoing.

If found guilty, first-time offenders who are acting on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender, committing or attempting to commit any acts of harassment can be jailed up to five years, fined between $5,000 and $50,000, and caned between three and six strokes.

mgovin@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 24, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Travel agent Deal Travel Pte Ltd (Deal Travel) has been suspended since June 4 for failing to submit necessary documents to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

STB said in a press statement that Deal Travel failed to submit documents to verify its compliance with the minimum financial requirements as mandated under the Travel Agents Regulations.

STB has also received complaints from Deal Travel's business partners regarding significant payments owed by Deal Travel.

The authority advises affected consumers to contact the agent regarding status of their booking or refund.

In the event that Deal Travel cannot be reached or fails to provide relevant service delivery or refund, consumers with applicable travel insurance should approach their insurance providers for assistance.

Consumers who are not covered by travel insurance can approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) or the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT), where appropriate.

debwong@sph.com.sg

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Singapore - The crashing pound sent people flocking to money changers to exploit a favourable exchange rate in Singapore on Friday after the currency plummeted following Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

People looking for holidays and those with children studying in Britain joined long lines at Change Alley, a mall in the city-state's business district known for its concentration of money changers, after the pound reached historic lows against the Singapore dollar.

The pound also briefly dived to a 31-year low against the US dollar.

"I'm hoping that I can get a favourable rate so I'll save a few thousand dollars on my daughter's school fees," said Thomas Lee, who was among dozens in line at Raffles Money Changer.

The company executive, whose daughter is attending university in Britain, had S$5,000 in cash, which he hoped would get him at least 2,600 pounds.

"In the last year, I've lost a few thousand dollars just on the exchange rate alone, but hopefully with the pound so low now, it'll even out," Lee told AFP.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AFP, Reuters

Joseph Rozario, 60, who is going on holiday to Britain next month, said he was planning to buy about 1,000 pounds initially.

"I'll need about 3,000 pounds in total but I'm changing it in small amounts to speculate, so hopefully I might be able to save a few dollars," he said.

"I think the market will correct itself and what we've seen today is a knee-jerk reaction." But the sudden plunge in the British currency caught money changers off guard, with several putting up "out of stock signs" for the pound.

"My cost price was S$1.97 a pound, I obviously can't sell for anything lower than that, because I'm going to make a loss so I'd rather say I'm out of stock," said money changer Mohamad Rafeeq.

"The next few years will be uncertain ones for Britain and Europe. Leaving the EU is as complicated as joining it," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post.

Separately, the website of Britain-based online retailer ASOS, which is highly popular among young Singaporeans, crashed after increased shopper traffic triggered by the weak pound.

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She was dubbed the neighbourhood's cat lady by residents who saw her feeding strays regularly.

But after a bad fall in November, which rendered her immobile, Madam Koh Poh Choo was unable to take care of herself - and her 20 cats.

Last week, the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) highlighted the state of Madam Koh's kitchen in a video posted on its Facebook page.

Cockroaches were seen darting around and crawling about the cages the cats are kept in at her Jurong East flat.

The video, which has had more than 42,000 views, received a mixed response from netizens.

Some users said the 63-year-old was torturing the cats by keeping them in dirty cages. Others praised her good intentions.

Madam Koh told The New Paper in Mandarin: "After I fell, I couldn't walk and clean the cat cages. That's when the cockroaches started swarming in from the rubbish chute."

The infestation was also an issue for her neighbour two doors away, Madam Angeline Lee, 42.

'Cat lady' with 20 cats gets help in cleaning cockroach-infested flat

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Facebook screengrabs/ Cat Welfare Society

The landscaping coordinator said: "I know she keeps a lot of cats in her house and I've became used to the odour.

"But it was worrying when the odour from her house started to get stronger over the last few months."

Madam Koh started bringing home stray cats more than 10 years ago after she saw them being caught to be culled.

DETERIORATING HEALTH

"I tried to stop them from catching the cats, but they (the authorities) turned me away," she said.

"I feel sad when I see them roaming around without food. That's why I bring them home - so I can feed them."

All of Madam Koh's cats were sterilised two years ago, after a CWS volunteer she befriended from cat feeding over the years found out that she had 20 cats at home.

Her current problems started only after she became immobile.

Madam Koh's 36-year-old son, who is intellectually disabled, left his job as a shop assistant to be her primary caregiver after her health deteriorated due to diabetes and high blood pressure.

Madam Koh's husband, a collector in a recycling company, became the sole breadwinner.

She said: "Even though we have to scrimp and save, there's always enough money to feed the cats. Their food is very cheap, only 10 dollars a week."

She admitted that it took her son quite a while to adapt to his new responsibility after leaving his job.

"He had to take care of me and my cats and he was not used to cleaning after them. That's why there were a lot of cockroaches," she said.

Madam Koh said that when the number of cockroaches got out of hand, they tried spraying insect repellent around the kitchen three times a day, but it was no use.

After CWS was alerted last month, a group of volunteers stepped in to help clean Madam Koh's flat.

After discarding unused items and old cages, CWS bought Madam Koh 11 new cages from donations the society received from members of the public.

Some even provided flea treatment and food for the cats.

"If possible, I want to raise my cats until they die, but if people are willing to adopt them, I'll let them go," said Madam Koh.

See also: Bedok flat with 30 cats raises a stink

A Ministry of Social and Family Development spokesman said it is working with various agencies in the community to reach out to and assist Madam Koh.

"Madam Koh has declined applying for assistance at the Social Service Office (SSO) at Jurong East and shared that her family is able to cope financially," said the spokesman.

"She has also been informed to approach SSO in the future if she needs help."

CWS chief executive officer Pauline Leow said: "Out of the 10 cases of such families that we handled this year alone, there are more than 200 cats in these homes combined.

"It is simply impossible to find a place for them and that's why we depend on members of the public to come forward and adopt."

She added: "Now her son knows how to take care of the cats and since he's been cleaning after them twice a day, the condition has improved drastically."

When TNP visited Madam Koh's flat last week, her flat was clean and there were about 20 cats.

The less aggressive cats roamed around freely, while others slept in their new cages.

Madam Koh is grateful for all the help given to her.

"The house is now very comfortable. I like it and I'm sure my cats like it, too. We will try to keep it this way," she said.

When asked if she named the cats, she said: "There are too many of them so I call all of them mao mao (cat in Mandarin). They are like my children and I love them all equally."

fnawang@sph.com.sg

See also: Woman with 20 cats told that they must go

Clean-up at Eunos' cockroach flat

This article was first published on June 27, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A total of 75 people were arrested in a four-day enforcement blitz conducted by the police on unlicensed massage parlours and public entertainment outlets.

Eight parlours and eight entertainment outlets located at Orchard Road, Upper Thomson Road, Upper Paya Lebar Road, and Balestier Road were raided between last Thursday (June 23) and Sunday (June 26), police said in a news release.

The raids were led by officers from Tanglin Division.

The suspects - 66 women and nine men aged between 19 and 51 - were arrested for criminal and employment-related offences.

Actions were also taken against six unlicensed massage establishments and three public entertainment outlets for "flouting licensing conditions".

"These operations are part of police's ongoing enforcement efforts against crime and licensing infringements at unlicensed massage establishments and public entertainment outlets," the news release added.

Earlier this month, the operators of seven massage parlours were charged in court for running their establishments without a valid licence.

Illegal services were understood to have been offered at some of the parlours.

The police said then that it had been cracking down on massage establishments in areas such as Chinatown, Little India, Jalan Besar and Jalan Sultan since the start of the year.

This article was first published on June 26, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Motorists using the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) to get to Nicoll Highway often find themselves stuck at the lights almost immediately after exiting the underground road.

This will soon be a thing of the past. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is building an underpass that allows a seamless drive from the KPE to Nicoll Highway.

The underpass - a short underground road that bypasses a traffic junction - is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

It is expected to eradicate, or shorten considerably, the long tailback often witnessed on weekday mornings at the KPE's Nicoll exit. The jam has been a regular feature ever since the underground expressway opened in 2007.

The construction project, undertaken by Japan's Sato Kogyo for $45 million, started in 2012 and is slated to be completed by this year.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, an LTA spokesman said: "The two-lane underpass will allow traffic from the KPE and Sims Way to get to Nicoll Highway directly, allowing (motorists) to bypass the junction."

He said the underpass is part of road enhancement works that cater to the Singapore Sports Hub and other future developments in the area, adding: "Since 2014, we have already completed the widening of Kallang Road, Sims Avenue, Geylang Road, Sims Way, Mountbatten Road and Fort Road."

Unlike most underpasses in Singapore which tend to be fairly straight and short, the new one forms a wide arc under the Mountbatten and Guillemard junction. The entire facility measures 300m, but the tunnel section spans only 90m. A similar project is Woodsville Tunnel in Upper Serangoon, completed in 2012.

When the new underpass is completed, motorists from the KPE will surface at the Nicoll Highway exit before going underground again shortly afterwards.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng said the underpass will allow Singapore's expressway network to be better connected.

"At the same time, there will be less interruptions for traffic on the surface," he added.

This article was first published on Jun 27, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A new Government move to provide free insurance coverage for both full-time and operationally ready national servicemen has given Singaporean sons a reason for cheer.

From July 1, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will provide life and group term insurance coverage of up to $150,000 each during the servicemen's full-time national service or reservist duties.

The recommendation by the Committee to Strengthen National Service, made in recognition of the contributions of current and former men and women in uniform, drew positive reactions from those The Straits Times surveyed.

Said Mr Kane Chua, an operationally ready national serviceman (NSman): "This is good news. It will definitely save me money and administrative trouble."

The 21-year-old who is waiting to enrol in university thought the move was "especially timely" for him as it will alleviate his financial burden when his school term starts.

Since 2009, the Government had increased the monthly allowance of NSmen by $20 to help pay for basic insurance coverage. The new joint scheme, when it kicks in, ensures they will not even have to draw down from this increment.

There are no plans to remove the additional $20 from servicemen's monthly pay.

Full-time national serviceman (NSF) Lemuel Poh, 21, said: "The insurance will give me peace of mind during my combat duties as I know that I'm protected by default. Compensation claims are more reactive and in some cases not guaranteed."

Mr Poh expects to deposit his resulting savings under the new POSB Save-As-You-Earn scheme, where NSFs can enjoy an interest rate of 2 per cent per annum.

The joint Mindef-MHA group insurance will also be extended to regulars in Mindef, the Singapore Armed Forces, and the Home Team (Uniformed Officers).

Experts were surprised at the generosity of the move as the total bill "will be substantial".

Mr Ho Shu Huang, associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, said: "It shows an interest in refining how they look after the welfare of their servicemen, even if the cost may be high."

The lecturer in military studies also wondered if it would get the rest of the country to start thinking about insurance protection.

"It's been reported that Singaporeans are under-insured so this could be a welcome secondary benefit for the country as a whole."

While agreeing that the provision of insurance was a generous move, Sembawang GRC MP Vikram Nair, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, cautioned against asking for more too fast too soon. "This is a very generous and positive step, but welfare extensions continue to be subject to budgetary constraints," he said.

Singapore sons living overseas who came back for NS

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Republic of Singapore Navy

This article was first published on June 27, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

The move to ease car loan curbs does not detract from Singapore's vision of a car-lite society, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong yesterday.

Instead, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) relaxed the loan curbs as they have achieved their objective of reducing inflation, he said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Car-Free Sunday event, Mr Wong said the loan restrictions were introduced in February 2013 to put a lid on inflation.

"At that time, inflation was high and a big contributor to that high inflation was the certificate of entitlement (COE). So we took measures to address it," he said.

"We are now not in a high inflation phase. We are in a negative inflation phase of our economy, so it is right that, given that the objective has been achieved, the MAS started to review and update the scheme," said the minister, who is also a MAS board member.

"It does not detract from our overall objective, which is to continue with a car-lite vision," he added.

The MAS made a surprise announcement last month to ease car loan curbs, allowing buyers to borrow up to 70 per cent of the purchase price and repay the loan within seven years, up from 60 per cent and five years previously.

This has caused a surge in demand for new cars, with COE premiums for cars rising by as much as 17 per cent this month. Premiums across all car categories after the latest tender are at their highest this year.

Mr Wong acknowledged that easing loan curbs has led to a higher demand for cars. "Initially, it may have some impact on demand but, over time, this is the right level of sustainable financing for cars," he said.

However, he also noted that the car loan rules have not gone back to the days of liberal financing.

The MAS deregulated car loans in January 2003, and car buyers could take loans amounting to 100 per cent of purchase prices - meaning zero down payment - and stretch these loans for as long as 10 years.

Loan curbs were then imposed in February 2013.

Last month's easing brought car loan rules to the level before January 2003, where loans were limited to 70 per cent of a vehicle's purchase price, with repayment over a period no longer than seven years.

This article was first published on June 27, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Stomp contributor Vincent shared a jaw-dropping photo showing multiple lightning strikes across the sky in Singapore.

The picture was taken at Circuit Road, and consists of 49 shots over two hours.

Vincent, who also posted his work on Facebook, said:

"It's shot at Circuit Road. But it's visible mainly from the central area of Singapore if there is no blockage of view.

"Currently, it's towards the end of monsoon season so there are stronger lightning storms.

"Once you spot lightning, just point your camera in the direction on a very stable tripod with a wired remote. It is not advisable to move the camera at all. Otherwise, the image will be blur.

"This photo is a total of 49 shots over two hours. There is software that allows you to stack the image on top of one another and if you get enough strikes, you get a image like this.

"I have a video on my profile to show the details on the different strikes and how it forms this picture.

"A wide angle lens would also help capture a bigger field of view."

Vincent's work has also been featured by Canon Singapore.

Visit STOMP for more stories.

See also: 

Lightning strikes twice - photographer's image of S'pore's thundery sky goes viral

Photographer's lightning image draws praise from PM

TAIPEI - At least one Singaporean family is stranded in Taiwan's capital, after a first-ever strike by staff from the island's largest carrier China Airlines (CAL) last Friday (June 24) shut down almost 200 flights.

The strike, staged by hundreds of the airline's flight attendants calling for improvements to their working conditions, left over 30,000 passengers at Taipei's Songshan and Taoyuan airports, as well as abroad, without a means to get to their destinations.

Singaporean Mary Lee, who arrived at Taoyuan airport early Friday morning from Hawaii with her husband and twin daughters, received a rude shock when she discovered that their flight back to Singapore (scheduled to depart at 7.50am the same day) had been cancelled.

Ms Lee's husband, a US citizen and Singapore permanent resident, frequently commutes between Hawaii and Singapore for business and the family travel to Hawaii twice a year for their holidays in June and December.

"It was chaos. Scores of passengers were crowded around the airline's counters and there were a lot of angry people shouting and screaming," she told The Straits Times, adding that she had spoken to other Singaporeans at the airport who were in a similar situation.

With the help of airport staff, Ms Lee and her family managed to get a room at the nearby Monarch Plaza Hotel, where they have been stuck for the past two nights as they attempt to secure a flight to Singapore.

Their luggage is still being held by CAL, while Ms Lee's 9-year-old daughters, who attend Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Primary), are set to miss the reopening of school on Monday (June 27).

They are scheduled, tentatively, to depart on a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday afternoon.

While the strike came to an end late last Friday after the airline's new management agreed to all the demands raised by the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union on behalf of the flight attendants, the Taiwanese media reported that Taoyuan airport was still overrun with a backlog on Saturday.

CAL's new chairman, Mr Ho Nuan-hsuan, was quoted as saying that 80 to 90 per cent of flights on Sunday would take off as scheduled.

Said Ms Lee, who failed to speak to the airline despite countless attempts over the past few days, criticised CAL's management for their poor handling of the entire affair.

"I don't blame the flight attendants as they are fighting for their rights, but the airline should have informed their passengers sooner so we could make alternative arrangements," she said.

A frequent traveller on CAL, Ms Lee added that it was her first time in such a situation.

According to the Taipei Times, new CAL chairman Mr Ho had lambasted his predecessor, Mr Chang Yu-hern, for a lack of responsibility and implied that Mr Chang's refusal to make concessions to the flight attendants had led to the strike.

The airline's management team was also criticised for holding a "farewell party" for Mr Chang at a posh hotel before the strike took place.

This article was first published on June 26, 2016.
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Ikea has recalled chocolate bars because of insufficient labelling on the packaging, advising consumers of the presence of milk and hazelnut.

It advises customers who have bought dark chocolate CHOKLAD MÖRK 60 per cent and CHOKLAD MÖRK 70 per cent that the presence of milk and hazelnut is insufficiently declared on the packaging of those products.

It said the chocolate is safe to consume for those who do not have an allergy to milk or hazelnuts.

It cautioned that individuals who have such allergies may experience an allergic reaction if the products are consumed.

All affected products have been removed from the shelves. Ikea added that safety was its highest priority and products with all "best before by" dates are recalled.

Customers allergic to milk or hazelnuts or who have concerns, may return the affected products at the nearest Ikea store at a full refund. The "best before date" can be found on the back of the chocolate bar (YYYY/MM/DD). 

xiuhuil@sph.com.sg

A bag containing 22 live star tortoises was found in the boot of a car at Woodlands Checkpoint last Thursday (June 23).

The Singapore-registered car was driven by a 49-year-old Singaporean man. Officers uncovered the reptiles during inspection of the vehicle.

The tortoises were in a bag and placed among bags of groceries in the boot of the car.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) was alerted and the tortoises were handed over to it.

The driver is assisting with investigations.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore is caring for the star tortoises.

They are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), of which Singapore is a signatory.

Under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act, the import and export or re-export of star tortoises require Cites permits. Offenders in violation of this Act can be fined up to $50,000 per animal, up to a total of $500,000. They may also face a jail term of up to two years.

xiuhuil@sph.com.sg

Activist and blogger Han Hui Hui was on Monday (June 27) fined $3,100 for co-organising a protest rally at Hong Lim Park without approval on Sept 27, 2014, and disrupting a charity carnival being held at the park then.

She and five others, including blogger Roy Ngerng Yi Ling, were accused of disrupting the YMCA Proms @ The Park charity event for children with special needs, which was held at Hong Lim Park at the same time as the Return Our CPF protest rally.

Han, 24, was fined $600 for being a public nuisance and $2,500 for organising a demonstration without approval.

Han told the court that she has prepared a notice of appeal.

Two others, Koh Yew Beng, 61, and Low Wai Choo, 56, were each fined $450 after they were found guilty with Han.

Ngerng was fined a total of $1,900 - $400 for being a public nuisance, and $1,500 for organising a demonstration without approval - in October 2015.

Chua Siew Leng, 43, who does not hold a regular job, pleaded guilty in March 2015. She was fined $300.

Goh Aik Huat, 42, had been given a conditional warning.

During the rally, the six grew "more emotive" when Minister of State Teo Ser Luck, the YMCA event's main guest, arrived at the park.

They marched four times around the general vicinity of the YMCA event, shouting loudly, chanting slogans, waving flags, holding placards, blowing whistles loudly and beating drums.

This article was first published on June 27, 2016.
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Singapore - Flames engulfed the wing of a Singapore Airlines plane after it made an emergency landing at the city's main airport on Monday, with dramatic footage showing plumes of black smoke billowing from the aircraft.

The carrier said the Boeing 777-300ER en route for Milan turned back about two hours into the flight from Changi Airport following an engine oil warning message.

The blaze was put out by airport emergency services and there were no injuries to the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board, SIA said in a statement.

One passenger, who posted video footage of the incident apparently shot from a window seat, described the tense moments waiting for emergency crews to control the blaze as a "so-close to death" experience.

For several moments, the video showed the plane's right wing ablaze before the view was completely obscured by foam as firefighters battled the fire.

Singapore Airlines plane catches fire at Changi Airport

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premiummall's Facebook, The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

Read also: Singapore Airlines plane catches fire

The wing was left blackened and melted after the fire was extinguished.

"After reaching Changi Airport, as the plane was landing, the engine burst into flames!!!! Huge fire was burning!" Facebook user Lee Bee Yee said in a post accompanying the video clip.

"It was a heart wrenching 5 mins! Waiting for the fire engine and fire fighters to put out the fire! They shot foam and water into the fire and eventually it was put out!" Lee added.

"I thank God I am alive! I going home to hug my kids."

SIA said in a statement Flight SQ368, powered by a GE Aviation engine, was en route from Singapore to Milan when an engine oil warning message forced it to turn back to the city-state about one hour and 45 minutes into the flight.

"The aircraft's right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi Airport at around 6:50am," it said.

"Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus."

The airline said it would "be cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigations".

Passengers were transferred to another flight that left for Milan at 10:30am Singapore time, a spokesman told AFP.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put up a Facebook post thanking Changi Airport and SIA for their quick response.

"Relieved that all onboard were safely disembarked... SQ and CAAS (Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore) are investigating the cause, and will get to the bottom of the matter," he wrote.

He was in prison when his son was born.

Day after day, he counted down the days to when he could hold his boy in his arms.

But when Mr Mohamad Nasser Abdul Gani could finally do that, it was too late.

The only time he got to hold Mohamad Daniel Mohamad Nasser was when he was about to bury him.

His son died on Nov 23 last year, about a month before his third birthday, after 25 days of sustained abuse by his mother, Zaidah, 41, and her live-in boyfriend, Zaini Jamari, 46. 

Choking back tears, Mr Nasser, 41, told The New Paper yesterday: "I never got to see him alive.

"The only time I held him in my arms, he was a lifeless corpse."

Toddler dies from abuse: First time dad held him was at his funeral

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The New Paper

He said he had spent 18 months behind bars from December 2012 to June 2014 for drug-related offences.

Two months before he went in, Mr Nasser was informed by Zaidah, whom he had married in Batam and later divorced, that she was pregnant with his child.

A few weeks into his sentence, Mr Nasser said an officer asked him to sign a document, which informed him that he was the father to a boy named Daniel.

This gave him something to look forward to after serving his time.

"I told myself that I would find my son after I got out," said Mr Nasser, who works as a cleaner.

LONG SEARCH

But after his release, he found out that Zaidah was no longer living at her old address.

Making it his top priority to find Daniel, Mr Nasser reached out to Zaidah's friends, tried all possible phone numbers he could think of and even visited places he thought she might frequent.

A year of searching yielded no results. None of his friends or acquaintances knew where Zaidah and Daniel were.

Frustrated by each failed attempt to find his boy, he started losing hope of ever meeting Daniel.

Mr Nasser, who has two older children from a previous marriage, said: "I was not even given a chance to meet my own son.

"I did everything I could, but they could not be found anywhere. I thought that I would never see or hear about Daniel ever again."

About five months later, on the evening of Nov 26 last year, he finally got news about his son. It was a call from a police officer, who asked if he had a son named Daniel.

Mr Nasser excitedly said yes, thinking that after more than two years, they would finally get to meet. But what he thought was good news brought his world crashing down.

The officer told him the heartbreaking news that Daniel had died after being abused.

"I did not even get to see Daniel alive, and now they called me to identify his dead body," Mr Nasser said.

Putting aside his anguish, Mr Nasser went to the mortuary the next day and saw his son for the first time.

It left him in tears.

CUTS AND BRUISES

"There were cuts and bruises everywhere on his tiny body," he said.

"It broke my heart to look at him, my own flesh and blood, knowing that he had been hurt and tortured so badly."

Mr Nasser collected Daniel's body on Nov 30.

It was to be the first and last day that he would get to hold his son.

That same afternoon, he and seven of his family members buried Daniel.

His brother, Mr Abdu Manaf Al Ansari, said that though they did not get to know Daniel, the family loved him and wanted to make sure he was given the proper last rites.

"We are the paternal side that Daniel could have grown up with," he told The New Paper.

"Daniel was not an outcast, not from a broken family. He had a good family, only that he was denied true love from us."

Asked what he would have told his son if he were still alive, Mr Nasser broke down before saying he would have promised Daniel that he would be the best father possible.

"He was my own son, I did not get to do anything for him, did not get to hold him, or tell him that I love him," he said.

"I would have given anything for the opportunity to take care of him."

About the case

Mohamad Daniel Mohamad Nasser, who died about a month short of his third birthday, was abused for 25 days over a 35-day period.

During that time, he was kicked and slapped almost every day by his pregnant mother and her boyfriend.

Cleaners Zaidah, 41, and Zaini Jamari, 46, also made Daniel stand with his hands on his head while wearing only a diaper as punishment.

They also forced him to eat spoonfuls of dried chilli.

He was found motionless on Nov 23, 2015, the morning after he fell and hit his head on the floor when Zaini kicked him.

An autopsy found that the cause of death was bleeding in the brain.

Last Thursday, Zaidah and Zaini were each convicted of three charges of child abuse and one count each of causing grievous hurt.

Zaidah admitted to 26 other charges of abusing Daniel, and Zaini to another 18 counts.

The couple will be sentenced next Tuesday.

This article was first published on June 28, 2016.
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Finding themselves in a Singapore Airlines plane that was on fire after landing at Changi Airport yesterday morning, some panicky passengers wanted to be evacuated.

A few of them even screamed and yelled at the cabin crew to open the doors of the Boeing 777-300ER.

But the crew repeatedly told everyone to remain calm and, on the captain's instruction, told them to stay in their seats after the 6.50am landing.

Minutes later, the fire, which had consumed the engine and part of the wing, was put out and everyone was taken to safety without any injuries.

The drama had started hours earlier, when flight SQ368, which departed Changi Airport for Milan at 2.05am yesterday, was forced to turn back to Singapore after an engine oil warning message about 1hr and 45min into the flight.

The captain made several announcements to calm passengers down as the smell of fuel filled the aircraft.

He landed the plane safely at about 6.50am, after which the fire started and was put out by airport emergency services.

A spokesman for Changi Airport Group said six fire trucks were deployed to battle the blaze.

The New Paper understands that some crew members were conflicted by the instructions not to evacuate but realised soon after that it was a good decision.

The crew were later told that the reason for not opening the door was that fuel burning on the tarmac could have caused injuries to evacuating passengers.

SURPRISED

Two transport industry experts, Singapore Management University Associate Professor Terence Fan and Mr Gerry Soejatman, said they were surprised the passengers were not evacuated immediately with a slide when the plane landed.

But Mr Soejatman, an independent aviation expert based in Jakarta, said in hindsight, it was the "brave and correct" thing to do.

He said: "An emergency evacuation is extremely risky as passengers can get injured.

"As the wind was blowing fire and smoke away from the aircraft, it was better for them to wait inside."

But the short wait for the passengers seemed like forever, especially for those on the right side of the plane who could see the full extent of the blaze.

The mood on the plane had changed swiftly upon landing.

Passengers had initially clapped with relief and joy, but fear took over after passengers on the right side of the plane, including Madam Lee Bee Yee, looked out the window.

Madam Lee, 44, told TNP in a phone interview: "After the plane touched down, the passengers cheered and clapped. Then, the engine on the right side of the plane erupted into flames."

When the passengers in front of her hurriedly took their bags from the overhead compartment, she started to get worried.

She said: "I was seated on the right side of the plane about three four seats behind the right wing so I was able to see everything."

"When the other passengers panicked, I kan cheong (Cantonese for anxious) and followed suit," she said.

But the cabin crew were quick to calm the passengers and told everyone to remain in their seats.

"Within two to three minutes, the airport emergency services arrived," Madam Lee said.

There was relief as jets of foam put out the fire outside her window.

An SIA spokesman said the passengers disembarked via the stairs and were transported to the main terminal by bus.

There were 222 passengers and 19 crew members, and no injuries were reported.

Madam Lee had not paid much attention during the flight even though she noticed the strong fuel smell after the captain's announcements.

She was unfazed and went back to sleep, only waking up when they arrived in Singapore.

Madam Lee said: "I figured that if it can fly back on its own, then there shouldn't be anything to worry about."

LUXURY BAGS

Madam Lee, who sells luxury bags, flies to Europe about once a month to buy them.

The mother of three children, aged 11, 12 and 15, decided to take a 2am flight today instead of a flight at 10am yesterday.

Madam Lee said she and her husband are two of three passengers from SQ368 who decided to delay their flight.

"I decided to go back home first and hug my children. I'm well aware that I could have died today," she added.

When she asked if she was worried about flying so soon after the incident, she replied with an emphatic "no".

"Anything can happen at any time, and you can go at any time," she replied.

"So you shouldn't worry too much."

The SIA spokesman said their pilots are trained in safety and emergency procedures and use onboard checklists to guide them.

He said: "They may also consult with our engineering and fleet management teams, through satellite communications, for further input."

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said the indicator showed that the right engine had shown oil loss. 

In a Facebook post, NTUC secretary-general Chan Chun Sing praised the "calm and collected response" of the cabin crew as well as the ground crew and control staff.

"All this would not have been possible without years of hard work and training behind the scene," he said.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also expressed relief on his Facebook page that everyone on board was able to disembark safely.

Singapore Airlines plane catches fire at Changi Airport

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premiummall's Facebook, The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

CAAS: Fire put out in 5 minutes

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) gave this statement to the media last night:

Early this morning, SQ368, a Singapore Airlines B777 aircraft bound for Milan, chose to return to Singapore as the indicator for its right engine had shown oil loss.

Shortly after landing, a fire was observed to have occurred in the vicinity of the aircraft's right engine.

Changi's Airport Emergency Service, which was already on standby, responded promptly and the fire was extinguished within five minutes.

SATS also contributed to ensuring the safety of the passengers and flight crew.

No one was hurt during the incident.

The runway on which the aircraft landed was closed for about five hours for repairs and clean-up. Landings and take-offs continued on the other runway.

While some flights were impacted, all flights were able to take off within one hour of their scheduled departure times.

CAAS will be investigating to determine the causes of the incident.

The Ministry of Transport's Air Accident Investigation Bureau will also be conducting an independent investigation.

Experts say...

The New Paper asked aviation experts to comment on how yesterday's Singapore Airlines flight SQ368 emergency was handled.

What happens when a plane reports an engine oil warning message? Is it a serious problem?

There are many levels of warnings in an aircraft and it is not possible to know the severity of the issue unless they know the nature of the warning, said Mr Desmond Ng, lecturer for aviation management and services at Temasek Polytechnic.

Mr Ng said oil in a turbine engine has many roles - it is used to cool moving parts like the bearings, gears and accessory drives, while warm engine oil provides heating to prevent fuel icing.

As a result, there will be a warning when the condition of the oil does not stay within certain parameters of pressure, quantity and temperature.

Why didn't a pre-flight check reveal the fault in the engine?

Mr Gerry Soejatman, an independent aviation expert based in Jakarta, said the oil system would not have been pressurised before the flight.

"It's pressurised when the engine is running. If they had seen a leak without the oil system pressurised, it would mean a bad oil leak and they simply would not fly until it's fixed."

Flightradar.com, a website which tracks commercial flights, showed that SQ368 was north of Phuket when it turned back. Why did they decide to return to Singapore instead of a closer airport?

Mr Ng said it is possible the plane was operating normally and they were turning back as a precautionary measure.

"Singapore Changi Airport has some of the best facilities for aircraft repair, maintenance, as well as emergency services and is able to handle and auxiliary services for a large number of passengers. It is also the home base of Singapore Airlines," he said.

Mr Soejatman agreed and added: "They had several airports they could go to should the situation suddenly develop into an emergency. If they diverted to Phuket, the passengers would have been basically stranded until they send a replacement aircraft and there would be additional paperwork too."

Why did the engine catch fire after the plane landed?

"When a plane lands, a huge amount of heat is generated once the plane tyres hit the runway. The pilot could have also applied the brakes, which would result in sparks," said Singapore Management University Assistant Professor Terence Fan, who specialises in transport.

With the presence of an oil leak, this could easily have resulted in a fire, he added.

This article was first published on June 28, 2016.
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The bed in which her husband cheated on her is where she must sleep every night.

It is no wonder that Ms Ally Kuan, 36, the wife of convicted pimp Adam Kamis, has not been sleeping well.

She wanted to talk about her ordeal but is still so traumatised that she got her counsellor, Mr Jeffrey Mak, 49, to speak to the media on her behalf.

"She is struggling to accept everything, and has not been sleeping well," said Mr Mak, who has counselled the couple since Adam's crimes came to light last year.

"She keeps thinking of the 16-year-old girl he slept with, that she could've been their daughter.

"She still cannot come to terms with it and is traumatised. She did not sleep the whole night before the sentencing."

CHILD TRAFFICKING

Adam, 37, was jailed for 38 months yesterday after pleading guilty last Monday to 11 counts of procuring women for prostitution and one count of child trafficking under the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act.

He had recruited women, including the 16-year-old student, by making them go through a questionnaire and "verification" test, which required them to have sex with him in his Yishun flat.

It was a fall from grace for the para-athlete who had done Singapore proud by winning gold in the men's 1,500m at the 2009 ASEAN Para Games.

In 2008, he became the first para-athlete to complete the Vertical Marathon. He also competed in the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

Mr Mak said Ms Kuan, who married Adam in November 2012, knew nothing of what her husband had done. She found out the extent of his vice operations only after it was dredged up in court and reported in the media.

"Initially, she didn't know there were so many women and that it was happening in their home," he said.

"Adam only told her that there were two women, and denied that it was happening in their flat."

Adam lost his right arm and his left arm became paralysed in a motorcycle accident in 2003.

An Ironman race competitor, he gained popularity online as Adam OneArmRunner.

Ms Kuan managed the finances and housekeeping, as well as attended to his needs.

"She was the one doing everything, looking after him and the home, and didn't expect this to happen," said Mr Mak.

"There has to be trust in love, so you might ask, how can she continue to love and trust him like that?

"But in love, there is no measurement. She continues to love him unconditionally."

He added that Ms Kuan intends to forgive Adam but needs time to heal.

"The forgiveness will come, but she asks for time alone to get back on her feet," said Mr Mak.

"It's not okay for her, but she says she will forgive Adam."

He said Ms Kuan also blames herself.

"She wants to say sorry to the victims, to apologise on her husband's behalf," said Mr Mak.

He also said that she intends to go to work today, despite all that has happened.

"She realises she still has to face reality despite all that she is going through," he said.

Singapore para-athlete charged with getting woman into prostitution

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The Straits Times, Berita Harian, My Paper, Men's Health, The New Paper, Adam Kamis

Applicants asked if they were open to role-playing

It was a job application and like any hiring exercise, the applicants needed to fill up a questionnaire.

But it involved explicit questions about various sex acts they were willing to engage in.

It was for a social escort agency run by former para-athlete Adam Kamis, who later had sex with some of the applicants in his Yishun flat to "test" them out.

Adam eventually recruited 15 women into the vice trade.

His victims, whose ages ranged from 16 to 38, included students, a childcare teacher, a dental assistant and a mother of two. They cannot be named to protect their identities.

When recruiting them online, he gave them a three-page questionnaire. It had 14 questions asking for their biodata and vital statistics like height, weight and bra size.

The less explicit ones included whether they were open to kissing, petting, giving massages, showering with the client and role-playing.

EXPLICIT

The women also had to indicate if they were able to meet and service clients in public places like parks, staircase landings and vehicles.

The more explicit ones are not fit for publication in this newspaper.

Court documents revealed that he set up social escort agency SG Freelancers because he was in debt. Posing as a freelance female escort, Adam recruited women via e-mail, Facebook messages and advertisements.

A total of 34 women responded to the job advertisements.

After indicating their interest, the women were asked to complete the questionnaire and submit photos of themselves fully-clothed and in lingerie.

Adam invited them to his home for an interview, where he introduced himself as a handler at the agency.

The women then had to undergo a "verification" test - some of them multiple times - where he inspected their naked bodies and had sex with them to ensure they were willing to provide sexual services to clients.

If the women were still keen on joining the agency after the test, he would advertise their services on various websites.

But between early 2013 and October 2015, Adam only managed to secure five clients and did not receive any commission.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said in her submissions that Adam acted as a classic pimp whose recruitment process was detailed and meticulous.

She added: "The accused's offences are of a genre that causes feelings of revulsion to the community. Left unaddressed, such offences have the potential to undermine the very social fabric of our society."

This article was first published on June 28, 2016.
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