Melanesia (Travels in Black Oceania)

SINGAPORE COE Prices Update In the latest bidding exercise, Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices in Singapore fell across most categories, with motorcycles being the only exception; Category A car premiums dropped to S$96,999 from S$102,501, while Category B saw a decrease to S$113,000 from S$116,988. The total number of COEs available increased by over 6% for the May to July period, rising to 18,232 compared to 17,133 in the previous quarter, reflecting a 21% year-on-year...

Read a summary of this article on FAST.SINGAPORE: Hair salons under the HairFun brand engaged in unfair trade practices, particularly targeting elderly consumers, leading to investigations by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS). Complaints indicated that HairFun misled customers into purchasing unnecessary treatment packages and charged exorbitant fees without consent, resulting in refunds totaling approximately S$12,500. The HairFun companies admitted to these practices and have committed to cease such conduct while promising to...

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) announced the acquisition of two land parcels from the Malaysian government to facilitate the redevelopment of Woodlands Checkpoint, aimed at alleviating chronic congestion. The project, which begins in 2025, includes constructing new automated clearance facilities and extending the Bukit Timah Expressway to improve traffic flow. By 2050, daily traveler volume is projected to reach 400,000, necessitating this expansion to enhance efficiency and secure cross-border travel. Full Article

A driver, Chua Kun Yang, was sentenced to 1 year and 5 months in prison for leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in the death of cyclist Lee Lian Kuang. Chua, who failed to yield at a zebra crossing, initially moved the injured man but left before calling for help, leading to Lee's death from severe injuries. In addition to his prison sentence, Chua received an eight-year driving ban after pleading guilty to...

Read a summary of this article on FAST.SINGAPORE: Two community cat deaths in Yishun and Punggol were likely caused by vehicle accidents, with no evidence of deliberate animal cruelty, according to the National Parks Board (NParks). Investigations included postmortem examinations and CCTV analysis, confirming blunt force trauma consistent with vehicular impact for the Yishun cat, while the Punggol cat was found injured and later rescued. NParks continues to monitor other recent cat deaths in the...

Read a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FASTSINGAPORE: Standard Chartered Bank has raised the maximum interest rate on its flagship Bonus$aver savings account to 8.05 per cent a year – the highest ever offered by the bank.The increase from 6.05 per cent kicked in from Sunday (Jun 1), bucking the downward trend...