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Dr Tan Cheng Bock, Hazel Poa Exit PSP Central Executive Committee

On July 5, 2025, the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) announced a significant leadership reshuffle following its underwhelming performance in the May 3 general election. The changes include the resignation of three key figures from its Central Executive Committee (CEC) party founder and chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock, former vice-chair and Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Hazel Poa, and party treasurer S. Nallakaruppan. The party’s press release confirmed that all three will remain members of the PSP but have relinquished their leadership roles. Dr Tan, who had earlier declared his retirement from electoral politics after the general election, has been replaced as chairman by A’bas Kasmani, previously the second vice-chair. Replacing Mr Nallakaruppan as party treasurer is Anthony Neo. Dr Tan Cheng Bock, aged 84, is a former People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament for Ayer Rajah Single Member Constituency from 1980 to 2006. He left the PAP and later ran for Presiden...

Deadly Machete Robbery at Johor Petrol Station: 1 Dead, 3 Arrested

On July 3, 2025 at approximately 12.10am, a violent robbery attempt took place at a petrol station near the Second Link Expressway in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Four masked men armed with machetes ambushed a parked vehicle, smashing its windows in what appears to have been a well-coordinated attack. The incident was captured on closed-circuit television and the footage quickly circulated online. In response to the aggression, one of the vehicle’s occupants fired several rounds at the assailants, forcing them to flee. The attackers chose two different escape paths three retreating to a getaway vehicle, and one fleeing on foot. Staff at Hospital Sultanah Aminah informed Johor police chief Commissioner M. Kumar about 1.40 am that a man had arrived at the hospital entrance with multiple gunshot injuries. CCTV showed two individuals leaving the wounded man at the hospital before departing in a dark vehicle at high speed. The victim, confirmed deceased after a post-mortem ...

Suspect of Murdering Elderly Woman Brought Back to Sengkang Crime Scene

On the morning of July 4, 2025, a man accused of murdering a 79-year-old woman in her Housing Board flat was escorted by police back to the crime scene in Sengkang as part of an ongoing investigation. The suspect, 44-year-old Lim Yuen Li, was taken to Block 465B Fernvale Road in an unmarked black van and was seen wearing a red polo shirt, black shorts, and clear plastic slippers. His arms and legs were restrained in black cuffs. The police-led reconstruction started around 9:30am. Lim was escorted by six plainclothes officers from the Criminal Investigation Department as well as forensics personnel. Upon arrival, they brought him to the 11th floor where the alleged murder took place. A police cordon was established along part of the corridor to maintain security and limit public access. Four uniformed officers stood guard during the entire duration of the operation. The investigative team spent over three hours inside the unit where the crime occurred. Forensic officers were obse...

More Than 1,000 Earthquakes Rattle Japan’s Tokara Islands Since June

Authorities in Japan issued an evacuation order for 89 residents of Akuseki Island , located in the Tokara archipelago , following a magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck the area on July 3 . The quake marked the latest in a series of over 1,000 tremors that have been recorded in the region since June 21, 2025 . According to a municipal official speaking to media, residents were directed to evacuate to a school playground as a precaution. All individuals were later confirmed safe, and the evacuation order was lifted shortly thereafter. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the quake posed no tsunami threat , but warned that strong tremors could still trigger landslides and structural collapses , particularly in affected parts of the island. Akuseki is part of the southern Tokara island chain , situated south of Japan’s Kyushu region . Among the 12 islands in the chain, seven are inhabited , with a total population of around 700 people . The JMA recorded 1,031 ...

Malaysian Man Jailed After Running Illicit Setup with Japanese Women

A 25-year-old Malaysian man , Goh Boon Hong , was sentenced to one year in jail and fined $4,000 on June 30, 2025 , for his role in running an online vice syndicate that recruited Japanese women for prostitution in Singapore. Goh pleaded guilty to five charges , including harbouring women for the purpose of prostitution and living on the earnings of prostitution . He had joined the syndicate in August 2024 under the employment of Wong Chi San , and initially received a 10 per cent commission on earnings, which later increased to 20 per cent . After Wong was arrested in January 2025 , Goh took over the operations of the syndicate. Court documents did not provide further information regarding Wong's charges or current legal status. In February 2025 , Goh invited a 26-year-old Japanese woman , referred to in court documents as A1 , to provide sexual services in Singapore. A1 worked in the city from February to March , and also brought in her 27-year-old friend , A2 , to join th...

Portugal & Liverpool Star Diogo Jota Dies in Tragic Car Crash

Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota , aged 28, was killed in a tragic car accident alongside his brother in northwestern Spain on Thursday, July 3, 2025 , according to Spanish authorities. The incident occurred when a Lamborghini reportedly veered off the motorway in the municipality of Cernadilla , located in the province of Zamora , Castile-Leon region, shortly after midnight. The vehicle burst into flames upon impact. Emergency services and the regional fire department responded to the crash site and found two deceased individuals, later confirmed to be Diogo Jota and his 26-year-old brother, Andre Felipe . Authorities confirmed that no other vehicles were involved in the crash. The bodies were recovered and sent to a forensics unit in Zamora, where autopsies will be performed . Police investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing. The shocking news comes just weeks after Diogo Jota’s wedding , which he had publicly celebrated on social media with a heartfelt...

Indian National Worker Bites Off Co-Worker’s Earlobe in Dorm Fight

A violent altercation at a workers' dormitory in Kallang has resulted in a 21-year-old electrician being jailed for six months after he bit off part of his co-worker’s left earlobe following a drunken argument. The incident occurred on the evening of February 15, 2025, and was brought to court where the offender, Senthilkumar Vishnusakthi, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt. According to court documents presented on July 3, Senthilkumar had returned to his dormitory at around 7pm after consuming three cans of beer. Upon arrival, he encountered his 31-year-old co-worker, Mr Nesamani Hariharn, who was watching a movie. Both men are Indian nationals. Fueled by alcohol, Senthilkumar became confrontational, accusing Mr Nesamani of spying on him and reporting his poor work performance to their supervisor. The situation escalated when Senthilkumar began shouting, calling the victim a “dog” and accusing him of following him around. Deputy Public Prosecutor R...

Driver Causes Carnage on Race Course Road Caught

SINGAPORE – A 39-year-old man was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs or an intoxicating substance after a dangerous road incident on June 29, 2025. The incident occurred along Race Course Road in the direction of Tessensohn Road at around 11:09 PM. The driver crashed his white Toyota C-HR Hybrid into a central divider, reversed, and proceeded to cause further damage by ramming through another section of the barrier. He then crossed into the opposite lane, mounted the pavement, and finally came to a stop on a nearby grass verge. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed that it was alerted to the incident at 11:10 PM. Paramedics who arrived at the scene assessed the situation and confirmed that no medical assistance was required. The Singapore Police Force also confirmed the arrest of the driver for suspected drug-related offences. The man was apprehended at the scene by police officers shortly after the incident. A 4...

Ex-DSTA Manager Jailed for Leaking Tender Info to Electrical Firm

SINGAPORE – A former project manager at the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) was sentenced to four weeks in jail on July 2, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to two charges under the Official Secrets Act. Hsu Yee Chern, aged 52, was found to have shared confidential tender information with Tan Kian Meng, a project manager at John Holland Electrical & Service (JHES), an electrical contracting firm. The offences involved sensitive data relating to a defence project managed by DSTA, a statutory board under the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). At the time of the offences, Hsu held multiple key roles at DSTA, where he was responsible for overseeing procurement processes, including vendor sourcing and evaluating tender bids. He had worked at DSTA and its affiliated agencies since 1997 until his resignation in 2022. The offences occurred during a DSTA-managed infrastructure renovation project at Stagmont Camp, located along Stagmont Road near Teck Whye Crescent. In March 2019, ...