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SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be conducting "additional independent technical assessments" to ensure that public buses in Singapore cannot be controlled remotely by their manufacturers, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow. This comes after cybersecurity concerns arose late last year over how Chinese manufacturer Yutong Group was found to be able to remotely control its buses for software updates and diagnostics. LTA said at the time that Yutong's 20 electric buses in Singapore did not have remote command capabilities. On Monday (Jan 12), Mr Siow said in a written reply to parliamentary questions filed by two Members of Parliament that LTA had carried out technical reviews with all public bus manufacturers, who have assured the authority that they cannot control the buses remotely. "LTA will conduct additional independent technical assessments to verify this," he added.  Mr Siow was responding to questions from MPs Joan Pereira (PAP-Tanjong Pagar) and Melvin Yong (PAP-Radin Mas) on how cybersecurity concerns involving electric public buses are being addressed. Focusing on these vehicles, Mr Siow said: "Public electric buses are an essential public transport service. Hence, cybersecurity vulnerabilities carry higher risk and impact on public safety and service continuity." He noted that LTA requires the manufacturers of all electric buses in its fleet to have "certified cybersecurity controls to prevent, detect and respond to cyber threats across the vehicle lifecycle" and ensure the security of over-the-air, or wireless, software updates. "Any software updates or changes needed today are executed by authorised personnel on-site at the bus depot using a wired connection, only after LTA has verified the purpose of the updates and given approval," he said. Noting that over-the-air updates for electric public buses are increasingly common and necessary to swiftly patch vehicle software vulnerabilities, he said that LTA is working closely with government cybersecurity agencies to look into the safe transition from wired to over-the-air updates for its buses. Source: CNA/dy(kg)    

Bonjour our dear SO France family, It is with heavy hearts, yet immense gratitude, that we share this news with you: SO FRANCE will be ceasing its operations over the coming 2 months. SO France at DUO will be closing its doors, with our final day of service on 25 January 2026. Our AFS Café will continue to welcome you until 28 February 2026. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your everyday moments, from quick coffees to long lunches, from simple catch-ups to meaningful celebrations. Your presence, your smiles, and your loyalty have shaped SO France in ways we will forever cherish. Serving you has truly been our greatest pleasure. We would love to welcome you one last time before we close, to say goodbye in person and share a final meal, coffee, or toast together. From the bottom of our hearts: MERCI for being part of our story. We hope this is not goodbye, but simply à bientôt. With love and sincere thanks, The SO France Team      https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AaNNs4oWD/  

SINGAPORE – Five months after the sudden closure of local indie cinema The Projector in August 2025, an investor has hired several of its core team members to set up a new operation. New independent cinema Filmhouse will take over the three-screen space at Golden Mile Tower in Beach Road, formerly occupied by The Projector. Ms Sharon Tan, 41, former general manager at The Projector, will take the same role at the new venue.   Renovations are now under way. One hall, the Green Room, will be upgraded to a 4K projector, while the other two halls – Redrum and the Blue Room – will still feature 2k projectors, she tells The Straits Times. The names of the halls have been retained as a nod to The Projector. While the cinema will get a new coat of paint, some murals – a distinctive feature of the former venue – will be retained. Again, to recognise the link to the past, adds Ms Tan.   Filmhouse is expected to hold a soft opening in late January or early February. The name was chosen because “we wanted to create a home for films and film lovers”, she says.   The Projector was known for its food and beverage options, which included cocktails and other alcoholic drinks. Whether a licensed bar will return is still being worked out, but when Filmhouse opens, there will be a snack bar serving cinema snacks and soft drinks. Films expected to be screened at the soft launch include the Norwegian-language drama Sentimental Value, winner of the Grand Prix at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, and the Chloe Zhao-directed period drama Hamnet, winner of Best Motion Picture – Drama at the 2026 Golden Globes. The comedy-drama Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser, will also be in the line-up.   Ms Tan says the team is excited to be back. “Right now, we are rushing to get things ready to welcome guests. It feels like we are coming home – we’re looking forward to seeing our friends and regular patrons,” she adds. Ms Tan is part of the team that founded The Projector in 2014, afterwards becoming its first general manager. Mr Walter Navarro, who was for nearly a decade the head of programming at The Projector, will take the same role at Filmhouse. Alumni of The Projector are also filling other roles. The new cinema will screen a mix of fresh releases and curated foreign, art-house and retrospective films, and will partner embassies holding national film festivals.     Ms Tan shared more details about the owner of Filmhouse. He is a Singapore permanent resident and Chinese national who lives in Singapore. He is funding the enterprise on his own and does not work in the film, leisure or lifestyle industries. “He calls Singapore his home, and is a cinephile who was a regular attendee at screenings held at The Projector. He was very sad to see it go and is proud to support the work of a passionate team,” she says. For now, he wants to keep a low profile so that the focus stays on the Filmhouse team. After 10 years in business, The Projector ended operations suddenly in August 2025, entering voluntary liquidation after accumulating about $1.2 million in debt. The closure left film fans reeling, as it had not just been a place for them, but also for those drawn to live performances, such as its deejay and comedy nights. These were held at both its original Golden Mile Tower location and later at its offshoot at Cineleisure in Grange Road. The Projector’s closure left indie film distributors in the lurch, among them Mr Thomas Chia, director of Lighthouse Film Distribution. He had come to depend on The Projector team for its generous terms, unlike mainstream cinemas which tend to be focused on the bottom line. Mr Chia says that while the name has changed, he is glad the people he has worked with are back. “They are the heart and soul of the operation. My relationship with them, the goodwill and trust that embassies have built with the team through their national film festivals – that is something that money cannot buy.” He hopes that supporters of The Projector will visit Filmhouse in numbers sufficient to keep the new venue afloat, adding: “Sentimental Value, Hamnet and Rental Family are great films to kick off operations. Let’s hope the patrons will return and spend some money.”  

Haha i was gonna share. What a fucking nuisance  

he will no longer be involved in the company’s operations and management, including event planning.     he the biggest shareholder. can work meh?