NewsLite

If you are looking forward to participating in outdoor activities this weekend, here's some good news.

In its daily haze situation update on Friday (Oct 30) evening, the National Environment Agency said the haze situation is forecast to remain suppressed on Saturday, and contained on Sunday.

Showers are expected over Singapore during the weekend, which is expected to help keep the haze situation at bay despite prevailing winds forecast to blow from the east or south-east.

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) forecast for Saturday is between 51 and 70 — in the moderate range.

Travellers who are heading across the Causeway on Friday (Oct 30) evening should note that there is currently very heavy departure traffic at Woodlands Checkpoint.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on its social media at 4.18pm that the queue has reached the Bukit Timah Expressway (Woodlands) in the vicinity of Exit 10A.

Checks on the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) traffic cameras show that Johor-bound traffic along the Causeway was smooth at 6pm.

However, bumper-to-bumper traffic was seen at both Woodlands Crossing and the expressway.

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.

1. New SGH Emergency-NNI building opens, designed around patients' journeys

The Republic's oldest hospital, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), officially opened its new SGH Emergency/National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) building on Friday (Oct 31)... » READ MORE

2. Blockchain intelligence firms link North Korea to $8b hack on Binance

There's nothing like a few tight slaps to a mistress to get viewers riveted to the soap opera-like plot but even this is perhaps too much.

The first episode of Thai actress Baifern Pimchanok's new drama, released on Oct 23, left netizens amused with its overdramatised scenes, and one in particular is going viral on the internet.

The 34-year-old plays the double role of twin sisters in the Thai drama The Hidden Shadows, also known by its native title Raeng Ngao, based on a novel written by Nanthana Weerachon.

The story follows Munin, who finds her twin sister Mutta's body in a stream. She assumes her identity to uncover the truth behind her death and seek revenge.

A total of 250 goods vehicles were caught by Land Transport Authority (LTA) enforcement officers in two islandwide enforcement operations conducted in October.

The regulator said in a social media post on Friday (Oct 30) that the two operations were each conducted over a three-day period, with offences such as overloading and oversized vehicles, and non-compliant lorries.

Of these, over 30 vehicles were caught for overloading, which pose risks to road users if goods spill or fall onto the road. Such actions also compromises the safe handling of the vehicles, LTA stated.

Meanwhile, more than 40 vehicles, including concrete mixers and low trailers, were caught for being oversized or travelling on expressways without a valid permit.

KHERSON, Ukraine — A humanitarian convoy for the stricken city of Oleshky has been set up in a nearby town. It includes 25 buses, ambulances and other vehicles for the aid mission due to take place later Friday (Oct 30), a Ukrainian official said.

"We are bringing humanitarian aid to the local residents of the city of Oleshky," Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's ombudsman and chief negotiator, said.

"Our main task is to ensure that this aid reaches every person who needs it. We pay special attention to the elderly, people with disabilities." Lubinets said the convoy had been set up in Armyansk, a town in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine about 85 kilometers south of Oleshky.

A localized ceasefire and the aid mission were brokered by US first lady Melania Trump, who led talks with Lubinets and his Russian counterpart Yana Lantratova.

The Republic's oldest hospital, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), officially opened its new SGH Emergency/National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) building on Friday (Oct 31).

Established in 1821, Singapore's first general hospital started out in a wooden shed near Bras Basah and Stamford Roads. Amongst the older generation, it is commonly referred to as "See Pai Poh" because of its 1882 relocation to Sepoy Lines along Outram Road.

Fast forward to 1948, SGH established its Casualty and Outpatient Service that is today known as the Emergency Department, and the NNI later in 1999.

Explaining why the two medical disciplines are housed together at the building's opening ceremony, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung pointed out at the official opening on Friday that emergency department patients today are older and many have multiple chronic conditions.

US-based blockchain intelligence firm TRM said a North Korea hacking unit was likely behind the theft of more than US$6 billion (S$8 billion) on the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance.

Binance said late on Thursday (Oct 30) that approximately US$6.3 billion was impacted, which its founder described as "like a hack".

The company said it worked with blockchain partners to freeze affected assets, and roughly US$3 billion was frozen.

The cryptocurrency exchange added that it had temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals while security checks are completed.

Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels near Islam's holiest city, a claim the Houthis denied. Meanwhile, a tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz.

A Saudi-led coalition said Friday (Oct 30) it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

A coalition spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, said the drone was intercepted in the region surrounding Mecca, Islam's holiest city and a destination for millions of Muslim pilgrims each year.

In a statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree denied carrying out any operations targeting Mecca, saying the group's military operations target Saudi oil facilities and military bases.

MANILA — The Philippines raised the alert level at the Mayon volcano in the central province of Albay on Friday (Oct 30) after a "moderately explosive eruption".

The state seismology agency Phivolcs said it raised the alert to level three on a five-level scale.

At alert level three, Mayon has increased chances of lava flows and hazardous eruptions in the coming days to weeks

People were advised to stay outside a 6-kilometre (3.7 miles) danger zone due to the danger of lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards