SINGAPORE: There may be longer wait times for appointments at HDB Hub after a fire broke out in the building on Wednesday (Oct 2) afternoon. “We seek our customers’ understanding that they may experience longer wait times for appointments, due to the disruption caused by the fire,” said the HousingContinue Reading
Last Wednesday, a malfunctioning train caused a power trip and harm to the track and other gear, prompting the MRT company disturbance.
After successfully replacing 10 rail segments that had developed new cracks, the Land Transport Authority ( LTA ) and rail operator SMRT announced on Monday evening that full train services on the East-West Line would resume on Tuesday.  ,
Prior to the entire resume of customer service, thorough testing of the monitor and trackside equipment was also conducted to maintain commuter safety.
Western carriages traveling on the repaired parts of the record have temporary speed restrictions in place until Thursday for safety reasons.  ,
” This is part of the standard process following road alternatives, where trains will go more carefully at 40kmh”, LTA and SMRT had said.
We advise riders who are traveling east on the East-West Line to make plans for an extra five minutes of journey time.
SINGAPORE: A part of the East-West Line has been subjected to a station endurance test and all the damaged bridge divisions between Clementi and Ulu Pandan Depot have been replaced.
The Land Transport Authority ( LTA ) reported on Monday ( Sep 30 ) in a progress update on recovery works to restore service between the Jurong East and Buona Vista stations. They also stated that employees” toiled through the early morning hours.”
” The locomotive pressure check, energy meggering test, and monitor loop tests have also been completed”, said LTA, adding that the next bridge was likewise reinstated.  ,
To enable the traction power source to be carefully turned on, electrical meggering testing ensures the third road and running road are electric insulated.  ,
The motor stress test is crucial, according to LTA, to make sure all affected wheels are strong and welded well before the start of the packed train energy test.  ,
According to LTA and SMRT, comprehensive checks and tests will be conducted and will make sure that all safety standards are met before resuming total customer service.  ,
LTA and SMRT appeal to commuters for their kind understanding and compassion while our workers make every effort to continue service as quickly as possible.  ,
Lam Sheau Kai, the leader of SMRT Trains, thanked riders for their endurance while the construction was progressing.
He said:” During today’s testing period, we found 12 new holes, along an affected expand. We may require more time to repair these fresh breaks.
” After which, rigorous testing will have to be conducted before trains can be safely restored to support.”
Along an 800m expand from Clementi Station to Ulu Pandan Depot, the 12 new holes were discovered. The 46 cracks discovered thus far cross a 2.55km stretch from Dover station to Clementi place.
According to SMRT and LTA, riders are advised to continue using the free normal bus services that are offered between Boon Lay and Queenstown facilities as well as the free bridge bus service between Jurong East and Buona Vista.  ,
SMRT will continue to offer flight train service between Jurong East and Boon Lay facilities in both directions and between Buona Vista and Queenstown facilities.  ,
Since Wednesday morning, there has n’t been any train service between the Jurong East and Buona Vista MRT stations on the East-West Line. According to SMRT and LTA, a defective first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries teach that had been in use for more than 35 years was returning to Ulu PandanContinue Reading
China has suggested setting minimum prices for electric vehicles ( EVs ) China ships to the European Union in a negotiated move to stop the bloc’s plans to impose tariffs of 17 to 35.3 % on Chinese EVs.
The European Commission had planned to voting on the tariff proposals on September 25, but it was postponed without cause. The voting will take place within the year beginning September 30 according to Nikkei.
Wang Wentao, the Foreign minister of commerce, and Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission’s executive vice president and business commissioner, met in Brussels on September 19 to discuss the vote’s delay.
In a blog on X on September 19, Dombrovskis stated that” Both sides agreed to intensify efforts to find an efficient, legal, and WTO-compatible alternative to the power EV situation.” ” This without prejudice to the EU investigation and its deadlines” . ,
In a media briefing on Thursday ( September 26 ), He Yongqian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, stated that both China and the EU have unmistakably indicated political willingness to resolve disputes through consultations.
The two sides agreed to continue discussions over a “price responsibility deal” and totally commit to achieving a mutually satisfactory solution through friendly speech and sessions during the Wang-Dombrovskis deals, she said.  ,
” Now, technical teams from both sides are positively discussing a flexible rate determination option, following the direction set during the deals”, she said. Before the final decision, they are attempting to reach a compromise on a remedy model.
She emphasized that while China is totally committed to protecting the interests of Chinese firms, it has the “utmost sincerity” to resolve disputes effectively through speech and consultations.
Some Chinese experts believe that some EU members who want to avoid a full-fledged trade war with China are interested in China’s request of a “price dedication agreement” and that its proposal is a good one. Nevertheless, they said, the present may not be enough to alter the EU’s tax choice.  ,
Zheng Chunrong, director of the Center for German Research at the School of Foreign Studies Tongji University, told Beijing Daily in an interview that Spain has stated that China and the EU should never engage in a trade conflict while Germany’s position has also become more explicit.  ,
” But, for an opposition message has never reached a level that may prevent the taxes”, he said. ” It’s great that the EU keeps its talks with China. But it’s hard to tell how things may develop”.
At least 15 nations, representing 65 % of the EU’s population, must support the proposed EV tariffs, according to qualified majority voting in the EU. If implemented, the taxes will last for at least five years.
12 out of 27 EU members voted in favor of the EC’s decision to impose temporary tariffs on Chinese EVs in a non-binding voting held in July. They included France, Spain and Italy. Four nations cast ballots opposed to it. The remaining 11 people, including Germany, abstained.  ,
Cui Fan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics ‘ School of International Trade and Economics, said,” It is very difficult to find enough Western countries to reject the EC’s anti-subsidy sensor effects.”
Cui claimed that they only make up 61.4 % of the Union population and can oppose the tariffs, perhaps if Spain, Italy, and all 11 of the 11 waiting nations joined hands.  ,
Chinese EV manufacturers separately made a proposal to the EU in August to establish least minimum sales and sales quotas to stop the bloc’s EV markets from exploding. But, the EU rejected all these presents.
Our investigation focused on whether these offers may end the harm caused by the subsidies that were found in our investigations and whether these cost commitments could be properly monitored and enforced, according to a EC spokesperson on September 12. ” The Commission has concluded that none of the offers met these requirements” . ,
After this news, Wang traveled to Europe to make one final push to entrance the EC against the taxes. It’s also unclear, yet, whether his work will work to change Union minds.  ,  ,
One Hubei-based journalist opined that would be absurd for the EU to accept China’s “price dedication” proposal.  ,
He said BYD has already priced its flagship Tang SUV at 72, 000 euros ( 563, 000 yuan ) in Europe for 2025 while the same model was priced at about 200, 000 yuan in China.  ,
He claimed that in order to compete with Western EV manufacturers, the Tang design might need to be priced at 800,000 yuan in the EU. He claimed that requiring Chinese automakers to increase product prices would only harm Union customers ‘ interests.  ,
Hostile trade actions are already in the works. China’s MoC launched anti-dumping investigations into exports of cheese from the EU in August and meat in June.
Last year, China imported 2.6 billion euros ( US$ 2.9 billion ) worth of pork products and 1.76 billion euros of dairy products from the EU. At the same time, China exported 438, 034 power EVs for 9.7 billion dollars to the Union over the same time.  ,
Chinese EV manufacturers may pay more in total value than the EU’s producers of pork and dairy products, but they might be able to more easily withstand the pain given their higher profits.  ,
Read: China targets EU meat in tit-for-tat business spit
Following Jeff Pao on X:  , @jeffpao3
Late on Thursday ( Sep 26 ), Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat reported that more than 300 engineers and technicians have been repairing the damage to the tracks and equipment on the East-West Line.
On Wednesday, a portion fell off a first-generation coach, resulting in what authorities described as “extensive injury” to the station record and products between Clementi and Dover MRT stations.
This, in turn, caused a strength journey that led to the disturbance on the East-West Line, one of the two classic ranges built back in the seventies.
The Land Transport Authority ( LTA ) and rail operator SMRT , had earlier hoped to , partially restore services on Friday  , but announced on Thursday evening that the , service disruption would continue for a third day.  ,
” Over the last 40 days, more than 300 of our engineers and technicians from LTA and SMRT have been working day and night to do maintenance, to conduct inspections to the broken tracks and products”, Mr Chee said during his visit to , Ulu Pandan station.
” As the injury is very broad, they have to do this properly and it requires a lot of time”, he said, adding that it was a difficult task.
Parents of Primary 6 students in Singapore made special arrangements to ensure their children arrived on time for the first day of written exams for the Primary School Leaving Examination ( PSLE ) despite the ongoing train disruption.
CNA spoke to parents at Fairfield Methodist School ( Primary ), located in Dover, and Nan Hua Primary School, which is located in Clementi, on Thursday ( Sep 26 ) afternoon.  ,
Both institutions are situated close to the MRT channels that were impacted by the disturbance, which extended from Buona Vista to Jurong East.  ,
On Thursday, PSLE individuals sat for their English vocabulary documents 1 and 2. Paper 1 started at 8.15am while the next sheet started at 10.30am.
Of the 41, 000 candidates who sat for the papers on Thursday, five were late due to the train disruption, said the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board ( SEAB).  ,
All five arrived just before the paper’s conclusion, and they were given plenty of time to live in before sitting in their seats for the entire exam’s period.
Of the five prospects, one sat for the documents in a unique assessment heart.
Candidates should get in touch with their schools if the coach was a disturbance, according to the board, and SEAB will work with them to assist them.  ,
When CNA arrived at Fairfield Methodist School ( Primary ) at about 12.20pm, a dozen parents were seen waiting outside for the Primary 6 students.  ,
When she learned about the station disturbance on the news last night, Ms. Rashida Begum, whose child will be taking the PSLE this year, claimed she requested an immediate leave of absence to take her child to school.
We never anticipated the significant break because we were prepared for our child to attend college by himself and believed the collapse may resolve itself over the weekend, but it did not,” she said.
Because we are staying in Queenstown, I took leave to drop him off this night so that he would have had to transform railways and not be able to arrive on time.
She continued, adding that her husband has taken a week off to take their son to school so they can use it in case the station goes into disarray on its second day.  ,  ,
If the train disruptions continue until the following week, we are also reaching out to our family members to see if anyone can assist us. Hopefully that does n’t happen.
Mr. Terence Png claimed to have made an advance reservation for a car last nights despite his daughter’s attendance for the PSLE this year.
” When we found out that the trains were n’t going to run today, immediately, we thought of an alternative, which is to book a taxi or Grab way ahead of time to ensure that we had a ride in the morning”, he said.
The ride from their home in Bukit Batok to the school cost S$ 30 ( US$ 23 ), he added.
It’s unfortunate that it occurred on the day of the PSLE first paper, he said, but it ca n’t be prevented.
My girl was n’t really impacted because we covered it so as not to strain her up.
Families at Fairfield Methodist also reported that the school’s Key 1 and 2 students were receiving home-based instruction on Thursday, which might have helped to ease the traffic flow this morning. Mr. Lucas Low, whose child will be taking the PSLE this year, claimed that because he typically takes his kids to school, was not all that worried about the train’s disturbance. They left their homes at their normal times, and customers flowed as usual.  ,
The East-West Line train was hampered by its second day on Thursday ( Sep 26 ), which coincided with the start of the Primary School Leaving Examination ( PSLE ) written exams. The Singapore Examination and Assessment Board ( SEAB) was informed on Wednesday that the Land Transport Authority (Continue Reading
If people are taking the subway to the city center, they might want to look into taking three different roads. They can travel on the North-South Line (via Jurong, Woodlands, and Bishan ), the Thomson-East Coast Line (via Woodlands and Caldecott ) and the Downtown Line (via Botanic Gardens ).Continue Reading