TOKYO – Singapore and Japan are strategically aligned, with similar views on the importance of free and open trade, as well as international cooperation. Both also have a shared interest in new areas of growth, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on March 18.While the Republic remembers its history and the Japanese Occupation, this does not mean Singapore cannot move forward to forge a mutually beneficial relationship with Japan as it has done over the decades, he said as he concluded the main section of his three-day official visit to Tokyo.Both countries have a longstanding relationship and believe in free and open trade, as well as in upholding the rules-based international order. Both sides are also pushing forward in similar sectors of artificial intelligence, quantum and space technologies, and cybersecurity, said PM Wong.These are new opportunities that will benefit both countries, including in research, investments and job creation, he added.

Two drivers were taken to hospital after a car and van collided head-on in Lim Chu Kang on Wednesday (March 18). The 61-year-old van driver was trapped in his seat and had to be extricated by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers using hydraulic rescue equipment. A video of the aftermath of the accident along Neo Tiew Road by TikTok user Sooraj Soo showed the van bumper had partially fallen off. The police and SCDF told AsiaOne they were alerted to the accident near the junction of Neo Tiew Road and Neo Tiew Lane 3 at about 11.50am on Wednesday. The van driver and the 45-year-old female car driver were both conscious when taken to hospital. SCDF said it conveyed one person to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and another person to Woodlands Hospital.The police said the van driver is assisting with investigations.[[nid:731857]]lim.kewei@asiaone.com

Muslims in Singapore will celebrate Hari Raya Puasa on Saturday (March 21), announced Mufti Nazirudin Mohd Nasir on Thursday.As the crescent moon for the month of Syawal was positioned too low above Singapore's horizon at sunset, Friday will mark the completion of the month of Ramadan, the mufti said in a media statement.He also announced that the first day of Syawal or Hari Raya Aidilfitri for the year 1447H falls on March 21 (Saturday).Singapore, along with Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, use the imkanur rukyah astronomy calculation method, which was reviewed in 2021 and premised on more than 700 data points of crescent moon sightings from around the world.Mufti Nazirudin also urged Muslims in Singapore to multiply their good deeds and prayers in the remaining days of Ramadan.«I also take this opportunity to wish all Muslims in  Singapore: 'Selemat Hari Raya Aidilfitri'. May we welcome the arrival of the month of Syawal with full gratitude and further strengthen the bonds of kinship and compassion for one another,» he said.[[nid:731494]]editor@asiaone.com

Pet owner Jocelyn Ang opened a tub of Rose-Hip Vital Canine powder to feed her dog when she saw flies swarming out of it, with other insects inside it.She posted her experience on Facebook group Singapore Dogs Community on Monday (March 16).«I just opened a brand-new sealed tub today, and to my horror, a lot of flies flew out, and the powder inside seems infested with many small insects,» she wrote in her post, also saying that it was «quite shocking».In a video uploaded with her post, Ang can be seen gingerly opening the tub while holding it outside the window of her unit.Once it opens, a fly immediately bolts out into the air and disappears, while another can be seen at the rim of the tub.The camera then pans over the contents of the tub, showing white, grain-like objects within it and a web-like substance along the tub's rim, which is also dotted with black spots.According to videos on Rose-Hip Vital's YouTube channel, the contents of the tub should be a consistent powder similar to turmeric and is used to improve a dog's health and strengthen joints among other health benefits.

Some DBS and POSB users were not able to use the banks’ digital services on Thursday (March 19) afternoon.In a Facebook post, DBS said that while they are working to fully recover services, customers can continue making payment through bank cards and withdraw cash at ATMs and POSB cash-points.«Please be assured that your monies and deposits remain safe,» said DBS. «We are sorry for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding.»Downdetector, a site that tracks service outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, saw over 1,800 reports as of 12.30pm.AsiaOne has reached out to DBS for more information.editor@asiaone.comchingshijie@asiaone.com

Shoppers will be able to purchase FairPrice's Own Brands products at discounted prices for the next 12 weeks.FairPrice Group announced on Thursday (March 19) that it will be bringing its Best Sellers for Less campaign back for the second year between March 19 to June 10.During the 12-week period, customers will be able to get up to 36 per cent off FairPrice's Own Brands products, including rice, facial tissues, and frozen processed food.The initiative is meant to help Singaporeans «stretch their dollar further against the current backdrop of economic uncertainty and rising costs» and is part of FairPrice Group's «wider commitment to keep daily essentials affordable and accessible».Own Brands comprises over 3,500 products that are typically priced 10 to 15 per cent cheaper than branded alternatives.«We want to repay Singaporeans for the trust that they place in our Own Brands every day, and assure them that we are committed to keeping quality staples affordable, especially in times of uncertainty,» said Vipul Chawla, Group CEO of FairPrice Group.[[nid:730941]]

An early morning fire at a Choa Chu Kang HDB flat left one person dead and another injured on Thursday (March 19). The blaze broke out in the bedroom of a 14th floor unit at Block 763 Choa Chu Kang North 5 at about 3am. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that firefighters found the deceased in the unit. The victim was pronounced dead on the spot by a paramedic. Another resident from the unit who fled the fire was sent to the Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation.  Two other residents from the block were also assessed for smoke inhalation but they did not want to be taken to hospital. 

TOKYO - Singapore and Japan have upgraded their bilateral ties, with deeper co-operation planned in a wide range of areas from artificial intelligence to the green transition.Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced on March 18 that the two countries have elevated their ties to a strategic partnership, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.The strategic partnership will deepen the foundations of the substantive and multifaceted relationship between both countries, and expand co-operation in five forward-looking areas, said a joint statement issued after both leaders and their delegations met at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo.These areas are: promoting free trade and economic co-operation; digitalisation and technology; security and defence; green transition and energy co-operation; and partnership and exchanges.Among the new agreements was the establishment of an information and communications technology policy dialogue between Singapore's Ministry of Digital Development and Information and its Japanese counterpart.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Wednesday (March 18) warned of «bracing times» beyond global economic and financial strains, which he said has extended into a «long storm» of global political instability.He made these comments in a Facebook post as he approved the Government's record $154.7 billion spending plan for Budget 2026.Pointing to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, now in its third week, the President cautioned that a protracted war and closure of the Strait of Hormuz will increase the risk of a major economic downturn and higher inflation.He explained that fuel prices will continue to climb if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. This, he said, will go beyond the oil and gas markets, to affect other sectors such as fertiliser.A reduction in fertiliser supply, in turn, will impact food supply and prices, and supplies of other critical commodities such as aluminium and helium — which the world depends on.

In what feels like a deja vu of pump prices adjustments on Monday, three fuel companies — Shell, followed by Esso, then Caltex — again raised their posted prices in sequence on Wednesday (March 18).On March 16 (Monday), AsiaOne reported that Shell kicked off the new week with a fresh round of price adjustments, increasing its posted prices for 95-, 98-octane, V-Power, and diesel — by 7 cents each. This was followed by Esso, which mirrored Shell's price adjustments by increasing its 92-, 95- and 98-octane petrol, and diesel, by 7 cents each. Caltex subsequently raised its posted prices for 92-and 95-octane, and premium petrol by 2 cents each, while increasing its diesel price by 7 cents.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Wednesday (March 18) warned members of the public against purchasing or consuming four health products as three people suffered serious side effects, including high blood pressure and insomnia after consuming them.The four products — Ubat Angin Tulang, Tianma Duzhong Shujing Wan, IM SO am and IM TOX pm — were found to contain potent ingredients such as steroids, and a banned substance — sibutramine. These products were found to have been sold on e-commerce platforms Shopee, Lazada and Carousell, a peddler in Jurong, and from Malaysia.«HSA has worked with the online platforms to remove the listings, and investigations on the sellers are ongoing,» the statement said.Serious side effectsUbat Angin Tulang and Tianma Duzhong Shujing Wan are touted as herbal products for those with knee pain, and the products indicated that only herbal ingredients such as ginseng are included. 

Some 500 Singtel users are reportedly facing issues with the telco on Wednesday (March 18) evening.This follows disruptions encountered by thousands of users on March 16 and March 17. [[nid:731578]]Downdetector, a real-time crowdsourced platform that monitors the status of over 12,000 services across banking, internet services and social media providers, indicated that 500 users have reported issues with Singtel at 6.22pm.Among the top three issues reported, about 48 per cent of users said it was related to mobile internet services, while another 24 per cent said it was related to mobile signal.Social media user Zul Samian, in a comment on a marketing post published by Singtel, wrote: «Disruption again on March 18! (This is) the third consecutive day! Restarting the mobile phone doesn't solve anything!»The user also called for Singtel to investigate the incidents thoroughly. 

SINGAPORE - Gold retailers in Singapore are boosting inventories to cater to higher demand for the precious metal amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.Bullion dealers, jewellers and pawnshops told The Straits Times that buying of the precious metal has surged in recent times amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and expectations of interest rate cuts.Items like gold bars, coins and jewellery are among the items being snapped up by local buyers in recent weeks, with some also eyeing silver, they said. Also in the mix are people who want to cash in or trade their older gold items.Besides middle-aged customers, some have also observed a younger crowd wading into the gold-buying trend.Mr David Mitchell, founder and managing director of bullion dealer Indigo Precious Metals, said his store has seen demand rise over 100 per cent so far in 2026, compared with the same period in 2025. The company runs a retail outlet in Bukit Pasoh Road.“We have seen more buyers than sellers over the past year, but we also are beginning to see more sellers entering the market, which is typical after strong price moves,” he said.

A man was left shocked after returning to his Bukit Batok home to find his plants in disarray, with pots toppled and soil scattered across the corridor.Speaking to AsiaOne on Wednesday (March 18), the man, who wished to be known only as Luo, said the incident happened when he had gone out on Saturday (March 14). «It was around 2pm when I got home that I noticed my plants had toppled. At first, I thought it was the wind, but I soon realised the plants had been ripped out of their pots, with soil scattered all over the corridor,» said the 42-year-old retail investor.Luo added that he also noticed deep scratches and dents on his front door, which he believes were caused by objects such as rocks or tiles being thrown at it. He has since filed a police report and estimates that repairing the door and buying new plants will cost around $1,500.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police confirmed that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.