An 88-year-old man was arrested and will be charged in court on Thursday (June 6) for the alleged murder of his wife in their Bukit Panjang flat.  The police said in a statement that they were alerted to a call for assistance at about 1am on Wednesday at Block 137 Petir Road.  When officers arrived at the scene, they found the 74-year-old woman lying motionless inside the unit.  In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said they received a call for assistance at 12.45am at the same unit. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The 88-year-old man was arrested at the scene. Preliminary investigations show that both parties were known to each other.  Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department were seen going in and out of the flat on Wednesday morning. They were seen measuring a pair of scissors, reported Lianhe Zaobao. Marilou A Penar, a domestic helper who lives next door, told 8world that she saw police officers taking away the elderly man, who was in a wheelchair, at around 6am. His wife's body was removed from the flat at around 8am.

SINGAPORE - Construction for the Founders' Memorial - dedicated to Singapore's pioneers and the values they exemplified - has officially begun, with the institution slated to open in 2028. The memorial in Gardens by the Bay's Bay East Garden will offer future visitors an «integrated gallery and gardens experience», said the National Heritage Board (NHB). Within its two two-storey buildings, which will be connected by a common basement, will be a viewing gallery that overlooks Singapore's city skyline, exhibition galleries, and multipurpose rooms for workshops and programmes. NHB said that multiple paths will extend from the memorial into the larger Bay East Garden, with the memorial itself designed to depict a path - a symbol of the nation-building journey that Singapore's founding generation and its leaders undertook.

What was meant to be an exciting race was cut short for an 8-year-old girl when she fell after allegedly getting pushed by other runners. Her father, surnamed Chen, told Shin Min Daily News that his daughter suffered multiple abrasions on her right elbow, fingers and lips, with the largest wound on her left knee measuring about 4cm. The 48-year-old engineer had paid $55 to register the girl for the competitive 1.6km race at the Cold Storage and Giant Kids Run, which was held at Palawan Green in Sentosa last Sunday (June 2). This particular race was for girls aged seven to nine.  About 40 to 50 children participated in the race, which flagged off at around 9.15am. Chen and his wife were waiting at the finish line when he received a call shortly after the race had started, informing him that his daughter had been injured and was at a medical tent. When the couple rushed over, they saw that there was a bandage on her left knee. «My daughter cried and said her wound hurt, but the medical personnel said it was a minor injury, so I didn't think much about it and took her home,» Chen said.

SINGAPORE – A simple procedure to fill a tooth turned out to be a nightmare for Mr W and his wife, Ms Rina, when he ended up hospitalised for several days. During the dental procedure at Jurong Polyclinic on the morning of May 28, part of the equipment the dentist was using on his tooth fell off and went down his throat. When asked about the incident, a spokesman for the National University Polyclinics (NUP) said when a foreign object is suspected to be lodged in a patient’s body, the dentist would first do a dental X-ray to scan the upper and lower jaw and try to locate the object. If the object is not visible, the patient would be referred for further imaging scans, such as chest, lateral neck, and abdominal X-rays. “These scans would help determine the position of the fine instrument,” the spokesman said. In this case, the dentist gave Mr W, who did not want to be named, a referral letter and told him to go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital to have it removed. Mr W, 51, took a bus to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he was admitted.

SINGAPORE – He had sent out wedding invitations, finished the last of his wedding preparations, and was looking forward to celebrating the joyous occasion with his family and friends in July. But Mr Zdulfika Ahakasah, 26, met a tragic end on the morning of June 4. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) enforcement officer crashed his motorcycle while chasing another rider who was attempting to flee. He was taken to hospital, where he subsequently died, the police said. An 18-year-old man, believed to be the rider the officer was chasing, was arrested for suspected drug-related offences, possession of scheduled weapons, and various driving-related offences, added the police. A video of the incident posted on SG Road Vigilante – SGRV Facebook page shows the officer on his motorcycle pursuing a rider on the shoulder lane near an expressway exit.

A Land Transport and Authority (LTA) officer succumbed to his injuries after being flung off his motorcycle when he crashed into a road divider. He had been pursuing an errant motorcyclist whom he had tried to stop along the road shoulder prior to the crash. The police told AsiaOne that at about 10.40am on Tuesday (Jan 4), they were alerted to to an accident involving a motorcycle, two lorries and a van. The accident occurred along the Seletar Expressway (SLE) towards the Bukit Timah Expressway, near the Tampines Expressway exit. LTA enforcement officer Zdulfika Ahakasah, who was riding the motorcycle, was conveyed to the hospital where he subsequently died. An 18-year-old man, believed to be the rider who was being pursued, has been arrested for the following: failing to stop when ordered by an authorised officer, dangerous driving, riding without a valid licence and insurance coverage, possession of scheduled weapons, and suspected drug-related offences.

When Dr Lee Cheng first started out, he wanted to major in psychiatry but was met with great scepticism from his family.  Lee, who was trained as a medical doctor, recalled his family questioning him then: «There are so many fields of medicine, why do you want to choose psychiatry?»  Despite the naysayers, Lee persisted because of his interest in the field.  Some 30 years on, Dr Lee today is the clinical director for the office of population health at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).  Working in this field, and in a public hospital have given him the chance to create policy change. «I think the satisfaction comes from knowing that I can help to change the mental health care in the future,» he said.  However, the stigma against healthcare practitioners is ever present.  For example, some of his patients, he shared with AsiaOne, refuse to acknowledge him in public.

When she was alive, TCM practitioner Tang Rongxuan (transliteration) dedicated her life to helping her patients. In death, she continued to give. Tang, 79, who was found dead at her Pasir Ris flat last Thursday (May 30), had reportedly willed her assets to Community Chest, reported Shin Min Daily News. She had practised medicine for over 30 years, and worked at Tong An Tang TCM Clinic in Choa Chu Kang for more than 10 years. The clinic owner said Tang excelled at her work and was dedicated to treating patients. Despite her limited mobility, the physician loved her job and insisted on travelling to the clinic. She always arrived on time, said the owner. «The clinic is a distance away from her home, and she would take a taxi to and from work. We urged her to find work at another clinic nearer to her home, but she refused.» The owner revealed that Tang once told her that she had already made a will to donate her assets to Community Chest, the philanthropy and engagement arm of the National Council of Social Service.

He's only six years old, but this preschooler has already accomplished more than what some might ever achieve in a lifetime. Ryan, the six-year-old son of physiotherapist and Singapore Institute of Technology associate professor Benjamin Soon has cycled 129km around Singapore in 14 hours, raising $12,000 for charity, going towards those with intellectual disabilities. He also became the youngest person to cycle more than 120km around Singapore in one day.  The previous record-holder, six-year-old Adiv Seth cycled with his dad around Singapore on Nov 3, 2022, covering a distance of 120.28km, according to the Singapore Book of Records. Speaking with AsiaOne, Soon, 47, shared that the family of three started cycling before dawn at 5.30am last Saturday (June 1), beginning their route in Jurong. A friend of the family, Christopher Peh, 56, also joined the family. They came across their first bump in the road soon after - rain, which followed the family around their trip - but they continued cycling.

Almost eight months after her car was damaged by a thunderstorm, one woman still hasn't managed to get it back.  The woman, surnamed Ye, told Shin Min Daily News that she and her husband drove their Lexus ES300 to her sister's house at Upper Thomson for a gathering on Nov 16 last year.  She purchased the car in December 2019 for $210,000, and used the vehicle mainly to send her grandchild to school.  Her husband parked the vehicle near a playground along Springleaf Avenue near her sister's house, said the 64-year-old.  At about 2.30pm, there was a thunderstorm which lasted for an hour.  When the couple went to retrieve their car after the storm, they realised the car's door was stuck. The car also couldn't start, and one of the airbags had exploded. Ye called a car repair shop which sent a mechanic down to start the car but the latter was unable to do so. Their car had to be towed away.  About two weeks later, Ye received an email from Lexus Singapore informing her that the car was damaged by an act of nature, and that was beyond the manufacturer's control.

One diner got a fright when flames suddenly burst out from her mini hotpot after a stall assistant added more gel fuel into a lit burner. Wei Yuqin (transliteration), a teacher, said she had ordered a fishball noodle hotpot dish for lunch at the coffee shop at Block 155, Bukit Batok Street 11 last Friday (May 31), reported Shin Min Daily News. When the mini hotpot was served, she noticed the fire had nearly gone out and requested the stall assistant to add more fuel. «She lifted the hotpot and directly added the gel fuel on top,» she recounted. «Before that, I had reminded her not to do so as I felt it was dangerous, but she said it was fine.» Wei told Shin Min that the 'explosion' occurred right after the fuel was added. She heard a loud bang and flames shot out, with embers landing on her phone and plastic bag that were on the table.

After finding out that her helper's daughter was in a coma, a TikToker rallied her followers to raise funds for her medical expenses. Andreana Tay, 29, posted a video on her social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram on Saturday (June 2) requesting donations from the public for her maid's daughter, Angel, who had fallen into coma due to an aneurysm. Although the fundraiser went on to surpass its goal - raising 1.45 million pesos (S$33,300) in a day - Angel was taken off life support the next day (June 3) after doctors said they could not do anything to help her. The 20-year-old nursing student in the Philippines had been complaining to her mother of constant headaches in the past few days. Speaking to AsiaOne, Tay said that on May 31, Angel threw up and fainted. She was diagnosed with an aneurysm and put on life support when taken to the hospital. An aneurysm is a bulging blood vessel that, if burst, can lead to death. Medical expenses ballooned Upon hearing the news, Tay and her family arranged for their helper to return to the Philippines on an emergency flight on June 1.

SINGAPORE – A traction power fault disrupted commutes along the northern stretch of the North-South MRT Line for more than two hours during peak traffic on June 3. Transport operator SMRT said the fault, which occurred at about 5.50pm, meant that no trains could travel from Choa Chu Kang to Woodlands. Preliminary investigations so far found that a lightning strike caused traction power to trip, and a small fire had broken out in a power control box next to the train track, about 20m from the platform of Kranji station. The Singapore Civil Defence Force said the fire had burned itself out before its officers arrived. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire and root cause of the traction power fault is under investigation, said SMRT. As the operator’s staff and engineers worked to get the system back up, commuters were told to take free regular bus and bridging bus services between the affected stops. The operator also advised passengers to take the Thomson-East Coast Line and the Circle Line. However, those who spoke to The Straits Times reported confusion on the ground.

St Gabriel's Secondary School student Syed Adam Rizq does not get to kick ball or hang out after school like his friends. He heads home because the 14-year-old has a great responsibility – caring for his mother, 48-year-old amputee Suriatini Abdul, who has gone blind since early April. An infection in 2017 had claimed her left eye before spreading to her right eye. Her left leg had to be amputated in 2020 because of an infection from a burn. «I can no longer see. I now live in darkness,» Madam Suriatini, who used to operate a cafe, told Berita Harian. «These are my life challenges and I have to accept them no matter how tough. »I've been a total recluse for two years now, I've not answered anyone who asked after me. I feel defeated and I cannot work.« When she was hospitalised for treatment, Adam would visit her daily, commuting by bus. At home, the young boy is also responsible for the upkeep of the rental flat and their meals. »I take care of my mum every day, cook our meals under her guidance and clean up," said Adam.

Parents of boomers, in a fit of anger, would back in the day utter all sorts of deprecating words to lash out at their imps. «Saang gau caa siu hou gwo saang nei,» was such a phrase in Cantonese, which means «it is better to give birth to barbecued pork than to give birth to you». But parents have over the years ditched such toxic behaviour as they adopt a more nurturing style of parenting. Famous Chinese restaurant Crystal Jade, however, does not seem to have received the memo. The chain, which boasts scoring the Michelin star and Bib Gourmand among its accolades, is offering free barbecued pork to parents who would utter the Cantonese phrase to their child.

The man suspected of killing Singaporean Audrey Fang has been confirmed as a beneficiary of her Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings, a Spanish media outlet reported on June 3. Singaporean Mitchell Ong, 43, was arrested in Alicante in Spain nearly a week after Ms Fang, 39, was found dead with more than 30 stab wounds and other injuries on April 10. A court in the town of Cieza said Singapore’s CPF Board had confirmed on May 16 that Ms Fang had named Ong as a beneficiary of her savings, supporting suspicions of an economic motive behind the murder, according to La Verdad. In April, the Civil Guard, one of two national police forces, had found a note on Ms Fang’s iPad that declared a decision to name a ”long-time friend and trusted confidant” as the recipient of her CPF savings in the event of her death. The note also granted the beneficiary a “friendly loan of US$50,000 (S$68,000) based on our friendship in the past”, separate from the CPF nomination. According to her family, Ms Fang had accumulated up to €340,000 (S$498,000) in her CPF accounts, the Spanish daily revealed.

A thrilling ride down the viral slide at Changi Airport Terminal 4 took an unexpected turn for one woman when she suffered a cut on her head after bumping into the top of the tube slide. The incident occurred just as this traveller was about to fly to Bali, Indonesia, on May 26, said user Koey Har on her Instagram Stories. Har posts mostly fitness content as well as videos showcasing food and activities in Malaysia on her Instagram.  Taking to her social media pages on June 2, Har, shared a video on how she had injured herself and urged others to be mindful of their safety when playing. The minute-long clip begins with her showing off a blood-crusted bump which had formed on the side of her head. An in-video caption says she had «immediately burst into tears». «I think I should've laid down while coming down the slide... So painful,» she says in the video. A video filmed by Har showed her losing one of her sandals while zipping down the slide. A thunk can then be heard as she collides with the top of the tube slide.

The Ministry of Heath has rejected calls by the People's Power Party (PPP) to temporarily suspend Singapore's Covid-19 vaccination programme.  The political party, founded by Goh Meng Seng, issued a statement on May 29 calling for MOH and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) to halt the administering of vaccines in lieu of the «increasing» number of reports regarding the adverse effects associated with the vaccine.  It cited «studies and analyses by prominent medical experts”, which claimed that Covid-19 vaccines caused high incidences of severe side effects. The party also claimed that Singapore had been experiencing »unusual and exceptionally high excess deaths of at least 20 per cent when the Covid-19 vaccine was introduced«.  In a statement on Monday (June 3), the Health Ministry dismissed the PPP's claims as »egregious and false".  It pointed out that Singapore recorded one of the lowest excess death rates in the world during the pandemic as the majority of Singaporeans were vaccinated. 

An SMRT bus driver has been disciplined after he launched into a verbal tirade against an elderly passenger who had mistakenly pressed the bell and called the latter a «childish old man». The incident occurred on board bus service 180 — a loop service to and from Boon Lay Interchange — at around 6.50am on May 25, wrote Facebook user Raven Qiu, who witnessed the incident. Qiu told Shin Min Daily News that the passenger appeared to be in his 70s and had pressed the bell one stop before his intended destination. Upon realising his mistake, he approached the bus driver to inform him of the error and also apologise. However, Qiu said in his Facebook post that the bus driver «made a scene» by berating the elderly passenger to not press the bell if he was not alighting. The passenger then told the driver not to shout and that he could not see his surroundings clearly as the sky was still dark. The driver reportedly retorted: «Wear glasses if you can't see properly.»

A man suffered an injury on his head after brawling with a fellow passenger on an MRT train last Saturday (June 1) morning. The scuffle broke out as the North East Line train was travelling from Kovan to Serangoon, reported Shin Min Daily News. An eyewitness surnamed Chen recounted: «It all happened so suddenly. There was no movement in the train carriage and no quarrelling sounds, but the two men suddenly started fighting.» In a 23-second clip of the altercation taken by her, a man in an orange T-shirt pushes another man dressed in grey and carrying a backpack against the train door. The latter retaliates with a punch and both men start throwing fists. As they stumble to the floor, another passenger in a black T-shirt steps in between the men to break up the melee, shouting for them to stop. He holds the man in grey in a headlock and drags him away. The man in orange gets up, blood trickling down the side of his head. Splatters of blood can also be seen on the carriage floor. Throughout the altercation, a girl can be heard crying in the background.

SINGAPORE — Could power plants on Jurong Island influence temperatures on the mainland? To what extent will electric vehicles and tree cover reduce urban heat in a neighbourhood like Tengah? These are some questions urban planners may have as they aim to cool down cramped, urban areas that can be up to 7 deg C hotter than less built-up areas — due to the urban heat island effect. Instead of doing time-consuming experiments or projects to get their answers, the authorities can soon test them through the virtual world, much like playing a video game. Over the last four years, more than 20 researchers have built a «digital twin» of Singapore that allows users to simulate scenarios to figure out how to make living spaces more thermally comfortable for people. This virtual system, known as the Digital Urban Climate Twin, is one of the flagship projects under the multi-institute Cooling Singapore 2.0 research initiative, which is developing solutions to address the urban heat problem in Singapore.

These men have taken on the noble duty of serving their country - and they're doing so in style. Netizens have gone ga-ga over some of the military delegates who attended the recent Shangri-La Dialogue 2024 and posed for the camera in a video uploaded to the Ministry of Defence's TikTok account last Saturday (June 1). The post has gone viral, earning over 1.1 million views and more than 104,500 likes. «I'm looking for a man in defence,» says a woman as the video begins - and those men in uniform certainly weren't sparse at the dialogue. The first military man, from Oman, simply smiles and nods at the camera. He dons a red beret with a light brown military dress tunic that also features a gold aiguillette - a braided loop hanging from his shoulder. Representing New Zealand, a military personnel dressed in a similar albeit dark blue outfit turns to face the camera, sporting a slight frown and quizzical look.

SINGAPORE - Three people, including a three-year-old boy, were taken to hospital after an accident along the Central Expressway (CTE) on June 1. The police said they were alerted to an accident involving a lorry and a car along the CTE towards Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) at about 11.20am. A 54-year-old male lorry passenger, a 38-year-old male car driver and his three-year-old male passenger were taken to hospital conscious. A video of the accident posted on SG Road Vigilante – SGRV Facebook page shows a blue lorry travelling on the left-most lane, when a dark-coloured car filters in front of it. The lorry’s brake lights come on and the vehicle veers to the right, resulting in a collision with a white car. The impact sends the lorry spinning to its left and crashing into some trees and a wall. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a road traffic accident along CTE towards AYE before the Orchard Road exit at about the same time. Two people were taken to Singapore General Hospital, while another person was taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, SCDF said.

SINGAPORE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and Singaporean investors on June 2, as his trip to speak at the Shangri-La Dialogue 2024 also doubled up as a working visit to Singapore. During his visit, Singapore and Ukraine also signed an agreement to strengthen air links between Singapore and Ukraine. At Mr Zelenskyy's meeting with Mr Tharman, both presidents reaffirmed the warm and friendly ties between Singapore and Ukraine. The leaders also had a wide-ranging discussion on global developments and agreed on the importance of adherence to international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Matters which Mr Zelenskyy discussed with PM Wong included potential sectors where both countries could deepen bilateral cooperation, such as in trade and economic relations. Both agreed that the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, said the MFA.

SINGAPORE – Three more men convicted in Singapore’s largest money laundering case have been deported, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on June 2. Cambodian national Su Baolin, 42, and Cypriot national Su Haijin, 41, were deported to Cambodia on May 25 and 28, respectively. Turkish national Vang Shuiming, 43, was deported to Japan on June 1. According to court documents, Vang holds passports from China, Vanuatu and Turkey. ICA had said in April that the “location of deportation (of the convicts) is dependent on the admissibility of the foreigner based on his or her valid passport”. All three men, who are originally from Fujian, China, are barred from re-entering Singapore. This means five of the eight convicted money launderers in this case have been deported. Su Haijin jumped from the second-floor balcony of a good class bungalow during a police raid and admitted to one charge of resisting arrest and two money laundering charges. Su Baolin pleaded guilty to three charges – two for money laundering and one for abetting false representations made to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

A 74-year-old woman died after a car crashed into a walkway shelter in Yishun on Saturday (June 1) afternoon.  The authorities believe that the Malaysian-registered car had «self-skidded» near Block 820 Yishun Street 81 at about 3.45pm, reported The Straits Times.  A video clip of the accident was posted on Facebook page Singapore Roads Accident. The video showed a black Perodua Bezza lodged between two pillars of the sheltered walkway.  The crash left the front left side of the car severely damaged. A police cordon was set up in the area. About five police officers were seen collecting evidence at the scene and interviewing residents that evening, reported Lianhe Zaobao.  A resident who lives on the second floor told Zaobao that she heard two loud bangs.  «Many people rushed out to help. Two injured people were trapped in the car and bleeding profusely,» she said. Others told the Chinese daily that the car was driving along Yishun Street 81 towards Yishun Ave 1 when another vehicle appeared.

The police have debunked some claims made by a Chinese man whose daughter was recently found dead at the foot of a condominium block in Jurong.  Li Feng, father of 19-year-old Li Jiaxuan, collected her ashes on May 28 and spoke with the media. He claimed that local authorities insisted his daughter be cremated before an autopsy could be conducted.  Li also said that the police told him investigations would take three to six months to be completed.  In a statement on May 31, the police said Li was informed that a thorough investigation would be done, and the findings would be reported to the coroner.  «We also assured him that regular updates would be provided to him during the course of the investigations. He did not raise any issues or complaints,» said the police.  Li arranged for daughter's cremation on his own  The police also disputed some online posts in China alleging no autopsy was conducted and that Li was told the deceased had to be cremated urgently. 

SINGAPORE - Singaporeans must stay vigilant to protect themselves and those around them from deepfake scams, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is again depicted promoting investment products in one such scam. In a Facebook post on June 2, SM Lee said there is a deepfake video of him asking viewers to sign up for an investment product that claims to have guaranteed returns. He included in his post a screenshot of the video circulating online with a subtitle saying, “I am glad to present you a new investment.” “The video is not real!” he wrote. Artificial intelligence and deepfake technology are becoming better by the day, added SM Lee. Not only did the scammers mimic his voice and layer the fake audio over actual footage of him delivering the 2023 National Day message, they also synchronised his mouth movements with the audio, he said. “This is extremely worrying. People watching the video may be fooled into thinking that I really said those words,” he wrote. “Please remember, if something sounds too good to be true, do proceed with caution.”

SINGAPORE – More than $95 million has been set aside to upgrade and rejuvenate 23 neighbourhoods islandwide under the next edition of the Housing Board’s Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), which is expected to benefit more than 15,600 homes. HDB blocks selected for the facelift include those in Hougang Central, Clementi and Pasir Ris. The amenities and upgrades will be based on residents’ feedback on the features they hope to see in their neighbourhoods. These could include residents’ corners and seating areas, fitness corners with jogging tracks, and covered linkways. The 15th round of the NRP was announced by National Development Minister Desmond Lee at a community event in Clementi Town Centre on June 1. The NRP was introduced in 2007 and as at April, a total of 120 projects – comprising about 172,000 flats – have been upgraded. More than $1.5 billion was allocated for the past 14 editions of the NRP. Mr Lee said: “As a society that is rapidly ageing, we are in fact making a bigger push and more concerted effort to address our seniors’ needs in the built environment.”

SINGAPORE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Singapore on June 1, as he seeks to rally a broader swathe of support for his country, which faces a renewed assault two years after Russian forces invaded. Forum organisers confirmed that Mr Zelenskiy is slated to speak at the Shangri-La Dialogue’s seventh plenary session on June 2 titled “Re-Imagining Solutions for Global Peace and Regional Stability”. Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin will also be speaking at the same session. A well-positioned source told The Straits Times that the Ukrainian delegation hopes to meet the Chinese delegation led by Defence Minister Dong Jun in Singapore. “He meets the Americans and Europeans all the time, so he would want to use this forum to reach out to the Asian community,” the source said. Asked if Admiral Dong would agree to meet Mr Zelenskiy, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said: “I do not answer hypothetical questions.”

SINGAPORE - At least 2,000 victims fell prey to concert ticket scams between January and May, with losses amounting to at least $1 million. Most of these cases involved concert tickets to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, said the police in response to queries by The Straits Times on the concert ticket scam situation in Singapore. They included reports lodged by victims who were scammed while trying to get tickets to watch Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay in 2024. The police said they have been working closely with social media and e-commerce platforms to take down scam advertisements for concert tickets and accounts involved in such scams once they are detected. This included online marketplace Carousell suspending the sale of tickets to Swift's concerts on its platform between Feb 23 and March 9 to prevent users from being scammed. Carousell's chief of staff Tan Su Lin had said in March that in the rush for tickets, users were not catching on to warning signs, such as sellers' ratings that show if other buyers had found them to be reliable.

JAKARTA/SINGAPORE - Singaporean manager Zheng Huang was shocked to find his round-trip ferry ticket to Indonesia's Batam island had soared to more than $70 over the past two years. The 53-year-old, who used to visit the holiday spot every weekend for dining and shopping, now limits his trips to once or twice a month. «That's the only way out now... Since you're there, you better make the most of your time,» he told The Straits Times. His friends shared his frustration, but he lamented, «It's not within our control... we are held hostage.» Like Mr Zheng, other Singaporeans making the hour-long journey have been left baffled by the steep hikes, uniformly imposed by multiple operators, after Batam, part of Riau Islands province, reopened to international travellers in January 2022 as the Covid-19 pandemic waned. Now, the mystery may be a step closer to being solved after Indonesia's independent business watchdog disclosed it has launched a probe into potential collusion and price-fixing among ferry operators on the route.

One woman and her friend paid a hefty price for forgetting to complete a mandatory travel document before embarking on their holiday. The 30-year-old freelancer, who wishes to be known as Jess, told AsiaOne they had to pay an additional $1,200 each to fly to New Zealand on April 17. Jess said that she and her friend had arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 about 1.5 hours ahead of the Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight's departure time of 7.50pm. But they ended up missing their flight after they were stopped at the check-in counter. The women were told by SIA staff they had to first apply for the New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA), said Jess. The NZeTA is a compulsory travel document for some visitors from visa waiver countries, like Singapore, and transit passengers travelling to New Zealand without a visa. The pair immediately applied on the New Zealand immigration website, but their application was pending approval.

There was a line of taxis waiting for passengers at an empty taxi stand in Gardens by the Bay. But one man took to social media after claiming that he had been refused a ride there—not just once, but at least five times. In a Facebook post on the Complaint Singapore page on Saturday (June 1), Rabi Leo said that the «five to six» taxi drivers there all declined to ferry him to Sengkang. He claimed: «One uncle said, 'You should ask the front one'. Then I told him. 'In front all don't want to pick up'. He replied, 'Then you ask behind'.» «I know times are tough, but this is not like other counties. Can you just choose and pick customers?» Lamenting that it's not the first time taxi drivers had refused to pick him up, Leo urged the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to look into the matter. «One kind uncle previously said that all of them are waiting to go to the airport,» he said. «So they are waiting to find [a customer] who is going near that location.» Leo's post has since garnered more than 140 reactions. In the comments, several netizens advised Leo to report the incident to the relevant authorities.

He thought the job was genuine since it was made through the Lalamove app. But one man, who does deliveries part-time to earn extra cash, ended up $180 poorer after apparently getting swindled by a 'customer'. The delivery rider, who wanted to be known only as Han, told AsiaOne on Friday (May 31) he was initially thrilled with the «buy for me» job request since it came with a «generous» $130 payout. «I felt something amiss, but I just brushed it off as the job came from the Lalamove app, which is a reputable company,» the 30-year-old full-time IT executive said. After getting in touch with the customer, Han later bought groceries at a 7-Eleven outlet in Bukit Timah and a meal at McDonald's as requested. He also helped the customer top up $158 into their mobile wallet. «After sending the receipts as proof of purchase, he replied to me to keep them nicely and don't fold them,» Han said. «He also told me not to press the doorbell outside his home.»