The police have warned members of the public to be vigilant against a scam variant that targets access to victims' WhatsApp accounts.In an advisory issued on Thursday (March 12), the police said that such cases begin when a scammer attempts to log into the victims' WhatsApp accounts by entering their mobile numbers and requesting for a WhatsApp verification one-time password (OTP).Victims would then receive an SMS containing the OTP, and scammers would also send them WhatsApp messages from known contacts whose WhatsApp accounts have already been compromised.The victims would be asked to provide the OTP under the pretext that the code was actually intended for the known contacts but had been mistakenly sent to them. Scammers would then use the OTP to access the victims' WhatsApp accounts and log the victims out.The same process would be repeated with the victims' contacts, and victims would only realise that their WhatsApp accounts have been compromised when they are logged out or when their contacts inform them of the unusual OTP requests.

Two people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a Housing Board flat in Bukit Batok on Thursday (March 12) morning. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they were alerted to the blaze at Block 465A Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 at around 8.20am. About 60 residents had evacuated by themselves prior to SCDF's arrival. The fire broke out in the living room of a unit on the second floor, said SCDF. They added that one resident was assessed for smoke inhalation and was taken to Singapore General Hospital, while another was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for chest discomfort. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

A bicycle owner was shocked after discovering from CCTV footage that his bike, valued at around $1,500, had been stolen from outside his home in Yishun.A video of the theft, which unfolded over several hours, was shared on the owner's Instagram page on Wednesday (March 11).   In the video captured at 7.22pm on Tuesday (March 10) according to the timestamp, a man in a cap and black long-sleeved T-shirt can be seen exiting a lift and walking along the corridor.He then appears to inspect the bicycles parked at the side of the corridor before leaving the area. Another frame captured at 2.06am on Wednesday showed a man clad in a black hoodie slowly approaching the area before cutting the bike lock and taking the bicycle. The owner stated in the post that the man is the same person seen in the earlier clip.In the caption, the owner also shared that the incident occurred at Melody Spring estate in Yishun, with the theft taking place on the third floor, according to Mothership.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police confirmed that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

Two Malaysian men accused of acting as money mules in Singapore were separately escorted back to the locations where they allegedly collected valuables from scam victims, as part of police investigations on Thursday (March 12).The first suspect, 44-year-old Goh Ket Ming, arrived at Telok Blangah Rise at 10.03am.Goh is alleged to have collected jewellery worth more than $28,000 from a victim of a government official impersonation scam and passed the goods to unknown persons believed to be part of a transnational scam syndicate.On Thursday morning, the Malaysian man was brought to a HDB block at Telok Blangah Rise. He kept his head lowered as he was led to the void deck but looked up at the investigating officer when questioned.The police said on March 5 that Goh was arrested in Bishan after the victim who handed over jewellery to him lodged a police report on March 4.Preliminary investigations revealed that the man would allegedly change into different attire when meeting his victims during collection operations.

A day after Singapore's consumer watchdog urged fuel companies here to «exercise restraint» in raising prices pre-emptively, China-headquartered Sinopec kicked off a fourth consecutive day of price hikes on Thursday (March 12) morning.Oil prices had surged the same morning, with Brent crude futures crossing US$100 (S$128) a barrel despite the International Energy Association's pledge to make 400 million barrels of oil available from its members' stockpiles. Meanwhile, Iran's military command said on Wednesday that the world should be prepared for oil to hit US$200 a barrel, as three ships came under attack in the blockaded Strait of Hormuz on the same day.

There are 55 billionaires from Singapore listed in Forbes' annual global billionaires list released on Tuesday (March 10).Topping the list among Singapore's richest — six more than the 2025 edition — is semiconductor tycoon Jason Chang.His net worth doubled to US$14.2 billion (S$18 billion) from US$6.6 billion the year earlier, moving him up from sixth place among Singapore's richest in last year's list.Overall, the 81-year-old is placed 204th on the list.Chang is followed by Li Xiting, co-founder and president of China's largest medical equipment manufacturer, Mindray, with a net worth of US$11.2 billion.Brothers Phillip and Robert Ng of real estate giant Far East Organisation came in third and fourth among Singapore's billionaires, with a net worth of US$7.2 billion and US$7.1 billion respectively.Forrest Li, the founder of home-grown tech firm Sea Limited, rounds out the top five of Singapore's billionaires.The 48-year-old, whose company has interests in online gaming, e-commerce, as well as e-payments and financial services, has a net worth of US$6.8 billion.

A batch of pickled cucumber product from Greece is being recalled after the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) detected the presence of sulphur dioxide — an allergen — in them. The food additive was not declared in the packaging label.Blu Kouzina Pte Ltd, the importer of the affected product — Uncle Yiannis' Baby Gherkins — has been directed to recall them, the agency said in a news release on Wednesday (March 11) night.One batch of the product, with an expiry date of September 27, 2028, is being recalled.SFA said that while sulphite does not pose a food safety issue to consumers at large, those who are intolerant of, or allergic to, sulphites may either develop or experience hives, itchiness, stomach-ache, diarrhoea, or vomiting.Those who have purchased the affected product, and are intolerant of or allergic to sulphites, should not consume them. They may contact their point of purchase for enquiries.Persons who have consumed the implicated product should seek medical advice if they have concerns about their health. 

Local ride-hailing app Tada will be implementing a $3 cancellation fee and increasing the cleaning fee compensation cap.In a Facebook post on Wednesday (March 11), the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) said that the new initiatives are a result of ongoing engagements between Tada's management and the National Trades Union Congress-affiliated union.Based on the updated terms, Tada drivers will receive a $3 compensation if they have been en route for at least three minutes and are within 500m of the pick-up point when a ride is cancelled. «This is a positive step towards recognising the effort drivers make when travelling to pick up passengers and get cancelled upon,» said NPHVA.The $3 fee will also apply if the rider cancels or does not show up to the pick-up point after the driver arrives.Additionally, Tada will be increasing the cleaning fee compensation cap to $150 to «better reflect prevailing market rates» and help ensure that drivers receive «more appropriate compensation» for such incidents.The union said: «NPHVA will continue to voice the concerns of the drivers on the roads.»

A 63-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday (March 10) for his alleged involvement in a case of loanshark harassment in Choa Chu Kang. The incident happened at a home in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 7. A debtor's note left at the alleged crime scene reads: «First warning (name). Better WhatsApp call me at (number) to pay your money.» The man was arrested by officers from Jurong Police Division with the aid of images from police cameras. The police said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is also believed to be involved in other similar cases of loanshark harassment islandwide. He will be charged in court on Thursday. If found guilty of loanshark harassment, the man could be jailed for up to five years, fined up to $50,000, and also receive up to six strokes of the cane. As caning is only carried out on male offenders who are below 50 years of age, the court may impose additional jail time of up to 12 months in lieu of caning, if the man is convicted. 

A 40-year-old man has become the third Malaysian to be arrested in Singapore, within seven days, for his alleged involvement in a case of government official impersonation scam. Like the preceding cases, he is believed to have facilitated scam syndicates by collecting cash and valuables, the police said in a news release on Wednesday (March 11). More than 50 Malaysians have been arrested for being scam mules in Singapore since May last year. Victim called the bluff on scammerPolice said they received a report from a victim on March 10 who was contacted by an unknown person claiming to be from telco M1. The person claimed that the victim had purchased a new iPhone 17 Pro Max worth $8,000 and that a monthly payment of $350 would be charged to her account. When she denied having an M1 account or making any purchase, the victim was given a number to contact to cancel the subscription. 

A fire broke out at an industrial building at about 7.40am on Wednesday (March 11) at 51 Sungei Kadut Street 1. Checks by AsiaOne indicate that it is the registered address of Nam San Industrial Wood Pte Ltd, a company involved in timber, vinyl and laminate flooring works. In response to AsiaOne's queries the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the fire involved wooden materials on the first floor of a building at the address. Firefighters extinguished the fire using two water jets, and there were no reported injuries in the incident. The police told AsiaOne that they are also investigating the matter, in addition to ongoing fire investigations.

Six motorists were charged in court on Wednesday (March 11) for dangerous driving which resulted in two related traffic accidents in October 2024.In a statement on March 10, the police said that two of the motorists will also be charged with dangerous driving causing hurt.Preliminary investigations found that the six cars had been speeding along Central Expressway (CTE) towards Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), reaching speeds of up to 176 kmh — nearly double the speed limit.After exiting CTE, the motorists continued driving dangerously towards Orchard Road, which led to the two separate accidents.The first accident occurred when one of the drivers, a 21-year-old man, lost control of his vehicle while travelling along Stamford Road towards Fort Canning Link at around 1.30am on Oct 27, 2024. The car swerved sharply to the right, mounted the kerb and crashed into a traffic light pole and directional signage before overturning onto the grass verge. The driver and his 21-year-old male passenger sustained injuries and were conveyed to the hospital, said the police.

Fuel companies in Singapore have raised their posted prices for all petrol grades — for the third day in a row. Oil prices on Wednesday (March 11) remained volatile, with Brent crude surging back above US$90 per barrel, as the market weighs a potential record-breaking International Energy Agency (IEA) strategic reserves release. Meanwhile, the United States and Israel traded air strikes with Iran across the Middle East as the besieged Tehran government warned its state security forces were ready with «fingers on the trigger» to confront any anti-government protests. The US also said it military «eliminated» 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. Checks by AsiaOne on the Consumer Association of Singapore's Price Kaki app at 7pm show that Sinopec, followed by Esso, raised petrol and diesel prices on Wednesday. 

A few hot spots in Johor, Malaysia could affect Singapore, with smoke haze potentially impacting the island over the next few days.In a Facebook post on Tuesday (March 10), the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that with prevailing northeasterly winds and dry conditions expected in the coming days, smoke haze could spread into Singapore.«As of 9pm today, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) ranged from 52 to 59, which is within the Moderate range,» said NEA.The agency added that it will continue to monitor the overall air quality situation and provide updates if necessary.In the comments section, several users noted a faint burning smell. «No wonder there's a smell,» said one user. Another added: «I smelled haze in the evening just now. It's a bit better now.»