A 42-year-old woman was taken to hospital after suffering burns while attempting to extinguish a kitchen fire on Tuesday (Jan 14) night.   The woman surnamed Li, told Shin Min Daily News she was preparing to fry snacks for Chinese New Year in her home at Block 229A, Sumang Lane.  However, the oil caught fire when she turned up the heat on the gas stove.  In a moment of panic, the mother of three tried to put out the fire by adding water to the flames, which caused the fire to intensify.  «I was very worried about my children and husband, so I went to wake them up and told them to run away. »I stayed in the kitchen to try and put out the fire, but it got bigger. I ended up getting burned,« said Li, who works in customer service.  »This is not the first time I've made this snack. I just turned on the gas to heat up the oil, but I didn't expect it to burst into flames.«  Li ended up suffering burns to her right hand and cheek, which had to be bandaged.  She added that it was heart-breaking to see her home of two years burn down. »But thankfully, everyone is okay," Li said. 

SINGAPORE — It was a Monday evening in December four years ago when the Chia family was out for dinner at Ion Orchard. Nick Chia heard screaming from the mall's toilet that his three daughters and the helper were in and knew something was wrong. He did not imagine that his five-year-old daughter Kara would place her hand in the toilet's hand dryer, and have her finger mangled within seconds. The fan blades of the dryer, which was missing a vent cover, severed the girl's finger and shattered the bones. Kara Chia with her mother in Tokyo in December 2024. PHOTO: The Straits Times She lost more than half of her left index finger and was left with a stump after amputation. In November 2024, the family found some closure after their case was concluded in court. They received compensation of $170,000 in damages and $39,507 in legal costs from Ion Orchard and its insurers.

Flying from Melaka to Singapore usually takes less than an hour, but some travellers recently took over half a day to reach their destination. They were kept waiting at the Melaka International Airport for nine hours last Friday (Jan 10) before the flight was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. A passenger on the flight, Marcus Lim, documented his experience and shared it on Facebook on Jan 11. According to flight records, Scoot flight TR403 was scheduled to depart Melaka at 10.15pm on Jan 10. Lim, who arrived at the airport at around 7.30pm, noted that there was no sign of a plane at the gate by 9.45pm.

SINGAPORE — A second monsoon surge is expected to hit Singapore from Jan 17 (Friday) to Jan 19, after one battered the Republic with heavy downpours and floods just days earlier.  The Jan 10 to 13 surge saw flash floods, falling trees and temperatures plunging to 21.6 deg C in Newton. A flooded stretch of road in Mountbatten saw cars driving through ankle-deep water as pedestrians waded by.  The Straits Times spoke to experts to find out how motorists can navigate roads safely during flooding.  Q: Should you try and drive through a flash flood?  A: Experts advised motorists, both drivers and motorcyclists, to stay off the roads when there are flash floods due to safety reasons.

A woman travelling from Singapore to Bangkok, Thailand, was caught openly vaping in the plane cabin, despite e-cigarettes being illegal in both countries. The incident occurred on Jetstar flight 3K515 on Jan 10, according to TikTok account Exploring Singapore. Their video shows the woman, who is seated along the aisle, exhaling clouds of vapour. It then cuts to show an in-flight magazine, which features a section stating that smoking and vaping are prohibited. The last clip shows the woman walking back to her seat, presumably after talking to a cabin crew. «How did she get it (the vape) through customs?» read the video caption. The TikTok user wrote in a comment that they informed the cabin crew about the vaping. Responding to AsiaOne's queries, a Jetstar Asia spokesperson said the vape was confiscated by cabin crew, and the incident has been reported to local authorities. «Smoking, vaping, or the use of electronic cigarettes on any Jetstar aircraft is strictly prohibited,» said the spokesperson. «Safety is our top priority, and this type of behaviour will never be tolerated.»

An adorable wild boar piglet was recently spotted snuffling along a grass patch by the side of a footpath in Bukit Panjang. In a video on Tuesday (Jan 14), TikTok user Ahguaman shared his up-close encounter with the piglet. The clip starts with the camera panning from the TikTok user to the piglet, which scampers away. It cuts to several shorter clips of the animal nosing around the grass. https://www.tiktok.com/@ahguaman/video/7459746825042545938 No matter how cute a piglet may look, approaching them is dangerous as female adult boars are known to be very protective of their young and easily provoked, according to the National Parks Board (NParks). Sows and piglets typically travel in a group and may wander into parks and gardens in search of food, states an NParks advisory. If threatened, they may attack humans and cause injury. In the comment section, some TikTok users pointed out that the sow was likely nearby and could have attacked the man. «Wild boar mum is no joke. If you see a baby, please leave the area immediately,» cautioned one user.

Singapore is set to experience another weekend of wet weather from Jan 17 to 19 as a second monsoon surge descends, bringing windy and cooler conditions. Spells of moderate to heavy thundery showers over Singapore and the surrounding vicinity are also expected, said the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) on Thursday (Jan 16). Temperatures are expected to dip to around 22 degrees Celsius in the next few days, coinciding with the monsoon surge, it added. Subsequently, temperatures are forecast to range between 24 and 34 degrees Celsius, said MSS.  Periods of intense rain during seasonal high tides can often result in flash floods. Low-lying coastal areas, such as East Coast Park could experience more flash floods during the upcoming monsoon surge as tides are expected to be higher. PUB added that high tides of up to 3.2m are also expected over this period, which could result in high water levels in coastal canals. Tides reached a high of 2.9m during the monsoon surge last weekend, reported The Straits Times. 

Two lucky punters won $3.04 million each after the Toto draw on Monday (Jan 13). The $6.08 million jackpot was up for grabs after two previous draws on Jan 6 and 9 saw no Group 1 winners. The winning numbers were 3, 7, 11, 13, 34, 35, and 17 as the «additional number». Seven Group 2 prize winners also took home $91,930 each. According to Singapore Pools, one of the Group 1 winning tickets, a QuickPick System 7 entry, was bought online. The other winning ticket, an ordinary entry, was bought from a Singapore Pools outlet at Block 101 Yishun Avenue 5. That betting outlet had previously seen seven Toto jackpot winners in the past five years. The biggest prize was $5.5 million in October 2022. The next Toto draw, with a $1 million jackpot, will be held on Thursday (Jan 16).

A family in Pasir Ris has drawn both admiration and criticism for turning foam dart gun practice into a unique family bonding activity. Stomp contributor Jailani alerted Stomp to a video circulating on TikTok and Facebook, showing the family's technical training in the lift lobby of their HDB block. While some have raised concerns, others have shown their support. Critics questioned the potential disturbance to the family's neighbours, with one Facebook user commenting: «Wah, the next-door neighbour must be sianz... Every day hear gun shots.» Others deemed the practice 'inconsiderate,' arguing that it takes up too much space in the shared corridor.

A 12-year-old student was allegedly attacked by another student earlier this month (Jan 7) - his fourth day in the school since starting secondary one. The aggressor had allegedly used a plastic bottle to strike the victim's head, causing a 5cm long cut on the back of his head requiring stiches. In 2021, another secondary student was allegedly ostracised as bullies forced other students to avoid her, according to a now-deleted Facebook post by her mum. The student ultimately took her own life in 2023.  So, what steps can victims take when confronted with bullying? James Chong, clinical director at The Lion Mind counselling service, advised victims to seek help from trusted adults like school counsellors or teachers, and file a police report if necessary. «Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and taking action prevents further empowerment of the bully. It is crucial for victims to remember that they are not at fault for the bullying and that support is available,» he told AsiaOne. 

SINGAPORE — From March 31, app stores must block young users below 18 years old from downloading apps not meant for their age group, including dating app Tinder and adult video games like Grand Theft Auto. Under the new Code of Practice for Online Safety for App Distribution Services, app stores targeting users in Singapore must also block children below 12 from downloading apps like Instagram and TikTok, which are rated for ages 12 and above. «We recognise that app distribution services are key gateways to accessing apps on our digital devices and are marketplaces for online content including online games,» said the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in announcing the launch of the new code on Jan 15. «With more people including children owning mobile devices... there is an increased risk of exposure to harmful content, including age-inappropriate content for children.»

Despite knowing that firefighters in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) must operate minimally in pairs, a senior SCDF officer left a full-time national serviceman (NSF) to fight one alone. Muhammad Kamil Mohamed Yasin, 39, did so as he felt dizzy from the heat while fighting a fire at Block 91 Henderson Road in Bukit Merah on Dec 8, 2022, and wanted to rest. He gave 19-year-old Edward H. Go a thumbs up, left the HDB flat and did not tell colleagues that the NSF was fighting the fire alone. Sgt 1 Go was later found motionless in the kitchen and pronounced dead that day. On Jan 15, Kamil, 39, pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous hurt to Sgt 1 Go by committing a rash act which endangers life and was sentenced to six months’ jail. Sgt 1 Go was the first firefighter to die during an SCDF firefighting operation. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant (1). Sgt 1 Go’s family was present during Kamil’s hearing on Jan 15. Deputy Public Prosecutor Benjamin Low said Kamil has been a firefighter since 2008 and knew that firefighters must always operate minimally in pairs.

Several potholes spotted in Tanah Merah were repaired on Jan 12, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Tuesday (Jan 14). «LTA was alerted to several potholes along Tanah Merah Coast Road on Jan 10 and 11 following heavy rainfall.» A video posted to the Safe Cycling Task Force (SCTF) Facebook page showed over 20 potholes seen along Tanah Merah Coast Road on Jan 11 evening. «Cyclists and motorists, keep a good lookout when travelling along Tanah Merah Coast Road,» cautioned Steven Lim, president of the SCTF. Responding to AsiaOne's queries, an LTA spokesperson said that as of Jan 12, they have «detected close to 100 potholes island-wide».

About 850,000 Singaporean seniors will receive between $200 and $300 from the Assurance Package Seniors’ Bonus in February to help alleviate the rising cost of living. The cash payout will be given to those aged 55 and above who do not own more than one property, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on Wednesday (Jan 15). They must also be living in a property with an annual value of up to $31,000, as well as an annual accessible income not exceeding $34,000.  This payout is part of the $1.9 billion enhancement to the Assurance Package announced at Budget 2024 to cushion the GST increase, said MOF.  Singaporeans can check their eligibility for the seniors' bonus at the govbenefits website by logging in with their Singpass. Eligible seniors with an NRIC-linked PayNow can receive their payments from Feb 5.  Those without PayNow-NRIC linked bank accounts, but have a DBS/POSB, OCBC, or UOB bank account, can update their account information at the govbenefits website by Jan 27 in order to receive payments via GIRO from Feb 13.

Seven people have been arrested for allegedly using the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) e-service to illegally change other people’s registered home addresses. In a statement on Jan 14, the police said the six men and a woman, aged between 19 and 32, are purportedly responsible for at least 30 of the cases of unauthorised attempts first announced by ICA on Jan 11. ICA had said then that it suspended that online service temporarily after 80 unauthorised attempts to change the registered home addresses via the service were reported, with 75 per cent of them successful. In an update later on Jan 14, ICA said that as at Jan 13, it found a total of 87 unauthorised attempts, 69 of which were successful. Of these successful attempts, the culprits gained control of 17 Singpass accounts, said ICA. The police said between Jan 11 and 13, more than 60 officers from the police’s Criminal Investigation Department and Police Intelligence Department mounted an islandwide operation to arrest the suspects. Six are being investigated for offences under the Computer Misuse Act, for unlawful disclosure of access codes.

Two men are being praised online for helping an elderly man cross the road amid a heavy downpour on Sunday (Jan 12) night. While many Singaporeans stayed in over the weekend to avoid the heavy rains over many parts of the island, this senior was spotted walking outside. In a video posted to Facebook, two men — one identified as a Bangladeshi worker — were seen supporting the elderly man as he crossed the road at Geylang Lorong 22.  The senior appeared to have trouble walking and needed the support of a walking stick. The two men worked together to get him across the road safely, with both of them holding up umbrellas to shield him from the rain. The pair patiently guided the elderly man although the traffic light for the crossing had turned red. A car also stopped at the traffic light, waiting for the senior to cross.  The video has since been viewed over 3,300 times, with netizens commending the two men for their kind act.

Days after a man was filmed urinating in public at Outram Park MRT station on Jan 10, a video of a second man relieving himself at another MRT station surfaced on social media. The clip appears to have been first posted on a Facebook page named Clowns of Singapore on Monday (Jan 13) morning. The incident occurred at Tanah Merah station on Jan 8, according to the post. The video shows a man in a red shirt standing at one end of the MRT platform, looking from side to side as he purportedly urinates on the floor. He appears to make eye contact with the camera as he turns to leave and runs out of frame. Responding to AsiaOne's queries, president of SMRT Trains Lam Sheau Kai confirmed the location to be Tanah Merah MRT station. «Such behaviour is unacceptable, as it defaces public spaces and poses health and sanitation risks to commuters,» he said. Lam added that a police report has been filed, and that SMRT is cooperating with police investigations.

A Singaporean woman was allegedly intimidated by a car wash manager in Johor Bahru after she questioned their incomplete service. The 48-year-old, identified as Jenny, had gone to a car wash in Larkin and was quoted RM12 ($3.65) for a car wash and vacuum service, reported the New Straits Times (NST) on Jan 12.  «I went to a nearby stall to buy a burger, and when I returned about an hour later, I noticed my car hadn't been vacuumed,» said Jenny to NST. When she questioned the staff, she learned the vacuum cleaner was broken. Despite this, they still charged her the full price. Upset over the incomplete service, she complained to a staff member that she should have been informed of the faulty vacuum cleaner before she agreed to the service. She also requested to speak with the manager, who allegedly dismissed her and said: «This is how things are done in Johor. If you're not happy, get your car washed in Singapore instead.» The manager reportedly took things one step further and audibly told his staff to «remember (Jenny's) face and car».

A woman was rescued by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers on Monday (Jan 13) after she got stuck on the ledge outside a 10th floor flat in Tampines.  In a video uploaded by Sgfollowsall on Instagram, the woman can be seen standing on the narrow ledge outside of a HDB unit, holding onto the windows with both hands as concerned members of the public watched on.   The video's caption identified the location as Block 848 Tampines Street 82.  According to 8world, the woman was cleaning the windows when the incident happened. https://www.instagram.com/p/DEwG3ndBmVe/ Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the SCDF confirmed that they received a call for assistance at the abovementioned address at around 10.35am on Monday.   Upon arrival, firefighters secured the woman with a safety harness and safely brought her down using a combined platform ladder.  SCDF also deployed a safety life air pack at the foot of the block with rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team on standby as a precaution.

A water pipe that burst recently in the Phoenix Park office campus has cut off the water supply for offices and businesses there. A pre-school, enrichment centres, a yoga studio and a tailoring business are among affected businesses in the cluster of 11 colonial buildings located in Tanglin Road. The 59,630 sq m site, which used to house the former Ministry of Home Affairs office, is managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). According to an e-mail sent to tenants on the morning of Jan 11, an underground pipe had burst, causing water leaks. It was sent by facilities management company Ocean IFM, a contractor hired by master tenant LHN Group, which offers real estate management services and leases out the majority of the units in Phoenix Park office campus to sub-tenants. The e-mail added that the water supply was disrupted, and that repairs works were taking place. On the morning of Jan 13, Ocean IFM sent another e-mail notifying LHN Group’s sub-tenants that the water disruption would continue on that day, “due to unforeseen circumstances and bad weather conditions”.

SINGAPORE — Facing financial difficulties, a woman started operating an online vice ring in 2017 and later lived on the earnings of six sex workers totalling more than $264,000. The mastermind of the vice syndicate, Phua Shewn Ying, 43, also known as Pan Xuanying, had engaged Singaporean and Malaysian women to work for her. The sex workers provided services on up to 1,005 occasions in total. Phua's husband, Lim Teck Lee, 45, started helping her with the vice-related activities in 2022. On 18 occasions between November 2022 and January 2023, Lim, who is also known as Lin Deli, transferred ill-gotten gains totalling more than $110,000 to a bank account, and helped his wife to live on the earnings of sex work. On Jan 13, Phua pleaded guilty to five prostitution-related charges under the Women's Charter while Lim pleaded guilty to two charges including one count of dealing with the benefits of criminal conduct. Deputy Public Prosecutor Natalie Chu told the court that Phua had initially operated alone after setting up the online vice ring in 2017.

Travellers commuting from Singapore to Malaysia by foot and bus on Friday (Jan 10) night found themselves stuck in a human traffic jam at Woodlands Checkpoint. Commuters not only had to brave the Friday peak period but also had to contend with the continuous rain pelting both countries. Some netizens in the Facebook group Both Checkpoint lamented taking three to four hours to cross the border, also advising hopeful travellers to head to Malaysia another day. One netizen said it took him nearly five hours to get through the checkpoint, and he didn't get home until about 3:30am, reported Shin Min Daily News. Videos posted to that group at about 6pm show a long line of people waiting at Kranji MRT station for buses to the checkpoint. One netizen snapped a photo of the crowded bus hall and said she had queued an hour to clear immigration. As the night wore on, more netizens shared media of the swelling crowds at the footbridge and walkways of Woodlands Train Checkpoint, which is linked to Woodlands Checkpoint. The train checkpoint was so packed that some even had to wait outside in the rain.