Hundreds of passengers were left stranded onboard a Singapore Airlines flight for over seven hours when it was told to turn back shortly after take off. SIA flight SQ661 was originally scheduled to depart from New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido at 9.30am (8.30am Singapore time) and arrive in Singapore at 5.05pm on Jan 10. However, the flight was delayed until 10.33am and 50 minutes after it took off, it was told to return to the airport, reported Shin Min Daily News. A passenger, who gave her name as Taylor, said the plane departed at around 10.30am before passengers were told about 55 minutes later that it would turn back to the airport, reported Mothership.Taylor said that SIA cited technical issues for the turnaround and that the plane «might be able to fly by 1.15pm». «1:15pm came and went, and at 2:15pm we were finally told our plane would no longer be able to take off,» added Taylor. He recalled that some passengers only disembarked the plane after 5pm as they had to wait for buses to bring them to the main terminal.

Justice Choo Han Teck will be stepping down from his role as judge of the Supreme Court on Feb 20 after three decades in the public service.He has presided over a diverse range of cases with significant contributions to the development of Singapore's jurisprudence in criminal law, revenue law, employment law and the law of tort, said the Singapore Courts in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 13).Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon described Justice Choo as a judge with «exemplary judicial temperament». «Han Teck has been held in the highest regard by the profession and by his judicial colleagues for his exemplary judicial temperament, his fairness in conduct of proceedings and for his clear and concise judgements.»He added: «He (Justice Choo) played a vital role during a formative period for our legal system, and his many and diverse contributions helped build the foundation on which our justice system stands. His departure will be keenly felt throughout the judiciary and the broader legal fraternity»

About 70 per cent of residential blocks in Tengah, Singapore's newest HDB town, will be fitted with automated external defibrillators (AED) by February this year. The update was given on Tuesday (Jan 13) by Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Sim Ann in an oral response to a parliamentary question (PQ) by MP Choo Pei Ling from Chua Chu Kang GRC. Dr Choo had asked for the estimated time for AED installation in newly-developed estates such as Tengah and what interim measures are in place to support emergency preparedness in new estates pending AED deployment. Her PQ follows similar questions on community emergency preparedness posed by MPs on Monday, in the wake of the deadly Tai Po blaze which has claimed the lives of at least 161 residents from Wang Fuk Court. The Senior Minister of State shared that infrastructural and security works have to be in place prior to installation works.

An elderly woman who lived in a cockroach-infested HDB flat in Yishun returned to a freshly-cleaned home, after 50 volunteers came together to declutter and revamp the unit while she was hospitalised. On Jan 11, more than 50 volunteers from charity organisation AMKSS Social Move, Nee Soon East and Hougang Chao Ying Kong Temple spent six hours decluttering and cleaning the three-room HDB flat, transforming it into a clean and comfortable living space. The homeowner, identified as 75-year-old Huang Saiyin (transliteration), was injured last year after being hit by a student riding a bicycle while crossing the street, reported Shin Min Daily News. She told the Chinese daily that a hospital social worker had accompanied her home to look for her phone but could not find it. The worker was shocked by the messy living conditions and, out of concern for Huang's health, contacted a volunteer organisation for assistance. One of Huang's neighbours had also called the police due to her absence and the foul stench from her house, Shin Min reported.

Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has urged Circle Line commuters to consider taking other train lines or weekday shuttle bus services to get to their destination, as planned tunnel works on the line begin this Saturday (Jan 17) for three months.While trains will continue to service the Circle Line, commuters at Paya Lebar, Dakota and Mountbatten stations may face longer journeys of up to 30 minutes more during weekday peak hours, he noted.From Jan 17 to April 19, only one platform at these three stations will be in use as a segment of tunnels will be partially closed. Shuttle trains connecting the three stations will run at 10-minute intervals.«If you can avoid taking this route, I suggest you do so. If there are alternative pathways along the train network, please try to take them,» said Siow during a visit to Serangoon Circle Line station on Tuesday (Jan 13).

Two men, aged 40 and 67, were arrested on Sunday (Jan 11) for their suspected involvement in a case of housebreaking and theft.The alleged crime took place at about 6.26am on Jan 9, at a coffee shop along Circuit Road in MacPherson.In a statement on Monday, the police said more than $2,400 in cash were recovered from the duo on Jan 11, adding that they were identified with the aid of police cameras and follow-up investigations by officers from Bedok Police Division and the Police Operations Command Centre.The stolen cash and tools used for housebreaking were seized from the duo as evidence.Police said that investigations are still ongoing against the 40-year-old man, adding that the 67-year-old man will be charged in court on Tuesday.If found guilty of housebreaking and theft, the older man could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.[[nid:727840]]editor@asiaone.com 

SINGAPORE — Catfished by a 15-year-old boy posing as a woman, a teenager was made to perform a sexual act in front of a camera, subject his private parts to humiliating acts, cut and burn his hair with a lighter and play football naked.The offender, who is now 18 and had posed as the woman, was sentenced to 21 months' probation on Jan 12 after he pleaded guilty to one count each of cheating and extortion. He cannot be named because of a gag order to protect the victim's identity.As part of his sentence, he has to remain indoors from 10pm to 6am every day, and perform 110 hours of community service.His parents were also bonded for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour.In February 2023, the offender posed as a woman online and misled the victim into entering a romantic relationship with «her», identified in court documents as «X1».From then until December that year, the offender made the 18-year-old victim, who is his former schoolmate, perform the degrading acts as well as send him iTunes gift cards and cash amounting to a total value of $390.

The sudden closure of childcare centre Out of Box Academy (OBA) has sparked concern among parents, with many lodging complaints and police reports over fears of losing their deposits and prepaid tuition fees.The centre, which provides care for pre-school and primary school students, informed parents on Dec 11, 2025, that it would cease operations the very next day, citing financial and operational difficulties.When Shin Min Daily News reporters visited OBA's headquarters at 733 Bukit Timah Road, the main gate was found locked. Another branch at 619 Bukit Timah Road appeared completely empty.According to OBA's website, the company operates 33 centres islandwide. With around 30 students in each centre, the sudden shutdown could potentially affect hundreds.Shin Min reporters attempted to contact at least five OBA centres but were unable to get through. It remains unclear how many have been taken over by other operators.Parents blindsided by sudden closureMs Lin (transliterated), a 38-year-old parent, said her child had been attending the centre at Block 517 Jurong West Street since January 2025.

A 24-year-old man was arrested on Sunday (Jan 11) for his alleged involvement in a case of loanshark harassment in Bukit Batok.The alleged crime took place at about 6.25pm at a residential unit along Bukit Batok Street 33, the police said on Monday (Jan 12).A photograph of the scene provided by the police shows the main gate of the victim's unit splashed with red paint. The main door was also affected.The suspect was identified by officers from Jurong Police Division through follow-up investigations and with the aid of police cameras.Preliminary investigation revealed that he is also believed to be involved in other similar cases of loanshark harassment island-wide., the police added.He will be charged in court on Tuesday (Jan 13).The offence of loanshark harassment carries a penalty of imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to $50,000.In addition, those found guilty may receive up to six strokes of the cane.[[nid:727825]]editor@asiaone.com 

The salary structure and benchmark of political office holders will be reviewed by an 8-member independent committee, said Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing. In a written reply to a parliamentary question by MP Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) on Monday (Jan 12), Chan said the committee has just been formed and has been asked to recommend the appropriate wage levels of political office holders based on the current salary framework. The 8-member committee will be chaired by Gan Seow Kee, who is chairman of Singapore LNG Corporation and an alternate member of the Council of Presidential Advisers. The committee will submit its report to the Government when ready, and the Government will in turn consider its findings and provide an update to Parliament, said Chan. The wages of political office holders — including the President, Prime Minister, Speaker, MPs and NMPs — have not been adjusted since 2012. 

Those seeking urgent care at the Singapore General Hospital's (SGH) emergency department should go to the new SGH Emergency/National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) building from 7am on Sunday (Jan 18).The new building at 1 Hospital Boulevard is located next to the existing emergency department at Block 1 along Hospital Drive. Getting to the new SGH Emergency/NNI building at 1 Hospital Boulevard.  INFOGRAPHIC: Singapore General Hospital After the move at 7am on Sunday, those seeking emergency care should go to level 3 of the SGH Emergency/NNI building, the hospital said in a statement on Monday (Jan 12).SGH added that it has informed the Singapore Civil Defence Force, private ambulance service providers and public transport companies about the relocation.

With a new phase of autonomous vehicle (AV) community tests launched in Punggol, residents will soon be able to enjoy convenient travel while staying connected to nearby areas. Operated by Grab Singapore in partnership with WeRide, the current autonomous fleet consists of 11 AVs — 10 that can seat five passengers each and one that can accommodate up to eight passengers. It will serve two of the three designated AV shuttle routes in Punggol, helping residents reach key amenities such as local clinics, markets, eateries, as well as MRT stations and bus interchanges. The media were invited to experience the AVs on Monday (Jan 12), which toured the first route covering areas such as Matilda Court, Punggol Clover, Punggol Plaza and Oasis Terraces.Speaking to the reporters, Grab Singapore head of strategic projects Dennis Wong said that AVs are an important feature of future transportation.

The Wang Fuk Court deadly blaze is a grim reminder that Singapore cannot be complacent about fire safety, with early observations from Hong Kong's ongoing investigations already being studied by the authorities here, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming. Goh, who is also the Minister of State for Social and Family Development, was responding to questions by Members of Parliament on Monday (Jan 12), in relation to measures taken by Singapore to prevent a similar tragedy. "Recent tragic events remind us that we cannot afford to be complacent about fire safety. The Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong last November is a grim example. 

Revenue from tobacco duties in the three-year period between 2022 and 2024 reached a total of $3.24 billion. The update was given on Monday (Jan 12) by Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow in a written response to a parliamentary question by MP Lee Hui Ying (Nee Soon GRC). Lee has asked whether there has been an annual tax collected on tobacco product sales over the last three years. She also asked what the rate of increase in such revenue was over the said period. Referring to data published on the Singapore Customs' website, Siow, who is also the Acting Minister for Transport, said that the revenue collected from tobacco duties was $1.11 billion in 2022, $1.02 billion in 2023, and $1.11 billion in 2024. Singapore announced an increase in exercise duties for tobacco products during Budget 2023.

Amendments to four laws have been proposed by the Government to improve active mobility device and vehicle safety, as well as enhance penalties to strengthen deterrence and improve path and road safety. Among the proposed amendments introduced in Parliament on Monday (Jan 12) are increased penalties for speed limiter offences and new rules for active mobility devices (AMD) such as personal mobility aids (PMA) and mobility scooters. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a joint statement that the Land Transport and Related Matters Bill will cover proposed amendments to the Active Mobility Act 2017, the Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Act 2020, the Road Traffic Act 1961 and related Acts, and the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act 1995. "The new legislative provisions are intended to empower the LTA to improve path, active mobility device and vehicle safety, as well as to transition to the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) 2.0 system. 

An SBS Transit bus struck a panel at a bus stop in Punggol on Saturday (Jan 10) after reportedly making a sharp turn, causing the glass on its upper deck to shatter.A video posted on Instagram shows the bus with visible damage to its upper deck. The bus involved is believed to be operating on Service 50.According to the video caption, the incident occurred at Punggol Oasis bus stop.A witness noted that a white car was initially parked in front of the bus stop, forcing the bus to make a sharp right turn while exiting. As a result, the bus struck part of the bus stop roof pane, shattering its upper deck window. 

Minister of State Baey Yam Keng has shared a photo of his father's school-leaving certificate from 1954 — and it turns out Tampines was once spelt very differently.In a Facebook post, Baey, who holds portfolios in Culture, Community and Youth as well as Transport and who is also a Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, revealed that his father was a student of Tampenis School from 1952 to 1954.Yes, you read that right, and that was how Tampines used to be spelt.An unexpected family discoveryBaey wrote that he came across the certificate while looking through his father's belongings.«I was going through my father's old documents and found out that he studied at Tampenis (I didn't know that's how the school and road names were spelt during that time! Check out the certificate.) School for three years,» he wrote.«I didn't know this part of my father's life history. What a coincidence!» he added, referring to his current role representing Tampines.A quick check shows that Tampines was named after the Pokok Tampenis, a tree that once grew abundantly in the area.