A Japanese woman returning to Singapore left her passport on board a Singapore Airlines plane and only found out about the missing document the next day when she was contacted by ground handling company Sats. In an Instagram video on Jan 21, lifestyle content creator @naofromjapan_, who moved to Singapore seven years ago for work, captioned: «Singapore is truly safe and efficient. I love Face ID, but sometimes it works a little too well.»In the 41-second clip, Nao recounted the incident: «I landed with Singapore Airlines, cleared immigration with face ID (and) didn't even take my passport out.» The next morning, she received an email from Sats at 9.29am informing her that her passport had been found and that it was being held at Sats' baggage arrival services office in Changi Airport Terminal 2. The email also provided a QR code and link for her to book an appointment for collection. 

Starting Feb 9, lower-wage Singaporean workers can receive allowance of up to $18,000 a year when they reskill or upskill, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore on Thursday (Jan 29).The new Workfare Skills Support (Level Up) will give financial support to workers undergoing long-form training courses, which includes studies at the Nitec, diploma, and undergraduate degree levels, as well as the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme.Self-sponsored learners aged 30 and above who earn an average gross monthly income of not more than $3,000 and meet other eligibility criteria such as property value will qualify for the upgraded scheme, which was announced at Budget 2025.Individuals who take time off work to pursue long-form training on a full-time basis will receive an allowance of 50 per cent of their average income over the latest available 12-month period, or at least $300 every month. One can receive a maximum of $18,000 per year.Meanwhile, workers attending long-form training on a part-time basis while employed will receive a monthly $300 allowance, with a yearly cap of $3,600.

PropertyLimBrothers (PLB) co-founder Melvin Lim has stepped down as operating principal of KW Singapore — a franchise of US-based real estate agency Keller Williams — the company said in a media statement on Thursday (Jan 29). Grayce Tan, formerly the director of growth, is also no longer part of the KW Singapore leadership team with immediate effect, added the company. Jonathan Lee, who previously served as regional director of KW Malaysia and is currently a growth consultant for the Keller Williams Worldwide (KWW) Asia Pacific Hub, has been appointed to lead in the interim «to ensure stability and operational continuity». KW Singapore, founded by Lim in July 2025, operates as a standalone business, separate from PLB, reported The Business Times. The company said that it is «prioritising the enhancement of compliance frameworks, governance processes, and training initiatives in direct coordination with KWW». It added that it remains focused on «providing resources and support for the long-term success of our associates and resuming business as usual through a measured, deliberate approach.»

Some 3,534 people were fined for possessing and using vapes under the enhanced enforcement framework between September and December 2025.366 of these offenders were caught with etomidate e-vaporisers, known as Kpods, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Thursday (Jan 29).Since last September, 211 Kpod users and 57 repeat vape offenders have been ordered to undergo mandatory rehabilitation, a chance provided for them to quit the habit with professional support.As of Dec 31, 2025, seven etomidate offenders and one repeat e-vaporiser offender have completed rehabilitation.Meanwhile, 15 people defaulted on their first rehab appointments. Four of them have been charged in court, while the rest are pending further investigation or prosecution, MOH and HSA jointly said.A 23-year-old woman who skipped rehab was sentenced on Jan 6 to one week's jail for possessing etomidate. The other cases are pending before the courts.

After discovering that her photos were used without consent in an advertisement for a sugar dating website, Singaporean DJ and social media personality Jade Rasif sued its Malaysian founder. In a series of Instagram Stories on Jan 21, the 32-year-old revealed that she accepted a RM100,000 (S$32,000) settlement from Darren Chan of Sugarbook in 2023. Her three-year ordeal, which began in 2020, has cast a spotlight on the recent deluge of non-consensual sexualised images circulating online.In an interview with AsiaOne on Tuesday (Jan 27), Rasif said she had rejected Sugarbook's approach to work with them. Sugarbook promises to link younger women with older men who are expected to provide financial support in exchange for companionship — with or without intimacy. Rasif later found out that the website used her photos in its promotional material after being tagged on Instagram. 

Singapore's labour market saw stronger growth in 2025 as compared to 2024, but hiring concerns in the first quarter of 2026 remain, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said.In an advance release of its quarterly labour market report on Thursday (Jan 29), the ministry said the labour market expanded in the fourth quarter of 2025.Cumulatively, total employment growth last year was 57,300, compared to the 44,500 in 2024.Resident employment growth was concentrated in the financial services and health and social services sectors.Total employment grew by 19,600 in the last quarter of 2025, supported by seasonal year-end hiring gains in retail trade and administrative and support services.While growth moderated from the stronger-than-expected growth in the third quarter, it exceeded growth in the same periods from 2024 (7,700) and 2023 (3,900).Unemployment, retrenchments remain lowThe ministry also noted that unemployment rates remained «broadly stable» throughout the year — at two per cent — similar to those seen over the past two years.

A 63-year-old man was found dead at the foot of an HDB block in Clementi on Tuesday (Jan 27). The police told AsiaOne that they received a call for assistance at around 8.55pm at Block 310 Clementi Avenue 4. The man was found lying motionless at the foot of the HDB block and was pronounced dead at the scene.The police stated that, based on preliminary investigations, they do not suspect foul play.Investigations are ongoing. AsiaOne has contacted the Singapore Civil Defence Force for more information.

If you are in the Rochor area and thought you saw police officers looking somewhat «different», don't worry, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is currently trialling the use of a new load bearing vest (LBV), which they say is expected to enhance officers' operational effectiveness. How the police's new load bearing vest (LBV) looks like. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Fitri Salleh Presently, police officers wear about five kilograms worth of equipment, including firearms, a Taser, a straight extendable baton, communications devices and handcuffs on their utility belts to support their duties.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will deliver the 2026 Budget statement at 3.30pm on Thursday (Feb 12).PM Wong, who is also the Minister for Finance, will be addressing the nation in Parliament. Budget 2026 will be the first Budget since GE2025 concluded in May and Cabinet changes were made.Members of the public can watch the livestream on AsiaOne's Budget 2026 microsite to be launched on Feb 5. In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Jan 27), PM Wong said that the government will address issues of public concern at Budget 2026.«We have heard your aspirations and also your concerns about the uncertain external environment, the impact of technology and AI on jobs and also on cost pressures that you face,» he said in the 38-second video.

PropertyLimBrothers CEO Melvin Lim and vice-president of strategy Grayce Tan have reportedly resigned from the real estate agency after an internal review. The company's vice-president of operations Marc Chan has been appointed as interim CEO, reported The Straits Times on Wednesday (Jan 28). «We are in the midst of reinforcing our workplace conduct policies and governance processes to reaffirm clear professional boundaries and standards across the organisation. We will not comment on rumours or speculation,» a company spokesperson told the broadsheet. Lim, 45, is the co-founder of the property agency, along with Adrian Lim, 48. Melvin's name was removed from the company's website on Wednesday, amid allegations of adultery which surfaced over the weekend. Allegations that Melvin — said to be married with four children — was having an affair with a colleague began circulating online on Sunday. The next day, a Reddit user posted a screengrab of a text message purportedly sent by Melvin addressed to «PLB team» members.

If you've passed by the West Coast Highway this week, or if you live or work close to PSA Singapore's Keppel Terminal and were intrigued by the sight of a huge container ship docked there, here's what it is.Container ship Ever Genius, a Panama-flagged ship, docked at the terminal on Monday (Jan 26) morning at about 9.35am.  Container ship Ever Genius has been berthed at PSA Keppel Terminal since Monday (Jan 26). GRAPHIC: Marine Traffic Measuring 400m in length, Ever Genius is among the largest ships in the world, capable of carrying 20,124 standard shipping containers, or twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU). Built in 2018 by Imabari Shipbuilding in Japan, the container ship is currently operated by a subsidiary of Evergreen Marine. 

Firefighting efforts at the ongoing peatland fire in Taman Bayu Damai township in Pengerang municipality in Johor's Kota Tinggi district has reached nearly 55 per cent completion following the use of helicopters for aerial firefighting. AsiaOne reported on Tuesday (Jan 27) that the fire had affected an area of about 99.54ha, with the involvement of helicopters on Wednesday expected to speed up firefighting efforts, according to a senior fire department official. Firefighters also deployed firebreak techniques such as flooding to contain the fire, which started last Friday (Jan 23), and have since put out fires across 54.63ha, or 54.8 per cent of the affected area. Bernama reported Assistant Fire Commissioner Muhammad Al Mustakim Abdul Hady, deputy director at Johor's fire and rescue department, as saying that the department is closely monitoring the smoke situation to ensure that it does not affect the airspace of Singapore. 

A woman who was filmed spitting water onto other commuters and the floor of a MRT train in a viral video last week was charged at the State Courts on Wednesday (Jan 28). Sabrina Han Meizhen, a 37-year-old Singaporean, was charged with one count of being a public nuisance by spitting water at a female passenger and on the train, causing annoyance to her and other members of the public. Han allegedly committed the crime on Jan 16 at about 7.57am at Choa Chu Kang MRT station, according to her charge sheet. 

The Commissioner of Charities (COC) has launched an inquiry into Animal Lovers League (ALL), one of Singapore's pioneer animal welfare groups, following its non-compliance with the Charities Act.In a statement on Wednesday (Jan 28), the COC reiterated its earlier remarks from last December, that its commissioner has been looking into the governance and administration of ALL, following feedback.ALL, which was set up in 2002, has been a registered charity since Jan 30, 2015.The COC said ALL has not complied with the Charities Act, including the «persistent» non-submission of annual reports, and its failure to furnish specified documents and information relating to the charity.«Therefore, the office of the COC has decided to conduct an inquiry into ALL to look into the feedback comprehensively,» it said.ALL had lost its tenancy at The Animal Lodge in Sungei Tengah — a facility run by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) that supports animal welfare groups and independent shelters.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will be sounding the «important message» signal through the islandwide Public Warning System (PWS) on Feb 1 at 3pm. Usually held on Feb 15 at 6.20pm, the one-off change in date is to mark the commencement of Exercise SG Ready 2026 in support of Total Defence Day, SCDF said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 28). The signal will also sound for 20 seconds on all smartphones with the SGSecure mobile app, accompanied by a brief text message on the PWS sounding. Users must enable the app's notification and alert settings to receive the signal and message. Members of the public should immediately tune in to any local FM radio station or Mediacorp TV channel for a Total Defence message, said SCDF. [[nid:728219]]esther.lam@asiaone.com  

A video showing a male driver of a SF Express delivery van cutting off a white Hyundai hatchback along Kallang Way, and then getting off to kick the car and try to open the driver's door has emerged on social media.Dashcam footage posted by Facebook page SG Road Vigilante showed a man wearing a black shirt chasing after the white car outside Mapletree Hi-Tech Park at 163 Kallang Way.

A Malaysian man almost faced a travel nightmare after losing his wallet and passport at a cafe in Singapore on Jan 21. Speaking to AsiaOne on Wednesday (Jan 28), Mohana Marugiah, 45, recounted the day he feared he might not be able to return home. «I was completely clueless. It happened after I visited a temple and stopped by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at Forum Mall (on Orchard Road) to get a hot chocolate before heading back to my hotel,» said the secondary school teacher. «When I returned to the hotel, I started getting back to work and took out my lecture notes before ending the night.» Remaining unaware of what he had lost until the following morning, Mohana said he was stunned to receive a Facebook message the following day from a stranger.