Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia met on Thursday (Jan 29) to discuss key issues in the region, including tensions in the South China Sea, an escalating civil war in Myanmar and a border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. The discussions were part of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) retreat for foreign ministers, aimed at setting the bloc's agenda for the year under the chairmanship of the Philippines. In a statement to the media on Thursday, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the foreign ministers reaffirmed the importance of upholding Asean centrality and strengthening Asean integration amidst a volatile geopolitical environment. 

What started as a modest «investment» ended in a financial nightmare for a woman in her 50s after she lost more than $400,000 to a scam within two months. Speaking to the media at the Police Cantonment Complex on Thursday (Aug 29), the victim, who wished to be known only as Lim, recounted how she was drawn into the scheme and gradually persuaded to «invest» increasingly large sums of money. Lim, who works in the healthcare sector, said that at the time, she was an active user of Moomoo, a global investment and trading platform. «I approached the online customer service by Moomoo and shortly after that I received a WhatsApp group message. I originally thought the people where from Moomoo,» said Lim, noting that the group had at least 80 members.«It (started) as a WhatsApp group before they approached me individually. In the group, they sent investment-related (information) regarding the stocks and sounded very professional,» Lim said, explaining that members often posted screenshots showing their profits and how the investments were made. 

The peatland fire in Taman Bayu Damai township, which started on Jan 23, has been brought under control, said the Johor authorities on Thursday (Jan 29). AsiaOne reported on Wednesday that firebreak techniques, such as flooding to contain the fire, and the involvement of helicopters have led to fires across 54.63ha, or 54.8 per cent of the affected area, being extinguished.[[nid:728981]]Johor fire and rescue department deputy director Muhammad Al Mustakim Abdul Hady said on Thursday that the fire has been successfully brought under control. «Firefighters are working to ensure that any remaining small fires are fully extinguished to prevent them from spreading,» he said. Separately, Kota Tinggi district management committee chairman Miswan Yunus said the authorities have allowed all evacuees, who were housed at two temporary relief centres, to return to their homes. «The peat fire along Jalan Sungai Kapal near Taman Bayu Damai has been fully controlled and extinguished, while Air Pollutant Index readings in affected residential areas have dropped to normal levels,» he reportedly said in a statement. 

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.