The Government will raise the tax on all tobacco products by 20 per cent from Thursday (Feb 12) to discourage consumption, announced Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his Budget 2026 statement.Smokers will now have to fork out 58.9 cents for each stick of cigarette, up from 49.1 cents now.The tobacco tax was last raised in Budget 2023 when it went up by 15 per cent. Revenue from tobacco duties in the three-year period between 2022 and 2024 reached a total of $3.24 billion.Following the increase, the additional revenue collected from tobacco duties is expected to reach $150 million per annum, a Ministry of Finance spokesperson told AsiaOne.[[nid:729819]]For more on Budget 2026, visit our microsite.editor@asiaone.com 

In the first Budget in this new term of Government, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong laid out how Singapore must continue to refresh its strategies and strengthen social compacts.«Past success alone will not carry us forward. In a profoundly changed world, standing still is not an option,» he said.From support for businesses to addressing climate change, here are the things in Budget 2026 that you might have missed.Support for businessesActing on key recommendations from the Economic Strategy Review committees, he announced measures which he said will achieve Singapore's ambitions to translate growth into good jobs and rising income.There will be a 40 per cent corporate income tax rebate in the Year of Assessment 2026. Every active company that employed at least a local employee last year will receive a minimum benefit of $1,500.The total maximum benefits for each company will be capped at $30,000.There will be support for companies to go abroad: The Market Readiness Assistance grant will be increased from 50 per cent to 70 per cent for Small and Medium Enterprises until March 31, 2029.

Long-serving employees of local food and beverage company Chang Cheng Holdings were presented with gold plaques in recognition of their service during the company's 32nd anniversary celebration recently.The banquet, held at the Fairmont Singapore on Friday (Feb 6) from 10pm to 1am, had over 100 tables and featured live performances, a lucky draw, and delicacies such as abalone, reported Shin Min Daily News.More than 100 employees who have served in the company for over 10 years, regardless of their positions, were presented with plaques reportedly weighing between 20 and 30 grams.The weight varied according to the employees' years of service. Staff with 10 to 14 years of service received 20g of gold, 15 to 19 years received 25g, and those with 20 years or more received 30g, reported the Chinese evening daily.Each plaque is said to be crafted from 999 gold — the purest grade of the precious metal — engraved with the employee's years of service, and the plaque's weight. 

The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board will be introducing a new investment scheme in 2028 for longer-term investors interested in a simplified and low-cost option, announced Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on during his Budget statement. The scheme is a response to the CPF Board's recommendation in 2016 to introduce a Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme (LRIS).This new scheme will be be an alternative investment option to the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS) that is currently available, according to a joint statement by the CPF Board and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday.In particular, the new investment scheme will cater to CPF members with a longer runway to retirement, who are prepared to take more risk and generate potentially higher returns but have less expertise in navigating the numerous CPFIS offerings.Additionally, the new investment scheme will be suitable for those who prefer not to actively manage their investments.Scheme will be voluntarySimilar to CPFIS, participation in the new investment scheme will be voluntary.

The Government will take steps to aid Singaporeans with rising cost of living pressures, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in his Budget 2026 statement on Thursday (Feb 12).This will be in the form of cash payouts, rebates and CDC vouchers this financial year.The Government will be providing a cost-of-living special payment between $200 to $400 in cash to Singaporean adults earning up to $100,00 in assessable income, who do not own more than one property.They must also be aged 21 and above in 2026 and residing in Singapore. Annual value of residenceAssessable incomeAnnual value up to $15,000Annual value more than $15,000, up to $31,000Annual value more than $31,000Up to $22,000$400$300$200More than $22,000, up to $39,000$300$300$200More than $39,000, up to $100,000$200$200$200This payment will benefit about 2.4 million adult Singaporeans, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Singapore is expected to keep defence spending at around three per cent of its gross domestic product (GDP), but is prepared to spend more if the need arises, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, made the announcement in the Budget 2026 statement on Thursday (Feb 12).Referring to the 61 state-based armed conflicts worldwide in 2024, he noted that the number was the highest recorded since World War II.«The world has never been free of conflict. But in recent years, it has become more dangerous,» said PM Wong, emphasising that the conflicts are not confined to distant regions — as in the case of the Thailand-Cambodia conflict. He also reminded Singaporeans that the Republic's defence and survival are the sole responsibility of Singaporeans.«History has taught us a hard lesson: no one will come to our rescue if Singapore faces a crisis,» PM Wong noted.Evolving threats, changing needsTurning to the digital domain, he noted that Singapore is seeing a sharp rise in attacks by both state-sponsored and non-state actors in cyberspace.

Punters using Singapore Pools were reportedly credited with double payouts, after the lottery and sports betting operator experienced a technical malfunction that caused incorrect winnings to be paid for a football match. The glitch reportedly led to hundreds of thousands of dollars in excess winnings being disbursed for a German league match on Wednesday (Feb 11), according to Lianhe Zaobao, citing unnamed sources. As only online bets were affected and all punters' information are stored, Singapore Pools is able to recover funds that were incorrectly credited, the report added.Following the incident, Singapore Pools posted a notice on its website stating that payouts for sports betting prizes were delayed due to technical issues. The notice has since been removed.Its website, mobile app and hotline numbers were also temporarily unavailable from 6.30am to 7.30am on Thursday morning for system maintenance.

A 29-year-old man was arrested last Saturday (Feb 7) after a two-car collision occurred at the junction of New Bridge Road and Cantonment Road. The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne that they were alerted to the road traffic accident at around 9.20pm.The police stated that a 29-year-old male car driver was arrested for driving without reasonable consideration and driving under the influence of drugs.Two vape pods were also seized.Police added that the offence has been referred to the Health Sciences Authority. One person was assessed for minor injuries but declined to be taken to the hospital, said SCDF. In a photo shared by the SGRV Front Man's Facebook account on Sunday (Feb 8), a silver car and a black car appear to have been involved in a head-on collision, with both bonnets damaged.Two police officers are also seen standing behind the silver car. Police investigations are ongoing. [[nid:729772]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and Traffic Police (TP) will be conducting stepped-up traffic enforcement operations at Woodlands Checkpoint from Friday (Feb 13) to the first day of the Chinese New Year on Feb 17.In a Facebook post on Thursday, ICA said that the operations are aimed at deterring and detecting motorists who commit traffic violations such as speeding, «and engaging in queue-cutting» at the checkpoint.«Failure to maintain lane discipline and obey traffic rules can cause severe congestion and compromise the safety of other motorists,» ICA added.The authority also revealed that eight cases of traffic violations were detected at Woodlands Checkpoint in January, with enforcement actions taken against the offenders.Drivers of foreign-registered vehicles who fail to comply with officers' instructions or commit offences may face entry bans, while drivers of Singapore-registered vehicles may be referred to TP for further investigations and penalties.ICA also warned that those who are caught queue-cutting will be made to requeue. 

The Philippine Embassy in Singapore has said it is providing assistance to a Filipina woman after a video of her being hit and kicked by a man in Lucky Plaza went viral.In a Facebook post on Wednesday (Feb 11), the Philippine Embassy said that it is aware of the video circulating online, which «involved an assault on a Filipina by a man whose citizenship has yet to be confirmed». It added: «The Embassy, through the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), is taking appropriate measures and has reached out to the victim to provide the necessary assistance.»The embassy also stated that it is monitoring the situation closely and is in contact with the victim «to help ensure her safety and well-being». «At this stage, we are mindful not to disclose details that could inadvertently affect ongoing measures or aggravate the situation,» it added.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said that a report had been lodged and investigations are ongoing. 

A car ended up on a road divider and knocked over a traffic light on Bedok North Road following an accident on Wednesday (Feb 11).The accident, which involved a silver BYD multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and a red Toyota Sienta compact MPV, happened at about 6.14pm, at the junction of Bedok North Road and Bedok North Avenue 3.Two videos posted on a motoring chat group show the EV on a road divider and resting on a fallen traffic light.Meanwhile, the MPV is seen in the middle of the junction.One police ground response force patrol car was seen near each of the two involved cars.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force said that two persons were assessed for minor injuries but declined to be taken to a hospital. The police added that they are investigating the incident. [[nid:729724]]editor@asiaone.com 

Singaporeans are concerned about job security amid rapid technological change and an increasingly uncertain global environment, said Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong in a video on Wednesday (Feb 11).This is despite Singapore's strong economic and labour market performance last year, he noted. Full-year growth for 2025 came in at 5.0 per cent, with the growth forecast for 2026 recently upgraded to between 2 per cent and 4 per cent.In response to these concerns, the Government will step up support to help them navigate the challenges, with further measures to be unveiled at Budget 2026, said PM Wong. «The Government will do more to support Singaporeans in navigating these changes, and that includes helping you manage job transitions, equipping you with relevant skills to stay competitive, and ensuring that all Singaporeans are able to secure good jobs with rising incomes,» he said.

A 19-year-old male teenager was arrested on Tuesday (Feb 10) for his alleged involvement in a case of loanshark harassment in Choa Chu Kang.The harassment incident happened at about 8pm on Monday, at a residential unit along Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5.Police said that the male teenager had topped over a wooden shoe cabinet outside the victim's house.He was identified and arrested through follow-up investigations by officers from Jurong Police Division and with the aid of images from police cameras.Preliminary investigations revealed that the 18-year-old was allegedly involved in another similar case of loanshark harassment.The police did not say when and where this other case happened.The teenager will be charged in court on Thursday under the Moneylenders Act 2008. If found guilty of the said offence, he could be jailed for up to five years, fined up to $50,000, and receive up to six strokes of the cane.Members of the public are advised to stay away from loansharks and not work with or assist them in any way.Those who suspect or know of anyone who may be involved in loansharking activities can call 999.

Applications for the February 2026 Built-To-Order (BTO) sales exercise reached nearly three times the number of flats launched as at 5pm on Wednesday (Feb 11) — the last day of the application — said national development minister Chee Hong Tat.In a Facebook post at around 6.30pm on Wednesday, Chee said a total of 14,052 applications have been received for the 4,692 BTO flats. Checks by AsiaOne on the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) portal at 7pm showed that most three-room and bigger flats on offer received at application rate of below 1.0 by first-timer families. The exception was in Tampines, where two projects — Tampines Bliss and Tampines Nova — saw application rates of between 3.4 and 6.8 by first-timer families. Tampines Bliss saw 536 applicants for the 80 three-room flats, while there were 3,260 application for the 337 four-room flats for both Tampines projects. 

Eighteen men, aged between 21 and 35, were arrested on Wednesday (Feb 11) morning for their alleged involvement in an illegal transaction of marine gas oil in Singapore waters. In a news release on Wednesday, the police said that Police Coast Guard officers arrested the 18 crew members from two foreign-registered tugboats and one Singapore-registered tugboat in the waters off Pandan at West Coast. Preliminary investigations revealed that the crew members had allegedly misappropriated marine gas oil valued at about $13,670 without their company's knowledge. According to the police, the oil was allegedly intended to be sold illegally for their personal financial gain. The 18 men will be charged in court on Thursday for criminal breach of trust by employees. If found guilty, they may be jailed for up to 15 years and fined. The police also warned that they take a serious view of illegal transactions of marine gas oil in Singapore waters, adding that the authorities will continue to conduct enforcement and security checks to prevent, deter and detect such illicit activities. [[nid:727069]]

A motorcyclist allegedly bit off part of a man's ear during an altercation along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE), a court heard on Tuesday (Feb 10). Singaporean Ronald Koh, 36, purportedly also hit Fabian Quak Wei Quan's father on the back and stepped on his foot. Koh, who denied the two charges on the first day of his trial and was self-represented, claimed that the father might have bitten off his own son's ear instead, reported CNA. The incident allegedly occurred at about 2pm on Feb 26, 2024, near the Sims Way exit along the PIE towards Changi.Testifying in court, 63-year-old renovation contractor Quak Beng Gim said that he was driving in the fourth lane along the PIE with his son, who is in his 20s, seated in the front passenger seat. He was filtering into the third lane, when he heard a van next to him sound its horn at motorcycle. Quak said Koh then cut into his lane, adding that he also sounded his horn at the motorcyclist. «The motorcyclist kept gesturing at me,» he told the court, reported CNA.