Three people were charged on Thursday (March 26) with harbouring immigration offenders, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). In the first case, Singaporeans Phang Kang Rui, 26, and Chia Kai Hui, 32, are accused of allowing a 33-year-old Malaysian man, Ho Aik Chuan, to stay with them despite his visit pass having expired on Nov 22, 2015. Investigations by ICA found that Phang and Chia allegedly harboured Ho at their unit in Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 from Oct 1, 2024 until his arrest on June 10, 2025, said ICA in a statement. Ho has been deported and barred from re-entering Singapore, having served his sentence of six months' jail along with three strokes of the cane. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Chinese work permit holder Xie Shenghua is accused of allowing a 42-year-old Chinese man, Zhang Xiaoling, to stay at a unit in Prinsep Link from mid-March 2025 until Jan 14, 2026. Xie allegedly harboured Zhang with reckless disregard as to whether his stay in Singapore was valid, said ICA. His special pass had expired on Sept 12, 2024. 

A total of 142 men and 66 women, including a 15-year-old teenager, are under investigation following a two-week long operation between March 12 and 25, the police said in a statement on Thursday (March 26). The operation involved officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven police land divisions, and resulted in investigations into the 208 people aged between 15 and 77 for their suspected roles in scams as scammers or money mules. The suspects are allegedly involved in over 720 cases of scams where victims reportedly lost more than $6.12 million. These cases comprise mostly e-commerce scams, friend impersonations scams, job scams, government official impersonation scams, investment scams and rental scams. The 208 alleged scammers and money mules are being investigated for the offences of cheating, money laundering, or providing payment services without a licence. If found guilty of cheating, an offender faces a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine, while those convicted of money laundering may be jailed for up to 10 years and/or fined up to $500,000. 

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (March 26) met China's top legislator Zhao Leji after speaking at the annual Boao Forum for Asia held in Hainan, China.Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on the same evening that the two leaders reaffirmed the strength and depth of Singapore-China relations and commended the progress made to further deepen bilateral ties under the All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership.They also exchanged views on cross-straits developments, where PM Wong reiterated Singapore's consistent and longstanding «One China» policy.«Prime Minister Wong reaffirmed Singapore and China's shared commitment to upholding rules-based multilateralism and free trade, including through platforms such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec), which China is chairing this year,» MFA added.

A property agent helped her client lease out his flat to three tenants, but was shocked to find seven more walking out of a room. In a TikTok video shared on Tuesday (March 24), Glynis Tan, who runs the account Property Science SG, said that at least 15 people were living at the flat in Little India. Owners of four-room or larger flats are allowed to house up to eight tenants, or unrelated people who are not from the same family unit. Up to four people are allowed to live in one and two-room flats, while the limit for three-room flats is six. The video shows four luggage stacked on top of one another in the kitchen and mattresses in every room. Tan said the police were first called after there were complaints of overcrowding in the flat. After discovering the illegal occupants, she demanded them to leave «on the spot». «We gave them 30 minutes to move out all their belongings. The locksmith proceeded to change all the locks and keys,» added Tan. 

SINGAPORE — A school teacher entered into a romantic and subsequently sexual relationship with one of her former students after he graduated from primary school.On March 26, the 35-year-old woman was handed a year and 10 months’ jail after she pleaded guilty to two charges — sexual penetration of a minor and committing an indecent act with a child. Two similar charges were taken into consideration during her sentencing.She cannot be named as there is a gag order to protect the victim’s identity.After the ex-student broke up with her, she stalked him.She called him on the phone 25 times and sent him at least 17 emails, in which she claimed he had ruined her emotionally and mentally.She also said she was unhappy about his new romantic relationship, his photograph was still the wallpaper on her phone and she wanted to get back together with him.He finally made a police report in March 2024 against the woman, around four years after they started their romantic relationship when the boy was 13.The court heard that the woman was the boy’s primary school mathematics teacher in 2016 and 2017.

Regular train services on the Circle Line will resume on April 10, nine days earlier than planned, as reinforcement works on a stretch of twin tunnels can be completed ahead of schedule.A massive, round-the-clock project to install steel plates along a segment of tunnels between Paya Lebar and Stadium MRT stations has been ongoing since Jan 17.«As the teams involved gained familiarity with the complex work processes, they achieved some time savings, especially during the latter phases of works,» said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and train operator SMRT on Thursday (March 26).With the help of robotics, workers have finished installing all the steel plates needed to strengthen the stretch of tunnels that are most affected by an issue called tunnel squatting.This refers to when underground tunnels built in soft soil, such as marine clay, become deformed when the soil above compresses.

If you are a frequent user of the Upper Serangoon Road exit on Central Expressway (CTE), note that it will be temporarily closed on seven days in April and May.In order to facilitate ongoing bridge launching works for the new pedestrian-cum-cycling link across the Pan Island Expressway (PIE), Exit 8B will be temporarily closed to traffic from 12am to 2am on the following dates:April 3, 15, 17, 19 and 29May 1 and 6Similar to the closures on March 18 and 20, the upcoming closure will not affect the same exit to PIE (Changi-bound).In a news release on Thursday (March 26), the Urban Redevelopment Authority advised motorists to use the alternative route via Exit 10 to Braddell Road to continue their journey to Upper Serangoon Road. 

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will gradually begin using facial images to clear motorcyclists at its land checkpoints from March 31 (Tuesday).Starting at the Woodlands Checkpoint, facial recognition will serve as the primary biometric identifier replacing fingerprint scanning at 18 automated motorcycle lanes at the arrival zone.This initiative will be progressively extended to all 70 automated arrival and departure motorcycle lanes at the checkpoint, before being rolled out to Tuas Checkpoint in the third quarter of 2026.ICA began trialling the use of facial recognition at selected motorcycle lanes in January, involving more than 150,000 motorcyclists.The facial recognition system is available to Singapore residents, long-term pass holders, and foreign visitors who have previously entered Singapore.As part of the immigration clearance process, motorcyclists and pillion riders will first present the QR code generated via the MyICA mobile application, or passport, before proceeding to biometrics verification.

An elderly woman was seen lying across a two-lane carriageway near Jurong Point on Wednesday (March 25) afternoon.Videos of the incident posted on social media show a man waving his right arm, signalling for oncoming traffic to slow down. It is unclear if he is related to the woman.Meanwhile, the woman can be seen lying motionless across both lanes, with no visible injuries.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they received a call for assistance along Jurong West Central 3 at about 3.50pm.It added that the woman was taken to Ng Teng Fong Hospital but did not provide further details on the incident.AsiaOne has reached out to the authorities for further information.

A 36-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday (March 25) for his alleged involvement in a series of theft cases in Yishun involving bicycles and personal mobility devices (PMDs).Police said in a statement on Wednesday night that they received eight reports of theft between December 2025 and March 2026.The alleged theft cases took place along Yishun Avenue 6, Yishun Avenue 9, Yishun Street 31, Yishun Street 42, Yishun Street 43 and Yishun Street 44, over a nearly four-month period between December 2025 and March 2026.Checks by AsiaOne indicate that residential developments along Yishun Street 31, 42, 43 and 44 are mostly newer Build-To-Order (BTOs) flats, while the stretches along Yishun Avenue 6 and 9 have a mix of both BTOs and older HDB precincts. Officers from Woodlands Police Division identified and arrested the man through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from police cameras and closed circuit television (CCTV) footage.A bicycle was also seized as a case exhibit.

The National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) is working with platform operators and taxi companies to prevent rising fuel costs from being passed on to drivers and riders, NTUC assistant secretary-general Yeo Wan Ling said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (March 24). Yeo, who is also MP for Punggol GRC, stressed that the livelihoods of taxi drivers, private-hire drivers and delivery riders «must remain sustainable», and that operators have a role to play. She noted that the platform work associations have worked hard to ensure that platform operators and taxi companies see themselves as stakeholders. «I am glad that operators have responded. Keeping fuel and pump prices in check is exactly the kind of real and lasting relief that makes a real difference to workers on the ground,» she said.Her comments come after a joint statement was issued on Tuesday by NTUC-affiliated associations - the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA), the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and the National Taxi Association (NTA). 

The National Environment Agency (NEA) on Wednesday (March 25) evening said smoke haze from hot spots in eastern Johor could continue to affect Singapore.A satellite imagery posted by the agency shows a cluster of hot spots in Pengerang and another cluster in Sedili Kechil. Both are in Johor's Kota Tinggi district. Satellite image showing hot spots in Johor. IMAGE: National Environment Agency On Tuesday, AsiaOne reported that a 150ha forest fire has been burning along the Desaru-Pengerang Highway since last Saturday (March 21), while firefighters also battled another fire at a hilly forested area at Sedili Kechil.

The engine compartment of a Hyundai sports utility vehicle (SUV) caught fire at a petrol station along Balestier Road on Tuesday (March 24) evening. The incident happened at about 7.30pm at Caltex's Balestier station. A video posted on social media shows the bonnet and front right wheel arc of the SUV on fire as a pump attendant calmly approached the vehicle with a fire extinguisher. Another video posted by Shin Min Daily News shows four dry powder extinguishers placed at the kerb of the station's driveway. In response to media queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the fire involved the front engine compartment of the car, adding that the fire was put out with extinguishers. No injuries were reported. A Chevron Singapore spokesperson said the station's staff activated emergency response procedures and contained the fire with SCDF's assistance. The station has since resumed normal operations after all site equipment was verified to be in good operational order, the spokesperson added. Fire investigations are ongoing. [[nid:732110]]

The next time someone tells you that your English is really jialat, you can get one up on them by showing them that jialat is a real English word. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has been updated on Tuesday (March 24) with over 500 new words, including 11 entries with a Singaporean or Malaysian English etymology. Among them are some standout additions in BTO, jialat and kaypoh, with ice kacang no doubt being an honourable mention as a delectable and iconic dessert in both Singapore and Malaysia. The other additions are: assam laksa, agak-agak, boleh, degazette, Mat Salleh, play play and wayang. BTO, or build-to-order, refers to the Housing Development Board's (HDB) scheme wherein HDB flats are built for Singapore citizens. However, it can also be used as a verb, referring to the act of applying for a flat under the scheme, according to OED. The dictionary also states that the word is «often used when discussing a couple's relationship status, as applying for a flat together under the BTO scheme is seen as an important milestone, similar to an engagement.» 

A 30-year-old Singaporean man has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a case of murder in Johor Bahru (JB) on March 14.In an updated statement on Wednesday (March 25), police said he was handed over to the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) on the same day.They added that the arrest was made after a warrant of arrest was issued by a Malaysian court and the RMP made a request for assistance.He becomes the sixth person to be arrested by Singapore and Malaysia law enforcement agencies, and the fifth to be arrested in Singapore.Three Singaporean men, aged between 23 and 29, and a 27-year-old woman were earlier handed over to the Royal Malaysian Police on March 19. A fifth suspect was arrested while trying to leave Johor a day earlier on March 18.They are assisting Malaysia police in their investigations into the death of a 32-year-old Singaporean man who was killed at Aston Club Southkey in JB.

A 40-year-old man will be charged in court on Thursday (March 26) for allegedly endangering the safety of his two children by letting them sit on the boot of a Porsche Cayman he was driving along a road in Bukit Timah.The incident, which happened at about 10.40am on October 20, 2025 along Dairy Farm Lane, drew strong reactions from netizens, with several calling for the matter to be investigated by the authorities.

Six driverless public buses have reached Singapore's shores and will be tested in two pilot services at Marina Bay and one-north.In a Facebook video on Wednesday (March 25), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) shared that the buses will face rigorous testing to ensure that they meet all safety and operating requirements before serving commuters.Once ready, the autonomous buses will operate alongside existing manned buses, LTA added. The buses will ply the routes of public bus services 400 at Marina Bay and 191 at one-north from the second half of 2026.The 39-second video gives a quick preview of what the driverless buses will look like.According to LTA, the 16-seater buses will have features similar to the manned buses which commuters are familiar with.However, the buses will also have additional cameras and sensors at the front, back and top for 360-degree awareness of the surroundings.The buses will also feature a wheelchair-accessible space in front of the door.Unlike regular buses, the driverless buses will only have one door.

Two platform workers were among the 36 people who died last year in the course of their work, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in its annual workplace safety and health report.The latest edition of the report, released on Wednesday (March 25), is the first time that information on work-related injuries involving platform workers is available after the Platform Workers Act came into force last year.Last year, Singapore's workplace fatal injury rate fell to a record low of 0.96 per 100,000 workers, making the Republic one of the safest countries in the world to work.There were 43 workplace deaths in 2024 and the workplace fatal injury rate then was 1.2 per 100,000 workersVehicular incidents continued to be the top cause of fatalities in 2025 — 15. Of these, six people, including the two platform workers, died in work-related traffic accidents.The next leading causes of fatal accidents are fall from height and the collapse or failure of structure and equipment, according to the report.

SINGAPORE — A coroner’s inquiry into the death of Indian singer Zubeen Garg, who was found floating face down after a swim off Lazarus Island in 2025, has been ruled an accidental drowning.Delivering his findings on March 25, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said there was no reason to disagree with the Police Coast Guard’s investigation conclusion after analysing the evidence before him.A death certificate issued by the Singapore General Hospital listed the cause of death as drowning.The popular singer from the north-eastern state of Assam had consumed alcohol and refused a life vest before jumping off a yacht on Sept 19, 2025, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) David Lim testified on the first day of the inquiry on Jan 14.While his friends tried to convince him to return to the yacht, Mr Garg became motionless. He was pulled back onto the yacht, where efforts were made to resuscitate him, but to no avail.The artiste was in Singapore for the North East India Festival, a cultural festival organised by the Assamese community in Singapore. He was scheduled to perform on Sept 20.