China-headquartered oil and chemical company Sinopec caught up on the diesel surge, raising its posted price for diesel by 21 cents on Tuesday (March 31) morning.Its move follows that of Shell's 20-cent diesel hike over the weekend, and that of Caltex, Esso and SPC on Monday. As with the other major fuel companies in Singapore, Sinopec kept its petrol prices unchanged.Diesel prices here first started to surpass the price of 95-octane petrol on March 12 with Caltex and Shell raising their respective posted price for diesel to $3.38.On that day, the price of 95-octane petrol was recorded at $3.35 at both fuel companies.Following the latest round of diesel hike by Sinopec, the price of diesel now ranges from $3.92 at SPC to $4.13 at Caltex, Esso and Shell.

Ride-hailing operator Grab will implement a temporary adjustment, adding 40 cents to its existing 50-cent fuel surcharge, to help its drivers cope with the ongoing fuel price volatility.This was announced on Tuesday (March 31) as Grab introduced a $1.1 million driver-partner support package to help drivers cope with increased daily operating costs.Grab said its existing 50-cent «driver fee», introduced during earlier periods of elevated fuel prices, will be renamed as a single «fuel surcharge» line item.This means that its passengers will now see a 90-cent line item named «fuel surcharge» in their post-trip receipt.The move, which will entirely go to Grab's driver-partners, does not apply to standard and metered taxi rides.A Grab spokesperson said: "We know that every dollar in the daily budget is being stretched right now, and we don't take the impact of even a small adjustment lightly. 

A woman was reportedly charged $1,500 for using 222GB of local mobile data, but says there is no way she could have exceeded her plan's monthly data bundle by twice.M1 customer Anna Huang (transliteration) told Shin Min Daily News that she pays $25.42 monthly for her phone plan, which includes 100 gigabytes (GB) of local data.On Feb 16, the woman reportedly received a text message from M1 informing her about additional charges of $795.91.When she called the customer service hotline, a representative confirmed the charges but purportedly declined to share details of the data usage as the bill had not been generated.Huang said she switched off data roaming on her phone after the call.When she checked her February phone bill in early March, the woman was stunned to see the receipt state that she had exceeded her local data usage limit by 122GB.Including the price of her monthly plan and GST, her total bill came up to $1516.13, according to Shin Min.

Singaporeans should brace for a period of «higher and more volatile energy costs» as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to severely strain global fuel supply chains. In a statement on Tuesday (March 31), the Energy Market Authority (EMA) warned that while regulated tariffs for electricity and town gas in the second quarter of 2026 have only been partially impacted, subsequent quarters are likely to see sharper increases in price. As a small city-state, Singapore heavily relies on energy imports, with approximately 95 per cent of electricity produced from imported natural gas. This same fuel serves as the primary feedstock for town gas production, meaning any global price surge directly translates to higher utility bills for every consumer across the island. The current regulatory framework determines tariffs based on average fuel costs in the first 2.5 months of the preceding quarter. This means calculations for the April to June period were based on prices from January to mid-March.As natural gas prices only began to climb after Feb 28, the full weight of the crisis has not yet been felt by households.

An elderly man was apprehended after locking himself inside his Clementi HDB flat on Monday (March 30) afternoon.Photos of the incident shared on Threads showed police cordoning off an HDB block, while SCDF officers deployed a yellow airbag. Several SCDF and police vehicles were also present at the scene.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police said they received a call for assistance at Block 358 Clementi Avenue 2 at about 11.20am.Upon arrival, it was established that a 79-year-old man had locked himself inside a residential unit.Based on the police's assessment that the man might pose a danger to himself, officers from the Special Operations Command, the Crisis Negotiation Unit, and the SCDF were deployed to the scene.Police officers subsequently managed to gain entry into the man's unit at 1.50pm. 

A man accused of making prank calls to the police and throwing eggs at responding police officers was brought back to the scene of his alleged crime just after 10am on Tuesday (March 31) morning.Davin Lian Ke Xiang, 28, is also accused of making at least 18 prank calls reporting criminal activities, which turned out to be false.On three separate occasions — March 15, March 21, and March 22 — he allegedly threw eggs at responding officers after they got out of their police vehicles at Block 296 Punggol Central.The calls were made through a mobile phone line fraudulently obtained using a lost identity card.Lian was wearing a white collared T-shirt, black shorts and a mask covering his entire face as he was brought to the crime scene. He was also taken up to the fifth floor at one point, and he later spent about 10 minutes answering questions from investigators.Throughout the morning, Lian was seen avoiding eye contact by hanging his head low.He will return to court on Wednesday (April 1), where he will be charged with vandalism.

A 23-year-old man was arrested on Sunday (March 29) for allegedly stealing a motorcycle parked at a carpark in the Marina Bay area.The incident happened at about 8.10am at a carpark along Bayfront Avenue. Checks by AsiaOne indicate that the alleged crime is likely to have happened at the Marina Bay open carpark. At least three areas have been allocated for motorcycle parking in the said carpark. Map showing the Marina Bay open carpark along Bayfront Avenue. INFOGRAPHIC: AsiaOne (Images and Map from Google Maps) Officers from Central Police Division established the identity of the man within 15 hours of the report. This was done through ground enquiries and with the aid of police cameras and closed circuit television (CCTV).

A fire broke out at a shophouse restaurant in Little India on Monday (March 30) night.The incident happened at about 8.10pm at 10 Roberts Lane. Map showing the location of the fire incident at 10 Roberts Lane. INFOGRAPHIC: AsiaOne/Shafiq Apandi Checks by AsiaOne indicate that the said location is the registered address of Bar B Q Tonight, a Pakistani cuisine restaurant.When AsiaOne reached the scene at about 9pm, there were at least three fire engines, two police fast response cars and an ambulance present.A police cordon in place around the affected shophouse unit stretched across three units. 

Yeo Hiap Seng, also known as Yeo's, has laid off 25 employees at its Senoko facility in Singapore, the company announced on Tuesday (March 31).Yeo's stressed that it is «fully committed» to aiding the 25 employees with job placement assistance, career guidance and counselling support. «Wherever possible, opportunities for open roles within Yeo's Malaysia will be offered,» the company said, adding that the retrenched workers will receive benefits commensurate with each of their salaries and years of service.Yeo's has also worked closely with the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union to ensure that the retrenchment package and support provided reflect appreciation for the contributions of the affected staff, the company stated.It explained that these retrenchments are part of a streamlining of operations to consolidate can manufacturing in Malaysia, which enables the Group's Johor and Selangor facilities to optimise utilisation of resources and improve manufacturing efficiency.

Cotton On has no plans to exit the Asia region, the retail company said in a statement released on March 31.A Cotton On spokesperson said: “There have been misleading media reports suggesting that Cotton On stores operating in Asia are being closed, this information is incorrect and we have no plans to exit the Asia region.”The statement added that Cotton On Asia, the liquidated entity, does not and has never operated any stores or employed team members. It was an inactive holding company that is no longer required.“This has no impact on customers, teams, stores, suppliers or operations within the Asia region,” Cotton On said.A notice published in the Government Gazette on March 30, stated that Cotton On Asia was to undergo voluntary liquidation, and that liquidators from PwC Singapore were appointed to wind up the business.But checks on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority website on March 30 showed that a second entity, Cotton On Singapore, is still operating as a retail business providing clothing for adults.

Australian fashion and lifestyle retailer Cotton On is set to close its business in Singapore.According to a Government Gazette notice on Monday (March 30), liquidators from PwC Singapore were appointed to wind up Cotton On Asia.The announcement comes after almost 10 years of operations in Singapore, when its first store opened at Wisma Atria in 2007.Cotton On’s website currently lists more than 30 stores in Singapore.Brands under Cotton On that are available in Singapore are Cotton On, Cotton On Body, Cotton On Kids, stationery brand Typo and shoe brand Rubi.[[nid:731636]]chingshijie@asiaone.com

The Lions are all set to sign off the final game of the Asian Cup qualification with a flourish when they take on Bangladesh in their last Group C qualifier at the National Stadium on Tuesday (March 31).The home team booked their place in the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia with a 2-1 away win against Hong Kong in November, grabbing the top spot in the group.Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Monday, coach Gavin Lee said the focus remains on performance.«I guess I think first and foremost, boys are all very focused putting out a performance out there tomorrow night.»In Hong Kong, we played in a stadium full of red, but it wasn't our red. Tomorrow, we have a chance to play in our stadium with our red supporting us. «And I heard there's a big crowd coming, and I think that is something we should never take for granted, and that thats something that i think motivates a lot of players, because how often do you get this kind of experience and opportunity?»He said the team remain grounded after their result in Hong Kong.

As firefighters in Malaysia continue to battle raging forest fires exacerbated by strong winds and dry conditions, smoke plumes have been drifting towards Singapore due to the prevailing northeast winds, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).In an update published at about 7pm on Monday (March 30), the agency shared a satellite image taken at 2pm.The image shows two areas on fire — a forested area off Jalan Tanjong Balau-Sedili Kechil highway in Bandar Benawar and another at a forested area in Sedili Kechil. Both locations are located in Johor's Kota Tinggi.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a 19-year-old male, Mohamed Fareed Gab Andrei.In a news release published on Monday (March 30), the police said he was last seen in the vicinity of Block 807 Tampines Avenue 4 at about 3pm on Sunday.The said address is part of a HDB precinct located across the road from Temasek Polytechnic. Those with information are urged to contact the police hotline at 999 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential, the police said.[[nid:732459]]editor@asiaone.com 

Eight Singaporean taxi drivers, aged between 47 and 74, were arrested on Monday (March 30) for allegedly bribing Malaysian law enforcement officers on the Causeway. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said in a statement that the drivers, operating under the cross-border taxi scheme, did so to avoid enforcement action for driving along the bus lane.Investigations are ongoing for alleged offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.Anyone convicted of corruption faces a fine of up to $100,000 and up to five years' jail, or both.Singapore adopts a strict zero-tolerance approach towards corruption, CPIB said, adding that it will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against any parties involved in such activities.[[nid:732546]]chingshijie@asiaone.com

A netizen has raised alarm over a «severe bed bug infestation» in Ang Mo Kio, claiming to have been bitten more than 20 times.In a video posted in Facebook group Complaint Singapore today (March 30), several insects are seen crawling around the insides of a seating area outside AMK Hub near a McDonald's outlet.«In between the wooden slats, there is a severe bed bug infestation. Please don't sit there... Hope you don't bring any home,» captioned the post. The user claimed he was bitten over 20 times on his buttocks in just a few minutes, noting that older people were also present, sitting and lying in the area. In response to AsiaOne's queries, a spokesperson of the Ang Mo Kio Town Council said: «Our property team conducted checks with our pest control operator this morning and confirmed that the insects observed were cockroaches, not bed bugs.»Treatment is currently in progress, and we will continue to monitor the area closely to maintain a clean and comfortable environment for residents and visitors." 

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.1. MOE appoints 4 student care operators to replace Little Professors Learning CentreThe Ministry of Education (MOE) has appointed four student care operators to replace Little Professors Learning Centre whose contract was terminated last month... » READ MORE2. Motorcyclist dies after accident in Yishun, driver arrested for allegedly driving under influence of drugs