A 46-year-old Singaporean man, who was convicted in February 2021 for importing more than 1kg of cannabis into Singapore in July 2018, was hanged on Thursday (April 16).Omar Yacob Bamadhaj was convicted on Feb 24, 2021, and had his conviction and sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal on Oct 12, 2021.In a statement on Thursday, the Central Narcotics Bureau said Omar was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel during his trial and appeal.He entered Singapore from Malaysia via Woodlands Checkpoint by car on July 12, 2018.During a routine check, an auxiliary officer found three bundles wrapped in aluminium foil, cling wrap and newspapers.The bundles were placed in a bag belonging to him. They were later sent to the Health Sciences Authority for analysis and were found to contain not less than 1,009.1g of cannabis.At the trial, Omar claimed that he did not know the nature of the bundles found in the car. 

A male student in Nanyang Junior College(NYJC) has been suspended after he allegedly attempted to film girls in the toilet, local media reported on Friday (April 17).According to a video seen by the local publication, two students can be seen confronting a male student who allegedly exited a cubicle in the girls' toilet.He claimed he was «studying» when he was caught.NYJC principal Pang Choon How told AsiaOne that they are aware of the incident and that a police report has been lodged.Disciplinary action has been taken against the student, Pang said, stressing that they view sexual misconduct seriously.He also stated that the student has undergone counselling in school and has been referred for further professional support.Aside from a suspension, his conduct grade will be penalised, and the school is also working with his parents on the incident, the statement said.«We take the well-being of our students seriously and have engaged students on the incident,» he said.

A fire broke out at a funeral wake at the void deck of Block 617 Bedok Reservoir Road on Thursday (April 16) at about 2.20pm.A video of the fire shared by a Shin Min Daily News reader and posted on its social media shows a raging blaze engulfing the wake while thick black smoke billows from the scene.Subsequent scenes show a burnt down altar and the block's facade — up to the second floor — covered in soot.Workers are seen using a step ladder to assess damage to overhead cables.A family member surnamed Xie (transliteration) told the Chinese publication that the cortege departed for Mandai Crematorium at about 1pm. He said they were only informed of the fire by the funeral services company after the rites were completed. Asked if he felt if it was inauspicious, Xie said he is not superstitious.A female relative surnamed Ang (transliteration) told Shin Min that she understands the fire was caused by a short circuit.

Exactly a week after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese inked a joint statement on economic resilience and essential supplies, the two countries announced on Friday (April 17) that they have concluded negotiations on a legally-binding protocol.Singapore was represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology Dr Tan See Leng, while Australia was represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Friday that the protocol will support the flow of essential supplies between the two countries.«The protocol delivers on the joint statement on economic resilience and essential supplies from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on April 10,» said MFA.

After holding fuel prices unchanged for more than a week, Sinopec on Friday (April 17) became the second fuel company here to make adjustments to pump prices this week reducing its price for 95-octane petrol by one cent.The China-headquartered oil and chemical company kept posted prices for all its other petrol offerings and diesel unchanged.On April 15, Shell dropped prices across its petrol offerings by 3 cents each, after raising prices by 7 cents on April 13.Meanwhile, other major fuel companies in Singapore have held prices, for now.

Two male teenagers who allegedly stole a motorcycle in Boon Keng have been arrested and will be charged in court.The police said on Friday (April 17) that they received a report about a missing motorcycle at about 7.30am on Wednesday.Investigations found that the vehicle, parked in the vicinity of McNair Road, had purportedly been taken by two suspects, aged 16 and 17.According to the police, the transponder had been left inside a storage compartment, allowing the teens to start the parked bike.They were arrested on Thursday and the stolen motorcycle recovered.They will be charged in court on Saturday with theft of motor vehicle with common intention. If convicted, they face a maximum jail term of seven years and a fine.The police have urged motorcycle owners to park their bikes in well-lit areas and cover the vehicle with a canvas.They are also encouraged to protect their bikes by installing anti-theft alarm, removing ignition key, avoid leaving spare keys or transponders inside any storage compartments, as well as using additional locking devices.[[nid:733680]]lim.kewei@asiaone.com

A primary school teacher who was battling cancer died on Monday (April 13), reportedly after developing an infection from a cut she sustained when trimming her nails.White Sands Primary School said on social media on Wednesday that Jacqueline Bay was a «cherished member of our school family» and will be deeply missed by the community.The educator, aged 50, taught English and Mathematics at the school, according to Shin Min Daily News.Her mother told the Chinese paper that Bay was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in October 2025, and the cancer cells had spread to her spinal cord.Due to a low platelet count, she was hospitalised for over two months. At her worst, she reportedly had to be fed, and she lost strength in her legs.Gradually, Bay's condition improved, and she was able to walk again with some assistance, her husband said.However, Bay recently sustained a cut when clipping her nails and subsequently developed a bacterial infection.Her husband told Shin Min that she was admitted to hospital after developing a fever and given antibiotics, but her condition was unstable.

Singapore has to take a selective strategy towards expanding its capacity for data centres due to geographical and energy constraints, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.Speaking during a fireside chat at the Semafor World Economy conference in Washington DC on Thursday (Apr 16), DPM Gan said that Singapore is gradually allowing for more data centres to be set up, but that they need to be used for «very critical operation and functions».«We don't really want (the data centres) to store all your birthday photos, and so I think that you can store somewhere else that's not so critical,» he said.Instead, the data centres should be used for banking data, transaction data, and business data, which are «very critical» for Singapore. DPM Gan said: «If you need to develop AI systems, you need to have access to the data centre capacity, and that's what we are focusing on.»He explained that Singapore has strict regulations on data centre development due to the limited alternative energy sources available.

A Singaporean man was arrested after attempting to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes into the country at Woodlands Checkpoint on April 2. The 40-year-old man had attempted to smuggle the cigarettes in a Singapore-registered rental car, according to a Facebook post by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Friday (April 17).ICA officers directed the vehicle for enhanced checks based on information received from ICA's Integrated Targeting Centre (ITC).The ITC operates 24/7 and leverages data analytics to conduct pre-arrival risk assessment of travellers, conveyances and cargo.Officers subsequently found more than 1,300 packets and 217 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes concealed within the door panels and the boot of the vehicle.The 40-year-old male driver was arrested in connection with the case and, along with the exhibits, referred to Singapore Customs for further investigations.[[nid:733718]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

A fire broke out in the engine compartment of a saloon car at Hong Lim Complex's carpark on Thursday morning (April 16).A video of the incident posted on social media shows flames engulfing the front part of the vehicle sending thick smoke into the air.Meanwhile, a man wearing a blue shirt stood a short distance away with a fire extinguisher by him as a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire biker readied himself.Other SCDF firefighters arrive later to tackle the blaze. They were seen holding up the vehicle's bonnet and directing a water jet at the engine compartment.

Two Malaysians, aged 35 and 39, will be charged in court on Friday (April 17) for their alleged involvement in two separate cases of government official impersonation scam.Following their arrests, the number of Malaysians arrested in Singapore for facilitating scam syndicates to collect cash and valuables obtained from scams now stands at 15.In a news release on Thursday night, the police said the duo were arrested when they separately attempted to leave Singapore on Wednesday.Hand over money, valuables for investigationsIn both cases, the victims were told they were implicated or being investigated for money-laundering offences after they denied having applied for a product or service.They were then told to make purchases for gold or to hand over valuables such as silver bars to facilitate investigations The two victims only realised they were scammed after failing to receive any acknowledgement, or when told to take their time to travel to another location.Police said their officers from the Anti-Scam Command established the duo's identities through extensive ground enquiries and follow-up investigations.

A man who was cycling along Seletar North Link Road on Wednesday (April15) ended up disrupting his exercise routine, but for a good reason — to help an elderly woman who was wandering along the busy road.It turned out that the police was looking for her as she had gone missing.The cyclist, who goes by the name Kevin, wrote in a Xiaohongshu post that he was cycling along the road when he noticed an elderly woman walking along the far right lane.He said: «My instincts told me something was wrong and that she needed help.»For a moment, I hesitated to turn back, but I felt uneasy and guilty at the thought of not helping — especially since the road ahead is curved and fast moving vehicles, especially trucks and lorries, might not be able to avoid her in time."Checks on the ground by AsiaOne reveal that the road is heavily used by cement mixer trucks, prime movers and tipper trucks due to the presence of precast and concrete plants in the area.There is also a dormitory along the stretch of Seletar North Link, before Punggol North Avenue.

A 29-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday (April 15) for his alleged involvement in a series of e-commerce scams involving the sale of Apple products.Police said in a news release on Thursday night that they have received at least 32 reports from victims with losses amounting to at least $19,500.They were allegedly cheated by a seller who had advertised pre-order sales of Apple products via Carousell, but became uncontactable or gave excuses for delays in delivery after receiving payments via PayNow transfer.The man was identified and arrested by officers from the police's Anti-Scam Command through follow-up investigations.He will be charged in court with the offence of cheating on Friday.If found guilty of the said offence, the 29-year-old may be jailed for up to 10 years, fined, and receive at least six strokes of the cane.Members of the public are advised to avoid making advance payments or direct bank transfers before receiving or inspecting the products. Instead, buyers can opt for secure payment methods such as cash on delivery. 

There may be some relief from the sweltering heat, as thundery showers are forecast on most afternoons for the rest of April, the Meteorological Service Singapore said on April 16 (Thursday).The weatherman said short-duration thundery showers are expected over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days, with showers extending into the evening on some occasions. Widespread thundery showers accompanied by gusty winds are expected during the pre-dawn and morning hours on one or two days.During this fortnight, daily temperatures are expected to range between 33 deg C and 34 deg C on most days, with temperatures reaching around 35 deg C on a few days.The first half of April was relatively wetter than the second half of March, with thundery showers occurring mostly in the afternoons, driven by daytime heating.Temperatures exceeded 34 deg C on 12 days — with a high of 35.4 deg C recorded at Paya Lebar on April 5.On April 7, widespread rain affected many parts of Singapore in the morning, with a total rainfall of 60.8mm — the highest rainfall for the first half of April — around Punggol.[[nid:732814]]

Three more European Union (EU) countries — Greece, Lithuania and Latvia —will be authorised to export meat and egg products to Singapore, the EU, Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and NParks announced in a joint statement on Thursday (April 16).With Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, the three new additions bring the total authorised countries up to 18.The announcement comes alongside the recognition by Singapore of EU-wide regionalisation measures for animal diseases such as African swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease.This allows Singapore to avoid countrywide restrictions and unnecessary trade disruptions to exports, as an outbreak in one region would mean only that region gets restricted, instead of the entire country.Trade from areas outside the restricted region can still be conducted safely with the recognition of these regionalisation measures.

The Singapore brand is seen as reliable and trusted in China with opportunities for Singaporeans and Singapore businesses to collaborate and develop there, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat.He added that the Government will continue to support them to go overseas — to build connections and get opportunities.Chee, who is also deputy chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), wrote two Facebook posts as he wrapped up a five-day working visit to Beijing and Tianjin.Following his meeting with Bank of China chairman Ge Haijiao a day earlier, Chee met with China Construction Bank (CCB) chairman Zhang Jinliang in Beijing on Wednesday (April 15).They discussed further cooperation in areas such as trade financing, infrastructure financing and fintech, as well as supporting Chinese companies looking to venture into the region using Singapore as a launchpad. 

A total of 15 power banks were confiscated from outbound travellers at Changi Airport on the first day that a new rule limiting the number of devices permitted on flights kicked in.In response to AsiaOne's queries, Changi Airport Group said that the 15 power banks were collected from the 275 flights that departed between midnight and 3pm on Wednesday (April 15).The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) had announced on April 6 that all passengers departing from Changi Airport would only be allowed a maximum of two power banks on board flights as of midnight on April 15.All passengers carrying excess power banks would be required to dispose of them before their flights, said CAAS.Power banks also have to adhere to restrictions on power capacity. Only those with capacities of up to 100Wh are allowed, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require approval from airlines in advance.

Two days after a 31-year-old Malaysian motorcyclist, who was travelling to work in Singapore, died after crashing into a lorry's rear, a photo showing a motorcyclist squeezed between a Malaysia-registered trailer and the Second Link's bridge barrier has sparked discussions on road safety.Farizatul Firdaus, a content creator from Kelantan, wrote in a Facebook post: «Imagine if there was just a small mistake...No speeding, no crashes. Just being hidden can become a tragedy.»His post, published at 9am on Thursday (April 16), received about 400 interactions in six hours and was also shared on some Johor Bahru motoring community groups.Based on the background shown in the photograph accompanying the post and the presence of cones labelled ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority), the incident is likely to have happened along the Singapore-bound direction of the bridge.While it is unclear if the incident took place on Thursday, Firdaus' post has sparked a growing and spirited discussion on road safety involving motorcyclists.

Visiting the Singapore Zoo soon? Keep your eyes peeled for three new additions to the Wild Africa zone — the first-ever litter of Sri Lankan leopard cubs born here.Now over three months old, the «playful» triplets will join their mother Yala daily in the exhibit until mid-May, and subsequently every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, announced Mandai Wildlife Group on Thursday (April 16).The cubs — two males and one female — weigh around 5kg each and are often seen playfighting or curled up together, the organisation added. These behaviour help develop their social and survival skills.«The two males tend to be more laid-back, while the female is more feisty. We can already tell them apart by their demeanour and the spot patterns on their forehead, like fingerprints,» said curator Anand Kumar.The felines were given a clean bill of health after checks and have also received vaccinations against common feline diseases and deworming treatment.

A 36-year-old Malaysian woman will be charged in court on Thursday (April 16) for her alleged involvement in a case of government official impersonation scam.The woman is the 13th Malaysian since March this year to be arrested for facilitating scam syndicates to collect cash and valuables obtained from scams.In a news release on Wednesday, the police said they received a report from a 75-year-old female victim who received a WhatsApp call from an unknown person claiming to be from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).Modus operandi unchanged: Hand over money, valuables for investigationsThe unknown person claimed that the elderly woman was purportedly implicated in a money laundering case.She was then instructed to withdraw cash and hand it over to an «agent» to facilitate investigations. The elderly woman was also assured that the money would be returned after the investigations.The victim proceeded to hand over cash amounting to $10,000 to the Malaysian woman in the vicinity of Jurong West Central.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot flew over 3.8 million passengers in March this year, up 14.9 per cent year-on-year.SIA carried around 2.4 million passengers, up from the 2.2 million in March 2025.This equates to 90.3 per cent of available seats filled by paying passengers, compared to 84.1 per cent last year.Meanwhile, Scoot carried around 1.3 million passengers in the same period, up from 1.1 million in the previous year.In total, around 42.4 million passengers flew in the financial year of 2025/26, a 7.7 per cent increase from the 39.4 million in 2024/25.Explaining the spike, SIA said that there was an increase in demand for travel ahead of the Easter weekend in early April.The ongoing Middle East conflict also resulted in the increase in Europe-bound traffic as the availability of flights through the Middle East air hubs was negatively affected.Dubai and Doha, which would have usually absorbed some of the traffic between Asia and Europe, had their flights curtailed amid airspace closures and drone strikes.

Most fuel companies in Singapore have held fuel prices unchanged for the past week — through a two-week ceasefire and later a US military blockade on Iran which started on Monday (April 13) — except for Shell which raised petrol prices by 7 cents on April 13.Shell's upward price calibration that day also meant it reversed its earlier drop — by 4 cents — on April 9.In a price board update published on Wednesday at 5pm, Shell announced that it has dropped prices across its petrol offerings by 3 cents each, but kept diesel price unchanged.

PropertyLimBrothers (PLB) has said a «majority» of the roles were axed from its media arm, PLB Media, during a recent restructuring exercise, refuting media claims that 90 per cent the roles were cut.PLB said that previous reports from Tuesday (April 14) do not «reflect the scope of the restructuring exercise», but declined to reveal more regarding the scale of the layoffs, reported business publication The Edge.PLB Media reportedly employed close to 100 staff who worked on social media, videography and marketing as at February.«The restructuring affected a majority of the local media team as part of a deliberate transition towards a leaner, technology-enabled operating model,» a PLB spokesperson told The Edge on Wednesday (April 14).The spokesperson also said that a «core team remains in place» to support ongoing content strategy, creative direction and production oversight, and that the current roles are «designed to support a more streamlined workflow, with increased use of AI tools and externalised production resources where appropriate».

Measures to address bullying and hurtful behaviour in schools will be strengthened, including improvements to reporting channels and disciplinary processes, said the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Wednesday (April 15). Speaking to the media at Teck Ghee Primary School on Wednesday, Education Minister Desmond Lee said that an updated and comprehensive review on anti-bullying measures has been conducted following engagements with parents and students.The measures are being implemented progressively.The review was done with the support of Community and Parents in support of Schools. MOE engaged more than 2,000 educators, parents, students, professional and members of the public since August 2025 for the review.«We have completed the review and have been in the process of implementing some of the nine measures that were recommended by the review — covering four broad areas,» said Lee.These areas include enhancing values education, strengthening school culture and processes, increasing school and staff capacity, and strengthening school-home-community partnerships.

A little kindness goes a long way.A video showing road users and passers-by coming together to help a fallen motorcyclist in Woodlands has warmed the hearts of netizens.A video of the incident, which took place on April 13 at about 4pm, was shared on the Facebook page of SG Road Vigilante subsequently.In the video, a motorist can be seen falling from his motorcycle after hitting a car ahead of him while going over a road hump.Soon after the incident, two male passers-by from the left side of the road went to the motorist's aid, and three others joined them shortly after.Together, they helped to push the motorcycle back to its upright position.

Two persons, aged 34 and 37, were arrested at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) on April 10 for their alleged involvement in a case of cheating. A video posted by TikTok user Daniel shows a long-haired woman dressed in a white shirt, her hands cuffed behind her back, being led to a waiting police car. Daniel said in his post that the incident happened at around 3.45am. He did not capture the moment when the second person, a 37-year-old man, was arrested.In response to AsiaOne's queries, police said they arrested the duo for their alleged cheating while following up on an earlier report. Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported that the woman seen in the video and the 37-year-old man are believed to lovers. They had allegedly cheated a male victim into making multiple bank transfers into a designated account. The duo were arrested following the man's report.Police investigations are ongoing.[[nid:733679]]editor@asiaone.com No part of this story can be reproduced without the permission of AsiaOne. 

The cruise industry in South-east Asia yielded US$10 billion (S$12.7 billion) in 2024, making up 5 per cent of the global cruise industry’s output.Spend per passenger in the region was 2.4 times the global average, at US$2,564 per visit, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on April 15, citing figures from the inaugural Economic Impact Assessment of Cruise Tourism for Southeast Asian countries.Singapore captured 48 per cent of the region’s 3.9 million passenger visitors.The study, produced by travel and tourism industry consulting firm Tourism Economics for the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), in partnership with STB, showed that overall, South-east Asia’s cruise tourism contributed US$4.5 billion to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP).The region accounted for 2 per cent of 186 million global cruise passengers in 2024, capturing 5 per cent of global cruise-related GDP.STB said the data showed that cruise tourism introduces visitors to the region’s diverse attractions and helps generate sustained tourism demand beyond the initial cruise visit.

Singapore has the experience to explore more underground spaces and grow its fuel reserves, said Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology Tan See Leng.In a Facebook post on Tuesday (April 14), Dr Tan spoke about his visit to JTC's Jurong Rock Caverns on Monday, and how Singapore is working to safeguard Singapore's energy resilience.The caverns are Southeast Asia's first commercial underground oil storage facility, and can store crude oil or compatible products to increase storage capacity for local refineries.Located 150 metres below Jurong Island, the facility comprises five caverns and a storage capacity equivalent to around nine million barrels.«You could fit a nine-storey building here,» Dr Tan said, labelling the facility as an «engineering feat». 

A family with financial difficulties was able to send off their loved one after local funeral provider Funeral Guru handled the service for free.Following the funeral, the bereaved daughter gave the team red packets containing «carefully saved old notes» to express her thanks.Funeral Guru shared in a Facebook post last Saturday (April 11) that the daughter had presented them with the red packets despite «difficult circumstances» — her mother is currently undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.The funeral service provider explained that they usually donate such contributions to charity on behalf of the deceased and keep a record of the amount in the process.«Our hearts sank when we opened the red packets,» they wrote, noting that the cash was savings, which had been «set aside over time».Photographs shared alongside their post showed an old dollar note and Brunei currency in one of the red packets.«Every note carried the weight of love, gratitude, and a family's quiet resilience in the face of hardship. What may seem modest to some holds immense meaning when it comes from those who have so little to give,» they said.

The police have alerted the public on recent reports of harassment emails involving digitally modified images of victims.There have been about three such cases reported since March this year.In an advisory issued on Tuesday (April 14) night, the police said that victims would receive emails at their work email addresses containing images of them that were digitally modified to show them appearing to engage in sexual acts.Police said the senders would threaten to upload the deepfakes online and send them to the victim's workplace, if they did not respond to the emails.Those who receive such manipulated photograph, video or screenshot, should remain calm, the police said, as the photographs and email addresses were likely obtained from publicly available online sources.They are advised not to initiate contact, make monetary or cryptocurrency transfers, but to report the matter to the police immediately. This includes providing a copy of the email to the police.

The police have arrested six male teenagers, aged between 13 and 16, for their alleged involvement in two cases of motorcycle theft in Punggol.The incidents happened between April 12 and 13 at the vicinity of Punggol Drive and Punggol Central.They were identified and arrested by officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division on Tuesday (April 14) through follow-up investigations.Preliminary investigations revealed that they were able to steal both motorcycles, which have since been recovered, as the transponders were left inside the their storage compartments.The six teenagers also did not possess a valid driving or riding licence as they are underaged. They will be charged in youth court on Wednesday for the offence of theft of motor vehicle — an offence which carries a penalty of up to seven years' jail and fine.If found guilty, the court will determine the appropriate orders, called disposition orders, as the six will then be considered youth offenders. The judge may also call for a probation suitability report. [[nid:733654]]editor@asiaone.com

In May 2025, a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) jet entered a runway at Changi Airport after an air traffic controller cancelled its earlier clearance to line up for take-off.At about 4.52pm on May 19, 2025, the controller told the pilots to stop taxiing the Boeing 737-800 onto the runway for departure after the MAS crew said they needed more time to prepare for take-off.The incident came to light on April 1, 2026, when the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) published its investigation report.At 4.53pm on the day of the incident, the MAS crew proceeded to line the aircraft up on the runway despite permission to do so being cancelled. TSIB found that the controller’s instructions were cut short due to simultaneous transmissions, and phrased in a way that the crew were less accustomed to.No one was injured as a result of the incident. The MAS aircraft was cleared for take-off soon after, at 4.54pm, after another aircraft that landed on the same runway earlier had vacated the area.

A Ministry of Manpower (MOM) study has revealed that almost one in five Singapore workers are over-qualified for their jobs.But this is voluntary because most of the workers choose roles «that better align with their aspirations, work preferences or life circumstances», the study released on Tuesday (April 14) said.Still, Singapore's over-qualification rate of 19.4 per cent is lower than other high-income economies such as the United States, Finland, the United Kingdom and Switzerland — 21.6 per cent.According to MOM, 1.7 per cent of the resident workforce wanted a better job, meaning they were unable to find jobs that matched their higher qualifications.Singapore has a highly educated workforce, with 64 per cent holding tertiary qualification last year, well above the average of 41.2 per cent across high-income countries.The MOM study also said that workers aged 34 and below made up one-third of those in overqualified jobs.In the last 10 years, the median gross monthly income for full-time employed tertiary graduates rose from $5,800 to $7,605.Starting salaries have also increased over the same period.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has shared his well-wishes for the Tamil New Year, Puthandu, falling on Tuesday (April 14), and to Sikhs, Malayalees, Bengalis and other Indian communities in Singapore who are also celebrating festivities in the next couple of days.He also took the opportunity to share his personal preference when it comes to briyani, according to a Facebook post on the same day.He then went on to share his love for the traditional and «quintessential» Indian dish, emphasising how it has transcended race, religion and culture.President Tharman has gone off beef, but there is a choice of chicken, mutton, lamb or seafood briyani to enjoy — which he says must be slow-cooked to infuse the rice with the flavour of meats and spices.But his current preference is vegetable briyani, with jackfruit replacing meat.«It's in fact a fast growing, healthy and environmentally friendly choice in India, where briyani is the most popular food order,» he said.Describing the dish as one that «crossed geographies and cultures», the president briefly addressed briyani's history.

Bishan residents are split after funeral planning flyers were left outside their homes, with views ranging from «inauspicious» to a «harmless» marketing move.The incident occurred at Block 173 Bishan Street 13, reported Shin Min Daily News. A resident told the Chinese daily that they received flyers from funeral provider Nirvana Memorial Garden a few days prior. One flyer advertised a «relaxing and free day trip» which included an itinerary for participants to visit a Buddhist temple and a vegetable wholesale market before heading to the memorial garden. The funeral home, located at 950 Old Choa Chu Kang Road, has a columbarium and offers funeral and exhumation services. 'Cursing me to die earlier' One resident, who only gave her name as Xiu (transliteration), 21, said she felt as thought the flyers were «cursing me to die earlier», making her feel uncomfortable.Another resident, Fu (transliteration), 55, saw the flyer being dropped at his doorstep and assumed it was a regular advertisement, but was shocked when he realised its contents.