A woman who allegedly had sex with an underaged boy multiple times in October last year was charged in court on Thursday (April 9).Foo Jin Wen, 30, faces two counts of sexual penetration involving a minor as the boy was 15 years old at the time.She allegedly had sex with the boy four times within the month in a HDB flat in Yishun.He also allegedly sexually penetrated her in the same unit that month, The Straits Times reported.Court documents did not disclose how the woman was linked to the underage boy.Foo's next court mention will be on May 7.[[nid:732890]]khooyihang@asiaone.com

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a 14-year-old male teenager, Daryl Tan Jing Kang.In a news release on Friday (April 10) morning, the police said he was last seen in the vicinity of Block 25 New Upper Changi Road at about 5.15pm on Thursday.He was wearing a black shirt and black pants.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:732837]]editor@asiaone.com 

Singapore's Olam Group said on Friday founder and CEO Sunny Verghese, along with several senior executives, will step later down this month, as the conglomerate presses ahead with a reorganisation plan to split into separate operating businesses.The company has been undergoing a transformation since 2020, reorganising its operations into three distinct units: Olam Agri, ingredients maker ofi, and Remaining Olam Group. The restructuring aims to simplify the corporate structure, reduce debt levels and give investors clearer visibility into each business segment.Verghese, who co-founded Olam nearly four decades ago, will relinquish his role as group CEO at the conclusion of the company's annual meeting on April 27. He, however, will remain chief executive of Olam Agri, the food staples and grains division that is in the process of being sold to Saudi agricultural investment firm SALIC.Olam said on Friday (April 10) that Chairman Lim Ah Doo will also step down, while CFO N Muthukumar will exit, joining Verghese to help run Olam Agri as the COO, which he assumed since March 2025.

A passenger said they felt «slightly offended» during a private-hire vehicle (PHV) ride after noticing a sign stating that the driver would only speak Mandarin to Chinese passengers.In a TikTok posted on Tuesday (April 7), user @aliciatadah was seated in a PHV vehicle with her husband and looked visibly confused as she pointed at a sign written in Chinese hanging from the driver's seat. The incident took place on Sunday (April 5) as they were on the way home from Kallang. It read: «If you're Chinese, please speak Chinese. I don't speak in English to Chinese people. Sorry!»She added that her husband, who is Peranakan Chinese but cannot read and speak Mandarin well, was saddened by the sign. «Is this race discrimination? Also, what happened to all Singaporeans conversing in basic English so we have racial harmony,» captioned the post. In another post on Wednesday (April 8), the passenger shared that she booked a Grab ride, and when she greeted the driver and confirmed the location, as she usually does, the driver merely grunted at her. 

Transport service providers will receive temporary support from the Government between April and June to defray rising operational costs due to higher fuel prices and ensure continued operation in the near term. Government contracted or subsidised transport service providers will receive the equivalent of 13 per cent of transport fare revenues during the three-month period, said the Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a joint statement on Thursday (April 9). Transport service providers «should keep fares stable during this period», the ministries said, adding that transport fares may have to rise if fuel prices remain elevated beyond June.Additionally, there are existing subsidies to support students, seniors, patients and persons with disabilities if they are not able to afford their transport.School bus operatorsFor the school bus sector, MOE will provide support to operators providing services for primary schools and special education (SPED) schools.

Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers «flagged down» a Malaysia-registered taxi at Woodlands Checkpoint on April 3, but not because they needed a ride.Pictures posted by ICA on its social media show a yellow cross-border taxi and a haversack filled with e-vaporisers.ICA said that the vehicle, driven by a 70-year-old Malaysian man, with two passengers aged 28 and 72, was profiled and directed for enhanced checks.During the checks, ICA's search and examination officers found over 40 e-vaporisers and related components, and 26 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes in the haversack of the 28-year-old male Singaporean passenger.He was arrested and the cases referred to the Health Sciences Authority and Singapore Customs respectively.Parliament on March 6 passed new anti-vaping laws, which will come into force on May 1.

Malaysia's Armed Forces chief Malek Razak Sulaiman is on a three-day visit to Singapore till Friday (April 10).In a statement on Thursday night, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said General Malek is making his introductory visit to Singapore after becoming the 24th armed forces chief on Feb 1. «Both countries' armed forces interact regularly through a wide range of activities, including bilateral exercises, visits and professional exchanges, cross attendance of courses, as well as through multilateral platforms like the Five Power Defence Arrangements, the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM), and ADMM-Plus,» Mindef said.It added that such interactions have strengthened professional ties and mutual understanding between both armed forces, and have contributed to regional security and stability.General Malek called on Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing on Thursday morning.

Amidst a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Brent oil prices fell back below US$100 per barrel on Wednesday (April 8), continuing into Thursday, with Shell becoming the first fuel company here to calibrate petrol prices downwards — by 4 cents. But it has kept its diesel price unchanged, at $4.68.Shell's adjustment also moves its posted price for the popular 95-octane petrol back to the $3.42 per litre mark, last set in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.As at 6pm, no other fuel company has adjusted pump prices.

A 30-year-old male cyclist was injured after a car collided into him at a pedestrian crossing in Geylang on Wednesday (April 8) night. In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the accident at the junction of Sims Way and Geylang Road at around 10.10pm. Dashcam footage of the incident was posted online by Facebook page SGRV Admin.The victim, dressed in a red top and white bottom, is seen cycling across the crossing when a car turns right and collides into him. The cyclist stands up and walks back to the pavement before lying down on the ground. He was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The 73-year-old male car driver is assisting with investigations, said the police.[[nid:733091]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

Normal train services on the Circle Line will resume on Friday (April 10) as tunnel strengthening works at affected stations were completed nine days ahead of schedule.The stations are Mountbatten, Dakota and Paya Lebar stations. Peak-period shuttle buses servicing the affected stations will operate at a reduced frequency before ceasing operation after April 13.With tunnel strengthening works completed, LTA will proceed with the final systems integration testing works in preparation for the opening of the final three Circle Line stations which is slated for mid-2026.As such, train services on the entire Circle Line will be shortened on weekends between April 11 and May 17, providing necessary engineering hours needed for safe and rigorous testing and commissioning of the train systems.Train services will end earlier at 11pm on Saturdays and start later at 9am on Sundays, said LTA and SMRT.With the shortened service hours, shuttle bus services will be provided on Sunday mornings between 5am and 9am.

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is on a three-day official visit to Singapore from Thursday (April 9) to April 11.Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Thursday that the visit reaffirms the bilateral relations between the two countries.«Prime Minister Albanese's visit reaffirms the excellent state of bilateral relations underpinned by the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) 2.0 launched by Prime Minister Wong and Prime Minister Albanese in October 2025,» MFA said.The two countries upgraded bilateral relations on the 60th year of diplomatic ties during PM Wong's visit to Australia in October last year.

After a day-long detour and health check-up, one of the three remaining peregrine falcon chicks that made a recess in OCBC Centre their home took flight once more on Wednesday (April 8), according to the National Parks Board (NParks).The fledgling, tagged as «G00» by NParks via a green tag around its leg, was found by the public at South Bridge Road a day prior.NParks shared with the media that falcon G00 was found on Tuesday evening and promptly picked up by NParks contractors who then brought it to the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation.The bird was responsive to food, which is «always a good sign», said Dr Malcom Soh, the principal researcher for Wildlife Management Research at NParks.«Just this morning, when they checked it, it was still active and doing well,» Dr Soh told the media on Wednesday. «That's why we're able to release it today.»Before they let the bird go, however, NParks placed a Bluetooth tracker on the falcon's tail feathers.This tracker is not a permanent addition, Dr Soh assured, explaining that the object weighs around two grams and will drop off as the bird ages and moults.

A total of 172 men and 79 women, aged between 16 and 84, are under investigation for their suspected involvement in scams as scammers or money mules following a island-wide operation from March 26 to April 8. In a statement on Thursday (April 9), police said the operation involved officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and seven Police Land Divisions, and it targeted suspects believed to be linked to more than 665 scam cases.These scams include e-commerce, friend impersonation, job, government official impersonation, investment, and rental.Victims reportedly lost a total of over $3.9 million.The alleged offenders are being investigated for cheating, money laundering, and providing payment services without a licence.The offence of cheating carries up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine, while money laundering carries up to 10 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to $500,000, or both.Since Dec 30 last year, scammers and members or recruiters of scam syndicates face mandatory caning of at least six strokes, up to 24 strokes. 

SINGAPORE — A migrant worker has won a two-year legal battle after the High Court overturned a lower tribunal's ruling and ordered his former employer to pay more than $5,700 in overtime.In a decision on April 7, High Court Justice Philip Jeyaretnam allowed an appeal by Indian national Gena Hulash Ram against Lim Joo Huat Enterprise, finding the company's treatment of overtime pay unlawful.The case turned on whether a fixed monthly allowance could be used to offset overtime pay. The court ruled that it could not, finding the approach incompatible with Singapore's employment laws.Mr Gena worked as a packer for the fresh produce wholesaler from December 2022 to August 2023.Before he was hired, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) issued an in-principle approval letter stating his basic salary as $1,000 a month, with two allowances: $200 for housing and $300 for «others». His total fixed monthly pay was $1,500. The letter also set his overtime salary rate at $7.87 per hour.The unspecified «others» allowance became the crux of the dispute.[[nid:733254]]

SINGAPORE – The lawyer defending Bloomberg in an ongoing defamation trial said on April 8 that an article it ran on high-value property transactions was not targeted at Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam.Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan contended that good class bungalow (GCB) transactions are routinely reported by mainstream media, and that issues relating to landed properties are a matter of public interest in Singapore.The lawyer cited a few high-profile GCB transactions that were reported in The Straits Times.They include the sale of a Cluny Hill bungalow that was owned by Dr Lee Wei Ling, daughter of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, to Mr Shi Yonghong, the co-founder of hotpot chain Haidilao, for $50 million.He also cited the sale of a bungalow in Nassim Road to the wife of the founder of Nanofilm Technologies International, a local nanotechnology solutions company.Ms Jin Xiao Qun had bought the property from businesswoman Oei Siu Hoa, also known as Sukmawati Widjaja, for $128.8 million.

Singapore welcomes the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East, and the commitment under the ceasefire to restoring shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.The war, now in its sixth week, has claimed more than 5,000 lives in nearly a dozen countries, including at least 1,600 civilians in Iran, according to a Reuters report based on tallies from government sources and human rights reports.Pakistani sources have purportedly said mediation efforts to halt the war nearly collapsed as Iran struck a Saudi petrochemical facility on Tuesday, but the country's military and civilian leadership continued speaking to senior United State and Iranian, Saudi and other officials until Trump announced the breakthrough.

Higher rental rates at Goodman Arts Centre initially planned for 2026 will be deferred to support tenants amid heightened economic uncertainty due to ongoing Middle East tensions, said Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Baey Yam Keng.Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday (April 8), Baey was responding to a question by Mountbatten MP Gho Sze Kee who asked if there were any measures in place to help tenants as rental prices were set to «increase significantly».Rental rates at Goodman Arts Centre are decided by Arts House Group (AHG), a public company under the National Arts Council (NAC).Goodman Arts Centre houses a total of 77 units — including short-term venues and longer-term housing options. Out of the lot, 26 are project studios offering flexible short-term tenancies of up to 12 months for artists who have project-specific needs. The remaining 51 units are under the Framework for Arts Spaces scheme, which supports arts groups for up to nine years, and is subsidised by NAC by up to 80 per cent.

An 18-year-old male teenager was arrested for allegedly stealing a motorcycle from a carpark in Bidadari. In a press release on Wednesday (April 8), the police said they were alerted to the theft on April 2 at 2.30pm. The motorcycle had been parked at a carpark in the vicinity of Block 101A Bidadari Park Drive. Officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division identified the teenager with the aid of images from police cameras and arrested him on Tuesday. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was able to start the motorcycle as its transponder had been left inside a storage compartment. The stolen vehicle was subsequently recovered, and the teenager will be charged in court on Thursday.If found guilty of vehicle theft, he faces a jail term of up to seven years along with a fine. [[nid:733254]]dana.leong@asiaone.com  No part of this story can be reproduced without the permission of AsiaOne.

The Government is taking the lead to conserve energy and contribute towards Singapore's energy resilience amidst global fuel supply chains being disrupted by the Middle East conflict.«All ministries, departments, organs of state and statutory boards have been directed to adopt energy conservation measures to reduce electricity consumption across government facilities where practicable, while balancing operational needs,» said the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a joint press release on Wednesday (April 8).The directive follows Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's message to Singaporeans on April 2.In his message, PM Wong urged Singaporeans to «stand together» to take practical steps to conserve energy and reduce unnecessary consumption and waste. PM Wong also pointed out that while these may seem like «small steps», they can make a real difference when taken together. 

Supermarket operator FairPrice Group (FPG) will implement a price freeze for 100 of its most popular daily essentials to cushion the rising cost of living amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.The price freeze will last from April 9 to May 31, and feature pantry staples such as housebrand rice, oil, eggs, fresh and frozen pork and chicken, Milo, milk and detergent, said FPG in a press release on Wednesday (April 8).Data from FPG shows that nine out of 10 Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Blue and Orange customers purchase products from its basket of 100 essentials.«This price freeze is part of FPG's wider commitment to keep daily essentials within reach for all, amidst the growing impact of economic and geopolitical volatility on Singaporeans' daily lives,» said the group.To further support vulnerable communities, Blue and Orange CHAS cardholders will also receive double the amount of discounts — from three to six per cent — during the price freeze.The additional discounts will be supported by FairPrice Foundation, which is FPG's philanthropic arm.

Slightly over a week after the beverage container return scheme (BCRS) kicked in, the scheme's licensed operator said it has received feedback that some members of public are unable to return their containers via the Return Right machines.In a Facebook post on Wednesday (April 8), the operator said the most likely cause of containers being rejected is because they do not have a deposit mark. The deposit mark on an empty beverage container. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Ong Chin Wee Although some 1,070 Return Right machines have been deployed across Singapore since April 1, most supermarkets, shops and food centres are likely to be clearing existing stocks of beverage containers that do not have the deposit mark.

TikTokers called out netizens who made «misogynistic» comments about Naomi Neo's alleged sexual harassment incident, slamming commenters who questioned if the influencer was «pretty enough» to be targeted.On April 4, the content creator said in an Instagram post that she had been molested at a flea market event at Aperia Mall, confirming that a police report had been made.The incident drew an overwhelming response online, with many netizens expressing concern. However, others questioned whether the incident had really occurred, making disparaging remarks about the influencer.«Wear modestly and it will solve these kind of problems,» one netizen commented, while another accused her of «grabbing attention».One even asked why the person would «want to touch her».'Why is sexual assault so normalised in Singapore?': TikToker slams disparaging commentsTikToker @fu.wari slammed the netizens who made such remarks in a post, which has since been taken down.«Why is sexual assault so normalised in Singapore? I just don't get it,» she said, adding that such incidents were common in the country.

SINGAPORE — An off-duty Certis auxiliary policeman arrested at a shopping mall with a loaded service revolver in his possession in 2024 told investigators he had wanted to kill himself after his girlfriend broke up with him over his gambling habit.Heng Jun Hao, 29, who was arrested at Bugis+ mall following a police search that involved more than 100 officers, was sentenced to six years, six months and two weeks' jail and six strokes of the cane on April 8.He had pleaded guilty to two charges — unlawful possession of a firearm and a separate charge of committing mischief — in October 2025.In an earlier statement, Certis, a security company, said that Heng was suspended after he was first arrested in May 2024.Deputy Public Prosecutor Koh Yi Wen told the court that Heng had been gambling since he was 20 years old and the habit had worsened over the years. He later promised his girlfriend that he would quit gambling.Heng joined Certis as an auxiliary policeman in October 2023 and was later deployed to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore at Changi Airport.

Singapore will not engage in negotiations for safe passage of ships or on toll rates because it goes against the right of transit passage set out in international law, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan on Tuesday (April 7).He was responding to a parliamentary question by MP Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied GRC), who had asked if the Government is engaging the Iranian authorities to secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz for Singapore-flagged vessels.The MP cited the example of Malaysia, which recently confirmed that one of its seven commercial vessels has safely transited the waterway following high-level diplomatic engagements, including telephone conversations between Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian.Fadli also asked if Singapore will be open to paying a toll to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Two motorcyclists teamed up to move a small tree that had fallen due to the rainy weather on the expressway on Tuesday (April 7). The incident took place along the PIE near the Stevens road exit at about 9.30am. Dashcam footage of the incident posted on Instagram the same day shows a motorcyclist stopping before a fallen tree that was blocking the left-most lane. Another motorcyclist had also stopped to help remove the obstruction. After successfully pushing the tree off the road, the two riders continued on their journey. The post cheekily captioned: «Call me a saint cause I'm going back up to heaven after this one, all in a day's work.» The dashcam footage owner, identified as Jerry, told AsiaOne that it took them roughly three minutes to move the tree off of the road. He added that the roads were very wet and slippery due to the pouring rain, which noticeably reduced visibility. «The interesting thing was actually how there were zero words exchanged the entire time, we only said goodbyes at the end,» he said. 

More than 23,000 healthcare workers in Singapore's community care sector could see pay increases of about 7 per cent or more for most jobs, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Wednesday (April 8).Under the revised guidelines, for example, a staff nurse who earned a median monthly salary of $4,420 in 2024 would see this increase to about $4,980 in 2026.Similarly, the median monthly salary for pharmacists is projected to rise from $4,780 in 2024 to about $5,400 in 2026.MOH said the updated guidelines, first introduced in 2024, aim to help Community Care Organisations (CCOs) attract and retain talent by maintaining the sector’s market competitiveness and enhancing transparency for both jobseekers and employees.«Community care staff play an important part in Singapore's healthcare system, especially as MOH right-sites care from acute hospitals to community settings,» the ministry said. "CCOs should use the guidelines to enhance fairness in pay structures and salaries within their respective organisations and sector.

About 6 per cent of foster parents have been deregistered annually since 2023, said Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming on Wednesday (April 8). The reasons why these foster parents decline to temporarily take in children who have been abused, abandoned or neglected include new family commitments, health and age-related factors, as well as relocation, he added.Goh was responding to a series of parliamentary questions from Nominated Member of Parliament Neo Kok Beng.Besides attrition rates, Neo, who is himself a foster parent, had asked whether the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is planning to issue guidelines for co-parenting arrangements between foster and biological parents.As of December 2024, there were 530 foster children and 633 foster families — an increase from 614 foster families in 2023. Goh replied that MSF is open to considering co-parent arrangements between foster and biological parents «where appropriate».  «Particularly to facilitate reunification of the child with the biological parents and where it is in the child’s best interests,» he added.

Preparations for this year’s haj pilgrimage are proceeding as planned with the authorities continuing to monitor latest developments in the Middle East, said Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim on Wednesday (April 8).In the event that the haj is cancelled or disrupted, or if pilgrims decide to defer, they will be given priority in the following years. Associate Professor Faishal was responding to a question from Member of Parliament Wan Rizal on the status of this year’s haj arrangements for Singaporeans amid the conflict in the Middle East.All 900 haj slots for Muslim pilgrims in Singapore for 2026 have been filled, with more people aged 70 and older set to travel compared with 2025.The haj is a major Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and represents the fifth pillar of Islam. Muslims who are physically and financially able to do so must undertake the journey at least once. Responding, Assoc Prof Faishal said that the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) is in close contact with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on the arrangements.

A joint venture comprising Frasers Property and Mitsubishi Estate have submitted the top bid of $610.8 million for a government land sale site (GLS) at Kallang Close in District 14.The waterfront residential site spans 123,320 sq ft with a plot ratio of 3.5, and a maximum gross floor area (GFA) of 431,611 sq ft. The top bid translates to a land rate of $1,415 psf per plot ratio (ppr).If the top bid submitted by the Frasers Property-Mistubishi Estate JV is accepted by the government, it is possible that the average selling price of the new development could start from S$2,900 psf and average above S$3,000 psf, says Leonard Tay, head of research at Knight Frank.The expected selling price of the new development will also depend on how effectively the developer capitalises on the waterfront aspect through design, unit facing, tower layout, positioning and finishes, says Tay.Based on typical development timelines and prevailing construction costs, and if the site is awarded, the new project could launch in 2Q2027. [[nid:733132]]

A 39-year-old man was arrested for possessing prohibited weapons and offensive items after being caught firing projectiles from his Potong Pasir home on Monday (April 6). In a statement on Wednesday, the police said that they were alerted to the incident along Potong Pasir Avenue 1 at about 10am on April 6. During investigations, officers from the Ang Mo Kio Division found a substantial cache of weapons and prohibited items in the unit.They seized items including two pre-charged pneumatic rifles, four BB guns, four gel blasters, eight bows with 36 arrows, three 3D-printed crossbows with 83 arrows, three slingshots, nine flip knives, three knives with sheaths, one stun device, one extendable baton, and various projectiles.Officers also recovered a 3D printer and 17 rolls of printing filament believed to have been used to manufacture some parts.

A 38-year-old woman who was involved in a high profile Chinatown accident in February that resulted in a death of a six-year-old tourist from Indonesia and serious injuries to her 31-year-old mother was charged in court on Wednesday (April 8). Both victims were holidaying in Singapore.The accused — who arrived at the State Courts at around 8.25am — was given one charge of driving without due care and attention causing death and another charge of driving without due care and attention resulting in grievous hurt. She cannot be named due to a gag order imposed under the Children and Young Persons Act, as her son, a minor, was in the car during the accident and is a potential witness.The accident occurred at about 11.50am on Feb 6 in an open-air carpark near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and the driver was arrested at the scene. She is an Indian national, according to charge sheets.

A 37-year-old Singaporean man was arrested on Tuesday (April 7) morning for attempting to evade further security checks after he arrived at Woodlands Checkpoint.The incident happened at about 6.35am at the bus hall.In a joint news release on Tuesday night, the police and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said he was directed for further checks by a security screening officer who suspected him of concealing items in his pants.After placing his bags for X-ray screening, he was about to undergo a physical pat-down inspection when he fled the bus hall with his belongings.ICA officers were alerted and he was intercepted within the checkpoint's premises, where he was found with five packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes on him.He was arrested by ICA officers and referred to the police and Singapore Customs for further investigations.The man will be charged in court on Wednesday for failing to comply with an authorised officer's request for inspection under the Infrastructure Protection Act 2017.If found guilty of the said offence, he may be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $20,000, or both.

A 60-year-old man was arrested on Monday (April 6) for his alleged involvement in two cases of loan shark harassment in Geylang and Tampines.The police said in a news release on Tuesday that they were alerted to the cases at homes along Ubi Avenue 1 and Tampines Street 22 on Monday. Photos of the alleged crime scene along Ubi Avenue 1 provided by the police show a bicycle lock used to the secure the main gate of a victim's unit, along with a debtor's note that reads: «O$P$. First warning (sic).»Officers from Bedok Police Division and the Police Operations Command Centre established the identity of the suspect through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from police cameras. He was arrested within eight hours of police being alerted. Two bicycle locks, two debtor's notes and one mobile phone were seized as case exhibits. The man will be charged in court on Wednesday for loan shark harassment.The punishment for first-time offenders is a fine of between $5,000 and $50,000, with a jail term of up to five years, along with caning of up to six strokes.Only male offenders below 50 are liable for caning.

The $200 cash relief for platform workers and taxi drivers that was announced by Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow in Parliament on Tuesday (April 7) amid rising fuel costs is a result of strong tripartite discussions, said NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Yeo Wan Ling. In a Facebook post, Yeo said the labour movement and various platform work associations have been actively engaging and pressing for relief measures, alongside support by platform operators, as workers face escalating cost pressures. «This support did not come by chance,» she said, adding that she is glad to see the efforts coming to fruition as it brings «timely help» to workers. 

The dust had barely settled on the Government's announcement of a first tranche of support measures for businesses, households and industry sectors impacted by the ongoing Middle East conflict when two fuel companies — Sinopec and SPC — again hiked their diesel prices for a second consecutive day.China-headquartered oil and chemical company Sinopec raised its posted price for diesel at around 4pm by 25 cents to $4.68  — mirroring prices set earlier by Esso and Shell on Monday — while SPC also raised its diesel price, but by 20 cents to $4.62. Both companies had also carried out upward price adjustments on Monday, by 20 cents and 30 cents respectively.This means that Sinopec raised its diesel price by 45 cents over two days, while SPC increased its price by 50 cents over the same period.