The Singapore Government has announced its intention to gazette the site at 38 Oxley Road — home of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew — to preserve it as a national monument. If a preservation order is made, the Government intends to acquire the site to «safeguard it and preserve it in keeping with its historical significance and national importance», said the National Heritage Board’s (NHB) Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board (PSM AB).The preservation of buildings, monuments and sites in Singapore is guided by the PSM division under NHB, with advice from the PSM AB.The bungalow on that site was Lee Kuan Yew's home from the mid-1940s until his death in 2015, and one of his sons, Lee Hsien Yang had claimed to be the sole legal owner of the site.The owner of the property is 38 Oxley Road Pte Ltd, which according to AsiaOne's checks is controlled by Lee Hsien Yang. His son Li Huanwu is listed as a director in that company.

The Government has announced its intention on Monday (Nov 3) to gazette the site at 38 Oxley Road - home of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew - to preserve it as a national monument.This site has been found «to be of national significance with great historic merit» and «worthy of preservation», said the National Heritage Board's (NHB) Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board.Based on this assessment, NHB has recommended that the site be preserved, while Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo has accepted this and intends to gazette 38 Oxley Road for preservation as a national monument.So, what does this mean for the site's owner? AsiaOne breaks down why it matters and what happens next.Why is 38 Oxley Road important?Built in the late 19th century, the site is associated with key events in Singapore's history. The basement dining room, for example, was where founding fathers such as Dr Goh Keng Swee and Dr Toh Chin Chye held meetings at during the 1950s. That subsequently led to the formation of the People's Action Party (PAP) and the site was PAP's headquarters until 1959.

SINGAPORE — On Nov 4, Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh is set to appeal against the conviction and sentence meted out to him in February for lying to a parliamentary committee.The Workers' Party (WP) chief was fined a total of $14,000 on Feb 17, when he was found guilty of giving false testimonies to the Committee of Privileges (COP), which was looking into a lie told by then WP MP Raeesah Khan.He pleaded not guilty during the 13-day trial and announced to reporters outside the State Courts his intention to appeal against the decision after he received the maximum fine of $7,000 for each charge.Singh was charged under the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act in March 2024, more than two years after the COP's report said he had not been truthful in his testimony while under oath.The committee had been looking into Khan, who in August 2021 lied about accompanying a sexual assault victim to a police station, and in October repeated the false claim before the House.

National water agency PUB's Johor River Waterworks have resumed operations a day after it suspended operations as a precaution, after reports of pollution in the Johor River.In a statement on Sunday (Nov 2) evening, PUB said that operations resumed at 12pm the same day.«PUB has resumed operations at Johor River Waterworks, following checks to confirm that water quality in the Johor River has returned to normal levels,» the agency said, adding that water supply from the plant to Singapore resumed at 5.30pm.On Nov 1, PUB temporarily suspended operations at the plant after a damaged «bund silt pond» caused silt to flow into the Johor River.Water supply in Singapore was unaffected as PUB stepped up production at local plants to meet the local demand of about 440 million gallons a day. The National Environment Agency (NEA), in a Facebook post on the same day, also said Singapore agencies are closely monitoring the East Johor Strait after two pollution incidents - one from sand mining in the Johor River and another from a palm oil spill off Kampung Pasir Putih.

SINGAPORE — Singapore's two largest universities have put up advisories cautioning prospective applicants against purported study-abroad agencies on Chinese social media platforms offering paid services that claim to help applicants secure «guaranteed» admissions to their postgraduate degree programmes.The National University of Singapore's (NUS) advisory on its website said the agencies will typically employ fraudulent means such as fabricating academic qualifications and other credentials in application packages to mislead universities.The university said candidates need to fulfil stipulated qualifying criteria and all applications are reviewed based on merit. «There are no 'guaranteed', 'fast track' or 'direct' admission routes to NUS,» it added.Checks on Xiaohongshu found many such agencies offering «direction admission» to NUS and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Most of the agencies target those with poor high school grades or low undergraduate GPAs, and who have yet to pass English proficiency tests such as the International English Language Testing System.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong will pay his respects to Thailand's late Queen Mother Sirikit at Bangkok's Grand Palace on Monday (Nov 3).SM Lee will be accompanied by his wife Ho Ching and officials from the Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Sirikit died on Oct 24 at the age of 93, having «suffered several illnesses» while in hospital since 2019, including a blood infection earlier in October, according to the Thai Royal Household Bureau.She became the Queen Mother after her only son, now King Maha Vajiralongkorn, was coronated in 2019 following the death of the late King Bhumibol in 2016.Always stylish, Sirikit collaborated with French couturier Pierre Balmain on eye-catching outfits made from Thai silk. By supporting the preservation of traditional weaving practices, she is credited with helping revitalise Thailand's silk industry, Reuters reported. 

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be visiting Brunei for an official visit from Nov 3 to 4 for the 11th Young Leaders' Programme (YLP). PM Wong, who was invited by Brunei's Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, also the Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, will lead a delegation of Singapore political office-holders during the two-day visit.The visit will be PM Wong's second visit to Brunei as head of government, following his introductory visit in June 2024. The YLP, which started in 2013, is an annual exchange of visits that Singapore and Brunei take turns to host.«The annual YLP serves to build and deepen ties between the next generation of leaders. It reflects the strong commitment of both countries to enhance our special bilateral relationship. It also marks an opportunity to advance our partnership in areas of shared interest,» Singapore's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Sunday (Nov 2).

The issue of race is never absent from politics and «harmony in Singapore cannot be left to chance or wishful thinking», said Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai on Sunday (Nov 2).He was responding to a video posted by secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Chee Soon Juan on Oct 17.In his video, Chee alleged that policies made by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) - indication of race on their National Registration Identity Cards (NRICs); establishment of ethnic-based self-help groups; and creation of the group representation constituency (GRC) - suggest that it was the PAP which has been engaging in race and identity politics.Chee's video was posted three days after Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam delivered a ministerial statement on race and religion in parliament. 

SEOUL – Singapore and South Korea have agreed to work more closely in a range of areas such as trade, sustainability and defence technology, as the two countries upgrade bilateral ties.On Nov 1, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung jointly launched a strategic partnership between the two countries at the presidential office in Seoul.The strategic partnership has eight agreements, including a pact to establish a green and digital shipping corridor where the two nations will collaborate to support the maritime sector’s transition to zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and accelerate digitalisation.At a press conference following the launch, PM Wong noted that the upgrade of ties comes at a significant time, with Singapore and South Korea celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations.When both sides established relations in 1975, the global economy was still recovering from deep turbulence. Yet South Korea and Singapore pressed on and emerged as “Asian Tigers”, he added.

A dog owner has accused a Tanjong Katong pet groomer of negligence, after his dog died in the shop.Speaking to AsiaOne, Tanish Dhillon said his dog Buddy died at Pawsome Singapore on Thursday (Oct 30) due to a lack of care.According to Dhillon, Buddy died at 10.01am and no one checked on the poodle for an hour afterwards.Dhillon said he was alerted to Buddy's death at 11.50am and was told his dog had «just collapsed».In a twelve-minute CCTV footage posted on Dhillon's Instagram, Buddy can be seen alone in the grooming area whining loudly.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has ordered the single-storey industrial building with a metal roof that caught fire on Nov 1 to close for further assessments and rectifications.In a statement on Sunday (Nov 2), the authority said the building - at 1079 Eunos Avenue 7 - is «badly damaged» by the fire.«BCA will be serving orders to the building owner to close off the building for further detailed assessment and rectifications to be carried out,» the authority said. It added that the owner is required to appoint a professional engineer (PE) to advise on the necessary precautionary measures to obviate any immediate danger. The PE is also required to carry out detailed investigations of the affected structure and recommend permanent rectification works. 

A woman was crossing the road with her children at Tampines on Oct 24 when heavy rain caused a tree to fall on them.In a TikTok video, Zila Fazlan wrote that she was crossing the road along Tampines Street 32 and 33 around night time when a sudden storm occurred.«A loud clanking metal sound was heard, and within seconds, a tree fell onto the pedestrian walkway,» she said.«The incident happened abruptly, and my elder son and I were trapped under the fallen tree,» she added. «My younger son managed to escape unharmed.»Zila told Mothership that she and her son managed to free themselves, but they could not remember how they did it. She described their experience as «pure shock and survival instinct».A passer-by took Zila and her sons, ages 7 and 12, to a shelter, where they also helped to call an ambulance.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they received a call for assistance at the junction of Tampines Street 32 and 34 at about 10.25pm.Zila was taken to Changi General Hospital and was treated for abrasions, lower back pain, and a swollen knee. She was discharged on Oct 28.

Thai police have apprehended 24 suspected members of an international crime syndicate who allegedly fled Myanmar and were hiding in a luxury villa in Samut Prakan and a hotel in Bangkok.The Facebook page of the Royal Thai Police announced on Friday (Oct 31) that among those apprehended were nationals from the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and China.The Nation Thailand reported that one suspect was Singaporean, while the Thai Enquirer stated there were two.The Facebook post stated: «On Oct 29, 2025, Division 2 of the CSD (Crime Suppression Division) led police officers to inspect a luxury pool villa in the border province of ​​Samut Prakan. They found 22 foreigners, including Filipinos and Singaporeans, residing there.»After being brought in for questioning and passport and immigration checks, police learnt that «the individuals had previously worked as scammers in Myawaddy, Myanmar» and that they had fled to Thailand following unrest around Oct 21.They aimed to stay temporarily in the villa between Oct 27 and 31 «pending departure to a third country».[[nid:724623]]

Thai police have apprehended 24 suspected members of an international crime syndicate who allegedly fled Myanmar and were hiding in a luxury villa in Samut Prakan and a hotel in Bangkok.The Facebook page of the Royal Thai Police announced on Friday (Oct 31) that among those apprehended were nationals from the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and China.The Nation Thailand reported that one suspect was Singaporean, while the Thai Enquirer stated there were two.The Facebook post stated: «On Oct 29, 2025, Division 2 of the CSD (Crime Suppression Division) led police officers to inspect a luxury pool villa in the border province of ​​Samut Prakan. They found 22 foreigners, including Filipinos and Singaporeans, residing there.»After being brought in for questioning and passport and immigration checks, police learnt that «the individuals had previously worked as scammers in Myawaddy, Myanmar» and that they had fled to Thailand following unrest around Oct 21.They aimed to stay temporarily in the villa between Oct 27 and 31 «pending departure to a third country».[[nid:724623]]

A fire broke out at Eunos Industrial Estate on Saturday (Nov 1) afternoon.In a Facebook post at around 6pm, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at 1079 Eunos Avenue 7, adding that firefighting operation is ongoing.  

A 15-year-old was among 38 persons arrested for their suspected involvement in scams as money mules. Another nine, including a 16-year-old, are assisting with investigations.This follows an island-wide anti-scam enforcement operation conducted over a four-day period between Oct 28 and 31.The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a press release on Saturday (Nov 1) that those arrested are aged between 15 and 52, while those assisting with investigations are aged between 16 and 55.SPF's Commercial Affairs Department and the seven police land divisions conducted the operation after a surge in scam cases between September and October, where victims lost money through fraudulent PayNow QR codes generated through YouTrip.Multiple scam types, including internet love scam, used by scammersAccording to the police, the scammers generated PayNow QR codes through YouTrip and sent them to victims under false pretences, claiming the codes were required for legitimate payments or account verification. 

Thundery showers are expected on most days in the first fortnight of November, due to the prevailing inter-monsoon conditions over Singapore and the surrounding region.The showers are expected over parts of the island in the afternoon and may extend into the evening on a few of these days, said the Meteorological Service Singapore on Friday (Oct 31). In addition, Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds on one or two mornings.Sumatra squalls are lines of thunderstorms that develop over Indonesia's Sumatra island or the Strait of Malacca and move eastwards across the strait, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia.According to the Met Service, the total rainfall for the first half of October is forecast to be below average over most parts of the island.Daily maximum temperatures are likely to range between 32 deg C and 34 deg C on most days, and reach around 35 deg C on a few days.

A fire broke out at Eunos Industrial Estate on Saturday (Nov 1) afternoon.In a Facebook post at around 6pm, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at 1079 Eunos Avenue 7, adding that firefighting operation is ongoing.  

With the prevalence of social media and reliance on technology, it's more crucial than ever for young children to develop healthy digital habits.As such, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has launched a comprehensive set of resources to help parents guide their children on how to use technology responsibly.These were introduced during the fourth edition of the Digital for Life (DfL) Festival at Heartbeat@Bedok on Nov 1, which was hosted by Josephine Teo, Minister for Digital Development and Information, and graced by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Patron of the Digital for Life movement. This year, the DfL Festival was held across two weekends, at VivoCity (Oct 25 to 26) and Heartbeat@Bedok (Nov 1 to 2), featuring over 110 partners from the people, private and public sectors and offering interactive experiences for Singaporeans of all ages. 

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) economies can benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) and harness it to drive the next wave of growth for its 21 member economies, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Saturday (Nov 1).He was speaking at the second session of the Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) held in Gyeongju, South Korea.The 21-member grouping represents about 61 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP).PM Wong said that Singapore's focus is on the application and use of AI, adding that the country is keen to cooperate and exchange best practices with other Apec economies.«We are a small, compact, digitally connected city-state. We can't ourselves develop the best leading-edge AI foundation models ourselves, but we can make use of them to develop and create applications with the biggest impact, in areas like finance, logistics, healthcare and advanced manufacturing,» he added.

From Nov 15, drivers of foreign-owned vehicles lacking a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP), especially vehicles from Singapore, will not be allowed to leave Malaysia until they have paid outstanding fines.Unlike previously, when enforcement was limited to private vehicles only, the new measure will also target company-owned vehicles, with fines to be imposed on drivers who do not possess a VEP, have an expired one or are still in the midst of registering for the tag.Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Aedy Fadly Ramli announced this to local media on the evening of Oct 31, following an enforcement operation carried out at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Johor Bahru.“Previously, our operations were confined to Johor, but they are now being expanded nationwide. Any Singapore-registered vehicle found without a VEP anywhere in Malaysia will be subject to enforcement action,” Malaysian news outlet Bernama quoted Datuk Aedy as saying.He added that drivers who have been issued fines will not only have to settle them immediately, but also complete their VEP registration before leaving the country.

SINGAPORE – Do Kwon, the co-founder of fallen blockchain company Terraform Labs, has filed an appeal against a High Court decision to dismiss his claim for a partial refund of the amounts he paid for a $38.8 million penthouse. Kwon had made payments totalling $19.4 million to the vendor before he ultimately decided not to go ahead with the purchase of the unit at the Sculptura Ardmore condominium in Ardmore Park.He sought a High Court declaration that the forfeiture of the sum was invalid and unlawful.Kwon later narrowed down his claim to the return of two sums totalling $18.4 million, which were paid to the vendor before the option to purchase was exercised.Justice Philip Jeyaretnam had dismissed Kwon’s claim on Aug 26.On Oct 30, the judge issued written reasons, noting that Kwon had filed a notice of appeal on Sept 22 against his decision.The written decision did not link Kwon to the Singapore-based Terraform Labs or his other legal troubles.The cryptocurrencies developed by Terraform Labs, TerraUSD and Luna, crashed in May 2022, triggering a market meltdown.

PUB has temporarily suspended operations at its Johor River Waterworks treatment plant as a precaution, after reports of pollution in the Johor River.In response to media queries, the national water agency added on Saturday (Nov 1) that water supply in Singapore remains unaffected as it has stepped up production at local plants to meet demand.According to a Bernama report on Friday, Malaysia's Environment Department (DOE) had investigated the incident and confirmed that a «bund silt pond» had been damaged, believed to be caused by sand dredging activities in upstream Sungai Johor.The damage caused silt to flow into the river, according to Johor DOE director Dr Mohd Famey Yusoff in a statement.He said that the Johor water regulatory body, Badan Kawalselia Air Johor (Bakaj), had ordered the sand dredging operation to be stopped immediately and repair works to be carried out, but «the escaped 'silt' could not be contained as it continued to flow into the river».

Two Singaporeans were arrested after the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) conducted two separate operations on Thursday (Oct 30), seizing about $4,920 in cash and a total of 115 e-vaporiser pods and 13 e-vaporisers believed to contain etomidate.In a statement on Friday (Oct 31), CNB said it acted on a tip-off and arrested a 42-year-old Singaporean man at his Yishun Ring Road residence for suspected drug offences.A search of the unit uncovered vape-related products and about $3,900 in cash. Suspecting that the man had discarded items down the kitchen rubbish chute, officers searched the chute linked to the unit and recovered 109 e-vaporiser pods and 11 e-vaporisers believed to contain etomidate.On the same day, CNB officers conducted an operation at another residential unit in the vicinity of Fernvale Lane, which led to the arrest of a 31-year-old Singaporean woman for suspected drug offences.

About 500,000 personnel from the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will see an increase in their group insurance scheme from Nov 1.The coverage will go up to $350,000 each, from $300,000. In a joint statement on Friday (Oct 31), the two ministries said that coverage will increase for both the Group Term Life and Group Personal Injury insurance for full-time national servicemen, eligible operationally ready national servicemen, eligible regulars, and eligible volunteers in the ministries as well as the Home Team.«Insured individuals who wish to increase their coverage or insure their dependants can purchase additional coverage from the appointed insurance company, Singlife,» the statement said.The scheme was introduced in 2016.In January 2023, coverage under each policy for all service personnel and eligible volunteers was increased from $150,000 to $300,000. [[nid:724001]]xingying.koh@asiaone.com

In the face of global uncertainties and with multilateralism under pressure, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) grouping's mission to champion free and open trade and investments in the Asia-Pacific region «is now more important than ever,» said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (Oct 31). He was speaking at the first session of the Apec economic leaders' meeting (AELM) being held in Gyeongju, South Korea.The non-binding 21-member grouping accounts for 50 per cent of global trade and contributed 61 per cent of real gross domestic product in 2023. Said PM Wong: «Apec can make a difference by embracing the spirit of cooperation, being pragmatic, and staying forward looking. »Doing so will deliver tangible outcomes for our economies, while reinforcing the rules-based global order."

SINGAPORE - Minister for Sustainability and Environment Grace Fu has made it to the Time100 Climate 2025 list, which highlights the most influential leaders driving business climate action.Fu, who is also Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, was recognised for the Singapore government's significant investments and plans to prioritise nature in the Republic and help the city adapt to climate change.She was named on the list on Oct 30, along with others like Pope Leo XIV, Suriname president Jennifer Geerlings-Simons and actor Samuel L. Jackson, in the third edition of the annual list by New York-based magazine Time.The list lauds decision-makers, executives, researchers and innovators who have unlocked funding and resources needed for climate action, despite a year beleaguered by geopolitical conflicts and trade tensions.It comes less than two weeks ahead of the COP30 UN talks in Brazil, where governments of nearly 200 countries will discuss how to limit climate change and prepare for its impacts.

About 500 car parks in HDB estates across the island experienced technical issues with their parking systems on Friday (Oct 31).In a Facebook post on Oct 31, HDB said it is currently investigating the cause of the issue.«In the meantime, we have lifted the barrier arms of affected parking gantries to allow motorists to enter and exit the car parks expeditiously,» said HDB. It added that it is working closely with service providers to resolve the issue as soon as possible.According to comments on the Facebook group TADA Drivers Club, one user noted that when he returned home at 12pm, there was a long queue to enter the car park.Others added that drivers had to alight from their vehicles to manually lift the barrier arms in order to enter and exit the car parks.AsiaOne has reached out to HDB for more information. This is a developing story.[[nid:705330]]xingying.koh@asiaone.com

With the rise in traffic offences, new Traffic Violation Enforcement Cameras (TVECs) have been rolled out islandwide to commence progressive testing and calibration to detect various traffic violations.Speaking to the media at the Traffic Police (TP) headquarters in Ubi on Thursday (Oct 30), Inspector Toh Xin Le, team leader of the patrol team, said: «These cameras enforce against traffic violations such as illegal U-turns and crossing of double white lines.»The TVEC, which was first implemented in September for trials, uses Video Analytics (VA) and automatic number plate recognition to detect and capture traffic offences in real time.«It is capable of detecting movement patterns and identifying violations such as crossing double white lines, red light offences, violations of directional signs and vehicles stopping in yellow boxes,» said the police in a statement. 

A shop in Yishun selling personal mobility devices (PMDs) was recently raided by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).In a Facebook post on Thursday (Oct 30), the authority said the retailer is suspected of illegally modifying PMDs by adding extra batteries.Active mobility enforcement officers (AMEOs) seized three non-compliant devices during a raid on Oct 29. Investigations into the retailer are ongoing.«We'll continue to take firm action against retailers and individuals suspected of offering illegal device modification services,» said LTA, adding that unapproved alterations put PMD users and the public at risk.Individuals are urged to only buy compliant devices from trusted retailers and to check second-hand devices for defects and modifications before buying.Members of the public can report errant retailers or path users at www.lta.gov.sg/feedback, and LTA will take into consideration the feedback in planning enforcement operations.

Six properties and various financial assets worth over $150 million were seized by police following an island-wide operation against China-born Cambodian businessman 38-year-old Chen Zhi, the founder and chairman of Prince Holding Group.Police said in a statement on Friday (Oct 31) that the operation on Thursday (Oct 30) was in relation to alleged offences of money laundering and forgery.In a statement on Oct 14, US Department of Justice had accused Chen of being the «mastermind behind a sprawling cyber fraud empire operating under the Prince Group umbrella».Calling it a «criminal enterprise» built on human suffering, Assistant Attorney-General for National Security John Eisenberg said: «Trafficked workers were confined in prison-like compounds and forced to carry out online scams on an industrial scale, preying on thousands worldwide.» 

SHOALWATER BAY, Australia — While out and about in her uniform, Stephanie Krishnan tends to draw attention, especially when she begins speaking.Contrary to her distinct Australian accent, this 52-year-old has been living in Singapore for nearly 30 years.And she is also an Auxillary Security Trooper with the Singapore Armed Forces Volunteer Corps (SAFVC) where for the past two weeks, she has been carrying out sentry duties at Camp Tilpal in Shoalwater Bay, Australia as part of Exercise Wallaby 2025.The Singapore Permanent Resident and Australian citizen told media at the camp on Wednesday (Oct 28) that she wanted to give back to Singapore by being part of the service.«So when I saw the ad in 2015, I signed up. And by the time I went through all the interviews in 2017, I was a SAFVC member,» she added.She continued that while here, she encountered locals who would do a double take upon hearing her speak.«They do find interesting ways to ask me what an Australian is doing in a Singapore uniform,» she said.

Low-cost carrier AirJapan will wind up operations in 2026, with its final Singapore to Tokyo (Narita Airport) flight departing on March 19, 2026.AirJapan is a subsidiary of ANA Group, which also owns the airline brands All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Peach Aviation, which is also a low-cost carrier.Peach Aviation launched direct flights between Singapore and Osaka's Kansai Airport in December 2024. This is currently their only Singapore route.Meanwhile, AirJapan began its popular Singapore to Tokyo service in 2024 and had just announced this September that it would scale up its schedule by offering daily flights starting Nov 21.The shuttering of budget airline AirJapan was announced by ANA Group on Thursday (Oct 30), which said the closure is part of a brand strategy restructure to maximise profitability and competitiveness «while flexibly responding to recent changes in the business environment».The group also pointed to global concerns such as prolonged war in Ukraine and aircraft delivery delays, as well as an Aircraft On Ground (AOG) situation involving its Boeing 787 aircraft.

Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) foiled an attempt to smuggle undeclared currencies of $200,000 into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint on Oct 23.In a Facebook post on Thursday (Oct 30), ICA said that officers had directed the Malaysia-registered car for enhanced checks, during which they discovered cash concealed under the passenger seat, in a luggage and in a backpack. The total amount recovered was 200,000 Brunei dollars (S$200,000). Preliminary investigations revealed that the 54-year-old Malaysian driver was allegedly transporting the money into Singapore on behalf of another party. He had failed to submit the required electronic declaration. The case was subsequently referred to the police for further investigation.

Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim will be making his first working visit to Egypt as Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs from Oct 31 to Nov 2.In a statement on Thursday (Oct 30), the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said that Assoc Prof Faishal's visit is intended to strengthen bilateral engagements.«The visit, his first to Egypt as Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, aims to strengthen Singapore's bilateral engagements with Egypt in Islamic education, scholarship and student development, as well as to enhance partnerships for student and Islamic religious teacher (asatizah) development,» Muis said.When in Egypt, Assoc Prof Faishal will call on key individuals such as the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheik Dr Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Al-Tayeed, and the Grand Mufti of Egypt, Dr Nazir Mohamed Ayyad. The acting minister will also meet with Singaporean students in Egypt to reaffirm Muis' support for their well-being and growth.