An elderly woman who lived in a cockroach-infested HDB flat in Yishun returned to a freshly-cleaned home, after 50 volunteers came together to declutter and revamp the unit while she was hospitalised. On Jan 11, more than 50 volunteers from charity organisation AMKSS Social Move, Nee Soon East and Hougang Chao Ying Kong Temple spent six hours decluttering and cleaning the three-room HDB flat, transforming it into a clean and comfortable living space. The homeowner, identified as 75-year-old Huang Saiyin (transliteration), was injured last year after being hit by a student riding a bicycle while crossing the street, reported Shin Min Daily News. She told the Chinese daily that a hospital social worker had accompanied her home to look for her phone but could not find it. The worker was shocked by the messy living conditions and, out of concern for Huang's health, contacted a volunteer organisation for assistance. One of Huang's neighbours had also called the police due to her absence and the foul stench from her house, Shin Min reported.

Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has urged Circle Line commuters to consider taking other train lines or weekday shuttle bus services to get to their destination, as planned tunnel works on the line begin this Saturday (Jan 17) for three months.While trains will continue to service the Circle Line, commuters at Paya Lebar, Dakota and Mountbatten stations may face longer journeys of up to 30 minutes more during weekday peak hours, he noted.From Jan 17 to April 19, only one platform at these three stations will be in use as a segment of tunnels will be partially closed. Shuttle trains connecting the three stations will run at 10-minute intervals.«If you can avoid taking this route, I suggest you do so. If there are alternative pathways along the train network, please try to take them,» said Siow during a visit to Serangoon Circle Line station on Tuesday (Jan 13).

Two men, aged 40 and 67, were arrested on Sunday (Jan 11) for their suspected involvement in a case of housebreaking and theft.The alleged crime took place at about 6.26am on Jan 9, at a coffee shop along Circuit Road in MacPherson.In a statement on Monday, the police said more than $2,400 in cash were recovered from the duo on Jan 11, adding that they were identified with the aid of police cameras and follow-up investigations by officers from Bedok Police Division and the Police Operations Command Centre.The stolen cash and tools used for housebreaking were seized from the duo as evidence.Police said that investigations are still ongoing against the 40-year-old man, adding that the 67-year-old man will be charged in court on Tuesday.If found guilty of housebreaking and theft, the older man could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.[[nid:727840]]editor@asiaone.com 

SINGAPORE — Catfished by a 15-year-old boy posing as a woman, a teenager was made to perform a sexual act in front of a camera, subject his private parts to humiliating acts, cut and burn his hair with a lighter and play football naked.The offender, who is now 18 and had posed as the woman, was sentenced to 21 months' probation on Jan 12 after he pleaded guilty to one count each of cheating and extortion. He cannot be named because of a gag order to protect the victim's identity.As part of his sentence, he has to remain indoors from 10pm to 6am every day, and perform 110 hours of community service.His parents were also bonded for $5,000 to ensure his good behaviour.In February 2023, the offender posed as a woman online and misled the victim into entering a romantic relationship with «her», identified in court documents as «X1».From then until December that year, the offender made the 18-year-old victim, who is his former schoolmate, perform the degrading acts as well as send him iTunes gift cards and cash amounting to a total value of $390.

The sudden closure of childcare centre Out of Box Academy (OBA) has sparked concern among parents, with many lodging complaints and police reports over fears of losing their deposits and prepaid tuition fees.The centre, which provides care for pre-school and primary school students, informed parents on Dec 11, 2025, that it would cease operations the very next day, citing financial and operational difficulties.When Shin Min Daily News reporters visited OBA's headquarters at 733 Bukit Timah Road, the main gate was found locked. Another branch at 619 Bukit Timah Road appeared completely empty.According to OBA's website, the company operates 33 centres islandwide. With around 30 students in each centre, the sudden shutdown could potentially affect hundreds.Shin Min reporters attempted to contact at least five OBA centres but were unable to get through. It remains unclear how many have been taken over by other operators.Parents blindsided by sudden closureMs Lin (transliterated), a 38-year-old parent, said her child had been attending the centre at Block 517 Jurong West Street since January 2025.

A 24-year-old man was arrested on Sunday (Jan 11) for his alleged involvement in a case of loanshark harassment in Bukit Batok.The alleged crime took place at about 6.25pm at a residential unit along Bukit Batok Street 33, the police said on Monday (Jan 12).A photograph of the scene provided by the police shows the main gate of the victim's unit splashed with red paint. The main door was also affected.The suspect was identified by officers from Jurong Police Division through follow-up investigations and with the aid of police cameras.Preliminary investigation revealed that he is also believed to be involved in other similar cases of loanshark harassment island-wide., the police added.He will be charged in court on Tuesday (Jan 13).The offence of loanshark harassment carries a penalty of imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to $50,000.In addition, those found guilty may receive up to six strokes of the cane.[[nid:727825]]editor@asiaone.com 

The salary structure and benchmark of political office holders will be reviewed by an 8-member independent committee, said Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing. In a written reply to a parliamentary question by MP Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC) on Monday (Jan 12), Chan said the committee has just been formed and has been asked to recommend the appropriate wage levels of political office holders based on the current salary framework. The 8-member committee will be chaired by Gan Seow Kee, who is chairman of Singapore LNG Corporation and an alternate member of the Council of Presidential Advisers. The committee will submit its report to the Government when ready, and the Government will in turn consider its findings and provide an update to Parliament, said Chan. The wages of political office holders — including the President, Prime Minister, Speaker, MPs and NMPs — have not been adjusted since 2012. 

Those seeking urgent care at the Singapore General Hospital's (SGH) emergency department should go to the new SGH Emergency/National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) building from 7am on Sunday (Jan 18).The new building at 1 Hospital Boulevard is located next to the existing emergency department at Block 1 along Hospital Drive. Getting to the new SGH Emergency/NNI building at 1 Hospital Boulevard.  INFOGRAPHIC: Singapore General Hospital After the move at 7am on Sunday, those seeking emergency care should go to level 3 of the SGH Emergency/NNI building, the hospital said in a statement on Monday (Jan 12).SGH added that it has informed the Singapore Civil Defence Force, private ambulance service providers and public transport companies about the relocation.

With a new phase of autonomous vehicle (AV) community tests launched in Punggol, residents will soon be able to enjoy convenient travel while staying connected to nearby areas. Operated by Grab Singapore in partnership with WeRide, the current autonomous fleet consists of 11 AVs — 10 that can seat five passengers each and one that can accommodate up to eight passengers. It will serve two of the three designated AV shuttle routes in Punggol, helping residents reach key amenities such as local clinics, markets, eateries, as well as MRT stations and bus interchanges. The media were invited to experience the AVs on Monday (Jan 12), which toured the first route covering areas such as Matilda Court, Punggol Clover, Punggol Plaza and Oasis Terraces.Speaking to the reporters, Grab Singapore head of strategic projects Dennis Wong said that AVs are an important feature of future transportation.

The Wang Fuk Court deadly blaze is a grim reminder that Singapore cannot be complacent about fire safety, with early observations from Hong Kong's ongoing investigations already being studied by the authorities here, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming. Goh, who is also the Minister of State for Social and Family Development, was responding to questions by Members of Parliament on Monday (Jan 12), in relation to measures taken by Singapore to prevent a similar tragedy. "Recent tragic events remind us that we cannot afford to be complacent about fire safety. The Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong last November is a grim example. 

Revenue from tobacco duties in the three-year period between 2022 and 2024 reached a total of $3.24 billion. The update was given on Monday (Jan 12) by Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow in a written response to a parliamentary question by MP Lee Hui Ying (Nee Soon GRC). Lee has asked whether there has been an annual tax collected on tobacco product sales over the last three years. She also asked what the rate of increase in such revenue was over the said period. Referring to data published on the Singapore Customs' website, Siow, who is also the Acting Minister for Transport, said that the revenue collected from tobacco duties was $1.11 billion in 2022, $1.02 billion in 2023, and $1.11 billion in 2024. Singapore announced an increase in exercise duties for tobacco products during Budget 2023.

Amendments to four laws have been proposed by the Government to improve active mobility device and vehicle safety, as well as enhance penalties to strengthen deterrence and improve path and road safety. Among the proposed amendments introduced in Parliament on Monday (Jan 12) are increased penalties for speed limiter offences and new rules for active mobility devices (AMD) such as personal mobility aids (PMA) and mobility scooters. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a joint statement that the Land Transport and Related Matters Bill will cover proposed amendments to the Active Mobility Act 2017, the Small Motorised Vehicles (Safety) Act 2020, the Road Traffic Act 1961 and related Acts, and the Land Transport Authority of Singapore Act 1995. "The new legislative provisions are intended to empower the LTA to improve path, active mobility device and vehicle safety, as well as to transition to the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) 2.0 system. 

An SBS Transit bus struck a panel at a bus stop in Punggol on Saturday (Jan 10) after reportedly making a sharp turn, causing the glass on its upper deck to shatter.A video posted on Instagram shows the bus with visible damage to its upper deck. The bus involved is believed to be operating on Service 50.According to the video caption, the incident occurred at Punggol Oasis bus stop.A witness noted that a white car was initially parked in front of the bus stop, forcing the bus to make a sharp right turn while exiting. As a result, the bus struck part of the bus stop roof pane, shattering its upper deck window. 

Minister of State Baey Yam Keng has shared a photo of his father's school-leaving certificate from 1954 — and it turns out Tampines was once spelt very differently.In a Facebook post, Baey, who holds portfolios in Culture, Community and Youth as well as Transport and who is also a Member of Parliament for Tampines GRC, revealed that his father was a student of Tampenis School from 1952 to 1954.Yes, you read that right, and that was how Tampines used to be spelt.An unexpected family discoveryBaey wrote that he came across the certificate while looking through his father's belongings.«I was going through my father's old documents and found out that he studied at Tampenis (I didn't know that's how the school and road names were spelt during that time! Check out the certificate.) School for three years,» he wrote.«I didn't know this part of my father's life history. What a coincidence!» he added, referring to his current role representing Tampines.A quick check shows that Tampines was named after the Pokok Tampenis, a tree that once grew abundantly in the area.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will be closely monitoring the impact of the policy changes to the Integrated Shield Plan (IP) regime as individuals on new riders may choose to seek public healthcare to reduce their out-of-pocket expenses, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Monday (Jan 12). He was responding to parliamentary questions by Members of Parliament on concerns that private healthcare patients would migrate to the public sector following changes to the IP regime that include a higher co-payment cap for new riders from the current $3,000 to $6,000. New riders sold from April 1 this year will also no longer be allowed to cover the minimum deductibles patients have to pay before insurance kicks in.In his reply, Ong said MOH anticipates that there should be a medium-to-long impact on private and public healthcare utilisation rates as well as wait times following the policy changes.

SINGAPORE – A pipe leak near Block 222 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 caused water to overflow into a nearby SPC petrol station, national water agency PUB said on Jan 11.In a Facebook post at 3.23pm, it added that at around noon, it was alerted to the leak.“We immediately deployed our service crew and works are ongoing to facilitate repairs on the potable water pipe. There is no water supply disruption to homes and businesses in the area.”PUB is investigating the cause of the leak.Photos sent to The Straits Times earlier on Jan 11 show a grass patch in front of Block 222 flooded with light brown water, partially submerging a path.The water spread to the SPC petrol station where several cars were parked at the back.The flooding also affected all three lanes of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 towards Bishan, with police officers deployed to direct traffic.A resident of Block 222, who wanted to be known only as Mr Thevar, told ST: “I noticed the water level when I was looking out of the window and saw the water gushing out from a pipe and seeping into the petrol station area.”

A 33-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were arrested on Friday (Jan 9) at a condominium located at Oxford Road, near Rangoon Road, following a commotion which lasted for over four hours.The pair, who had been heard engaging in an argument, had locked themselves in a room within the unit, reported Shin Min Daily News.Reporters on the scene saw six police cars, several fire engines and an ambulance at the scene, and an air pack was also deployed at the foot of the block.Police had cordoned off the area, with some officers in full gear and holding shields during the morning incident, the Chinese evening daily reported.Shin Min also observed rescue teams talking with the couple — said to be in a relationship and tenants in the seventh-floor unit — from outside the window, with the dramatic scene attracting curious on-lookers below.Woman appeared to be in distressAccording to a statement from the Singapore Police Force obtained by AsiaOne, police had received a call for assistance at about 8.10am to the residence at 3, Oxford Road.

A passenger who received the gift later shared it on social media to express her appreciation for Toto's parents.Parenting influencers give out goodie bags on first SIA business class flight in case their baby criesA parenting influencer couple gave out goodie bags containing snacks, a greeting note, and earplugs to other passengers while boarding their first Singapore Airlines business class flight - just in case their baby cried.Captioned «Nerve wrecking #couplegoals», the Jan 7 TikTok post by @bertandlulu about the experience has garnered over 2,600,000 views, 243,100 reactions and 565 comments.Hubert, 33, and Yihru, 31, the couple behind the account, have some 788,000 followers. They told Stomp that they were taking their annual trip to Bangkok on Jan 2, to celebrate their wedding anniversary.Along for the ride was their 5-month-old daughter Toto, on what would be a two-hour-long flight.«Hubert used to travel very frequently for work and is no stranger to wailing babies on flights,» said Yihru. «Before having Toto, it was hard to fully understand just how challenging it can be to manage a baby during a meltdown.»

A Punggol LRT train broke down on Saturday afternoon (Jan 10), with SBS Transit staff entering via the emergency exit door to free passengers.In a video posted online, a SBS Transit staff can be seen standing in an LRT carriage with an open emergency exit. Commuter Vincent Lim told 8world that the LRT train came to a sudden halt as it was departing Punggol Point station around 2.30pm. A message was broadcast through the public address system but it was muffled.Lim added a staff member entered the carriage through the front emergency exit after five to ten minutes and opened the LRT doors subsequently.Another commuter added on Reddit that the LRT train broke down beside the station. As such, passengers could exit onto the platform once the doors opened and did not have to walk along the tracks.

A 33-year-old man was arrested by the police on Saturday (Jan 10) afternoon for alleged criminal intimidation.The incident happened at about 12.30pm outside a first-floor in-car entertainment workshop along 25 Kaki Bukit Road 4.In a video posted on social media, a man is seen surrounded by four officers from the police's Emergency Response Team (ERT), outside the said unit. A short distance away, another two police ground response force officers are seen.ERT officers are first-wave responders to high-risk incidents and are equipped with greater firepower and up to 17kg of gear.The man, dressed in black, was wearing a pair of half-finger gloves and holding a cigarette in his left hand.He is seen emptying his pockets after placing a bag on the ground.Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police said the man was arrested for criminal intimidation, adding that no injuries were reported in the incident. AsiaOne understands that a knife was found on the man.Police investigations are ongoing.editor@asiaone.com 

Getting his hands on flight tickets to return to his home town in Ipoh, Malaysia, during Chinese New Year is a feat that Mr Tan Yik Xuan has to pull off every year.Mr Tan, a 26-year-old who works in logistics in Singapore, purchased return flight tickets in October 2025 – four months ahead of Chinese New Year in 2026 – for around $630. He had bought them significantly earlier because he was worried that he would not be able to secure tickets.Describing the higher fare as “much more expensive” than the usual cost of less than $320 for a round trip during off-peak seasons, Mr Tan said he is still willing to pay more to fly to Ipoh instead of taking a bus because of the shorter travel time and absence of traffic jams.Checks by The Straits Times in the week starting Jan 5 found that a two-way economy class ticket to Ipoh costs between $822 and $1,222 for travel from Feb 14 to 19, more than six times the fare of $124 to $191 for the week before.

A 10-vehicle chain collision took place along the Tampines Expressway (TPE) on Saturday (Jan 10) afternoon.The accident happened at about 4.55pm, along TPE towards the Seletar Expressway, near the Punggol Road exit.In a video posted on Facebook group SG Road Vigilante, 10 cars are seen stopped along the second lane of the expressway, with three of the vehicles involved stopped slightly ahead of the other cars - which appeared to be bumper-to-bumper.Based on the video, eight are Mitsubishi Lancers, while the two remaining cars are of a different make and model.Mitsubishi ended production of the once-popular Lancer in 2017. A high-performance variant, the Lancer Evolution, was retired from the lineup in 2015.The accident did not appear to be serious and several people were seen gathered near the rearmost vehicle.

A Nepali woman raised in Singapore who had to return to her home country at the age of 16 has appealed for fellow families of the Gurkha Contingent to be given Singapore citizenship, as she expressed deep affection for the country.According to the Singapore Police Force's website, the Gurkha Contingent comprises police officers recruited from hill tribes in Nepal to provide a «strong-arm» within the police force.Formed on Apr 9, 1949, the contingent is deployed during high-profile events, such as the Trump-Kim summit in June 2018, and is renowned for its ability to remain impartial but loyal. Under the terms of their contracts, officers must return to Nepal with their families after 15 to 20 years of service in Singapore. As of 2018, the contingent had around 1,800 officers.Nepali gushes over SingaporeOn Jan 8, Facebook user @Jules Thapa shared her experience growing up as a Nepali in the Republic, explaining that she had to leave the country at 16 under a «compulsory return to Nepal» contract.

Over 341 e-vaporisers and related components were detected and seized by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) between Jan 5 and 8, as the agency continues with stepped-up checks.In the said period, ICA officers detected 57 cases of travellers having vapes on them, including those who had voluntarily disposed them at red bins placed at land, air and sea checkpoints.Out of the 341 e-vaporisers and related components seized, approximately 67 per cent of these cases involved short-term visitors, while the remaining 33 per cent were Singapore residents.In a Facebook post on Saturday (Jan 10), ICA emphasised that vaping is illegal in Singapore. «Foreigners who visit or live in Singapore must abide by our laws,» ICA warned. «Individuals caught possessing, using or purchasing e-vaporisers will face high penalties.»The agency also reminded visitors and pass holders of what are at stake.«Short-term visitors who re-offend will be banned from re-entering Singapore. »Long-term pass holders who re-offend may have their passes revoke on a third offence, and be deported and banned from re-entering Singapore," ICA said.

A 29-year-old Singaporean woman has been arrested by Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers for suspected drug trafficking offences.The woman was arrested in a residential unit of a condominium in the vicinity of West Coast Way, on Thursday (Jan 8).In a media statement on Saturday (Jan 10), CNB said that forced entry had to be conducted as the woman refused to comply with lawful orders to grant officers access into a room of the unit which she was in.«A search of the room recovered about 7,114g of cannabis, 169g of 'Ice', 9g of ketamine, 30g of 'Ecstasy', 30 Erimin-5 tablets,» CNB said, adding that drug paraphernalia were also seized.According to CNB's estimate, the drugs seized are estimated to be worth more than $94,900.«(It) could potentially feed the addiction of 1,100 abusers for a week,» CNB said.Drug trafficking is an offence in Singapore. A person found guilty of trafficking more than 500g of cannabis may face the mandatory death penalty.Investigations by CNB are still ongoing.editor@asiaone.com 

The family of a man who died in a road accident along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) is appealing for eyewitnesses to come forward to assist police investigations.On Dec 29, 2025, a 61-year-old man died in an accident involving two prime movers along the AYE towards Tuas, after Clementi Road, at about 5.45pm.In a Facebook post on Friday (Jan 2), the man's daughter, Reesha Kaur, said the days following the accident had been an «incredibly painful time» for the family, adding that one of the vehicles involved in the accident has yet to be traced.She noted that the driver of the vehicle is believed to be in Malaysia, reported Shin Min Daily News.Kaur described her father as a cautious and experienced rider who paid close attention to road safety and often shared those principles with her and her brother. 

SINGAPORE –  A firefighter was taken to Changi General Hospital after experiencing heat exhaustion while fighting a fire that broke out in Tampines on Jan 9.About 100 people were evacuated from Block 29 Tampines Street 86 as a precaution after the fire broke out in a bedroom on the 15th floor.In a Facebook post on Jan 9, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it had been alerted to the fire at 9.05pm.No one was inside the unit at the time of the fire, said SCDF.«Firefighters conducted forcible entry into the smoke-filled unit and extinguished the fire with two water jets,» it added.The fire was largely confined to the bedroom, and its cause is under investigation, said SCDF.In its post, SCDF advised people to extinguish lighted materials, such as candles, before leaving home. They should also not leave cooking unattended or overload power sockets, and should switch off the electrical supply when it is not in use.[[nid:727638]]

Even after the anguish of two miscarriages in their mid-30s, Singaporean couple Sam, 37 and Jo, 41, clung on to the hope that they would one day start a family.They explored alternative means to realise their  dream of parenthood — including in vitro-fertilisation.When the idea of adoption came up three years ago, nothing deterred them — even when it can be costly and tedious. «Regardless whether it’s a biological child or adopted child, we will still love the baby as our own,» said Sam, who is in the finance industry. After completing a series of steps by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), including interviews and background checks that assessed their suitability for adoption, the couple contacted a Singapore-based child adoption agency, which later matched them with a baby from Indonesia.Love at first sight A long-distance video call in August 2023 was the first time they saw the then two-month-old baby, which according to Sam had won him over.«For me, it was love at first sight,» he said. «I remembered how he smiled. He didn’t cry the moment he saw us.»

Traffic Police (TP) said that they will take action against owners of 141 lorries which have not installed speed limiters by Jan 1, as required by law.These were among the 2,434 lorries which were subject to this deadline.A speed limiter is designed to limit the maximum speed that a vehicle can go.The enforcement action comes after several months of repeated advisories and direct engagements with lorry owners, including a reminder on Dec 12, that the authorities will take «stern enforcement action» against those who fail to comply with the statutory deadlines for installation.«TP will be taking enforcement action against the companies that own the 141 non-compliant lorries. These companies will receive notices to present their vehicles for inspections at authorised inspection centres,» the statement said.«Lorries without speed limiters will fail the inspection and vehicle owners will face enforcement action,» the police added. «Those who install speed limiters after the Jan 1, 2026, deadline will also be penalised.»

The police have disrupted over 3,500 scam attempts during a two-month-long operation which ended on Dec 31, 2025, preventing potential losses of over $34.2 million.In a news release on Friday (Jan 9), the police said that they partnered with five banks— DBS, GXS, OCBC, Standard Chartered Bank and UOB — for the operation which began on Nov 1, 2025.«(We) leveraged robotic process automation (RPA) to identify victims of e-commerce, government official impersonation, investment, job and loan scams.»This coordinated response draws on the swift exchange of information between the police and the banks to enable early intervention," the police added.RPA is the technology that enables computer software to emulate and integrate actions typically performed by humans interacting with digital systems. The use of RPA has enabled the police to automate information sharing and processing, and the mass distribution of SMS alerts. In turn, this allows the police and partnering banks to enhance their outreach — to promptly alert a larger number of victims within a short period of time to prevent further losses.

A 26-year-old man nabbed in an enforcement operation in Geylang on Wednesday (Jan 7) has been charged with trafficking etomidate laced vapes, known as Kpods.Abdul Ammar Mahmood Jumat, a Singaporean, was found with an e-vaporiser and four e-vaporiser pods at the back alley along Geylang Lorong 35 on Wednesday afternoon, court documents stated.The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Friday (Jan 9) that the pods were tested and confirmed to contain etomidate, a Class C drug.HSA officers also seized from him six bottles of cough syrup as well as prescription medicines consisting of more than 1,000 capsules and tablets.

Ongoing investigations into an alleged baby-trafficking syndicate in Indonesia have resulted in delays in Singapore granting citizenship to adopted children from there.In a joint statement on Friday (Jan 9), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that they are «keenly aware» of the anxiety this has caused to adoptive parents.The statement did not say how many parents have been affected by the delay.«We are working closely across the relevant authorities to ensure that the cases are dealt with as expeditiously as we can, and to safeguard the welfare and interests of the children,» the ministries said.This comes after Indonesian news outlets reported last September that Indonesian police are working with their Singapore counterparts to probe the alleged baby trafficking ring operating from West Java.The Indonesian police had identified 22 suspects accused of trafficking at least 25 babies, with 15 allegedly sent to Singapore for adoption.

Scammers are now using the National University of Singapore (NUS) logo and impersonating its president. In a Facebook post on Thursday (Jan 8), the university issued a warning against impersonation scams and fake news articles using images of NUS president Professor Tan Eng Chye and the NUS logo that have been circulating online. According to NUS, the scams reportedly promote investment products. Separately, the university said that it has seen fraudulent social media accounts with the unauthorised use of the NUS name and logo, such as NusOnline SG, attempting to market courses.The university urged members of the public not to share any personal information, click or respond to any of the scams, adding that these should be reported to ScamShield. 

A traveller who had disembarked from a flight at Changi Airport's Terminal 4 unexpectedly found the boarding gate's exit closed.She also heard staff asking passengers if they had just arrived or were about to depart.The incident occurred at boarding gate 11 at about 10pm on Jan 1, when passengers arriving on AirAsia flight AK721 became «mixed up» with passengers waiting at the same gate to board, reported Lianhe Zaobao.AirAsia passenger Gong Ping (transliteration) told the Chinese daily that several passengers on the same arriving flight had managed to enter the concourse before staff noticed the different passenger groups together in the same zone.The 36-year-old, who had disembarked from the aircraft later, claimed that those held at the arrival corridor of the shut gate were not informed of what was happening. At one point, a passenger became upset, but most people remained calm.According to her, the departing passengers were directed to another boarding gate at about 11pm. The AirAsia group were then allowed to leave the gate.

What good is all the money in the world if you don't have the time to spend it? Singapore ranks second among the richest countries in the world in 2025 based on gross domestic profit (GDP) per capita and after adjusting for price differences, according to an infographic by The Economist on Monday (Jan 5). However, the infographic includes a third element — prices and hours worked. With that factored in, Singapore falls to eighth place. This is among the 178 countries evaluated by The Economist, with the top three countries being Switzerland, Singapore and Norway.Switzerland takes the lead in terms of average earnings at over US$100,000 (S$128,600) per year, but falls behind due to their high cost of living, The Economist reported. In contrast, Singapore, with earnings at US$90,700 per year, has lower local costs, while Norway stands at US$86,800 per year.