An 18-year-old male teenager was charged in court on Monday (April 6) with trafficking etomidate vaporiser pods, also known as Kpods. In a press release, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said the teen, Cornelius Goh Shao Zhi, had allegedly sold the pods to buyers after notifying them of stock availability via Telegram. Goh was arrested on April 4 after HSA enforcement officers, acting on a tip-off, raided his home. HSA officers seized one vaporiser, 108 pods and one packet of duty-unpaid cigarettes at the unit. The pods tested positive for etomidate. Goh is the second 18-year-old to be charged by HSA for allegedly trafficking Kpods. On Oct 17, Rayern Kwek Rui An, was charged with the same offence. Authorities seized two e-vaporisers and 127 suspected Kpods from Kwek's vehicle, along with another five pods from his home in Bedok. Investigations into Goh's alleged trafficking of Kpods are ongoing. 

A police report has been filed after local content creator Naomi Neo was allegedly groped at a flea market in Aperia Mall on Saturday (April 4). In a now-deleted Instagram post, the 30-year-old said she was at her booth as a vendor at the shopping mall, located in Kallang, when the incident occurred. Neo said the molester who had been lingering around her booth touched her inappropriately before running away.Neo's friends who witnessed the incident gave chase and caught up with the culprit. They then reported the matter to the police.«I considered letting it slide because he was a fan, but I couldn't justify that — especially with so many girls around. If I don't pursue the matter, what's going to stop him from doing it again?» wrote Neo. 

Retail sales in Singapore went up 8.3 per cent year-on-year in February which was the Chinese New Year (CNY) month.It reverses the 0.5 per cent decrease in January, according to data from the Singapore Department of Statistics (SingStat) released on Monday (April 6).Excluding motor vehicles, parts and accessories, retail sales increased 11.2 per cent in February, compared to the 2.9 per cent decline at the start of the year.But on a seasonally adjusted basis, retail sales declined 4.1 per cent in February over the previous month.Supermarkets and hypermarkets saw the most growth year-on-year rising 29.3 per cent.Closely following are recreational goods which increased by 26 per cent, as well as department store sales which grew 16.8 per cent.While sales of apparel and footwear grew 8.8 per cent compared to last year, its performance fell 14.4 per cent when seasonally adjusted.Sales also fell for petrol service stations and motor vehicles, recording a decline of 9.8 per cent and 7.8 per cent respectively.

SINGAPORE — At Lakeview Estate in Upper Thomson Road, ageing lifts have become more than just an inconvenience.The 49-year-old development has three blocks, with each lift serving alternate floors. When one breaks down, residents on those floors - including the elderly and wheelchair users - effectively lose lift access.Replacing all 12 lifts would cost $1.8 million, but as at August 2025, the sinking fund held barely $1 million, The Straits Times reported then.Lakeview Estate's dilemma is not unique.More than 1,000 of Singapore's 3,750 private residential developments are at least 30 years old. Many were built in the 1980s and 1990s and are now reaching the stage where major systems - from lifts to plumbing and electrical systems - begin to fail.But many may not have collected adequate sinking funds for such urgent essential repairs, especially since maintenance costs have risen over the years.

An overhead signage along the Causeway towards Woodlands Checkpoint landed on top of the two Malaysia-registered heavy vehicles on Monday (April 6) morning.The incident happened at about 7.35am and affected both lanes of the road for about 10 minutes.Videos and photos of the incident circulating on social media show an overhead signage — used to direct buses, coaches, and passenger vans — on a bus and trailer.No visible damage was seen on the structure from which the signage was mounted, although the height restriction barrier appeared dented.

Passengers departing from Singapore will be allowed to carry only a maximum of two power banks per person on board flights.In a media release on Monday (April 6), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said the new restrictions will be implemented from April 15.Passengers carrying more than two power banks will be required to dispose of the excess ones before the flight, the statement said.Following the new restrictions, they must not be charged on board the aircraft and are strictly not permitted in checked-in baggage.Instead, power banks must be carried only in hand-carry baggage.This is to allow for any incident involving power banks during flight to be handled without delay.Power banks, also known as power packs or mobile batteries, are portable devices primarily designed to supply power to other equipment. From April 15, power banks with Watt-hour rating of not more than 100 Watt‑hour (Wh)/mAh, or approximately 27,000 mAh, are allowed whereas those with more than 100 Wh, but not exceeding 160 Wh, are subject to airline's approval.

A peregrine falcon chick which recently took its first flight out of its nest at OCBC Centre was found dead in the Central Business District (CBD) on Saturday (April 4).Confirming the death, the National Parks Board (NParks) told AsiaOne it is saddened to share that the fledgling was found on the ground on that day.It did not state the reason for the death.The chick was part of a full clutch of four which hatched on Feb 20 and 22. One was seen on a 24/7 live stream taking its maiden flight on April 3.Dr Malcolm Soh, principal researcher at the agency's wildlife management research branch, said two of the three remaining nestlings have also fledged and begun taking test flights.The last chick is expected to follow suit soon.«As the rest of the fledglings continue to embark on test flights, they may accidentally find themselves on the ground,» said Dr Soh.He urged members of the public to contact NParks' Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 if any of the fledglings are seen on the ground.[[nid:730929]]

The Lionesses have a new head coach in former Arsenal Women FC forward Mihoko Ishida, whose appointment was announced by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) on Sunday (April 5).Ishida 43, has had a glittering playing career. She joined Arsenal Women FC, then known as Arsenal Ladies, in 2003 after impressing during a college tour of England, going on to win the Premier League and FA Cup.She returned to Japan in 2006 to play for JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies, before retiring from football in 2009 to focus on her music career.Ishida became coach of Sfida Setagaya FC in 2019, guiding them from the bottom half of the second division, to second place.In 2022, she joined Nippatsu Yokohama FC Seagulls as its coach and later director.Asked about her decision to take the role in Singapore, Ishida pointed to the opportunity to be part of something still being built.«One of the reasons I chose Singapore is the opportunity to take on challenges together as a group. It's not something already completed — there is a strong appeal in building something from the ground up,» she said. 

The sister of a man who was missing since March 27 after a boat collision off the Southern Islands mourned his passing in a social media post, as news that his body was found in Indonesian waters broke on Sunday (April 5).Police said in a statement on the same day that they were alerted by Indonesian authorities to a case of a body found floating off the sea of Karimun, to the southwest of Singapore, at about 3pm on March 30.«The body, believed to be the missing person from the collision between a pleasure craft and supply vessel off the Southern Islands on March 27, was found motionless and subsequently retrieved from the waters,» they added.A 49-year-old man has been arrested for rash navigation of a vessel, police said.Two other people onboard the pleasure vessel were rescued.Persons onboard the supply vessel were also accounted for, with no injuries reported, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in its statement on March 27.

A 37-year-old mother of four watched in horror as a bag of rubbish — filled with used party ware and glass bottles — fell in front of three of her children and two nieces on Saturday (April 4) night.The incident purportedly happened at about 11.30pm at Block 656 Choa Chu Kang Crescent.Speaking to AsiaOne on Sunday, the woman, who only wished to be known only as Wani, said her family was visiting her brother who lives there.«It happened when they were walking out from the void deck,» she added.«When they came out, the bag of rubbish fell in front of them, between my daughter and niece.»There were glass bottles in it and glass shards were everywhere. Can you imagine what would have happened if my daughter took another step forward? It would have landed on her.«When asked how the children reacted, a still distressed Wani said that they were traumatised.»My children were scared and my nieces were traumatised. They were just five kids walking in a HDB estate," she said.

Local eatery chain Eighteen Chefs has withdrawn a memo informing employees that they must provide a photo of them at a clinic for their sick leave to be valid.Alison, who worked at the eatery for several years, told Shin Min Daily News that she received the memo through messaging platform WhatsApp last month, with the policy to be implemented with immediate effect.It stated that all staff members on sick leave are required to provide a valid medical certificate (MC), along with a «photo of themselves taken at the clinic during consultation».The memo also said that the eatery will not accept MCs from teleconsultation clinics.«The company issued this without any advance notice or explanation,» Shin Min quoted the employee as saying.«We are surprised and we feel it is very unfair. We dare not request for sick leave.»Eighteen Chefs told the Chinese publication that the notice issued by its human resource department was withdrawn shortly after it had alerted the company’s senior management, adding that no employee has been disciplined or punished.

A 53-year-old man was arrested on Saturday (April 4) for his alleged involvement in a case of vandalism against a police vehicle.The incident happened at about 7.40pm on April 2 at Block 83 Redhill Close.Police said they received a report from a member of public that he had allegedly used an object to scratch a police vehicle parked there.He left the scene before police officers arrived at the scene, but was identified and arrested by officers from Clementi Police Division through extensive ground enquiries and follow-up investigations.Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had come across the parked police vehicle and allegedly used his keys to scratch the doors of the vehicle.He will be charged in court on Monday with the offence of vandalism.If found guilty of the said offence, the man may be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $2,000, and receive up to eight strokes of the cane.[[nid:733026]]editor@asiaone.com No part of this story can be reproduced without the permission of AsiaOne.

SINGAPORE - All 76 owners of units at the Automobile Megamart (AML) in Ubi have until May 15 to pay $68 million to renew the site's lease until 2040, The Straits Times has learnt. If they do not do so, they will have to vacate the premises by July 18.Located in the Ubi industrial area near Paya Lebar Air Base, the eight-storey complex is the largest dedicated used-car centre in Singapore, housing 121 showrooms and offices. The occupants are mostly car dealerships for new and used cars, as well as related businesses such as vehicle leasing and financing.The 30-year lease for the land that AML sits on was awarded to a group of car dealers in 1996. The building was officially opened in 2000.If the lease renewal is successful, the occupants can remain until the end of 2040.The May 15 deadline was a final four-week extension given by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) after earlier rounds of extensions.At several junctures of the renewal process, the owners were unable to come to a unanimous agreement, leading to the lease renewal offer lapsing once before SLA revised it and issued a second offer.

SINGAPORE - Since 2024, an army of seniors have been going around their neighbourhoods performing simple tasks such as packing and delivering food to other seniors who live alone, distributing groceries to low-income families and restocking community fridges.More than 1,400 seniors have signed up to join Neighbourhood Kakis since it was piloted in neighbourhoods under 10 grassroots constituency offices. They have completed more than 30,000 tasks across 20 categories for a token payment of $2 per completed task.The People's Association (PA) initiative, which aims to keep seniors active, socially connected and meaningfully engaged in their communities, will now be expanded to more neighbourhoods, said Law Minister Edwin Tong at the official opening of the new Mountbatten Community Club (CC) on April 4.«At a broader level, we are very keen to continue to engage our seniors, as well as our young seniors... to ensure that we encourage our seniors to stay healthy, socially connected and mentally active,» said Mr Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs and PA deputy chairman.

Several kayakers had a scare after mistaking what appeared to be a crocodile in the waters off Pasir Ris Park turned out to be a wild boar enjoying a swim.In a TikTok video shared by Singaporekayakers on April 1, the group said: «We were this close to panicking.»The clip, taken from a distance, showed the object that «did not look like a floating log». «We observed for a while (and) were ready to report back and cease all water activities at once,» they said.Upon closer observation, it turned out to be a false alarm, and a close-up video showed the lone wild boar bobbing in and out of the water.The video has since garnered around 100,000 views.Several social media users were amused by the wild boar.«It was so hot that it needed to dive in,» one of them said.Others urged the kayakers to maintain a safe distance from the wild animal.«Leave them alone and don’t disturb nature, please,» said a social media user. 

Three persons were arrested on Friday (April 3) for voluntarily causing hurt and committing robbery following a 1 1/2-hour stand-off with the police at a Jurong HDB flat.The incident, involving two men, aged 21, and a 24-year-old woman, happened at about 10.10pm at a residential unit at Block 262 Jurong East Street 24.Responding to media queries, the police said they were conducting follow-up investigations into a case of voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery at the said location.The trio refused to open the door and instead locked themselves inside the flat.Residents told Shin Min Daily News that they saw significant police presence from various units. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was also present.AsiaOne understands that the officers deployed were from the police's Crisis Negotiations Unit, Special Operations Command.SCDF said it deployed a safety life pack and rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team on standby as a precautionary measure.

Four people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a condominium unit at The Rivervale on Saturday (April 4).In a Facebook post on the same day, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at 3 Rivervale Link, where the condominium estate is located, at about 2.10pm.When SCDF arrived at the scene, black smoke was observed to be emitting from a third-floor unit. Firefighters extinguished the fire, which happened in the bedroom, using a water jet.About 50 people were evacuated from the block, while four people had evacuated from the unit before SCDF arrived.The latter were assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital.SCDF said preliminary findings show the cause of fire was likely from an electrical origin in the bedroom.In their post, it also reminded people to prevent fire by following these tips:

Two people were taken to hospital after a fire at a residential college in the National University of Singapore (NUS) on April 2.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne it was alerted to the blaze at Tembusu College at about 2.30pm.Located at University Town in NUS, Tembusu College is one of the five residential colleges on campus.The fire, caused by several items at a food stall of the dining hall, was put out by passers-by prior to the SCDF’s arrival.Two people were taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation and minor injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A video shared on social media platform Xiaohongshu showed smoke rising from the dining hall, with a user commenting about a burning smell during a meeting nearby.[[nid:732866]]chingshijie@asiaone.com 

Two people were injured after a tow truck overturned on Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) on Friday (April 3).In a video uploaded on Sgfollowsall Instagram on April 4, a truck towing a heavy vehicle was seen turned on its side on the grass at the side of the road. Skid marks were also observed on the road.In respond to queries from AsiaOne, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the accident along BKE towards Woodlands Checkpoint before Mandai Road exit on April 3 at about 6pm.SCDF assessed two people for minor injuries and they declined to be sent to hospital.Police said they believed the tow truck to have self-skidded along BKE towards Woodlands slip road into Mandai Road.Police investigations are ongoing.

The Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee (HCMC) is necessary for dealing with the ongoing energy crisis in Singapore, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam told media in Chong Pang on Saturday (April 4) afternoon.Shanmugam, who is also an MP for Nee Soon GRC, spoke to media as the head of the HCMC, explaining the need for its formation.«A significant part of the world's oil supply has been affected. Gas supply has been affected,» Shanmugam said. «It's not clear when that situation will change.»Even if the war stops very soon, it doesn't mean supply disruptions will go away.«These disruptions have led to price increases seen in fuel, fertiliser, food and transport, he added.Shanmugam revealed that the HCMC has already been active for a few weeks, with meetings being held »for some time now«.In fact, the HCMC was set up »many years ago", long before Shanmugam entered the Ministry of Home Affairs, but was only activated due to the crisis, he said.

A 26-year-old man was arrested on Friday (April 3) for his alleged involvement in a case of government official impersonation cam.He is also the eleventh Malaysian to be arrested for similar cases since March. In a news release on Friday, the police said they received a report from a 66-year-old male victim who got a call from an unknown person claiming to be from UnionPay.After the male victim denied having any insurance premium plan that the unknown person was calling about, he was told the call would be diverted to another person to assist in cancellation.However, he was contacted by another unknown person claiming to be an «officer» from the Monetary Authority of SingaporeThe «officer» told the victim that his identity was compromised and that he was under investigation for money laundering.He was instructed to cooperate with the investigation which included not disclosing the matter to his family members.

A disciplinary panel looking into whether Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh had contravened the party's constitution following his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee has completed its probe.In a statement on Saturday (April 4), the Workers' Party said the panel will present its finalised report and recommendations to the central executive committee in April.It added that notice for a special cadre members' conference will be issued within two works of the submission.The panel was formed in January after Singh's failed appeal against his conviction.  It comprises WP MPs He Ting Ru, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and former Hougang MP Png Eng Huat. 

A man living in a rental flat in Jurong West returned home from a trip to an alarming sight — an unknown naked woman in his bed.The tenant, who wished to remain anonymous, told Shin Min Daily News that the incident took place on March 2 at The Lakeshore condominium at Jurong West Street 41, where he had rented a bedroom for $1,050 a month since August 2025 on a one-year lease.He had gone to his hometown for Chinese New Year with his wife and, upon his return, opened the door to his room and found a topless woman, wearing only her underpants, sleeping in his bed.He told the Chinese daily: «She was startled awake when I opened the door and immediately told me to close the door quickly so she could get dressed, then hurriedly left. »I clearly remember locking the door before leaving, and suddenly seeing someone lying in my room terrified me!"He was glad his wife had not returned to the flat with him as he would be in deep trouble.

A batch of orange marmalade sold in Singapore is being recalled as a precautionary measure after the European Commission Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) issued a notification on its recall over the potential presence of glass shards.In a media release on Friday (April 3), the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it has directed the importer of Alain Milliat Orange Marmalade (300g) to recall the implicated product.The affected batch, which originates from France, has the lot number C250422AT, and an expiry date in April 2028.Under the Sale of Food Act, foods known to be unsafe for consumption should not be sold.Those who have purchased the implicated product should not consume it.People who have consumed the product and have concerns about their health should seek medical attention.[[nid:732954]]editor@asiaone.com No part of this story can be reproduced without the permission of AsiaOne.

SINGAPORE – Madam Siti always kept her two-room rental flat in Bukit Merah tidy and made sure her three sons had enough to be happy about.Hari Raya Aidilfitri – a celebration marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan - was especially important for the 41-year-old Indonesian and her family, with homes to visit and relatives to see.But not this year.Madam Siti spent March 21 at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery with two of her sons, aged 14 and 11.They were there to remember and grieve: Her son, Muhammed Qayyim Daniel Putra Rosli, or Qayyim as he was affectionately known, is buried there.The 13-year-old drowned in the Kallang River on Feb 25 while fishing with friends.Madam Siti's husband, Qayyim's Singaporean father, is not around, and she has had to bear the burden of raising the family and the grief over her son's death on her own.«Qayyim's mother is still sad and grieving. She's not ready to face the media,» said the boy's uncle, who gave his name only as Mr Sham.«But I am grateful that we all managed to visit Qayyim at the cemetery on the first day of Hari Raya.»

Upset over the noise that pickleball gameplay creates, a Clementi resident has allegedly stood in a nearby court to prevent players from continuing their match, Shin Min Daily News reported on Thursday (April 2).Residents of Block 410 and 411 at Commonwealth Avenue West have reported incessant noise from a pickleball court in their vicinity, according to Stomp.Citing a resident that spoke with the publication, groups of up to 12 would purportedly begin playing around 8am, continuing for multiple hours.Speaking with Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday, a Clementi resident surnamed Lim told the Chinese-language publication that an elderly man had allegedly approached the group of pickleballers last month, fed up with the noise.He demanded the pickleballers to stop playing, but was directed to a sign that they were playing within the designated time period.«When the players ignored him, the man stood in the centre of the court and used his body to prevent them from continuing to play,» Lim told Shin Min.

SINGAPORE - The impact of the Iran war has so far been relatively contained in Singapore, with no emergency measures or work-from-home orders, unlike in many countries around the world.The Government has yet to dip into its energy stockpiles of liquified natural gas and diesel, which are enough to last for months, although it has warned of a “bumpier ride ahead”.But the conflict, which has driven up energy costs, has seeped into daily life here, prompting the authorities to take action to ease the burden.

With just about four years to go before the first phase of Singapore’s eighth MRT line — the Cross Island Line (CRL) — commences service in 2030, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has given the public a preview of the CR151 trains to be used on the line. He posted the photos of the trains on his Facebook yesterday (April 2).Siow, who is also Senior Minister of State for Finance, was in China for the annual Singapore-Shandong Business Council meeting, which he co-chaired with Shandong Governor Zhou Naixiang.A total of 10 agreements covering areas of mutual interest such as trade and connectivity, green economy, and modern services, were inked between Singapore and Shandong companies during the meeting.The acting minister also met up with Singaporean businesses based in Jinan to understand their current business priorities. Visit to Qingdao rail depotHe also took time to visit Qingdao rail depot on Thursday (April 2), to understand their latest rail technologies. 

Long queues were reported at Woodlands Checkpoint on Good Friday (April 3) morning as thousands of Malaysians who work here made their way home ahead of the long weekend, which coincides with Qing Ming Festival.The traditional Chinese festival, also known as tomb sweeping day, falls on Sunday (April 5) this year, and is dedicated to honouring and remembering ancestors and loved ones who have died.From around midnight, social media was abuzz with commuters sharing scenes of huge crowds waiting for buses to cross the Causeway after they have cleared Singapore's immigration.Some Malaysians reported taking four hours to complete their journeys from Queen Street bus terminal to across the Causeway. Others showed screenshots of their WhatsApp chats with family members spanning more than an hour as they waited in the bus queues.'Endless night'Several posts also show hundreds of people standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder as they wait for buses. Tee Han Long, who shared a short video of the situation at the bus waiting area wrote: «This too shall pass.» 

A 46-year-old male driver was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol in a case of hit-and-run on Good Friday (April 3) morning.The incident happened at about 12.40am at the junction of Serangoon North Avenue 1 and Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3. Map showing where the accident happened. INFOGRAPHIC: AsiaOne (Map and street view from Google Maps) Ground checks by AsiaOne show that road diversions are in place along the busy stretch of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 due to the ongoing Cross Island Line construction. Videos of the incident sent to AsiaOne show a motorcycle fallen on its side at the rightmost lane of the road, with a motorcyclist seen sitting up against a safety barricade.

There was no reprieve for motorists and commercial diesel vehicle owners here as pump prices continued to rise a second consecutive day on Good Friday (April 3).In the wake of three fuel companies — Caltex, Shell and SPC — raising their respective diesel and petrol prices on Thursday, China-headquartered oil and chemical company Sinopec mirrored their moves on Friday.It raised petrol prices by 5 cents across its petrol offerings, while raising its posted price for diesel by 30 cents.But that's not all. Caltex also doubled-down on its diesel hike — raising its posted price by a further 20 cents, barely a day after posting a 10-cent increase.This means that Caltex has raised its diesel price by 30 cents a litre in just two calendar days.As of 1pm on April 3, Esso is the only major fuel company here which has yet to join the petrol price hike.

The man suspected of murdering a 70-year-old man in Geylang on March 9 was taken back to the crime scene by the police on Friday (April 3) morning.Ong Hou Cheong, 48, arrived at Lorong 16 Geylang at about 9.15am in an unmarked police van, dressed in a red polo shirt, navy blue shorts and clear slippers.The Singaporean, who was restrained around his ankles and wrists, was escorted by four police investigators.They were met by other investigators and crime scene specialists at the scene. Ong, who appeared stoic, spent about 20 minutes answering questions from police investigators. 

A teen in Singapore has been arrested for licking a straw from an iJooz machine and placing it back.iJooz is a popular smart vending machine that provides freshly squeezed orange juice in locations across Singapore.The 18-year-old, who is said to be studying in Essec Business School, filmed himself committing the act and posted the video on what appears to be Snapchat.The clip went viral on Instagram last month and he was arrested yesterday (April 2).In response to AsiaOne’s queries, police confirmed that a report was lodged and the teen has been arrested for public nuisance. Police investigations are ongoing.iJooz said that they've launched an investigation into the incident and have filed a police report, according to Lianhe Zaobao. The company said it has implemented additional internal checks, inspections, straw replacements, and machine sanitation protocols, reported CNA.[[nid:729504]]syarifahsn@asiaone.comNo part of this article can be reproduced without AsiaOne’s permission.

SINGAPORE - Rides on Tada and Gojek will soon cost more as the two ride-hailing operators announced an increase in a surcharge to defray fuel expenses for their drivers.This follows a similar move by Grab on March 31, when the platform announced an increase of its current 50-cent fee to 90 cents effective from April 7, spurred by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.Fuel prices across the world have been surging due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas.In e-mails sent to users on April 3, both Tada and Gojek announced their temporary fare increases from 50 cents to at least 90 cents for all trips, with both clarifying that the full fee goes to drivers to help them cope with the rising cost of fuel. The new fees will kick in from April 10 to May 31.Tada’s fees, however, will see a further increase to $1.20 for trips costing $18.10 or more. Tada also said that it has provided a one-time support payout of $40 on March 20 to selected drivers.

A 16-year-old teenager is among 82 people under police investigations for their alleged involvement in unlicensed moneylending activities.Police said in a news release on Thursday (April 2) night that they conducted an enforcement operation against unlicensed moneylending activities from March 25 to 31.The operation saw officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and the seven police land divisions conduct raids across Singapore.Preliminary investigations revealed that eight persons had allegedly harassed debtors at their residences.Also under investigation are 14 individuals believed to have acted as runners, assisting in unlicensed moneylending activities by carrying out Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transfers.The remaining 60 people allegedly opened bank accounts, provided ATM cards and personal identification numbers, as well as internet banking tokens to illegal moneylenders to facilitate their unlicensed activities.Police investigations against all 82 individuals are ongoing.