Singapore citizenship applications for adopted Indonesian babies delayed amid trafficking probe: MSF, MHA

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.

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.

READ: https://asia1.news/49uOwgE

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🇲🇾 Malaysian prosecutors end graft case against country's deputy prime minister

Malaysian prosecutors said on Thursday (Jan 8) that they have put an end to their corruption case against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, saying that there was insufficient evidence to continue.

READ: https://asia1.news/3LwTvW6

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😱 Skeleton of Cambodian worker missing for 2 years found in home ceiling during renovation

The remains of a 29-year-old Cambodian worker who went missing about two years ago were found in the ceiling of an abandoned home in Lam Luk Ka district near Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday (Jan 6). 

READ: https://asia1.news/4qPf2bU

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Over 500kg of cannabis reportedly in transit seized at Pasir Panjang scanning station

A container with over 500kg of cannabis was intercepted at Pasir Panjang scanning station during enhanced checks on Jan 3, said the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Friday (Jan 9).

READ: https://asia1.news/3Ndzt3B

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📺 Richie Koh almost quit acting before his breakout success in 2022: 'If there's no progression, there's no money'

Richie Koh had yet to bag any breakout roles from the time he began acting in 2017 till 2022, where where he played an autistic protagonist Zheng Tiancai in "Your World in Mine".

READ: https://asia1.news/4pwT9Nc

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💵 Singapore is 2nd richest country in the world in 2025, but drops to 8th for long work hours

This is among the 178 countries evaluated by The Economist, with the top three countries being Switzerland, Singapore and Norway.

READ: https://asia1.news/49vo4DM

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Some 900 non-compliant active mobility devices seized by LTA in 2025

It was not a happy end to 2025 for some 67 owners of non-compliant active mobility devices (AMDs) as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) kept up the pressure against errant AMD users through operations in hotspots such as Pasir Ris, Punggol, Sengkang and Sembawang.

READ: https://asia1.news/4jDz4DS

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😔 'Going crazy and crying': Hong Ling on playing a ghost in new drama filmed in Taiwan

It was Hong Ling's first time filming for a long period overseas, and it wasn't an easy experience.

READ: https://asia1.news/4sEBo1t

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🇺🇸 US Senate votes to curb military action in Venezuela, Trump says oversight could last years

The Senate voted 52 to 47 on a procedural measure to advance the war powers resolution, as a handful of Trump's fellow Republicans voted with every Democrat in favour of moving ahead toward a final vote on the matter.

READ: https://asia1.news/4qbNWvk

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🇦🇺 3 people missing as bushfires destroy homes in Australia's southeast

Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch told a news conference that firefighters were battling 30 active blazes, with the state's fire danger rating on Friday at "catastrophic", the highest level.

READ: https://asia1.news/49MtsDF

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Can the ICE agent who shot a Minneapolis woman be prosecuted?

A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in her car in Minneapolis on Wednesday (Jan 7) amid President Donald Trump's federal crackdown.

Here is a look at the potential legal repercussions.

READ: https://asia1.news/49R2eLh

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☀️ Good morning! Here are some stories you might have missed yesterday:

😮 South Korea's President Lee to visit Japan for a summit with PM Takaichi https://asia1.news/3NBdaow

🇷🇺 Russia says it fired its Oreshnik hypersonic missile at Ukraine https://asia1.news/3Z2FVgi

🇭🇰 Frost forms in Hong Kong's New Territories as temperature dips to single digits https://asia1.news/4swl0jt

☕️ Hong Kong cafe Elephant Grounds to open Singapore flagship store

Elephant Grounds — a cafe from Hong Kong known for its craft coffee, freshly baked pastries and brunch platters — opens its Singapore flagship store today (Jan 10).

READ: https://asia1.news/4jtVDKO

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😮‍💨 Singaporean man, 29, rescued after being stranded on Taiwan mountain without hiking gear

The man, identified only as Lin, was climbing the 3,524m-high Pintian Mountain alone when his hiking gear fell into a valley at around 8pm on Tuesday (Jan 6).

READ: https://asia1.news/49d6aGW

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😱 3-year-old girl jumps out of moving car in Malaysia, gets 20 stitches

The accident left the girl with severe oral injuries that required surgery under anaesthesia.

READ: https://asia1.news/3Z4iALj

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⚠️ NUS warns against investment scams using school logo and president's image

According to NUS, the scams reportedly promote investment products.

READ: https://asia1.news/452vVXY

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⏰ Arriving and departing passengers mixed up at Changi Airport T4 boarding gate, held back for 1 hour

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.

READ: https://asia1.news/4qe6wDb

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🇭🇰 Visiting Hong Kong? Belt up on public transport or get fined

Commuters who fail to buckle up may face fines of up to HK$5,000 (S$825) and imprisonment of up to three months.

READ: https://asia1.news/49gOYQQ

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🚨 Police disrupt over 3,500 scam attempts, potential losses of over $34 million averted

Singapore police said they disrupted more than 3,500 scam attempts over a two-month operation, using automation and bank partnerships to alert potential victims early and avert losses exceeding $34 million.

READ: https://asia1.news/4qGrier

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😢 'He has already called us papa and mama': Singaporean couple fear losing 18-month-old adopted son amid trafficking probe in Indonesia

Sam, 37, and Jo, 41, began the process to adopt a child from Indonesia in December 2024, when the infant arrived here. Little did they expect that their dream to start a family has now hit a pause following reports in September 2025 that the Indonesian police had uncovered a trafficking ring that had allegedly sent more than a dozen babies to Singapore for adoption since 2023. This is their story.

READ: https://asia1.news/4pvdbru

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😋 More consistent budget meal quality, extended rental discounts at HDB coffee shops

You can now look forward to more consistent quality in budget meals as HDB coffee shop operators and stallholders receive more rental support.

READ: https://asia1.news/4ptlcNL

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