Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Air India will soon be offering more flight options between their home countries as they further their partnership.

From Oct. 15, there will be a total of 126 weekly flights between Singapore and eight Indian cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, and Mumbai.

This is among the first round of initiatives under a commercial cooperation framework agreement that both airlines signed in January 2026, they said in a joint media release on Oct. 7.

"Demand for travel between Singapore and India remains strong, and this partnership will give customers greater choice and convenience," said SIA's Chief Commercial Officer Lee Lik Hsin.

SIA has owned a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India since November 2024.

More flexible booking

Travellers will also have greater flexibility to book eligible flights between Singapore and India operated by either airline alone through the other carrier's website, mobile application, and appointed travel agencies.

Currently, they can only book an eligible Air India-operated codeshare flight through SIA if it also includes an SIA-operated flight, and vice versa.

The change, which also kicks in from Oct. 15, will give travellers access to additional flight options and a more seamless booking experience.

SIA and Air India codeshare flights to 77 destinations across 27 countries and territories around the world.

Reciprocal membership benefits

SIA and Air India will also continue to enhance reciprocal benefits on eligible routes for their members at KrisFlyer and Maharaja Club.

From the second quarter of 2027, Maharaja Club Platinum and KrisFlyer PPS Club members will enjoy priority check-in and boarding privileges, alongside other top-tier members of the respective airlines.

Maharaja Club Silver and KrisFlyer Elite Silver members will also receive additional baggage allowances and priority boarding benefits.

These new benefits come on top of the adjustments both airlines previously made in April 2026 for reciprocal mileage accrual, by expanding the eligible booking classes and revising the earn rates across all cabin classes.

More changes can be expected in the future.

The two carriers are working on improving schedule connectivity to reduce layovers and waiting times, enhancing offerings for corporate customers, and additional measures to streamline the travel experience.

Another six properties in Singapore, linked to the S$3 billion money laundering case, have gone up for auction.

According to The Straits Times (ST), the luxury apartments consist of five units at Nouvel 18 near Orchard Road, and a four-bedroom apartment in Leonie Hill Road.

They will be auctioned on Oct. 28, 2:30pm, at the office of SRI Auctions, one of the three brokerages appointed to auction off the properties.

This follows a previous round of seven other properties auctioned off by Knight Frank.

None of the seven properties was able to meet the minimum price set by the auctioneer, and were ultimately unsold.

In total, 32 properties linked to the money laundering case have been put up for sale since September, with more than 80 in total slated for auction.

On the auction block

The five apartments in Nouvel 18 range from 1,335 square feet (sq ft) to 6,125 sq ft.

Prices start from S$2,939 per sq ft (psf) to S$3,558 psf, reported ST.

These apartments comprise various layouts, from a two-bedder plus study, to a three-bedder, three-bedder plus study, and four-bedder unit.

The smallest apartment at 1,335 sq ft is a two-bedder plus study on the ninth floor, according to the SRI Auction website.

It starts with a guide price of S$4.48 million.

The largest 6,125 sq ft unit is a four-bedder on the 36th floor, the top floor of Nouvel 18.

Pictures show the apartment clad in marble flooring and detailing.

The guide price for the unit is S$18 million.

As for the lone unit at New Futura, the 2,691 sq ft four-bedder starts at a guide price of S$9.8 million, or S$3,642 psf.

All six apartments are freehold.

Tough sell

So far, demand for the auctioned apartments has been lukewarm.

ST reported that of the 26 other properties auctioned before this round, only four apartments in Wallich Residence and Martin Modern, comprising S$16.28 million in value, were sold.

Managing partner of SRI Auction, Mok Sze Sze, told ST that the remaining units at Wallich Residence and Martin Modern are still "attracting a healthy level of interest".

SRI is awaiting directions from the authorities as to whether the properties will be put up for auction again.

In addition to the 32 properties auctioned, three bungalows with private yacht berths and a seaview leasehold plot in Sentosa Cove were recently put up for an expression of interest (EOI) sale.

This was done by luxury realtor List Sotheby’s International Realty (ListSIR).

The EOI sale means that potential buyers can only submit non-binding offers to indicate their interest.

On the other hand, luxury goods related to the money laundering case saw fierce demand and bidding, with all 337 lots sold.

Items included a Yayoi Kusama-Louis Vuitton bag that went for S$87,000, several Chanel bags, and Chrome Hearts jewelllery.

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A woman was spotted with a substantial amount of beverage containers at a BCRS machine, eliciting various reactions online.

She was recorded in a video posted on Instagram by account sgfollowsall on Oct. 8.

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Three huge bags that reached her chin

In the video, she can be seen with five large garbage bags filled to the brim, presumably with beverage containers.

Three bags were stacked to a height that reached her chin.

BCRS, or the Beverage Container Return Scheme, involves consumers returning drink containers to machines in order to receive a S$0.10 refund for each container.

Don't be kaypoh

Her actions quickly drew reactions from commenters.

A number of them quipped that the woman might have been doing so out of necessity.

"This is what people do to survive," the top comment read.

One chided the poster for uploading the video, questioning why they recorded someone who might be in need.

The commenter called them "kaypoh", or nosy, and remarked that the poster might have been looking for quick attention and fame on social media.

Other users pointed to the fact that the woman appeared to be wearing a t-shirt printed with the word "Balenciaga", which is a luxury fashion brand.

One commenter wrote: "How many bottles to change 1 balenciaga?"

Shock and awe

Some other comments expressed disbelief at the number of drink containers she brought.

One questioned how she was able to obtain this many containers, calling it "crazy work".

Another wondered how long she would take to finish processing all the containers.

In response, other users shared their experiences with the machine and its relatively slow speed, with one commenter saying that they once witnessed a man taking "10-12 minutes" to process 24 cans and bottles.

According to The Straits Times, each BCRS machine can hold either 1,000 or 2,000 containers depending on its size.

Her actions came in the wake of other incidents involving members of the public returning containers to BCRS machines.

Past reports include a man who spent two to three hours each day collecting bottles and cans to offset living expenses.

After a man and a child was seen presumably rummaging through a trash bin to look for containers, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said that such actions were against the law.

Eleanor Lee feels like time has eluded her.

The daughter of Mediacorp host Quan Yifeng, Lee will turn 27 on Oct. 12.

Landing her first role at 15 in an Apple advertisement directed by Ann Hui, this marks her 12th year in the entertainment industry.

In an interview with Singapore Chinese-language media Lianhe Zaobao (Zaobao), Lee revealed that she occasionally feels like she is still 18 years old.

From her first role, she quickly took on other film and television roles in China, working from the get-go with veterans such as Leon Lai and Zhang Fengyi within the first two years.

She continued to star in several leading roles, such as in the web series "Problematic Restaurant" and "My Poseidon", and the web film "The Enchanting Phantom". 

Not a nepo baby

Lee told Zaobao that her mother Quan was relatively hands-off when it came to her.

While some may assume that being the daughter of a media personality might entail certain shortcuts, she said, her mother never "interfered" with her problems.

In fact, Lee claims, Quan never taught her anything about being on set or introduced her to directors.

This was so that she would learn how to deal with life independently.

She recalled how when she first moved to China, her mother only gave her a RMB100 (S$19) note.

Lee joked, "My mom is so bad at maths – I was going to stay there for one or two months, how could RMB100 be enough for food?"

Thankfully, though, her agent took her in and provided her with three meals a day.

Shedding the 'cute' label

Lee told Zaobao that during the initial phases of her career, she was seen as "cute" and repeatedly typecasted in "sweet" and "lively" roles.

Though she wished to push herself by taking on an "independent woman" role, and even auditioned for the role of a villain, she was rejected as her appearance was deemed a poor match.

It was only in 2024 when she was put on the set of "Within the Grip" that she was finally cast in a more mature role.

However, that came with its own challenges, as she was so accustomed to playing "innocent" characters by then.

She said that she sometimes found herself acting "too lively" on set, and had to constantly think about how to "remain composed".

The anti-China fiasco

In recent memory, however, Lee found herself attracting unwanted media attention.

While she was filming the drama "The Journey of Legend", an audio clip surfaced on Chinese social media of a woman saying "most Chinese nationals are idiots".

Netizens pinned it on Lee, and a deluge of backlash followed. Some asked her to "get out" of China.

The backlash was so intense that the team working on "The Journey of Legend" even considered using AI face-swapping technology to remove her likeness from the show.

Ultimately, however, the clip was found to have been fabricated by Lee's former assistant, who she sued for defamation.

Lee told Zaobao that it was the "lowest point" in her career.

What bothered her was the sense of guilt, she said.

Despite not being at fault, she felt sorry to her fans, supporters, and company who supported her, especially given that she did not land many roles during that period.

She felt like she had "disappointed" her mother and told her not to accompany her in Beijing in order not to worry her.

Till now, netizens occasionally leave negative comments on her social media posts, some of which are directed at Quan.

"I still want to protect my mother and I hope I can bring her honor."

She further that the incident gave her courage and allowed her to mature.

Lee ended the interview by admitting that she has "slowed down" for a while, and wishes to pick up more roles soon.

She is also cultivating her singing career, having released more than 20 singles and film and television theme songs.

An 11-year-old girl was sent to the hospital after apparently being hit by a car at a carpark in Yishun on Oct. 7, 2026, with the driver assisting with investigations.

The incident was posted to Instagram by @sgfollowsall, which shared information from a follower that the girl was left immobile due to the "intense pain".

An ambulance was also called to the scene afterwards, the post added.

Accident scene

Based on the video, a number of passers-by were gathered in a carpark, overlooking a young individual lying on the ground.

Uniformed personnel could be seen attending to the girl while someone held an umbrella over her.

An ambulance, along with two other vehicles, were stationary at the scene.

Responding to Mothership's queries, the police said they were alerted at about 1:15pm on Oct. 7 to an accident involving a car and a pedestrian along Block 813A Yishun Ring Road.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted at the same time that day to a road traffic accident at the carpark of Block 813 Yishun Ring Road.

SCDF conveyed an 11-year-old pedestrian conscious to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

A 62-year-old male car driver is assisting with investigations and police investigations are ongoing.

Cadillac Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas has made it to Singapore.

He arrived on Oct. 7, according to his social media post.

The 37-year-old Finnish driver wrote that he had cycled close to 420km over four days from Sepang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He made it in time for the Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, where media commitments commenced on Oct. 8.

It was initially thought that Bottas would traverse through 350km of terrain from Malaysia to Singapore on his gravel race bicycle.

But the journey took longer due to the paths he took.

Regular updates

He has been posting daily updates of his ride on social media.

While still in Malaysia, he was seen dining on chicken rice balls and satay.

Distances covered

He rode 56.6km in just over two hours on Oct. 4.

On Oct. 5, he did 161.91km over 5hr 45min.

He then rode another 161km in 5.5 hours on Oct. 6.

On Oct. 7, he finished the last 40.16km.

On Wednesday, he posted a video of the Causeway taken at 2:22pm.

Two hours later, he was cycling past Beach Road towards Marina Bay.

Presented with certificate

He was presented a “certificate of completion” by The Ritz-Carlton, Millennia Singapore.

In all, he rode 419.67km to Singapre.

The Singapore GP’s first practice session is on Oct. 9.

All schools in Johor, Malaysia, will be closed for two days starting Oct. 8 to safeguard students' health amid worsening haze conditions and deteriorating air quality across the state.

According to the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS), all eight areas in Johor recorded unhealthy readings as of 11am on Oct. 8, ranging from 162 to 188.

Johor Education and Information Committee chairman Muhammad Naqib Md Ghazali said the decision was made following a directive from Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, reported The Star.

“While this decision may req­uire some adjustment from everyone, under the current circumstances, the safety and health of children must be our shared priority,” he said.

Safeguard children's health

Naqib also urged parents and guar­dians to monitor their child­ren’s health, reduce outdoor activities and ensure they drink enough water.

“Seek immediate medical ­attention if they experience symptoms such as coughing, sore throat or breathing difficulties,” he said.

He also acknowledged the impact on parents who have to work and asked for the cooperation and consideration of employers in providing appropriate flexibility.

Meanwhile, schools will postpone assessments, subject to decisions by the Johor Education Department and relevant parties.

Home-based teaching and learning will be conducted during the two-day closure to ensure students can continue their lessons.

The state government and relevant agencies will continue monitoring the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, Naqib said.

Crystal Jade has closed another four outlets in Singapore and laid off 120 employees.

This comes as part of its restructuring measures undertaken ahead of a potential sale, said Crystal Jade's receivers Kroll in a press release on Oct. 7.

The financial and risk advisory firm announced that the measures were aimed at "positioning the business for a proposed sale and supporting its long-term future."

The four outlets that ceased operations on Oct. 6 were three Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao outlets located at Bugis Junction, Toa Payoh, and Katong i12, and one Crystal Jade GO outlet located at Punggol Oasis Terrace.

This move follows Kroll's appointment as receivers over the holding companies of both Crystal Jade's Singapore and Hong Kong operations on Sep. 29.

Consultation with unions

According to Kroll, the 120 employees terminated worked in both restaurants and corporate capacities.

This leaves Crystal Jade with approximately 210 workers and nine outlets remaining.

All affected employees were informed directly and will receive salaries up till their final day of employment, Kroll said.

Restaurant staff will continue to serve their applicable notice periods and will be compensated according to their employment contracts.

Kroll and Crystal Jade have engaged the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU), an affiliated union of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), among other associations to support affected workers since Sep. 30.

In response, FDAWU's General Secretary Sankaradass S/O S. Chami said:

"We know this will be a difficult and uncertain time for affected members, workers and their families. Our focus is to ensure that members and workers are treated fairly, kept informed and received the support they need and do not have to navigate this period of uncertainty alone."

He also added that they were working with NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and employer partners to assist workers in finding new opportunities.

According to a statement, FDAWU and NTUC’s e2i connected workers with more than 400 job opportunities across various sectors, and engaged employer partners to conduct on-site interviews for terminated workers during the exercise.

These include the food manufacturing, food services, hospitality, and wholesale and retail sectors.

Partners also included other food and beverage (F&B) companies such as Paris Baguette, Neo Group Bakery and Din Tai Fung.

ST also reported that FDAWU representatives assisted affected union members by addressing their queries and pointing them towards available support schemes.

Care packs containing essential goods and groceries were also prepared for affected union members.

Central kitchen closes doors

Separately, Crystal Jade's central kitchen, Crystal Jade Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd, also ceased operations on Oct. 5.

Kroll said that the central kitchen operated outside the scope of the receivership.

Nevertheless, the decision was made by the company's management as part of the Crystal Jade Group's broader restructuring efforts.

Kroll also added that it does not expect further outlet closures in Singapore.

They intend to market the business for sale as a going concern, meaning that it is able to meet all financial obligations.

The nine remaining outlets in Singapore are:

• Crystal Jade Palace at Takashimaya Shopping Centre
• Crystal Jade Golden Palace at The Paragon
• Crystal Jade Pavilion at VivoCity
• Four Crystal Jade Hong Kong Kitchen outlets at Causeway Point, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, One Holland Village and Tampines 1
• Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Changi Airport Terminal 1
• Crystal Jade GO at Changi Airport Terminal 4

From January 2027, Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be progressively retiring the iconic open-toe sandals of the female cabin crew, and replacing them with new closed-toe wedges designed by local brand Pazzion.

An SIA spokesperson told Mothership the move follows a review to enhance the safety, comfort, and support of their cabin crew while meeting operational requirements.

The final design was decided on after testing several prototypes on actual flights.

Standardisation

Currently, SIA's female cabin crew switch between two types of footwear for different flight phases.

They would first wear the open-toe sandals to greet passengers boarding the plane, then swap them for a pair of closed-toe slingbacks for take-off.

After landing, they would change back into the sandals to see passengers off.

The slingbacks were first introduced in 2001, a year after the deadly SQ006 crash in Taiwan that sparked questions whether the open-toe sandals could have impeded the female cabin crew's movement in helping passengers evacuate the plane.

However, SIA denied the link at the time, clarifying that they were already looking for a replacement earlier in September 1999.

From 2027, the new shoes will replace both footwear, so that the flight attendants can wear one pair throughout for better practicality, the SIA spokesperson told Mothership.

They will feature thicker lambskin insoles for support, and SIA's signature batik motif with colour variants matched to each crew rank's uniform.

According to an image shared on Xiaohongshu, the wedge heel will be the same height as the current slingbacks.

A pity but practical

A former SIA female flight attendant told Zaobao that she found it a pity that the airline will be phasing out the open-toe sandals.

She said the sandals were not only comfortable but also an iconic part of the cabin crew's uniform.

Nonetheless, she felt that today's flight attendants would welcome the move as it means they no longer need to alternate between shoes while working.

A Singaporean woman, 40, was sentenced to eight weeks and five days' jail for dining and dashing at a Haidilao restaurant, as well as committing a series of petty retail shop thefts, including stealing two loaves of raisin bread.

The accused, Ong Rou En, pleaded guilty to three charges on Oct. 5.

The remaining charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Claimed she gets to eat for free

On Oct. 28, 2024, at about 12am at the Haidilao restaurant at Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), Ong ordered S$203.50 worth of food.

The items included a beef tallow soup base, Iberico pork, prawn paste, Chinese bullfrog, and crispy pork strips, among other dishes.

Two hours later, the staff presented Ong with the bill.

Instead of paying, the accused suddenly said the restaurant manager had promised her a free meal.

The staff then clarified with the restaurant manager and was told that what the woman claimed was not true.

Ong then said she was a Haidilao staff at the Marina Bay Sands outlet.

After verifying with the Marina Bay Sands outlet, it was again discovered that the woman was not telling the truth.

She also could not produce a staff card when asked for it.

She then left the restaurant without paying.

The manager made a police report on the same day.

Stole bread

About two months later, on Dec. 21, 2024, Ong committed theft at a shop at Block 720 Jurong West Avenue 5.

She stole two loaves of California raisin bread valued at S$7.80 and returned a few minutes later to take six sambal ikan bilis buns valued at S$9.60.

The store manager noticed the thefts three days later while reviewing surveillance footage and reported the matter to the police.

Ong subsequently admitted to stealing the items as she had an urge to do so.

Stole from Don Don Donki

On Oct. 6, 2025, at about 5.45pm, Ong took S$300 worth of items at the Don Don Donki outlet located in Jurong West, and placed them in a white tote bag.

The items included one bottle of Smirnoff ice wild grape drink valued at S$4.90 and four slices of Mekajiki sashimi valued at S$55.20, among other goods.

She spent 15 minutes in the shop.

The retail manager detected the accused’s offences when he reviewed the surveillance footage more than a week later on Oct. 15 and reported it to the police.

The accused admitted to the theft and said she had been under a lot of mental stress at the time.

Pleaded for leniency

The court heard that Ong expressed remorse and deep regret for wasting public resources, Shin Min Daily News reported.

She added that she would actively seek treatment after her release, claiming that she never intended to evade responsibility and had promised her lawyer that she would change.

She also explained that she dined and dashed at Haidilao because she was angry with the waiter.