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  In a sombre and direct message to Singaporeans, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong urged the nation to brace for a more unstable and dangerous global environment. He made these remarks in a speech posted online on April 4, 2025, following a dramatic announcement by US President Donald Trump to impose a 10% tariff on most goods imported from Singapore and several other countries. PM Wong described the new tariff measures as a “seismic shift” in global trade and warned that this signals the end of an era defined by rules-based globalisation. He highlighted how the global order — once supported by clear norms and institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) — is now eroding rapidly. The Prime Minister emphasized that the world is transitioning into a phase where nations act primarily based on self-interest, often using pressure or force to achieve their goals. “The global calm and stability we once knew will not return anytime soon,” he said. “We cannot expect that the rules w...

  On April 2, 2025, a 42-year-old Malaysian national, Zhang Jiesen (transliteration), who is a Singapore permanent resident, was sentenced to 18 weeks in jail for secretly filming a female tenant in a shared bathroom. He pleaded guilty to one count of voyeurism, while two other charges — obstruction of justice and breaching the Films Act — were taken into consideration during sentencing. The incident occurred in a public housing unit rented by Zhang and his wife, who then sublet rooms to four tenants — two men and two women. According to court proceedings, Zhang had malicious intentions targeting one of the female tenants. On October 20, 2023, he ordered a miniature camera and memory card online. By November, he began hiding the device in the shared bathroom used by all four tenants. Zhang carefully timed his actions. He would typically set up the camera between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., a time when he knew the victim was likely to return home from work and use the bathroom. Using blu tac...

  On April 4, 2025, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) announced that a 24-year-old woman is assisting with investigations after a video surfaced online in March showing her vaping on board a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) train in Singapore. The video, which was widely circulated on social media, drew public concern due to her erratic behavior and the open flouting of the law in a public setting. In the video, the woman appears visibly drowsy. Her head droops forward, her hair falls over her face, and her hand movements are unsteady and jerky. She is seen adjusting her hair and exhaling smoke inside the train cabin. The footage prompted HSA to take immediate action. HSA managed to identify the woman and subsequently conducted a raid at her residence on March 24, 2025. During the operation, authorities recovered one e-vaporiser and three e-vaporiser pods. These items were sent for laboratory analysis, which confirmed that the pods contained etomidate—a potent anaesthetic drug typically ...

  On April 1, 2025, four individuals were charged in court for their involvement in a conspiracy to deceive a homeowner into renting out a bungalow at 32 Victoria Park Road, which was later used as a private club. The accused include Su Wenhui, 44, a Cambodian national; Wu Pengfei, 35, a Singaporean; Su Zhentan, 40, a Chinese national; and property agent Xu Huiming, 35, a Malaysian. They face between one to three charges each under various laws including cheating, the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, and the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act. According to the charges, the four individuals allegedly conspired with a person named Wu Guojing to deceive the homeowner into signing a rental agreement with Wu Pengfei as the official tenant. However, the property was subsequently used as a private club, which was not disclosed to the owner. Between April and May 18, 2024, Su Wenhui and Su Zhentan allegedly worked without valid work perm...

  On April 3, 2025, five Malaysian men were sentenced to jail and fined for their roles in a transnational scam operation based in Johor Bahru. The group was involved in a "fake friend scam call" scheme that defrauded at least 70 victims in Singapore, causing losses exceeding $164,000. Their victims, many of whom were elderly individuals aged between 68 and 76, were tricked into transferring money through deceptive phone calls and messages. The scammers pretended to be friends or acquaintances of their targets, persuading them to send money under various false pretexts. The men were recruited between May and August 2023 and operated from a scam center at the Marina Residence JB condominium. Each was paid between RM3,000 (S$915) and RM5,500 monthly, along with commissions of 10% based on the amounts they swindled. They were also provided with food and accommodation. Among them, Chua Zi Huang, 24, received the harshest sentence—four years and seven months in jail, along with a ...

  A driver traveling along KJE Exit 2 towards Bukit Timah had an unexpected encounter with wildlife at night towards the end of March 2025. While driving in low-visibility conditions, the motorist noticed a deer crossing the road and instinctively slowed down. However, shortly after, a second deer, presumably a baby, ran across the expressway, and despite the driver’s efforts to brake, the vehicle collided with the young deer at a speed of approximately 40km/h. Fortunately, the baby deer was still able to get up and run off after the impact, and the driver’s car sustained no visible damage. The incident raised concerns about wildlife movement near major roads, particularly in areas where animals are rarely seen. The driver shared their experience, expressing confusion over why deer were present near the KJE. The highway is a high-speed roadway, and having animals unexpectedly cross it poses significant dangers not only to wildlife but also to motorists. A sudden appearance of anima...

  On April 3, 2025, Foo Li Ping, 29, was sentenced to 19 years in prison for abusing her four-year-old daughter, Megan Khung, over a year, ultimately leading to her death. Her former boyfriend, Wong Shi Xiang, 38, was sentenced to 30 years in jail and 17 strokes of the cane for his role in Megan’s death and other drug-related crimes. Justice Hoo Sheau Peng strongly condemned their actions, describing them as heinous, deplorable, and violent. Megan, a vulnerable child who relied on Foo and Wong for care, was subjected to relentless abuse. She pleaded for food, clothing, and a proper place to sleep but was ignored. Instead, Foo and Wong humiliated and tortured her, recording her suffering for their own sadistic pleasure. Megan was made to sleep in a planter box outside the master bedroom, exposed to the harsh weather. She was also deprived of food and forced to endure degrading punishments, such as wearing a soiled diaper over her head. The abuse escalated after Megan began living wi...

  On April 2, 2025, a viral video captured a traffic incident near the Johor CIQ Woodlands Causeway, where a black sedan car was rear-ended by a Malaysian yellow public bus. The video quickly gained attention online, with many netizens supporting the bus driver’s actions. The incident occurred when the black sedan, which had been driving illegally in the bus lane, attempted to cut back into the regular vehicle lane at the last moment. The bus driver was unable to brake in time, resulting in a collision that left the sedan with visible rear-end damage. Many online users expressed satisfaction with the outcome, believing the car driver was at fault for trying to bypass traffic by using the bus lane. As a result, there is speculation that the sedan driver may not be able to claim insurance for the damages due to their traffic violation. Incident Breakdown Traffic congestion at the Johor CIQ Woodlands Causeway is a daily occurrence, with long queues forming during peak hours. The bus l...

  A newborn baby boy, born to underage parents, was found buried in a garden, with authorities unable to determine whether he was stillborn or died after birth. On April 2, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda declared an open verdict, meaning the cause of death could not be conclusively established due to the decomposed state of the infant’s remains. The case revealed a tragic sequence of events involving two teenagers—a 15-year-old girl and her 14-year-old boyfriend—who conceived the child in 2021 while they were classmates in secondary school. Due to their young ages, a gag order was imposed to protect their identities. A Relationship That Turned Tragic The couple began dating in May 2020 and engaged in unprotected sex in the boy’s bedroom, as he found it difficult to buy condoms due to his age. When the girl discovered she was pregnant, the pair attempted multiple dangerous methods to terminate the pregnancy...

  A 73-year-old man Indian national working as a manager for a bank in India, was sentenced to nine months in jail after being found guilty of molesting four air stewardesses during a Singapore Airlines flight from San Francisco to Singapore. The accused, Balasubramanian Ramesh, pleaded guilty to four counts of molestation, with an additional three charges taken into consideration. The offences occurred on November 18, 2024, during a flight that lasted approximately 17 hours. Over a 14-hour span, Balasubramanian inappropriately touched four different stewardesses, allegedly because he found them attractive. According to court documents, the first incident occurred around 3:30 am Singapore time. As the first victim was pushing a meal cart past his seat, he stroked her buttocks twice over her clothing. Shocked, she quickly walked away, feeling uncomfortable. Just five minutes later, the second victim became his next target. While she was bending over to serve food to a passenger seat...

  A dramatic rescue unfolded on the afternoon of April 2, 2025, when a woman attempted to jump from an overhead bridge along Serangoon Avenue 2, near Serangoon Nex Mall. A viral video capturing the incident shows her sitting on the bridge’s roof with her legs dangling over the edge, creating a tense situation as onlookers watched in concern. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) were swiftly deployed to the scene after being alerted. Officers were seen coordinating their efforts to prevent the woman from taking drastic action. Several officers positioned themselves below the bridge, engaging with her in conversation to distract and calm her. Meanwhile, another SCDF officer carefully approached her from behind, moving cautiously to avoid startling her. As the video progresses, the officer takes a decisive moment to grab hold of the woman, pulling her away from the edge and embracing her to prevent any further risk. The coordinated teamwork between...

  A two-month-old girl, Zabelle Peh Yu Xuan, died after weeks of abuse by her parents, culminating in fatal head injuries inflicted by her mother, Sim Liang Xiu. She was declared brain dead on Jan 13, 2023, after suffering blunt force trauma to her head. Both Sim, 31, and her husband, Peh Wei Jian, 34, were sentenced to jail on April 2, 2024—Sim receiving eight years and Peh seven. Sim originally faced a murder charge but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of culpable homicide, as she was diagnosed with post-natal depression. Peh pleaded guilty to failing to protect Zabelle, despite being aware of the abuse. Both also had additional child abuse charges taken into consideration during sentencing. The abuse began shortly after Zabelle’s birth on Nov 6, 2022. Sim slapped, bit, and forcefully dropped her daughter, while Peh pushed a milk bottle into her mouth, pinched her, and threw her into the cot. On Jan 8, 2023, Sim struck Zabelle’s head in frustration over soiled diapers. The next ...

  A 17-year-old Singaporean was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) after plotting to attack five mosques and kill at least 100 Muslims. Inspired by the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, he had planned to carry out the attacks after Friday prayers and then take his own life. His radicalisation, which began in 2022, was detected during investigations into another extremist, 18-year-old Nick Lee, who was detained in December 2024. The Internal Security Department (ISD) revealed on April 2 that the teenager had engaged with Islamophobic and far-right extremist content online, developing a deep hatred for Muslims and Malays. He identified as an "East Asian supremacist," believing that Han Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese were superior to Malays and Indians. He frequently shared extremist content and participated in online debates to criticise Islam. His radicalisation escalated in late 2023 after watching the Christchurch shooter’s video, which he viewed as inspirat...

  A resident of Block 244 Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 is struggling with wall cracks and a leaking kitchen ceiling, which she suspects may be linked to solar panel installations on her flat’s roof last year. Ms Zhu, 58, who lives in a top-floor unit, shared that she has been dealing with rainwater leaking into her kitchen, forcing her to place buckets on the floor to catch the drips. The problem has significantly disrupted her daily life. She recalled that when workers drilled into the roof to install the solar panels, her entire house shook. Not long after, cracks began forming on her walls, and water started seeping through the ceiling. While she is unsure if the damage is directly linked to the installation, she is concerned about the worsening condition of her home. Apart from leaks, cracks have appeared on her bedroom wall, and dust occasionally falls from the gaps. Ms Zhu also noted that her walls have persistent peeling paint, which she believes is caused by moisture from the ...

  A repeat offender has been sentenced to five months in jail after attacking a man at a KTV outlet, violating the terms of his remission order. Tan Hong Sheng, 28, was previously linked to the high-profile 2019 Orchard Towers case, where he was initially charged with murder but later convicted of a lesser offence. In March 2021, he was sentenced to four years and nine months’ imprisonment with 12 strokes of the cane for being with someone who had a weapon and for two unrelated rioting charges. He was released in 2022 under a remission order, requiring him to remain crime-free until June 2024. However, in November 2023, he got into a violent altercation, leading to his latest conviction. The incident took place on November 27, 2023, at a KTV outlet in Jurong. Tan was using the restroom when a 35-year-old man entered and stood at a nearby urinal. Prosecutors stated that Tan took offence at the victim looking at him repeatedly. The victim later clarified that he had been looking at T...

  Grab has officially received a street-hail operator licence, marking its entry into Singapore’s taxi industry as the sixth licensed taxi operator. The licence was awarded to its subsidiary, GrabCab, and will take effect on April 9, 2025, for a duration of 10 years. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced this development on April 2, 2025, highlighting that the move will offer more options for drivers and passengers while expanding the availability of taxis. Under the terms of the licence, GrabCab is required to progressively grow its fleet to at least 800 taxis within the first three years. LTA emphasized that GrabCab must comply with all safety and operational regulations, ensuring that its vehicles meet specific standards. These include having a distinctive livery and a prominent roof-top sign for easy identification by passengers looking for street-hail taxis. Additionally, the taxis must have sufficient boot space to accommodate a folded wheelchair or luggage. GrabCab’s ...

  A fatal accident on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway near Bentong has caused significant traffic congestion, with motorists slowing down to look at the wreckage. The incident, which occurred on March 31, involved a three-tonne lorry that veered into the opposite lane and crashed into four other vehicles, claiming three lives and injuring four others. The victims, a 61-year-old woman, her 34-year-old daughter, and her 29-year-old son, were traveling in a Honda Accord when the crash occurred. They died at the scene due to the severity of the impact. Four others, who were in the other vehicles involved, sustained injuries. According to Bentong District Police Chief Superintendent Zaiham Mohd Kahar, the lorry's wreckage remains on the road shoulder, but it is not obstructing traffic. However, he noted that congestion is being caused by motorists slowing down to observe the accident site rather than any actual road blockage. "Traffic will be smooth if road users choose to con...

  A viral video circulating on Facebook has sparked outrage among netizens after a hit-and-run incident at an HDB open-air car park. The footage shows a driver in a white Toyota Sienta attempting to reverse into a parking lot. Despite having ample space, the driver misjudged the maneuver and backed directly into a black sedan parked behind. Rather than stopping to assess the damage or take responsibility, the driver immediately drove off, leaving the black sedan with visible damage. The incident has led many netizens to question whether the driver possesses a valid license, with some calling him a “Kayu driver” – a slang term used in Singapore to describe someone with poor driving skills. Many online users have expressed frustration, pointing out that this is an obvious case of hit-and-run. Some have urged the owner of the black sedan to file a police report and use the video evidence to claim damages against the driver of the white Toyota Sienta. The incident has reignited discuss...

  A 42-year-old Indian national, Kolathu James Leo, has been charged with multiple offenses after allegedly causing a mid-flight disturbance on a Singapore-bound Scoot flight from Sydney on February 27. He faces charges of criminal intimidation, using criminal force on a flight attendant, and being intoxicated on board, which endangered good order and discipline. Kolathu was reportedly drunk during the flight when he began shouting, disturbing other passengers. He allegedly attempted to detach a seat pocket and struck the seat in front of him. As cabin crew intervened to de-escalate the situation, he is accused of grabbing a male flight attendant’s wrist and later threatening to kill him. The situation escalated further, and despite efforts to calm him, Kolathu remained aggressive. According to police, it was only after being warned that the aircraft would return to Australia that he became compliant. To ensure the safety of passengers and crew, he was placed under restraints for...

  A major fire broke out at a gas pipeline operated by Malaysia’s state energy company Petronas on April 1, injuring 33 people and forcing residents to flee their homes in the middle of Eid celebrations. The fire, which erupted in Putra Heights near Kuala Lumpur, sent flames towering over residential areas and was visible from Subang Jaya and Puchong. According to the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, the blaze was caused by a gas pipeline leak stretching approximately 500 meters. A loud explosion was reported before the fire spread, engulfing several homes. Seven residents had to be rescued, and six people were hospitalized due to injuries. The fire department received an emergency call at 8:10 am. Firefighters from Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, and Puchong were deployed to the scene. The valve to the affected pipeline was shut off to prevent further escalation. Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as families fled their homes. One resident, living just 200 meters from the explosi...