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  Singapore has reported 187 cases of gastroenteritis linked to ready-to-eat (RTE) meals distributed as part of Total Defence Day, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on March 4. The revelation comes after authorities initially described the incident as "isolated," when 20 students from the School of the Arts (SOTA) fell ill after consuming the meals. Of the 187 confirmed cases as of March 3, 184 were from schools, two from Active Ageing Centres, and one from a public agency. This accounts for about 0.16% of the total participants who received the meals. While all affected individuals have recovered, none required hospitalization. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has tested samples of the meals but found no foodborne pathogens. However, investigations by SFA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) are ongoing, with corrective actions expected if lapses are detected. The RTE meals, developed by SATS for emergency preparedness, were part of the Food Resilience...

  A shocking road rage incident in Bandar Teknologi Kajang, Hulu Langat, Selangor, has led to an attempted murder investigation, with police arresting an elderly couple after their SUV rammed into a lorry driver. The dramatic event, captured on dashcam footage, has since gone viral on social media. The altercation began when a small lorry overtook a black Mazda SUV in the right lane. Instead of continuing forward, the lorry suddenly stopped in front of the SUV, blocking its path. The Mazda driver attempted to switch lanes, but the lorry moved again, cutting it off. Frustrated, the Mazda driver reversed to reposition the car in the right lane. At that moment, the lorry driver stepped out, possibly to confront the SUV driver. However, instead of remaining stationary, the Mazda accelerated and rammed into the lorry driver, dragging him onto the road divider before fleeing the scene. Following the incident, Kajang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Naazron Abdul Yusof confirm...

  Prime Minister Lawrence Wong reassured Singaporeans on March 3 that the Government remains committed to helping citizens cope with rising costs, stating that every bit of support counts and will continue for as long as necessary. In a video uploaded to his social media platforms, PM Wong acknowledged that the cost of living is a major concern, as prices have increased across essentials like groceries and utilities. To alleviate these pressures, the 2025 Budget introduced additional measures, including the special SG60 package, which provides $600 in vouchers to all Singaporeans aged 21 to 59. Seniors aged 60 and above will receive $800. Additionally, all households will be given $800 in CDC vouchers, with $500 disbursed in May and the remaining $300 in January 2026. PM Wong addressed concerns that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike from 7% to 9%—implemented in two phases across 2023 and 2024—worsened the cost of living crisis. However, he pointed out that inflation is a global...

  The driver who lost his life in a high-speed Porsche 911 Carrera crash on Nicoll Highway on March 2 has been identified as 37-year-old Jeffery Loh Chong Hao. Loh was the director and one of the three shareholders of Chee Song Foods, a company known for its halal-certified meat products sold under the CS Foods brand. The Porsche was registered under Chee Song Foods and was bought brand new in May 2021, according to Land Transport Authority records. Loh, who studied banking and finance at the Singapore Institute of Management under the University of London International Programme, was known to be hardworking and dedicated to his business. A business associate, known only as Mr Koh, expressed shock upon recognizing the vehicle in the widely circulated video of the crash. He shared that Loh often drove the car to business meetings and recalled a trip they took together in November 2024 to visit food factories in China. Mr Loh’s colleagues and family have declined to comment on the tr...

  The Ministry of Education (MOE) has confirmed that all three Montfort Secondary School students involved in a viral video from February will face disciplinary action for their roles in the incident. MOE stated on Monday, March 3, that all students shared responsibility for what transpired and will receive “appropriate punishment.” The widely shared video, first posted on Facebook on February 22, showed a group of students approaching a boy from behind. One student tripped and pushed him to the ground, while another kicked him twice. The boy got up and walked away, but another student tripped him again. The video quickly gained attention, being shared over 10,000 times before it was removed by February 23 at 11 pm. MOE’s statement clarified that the student who appeared to be attacked in the video had earlier been involved in a fight with two classmates. A teacher had intervened in the classroom, stopping the altercation. However, after school dismissal, the two classmates continu...

  A 39-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a loanshark harassment case in Tampines. On February 27, 2025, at around 5:40 pm, the police received a report regarding an act of loanshark harassment at a residential unit along Tampines Street 22. The gate and front door of the unit had been splattered with red and yellow paint, while loanshark-related graffiti was found scribbled on the lift lobby wall nearby. Officers from the Bedok Police Division swiftly began investigations, analyzing police camera footage and conducting on-the-ground enquiries. Within just eight hours of the incident, they identified the two suspects. A mobile phone was seized as part of the case investigation. Preliminary findings revealed that the suspects had been recruited for their roles in the harassment through a social media platform. Many unlicensed moneylenders exploit such platforms to attract individuals with promises of easy money, getting them invo...

  An antique dealer was sentenced to two years and five months in prison on March 3 for selling a Qing Dynasty vase belonging to a client to settle his debts and later deceiving the same client with a fake calligraphy painting. Kuok Chio, 42, who owns the antique business Chinese Art Centre, pleaded guilty to charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and acquiring benefits from criminal conduct. Two additional charges were taken into account during sentencing. In October 2023, Kuok approached his client, Dr Chan Chi Chin, requesting permission to take two pieces from his collection to Hong Kong for valuation. Dr Chan agreed to let him bring a single item—a Qing Dynasty "blue and white garlic-head vase" from the Qianlong Emperor’s reign (1735–1796). The vase was valued at approximately HK$1.8 million (S$315,000). Dr Chan explicitly told Kuok not to sell the vase without his consent, and Kuok provided a post-dated cheque of S$50,000 as collateral. However, at the time, Kuo...

  A serious accident occurred at the junction of Punggol East and Punggol Central on the evening of March 1, injuring multiple migrant workers after a pickup truck crashed into a construction site fence. The collision took place around 6.40 pm when a pickup carrying workers collided with a car, causing the truck to lose control and veer off the road. The impact led the vehicle onto the pavement before it slammed into the fence of a nearby construction site. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene, with police and emergency responders arriving quickly. Among the injured, one worker was seen lying face down, bleeding from the head, while another had bloodstains on his sleeves. Debris and oil spills were visible on the road, and the car involved in the accident had its front end severely damaged. A man working near the accident site recounted that the pickup was traveling along Punggol East when it collided with a car coming from Punggol Central Road. The force of the crash caused the ...

  A new campaign has been launched to address the issue of fare evasion in taxis and private-hire vehicles. Despite a significant drop in reported cases in 2024, fare evasion remains a problem that affects drivers' livelihoods. In 2024, 92 cases of passengers refusing to pay their fares were reported to the authorities, nearly half the 198 cases recorded in 2023. The figures had been increasing over the years, with 170 cases in 2022 and 96 in 2021. Some individuals were repeat offenders, evading fares multiple times. To tackle this issue, a campaign titled "Ride Clean, Pay the Fare" was introduced on February 10. It encourages passengers to pay their fares and maintain cleanliness in vehicles. Over 3,400 decals promoting the initiative have been distributed to be displayed in taxis and private-hire cars. The campaign will also feature short video reels to raise awareness about responsible passenger behavior. Despite the decline in reported fare evasion cases, some drivers...

  Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min made history on Sunday by securing her first Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour title since 2019, defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Thuy Linh in the German Open final. The victory marks a significant milestone for the 26-year-old as she claimed the Super 300 title in straight sets, 21-16, 21-17, in just 41 minutes at the Westenergie Sporthalle in Mulheim, Germany. Ranked 13th in the world, Yeo entered the match as the tournament’s top seed, holding a 3-1 head-to-head advantage over world number 29 Nguyen. Their most recent encounter was at the Indian Open earlier this year, where Yeo also emerged victorious. Her journey to the title was marked by an impressive semi-final win against Denmark’s defending champion, Mia Blichfeldt. In the final, Yeo built an early lead, going up 11-7 at the first interval. Although Nguyen narrowed the gap, Yeo maintained composure to close out the opening game. The second game saw Nguyen take an early lead, but a combination...