SINGAPORE — An 18-year-old boy was playing with a cat belonging to one of his neighbours in April 2023 when he performed a lewd act on the animal, which did not suffer any injuries. A nearby CCTV camera recorded the incident and the clip went viral soon after. In unrelated incidents, the youth also harassed and assaulted a 19-year-old course mate who has mild intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. The offender, who is now 20, cannot be named as he was below 18 years old when he committed theft in 2022. On May 23, he pleaded guilty to one count each of assault, harassment and doing an obscene act in a public place. Two counts of theft and a second assault charge will be considered during his sentencing. Deputy Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok told the court that a 35-year-old man, who lived in a Senja Road block of flats, owned the cat, which he allowed to roam freely outside his home.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) impounded 78 non-compliant Active Mobility Devices (AMD) in an islandwide enforcement operation in public areas and housing estates from May 19 to May 23. In a Facebook post on Friday, the authority said this is part of ongoing efforts to address and prevent the rising number of fire incidents involving non-compliant Power-Assisted Bicycles (PABs) and Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) in residential areas. AMDs include PABs, PMDs, and personal mobility aids. Under the law, LTA can impound non-compliant PABs from any location, and non-compliant PMDs on public paths such as HDB common corridors and stairwells. The authority said it will issue notices to owners of these registered AMDs which were seized. It added that PABs and e-scooters must be registered with it, and owners of unregistered devices can contact LTA for verification and investigation.

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SINGAPORE — Singapore has never stayed neutral and will always take a position on policies or international issues, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong at a conference on May 22. Among the thorniest of those issues are the trade tensions between the US and China, but as contentious as the issue is, Singapore cannot stay permanently on the sidelines, he added. «We do take positions. The only difference is that we take positions not because you are the US or because you are China,» he said, noting that Singapore will take a stance based on what is in its best interests, for the country and citizens. DPM Gan, who is also the Trade and Industry Minister, added that Singapore values doing business with the US and with China, and both countries know its position. However, it is becoming «increasingly difficult and challenging» to «find a way that will be comfortable for both sides». The May 12 deal — where the US and China agreed to suspend part of their tariffs on each other's goods for 90 days — may provide a temporary reprieve, but questions remain over what happens when the truce ends.

Two engineering and construction contractors have been fined over $4.6 million collectively for rigging bids in tender exercises for the upgrading of three community clubs. Trust-Build Engineering & Construction was slapped with a penalty of $4,295,059, and Hunan Fengtian Construction Group fined $349,350. The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) said on Friday (May 23) the two firms had rigged three tenders called by the People's Association (PA) in August and September 2022 for construction and major upgrading works at Bukit Batok, Cheng San and Eunos Community Clubs. The works involved pilling and finishing, scaffolding, installation of doors and windows. Each affected tender was valued at between $17 million and $21 million, and the three had a value of about $56 million in total. At the time when the PA called for bids, Hunan Fengtian and Trust-Build were registered with the Building & Construction Authority to undertake high-value contracts of up to $50 million for the former and $105 million for the latter.

SINGAPORE — A man, who set up a company that dealt with wines, and an alleged accomplice devised a fraudulent investment scheme involving the beverage to cheat over 200 investors of millions of dollars between 2008 and 2011. Based on police investigations, victims linked to the company's fraudulent sale of wines paid more than $14 million in total. Eldric Ko, 51, who incorporated Premium Liquid Assets (PLASG) in October 2005 and jointly ran its business with Koo Han Jet, went on to misappropriate $12.67 million of the investors' funds. Deputy Public Prosecutor Michelle Tay said that Ko, a Singaporean, then squirreled away $8 million for his and Koo's personal benefits. On May 22, Ko, who has made no restitution, was sentenced to seven years and two months' jail after he pleaded guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving more than $10 million, and two counts of dealing with his ill-gotten gains. Twelve other charges were considered during his sentencing. Koo is still at large after he left Singapore in May 2011.

SINGAPORE — A Secondary 1 girl who was molested by her stepfather after he crept into her room at night immediately told her mother about the inappropriate touching. The victim's mother warned her husband not to sleep together with the girl any more. Three years later, the man preyed on the girl again, filming her in the shower and escalating the abuse to a more intrusive act. The girl, who engaged in self-harm and had suicidal thoughts as a result of the abuse, eventually told her teacher about the assaults. On May 22, the 36-year-old man was sentenced by the High Court to nine years and seven months' jail and 11 strokes of the cane. He pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault by penetration of a minor, a charge of aggravated outrage of modesty and a charge of voyeurism. Another five charges — four for molesting the victim and one for possession of obscene films — were considered during sentencing. Deputy Public Prosecutor Lynn Tan told the court the man had taken care of the victim since she was in kindergarten.

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Imagine a Singapore where our buildings stay cool 24/7 without turning to air conditioning. What if I told you we could also run entire industries where electricity is powered by hydrogen - a sustainable, clean energy source that primarily produces water as a by-product - as opposed to harmful greenhouse gases as we burn through fossil fuels? Temasek Foundation has granted $2 million in catalytic support to turn these ideas into a reality for Singapore.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has maintained Singapore's economic growth forecast for the year at a range of zero to two per cent, amid encouraging signs of de-escalation in global trade tensions. Singapore's economy grew by 3.9 per cent year-on-year for the first quarter of 2025, which comes in slightly higher than the 3.8 per cent from advance data in April, according to a statement released by MTI on Thursday (May 22).  However, it is lower than the five per cent growth in the fourth quarter of 2024. GDP growth in the first quarter was largely driven by the wholesale trade, manufacturing, and finance and insurance sectors. Growth in manufacturing and wholesale trade were likely supported by front-loading activities ahead of anticipated US tariff hikes, added MTI. In contrast, the accommodation and food & beverage services sectors contracted as a result of lower gross lettings and lower sales volumes respectively.

A man was rescued by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers following an accident involving a lorry and a car along the Central Expressway (CTE) on Wednesday (May 21). In response to queries from AsiaOne, the SCDF and Singapore police said that they were alerted to the accident along the CTE towards the Seletar Expressway (SLE) after Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 exit at 6:05 am. SCDF added that a person was found trapped at the driver's seat of a car upon their arrival. The man was subsequently freed using hydraulic rescue equipment.  A 23-year-old male car driver was conscious when conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, while a 25-year-old male lorry driver sustained minor injuries but declined to be taken to the hospital. Another car passenger was also assessed for minor injuries but declined to be taken to the hospital. In a post shared by Facebook group SG Vigilante earlier in the morning, a photo shows an overturned lorry while another image shows several rescue workers attending to passengers in a silver vehicle.

In the new cabinet since his maiden General Election triumph as prime minister, Lawrence Wong announced on Wednesday (May 21) changes to ministers in seven of the 15 ministries.   Seven new MPs will also be appointed political office holders, including two who will be acting ministers with Jeffrey Siow helming the Transport Ministry, and David Neo heading the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.  The pair will also be Senior Ministers of State — Siow in the Ministry of Finance and Neo in Education.  As for the fourth-generation leadership, Chan Chun Sing will become the new Minister for Defence, taking over from Ng Eng Hen, who has retired. He will also be appointed as Coordinating Minister for Public Services.  Desmond Lee moves from the Ministry of National Development to succeed Chan as Minister for Education.  Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat will become the new National Development Minister.

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Amos Yee, a convicted child sex offender in the US, has had his parole delayed after he violated terms of release, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). A search of IDOC's website shows that he will be jailed for another six months with his parole date set for Nov 7, 2025, while his projected discharge date has been set at three years to life, with duration to be determined. The 26-year-old Singaporean was originally scheduled for release on April 24. Under Illinois state law, his parole will end with the projected discharge date, meaning that Yee could potentially be under US supervision for the rest of his life. «Amos Yee is not eligible to resume mandatory supervised release until Nov 7, 2025, due to the Prisoner Review Board determining he violated the terms of his release,» a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Corrections told The Straits Times. He is currently in custody at the Danville Correctional Centre in Illinois.

The National Parks Board (NParks) euthanised some of the monkeys it previously trapped as they were deemed «aggressive». Responding to queries from AsiaOne on Tuesday (May 20), group director of wildlife management at NParks How Choon Beng said majority of the 50 long-tailed macaques trapped in the Punggol vicinity in 2024 were sterilised and released back to Coney Island Park in the interest of public safety. «The remaining aggressive macaques that were not suitable for translocation were euthanised humanely,» he added. Macaques deemed aggressive include those which are intrusive, keep returning to housing estates and entering homes for food, How explained. NParks received 200 reports regarding long-tailed macaques in Punggol between Sept 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. These included monkey sightings as well as instances where they managed to get into homes or were found rummaging through rubbish bins. Long-tailed macaques are forest fringe creatures that move between forest patches in search of food and territory.

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today. 1. Poultry supply in Singapore not affected by bird flu outbreak in Brazil, supermarkets say Poultry supply remains stable despite Brazil reporting its first bird flu outbreak at a commercial farm last week, supermarkets in Singapore said on Tuesday (May 20)... » READ MORE 2. 'I will serve with conviction and integrity': WP's Eileen Chong and Andre Low on being elected NCMPs

Poultry supply remains stable despite Brazil reporting its first bird flu outbreak at a commercial farm last week, supermarkets in Singapore said on Tuesday (May 20). On Friday (May 16), Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu in a commercial farm.  A FairPrice Group spokesperson said the supermarket chain is currently not impacted by the the bird flu outbreak in Brazil and encouraged customers not to stockpile pork or poultry. The spokesperson added that it is exploring new partnerships and solutions to further diversify and strengthen its supply chain. Sheng Siong said its poultry supply remains stable. Besides Brazil, the supermarket chain said it also gets  poultry from Denmark and Thailand, ensuring a diversified supply chain. Lee, who runs Chiang Heng Poultry in Bendemeer Market, told AsiaOne that supply is largely unaffected as she only imports fresh chicken from Malaysia. However, the chicken stall owner in her 60s said a few customers were hesitant to buy her products after hearing about the bird flu outbreak.

More than 3,000 jobs will be created in the public transport sector in the next few years to support its expansion, said Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat. Speaking to the media on Tuesday (May 20), he also said that the new Punggol Coast Bus Interchange will open on June 29. Visiting the new interchange, Chee said that there are ongoing efforts to create more jobs within the transport sector as part of Punggol's development.  The minister further explained that about 2,000 jobs will be set aside for rail services, while the remaining 1,000 will be allocated to bus services, covering a variety of roles and responsibilities within the sector.  He also shared that efforts are underway to attract new graduates and mid-career entrants to the transport sector, with support from various partners.

Singaporean Malone Lam has been charged in Washington DC for leading a cryptocurrency crime ring that stole over US$263 million (S$340 million) from victims. This follows a previous charge on Sep 19, 2024, when the 20-year-old was charged for fraud and money laundering conspiracy worth over US$230 million in cryptocurrency from a single victim. Lam appeared in court on Monday (May 19), where he pleaded not guilty to the superseding indictment, reported CNA. In the latest indictment from May 15, federal prosecutors alleged that Lam had been one of the two leaders in a crime ring with 11 other men. He allegedly identified potential victims for the crime ring, while other members hacked databases, laundered money and orchestrated house break-ins. According to the indictment, the individuals became acquainted through online gaming platforms, where the enterprise began no later than October 2023 and continued through March 2025. Members of the enterprise allegedly stole cryptocurrency assets, converted the assets to dollars, and laundered the money.

A Singaporean man has been arrested in Japan after allegedly committing indecent acts against a teenage boy at a hot spring facility. The incident allegedly occurred on May 14 at an onsen inn, a hot spring facility in Tagami Town between 4pm and 5pm, reported NTV.  The 55-year-old suspect, who was not named, is accused of inappropriately touching a boy, including his genitals, multiple times without consent, according to Niigata Nippo. According to Kamo Police Station, a relative of the teenage boy had reported the outrage of modesty, and the suspect was arrested by the police at Niigata Station on May 16 at around 9.30pm. The suspect was said to be on vacation in Japan at the time. «I only put my hand on the left shoulder of the seated boy to get out of the bath,» he reportedly told the police, denying the charges. AsiaOne has reached out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for additional information.

After being elected as Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs), the Workers' Party's (WP) Eileen Chong and Andre Low have promised to take Singapore further, in statements on their respective Facebook pages on Monday (May 19). Expressing her gratitude to her WP Tampines GRC teammates Faisal Manap, Michael Thng, Jimmy Tan and Dr Ong Lue Ping, the 33-year-old Chong also addressed Singaporeans, thanking them for their support. The Tampines GRC team had determined among themselves that Chong would be the one declared elected as NCMP, submitting their decision to the Returning Officer Han Kok Juan on Sunday (May 18). «To my fellow Singaporeans, I hope to continue listening to your concerns, struggles and hopes for a better Singapore in the months and years ahead,» she said in her Facebook post. «I will serve with conviction and integrity, and work hard to earn your trust.»

While African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks at Malaysian pig farms have driven up pork prices there since the start of the year, some supermarket chains and Singapore pork suppliers here say local supply chains remain stable and unaffected. The FairPrice Group told AsiaOne that it is not currently impacted by the recent swine fever outbreak in Malaysia.  «We encourage customers not to stockpile pork as we have ample stocks in our warehouses,» its spokesperson for the supermarket giant said.  Meanwhile, a spokesperson for supermarket chain Sheng Siong said: «Our main source of chilled pork comes from Australia, but we will keep a close watch on the developments in Malaysia.»  An ASF outbreak earlier this year at farms in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor - one of Malaysia's largest pig-producing regions - has resulted in the monthly culling of 30,000 pigs, reported The Straits Times.  It was the latest woe that has since caused severe disruptions to pork supply in Malaysia, with the disease also infecting swine in Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Pahang, Johor and Penang.

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