A video of a student, believed to be from a primary school, being bullied by a group of boys and threatened with a knife has gone viral.The incident was captured in a Facebook video originally posted on Tuesday (July 22) at around 1pm.In response to AsiaOne’s queries, the police confirmed that reports were lodged in relation to the incident, which occurred on July 6.In the video, a young boy is seen being cornered by a taller male and several other boys, whose voices can be heard in the background.The taller boy is seen pushing the victim against the wall and holding a butterfly knife to his throat.The bully continues to verbally abuse the victim and even slaps him, before another boy — who seems to be the one recording the video — joins in and badgers him.The victim eventually strips down to his underwear at the end of the video, and is asked to kneel on the ground before the video cuts off.The original video has been deleted, but was uploaded to the Complaint Singapore Facebook group on Wednesday at 1.20pm and has garnered over 20,000 views so far.

Under the hot sun at a tennis court in Cambodia, then 17-year-old Singaporean Tan Sue Yan beamed with excitement as she played her first match representing Singapore at the 32nd SEA Games in 2023.To the budding tennis player, it was a big opportunity to see where she stood in South-east Asia, and to play against «great players with a lot of experience».But it turned out to be one of the toughest and most painful matches she had played. «I was just two points away from winning a bronze medal,» she told AsiaOne.«I had the lead but couldn't close out the match. Nerves got the better of me, especially with the pressure of everyone watching.»Now, Tan is gearing up to compete in the 33rd edition of the Games in Thailand this December.The 19-year-old said: «I am really looking forward to getting back out there and giving it my all on behalf of Singapore.»Started training at 4She started playing the sport when she was four, after her kindergarten teacher noticed that she had a competitive streak.

A Redditor went on what he thought was a free cultural tour of columbaria, but ended up being persuaded to book «property» in the afterlife.While Ahfookies was impressed with the quality of the columbaria, which he found well-designed and spacious, he was surprised at how the staff tried to sell niches like a property agent might.«They're even selling their under-construction units and referring to them as BTOs (Built to Order, just like HDB flats), lol!» he wrote, adding that the columbaria agents operated on a commission basis.There was even a banner celebrating top sales staff, just like property agents.Which made the Redditor wonder: «Is it time to speculate on this 'property' market?»

What started as a routine trip for a bus captain turned into a heartwarming act of integrity when he returned a missing wallet to a distressed passenger.In a Facebook post on Monday (July 21), SBS Transit shared the incident involving bus captain, Tan Chiy Ping, who had just completed his shift for Service 138 at Ang Mo Kio Interchange. While inspecting the bus, he discovered a wallet that had been left behind.Inside it was the passenger's work permit and $2,400 in cash. At that time, Senior Assistant Interchange Supervisor Nithyananthan Palne (Nathan) noticed an anxious passenger who reported to the Passenger Service Office that his wallet was missing.Nathan then quickly confirmed the bus' location with the Operations Control Centre and took the man there, in hope of retrieving the lost items. Fortunately, they were able to locate the passenger's belongings, which were then returned to him.

SINGAPORE — The Housing Board launched 5,547 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats on July 23 for sale across eight projects in Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Sembawang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands, including the first units in the new estate of Sembawang North.Another 4,662 balance flats have also been put on offer, including 1,733 Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) units that are completed and ready for home buyers to move into. The bulk of the balance flats are in Kallang/Whampoa, Tengah and Geylang.A slew of policy changes that benefit singles and families looking to upgrade or right-size their homes will also take effect from this sales exercise.HDB announced it would increase the subsidies for four Prime projects in Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh and Clementi to keep the flats affordable for more Singaporeans. It did not specify the extent of this increase.Owners of these flats will be subject to a higher subsidy clawback upon the resale of their flats. The clawback is set at 11 per cent for Toa Payoh Ascent, and Alexandra Peaks and Alexandra Vista in Bukit Merah. At Clementi Emerald, it is 12 per cent.

Ten drivers were caught providing illegal ride-hailing services at Changi Airport on Friday (July 18), following a tip-off from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA).In a Facebook video posted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on July 19, enforcement officers were seen apprehending the drivers and impounding their vehicles for operating without valid licences. The illegal services were being offered both within Singapore and across the border between Singapore and Malaysia.LTA stated that it is stepping up enforcement against illegal point-to-point transport services that operate without a valid Public Service Vehicle Licence, including cross-border services. «Such crackdowns aim to protect passengers from potential disruptions and to ensure safety. The public is urged to use only licensed services for a safer and smoother ride,» said LTA. 

A Peruvian man has been sentenced to 16 weeks jail for molesting a teenager on an MRT train as well as stealing a wallet, according to court records.The man had asked the 13-year-old victim for directions to the Downtown Line at Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station at around 5.30pm on May 18. The man cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim's identity, according to court records.The girl told him to take a train to Little India and transfer from there, according to the case.When his train arrived, however, the 60-year-old suddenly grabbed the teen's hand and pulled her into the carriage, asking her to sit next to him. She was so frightened that she did not know what to do, reported Shin Min Daily News.The man then put his left hand on her thigh and continued talking to her.Upon arriving at Little India MRT station, the man took the girl's hand and asked her to go to a restaurant with him, but she refused. He then let go and walked out by himself, reported the Chinese evening daily.

Two people died after a fire broke out in a second-floor unit at Block 173 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 on Tuesday evening (July 22). In a Facebook post at about 9.15pm, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to the fire at about 7.30pm, adding that the living room of the unit was on fire. Firefighters entered the smoke-filled unit and extinguished the fire with a water jet.In videos shared on social media, an area which appears to be the doorway was filled with smoke as fire raged in the living room. 

A distraught sister has gone online to appeal for eyewitnesses after her brother died in a traffic accident last Thursday (July 17), according to her Facebook post on Tuesday (July 22).In the post, Ng Sher Ren said that her brother, Ng Sir Kiat, 39, died after the accident on the Central Expressway (CTE) towards Ang Mo Kio, between 8.10am and 8.40am.«The lorry driver told the police that he was driving slowly and only felt an impact at the rear left of his vehicle in lane five,» she wrote.However, during the last night of the wake, she received a message via Instagram from a witness alleging that he saw the lorry cut into the lane her brother was riding on, causing him to brake and fall.Ng has appealed to anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to contact her.«Please help us seek the truth,» she pleaded.Heart stopped seven times during operationSpeaking with AsiaOne, Sher Ren, a content creator, said that her brother, an engineer, is survived by his wife, and three children aged nine, five and four.

A father has shared his frustrations and concerns after his son was dismissed from multiple jobs due to an addiction to 'Kpods' — vape pods containing liquid laced with etomidate, a powerful anaesthetic.In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, the father, who did not wish to be named, said his son, who is in his 20s, began using the e-vaporisers in January last year. However, it wasn't until January this year that his appearance and mental state changed dramatically. Before-and-after photos seen by Shin Min showed a shocking transformation: from a healthy young man with a ruddy complexion and strong physique to someone pale, thin, and with dull eyes.Despite bringing his son for counselling in March this year and receiving repeated assurances that he would quit his addiction, the young man continued to break his promises.What disappointed him most was seeing his son come home recently with an unsteady gait and vacant expression — a clear sign that he had relapsed.

Two men were charged in court on Tuesday (July 22) for helping to post bail for a suspected member of a housebreaking syndicate who stole over $570,000 worth of jewellery from a home on Windsor Park Road in June 2024.Chinese national Long Zhihua, 39, was granted bail on April 1, 2025, but failed to present himself for pre-trial conferences on April 25 and May 23.The police said that Long's bailer, 41-year-old Singaporean Wilson Ang, did not know the accused and had acted as his bailor for money.Ang also allegedly entered into an illegal agreement with a third party to indemnify himself against any losses if Long failed to adhere to bail conditions.He is also accused of providing false information in a police report after Long absconded, claiming he had maintained regular contact with the Chinese national before losing contact with him.[[nid:719044]]Wai Kei Fung, a 25-year-old Malaysian, was also taken to court alongside Ang on Tuesday.The police said Wai had driven to the prison and fetched Long to a hotel after he was released on bail on April 1. The room which Long stayed was allegedly paid by Wai.

She had graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the National University of Singapore’s Business School in April 2024, but it has taken her more than a year to secure a full-time job.The 25-year-old, who wanted to be known as Adeline, has been working in a marketing agency since June. She told AsiaOne that her job hunt saw her apply for various positions in government agencies, multinational corporations as well as small- and medium-sized enterprises.Amid the tears and growing resignation, she still managed to create an Excel sheet to track her progress.Out of 287 applications, Adeline reached the initial HR screening for 12 positions. She advanced to interviews with hiring managers for eight of those and completed the full interview process for four roles — only to be either ghosted or ultimately told she was not the right fit.“In that sense, a lot of time and effort was invested with little to no progress,” added Adeline.Adeline's experiences are a reflection of the recent struggles of other fresh graduates in their job search.

A 4-room Housing Board flat in Clementi recently sold at a whopping price of $1.28 million ($1,278 psf), but experts are not surprised.Located at Block 445B Clementi Ave 3, the unit is part of Clementi Crest, a HDB complex that reached its Minimum Occupancy Period just earlier this year.The unit spans 1,001 sq ft and is situated between the 34th and 36th floors — on the upper end of the 40-storey block.With a remaining lease period of 94 years and 11 months, the unit is the second 4-room flat in Clementi to be sold at a price above $1.2 million in July, according to a caveat search on the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) website.

About 20,000 people received the wrong subsidies and grants owing to a processing issue in a government means-testing system.The Ministry of Health (MOH), which manages the Household Means Eligibility System (Homes), said on July 21 that corrections to the subsidy and grant levels of those affected are in progress.The ministry added that it has completed a reassessment of the affected individuals’ subsidy tiers.The majority of those affected received more subsidies and grants than they were entitled to, said the ministry.They will not have to return the excess subsidy or grant amounts that have already been paid out.Those who received less than they were entitled to will have the difference topped up by government agencies, said MOH. They will receive the reimbursement payments by November.MOH said it will adjust the means-test and subsidy tiers of affected individuals to the intended levels from July 21.Homes uses income information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore to means-test individuals with business income.It provides means-testing results for selected subsidy schemes across the Government.

Unhealthy air quality has been recorded in eight regions of Malaysia and can be partially attributed to worsening transboundary haze, said its Environment Department. Malaysia's Air Pollutant Index (API) recorded eight readings above 100 as at Monday (July 21) morning.An API reading between 0 and 50 indicates good air quality, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy, and above 300 is hazardous.Alor Gajah in Melaka recorded the highest API of 160, while other areas such as Cheras in Kuala Lumpur and Banting in Selangor also recorded API over 150.According to the Environment Department's director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar the worsening air quality is «influenced by the movement of smoke and haze entering the west coast region of the country over the past 24 hours», reported Bernama.Chances of transboundary haze happening: NEAAccording to the National Environment Agency (NEA), dry conditions were observed over most parts of the southern Asean region overnight, while wet weather prevailed over rest of the Asean region.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has rescued two workers who were stranded on a dangling gondola outside Raffles City Tower on Monday (July 21).In a Facebook post on Monday afternoon, SCDF said it responded to a height rescue incident at around 11:20am.Upon arrival, firefighters immediately checked on the gondola's stability and the condition of the two workers who were stranded on it between the 28th and 29th floors.Rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) also responded to the scene, setting up rescue equipment at the 29th and 30th floor.The gondola was then secured with safety lines before a Dart rescuer descended onto the gondola to rescue the two workers who were wearing body harnesses, SCDF stated.The rescuer managed to secure the two workers and took them into the building through the windows on level 29 and 30.Both workers were assessed by an SCDF paramedic and taken to Raffles Hospital in a stable condition.The duo had been cleaning the exterior of the tower when the accident occurred.The gondola, which was being retracted, was left dangling at an almost vertical angle.

SINGAPORE - Home-grown outfit Chiral Comics has teamed up with American comic book publisher Archie Comics to launch a Singapore-themed variant cover for the first issue of Betty & Veronica: Summer Fun In The Sun.The exclusive book cover - where main character Archie dons an «I Love SG» shirt while his best friend Jughead munches on durian - features the characters from the popular franchise (1942 to present) exploring the country's iconic Gardens by the Bay.It is limited to 300 copies worldwide. Priced at $25.55 each, pre-orders started on July 19 at www.chiralcomics.com. Select Singapore comics retailers like Kalibak Komiks and 1to3 Comics will also carry it.This SG60 book cover collaboration involves local comic artist Kang Jing (also known as KJ), who was the penciler and inker, and Italy-based freelance comic colourist Daniele Caramanico, who did the colouring.KJ established Chiral Comics, a Singapore-based art studio which specialises in comic book publishing and visual storytelling, in 2021, and reportedly started working on the Archie project in April 2025.

SINGAPORE - The Chinese embassy in Singapore refuted claims that an espionage group accused of performing cyberattacks on Singapore's critical infrastructure was linked to China.In a Facebook post published over the weekend, the Chinese embassy said such claims were «groundless smears and accusations».«The embassy would like to reiterate that China is firmly against and cracks down all forms of cyberattacks in accordance with law. China does not encourage, support or condone hacking activities,» it wrote on Saturday (July 19).Last Friday, a Singapore minister said the espionage group UNC3886 was «going after high value strategic threat targets, vital infrastructure that delivers essential services» but did not give details of the attacks.The minister did not link the group to China but Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant has described UNC3886 as a «China-nexus espionage group» that has attacked defence, technology and telecommunications organisations in the United States and Asia.Beijing routinely denies any allegations of cyberespionage, and says it opposes all forms of cyberattacks and is in fact a victim of such threats.

A pre-trial conference for billionaire and hotelier Ong Beng Seng set for July 23 has been rescheduled to next week.Ong, 79, was charged with two offences in October 2024. Both of his charges are in relation to former transport minister S Iswaran, who was sentenced to 12 months' jail last October. Ong, the chairman of Formula One promoter Singapore Grand Prix (GP), allegedly offered Iswaran an all-expenses paid trip to Doha in December 2022. He is also accused of obstructing the course of justice by alerting Iswaran that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had seized the flight manifest for the trip from Doha to Singapore. Ong had previously indicated he wished to plead guilty on April 2. 

Taxi operator ComfortDelGro said it will discipline one of its drivers, after an incident involving the driver appearing to forcefully dump a passenger’s wheelchair on a pavement on July 18.Responding to media queries, a spokesperson said on July 20 the taxi operator has launched an investigation into the matter, noting that the driver’s actions were “unacceptable and do not reflect the professional standards we uphold”.In an updated statement, ComfortDelGro said the incident arose from a personal dispute between the driver and two family members she was ferrying.The incident did not involve fare-paying passengers, said the spokesperson, adding that the matter will be addressed internally with disciplinary action to be taken in line with company policies.“We take a serious view of any misconduct by our cabbies,” said the spokesperson.In a video circulated online on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook group, a blue taxi can be seen stopping at a zebra crossing.As the car with the camera capturing the footage pulls up behind the taxi, the video shows a red bag being flung out of the vehicle before landing on the pavement.

The Singapore Police Force's Airport Police Division (APD) and Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) have been piloting a new police patrol robot named Gibson since early July.This indoor robot, which was built to enhance police presence and improve officers' mobility, can also be used as a means of transport.During the demonstration to the media on Wednesday (July 16), Gibson operated within Changi Airport Terminal 4 in its dual-mode operation — autonomous and ride.The autonomous mode compromises of in-depth cameras, 3D LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) cameras and Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging) techniques that allow Gibson to determine its location, safely navigate the indoor environment and avoid collisions.This indoor robot is also equipped with a «safety bubble» feature, which functions as a proximity detector. This means it can stop and sound a horn when it detects that someone is too close or obstructing its path.

A woman was left with cuts and bruises after she was allegedly knocked over by a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) rider on an overhead bridge in Pasir Ris.In a post to the Complaint Singapore Facebook page on July 13, user Mel Yap stated that the incident occurred that morning at around 7.15am near Block 124, Pasir Street 11.Calling it a «hit and run», she wrote that she had been walking downslope on the bridge when the PMD collided into her. She also called for the rider to apologise.«If [the] rider comes forward and apologises and compensates my bills (with receipt), I won't pursue further,» she wrote on Facebook, with accompanying photos showing the injuries she sustained to her right palm, left elbow and right knee.She made a police report later.In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, the 49-year-old woman accountant described how she and her friends had been walking on the overhead bridge when she heard a sound from behind. She turned and saw a man who looked to be in his 20s on his PMD.

A 44-year-old man was discovered dead at the foot of an HDB block on Saturday (July 19) after a neighbour dispute.The police said they had received a call for assistance at Block 334B Yishun Street 31 at about 5.20pm that day.When officers arrived, they found an injured 53-year-old man in his home and the 44-year-old man lying motionless at the foot of the block.Preliminary investigations found that the men, who are neighbours, had a prior dispute along the corridor and the younger man had allegedly injured the older man with a knife.The 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at scene by a paramedic from the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Based on preliminary investigations, foul play is not suspected.The 53-year-old man was taken to the hospital conscious. Police investigations are ongoing.Alleged dispute over corridor spaceA resident told Lianhe Zaobao she had heard a loud noise and later saw a man with abdominal injuries being taken onto an ambulance.A family member of the deceased said in an interview with Chinese publication 8world that the two neighbours had been embroiled in a dispute over corridor space.

Singles applying for new flats can join married couples in getting priority access when they buy a home near or with their parents, beginning with the Housing Board's July 2025 sales exercise. That is when the new Family Care Scheme will kick in, said the HDB in a statement on Sunday (July 20). The launch date for the July BTO sales exercise has not been announced.News that singles can get priority during the BTO application process was first announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the National Day Rally last year.He had said that the Government will extend priority access to new flats to all parents and their children, regardless of marital status.Priority access was previously reserved only for married couples and their parents.HDB said in its statement last November that the new FCS — which has two components — streamlines three priority schemes for married couples, parents and seniors, and will also include singles.

A cement truck flipped sideways outside People's Park Centre in Chinatown on Saturday (July 19), sending its driver to the hospital.Responding to queries, the police said they were alerted to the accident along Eu Tong Sen Street at about 5pm.The heavy vehicle is believed to have self-skidded, said the police.The 52-year-old male cement truck driver was conscious when taken to hospital.Clips and images of the accident posted on social media platform Xiaohongshu shows the overturned truck obstructing two lanes of the road.Concrete had spilled from the mixer, pooling over the road and pavement outside People's Park Centre.A Xiaohongshu user claimed that the cement truck had toppled when it was making a turn. Several also commented that the accident had caused a traffic jam.The truck driver is assisting with police investigations, which are ongoing.[[nid:720376]]lim.kewei@asiaone.com

SINGAPORE - Long queues formed at all major entry points across Malaysia after a data integration disruption led to a breakdown in the autogate system for foreign visitors.Tens of thousands of foreigners, including Singaporeans, were unable to use the autogate facility, The Star reported on July 19. Malaysian passport holders were unaffected.The breakdown, which started at about noon on July 18, was described as the worst ever, involving more than 200 autogates across the country.The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) confirmed the «technical disruption» in a statement on Facebook at around 4.30pm on July 19.It added that initial investigations pointed to a data integration disruption, which caused delays in the cross-checking process within the MyIMMS system.Among the major gateways affected were Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) terminals 1 and 2, and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complexes at Bagunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar (KSAB).BSI and KSAB are both in Johor, and are used by travellers entering Malaysia from Singapore's Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints respectively.

Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is constantly seeking to improve its operational readiness against emerging threats.Chan, 55, was speaking to the media during a visit to a mobilisation exercise conducted by the Singapore Army at Selarang Camp on Saturday (April 19), and shared that he had been visiting various units in SAF for the past two months.Chan, who succeeded Dr Ng Eng Hen as Minister of Defence in May, said: «I can see that SAF is continuously trying to improve what it has. It has certainly improved from when I was in the SAF, and I'm sure they will continue to improve going forward. This spirit of unceasing desire to improve is what keeps SAF at the forefront.»He also highlighted the need for SAF to constantly «look at the lessons learnt and lessons to be learnt» from the world, including the crisis in the Middle East, and to reflect, anticipate and prepare for emerging threats.

SINGAPORE - The authorities are dealing with an ongoing attack on Singapore's critical information infrastructure by a state-sponsored cyber espionage group, UNC3886.Naming the nation's attacker for the first time on Friday (July 18), Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam said that Singapore is facing serious threats from state-linked advanced persistent threat (APT) actors.These are well-resourced attackers that use sophisticated techniques to evade detection. They lurk in networks to spy over the long term, to steal sensitive information or disrupt essential services, among other objectives.«UNC3886 poses a serious threat to us, and has the potential to undermine our national security,» said Mr Shanmugam at the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore's (CSA) 10th anniversary dinner at Sands Expo and Convention Centre.«Even as we speak, UNC3886 is attacking our critical infrastructure right now.»Mr Shanmugam, who is also Home Affairs Minister, did not disclose UNC3886's sponsors, but experts have said that the group is linked to China.

SINGAPORE - Soon after news broke in June about the closure of low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia, flight attendant Wayne Lee started receiving small gifts and notes from passengers.The in-flight customer service manager was so moved by this that he now keeps the notes with him at all times, tucked into his cabin bag.«It's a really warm gesture,» Lee told The Straits Times. He said the kindness of passengers has helped him cope with an uncertain future.The Singapore-based airline announced on June 11 that it would cease operations on July 31 - more than 20 years after its maiden flight in December 2004.it would cease operations on July 31.The final flight - from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila - is scheduled to land at Changi Airport at 9.30pm.More than 500 employees will be laid off when the airline closes.«I had a sinking feeling,» Lee said, describing how he felt when he heard about the airline's closure.«I'm thinking about my future,» said the 42-year-old Malaysian, who has been a flight attendant since he joined Jetstar Asia in December 2011.

In just six months, 31-year-old Miza Amira Ismail lost both her unborn child and her husband.She suffered a miscarriage in April - about three months after getting married.Then on July 16, her husband, Haritsa Zaihan, also 31, died in a road accident while on his way to work.«Our life together was very short... I had a miscarriage in the third month after we got married,» she told Berita Harian.«Now, it's my husband's turn to leave forever. Maybe he will reunite with our child, Insya Allah (if God wills),» said the housewife who could not hold back her tears.Haritsa, a Singaporean, had been living with his Malaysian wife in Gelang Patah, Johor Bahru (JB), since their wedding on Dec 28, 2024. He commuted daily to Singapore by motorcycle for work.On July 16, he was reportedly involved in an accident along the Tuas Second Link around 8am.According to his close friend Syed Muhammad Hanafiah Syed Omar Almashore, the accident may have involved a bus, but details are still unclear.According to Miza, Haritsa was said to have died in the ambulance en route to Sultanah Aminah Hospital in JB.

SINGAPORE - A total of 314 suicide deaths were reported in Singapore in 2024, with the highest increase recorded among adults aged 30 to 39.Suicide remained the leading cause of death for youth aged 10 to 29 for the sixth consecutive year, according to data from the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority's (ICA) Registration of Births and Deaths Report 2024, which was published in July.Of the 314 suicide deaths in 2024, 64.3 per cent - or 202 - of the cases were males, like in previous years.The number of adults aged 30 to 39 who died by suicide rose from 43 in 2023 to 75 in 2024.The suicide death rate in Singapore is currently 5.91 per 100,000 residents.These numbers from ICA's report are provisional, which means they are preliminary or estimated data that have not yet been finalised.Previously, a total of 322 suicides were reported in Singapore in 2023 based on a provisional figure from ICA in its 2024 report.

SINGAPORE - His first taste of a drug-laced e-vaporiser was when he was 15, after a friend introduced him to it at a party in October 2024.They became close friends over the course of a year.«He asked me to try this thing and I thought it was just a normal vape. But after he used it, he started acting very sluggish, like a zombie,» said Joe (not his real name).The e-vaporiser was laced with etomidate, a potent anaesthetic agent typically used in clinical practice.In Singapore, it has become known as the main ingredient in Kpods - vape juice laced with synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical products.«I inhaled the first puff very deeply and felt very dizzy. My body also started to feel very light,» Joe recalled.He said he was not hooked immediately but later depended on the device to get over a failed romance in December 2024.At one point, he was using one drug-laced vape every day, spending nearly $1,000 a month on his habit.He tapped money he received during Chinese New Year and on his birthday.