The world is beset with multiple risks and uncertainty that countries must confront squarely, To Lam, Vietnam's top leader, said on Friday (May 29) while inaugurating Asia's premier defence forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue.He said the challenges facing the world include an erosion of international rules and law, a crisis of development models including slowing growth and climate change, and a crisis of trust among nations.«The three crises confronting our world today are not inevitable realities that we are bound to accept,» Lam said, calling for reinforcing international law, setting up inclusive and sustainable growth drivers, as well as initiating dialogue and transparency.The free-wheeling Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual event in Singapore which runs until Sunday, draws a mix of defence ministers, generals, intelligence chiefs, diplomats, analysts and weapons makers.US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and counterparts from Australia, Britain, France, Japan and other nations were in the audience. A notable absentee was China's Dong Jun, who skipped the event for the second year running.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 16-year-old male teenager Muhammad Syawqierullah Akbardeen.In a news release on Friday (May 29), the police said he was last seen at Block 85 Whampoa Drive at about 6.15am on May 15.The address is near Whampoa Block 91 Food Centre and Whampoa Community Club.Syawqierullah was last seen wearing a grey top and brown pants.Those with information are urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.All information will be kept strictly confidential.[[nid:735166]]

Ride-hailing platform Grab, also Singapore's sixth taxi operator, announced on Friday (May 29) the implementation of two updates for its cross-border service under the enhanced cross-border taxi scheme. The updates are: a reduction in the required lead time for booking such rides and an automated notification for travellers to book their return trip.Passengers can now book cross-border rides in as little as 6 hours, down from the previous requirement of having to schedule their trips at least 12 hours in advance.Meanwhile, they will receive an automated push notification to book their return leg immediately after securing their initial journey.Grab on Friday also announced an increase in the discount for cross-border rides from the present 20 per cent to 30 per cent during the June school holidays — from May 29 to June 28.

Residents of Marine Terrace were greeted with the sight of brown water pooling around their estate on Thursday (May 28) morning, according to a video uploaded to TikTok by user Nicklawj.In the 27-second video, Nicklawj documents the extent of the flooding, beginning with a view of the area around a HDB block at 8am.The water pooled past kerb-level and seemed deepest around a construction site near Block 50A Marine Terrace. Water can also be seen spewing out from what is presumably a drain nearby.A supermarket in the estate was also affected by the flooding, with water stagnating under shelves.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, Singapore's national water agency PUB said it was alerted to a pipe leak next to Block 54 Marine Terrace at around 7.50am.The leak then caused water to flow to surrounding areas.Water supply to 12 units in the block was disrupted for around three hours.PUB distributed water bags to affected residents and deployed service crew to determine the location of the leak and carry out repairs.«We also worked with Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Town Council to clean up the surrounding area,» PUB said.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrived in Singapore on Friday (May 29) morning ahead of the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue, where he is expected to meet counterparts and regional leaders.The United States Air Force Boeing 747-E4B carrying Hegseth landed at Paya Lebar Air Base just after 3.15am. He was received by US embassy staff and military officials. 

Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday (May 29).In a statement the same day, Singapore's Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said the defence minister met his US counterpart over lunch at Shangri-La Hotel. It added that the two leaders reaffirmed the mutually beneficial and longstanding bilateral defence partnership between Singapore and the US.They also discussed global and regional security developments, and discussed how both sides can strengthen defence cooperation, Mindef said, adding that Hegseth's visit underscores the strength of the bilateral defence partnership.«Mr Chan also expressed appreciation for the US' longstanding support for the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) training in the US, as well as for the SAF's technology access,» the statement read. 

A male teenager allegedly splashed red paint on the main gate and door of a home along Canberra Link, and also left a debtor's note outside the unit threatening to set it on fire.  Police officers arrested the 18-year-old alleged loanshark runner within six hours of receiving a report on Thursday (May 28).In a news release on Friday, the police said they were alerted to the case at about 7.05pm.The debtor's note outside the victim's home read, «Better call me to settle now. Next time come is burn!!»Officers from Woodlands Police Division identified the alleged perpetrator within six hours with the help of images from police cameras.The culprit is believed to be involved in three other similar cases of loanshark harassment along Sembawang Drive and Canberra Link, said the police.He will be charged in court on Saturday under the Moneylenders Act. The penalty for loanshark harassment for first-time offenders is a jail term of up to five years, along with a fine of between $5,000 and $10,000, and mandatory caning of up to six strokes.The police reiterated that they have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment.

Supermarket chain FairPrice will lock its prices on more than 500 essential items until end-August to assuage concerns over rising costs. The price freeze will begin from June 1 and include products such as rice, cooking oil, eggs, vegetables, fresh and frozen meat, milk, as well as senior and baby care products.In a statement on Friday (May 29), FairPrice Group said the move is «to ensure that putting food on the table and grocery runs for daily essentials remains one less thing for Singaporeans to worry about».It added that the measure aims to keep popular daily essentials «firmly within reach for local households».An earlier wave of price freezes by the supermarket chain involving more than 100 daily essentials was implemented in April after the conflict in the Middle East disrupted global supply chains.FairPrice Group chief executive Vipul Chawla said the price freeze in April proved effective in protecting household budgets.«However, dealing with prolonged global uncertainties requires a deeper, more sustained commitment,» he added.

SINGAPORE — The founder of Surrey Hills Holdings — best known for its Surrey Hills Grocer cafe chain — has been charged with multiple counts of cheating after she allegedly duped a woman into handing her more than $400,000.Pang Gek Teng, 37, who is no longer the chief executive of the company, was also charged on May 29 with one count of criminal breach of trust involving over $240,000, as well as one count each of attempted cheating and forgery.She now faces 12 charges in total.Pang, a Singaporean, allegedly duped a woman into handing her more than $400,000 in total over eight occasions between 2018 and 2019.Among other things, Pang is accused of cheating the woman of the largest amount on Jan 4, 2019, by pretending to be two people known as “Desmond” and “Derrick”.She is said to have assumed such characters to dupe the woman into believing that a private investigator had reported seeing her husband at a bank branch in Serangoon Garden, asking about her account.Pang allegedly claimed that the money was at risk of being frozen, and was to be transferred to “Derrick” for “safekeeping”.

Singapore is bracing for a higher risk of transboundary haze from June to October, driven by the impending development of El Nino and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). In a statement on Friday (May 29), the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) announced that El Nino conditions are forecast to emerge between June and July, which will likely result in warmer and drier weather.According to the MSS, the probability of an El Nino event occurring this year is over 80 per cent, citing warmer sub-surface ocean temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.Once fully established, the phenomenon will dictate regional weather patterns, particularly during the south-west monsoon season from June to September when the country receives typically lesser rainfall.Beyond dry conditions, El Nino is known to drive up local temperatures. While the initial strength of this incoming El Nino is expected to be moderate, there is potential to intensify into a strong event between August and September, said the two agencies. 

Singapore and Vietnam on Friday (May 29) inked new agreements that will strengthen cooperation in areas such as advanced manufacturing, doctoral training and the judiciary.The two countries — which upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) in March last year — also established an agri-food trade task force and a strategic dialogue platform. Meanwhile, investment registration certificates were also issued for five joint industrial park projects in Vietnam.These, and a joint statement on supply chain resilience, were announced on the second of a four-day state visit by To Lam. The president of Vietnam, is making his first visit to Singapore since assuming office in April.

The principal of a Hong Kong school has resigned after he was earlier suspended for swearing at security personnel during a trip to Singapore.Lee Cheuk-hing, principal of San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School in Tuen Mun, tendered his resignation on Thursday (May 28), school manager Edmund Wong Chun-sek told the South China Morning Post (SCMP).Wong said that the school's committee will hold a meeting within the next few days to decide whether to accept the resignation, reported local media, adding that there are various factors to consider and that the welfare of their students is a top priority.Speaking to Hong Kong media outlet Dotdotnews, Lee apologised for his behaviour and said that he should have set a good example for the students.Lee said that he will reflect on his actions, and that he will fully co-operate with all arrangements and investigations by the school's governing body and the Education Bureau.He also apologised to the public in Hong Kong and Singapore in closing.

The results of the 4D lottery draw on Wednesday evening (May 27) has sparked new interest amongst punters as the number «1516» emerged as the first-prize win — for the third time this year.The permutation had never cinched first- or second-prize before 2026, according to the Singapore Pools website. The set of digits was drawn for the top prize for the first time on Feb 7, and again on Feb 25. Records from Singapore Pools showing the number of times «1516» has appeared in the winning prize categories.PHOTO: Singapore Pools The records also show that the number 1516 has only appeared as a winning number 18 times since the lottery company began collecting data in May 1986. It claimed third-prize on two separate occasions in 2008 and 2010, but remained mostly obscure, winning only 10 starter prizes and three consolation prizes.

A 60-year-old man will be charged in court on Friday (May 29) for his alleged involvement in unlicensed moneylending activities.He faces 22 counts of conducting a moneylending business without a licence.Police said in a news release on Thursday night that they were alerted to a case of unlicensed moneylending on April 21, 2025 after a debtor was harassed by a loan shark for repayments.They established the identity of the man through follow-up investigations and later arrested him. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had provided a total of $57,000 in loans to at least ten borrowers in Singapore between June 2023 and October 2025. The loans ranged from $500 to $11,000.If found guilty of the said offence, the man could be jailed for up to four years, fined up to $300,000, and receive up to six strokes of the cane.Police reminded members of the public to stay away from loan sharks as they will not hesitate to carry out persistent and dangerous harassment acts on debtors and their families, such as setting fires, splashing paint at residences, and locking the gates using chains or bicycle locks to confine the occupants.

Tributes have poured in for the 42-year-old Universal Studios Singapore WaterWorld performer who died after a medical emergency during a training session.Willis Sia was a member of the local cosplay and Star Wars communities who often dressed up as Darth Vader.He played three characters in WaterWorld, including the show's antagonist Deacon, according to his Instagram account.Sia's Facebook page has been flooded with tributes from friends, with most referring to their experiences meeting him at cosplay events. Many commented to say that, despite the characters he played, Sia was one of the kindest people they knew.

Amid what he described as volatile and dangerous times — when supply chains are at risk and old partnerships are being eroded — Singapore has to look for new opportunities and broaden its network of partners, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan.And to do so, the country must be relevant and resilient.Dr Balakrishnan made these comments to the media on Thursday (May 28) as he wrapped up a five-day working visit to three North-east Asian countries — China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and South Korea. DPRK is North Korea's official name.

There was continued respite for diesel vehicle owners in Singapore on Thursday (May 28) as two fuel companies — Esso and Sinopec — posted adjustments to their prices for diesel. Sinopec led the latest round of adjustments on Thursday afternoon, announcing a 5-cent reduction to its price for diesel. The move was mirrored by Esso in the evening.Similar to the last round of adjustments by Caltex and Shell on the eve of Hari Raya Haji (May 26), both companies also kept their petrol prices unchanged.Following the latest round of changes, the price of diesel now ranges from $2.71 at Smart Energy, to $4.37 at Caltex, Esso and Shell.Meanwhile, the price of the more popular 95-octane petrol ranges from $2.64 at Cnergy to $3.46 at Caltex, Esso, Shell and Sinopec, with SPC holding the middle ground at $3.42.

A fire broke out at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Yishun on Thursday (May 28) afternoon.The incident happened at about 4.20pm in the bedroom of an 11th floor unit at Block 653 Yishun Avenue 4.When AsiaOne reached the scene at about 4.40pm, at least one Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) combined platform ladder used for high-rise firefighting, two fire engines, and a light fire attack vehicle were present.A window panel of the unit was observed to be broken, with black soot seen on the external facade.  SCDF vehicles at Block 653 Yishun Avenue 4 on Thursday (May 28) afternoon. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Stringer Outside the affected unit, black soot could also be seen along the corridor. 

Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and the police K9 unit foiled an attempt to smuggle heat sticks and a vaporiser into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint on May 9.In a Facebook post on Thursday (May 28), ICA said its officers directed a Singapore-registered rental car for enhanced checks.The 37-year-old male Singaporean driver only declared a single packet of cigarettes before the search of the vehicle.A total of 11,000 heat sticks along with a vaporiser were found hidden underneath the passenger seats of the car and inside the centre console.The driver was arrested and the case has been referred to the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation.