Woman in Singapore pleads guilty to extorting money from men in underage honeytrap ploy

SINGAPORE: A woman and her boyfriend created fictitious female online personas to target men, whom they later extorted money from by threatening to report their interactions with purported minors to the police. On Wednesday (March 5), the 20-year-old woman pleaded guilty to a cheating charge and two counts of extortion. Seven other charges will be taken into...

More than 14 years’ jail, caning for man in Singapore who raped wife

SINGAPORE: After slapping his wife and threatening to beat her to death with a metal rod, a man sexually assaulted and raped the woman. The 42-year-old man initially claimed trial to most of the charges he faced relating to the incident, which took place in November 2020. He contended that the sexual acts were consensual. But after two...

Teen in Singapore who sexually assaulted younger sister ordered to undergo reformative training

SINGAPORE: A teenager was ordered on Tuesday (March 4) to undergo reformative training for at least a year for sexually assaulting his younger sister on two separate occasions. The 19-year-old, who cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the victim’s identity, will be detained in a centre to observe a strict regimen that...

Who is Catherine Wu, adviser to CDL’s Kwek Leng Beng?

SINGAPORE: Kwek Leng Beng’s long-time adviser Catherine Wu came under the spotlight when his son Sherman Kwek, group chief executive of City Developments Limited (CDL), said on Thursday (Feb 27) that she was the underlying reason behind the family’s public rift. The pair met in Taiwan in 1992 at a dinner party, according to Chinese daily...

Four weeks’ jail for Singapore woman who hit neighbour with mop, threatened to kill husband in his sleep

SINGAPORE: A woman who hit a neighbour with a mop until its aluminium handle broke into three pieces, and told her own teenage son she was going to kill his father in his sleep, has been sentenced to jail. Jessinta Tan Suat Lin, 50, was sentenced to four weeks’ jail and fined S$4,600 on Tuesday (Feb...

Singaporean charged in Johor Bahru for drug trafficking; faces the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A Singaporean man suspected of drug trafficking has been charged in a court in Johor Bahru, reported China Press. The 33-year-old, who was charged on Jan 31, faces the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted, according to the Malaysian media outlet. He is among four people – three Singaporeans and one Thai...

Magnetic pulses boost breast cancer chemo, potentially reducing side effects: NUS study

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have found that non-invasive magnetic pulses can enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy for breast cancer, and potentially reduce side effects for patients. The use of brief, targeted magnetic pulses on cancer cells can increase their absorption of the widely used chemotherapy drug doxorubicin. With more...

Man, 39, arrested for drink driving after scrap with another driver

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A 39-year-old man was arrested for drink driving on Jan 31 after he got into an accident and fist fight with another driver. He is also assisting in investigations for voluntarily causing hurt, said the police on Feb 2. The police were alerted to the accident in Jalan Toa Payoh towards Macpherson Road...

Singaporean couple missing after Taiwan quake in April 2024: Remains of husband found by farmer

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): The remains of a Singaporean man who went missing with his wife after a 7.4-magnitude quake struck Taiwan’s Hualien county in April 2024 have been found. Sim Hwee Kok and his wife, Neo Siew Choo, were officially declared dead by the Hualien district court at the behest of their family in December...

How excessive smartphone and tablet use can hurt child development

SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): Children can be easily influenced by what they see and hear on the television and internet. Here are the risks posed by five screen types. 1. Television Passively watching TV can lead to a sedentary lifestyle and contribute to health problems such as obesity, which is on the rise in young children, according...