While employed as a behavioural therapist, a 29-year-old Singaporean woman dragged her then four-year-old patient off his chair and onto the floor after he repeatedly hit her in the face.

For this act, Tricia Lee Hsien was fined S$5,000 on Oct. 28. She had previously pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to a minor.

The boy has a background of Asperger's syndrome, a condition classified under the Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The incident, which was caught on CCTV, occurred in the boy's bedroom on Jun. 13, 2024, during their twice-weekly lessons.

A gag order has been enacted to protect the boy's identity.

Assigned to conduct lessons

Lee was employed by her organisation from January 2024 to Jun. 14, 2024. She was assigned to conduct lessons with the boy in February 2024.

The boy's parents installed a CCTV in the bedroom but did not intervene during the lessons as they trusted Lee to manage him.

On Jun. 13, 2024, at around 3pm, Lee went to the boy's home to conduct their scheduled lesson.

Only Lee and the boy were in the bedroom at all material times, according to court documents seen by Mothership.

At around 5:25pm, as Lee read to the boy by holding a book in front of him and pointing to its contents, he started fidgeting in his seat.

A minute later, Lee instructed the boy to place both of his hands on the table, called the "quiet hands" position, so that he would not act violently or snatch items away.

This was a technique Lee's organisation trained her to use to address behavioural issues in her students.

The boy did not comply and tried to hold the book Lee was reading.

Boy hit her face repeatedly

The boy then pulled the book away from Lee, who told him, "quiet hands", but he did not comply.

Instead, the boy hit Lee in the face, causing her spectacles to fall off.

Lee put her glasses back on and swung her left hand down twice; she also forcefully threw the book onto the floor beside her.

She picked the book back up, threw it on the table, before grabbing it once more and flinging it against the wall.

Court documents stated that in response, the boy hit Lee in the face again.

After being hit in the face for the second time, Lee pointed at the boy and firmly told him to not hit her again.

But the boy resumed and hit her in the face for the third time and grabbed her spectacles off her face.

Lee snatched her spectacles back and stood up from her chair.

Grabbed and dragged victim

At around 5:27pm, Lee used her left hand to grab the boy's right hand before dragging him off his chair and onto the floor, doing so with the intention to cause hurt to the victim.

This act constituted the charge she pleaded guilty to.

After the incident, Lee carried the boy out of the bedroom and reported to the his father that he had hit her in the face.

The boy's father ended the session for the day after numerous unsuccessful attempts to calm his son down, according to court documents.

At about 5:30pm, the father informed the boy's mother of the incident. The mother reviewed the CCTV footage and was shocked.

Afterwards, she contacted Lee's employer and extended a copy of the footage to them.

The mother also called the police at around 7:11pm to report the incident.

The next day, the boy's parents brought him to KK Women's and Children's Hospital to be assessed.

The physical examination noted no gross external injuries.

Lee's employment was terminated a day after the incident on Jun. 14, 2024. She cooperated with police during investigations and was arrested and released on station bail on Mar. 3, 2026.

Prosecution sought fine

The prosecution sought a fine of S$5,000 to S$6,000 as the case was an "exceptional one" where the harm caused was low, citing that the boy sustained no documented injuries and "the offence was an isolated act of ill-treatment which took place over the course of mere seconds".

According to CNA, Principal District Judge Toh Yung Cheong agreed that Lee's culpability was low but noted that she was a behavioural therapist "who could have taken other steps to deal with the situation".

An offender faces up to three years' jail and a maximum fine of S$5,000 or both for voluntarily causing hurt.

The maximum penalty doubles if the offence was committed against a minor under 14 years of age.

Several massage parlours offering "special services" have allegedly popped up along River Valley Road and Mohamed Sultan Road.

The police have raided and shut down the establishments, but they quickly reopen afterwards.

Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) reported that a total of six massage parlours were found in the area (within 50m distance), with four of them suspected of providing sexual services.

An anonymous source claimed that two of the parlours belong to the same owner.

Investigation

According to Shin Min, the masseuses at two of the establishments appeared to be very cautious, preferring not to discuss services at the counter.

The Shin Min reporter was told to fill out a form with their name and IC number as part of police regulations.

However, once they entered the parlour, the masseuse said that "special services" were offered.

Halfway through the massage, the reporter was asked if they wanted a "prostate massage", priced between S$50 and S$100.

When they declined, the masseuse said that she would only receive S$10 in commissions from a regular massage, and that her pay would be docked if she did not meet the monthly target.

She also revealed that other masseuses work in the shop, and unless there is a special appointment, they are assigned walk-in customers on a rotating basis.

"Sometimes we only get one customer a day. We have no choice but to take this risk."

Business models

When the reporter visited one massage parlour, they were quoted a price of S$150, with regular massage fees added on top.

The reporter remarked that it was expensive and that they intended to inquire at another parlour, but was told that prices at both were the same.

Business owners in the vicinity corroborated Shin Min's findings that two of the massage parlours belonged to the same owner.

One of them was raided twice, in May and July 2026, but the business' licensee was changed afterwards and the parlour continued to operate.

A source claimed that these parlours are open 24 hours a day, but the masseuses rarely stand outside to solicit customers.

Instead, they promote their services online.

According to Shin Min, some of the parlours were found to be advertising themselves on Telegram groups, attaching photos of scantily clad women.

Legitimate ones unbothered

One of the legitimate massage parlours in the area told Shin Min that they were not concerned about the presence of those establishments, which have been increasingly popping up since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Having operated for more than 10 years, the owner said that they served a "different customer base".

"Most of my customers are local residents and regulars, and they know that we are legitimate," she said.

"I posted notices to declare that sexual services are prohibited here, and if anyone comes in inquiring about such services, I will show them the notice and they will leave."

Chinese actress Jiang Xin, 43, was attending a fashion show when a designer leaned in to kiss her.

In videos circulating online, the actress was seen laughing in surprise and slightly moving away from him.

She was then seen quickly composing herself and proceeding with the rest of the event without any hiccups, according to Lianhe Zaobao.

The incident happened at fashion brand MESSENTIAL's show on Oct. 27.

🚨 蒋欣被男设计师突然亲脖子，现场反应引发热议！

从画面看，她似乎被打了个措手不及。无论对方出于什么意图，未经同意的亲密接触都可能让人不适。

热情不是越界的借口，熟络也不代表可以随便亲！你怎么看？ https://t.co/h25zaTy7ag

— TrooperDongX🚀 (@dz0920) October 27, 2026

Online outrage

Many commenters online reportedly criticised the designer, saying that a public event or group photo does not justify such an act.

They emphasised the importance of asking for consent, with some going as far as to question if this can be considered sexual harassment.

The incident has since gone viral on Chinese social media.

A 47-year-old Singaporean man was charged for allegedly sailing his yacht on at least two occasions to the Southern Island Live Firing Area, a restricted military training zone used by the Singapore Armed Forces.

Quek Wee Teck faced two charges under the Military Manoeuvers (Firing Ground) Rules.

Sail

In charge sheets seen by Mothership, on Dec. 19, 2025, at about 2:52pm to 2:55pm, Quek allegedly sailed his yacht, named “Artemis 1”, into the firing ground.

He allegedly did that again with the same yacht on Jul. 10, 2026, at about 4:29pm to 5:09pm.

According to CNA, Quek told the court that he intends to plead guilty to the charges and will not engage counsel.

If found guilty of entering any firing ground, Quek could face a fine of up to S$2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both.

The case was adjourned to Dec. 16.

Captain Q

According to Quek’s LinkedIn profile, he is the chief executive officer of yacht management and maintenance firm Hydrogen Era Marine.

He is also the managing director of Wanderlust Adventures.

According to Hydrogen Era Marine’s website, Quek is known as “Captain Q” and is the president of the Association of Boat Charter Singapore.

He is also a founding member of Marine Stewards Singapore, an organisation dedicated to promoting marine sustainability.

Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Energy Market Authority of Singapore (EMA), and the United States Department of Energy (DOE) released the preliminary findings of the second phase of the joint Feasibility Study on Regional Energy Connectivity in Southeast Asia on Oct. 28.

Key findings presented during SIEW

The Joint Feasibility Study was launched in April 2023, with the second phase being launched in October 2026.

The study’s key findings was presented on Oct. 28 by the National Laboratory of the Rockies and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, during the 19th Singapore International Energy Week.

The final report will be completed by early 2027.

The first phase of the study examined Southeast Asia's grid infrastructure, including subsea interconnections, and the socioeconomic benefits of regional energy interconnectivity.

For the second phase, Singapore and the U.S. brought together policymakers, industry experts, and researchers from the region to exchange perspectives and best practices in cross-border electricity trading and regional grid development.

Stronger regional governance and cooperation

Preliminary findings of this study highlight the need for stronger regional governance and cooperation.

It also recommended greater alignment of legal and regulatory frameworks across Asean to support subsea interconnection development.

The study also identifies approaches to financing meant to mobilise investment in subsea interconnection projects, including approaches to lessen project risks, as well as regional cost allocation methods to support wider investments as part of the wider Asean Power Grid.

The findings will help provide further practical recommendations to support the development of the Asean power grid, including regional initiatives such as the Asean submarine power cable development framework.

There is also hope that it will strengthen the Asean-US energy cooperation under the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation of 2026 to 2030.

The METI press statement said that Singapore and the U.S. looked forward to deepening cooperation on regional interconnectivity, energy security, and energy technologies, especially as the two countries marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S.-Asean relationship in 2027.

Chinese actress Liu Tao, 48, was seen being touched inappropriately by the founder of luxury fashion brand Brunello Cucinelli during an event in Shanghai on Oct. 22.

A viral video on Weibo captured the brand’s founder, Brunello Cucinelli, repeatedly placing his hands on Liu’s shoulders and arms as they posed for photos.

#刘涛遭咸猪手# 冲上热搜第一，主角不是礼服，是一只不肯走的手。

10月22日上海 Brunello Cucinelli 活动，合影时品牌创始人那只手从肩滑到腰，最后停在腰胸之间。

她侧身、后撤、换方向挥手，笑容一帧没掉。

镜头一转，笑就收了。

真正的礼仪，是对方往后退的时候，你懂得松手。

PS：居然敢揩油妈祖娘娘的“化身”，不知道潮汕人民会不会抵制这个品牌方？

https://t.co/gdIBHVCsFv

— DaDa | 🕊️ (@0x99DaDa) October 28, 2026

As he directed her to pose for cameras, the 73-year-old also appeared to touch her chest with his hand.

Although Liu maintained a professional smile and behaviour throughout the event, she was later seen attempting to turn away and put some distance between the two of them.

Founder receives backlash

According to China Press, the videos drew criticism online, with many accusing Cucinelli of crossing physical boundaries.

Photos and videos of Cucinelli being close to other female celebrities were shared online as well, including actress Chen Duling.

He was reportedly seen placing his arm around Chen’s waist and standing close to her at the same event.

Online commenters also highlighted interactions involving other celebrities, such as Korean actress Kim Yoo Jung and Olympic skier Eileen Gu.

Videos showed monsoon-like rain falling throughout Kalimantan, greeted by thankful firefighters who fell to their knees, their efforts being backed up by the heavens.

There is a narrative that the haze is caused by forces of nature, such as a supercharged El Niño, and in that narrative, perhaps it is apt that it is the monsoon that finally calms the fires.

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But it is really just one leg of a two-legged debate about the haze and how to prevent it.

Two conferences

Around the same time, videos of the rains in Kalimantan were going viral in Singapore, another video was going viral in Singapore.

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A post shared by Mothership (@mothershipsg)

Meanwhile, Singapore's ministers - Senior Minister K Shanmugam, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, and Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu - were sitting in a room with the executives of 10 Singapore-based companies that were served legal notices over the haze.

Shanmugam, Chairman of the Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee, told them that they were there because the situation was serious and that the government wanted to be clear about its position and what it expected from them.

Just a day earlier Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, was in Jakarta meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Arrmanatha Nasir.

At their joint press conference, both men emphasised what many in the haze-affected countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore all knew to be true.

In order to tackle the haze, one had to contend with natural elements, but also with man-made ones.

And ultimately, the answer lay in cooperation between and across countries; it was not something that any one nation could currently deal with alone.

El Niño

It is perhaps a bit stark that the 2026 haze season was one of the most serious yet most forewarned we've seen in a while.

As early as May, there were warnings that the region would be affected by a 'Godzilla' El Niño, as reported by The Straits Times.

In June 2026, the Singapore Institute of International Affairs issued a red warning that there was a high risk of severe transboundary haze.

The report warned of natural causes exacerbating conditions, such as the previously mentioned El Niño conditions, causing a stronger and more prolonged dry season.

But it also warned of rising demand for agricultural commodities and biofuels, increasing land use pressures.

In what will likely go down as an oracular vision, the SIIA cautioned that price shocks for fertiliser and fuel due to the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions may increase incentives for unsustainable land clearing among some producers.

This highlighted both man-made methods and motivations for behaviour that at least increases the risk of, if not outright causes, forest fires.

In a hot spot

The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre hotspot tracker shows that in August, hotspots spiked to nearly 13,000 in Kalimantan alone.

This was in contrast to the 1,300 the month before and the 189 the month before that.

For context, between January and June, the monthly numbers of hotspots were all below 300 in Kalimantan.

Known problem areas like Sumatra also saw significant hotspot activity ramp up in July and August.

So when the haze began to really worry Singaporeans in September and then reached significantly unhealthy levels in October, the fires had essentially been burning for two months already.

And it should be noted that the fires burn every year.

Certainly more intensely in 2026 than in previous years, but they are never entirely absent.

Man-made fires

There might be some truth in the critique (or complaint) that Singapore and Malaysia only pay attention to the forest fires when the haze comes about, at least where the public is concerned.

Whereas the population of Kalimantan and Sumatra, and, to some extent, Sabah and Sarawak, has to live with the consequences of the fires every year.

But addressing the causes of fires in a different country is not a simple matter.

There is simply no way to point at man-made forest fires without implying that someone is doing something wrong, or at least not doing something correctly.

And to say such a thing without apportioning blame is a very difficult and delicate diplomatic task.

The SIIA also noted that Indonesia had attempted to address this issue by strengthening its institutional response to forest and land fires.

It had established a new inter-agency forest and land fire coordination desk and was continuing efforts to improve monitoring, enforcement, and community firefighting capabilities.

And again, this was before June 2026, so it can hardly be said that Indonesia did not attempt to address the issue before it really got started.

Investigative actions

But by that same measure, one cannot expect countries like Singapore and Malaysia not to seek to address the problem with the powers that they have within their grasp.

Not to lean too far into stereotypes, but Singapore has a reputation for being legalistic, and so it's not surprising that taking legal action was the primary response on the part of the Singaporean government.

Investigations have to run their course, but the first step is making sure the investigated parties disclose the critical information that is needed to determine whether or not they committed any wrongdoing.

Most of the companies so far mentioned by the Singapore government have denied that they are directly responsible for the forest fires.

Several suggested that fires occurring on their concessions or concessions belonging to their subsidiaries were caused by external sources; fires started outside that spread into areas under their control.

If the companies' accounts hold up, investigations help them too, by affirming to the public, both in Singapore and Indonesia, that the companies have complied with their civic obligations.

Even in this best-case scenario, investigations are complicated because there is no clear line where their Indonesian obligations end and their Singaporean obligations start.

Trust in the air

Conducting these investigations doesn't just require rigour; it also requires trust.

Obviously, trust between the public and the government that wrongdoers will eventually be found and adequately punished.

But also trust between governments that one side is not seeking to turn the other into a convenient scapegoat.

As Indonesia's foreign minister Arrmanatha said: “No border should shield those who profit from burning our (Indonesia's) forests.”

Long-term symbolism

This week has been a bit of a blessing, as the skies have been relatively clear, although not entirely.

There is symbolism in ministers meeting company heads, while foreign ministers meet to announce a joint task force under clear skies.

It’s a reminder that even as the haze clears, and even when the fires aren't affecting us in Singapore right away, we must continue to pursue accountability.

When the PSI drops and the N95 masks go back into the drawer, the urgency that made the eight executives sit across the table from three ministers can fade just as quickly as the smoke.

SM Shanmugam alluded to this when he told the companies that it cannot be business as usual, even after the haze is over.

The question is whether the rest of us will hold to that too.

It's not currently known what the timeframes will be for the assessment process presented to the 10 firms, or for the joint task force, but by their nature, they will likely take time to reach even a preliminary finding.

The amendments to the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, due in Parliament in November, may be the last time the issue gets sustained attention before then.

It is possible that we will be called upon to focus our attention again on this in half a year’s time, when this year’s haze season, hopefully, will be a faint memory.

But accountability does not happen on the same schedule as the weather.

If we only care about the haze when we can smell it, errant companies responsible will have learned that all they need to do is wait for the rain.

Domestic violence cases in Singapore — including cases of child abuse and spousal abuse — remained at an elevated level in 2025, said the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

All four categories of domestic violence also saw slight increases in the number of cases.

The statistics were revealed in MSF's latest Domestic Violence Trends Report (DVTR), published on Oct. 29.

The data reflects stronger reporting and detection of abuse, MSF said.

Child abuse

In 2025, there were 4,686 new cases of Tier 1 child abuse and 2,021 new cases of Tier 2 child abuse.

This translates to 6,707 new child abuse cases in total, with children aged seven to 12 years old making up the largest group of victims.

Tier 1 cases are those with low to moderate safety and risk concerns, overseen by community-based agencies.

Tier 2 cases, meanwhile, involve high safety and risk concerns and may warrant intrusive statutory intervention to keep the vulnerable person safe.

These cases are overseen by MSF's Protective Service (PSV).

Physical abuse most common

Among child abuse cases, physical abuse was the most common type of abuse inflicted, said MSF.

Among Tier 2 cases, this was significantly related to the excessive use of physical force in disciplining children.

Other forms of child abuse recorded include emotional and psychological abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse.

The ministry said it encourages parents to employ non-physical means of discipline instead to build positive parent-child relationships.

Spousal abuse

There were 1,920 new cases of Tier 1 spousal abuse in 2025, seeing a slight increase from 1,871 in 2024.

Numbers remained elevated compared to the 2023 baseline of 1,560.

MSF said this suggests that more victim-survivors sought support through Family Service Centres (FSCs) before having their safety concerns escalated.

Victim-survivors of spousal abuse were overwhelmingly female, with those aged 30 to 49 years making up the largest group.

Physical abuse was the most common type of abuse, followed by emotional and psychological abuse and sexual abuse.

Elder abuse, vulnerable adult abuse

Cases of elder abuse, vulnerable adult abuse, and self-neglect all saw increases.

An elderly person in the report refers to a person aged 65 years and above, while vulnerable adults are defined as those who, by reason of mental or physical disability or incapacity, are incapable of protecting themselves from abuse, neglect, or self-neglect.

With elder abuse, women made up the larger group of victims among Tier 1 abuse cases in 2025, with physical abuse forming the most common type of elder abuse.

Often, the elderly victim is abused by a family member or caregiver that the victim-survivor trusts, the report said.

Meanwhile, with cases of self-neglect and vulnerable adult abuse, the increases were sharper although overall numbers remained low.

The increase may partly reflect improved detection by healthcare and community partners, according to MSF.

The agency also noted that most new cases of self-neglect involved the elderly.

More reports made

In 2025, the number of reports made to the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) increased sharply, MSF said.

NAVH reports rose by nearly 50 per cent, with members of the public making up the largest source of reports.

But the increase was mostly driven by reports from law enforcement agencies, social service agencies and the education sector.

Since September 2024, police officers have been required to notify NAVH when they respond to domestic violence cases involving children or vulnerable adults.

Meanwhile, the Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team (DVERT) — which responds to high-risk domestic violence cases — responded to 1,439 cases in 2025.

This was more than double the 675 cases in 2024.

This increase occurred after the response team was expanded to all seven police divisions islandwide in September 2024, allowing more high-risk domestic incidents to receive immediate action, MSF noted.

A woman went to a bar at Marina Bay Sands after drinking alcohol at home and molested a waitress who had just ended her shift.

Sonik Archana Susheel, 32, not only groped the 20-year-old victim's buttocks and shoved her, but also showed her the middle finger.

The Indian national was fined S$2,500 on Oct. 29 after pleading guilty to one charge of outrage of modesty, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Groped victim's butt

The court heard that the victim was working as a bottle-service waitress at CÉ LA VI, a rooftop restaurant and bar on the 57th floor of Marina Bay Sands.

On Mar. 13, 2026, at around 11pm, Sonik arrived at the bar after a few drinks at home to continue drinking and partying with several friends.

At 12:33am, Sonik was reportedly drunk and dancing alone when the victim walked past, preparing to end her shift.

Without warning, Sonik reached out to touch the victim's buttocks and shoved her stomach area.

She also flashed the victim a middle finger in her face.

The court heard that the interaction lasted about five seconds, Shin Min reported.

The victim immediately sought help from floor security, and the police were called.

Sonik was arrested at the scene, and she was released on bail that same day.

Did not commit offence for sexual gratification

The prosecution sought a fine of S$2,500 for Sonik, noting that she had no prior criminal record and was intoxicated at the time of the offence.

She had also voluntarily offered S$1,500 in compensation to the victim, reported Shin Min.

Sonik's lawyer, Ariffin Sha, reportedly submitted that she did not commit the act for sexual gratification.

He stated that she was "deeply remorseful" and had voluntarily paid the S$1,500 as compensation for emotional distress.

She is also willing to cover the victim's therapy expenses, he said, urging the court to exercise leniency.

Victim applied for additional compensation

The victim also appeared in court to seek additional compensation, Shin Min reported.

She stated that she was fired following the incident and had lost approximately six months' worth of wages.

She noted that these earnings were meant to fund her school tuition and daily living expenses.

However, the judge dismissed her application after noting that she did not provide sufficient documentation to establish her exact financial losses.

A 30-year-old Singaporean man exited a taxi in Bangkok and ran wildly on the road before falling off the side of the expressway.

According to Siam News, the incident occurred around 12:43pm local time on Oct. 26.

The taxi driver reportedly picked the man up from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main international airport of Bangkok.

The man did not specify a destination, but only instructed the driver to keep going in the direction he wanted.

When the taxi drove through the Si Rat Expressway, the passenger suddenly became agitated, demanding that the car be stopped.

After the car came to a halt, he reportedly opened the door and ran out onto the road.

The driver attempted to follow him and shouted at him to come back for his safety, but the man did not stop. Subsequently, the driver contacted a radio station to share what happened and seek assistance.

The passenger was later found to have fallen off the side of the expressway, landing in a public park below and sustaining serious injuries.

Emergency responders provided first aid and rushed him to the hospital for further treatment.

He was identified as a Singapore citizen through the passport he was carrying.

Thai police are investigating the incident, and will work with the Singaporean Embassy in Thailand to proceed with further steps.