Only 21 per cent of women early in their careers said they were comfortable speaking to their manager or human resources (HR) department about their mental well-being.

That is according to ‘The Women Across Life Stages’ survey by the PAP Women's Wing and NTUC Women and Family (WAF), conducted from Aug. 3 to 31 among 2,375 working women. Of the respondents, 224 were in the early-career group.

In comparison, half of the early-career respondents said they were comfortable seeking support outside work.

The PAP Women’s Wing will work with partners, including the Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Singapore, to organise

a series of health and well-being workshops to help women in need.

Together with the PAP Mental Health Group, PAP Mental Health Ambassadors at all PAP Branches will undergo training to strengthen their understanding of mental well-being issues commonly experienced by women.

This will help them better support women in the community, and connect them to appropriate resources if necessary.

What is stressing them

The findings were released on Sep. 26, 2026 at the party's annual Women's Wing Conference.

The conference, with the theme “Women Empowered”, brought together more than 400 activists, MPs, community partners and guests.

It was organised by Goh Hanyan and supported by Diana Pang, who are both PAP MPs, and respectively the Adviser and Head of the PAP Women’s Wing Health and Well-being advocacy team.

Stress and burnout

One in four early-career respondents reported that stress, anxiety, burnout or emotional strain affected their work significantly.

Among the factors contributing to stress at work, 47 per cent cited pressure to perform well, while 41 per cent pointed to heavy workloads or long hours.

PAP Women’s Wing Adviser (Research) Gan Siow Huang said, “Women should not have to struggle in silence or compromise their well-being to succeed at work."

Gan, who is also Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Foreign Affairs, said:

"Employers, managers and co-workers can take action to create workplaces that are more flexible, inclusive and responsive to women’s needs – from early-career stress and caregiving to motherhood and menopause – while fostering a supportive workplace culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to thrive.”

The Women’s Wing identified three areas it would intensify its advocacy on: supporting early-career mental health, de-stigmatising the perimenopause and menopause experience, and driving greater workplace flexibility.

PAP Women’s Wing chairperson Sim Ann said the survey showed how women’s health concerns intersect with the workplace.

“Health and well-being, which remains central to the Women’s Wing’s advocacy efforts, is not a standalone issue,” Sim, who is also the Second Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs, said.

“The joint survey between the Women’s Wing and NTUC WAF shows how health concerns interact with the workplace and opens further conversations about the changes needed to support women in making their fullest contributions to society,” she added.

Mental health ambassadors in over 90 branches

The Women's Wing will work with the PAP Mental Health Group to equip mental health ambassadors across more than 90 PAP branches, with a basic knowledge of common mental health and well-being issues affecting women.

Goh, who is also the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community & Youth, as well as Sustainability & the Environment, said the initiative was intended to make PAP branches more supportive spaces for women.

“Ultimately, we want every PAP branch to be a safe and supportive space for our women,” Goh said. “

Somewhere they can find a listening ear, some initial support and, where needed, a link to the right help."

Goh said the initiative would begin in early 2027.

Workplace culture

Goh also spoke about the importance of workplace culture in supporting women’s well-being.

“A supportive culture should make room for honest conversations amongst employers and employees about wellbeing needs and should also recognise that caregiving responsibilities can change over time,” she said.

“After all, policies can only go as far as culture allows.”

The Women’s Wing will also work with organisations such as NTUC Women and Family to encourage employers to better support women’s health needs and caregiving responsibilities.

NTUC Assistant Secretary-General and Director for NTUC WAF, Yeo Wan Ling, said that NTUC Women and Family is proud to collaborate with the PAP Women’s Wing on the survey, which examines women across the different seasons of their lives, from

building careers and families to caregiving, menopause, and retirement.

Yeo, who is also an MP, said:

"The findings are clear: women need support systems that evolve with their changing needs. Flexible work arrangements remain important, but women must also feel confident using them without being seen as less committed.

As caregiving becomes more complex, we should also study the role of family-care leave alongside flexible work arrangements.

NTUC Women and Family will build on these findings and continue working with policymakers and employers to create more family-friendly and caregiver-inclusive workplaces, so women can remain and progress at work through every stage of life."

Workplace flexibility important to parents & caregivers

Among 912 respondents in the working-parenthood group, 61 per cent cited flexible work arrangements as one of the forms of workplace support most helpful to parents.

Another 46 per cent cited a supportive workplace culture, while 43 per cent selected flexible start and end times.

Among 819 respondents caring for loved ones, 68 per cent said flexible work arrangements would help ease the strain of caregiving.

Another 44 per cent pointed to understanding from supervisors and managers, while 43 per cent cited a supportive workplace culture.

For new mothers returning to work, 51 per cent cited having enough time to breastfeed or pump as helpful workplace support, followed by access to a private space at 50 per cent and flexible work arrangements at 42 per cent.

Sim Ann said workplaces should consider how they could better support women’s health needs, particularly given Singapore’s high female labour force participation rate.

Sim, the Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, said this could help more women continue to have productive and fulfilling careers for longer.

Only 1 in 10 say workplace open to discussing menopause support

Among 288 respondents experiencing perimenopause or menopause symptoms, three in five reported fatigue and half reported poor sleep.

Only one in 10 say their workplace was open to discussing support for women experiencing these symptoms.

Goh said the Women’s Wing will hold a talk on perimenopause on Dec. 5.

It will also work with the Obstetrical & Gynaecological Society of Singapore to organise a series of health and well-being workshops covering issues women may encounter at different stages of life, including mental well-being, fertility health, perimenopause and menopause.

“We want to help bring these conversations to the fore and recognise the realities of women going through it,” Goh said.

All seven kits among the 23 rabbits rescued in Seletar have died, said animal welfare group Voices For Animals (VFA) on Sep. 25, The Straits Times reported.

Mothership previously reported that four of the 23 rabbits had died as at Sep. 22, days after they were found abandoned along a road in the Seletar Farmway area on Sep. 18.

Kits' condition deteriorated despite care

Despite VFA's efforts to provide warmth, care and medical attention since the Sep. 18 rescue, the condition of the kits, or baby rabbits, gradually deteriorated, said VFA president Derrick Tan.

He shared with ST that sadly, they began losing the kits one by one, with one or two dying each day.

The condition of the 16 adult rabbits recovered from the site is generally stable, Tan said.

One of the adult female rabbits gave birth to three kits during a veterinary examination.

Two of the newborns were delivered without a heartbeat, and vets were unable to revive them despite immediately attempting resuscitation, he said.

The last surviving newborn kit is still alive as of Sep. 26 and is being closely monitored.

Found abandoned on Sep. 18

The rabbits were found abandoned on Sep. 18 evening and were eventually taken in by animal welfare organisation Voices For Animals.

They were first discovered by an eyewitness in the Seletar area, who said that they saw the rabbits hopping around the area.

The eyewitness also said he saw a vehicle leave, with the person in the vehicle telling him that he could have the rabbits if he wanted.

Overgrown nails, wounds

A total of 23 rabbits, comprising 16 adults and seven kits, were found, VFA founder Derrick Tan previously told Mothership.

The rabbits were assessed medically by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), VFA and veterinarians from The Animal Doctors on Sep. 21.

They were found with health issues, including overgrown nails and skin conditions, Jessica Kwok, NParks' group director for enforcement and investigation, said.

Some also had wounds.

Kits were in "critical condition"

The adult rabbits were provided with the necessary medications with care instructions issued by AVS and The Animal Doctors Singapore (TAD) according to Tan's recount to ST, but the kits were found wet and cold, and in a much more critical condition.

“These losses have been extremely difficult for everyone involved," Tan said.

"While we were able to recover the rabbits from the site, the condition in which the young kits were found meant that some were already extremely vulnerable by the time they came into our care."

Top image via Derrick Tan/Instagram, Voices For Animals/Facebook

A 14-year-old student in Malaysia died after he was found unconscious at his school hostel on Sep. 25.

Police have since classified his death as murder and detained a 16-year-old student to assist with investigations, Malay Mail reported.

The teenager was subsequently remanded for six days, according to The Star.

Found unconscious at school hostel

The deceased was identified as Muhammad Idlan Fareeq Shahril, a Form Two student at a sports school in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan.

He was found unconscious at the school hostel on the night of Sep. 25 before being taken to Hospital Tuanku Ampuan Najihah (HTAN), where he was pronounced dead, according to The Star.

A post-mortem was scheduled to be conducted at Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar in Seremban.

Negeri Sembilan police chief Alzafny Ahmad said preliminary investigations found that the incident occurred at the hostel at around 8pm.

“We are probing the case under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder,” Alzafny said in a statement.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including a possible motive.

Alzafny also urged members of the public not to speculate or spread unverified information about the case, saying this could affect investigations and the privacy of the families involved.

Bullying alleged

Before police classified the case as murder, allegations of bullying circulated online.

The Star reported that a social media post had gone viral alleging that a student died after being assaulted and bullied at the school hostel.

However, the alleged assault had not been verified at the time, with police investigations ongoing.

Kuala Pilah Member of Parliament Adnan Abu Hassan said he went to HTAN after being informed of the incident by police.

Former Education Minister Mohd Radzi Jidin also called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the student's death in the interest of the deceased and his family.

Education Ministry orders audit

Malaysia's Education Ministry said it would work with police as investigations into Muhammad Idlan's death continue.

The ministry has also ordered a review at the school to check whether procedures had been properly followed.

It also urged the public not to speculate about the case while investigations are ongoing.

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has disbursed $2.2 million in one-off Cost-of-Living Support to more than 5,600 eligible Zakat beneficiary households, to help lower-income Muslim families with their daily expenses.

One-off cost-of-living support

According to a MUIS media release on Sep. 25, each household received at least $120 under the special payout, with higher amounts given to households with greater needs based on their per capita income (PCI).

The one-off support is funded by Zakat contributions from the Muslim community, referring to the Islamic principle of financially contributing to the less fortunate.

MUIS said the support complements its monthly Zakat Financial Assistance and the government's broader cost-of-living support measures, and reflects its commitment to ensuring Zakat assistance remains responsive to the evolving needs of beneficiaries.

Zakat complements national efforts to support lower-income households

MUIS said Zakat is a cornerstone of the Muslim community in Singapore, channelling contributions from Zakat payers to eligible beneficiaries across the eight asnaf, or categories of Zakat recipients.

Its approach to Zakat is guided by the values of Ihsan (compassion), Amanah (trust and responsibility) and Islah (continuous improvement), which underpin how it cares for those in need, administers Zakat responsibly, and improves support over time.

Beyond providing immediate relief, MUIS said Zakat also strengthens social resilience and complements national efforts to support lower-income households.

One-off support made possible by Zakat contributions

MUIS Chief Executive Kadir Maideen said that the government has introduced a range of national support measures to help households manage higher living costs.

This one-off support, made possible by the Muslim community's Zakat contributions, provides additional assistance to eligible beneficiaries who may face greater financial pressures.

Kadir said MUIS remains committed to ensuring its assistance is "timely and responsive" as it works alongside the government and community partners to uplift vulnerable families.

Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad said that for some families in the community, managing everyday expenses can be a real concern, in a video uploaded on Facebook on Sep. 25.

"A little extra support can make a meaningful difference," he added, thanking the community for playing its part through Zakat contributions to help those who need it.

Top image via Google Maps, Zaqy Mohamad/Facebook

A male Filipino national and four female Filipino nationals, aged between 31 and 57, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a case of theft involving more than S$155,000.

S$155,600 cash missing from haversack

According to a police news release, officers were alerted to a case of alleged theft at the underpass near Tang Plaza at around 1:40pm on Sep. 25.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a male victim had just exchanged currency at a nearby money changer when a few unknown people bumped into him at the foot of an escalator.

He subsequently discovered that his haversack had been unzipped, and cash amounting to about S$155,600 was missing.

Arrested within the same day

Through follow-up investigations and with the aid of CCTV and police camera footage, officers from Tanglin Police Division established the identities of the five suspects involved, and arrested them within the same day.

Cash amounting to about S$152,800 was recovered and seized as case exhibits.

Five Filipino nationals to be charged with theft with common intention

The five will be charged in court on Sep. 26 with theft with common intention.

If found guilty, they could face imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both.

Top image via Google Maps, Singapore Police Force

A pair of cyclists are making their way from the Netherlands to Singapore, having already covered more than 4,000km on their journey.

In an Instagram video, the pair shared the first part of their route, which has taken them across Europe and into Asia.

They have so far travelled through countries including Belgium, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey, before reaching Georgia.

“We are cycling from the Netherlands to Singapore,” they said at the start of the video. “And this is our route.”

Through Europe first

The pair began their journey in their home country, the Netherlands, before quickly passing through Belgium and spending a longer stretch in Germany.

There, they cycled along the Rhine before following the Romantic Road, a route they described as being filled with castles and valleys.

From Salzburg they crossed the Alps into Italy along the Alpe Adria route, which they said remains one of their favourites.

Then the Balkans

Scenic domestic roads took them through Slovenia and Croatia before a long stint in Bosnia, crossing the Balkan mountains. By that point they had covered 1,798km.

They followed the Trans Dinarica trail, which they described as amazing, but had to make up time, so they moved faster through Serbia and Bulgaria.

Part of that leg followed the Iron Curtain trail, which traces the former Cold War political border in Eastern Europe.

Into Asia

The pair had covered 2,798km by the time they reached Turkey.

Arriving in the country marked a significant point in their journey, as they would thereafter be cycling through Asia.

They chose a route through central Turkey, where they experienced what they described as “amazing hospitality and crazy nature”.

However, one of the cyclists fell ill during this leg of the journey.

With a deadline to reach Georgia, the pair decided to take a train to eastern Turkey before resuming their journey by bicycle.

They subsequently crossed into Georgia.

“We cycled onto the much greener Georgia and now after over 4,000km, we’re here,” they said.

Still to come

They said they would share the next stretch of the route soon.

On the trails they had used so far, they wrote:

"These trails were amazing so save them for your future bikepacking trips."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tanya Spee 🏃🏼‍♀️🚴🏼‍♀️ (@by.tanya)

Singapore's total population rose 1.6 per cent to 6.21 million as at June 2026, up from 6.11 million in June 2025, according to the Population in Brief 2026 report by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD).

Growth driven mainly by non-residents

The report stated that the increase in total population was mainly due to growth in the non-resident population, which rose 3.7 per cent to 1.98 million in June 2026, from 1.91 million in June 2025.

This came primarily from Work Permit holders, followed by migrant domestic workers.

The NPTD said the rise in Work Permit holders was particularly driven by the construction sector, to support key infrastructure projects such as Changi Terminal 5, the Marina Bay Sands expansion, and the ramp-up of housing supply and other transport infrastructure.

The citizen population increased by 0.7 per cent to 3.68 million in June 2026, up from 3.66 million in June 2025.

The permanent resident (PR) population remained relatively stable at 0.55 million.

Singapore now a "super-aged society"

The report also highlighted Singapore's ageing population.

As at June 2026, 21.4 per cent of the citizen population was aged 65 and above, up from 13.7 per cent in 2016.

This means Singapore has crossed the United Nations' threshold of 21 per cent for a "super-aged society."

The number of citizens aged 80 and above rose 60 per cent over the past decade, from 95,000 in 2016 to 152,000 in 2026.

The median age of the citizen population also rose, from 43.7 years in June 2025 to 44.1 years in June 2026.

The NPTD projected that by 2035, more than one in four citizens will be aged 65 and above.

Fewer marriages and births in 2025

There were 21,671 citizen marriages in 2025, 5.6 per cent lower than the 22,955 citizen marriages recorded in 2024.

The average number of citizen marriages per year from 2023 to 2025 (23,000) was lower than the average from 2016 to 2019 (23,500).

There were also 26,071 citizen births in 2025, 10.8 per cent lower than the 29,237 citizen births in 2024.

The average number of citizen births per year from 2021 to 2025 (29,300) was lower than the average from 2016 to 2020 (32,500).

The resident total fertility rate fell to 0.87 in 2025, down from 0.97 in 2024.

Top image via Yoav Aziz/Unsplash

Former DBS CEO Piyush Gupta revealed in an interview that the bank had deliberately moved away from hiring only the top-scoring university graduates, as academic results alone do not make the best employees.

In an interview with content creator Inconvenient Questions, Gupta recounted that DBS used to hire its "first class" candidates from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Suggested hiring outside of the top 20 per cent

When he asked his team why they only hired from this cohort, he was told that the bank received so many applications that using top grades as a cut-off was a way to narrow down the pool.

Gupta said he pushed back, suggesting the team ignore the top 20 per cent of applicants and instead take the next 20 per cent, since that would also form a valid shortlist.

He added that in his experience, the best bankers have never come from the top academic performers, but from "the next lot."

According to Gupta, candidates still need to be bright, but they also need to be street smart and capable of handling a wide range of tasks.

Hiring for "fire in the belly"

Gupta said that during his tenure at DBS, the bank began hiring differently, prioritising skills and what he called "fire in the belly" over academic credentials alone.

He said this is increasingly the direction he expects employers to move in going forward.

Universities must rethink their role

Gupta's comments echo remarks he made in a separate interview with The Straits Times published on Sep. 22, in which he discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the value of a university education.

Gupta said that as AI makes knowledge instantly accessible, universities must shift their focus from transferring information to fostering curiosity, critical thinking and cross-disciplinary reasoning.

Rather than banning AI outright, he said universities need to adapt, including guarding against "cognitive debt," teaching students to verify AI-generated output, and partnering with companies to give students early exposure to practical, real-world experience.

He also said universities must evolve beyond the traditional four-year degree structure to support lifelong learning.

On how students should approach their studies, Gupta said, "So far, the focus has been on choosing a major. In the future, I would say: Forget one or two majors and focus on 10 minors, so you get enough cross-disciplinary and eclectic learning."

Pay gap between university graduates and non-graduates could narrow

Gupta also raised concerns in his interview with ST about the automation of "grunt work" traditionally assigned to fresh graduates, questioning whether they will still gain the depth of knowledge and practical experience needed to take on more advanced roles later in their careers.

He suggested this could narrow the "graduate premium", referring to the higher salaries university graduates have traditionally commanded over non-graduates.

Employers may become less willing to pay this premium if graduates do not bring anything to the workplace that sets them apart from school-leavers who have access to the same AI tools, Gupta said.

Top image via Piyush Gupta/LinkedIn

Manchester City have been found guilty of the majority of charges brought against the club over breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, The Guardian reported.

The Athletic cited sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly.

It added that City were cleared on just one of the 115 charges pertaining to financial breaches they faced. Additional charges brought to the total number to 134.

What the charges are about

According to The Guardian, the case centres on allegations that City failed to provide accurate financial information to the Premier League.

More than 80 charges relate to City's duty to provide information to the Premier League in “the utmost good faith”.

Other charges relate to the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules and UEFA's financial fair play regulations.

20 charges concern City's obligation to provide full details of payments made to players and managers.

City have always denied the allegations, per The Athletic.

What could happen to Man City

No punishment has been decided.

City are expected to appeal the decision, and would have 14 days from the announcement of the verdict to do so.

Should the appeal fail, the panel would then decide on a sanction. Under Premier League rules, the options include a fine, a points deduction, suspension from competition or expulsion from the league.

Investigation began in 2018

The Premier League began investigating City in December 2018 following the publication of leaked documents relating to the club's finances.

The club was subsequently charged in February 2023.

City had previously been handed a two-year ban from UEFA competitions in 2020, along with a €30 million (S$43.6 million) fine, after being accused of “overstating sponsorship revenue in its accounts”.

The ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Man City responds

According to The Guardian, a Manchester City spokesperson said the Premier League process was still ongoing.

“The Premier League process remains ongoing, with significant elements to be completed, and subject to strict confidentiality,” the spokesperson said. “As such Manchester City FC's position remains consistent with the club's statement of February 2023.”

The club added that it had “diligently respected due process for eight years”, and said it expected the Premier League's board and executive to act as an “independent, impartial and fair-minded regulator”.

The Premier League declined to comment, citing the confidential nature of the proceedings.

'People shouldn't jump to conclusions'

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged people not to jump to conclusions before studying the independent commission's report in detail.

“I've only just been made aware of it. I think these are reports at this stage,” Burnham told ITV Granada Reports. “But if they're confirmed, obviously I will want to look at the report of the independent commission.”

He added: “People shouldn't jump to those kind of conclusions.”

Burnham said the proceedings between City and the Premier League had been lengthy and contested, and that the commission's report would need to be studied before conclusions could be reached.

A man has complained that pressing the button at a pedestrian crossing does not turn the traffic light green straight away.

He posted about it in the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, saying he had pressed the button, but the "green man" did not appear immediately.

"Need to change to green man at once"

He said that at some junctions, such as Balestier Road in front of Zhongshan Mall, the wait was at least three minutes.

He added: "Need to change to green man at once upon pressing for all pedestrian crossings. If not, press button is meaningless."

How the buttons actually work

The post drew mostly mockery, though a few commenters took the time to explain how the system works.

One user wrote:

"It's not a light switch at your home. It's designed to make traffic flow efficient.

It gives a signal to the traffic circuit that there is a person crossing on that path so that it will give access to the crossers on it's next cycle, not immediately at pressing it."

The commenter added that if the button is never pressed, the junction gives priority to passing vehicles to keep traffic moving.