MALAYSIA: Former Minister in the Madani cabinet, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, has criticised the authorities in a video posted on his Facebook page, saying outright that an investigation against his colleague, ex-Minister Rafizi Ramli, reeks of political conspiracy.

Both Nik Nazmi and Rafizi hail from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), the party of Anwar Ibrahim, but since their resignations last year, they have been openly critical of the Madani government.

Rafizi is currently undergoing a grilling at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) and is bound to go for another grilling for the third consecutive day on May 6.

Rafizi has a strong following in PKR, with several MPs constantly showing him support in his criticism of the Madani government.

Rafizi is being investigated regarding a RM1.1 billion (S$352 million) semiconductor investment deal between the Ministry of Economy and the UK-based firm Arm Holdings. Rafizi was the Minister of Economy when the deal was sealed.

According to reports, the investigations are about alleged abuse of power and misappropriation, which is the misuse of an official position for gratification.

Another aspect of the investigation is about procedural misconduct, to which some NGOs have alleged the deal was rushed and “one-sided”, with the potential of financial implications for the government.

The NGOs also accused Rafizi of pressuring the Cabinet to expedite approval of the deal, while they also raised the issue of conflict of interest with allegations that a certain individual, who was also interrogated by the MACC and is a former Rafizi aide, was appointed to positions in the foreign company after leaving government service. Rafizi has denied all the accusations.

Hence, in the video, the Member of Parliament (MP) said: “Malaysia’s involvement in leading the semiconductor sector is a good effort to elevate the nation’s reputation as an innovation leader.

“Unfortunately, this effort has been misused by the Government to bring down certain names.”

Nik Nazmi asks whether the Arm Holdings case is really a bribery case or is it a political machination?

The deal involves an agreement of more than RM1.1 billion between the Malaysian government and the international company.

“The purpose is clear: to build a semiconductor industry in the country,” the ex-minister said.

He also said the decision to go forward with the project was passed by the Cabinet, involving all the Ministers.

He mentions the investment was also promoted by the Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, and the Minister of Investment at the time, Tengku Zafrul Aziz.

“The simple question is, is all this a conspiracy?” he asked, adding that there is no evidence of anyone pocketing money in the deal and no one benefited from personal gains.

He mentions James Chai, a former aide to Rafizi who was given a temporary position (after leaving his post under Rafizi) at the company to facilitate their plans in Malaysia.

Opponents to Rafizi had called Chai the Jho Low 2.0, saying he pocketed money in a similar manner to the former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s ‘friend’ and fugitive businessman Jho Low in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal.

However, Chai came back to Malaysia to assist in the investigation after a stint abroad.

Rumours are, according to Rafizi himself, that he will be charged in the case.

But Nik Nazmi asked, if a strategic decision passed by the Cabinet, promoted by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Investment, can be turned into a case like this, “who else dares to invest in our country?”

“We want integrity, but it also needs justice. We have to differentiate between bribery and baselessness in this country,” he said in conclusion.

This article (Malaysia risks big with ‘witch-hunt’ of ex-minister: Pakatan strongman) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Back in the day, once folks got their university degree and landed a good job, the next thing on their list was usually “climbing the corporate ladder.” They wanted bigger paychecks, larger desks, cooler job titles, and more prestige. That was the common goal. 

Now, however, some mid-career workers in Singapore are deciding to ditch that ambition. 

In a recent Reddit thread, these workers revealed why they no longer care about moving up the ranks.

The discussion started after one user shared that they realised pushing for “more responsibility, a better title, and more money” is no longer worth it.

According to them, every promotion now seems to come with a price: “more stress, less energy, less patience, less presence outside work.”

“It feels like you earn more on paper while losing parts of your actual life,” they wrote. “What’s confusing is I can’t tell if this is maturity, burnout, or me becoming complacent. Part of me thinks I should still be hungry and pushing harder. Another part of me wonders if chasing growth for its own sake is how people wake up one day successful and quietly miserable.”

“I’m curious if anyone else went through this shift, where career progress stopped automatically feeling like the right answer. Did you lean in harder, step back, or redefine success completely?”

Life outside work

In the discussion thread, one Singaporean commenter said they stopped chasing promotions once they learned that everyone has ‘very finite time and energy.’

“I want to have more energy for my family, friends, hobbies, and my other interests. I want to pick up a life skill, hug my pets, travel to different places, read, and do my arts and crafts,” they wrote, seemingly hopeful about what life has in store for them outside of work.

“A job is just a means for me to earn income to supplement everything outside of my job. I see some people at the management level earning high income and having plenty of authority at work, but they’ve totally got no life/no hobbies—nothing going on outside of work. 

“I see all these people, and I thought to myself, that’s not who I want to become. If anything, even with lots of money, that’s a damn miserable and sad life.”

Taking a pay cut

Another user shared that they chose to leave a higher-paying role in exchange for better work-life balance.

“I resigned from a job that brought home S$5.5K SGD after CPF, and now I only bring home S$3.7K SGD. In exchange for better work-life balance and physical and emotional mental health, it’s so, so worth it.”

They added, “The only downside is my dating options are pretty much nonexistent when women find out about my salary, but so be it.”

Realisations during the pandemic

A third explained that their perspective didn’t change even after they had a kid, but when the pandemic started, and their company began work-from-home arrangements, they felt “liberated” and realised for the first time that work isn’t everything.

“It just went downhill from there,” they said. “You could be giving 200%, and everyone thinks you are amazing, BUT it does not translate into any increments, bonuses, etc.”

“I still work because I have bills to pay, but I don’t give 200%, I don’t give 150%, I don’t even give 100% (unless it’s a crunch time type of situation). I’m probably just giving something in the 50-70% range on a daily basis …. sometimes worse.”

Stepping out of the rat race

A fourth Redditor, now 38 and single, said they stopped focusing on career growth after securing their housing.

“Once my BTO mortgage was completed, I just didn’t want career growth anymore, and I started prioritising my well-being,” they wrote.

“I want to seek something more meaningful in my life instead of continuing to be stuck in the corporate rat race. Ambition is definitely still there to find ways to earn more than what I did in corporate life, but I want to find something that I have control of my time with and not something repetitive.”

Reassessing life after a health scare

A fifth individual wrote that a health scare forced them to rethink their priorities.

“After a bad experience where my health got compromised, I’ve redefined my priorities as 1) my own health, 2) my family, and 3) my job,” they said.

“I’ve turned down opportunities and ensured I can knock off on the dot and not bring work home so I can be fully present with my children.” 

“To me, success is being able to have good health, a close relationship with the people who matter to me, and doing things I find meaningful at work. I don’t care about prestige or a high title. I don’t need to be super rich.”

Read also: Intern struggles to say no as boss keeps inviting them to S$11-S$17 lunches daily: ‘How do I tell her I don’t want to eat lunch with her?’

This article (Mid-career workers reveal why they no longer care about climbing the corporate ladder: ‘I want to pick up a life skill, hug my pets, travel to different places’) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean jobseeker has shared online that he feels rather “hopeless” after being unable to secure a job despite lowering his salary expectations to around S$3,000 to S$3,500.

Posting on the forum “singaporejobs” on Monday (May 4), the 26-year-old described the job market in the city-state as “brutal.”

“I’ve been unemployed for eight months and counting, and each day feels more hopeless than the last,” he said. “Seeing friends my age progressing in their careers also makes me feel very left behind.”

For context, he shared that after graduating from Kaplan, he initially took up a retail job out of necessity as he needed an income. However, the long 56-hour work week soon took a toll on him both physically and mentally, eventually leading him to resign.

Things eventually took a turn for the better when he secured a tech role at a Fortune 500 company, which felt more aligned with the career direction he had been aiming for.

For the first time in a long while, he felt he could finally breathe and begin rebuilding his confidence.

Unfortunately, that stability was short-lived.

According to him, shortly after receiving an email congratulating him for “passing probation,” he was abruptly informed that he had been laid off.

In total, he remained in the role for just five months.

Since then, he said each passing month without employment has gradually eroded his confidence and sense of optimism.

“It lowkey feels hopeless for me to even land something and stay there for long enough my resume doesn’t come across as ‘job hopper,’” he said. “I’m at the point where I have to take a part-time job to tide me over so I don’t dip into my very small investments.”

At present, the only thing offering him some relief is the fact that he still lives with his parents and has no major financial commitments. 

“It’s a godsend,” he wrote candidly, before adding, “but some days I just want to scream into the void.”

“Don’t lose hope, don’t compare with others.”

His post resonated with many online, particularly other young Singaporeans who said they are facing similar struggles in today’s highly competitive job market.

The most upvoted comment read, “It’s really bad. Can’t even get a job in public healthcare office roles.”

Another commented, “I just got retrenched at the end of last year too. Until now, nothing yet. The market is brutal. Stay strong, bro.”

A third shared, “You are still not the worst around. My girlfriend got retrenched at the end of Dec 2024 and is still unemployed now… [She had] a handful (I think 4-6) interviews for last year. For this year, she only has had 2 interviews.”

Still, amid the frustration and gloomy outlook, some commenters tried to encourage the man not to give up.

One older Singaporean offered a more hopeful perspective, writing, “I’ve been jobless for 19 months, and I am 50+ years old. You will most probably get a job before me. Chin up my friend, you’re only 26 and have a whole career ahead of you.”

Another commenter reminded him not to measure his progress against others. “Don’t lose hope, don’t compare with others. You are still young, and situations can change. Don’t stop upskilling. Are you an extrovert or introvert? Learn to network with people to create new opportunities.”

In other news, a Singaporean Threads user who tried to call out two national servicemen on the MRT has instead found himself at the centre of online criticism, after his post struck a nerve with many who felt the men were unfairly singled out.

In a post published on Tuesday (March 28), the user, who goes by the handle “chefphotodan,” shared a photo taken inside a crowded train carriage.

Read more: Man criticised online after calling out NSFs for using phones on MRT: ‘Cut our boys some slack, please’

This article (‘SG current job market feels brutal’: Singaporean applicant with S$3.5k salary expectations says he’s losing hope after 8 months of job hunting) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

MALAYSIA: Talks of fresh elections to be held in Malaysia, at least at the state level, are getting more pertinent with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s allies, Democratic Action Party (DAP), urging the party machinery to be ready for snap polls in at least three states: Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, and Johor.

DAP Secretary-General, Anthony Loke, said this was decided by the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), which held its monthly meeting last night at the DAP headquarters.

“The meeting discussed the latest developments of the political crisis in Negeri Sembilan and decided on five positions, among them directing the entire party machinery to be prepared to face the possibility of snap elections in those three states,” he said in a statement today.

He added that the party must be ready for any eventuality should the respective State Legislative Assemblies be dissolved in the near future. He said this in reference to the political situation in Negeri Sembilan, where the state government led by the Pakatan Harapan (PH) is now a minority government after the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) pulled out its support for the Menteri Besar (MB) of the state, Datuk Aminuddin Harun, who hails from the PKR. Both DAP and PKR are members of the PH.

Fourteen UMNO assemblymen in the state pressed for the removal of the MB, but Loke said that DAP is firmly against this.

“DAP will continue to give full support to Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun as MB of Negeri Sembilan.

“DAP always respects and upholds the institution of the Constitutional Monarchy. All issues involving the institution of the King and Adat Pepatih must be resolved with full respect and order according to the Constitution and the state laws.

“DAP expresses gratitude to the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, for His Majesty’s decree that the State Government should continue to function as usual under Aminuddin’s administration,” he said.

This article (Malaysia’s DAP urges party members to be ready for snap polls in 3 states) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A five-room Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat sold for an eye-watering S$1.728 million last month.  The unit is located at 96A Henderson Road and is part of City Vue @ Henderson.

The sale set a new record for resale units in Singapore, according to property portal and data analytics platform EdgeProp.

The flat, located on the 46th to 48th floor, spans 113 sq m (around 1,216 sq ft), which comes out to approximately $1,421 per square foot (psf). Importantly, because the flat’s lease started in 2019, the unit still has 92 years and one month on its lease, which is likely to have contributed to the high price it fetched.

This sale broke the previous resale record held by a unit of a similar size at SkyTerrace @ Dawson at 92 Dawson Road, which changed hands in February for S$1.7 million ($1,295 psf). While this unit was bigger, at 1,313 sq ft, it had slightly fewer years left on its lease (around 89 years).

“Less space, higher price per square foot. The trajectory here is hard to ignore. S$1.4 million in May 2022. S$1.588 million in June 2024. S$1.728 million now. Each time the market seemed to have found a ceiling, this development pushed past it.

This is also happening while the broader resale market just posted its first quarterly price dip since 2019. The average is softening. The top end is not,” noted Stacked Homes regarding the sale on May 1.

Prime location 

The unit’s location appears to have played a big part in its high price tag as well. While not actually central, it is still within an easy distance to the Central Business District and Orchard Road, as well as the Greater Southern Waterfront area.

City Vue @ Henderson is also close to Redhill, Tiong Bahru, and Outram, and Bukit Merah is easily accessible, as are Redhill MRT Station and Tiong Bahru MRT Station. There are also a number of well-known primary schools, including Alexandra Primary School and Gan Eng Seng Primary School, nearby. /TISG

Read also: 46-year-old ‘jumbo’ executive flat in AMK sells for S$1.35 million

This article (S$1.73 million Henderson Road flat breaks Singapore resale record) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: On Sunday (May 3), a year after GE2025, Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh reminded Singaporeans in a social media post not to miss the next elections, encouraging those who needed to to restore their names on the Register of Electors.

The context for his post was last year’s voter turnout, which he noted was the lowest for a GE in Singapore since the first polls were held after independence in 1968. In 2025, there were about 2.4 million votes that had been cast or around 92% of registered voters in all contested electoral divisions.

Mr Singh, who leads Singapore’s most important opposition party, reminded readers about the timing of last year’s polls, which had taken place during a long weekend that included the Labour Day public holiday, and noted that some who had planned in advance to be away from Singapore during this time had missed the chance to vote.

“Unlike in the past, many Singaporeans today look forward to long weekends as opportunities for travel. It follows that the Government should avoid holding elections over such ‘long weekends,’” he wrote.

When he raised a question about this in Parliament last September, Minister Chan Chun Sing had said, “I do not think it is possible nor in the interest of Singapore to commit to not holding an election on a particular date or during a particular period.”

When Mr Singh also asked how many absentee voters had restored their names on the Register of Electors, the government said that more than half, or 99,140 voters, had already done so, with 97% doing so online using SingPass.

Given this statistic, the WP chief added a link for those who were unable to vote in last year’s GE who wanted to apply to have their names restored.

The WP and GE2025

The party had done relatively well in GE2025, although arguably not as well as it had hoped. The WP was able to keep the two GRCs it previously held, Aljunied and Sengkang, as well as Hougang SMC. In addition, the WP now also has two Non-Constituency MPs in Parliament due to how well the party performed at the polls in Jalan Kayu and Tampines.

In his post, Mr Singh said that restoring one’s name on the register of electors matters in the year since GE2025 in light of electoral near misses.

He cited a post from the Business Times that said the WP had lost in Jalan Kayu by 806 votes, while the gap between registered voters and voter turnout in that constituency was 2,208. In Tampines, meanwhile, the WP lost by 6,379 votes, and the gap between registered voters and turnout was 10,810.

“While not every voter would have voted for WP or PAP or any other party, every eligible voter should be ready when the next election comes around! Because every vote matters, and as a Singaporean, you should make your vote count

Check your voter eligibility status and get yourself back on the Register if you have not already!” added the WP chief. /TISG

Read also: IPS GE2025 survey: Younger voters chose status quo, but WP more credible to S’poreans age 21-29

This article (‘Don’t miss next GE,’ WP chief Pritam Singh tells Singaporeans) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: One year after winning again at Sengkang GRC during GE2025, the Workers’ Party’s MPs noted how they’ve focused on residents’ everyday issues, enumerating what they have pushed for.

The Sengkang 4—He Ting Ru, Louis Chua, Jamus Lim, and Abdul Muhaimin—won 56.31% of the votes cast in the constituency last year, besting a slate from the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) that included former Senior Minister of State Lam Pin Min.

While the PAP had undoubtedly hoped to wrest Sengkang from the WP, especially in light of the lengthy consequences of the scandal surrounding ex-WP MP Raeesah Khan, it ultimately fell short, with residents evidently feeling that the second time MPs—Ms He, Mr Chua, and Assoc Prof Lim— had done enough of a good job as to deserve reelection. The perception from residents is that their MPs certainly are hardworking, and the video from the Sengkang 4 outlined just what they’ve been working on.

Taking turns, the MPs said, “Whether in Parliament or here on the ground, our main focus has been the cost of living. We’ve pushed for transparency on the structural costs and housing prices hurting our young families, fighting for things money can’t buy, like better mental well-being and stronger support for our caregivers. We also pushed for better local transport because a crowded LRT or a 400-meter walk to the nearest bus stop is a barrier to independence for our seniors or persons with disabilities.”

Nevertheless, they added that “debates in Parliament will only make a difference if we deliver right here in our estates,” going on to talk about Sengkang’s five-year master plan, which includes such spaces as the recently-opened Anchorvale Butterfly Garden and the Rivervale Dog Run.

However, what the MPs count as their “true successes” is made up of the assistance that has been extended to one resident at a time, such as the help given to a single mother in obtaining a flat or matching a resident with a job to get them back on their feet.

“For us, no resident’s problem is too small. We don’t take your trust for granted,” the MPs said, thanking residents and adding they’re looking forward to “more good years.” /TISG

Read also: WP’s master plan for Sengkang plan ‘sets the stage for the next lap’

This article (1 year after GE2025, WP’s Sengkang MPs say they’ve focused on cost of living, everyday issues) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: The conflict in the Middle East has caused a global energy emergency, with countries in the Asia Pacific region particularly affected, and yet, nations have not been affected in the same way, depending on the resources each one has.

The war, which began just over two months ago when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for 20% of the world’s fuel. Countries that are heavily dependent on oil and gas from the Middle East, as many in the Asia-Pacific region are, have had to scramble to secure enough supply for domestic use amid substantially higher prices.

Amid the crisis, a new trend of supply-chain security agreements is emerging. Beyond classic free trade deals, these are focused on critical minerals, energy, food, technology, and crisis resilience.

Singapore, for example, inked a pact in late March with Australia for energy supply chain resilience and with New Zealand on May 4 for the continuous flow of essentials, such as food and fuel, between the two countries.

This week, Japan and Australia also entered into agreements for boosting cooperation on critical minerals and energy. Japan has also been entering into deals with Indonesia and Vietnam.

However, while the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been entering into agreements as a bloc, such as an upgraded free trade deal with China, its member countries with fewer resources may find themselves out in the cold.

With a number of recent agreements focusing on critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, and digital trade, the countries that lack capacity in these sectors are left out.

While Singapore is not a producer, it is an orchestrator when it comes to trade, finance, and supply chains. The city-state is a leader when it comes to “resilient trade” agreements, such as those dealing with essential goods and crisis supply. As such, Singapore stands to become a control centre for regional supply networks.

Vietnam, which has been attracting foreign investment and is emerging as an alternative to China for manufacturing, also has an edge in the region, as does Indonesia due to its mineral resources.

However, in other countries that are left out of these supply chains, such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and the smaller ASEAN economies, this is not the case, and it will have adverse effects.

“In countries such as New Zealand and Australia, the shock will be absorbed and passed through — higher fuel costs feeding into inflation, squeezing households, and slowing economic activity.

However, in poorer, more fuel-dependent economies, the consequences are more immediate and more severe. Those economies cannot simply pay more. They consume less, or not at all. And that’s why richer countries can keep getting supplies: They pay for it.

That is the unspoken edge of the current crisis: it is global, but its pain is highly uneven,” reads a May 4 analysis in New Zealand’s The Post.  /TISG

Read also: Poorest across Southeast Asia are the hardest hit by energy crisis due to Iran war

This article (In Asia, richer countries are inking deals amid energy crisis, but poorer ones are left out) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Recently, a supermarket worker has captured the attention of a customer when he was seen cleaning grocery baskets before restocking them up. On Facebook, user Zoey Lim expressed her admiration to what she witnessed and declared: “This is the first time I’ve ever seen groceries basket been cleaned. I want to take this opportunity to share my appreciation & gratitude to this uncle who cleaned the groceries baskets before placing it back.” 

The simple yet impactful practice of hygiene highlights a commitment of some businesses to better cleanliness and services. With this, the user encouraged other supermarkets to do the same and remarked: “I hope others super market can follow such a good & hygiene practice.”

The post gained several reactions and comments from netizens. One netizen commended the user for posting such an inspiring post and stated: “We need more of this positive vibes! Thanks for sharing and appreciating!” 

Another comment suggested: “This should be the cleaning routine where baskets and trollley must go thru the Hygiene Safety Schedule on a monthly or quarterly routine. Thanks to uncle for the highlight… If the shop did not have this routine, it’s time for u to take up implementing the good practice.” 

For some, they believe that workers should not clean the baskets because items such as vegetables and fruits leave a stain that makes these baskets meticulously dirty. 

This small act of initiative has indeed started a conversation about hygiene. Some people think that it is normal for baskets to have stains and be smelly, and for some, cleaning them can make shopping a safer and nicer experience to many. At the end of the day, this post is can serve as a reminder to businesses to think about what’s best for their customers as they provide products and services to them. 

This article (Shopper praises uncle who cleans grocery baskets, says other markets should follow such good hygiene practice) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

MALAYSIA: Malaysians love their culinary dishes, praised by many as the best worldwide. With irresistible dishes available at nearly every corner, Malaysians often indulge without restraint, but such pride comes with a heavy price, including the obesity rate in the country.

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad revealed that 30.9% of 1.2 million Malaysians screened this year were obese, while 30.8% were overweight. The 2023 survey showed 54.4% of adults were overweight or obese, a 22% rise since 2011.  He warned that obesity drives diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer, costing Malaysia RM64 billion annually. 

Dzulkefly urged early detection, integrated care, and stigma‑free support, stressing collective action through campaigns like My Best Me.

A viral post on X suggested pairing Malaysia’s beloved roti canai—known in Singapore as pratha—with condensed milk. While many agreed the combination would taste indulgent, social media users quickly pointed out the health implications, such as obesity. The user states that this is one of the reasons why Malaysia has the highest obesity rate in Southeast Asia. 

Some Malaysians who grew up in a strict household admitted they never knew roti canai could be eaten with condensed milk. For many born in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when family traditions were still conservative, such indulgent food practices may not have been common.

Another X user argued that roti canai tastes best with curry or dhal, calling condensed milk an odd pairing. After trying the viral suggestion, he concluded that the traditional combination remains superior. For Malaysians accustomed to enjoying roti canai with savoury sides, the sweet alternative may feel unusual. 

One noted that their generation often snacked on biscuits dipped in condensed milk. Now at 21, they see friends already diagnosed as pre‑diabetic. For many, this is alarmingly young to face such health risks.

Enjoying delicious meals is never wrong, but consuming unhealthy options daily can take a toll on health. Age is increasingly becoming irrelevant as serious conditions like diabetes strike younger Malaysians. 

The rapid rise of artisanal coffee shops, often serving sugar‑laden drinks, is compounding the problem, leaving youth more vulnerable to lifestyle‑related diseases and highlighting the urgent need for healthier choices and stronger public awareness.

This article (Malaysia has the highest obesity rate in Southeast Asia—netizens agree) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

The uneasy American truce in the Iran war seems broken after the US military said it sank several Iranian small boats that attempted to interfere with commercial shipping.

The situation is worsened after the United Arab Emirates said its air defences intercepted ballistic and cruise missiles fired from Iran, and a fire at an oil facility in Fujairah was reported after a drone attack.

Reports say the shooting spree started during a US forces attempt to escort vessels through the blockaded waterway.

US President Donald Trump said, “We’ve shot down seven small boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ boats. It’s all they have left.” 

Helicopters were used in the strikes.

However, Iran has denied that any such attack took place, although it has yet to issue an official statement.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Tehran, however, reported that an Iranian military official told state media that Iran had no plan to attack the UAE. Nevertheless, the UAE reported that its key oil port at the Port of Fujairah was hit, causing a fire and injuring three people.

UAE officials said air defences intercepted missiles and drones during the incident.

Today’s shooting in the Gulf has sparked an oil rally.

Benchmark Brent crude futures surged early on Tuesday as they jumped 5.8% to $114.44 (S$146.14) a barrel. Murban, a benchmark for Gulf crude, also climbed, gaining 3.4% to $107.30 on Tuesday in Tokyo, reflecting market sentiment over challenges to the energy channel.

The United States is trying to move stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz under what Trump has called “Project Freedom.” An estimated 20,000 seafarers on 2,000 ships have been stuck since the US-Iran war began in February. 

A shipping company told the BBC that one of its US-flagged vessels safely exited the Gulf under American military support. Maersk said the transit was “completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed.”

On Sunday, Trump said the US would start helping stranded vessels out of the shipping lane as part of “Project Freedom,” also saying that the US had been asked by countries “from all over the World” to help free up their ships, which were “locked up in the Strait of Hormuz” and were “merely neutral and innocent bystanders!”

Iran has called the “Project Freedom” as “Project Deadlock.”

This article (US-Iran exchange fire in Hormuz, sparking fresh oil rally) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Singapore has proven itself once again of being a country worth visiting as Gardens by the Bay proudly ranked third in TripAdvisor’s 2026 “Traveler’s Choice” list of attractions globally. 

As reported by Yan.sg, TripAdvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards was released on April 28, and the British Royal Yacht Britannia topped the list, followed by Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, ​​Spain, in second place, and Gardens by the Bay in third. Furthermore, the Empire State Building in New York ranked fourth, and the Cayman Crystal Caves in Cayman Islands ranked fifth. 

As described by TripAdvisor, Gardens by the Bay feels like a magical fairytale world, and tourists can take perfect photos through its iconic Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, and the Skyway. More so, the place also features special exhibits, and fun interactive activities that people from all ages would definitely enjoy. 

With this, Gardens by the Bay Director shared: “It is truly an honor for a small city like Singapore to be recognized as one of the world’s top three attractions by global travelers on TripAdvisor.” 

More news about Gardens by the Bay 

In recent news, it is reported that starting Q3 of 2023, visually impaired visitors of Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome can rent a robotic guide dog to navigate the park on their own, with no human guide needed.

This service is seen to be another step forward for Singapore to create a more inclusive environment for all. It is said that the robotic guide dog was pre-programmed with a complete tour route for the Flower Dome, and it covers all the main plant exhibits.

Moreover, during the tour, the robotic guide will provide audio guidance, introducing the varieties and characteristics of various plants. Additionally, when the robotic guide dog senses an obstacle, its sensing system will automatically stop or avoid the device, making it very safe to use.

Read more about the news story here.

This article (Gardens by the Bay claims global recognition as world’s #3 tourist attraction) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.