Clouds fail to dim the bright Beaver Moon over Singapore
Despite cloudy skies, the Beaver Moon shone prominently over Singapore on the night of Nov 5, the second of three consecutive supermoons in 2025. The Beaver Moon reached peak brightness at about 7.30pm, appearing larger and more luminous than usual.
On social media, several netizens shared images captured from various parts of the island, showing the moon glowing like a round white lantern above the skyline.
Anjani Sinha to begin tenure as US Ambassador to Singapore
Dr Anjani K. Sinha has arrived in Singapore to begin his tenure as the new American envoy. “I am deeply honoured to represent the United States in Singapore, a friend of the United States that is a leading hub for American business and a pillar of regional stability,” he said.
Dr Sinha expressed his enthusiasm for strengthening ties with Singapore’s government and people, emphasising his commitment to enhancing cooperation. Dr Sinha, an orthopedic surgeon by profession, was confirmed by the US Senate in October.
Knife crime offenders with mental health issues may be given medical treatment
Knife-related incidents in Singapore increased to 75 in the first half of 2025, up from 59 in the same period in 2024, prompting concern amidst global knife crime issues.
Knife crime offenders with mental health issues may be taken to a medical practitioner to receive treatment, said Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, adding that the authorities take all knife crimes seriously. He also said the police are trained and equipped to effectively neutralise such threats and arrest the offender.
MSF apologised to Beyond Social Services for ‘finger-pointing’ in initial response
The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) has apologised to the agency running Megan Khung’s pre-school for the misunderstanding over “finger-pointing” in its initial response to the 4-year-old girl’s case. Earlier reports of MSF’s statement in April seemed to pin blame on Beyond Social Services (BSS), the agency that runs Megan’s pre-school.
An independent review panel later found that BSS had called Child Protective Service (CPS), but the CPS officer did not register the call in its logs. It also detailed lapses across various agencies, including CPS and the police.
Cat A COE price falls 9.8% as premiums drop across the board
Certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums came down across the board on Nov 5, with the price of certificates for smaller cars falling to S$110,002 from S$122,000 and that for larger cars to S$115,001 from S$131,889. This is the second consecutive tender exercise where premiums for COEs used to register cars fell.
Mr Jason Lim, managing director of Eurokars Auto BMW, expects the lower car prices after the latest tender to spark some buying interest while Mr Ng Choon Wee, commercial director of Hyundai distributor Komoco Motors, said the COE premiums are still high, so some buyers will continue to stay away.
