SDP presses PM Wong for answers on ministers' Su Haijin photo controversy; Long A&E wait times hit hospitals: Singapore live news
Hello to all our readers, Yahoo Singapore will be bringing you live news updates today. The editorial team will be curating the latest must-know local and international news.
Singapore's opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has called for a public Commission of Inquiry after photographs surfaced showing two ministers and the NTUC Secretary-General dining with convicted money launderer Su Haijin. The SDP is pressing for answers on the purpose of the dinners, whether COVID-19 regulations were breached, and whether the guests were properly vetted. The party emphasised the need to clarify whether the events were attended in an official capacity. The three MPs involved have denied any improper relationships with Su, threatening lawsuit against a Facebook user who falsely accused them of ties to Su. The photos were leaked online by Charles Yeo, a former Reform Party leader. The SDP warns that continued silence from the government could damage Singapore's global reputation for clean governance, pressing Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for answers.
Several major hospitals in Singapore are seeing a spike in emergency department visits, with Changi General Hospital (CGH), Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) warning of longer wait times. Patients with non-urgent symptoms are encouraged to seek care at general practitioners (GPs) or Public Health Preparedness Clinics. The hospitals stress that emergency departments should be reserved for serious or life-threatening cases only. This comes amid concerns over healthcare capacity and workforce strain. Read on what patients need to know now about the A&E overload here.
The 2025 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix is turning up the volume. Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins, CL, and Alan Walker are among the global powerhouses joining Elton John and G-Dragon for a three-day mega festival from 3-5 October. The event blends high-octane racing with world-class music across multiple stages, featuring names like Babymetal, Crowded House, and The Wombats. From K-pop icons to rock legends and EDM trailblazers, this year's lineup promises to be the most explosive yet. With ticket demand surging, fans are urged to grab passes while they last.
Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates.
Singapore's opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is calling for a public Commission of Inquiry after images surfaced showing two ministers and the NTUC chief dining with Su Haijin, a convicted money launderer.
In a strongly worded statement, the SDP questioned why Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, and NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng were pictured with Su, who was part of a $3 billion money laundering ring and allegedly tied to the Fujian gang. The three Singapore MPs are taking legal action against a Facebook user who falsely accused them of ties to Su.
The party raised four key issues: the purpose and timing of the dinners, whether COVID-19 rules were breached, guest vetting protocols, and the officials' capacity at the events. The SDP emphasised that silence in the wake of the controversy would undermine Singapore's reputation for incorruptibility.
Photos, originally posted by ex-Reform Party chair Charles Yeo, have since gone viral. All officials involved denied any improper relationship with Su and claimed they had no knowledge of his background at the time.
The SDP urged Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to directly address the matter, warning that transparency and public accountability are critical in the wake of recent high-profile corruption cases.
Singapore's major hospitals are urging the public to avoid emergency departments unless facing life-threatening conditions. Changi General Hospital (CGH), Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) report a surge in patients, causing unusually long wait times.
In social media updates, CGH and SKH advised that only those with serious emergencies should seek care at A&Es. Meanwhile, TTSH's website warns of delays in both consultations and admissions.
Those with coughs, sore throats, or other mild symptoms are urged to visit general practitioners or Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) instead. These clinics can be located through www.phpc.gov.sg.
This move helps healthcare workers focus on critical cases and maintain emergency readiness.
Read on why you should skip the A&E for minor symptoms here.
Get ready to rock at full throttle. The 2025 Singapore Grand Prix just unveiled a stacked music lineup featuring Foo Fighters, CL and The Smashing Pumpkins.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Foo Fighters (@foofighters)
Running from 3-5 October, the star-studded event turns the Marina Bay Street Circuit into a high-octane music festival. Global icons like Alan Walker, Elton John and G-Dragon will share the spotlight with indie darlings and K-pop heavyweights.
This year's entertainment will span multiple stages – from the iconic Padang Stage to the more intimate Sunset and Esplanade venues – offering something for every music fan.
The lineup also includes Babymetal, Crowded House, Tom Grennan, The Lathums, and Indonesian vocal sensation Putri Ariani. With genres ranging from rock to EDM to neo-soul, it's a cultural mashup worth the pit stop.
Tickets are already moving fast. With more acts still to be announced, the Grand Prix weekend is shaping up to be Singapore's biggest party of the year.
Singapore's housing market lost more steam in April, with private home sales falling for the second consecutive month amid economic jitters and weak project launches in one of the world's priciest property markets.
Developers moved just 663 units, down from 729 in March, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) reported Thursday (15 May). That's still more than double the figure a year ago – but the month-on-month decline suggests buyers are growing cautious.
The slowdown comes despite the city-state's red-hot start to 2024. Now, high-end projects are struggling to move units, while a government land plot failed to attract a single bid, a rare miss. Global trade worries and a 2023 hike in stamp duties have taken a toll on foreign interest.
Locals, meanwhile, continue to avoid luxury launches, especially those lacking schools and amenities. With more luxury condos set to hit the market, analysts say demand could remain sluggish in the near term.
The government, facing mounting affordability concerns, is ramping up land supply – but that may not be enough to reignite momentum.
A Singapore maid who stabbed her employer's mother-in-law 26 times had her murder charge reduced to culpable homicide on appeal, after the court found she acted under provocation.
According to a report by the Straits Times, Zin Mar Nwe, who was just 17 at the time, feared being sent back to her home country in debt after the victim allegedly threatened to report her to the maid agency. The Court of Appeal ruled that a reasonable person in her shoes could have lost self-control.
The Myanmar national had worked for three different employers in five months and claimed she had been scolded and hurt during her stay.
Though prosecutors challenged the abuse claims, the court accepted the psychological impact of the repeated threats.
She now faces life imprisonment or up to 20 years, with sentencing arguments to follow.
Pakistan's reported use of Chinese J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian Rafales has sent shockwaves through global defence circles – and bolstered China's position as an emerging military powerhouse.
The deadly exchange, part of a broader escalation between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, marked the first known combat deployment of the J-10C and its PL-15 missiles. For Beijing, it was a rare and valuable 'combat lab,' offering insight into how its hardware performs against top-tier Western systems.
Military analysts say China is watching closely. While unverified, Pakistan's claims – if true – mean Chinese weapons outgunned French-designed jets India only recently acquired. That has serious implications for air power in Asia, particularly as tensions rise in the Taiwan Strait.
The incident rattled markets too. Dassault Aviation, which manufactures the Rafale, saw its stock slump amid doubts about its jet's resilience. Meanwhile, China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, which produces the J-10C, saw a spike in investor confidence.
Strategists warn the episode may tilt global weapons sales – and battlefield expectations. More than a border clash, this was a live-fire audition for China's arms industry. And Beijing's next customer might be watching.
Microsoft is laying off nearly 6,000 employees in its largest workforce reduction since 2023. The cuts, announced Tuesday (13 May), affect 3 per cent of the company's 228,000 workers.
The move is part of a broader effort to simplify Microsoft's organisational structure and refocus resources on AI and cloud computing. Roles across LinkedIn, Xbox, and global operations are impacted.
These are structural layoffs – not based on individual performance – intended to reduce bureaucracy and accelerate innovation. Around 2,000 of the affected jobs are located at Microsoft's Redmond, Washington headquarters.
Despite reporting strong earnings last quarter, executives emphasised the need for agility. CFO Amy Hood said Microsoft is 'reducing layers with fewer managers' to build high-performing teams.
Singapore's skyline just got photobombed by a global icon – and it's not your average tourist. In a high-octane video celebrating 70 years of cinematic chaos, Godzilla emerges from Marina Bay, towering over the city's landmarks in a dramatic salute to fans across Southeast Asia.
The 55-second clip, released by Japanese studio Toho, showcases Godzilla stomping past Gardens by the Bay and unleashing its signature roar – atomic breath optional. It's the monster's first cinematic visit to Singapore, part of a regional rollout that includes the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and Bali's serene rice terraces.
'Toho is clearly flexing its creative muscles,' said one local fan, referencing the franchise's evolution from post-WWII nuclear metaphor to pop-culture juggernaut. The company also launched its Southeast Asian hub, Toho Entertainment, in Singapore last year – hinting this may not be Godzilla's last visit.
This isn't Singapore's first kaiju cameo. In 2021, Ultraman battled a Godzilla-like creature at Gardens by the Bay in a tourism promo. And who could forget the Republic of Singapore Navy's cheeky 'Top Secret Ops Godzilla' spoof, which aired during the release of "Godzilla Minus One"?
Whether he's levelling cities or landmarks, Godzilla's Southeast Asian rampage proves one thing: the monster's reign is far from over – and Singapore's right in the middle of the action.
A fake call. A fake investigation. A near-loss of $100,000. But one Singapore woman was saved – thanks to vigilant banking and law enforcement.
The 64-year-old received a call from scammers posing as her bank and MAS officials. They told her she was under investigation for laundering money and had to transfer funds to prove her innocence.
She followed instructions – but DBS Bank's Anti-Scam team smelled trouble. Working with the Anti-Scam Centre, they froze the transaction just in time.
Scam losses in Singapore have soared, reaching S$1.1 billion (US$822) million in 2024. In response, banks are supporting police powers to freeze suspect accounts more swiftly.
Singapore is weighing caning as punishment for those behind major scam operations.
If you suspect a scam, you can call ScamShield Helpline at 1799 or visit the ScamShield website.
Singapore has a new automotive king – and it's electric. BYD has overtaken Toyota to become the top-selling car brand in the country so far in 2025.
With 3,002 cars sold in just four months, BYD captured a fifth of the total market, leapfrogging legacy brands and putting rivals like Tesla in the rearview.
Backed by sleek models and green incentives, BYD's meteoric rise reflects changing consumer behaviour in a market long dominated by internal combustion engines. Its success also underscores China's growing clout in the global EV race.
Even in a city where cars cost more than condos, BYD's competitively priced EVs are resonating. The brand's swift expansion into premium offerings like the Denza D9 MPV is also turning heads.
But will the lead last? Tesla's new launches and an evolving regulatory landscape may bring fresh competition.
Singapore's opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is calling for a public Commission of Inquiry after images surfaced showing two ministers and the NTUC chief dining with Su Haijin, a convicted money launderer.
In a strongly worded statement, the SDP questioned why Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, and NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng were pictured with Su, who was part of a $3 billion money laundering ring and allegedly tied to the Fujian gang. The three Singapore MPs are taking legal action against a Facebook user who falsely accused them of ties to Su.
The party raised four key issues: the purpose and timing of the dinners, whether COVID-19 rules were breached, guest vetting protocols, and the officials' capacity at the events. The SDP emphasised that silence in the wake of the controversy would undermine Singapore's reputation for incorruptibility.
Photos, originally posted by ex-Reform Party chair Charles Yeo, have since gone viral. All officials involved denied any improper relationship with Su and claimed they had no knowledge of his background at the time.
The SDP urged Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to directly address the matter, warning that transparency and public accountability are critical in the wake of recent high-profile corruption cases.
Singapore's major hospitals are urging the public to avoid emergency departments unless facing life-threatening conditions. Changi General Hospital (CGH), Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) report a surge in patients, causing unusually long wait times.
In social media updates, CGH and SKH advised that only those with serious emergencies should seek care at A&Es. Meanwhile, TTSH's website warns of delays in both consultations and admissions.
Those with coughs, sore throats, or other mild symptoms are urged to visit general practitioners or Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) instead. These clinics can be located through www.phpc.gov.sg.
This move helps healthcare workers focus on critical cases and maintain emergency readiness.
Read on why you should skip the A&E for minor symptoms here.
Get ready to rock at full throttle. The 2025 Singapore Grand Prix just unveiled a stacked music lineup featuring Foo Fighters, CL and The Smashing Pumpkins.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Foo Fighters (@foofighters)
Running from 3-5 October, the star-studded event turns the Marina Bay Street Circuit into a high-octane music festival. Global icons like Alan Walker, Elton John and G-Dragon will share the spotlight with indie darlings and K-pop heavyweights.
This year's entertainment will span multiple stages – from the iconic Padang Stage to the more intimate Sunset and Esplanade venues – offering something for every music fan.
The lineup also includes Babymetal, Crowded House, Tom Grennan, The Lathums, and Indonesian vocal sensation Putri Ariani. With genres ranging from rock to EDM to neo-soul, it's a cultural mashup worth the pit stop.
Tickets are already moving fast. With more acts still to be announced, the Grand Prix weekend is shaping up to be Singapore's biggest party of the year.
Singapore's housing market lost more steam in April, with private home sales falling for the second consecutive month amid economic jitters and weak project launches in one of the world's priciest property markets.
Developers moved just 663 units, down from 729 in March, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) reported Thursday (15 May). That's still more than double the figure a year ago – but the month-on-month decline suggests buyers are growing cautious.
The slowdown comes despite the city-state's red-hot start to 2024. Now, high-end projects are struggling to move units, while a government land plot failed to attract a single bid, a rare miss. Global trade worries and a 2023 hike in stamp duties have taken a toll on foreign interest.
Locals, meanwhile, continue to avoid luxury launches, especially those lacking schools and amenities. With more luxury condos set to hit the market, analysts say demand could remain sluggish in the near term.
The government, facing mounting affordability concerns, is ramping up land supply – but that may not be enough to reignite momentum.
A Singapore maid who stabbed her employer's mother-in-law 26 times had her murder charge reduced to culpable homicide on appeal, after the court found she acted under provocation.
According to a report by the Straits Times, Zin Mar Nwe, who was just 17 at the time, feared being sent back to her home country in debt after the victim allegedly threatened to report her to the maid agency. The Court of Appeal ruled that a reasonable person in her shoes could have lost self-control.
The Myanmar national had worked for three different employers in five months and claimed she had been scolded and hurt during her stay.
Though prosecutors challenged the abuse claims, the court accepted the psychological impact of the repeated threats.
She now faces life imprisonment or up to 20 years, with sentencing arguments to follow.
Pakistan's reported use of Chinese J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian Rafales has sent shockwaves through global defence circles – and bolstered China's position as an emerging military powerhouse.
The deadly exchange, part of a broader escalation between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, marked the first known combat deployment of the J-10C and its PL-15 missiles. For Beijing, it was a rare and valuable 'combat lab,' offering insight into how its hardware performs against top-tier Western systems.
Military analysts say China is watching closely. While unverified, Pakistan's claims – if true – mean Chinese weapons outgunned French-designed jets India only recently acquired. That has serious implications for air power in Asia, particularly as tensions rise in the Taiwan Strait.
The incident rattled markets too. Dassault Aviation, which manufactures the Rafale, saw its stock slump amid doubts about its jet's resilience. Meanwhile, China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, which produces the J-10C, saw a spike in investor confidence.
Strategists warn the episode may tilt global weapons sales – and battlefield expectations. More than a border clash, this was a live-fire audition for China's arms industry. And Beijing's next customer might be watching.
Microsoft is laying off nearly 6,000 employees in its largest workforce reduction since 2023. The cuts, announced Tuesday (13 May), affect 3 per cent of the company's 228,000 workers.
The move is part of a broader effort to simplify Microsoft's organisational structure and refocus resources on AI and cloud computing. Roles across LinkedIn, Xbox, and global operations are impacted.
These are structural layoffs – not based on individual performance – intended to reduce bureaucracy and accelerate innovation. Around 2,000 of the affected jobs are located at Microsoft's Redmond, Washington headquarters.
Despite reporting strong earnings last quarter, executives emphasised the need for agility. CFO Amy Hood said Microsoft is 'reducing layers with fewer managers' to build high-performing teams.
Singapore's skyline just got photobombed by a global icon – and it's not your average tourist. In a high-octane video celebrating 70 years of cinematic chaos, Godzilla emerges from Marina Bay, towering over the city's landmarks in a dramatic salute to fans across Southeast Asia.
The 55-second clip, released by Japanese studio Toho, showcases Godzilla stomping past Gardens by the Bay and unleashing its signature roar – atomic breath optional. It's the monster's first cinematic visit to Singapore, part of a regional rollout that includes the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and Bali's serene rice terraces.
'Toho is clearly flexing its creative muscles,' said one local fan, referencing the franchise's evolution from post-WWII nuclear metaphor to pop-culture juggernaut. The company also launched its Southeast Asian hub, Toho Entertainment, in Singapore last year – hinting this may not be Godzilla's last visit.
This isn't Singapore's first kaiju cameo. In 2021, Ultraman battled a Godzilla-like creature at Gardens by the Bay in a tourism promo. And who could forget the Republic of Singapore Navy's cheeky 'Top Secret Ops Godzilla' spoof, which aired during the release of "Godzilla Minus One"?
Whether he's levelling cities or landmarks, Godzilla's Southeast Asian rampage proves one thing: the monster's reign is far from over – and Singapore's right in the middle of the action.
A fake call. A fake investigation. A near-loss of $100,000. But one Singapore woman was saved – thanks to vigilant banking and law enforcement.
The 64-year-old received a call from scammers posing as her bank and MAS officials. They told her she was under investigation for laundering money and had to transfer funds to prove her innocence.
She followed instructions – but DBS Bank's Anti-Scam team smelled trouble. Working with the Anti-Scam Centre, they froze the transaction just in time.
Scam losses in Singapore have soared, reaching S$1.1 billion (US$822) million in 2024. In response, banks are supporting police powers to freeze suspect accounts more swiftly.
Singapore is weighing caning as punishment for those behind major scam operations.
If you suspect a scam, you can call ScamShield Helpline at 1799 or visit the ScamShield website.
Singapore has a new automotive king – and it's electric. BYD has overtaken Toyota to become the top-selling car brand in the country so far in 2025.
With 3,002 cars sold in just four months, BYD captured a fifth of the total market, leapfrogging legacy brands and putting rivals like Tesla in the rearview.
Backed by sleek models and green incentives, BYD's meteoric rise reflects changing consumer behaviour in a market long dominated by internal combustion engines. Its success also underscores China's growing clout in the global EV race.
Even in a city where cars cost more than condos, BYD's competitively priced EVs are resonating. The brand's swift expansion into premium offerings like the Denza D9 MPV is also turning heads.
But will the lead last? Tesla's new launches and an evolving regulatory landscape may bring fresh competition.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
20 minutes ago
- USA Today
CDC shooting suspect died of self-inflicted gunshot: Officials
CDC shooting suspect Patrick Joseph White expressed "discontent" with the COVID-19 vaccines before firing nearly 200 shots that struck six different CDC buildings. The Georgia man suspected of opening fire on Centers for Disease Control buildings near Emory University, killing one police officer, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and expressed "discontent" with COVID-19 vaccines, authorities said. Hundreds of shell casings were discovered at the scene of the shooting, which broke out the afternoon of Aug. 8 in Atlanta, according to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. Nearly 200 bullets struck six different CDC buildings, Hosey said in an update on Aug. 12. The suspect, identified over the weekend as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White, was found dead on the second floor of a building that included a CVS store. It was later determined that his fatal gunshot wound was self-inflicted. White was on law enforcement's radar weeks before the shooting because he had expressed suicidal ideation, prompting contact with law enforcement. He had no known criminal history, Hosey said. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, a 33-year-old husband and father of two with another child on the way, was killed by one of the shooter's weapons, Hosey said. "He served with honor, courage and unwavering dedication. His sacrifice will never be forgotten, and his commitment to protecting others is a profound testament to the very best of the law enforcement profession," Hosey said.
San Francisco Chronicle
20 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
A record number of Americans see moderate drinking as harmful, a new Gallup poll shows
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer Americans are reporting that they drink alcohol amid a growing belief that even moderate alcohol consumption is a health risk, according to a new Gallup poll released Wednesday. A record high percentage of U.S. adults, 53%, now say moderate drinking is bad for their health, up from 28% in 2015. The uptick in doubt about alcohol's benefits is largely driven by young adults — the age group that is most likely to believe drinking 'one or two drinks a day' can cause health hazards — but older adults are also now increasingly likely to think moderate drinking carries risks. As concerns about health impacts rise, fewer Americans are reporting that they drink. The survey finds that 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer. That's lower than at any other point in the past three decades. The findings of the poll, which was conducted in July, indicate that after years of many believing that moderate drinking was harmless — or even beneficial — worries about alcohol consumption are taking hold. According to Gallup's data, even those who consume alcohol are drinking less. The federal government is updating new dietary guidelines, including those around alcohol. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, government data showed U.S. alcohol consumption was trending up. But other government surveys have shown a decline in certain types of drinking, particularly among teenagers and young adults. This comes alongside a new drumbeat of information about alcohol's risks. While moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for heart health, health professionals in recent years have pointed to overwhelming evidence that alcohol consumption leads to negative health outcomes and is a leading cause of cancer. Growing skepticism about alcohol's benefits About two-thirds of 18- to 34-year-olds believe moderate drinking is unhealthy, according to the new poll, up from about 4 in 10 in 2015. Older adults are less likely to see alcohol as harmful — about half of Americans age 55 or older believe this — but that's a substantial increase, too. In 2015, only about 2 in 10 adults age 55 or older thought alcohol was bad for their health. In the past, moderate drinking was thought to have some benefits. That idea came from imperfect studies that largely didn't include younger people and couldn't prove cause and effect. Now the scientific consensus has shifted, and several countries recently lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations. Earlier this year, the outgoing U.S. surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, recommended a label on bottles of beer, wine and liquor that would clearly outline the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. The federal government's current dietary guidelines recommend Americans not drink or, if they do consume alcohol, men should limit themselves to two drinks a day or fewer while women should stick to one or fewer. Gallup's director of U.S. social research, Lydia Saad, said shifting health advice throughout older Americans' lives may be a reason why they have been more gradual than young adults to recognize alcohol as harmful. 'Older folks may be a little more hardened in terms of the whiplash that they get with recommendations,' Saad said. 'It may take them a little longer to absorb or accept the information. Whereas, for young folks, this is the environment that they've grown up in ... in many cases, it would be the first thing young adults would have heard as they were coming into adulthood.' The government is expected to release new guidelines later this year, under the directive of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has promised big changes. Kennedy has not hinted at how the alcohol recommendations may shift. Drinking rates fall to decade low Slightly more than half of Americans, 54%, report that they drink alcohol — a low in Gallup's data that is especially pronounced among women and young adults. Young Americans' alcohol consumption has been trending downward for years, accelerating the overall decline in alcohol consumption. In sharp contrast with Gallup's findings two decades ago, when young adults were likeliest to report drinking, young adults' drinking rate is now slightly below middle-aged and older adults. Americans' reported drinking is among the lowest since the question was first asked in 1939. For most of the last few decades, at least 6 in 10 Americans have reported drinking alcoholic beverages, only dipping below that point a few times in the question's history. Americans who drink alcohol are consuming less Even if concerns about health risks aren't causing some adults to give up alcohol entirely, these worries could be influencing how often they drink. The survey found that adults who think moderate drinking is bad for one's health are just as likely as people who don't share those concerns to report that they drink, but fewer of the people with health worries had consumed alcohol recently. About half of those who worry moderate drinking is unhealthy said they had a drink in the previous week, compared with about 7 in 10 who did not think drinking was bad for their health. Overall, only about one-quarter of Americans who drink said they had consumed alcohol in the prior 24 hours, a record low in the survey. Roughly 4 in 10 said that it had been more than a week since they had poured a drink.
21 minutes ago
A record number of Americans see moderate drinking as harmful, a new Gallup poll shows
WASHINGTON -- Fewer Americans are reporting that they drink alcohol amid a growing belief that even moderate alcohol consumption is a health risk, according to a new Gallup poll released Wednesday. A record high percentage of U.S. adults, 53%, now say moderate drinking is bad for their health, up from 28% in 2015. The uptick in doubt about alcohol's benefits is largely driven by young adults — the age group that is most likely to believe drinking 'one or two drinks a day' can cause health hazards — but older adults are also now increasingly likely to think moderate drinking carries risks. As concerns about health impacts rise, fewer Americans are reporting that they drink. The survey finds that 54% of U.S. adults say they drink alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer. That's lower than at any other point in the past three decades. The findings of the poll, which was conducted in July, indicate that after years of many believing that moderate drinking was harmless — or even beneficial — worries about alcohol consumption are taking hold. According to Gallup's data, even those who consume alcohol are drinking less. The federal government is updating new dietary guidelines, including those around alcohol. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, government data showed U.S. alcohol consumption was trending up. But other government surveys have shown a decline in certain types of drinking, particularly among teenagers and young adults. This comes alongside a new drumbeat of information about alcohol's risks. While moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for heart health, health professionals in recent years have pointed to overwhelming evidence that alcohol consumption leads to negative health outcomes and is a leading cause of cancer. Younger adults have been quicker than older Americans to accept that drinking is harmful, but older adults are coming around to the same view. About two-thirds of 18- to 34-year-olds believe moderate drinking is unhealthy, according to the new poll, up from about 4 in 10 in 2015. Older adults are less likely to see alcohol as harmful — about half of Americans age 55 or older believe this — but that's a substantial increase, too. In 2015, only about 2 in 10 adults age 55 or older thought alcohol was bad for their health. In the past, moderate drinking was thought to have some benefits. That idea came from imperfect studies that largely didn't include younger people and couldn't prove cause and effect. Now the scientific consensus has shifted, and several countries recently lowered their alcohol consumption recommendations. Earlier this year, the outgoing U.S. surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, recommended a label on bottles of beer, wine and liquor that would clearly outline the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. The federal government's current dietary guidelines recommend Americans not drink or, if they do consume alcohol, men should limit themselves to two drinks a day or fewer while women should stick to one or fewer. Gallup's director of U.S. social research, Lydia Saad, said shifting health advice throughout older Americans' lives may be a reason why they have been more gradual than young adults to recognize alcohol as harmful. 'Older folks may be a little more hardened in terms of the whiplash that they get with recommendations,' Saad said. 'It may take them a little longer to absorb or accept the information. Whereas, for young folks, this is the environment that they've grown up in ... in many cases, it would be the first thing young adults would have heard as they were coming into adulthood.' The government is expected to release new guidelines later this year, under the directive of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has promised big changes. Kennedy has not hinted at how the alcohol recommendations may shift. Slightly more than half of Americans, 54%, report that they drink alcohol — a low in Gallup's data that is especially pronounced among women and young adults. Young Americans' alcohol consumption has been trending downward for years, accelerating the overall decline in alcohol consumption. In sharp contrast with Gallup's findings two decades ago, when young adults were likeliest to report drinking, young adults' drinking rate is now slightly below middle-aged and older adults. Americans' reported drinking is among the lowest since the question was first asked in 1939. For most of the last few decades, at least 6 in 10 Americans have reported drinking alcoholic beverages, only dipping below that point a few times in the question's history. Even if concerns about health risks aren't causing some adults to give up alcohol entirely, these worries could be influencing how often they drink. The survey found that adults who think moderate drinking is bad for one's health are just as likely as people who don't share those concerns to report that they drink, but fewer of the people with health worries had consumed alcohol recently. About half of those who worry moderate drinking is unhealthy said they had a drink in the previous week, compared with about 7 in 10 who did not think drinking was bad for their health. Overall, only about one-quarter of Americans who drink said they had consumed alcohol in the prior 24 hours, a record low in the survey. Roughly 4 in 10 said that it had been more than a week since they had poured a drink.
