Japan Home stores in Singapore have reopened days after several were found shuttered or closed for stocktaking, with Valu$ goods appearing on the shelves.

International Housewares Retail Company Limited (IH Retail), the parent company of the Japan Home brand, said in a press release that all its stores in Singapore resumed operations on Aug. 20 following the completion of transition arrangements.

What actually happened

On Aug. 13, an indirect subsidiary of IH Retail signed a three-year master franchise agreement with Radha Export Pte Ltd, which the company described as "the engine behind the ABC and Valu$ stores in Singapore”.

The handover of existing stores was completed on Aug. 19.

The agreement gives Radha the exclusive right to run the Japan Home business in Singapore, including through sub-franchisees, and to open additional outlets.

IH Retail said Radha brings experience in consumer goods and wholesale distribution along with local operational expertise and an established supply chain network.

It also expects Radha's local capabilities to improve store operating efficiency, responsiveness to market demand, and brand awareness in Singapore.

The arrangement is expected to support the brand's expansion in Singapore and across Southeast Asia over the next three years, IH Retail added.

What staff thought was happening

The Business Times previously reported that some Japan Home workers believed that the chain had been "sold to Valu$ entirely”, while others put it down to a "change of management”.

What led up to this

Five outlets at Hougang Mall, Century Square, Northpoint City, Harbourfront Centre and Buangkok Square held closing-down sales between June and July 2026.

When BT visited nine stores on Aug. 18, it found three shuttered and six closed for stocktaking, with Valu$ stock in several stores and Valu$ staff clearing shelves at Waterway Point.

A woman allegedly fell from the fourth floor of an HDB block onto the eaves of the first floor in Holland Drive on Aug. 19.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, the incident took place at Block 43 Holland Drive at around 7:45am.

SCDF officers spotted standing on the first-floor eaves

In a video provided to the Chinese publication, police could be seen cordoning off the area around the block.

Four Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers were seen on the first-floor eaves attending to a person lying on a stretcher, while a few others were standing by the kitchen window of a unit on the second floor.

The officers subsequently lifted the stretcher through the window and into the second-floor unit.

They then climbed through the window, carrying the stretcher into the flat.

The witness who provided the video told Zaobao that a female neighbour had said the woman would often shout at her for no apparent reason.

The witness added that, based on the open window of the fourth-floor unit, he believed the woman may have fallen from the window.

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it had conveyed an unconscious person to the National University Hospital.

Separately, the police confirmed that a woman had been apprehended under Section 7 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008.

Helplines

If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:

• National mindline.sg Hotline: 1771 (24 hours)
• National mindline.sg WhatsApp: 66691771 (24 hours)
• SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767
• Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
• Centre for Domestic Employees: 1800 225 5233 (24 hours)
• Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training: 1800 339 4357 (24 hours)
• HOME (migrant worker): +65 6341 5535 (WhatsApp / Viber / SMS)
• HOME (domestic worker): +65 9787 3122 (WhatsApp / SMS / Call)
• SHECARES@SCWO: Call: 8001 01 4616 | WhatsApp: 8985 5528 (For targets of online harms)
• National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH): 1800-777-0000

A China court sentenced the 67-year-old founder of property developer China Evergrande Group to life in prison on Aug. 20, 2026, after he was convicted of multiple crimes.

The South China Morning Post reported that Hui Ka Yan, known as Xu Jiayin in Mandarin, also had all his personal property confiscated and was deprived of political rights for life.

Charges, fines

Hui, who was also the group's former chairman, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to eight charges, according to Reuters.

This included the misuse of funds, fundraising fraud, illegally taking public deposits, illegally extending loans, fraudulently issuing securities and bribery.

BBC reported that the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court also fined his former companies 15.82 billion yuan (about S$2.98 billion) in total.

This was due to multiple crimes, which included falsifying records and concealing debt.

Other Evergrande personnel sentenced

In addition, the court also publicly ruled on the same day on cases of illegal deposit absorption, fundraising fraud and illegal use of funds by Evergrande personnel.

SCMP reported that this saw 56 individuals, including Hui's two sons, Xu Zhijian and Xu Tenghe, being sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment.

Their jail terms ranged from 22 months to 18 years, with fines or property confiscated.

BBC reported the court as saying that Hui and his businesses had "seriously disrupted" the Chinese property market which resulted in significant economic losses.

Violations

SCMP reported that a court judgement said the violations by Evergrande, Hengda Real Estate and Hui took place between 2016 and 2021.

Through "sustained and large‑scale financial fraud", they "inflated assets, concealed liabilities and committed crimes", the court said.

This included "illegal absorption of public deposits, fundraising fraud, fraudulent issuance of securities and illegal disclosure of key information".

Hui also took advantage of his position as the group's chairman to orchestrate financial fraud and embezzle corporate assets in the name of dividend distribution, SCMP reported.

Humble beginnings to fall from grace

Once estimated to be the richest person in Asia, Hui came from humble beginnings before he ventured into property development and set up Evergrande in 1996, BBC reported.

Large amounts of borrowed money were then used to fund an aggressive expansion programme, which saw the group become China's biggest real estate developer.

It previously held a stock market valuation of more than US$50 billion (S$63.6 billion).

However, it earned the title of the world's most indebted real estate developer in June 2023 when its total liabilities reached US$332 billion (S$421.85 billion), SCMP reported.

A 46-year-old Singaporean man was charged for obstructing a police officer in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, as well as attacking a 30-year-old Malaysian woman.

The accused, Gary Lim Kian Liang, claimed trial.

He is facing three charges, including the possession of a dangerous weapon, voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, and obstructing a public servant, Malay Mail reported.

He did not indicate a plea.

Road rage

On Aug. 15, at about 11:58pm, Lim allegedly attacked a woman.

He apparently then got into a physical altercation with police officers shortly after on Aug. 16 at about 12:15am at Jalan Lingkaran Dalam, heading towards the Sultan Iskandar Building near the Causeway.

The altercation apparently stemmed from a road rage incident.

Local police arrested four men in that incident.

According to New Straits Times, preliminary investigations revealed that the incident purportedly stemmed from a dispute between three Malaysian men and a Singaporean man.

Lim allegedly possessed an 8.5cm knife without a valid permit, and the weapon was apparently used in the altercation.

In a related case, a 28-year-old Malaysian man was also charged with intentionally causing injury to Lim with a motorcycle helmet.

G. Thinesh Kumar claimed trial and was unrepresented.

Restaurant owner

During the bail application, Lim's lawyers reportedly said Lim was a restaurant owner in Singapore and suffered from mental health issues that required ongoing treatment.

Lim was apparently married and supported his elderly mother.

He was granted bail of RM20,000 (S$6,301).

His case was adjourned to Sep. 25.

Thinesh was granted bail of RM5,000 (S$1,575).

His case was adjourned to Sep. 14.

A group of boys allegedly accessed a lift shaft under maintenance at Block 603 Woodlands Drive 42 recently.

A Mothership reader shared a video on Aug. 14 showing the group of boys allegedly carrying out the act.

According to the reader, the boys were 11 years old.

He told Mothership that the video was circulating in a group chat that included his child.

He added that his daughter had alerted him straightaway after seeing the video.

He suspected that the key to the lift doors was left behind by the contractor, and the boys had managed to get their hands on it.

He said he had lodged a police report.

The police confirmed with Mothership that a report had been lodged.

Sembawang Town Council

In response to Mothership's queries regarding the incident, a spokesperson from Sembawang Town Council said it is aware of the incident and have reported the matter to the police.

The town council added: "The matter is currently under police investigation. As investigations are ongoing, the town council is unable to comment further at this time."

The spokesperson also shared that the town council takes the safety of residents seriously and will continue to cooperate with the police in their investigations.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 14-year-old Jasmine Tay Xin Yi.

She was last seen wearing a black shirt and shorts in the vicinity of Block 183B Boon Lay Drive on Aug. 19, 2026 at about 12:30pm.

Anyone with information is requested to call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

A Singaporean man working at a jewellery store in Yishun stole 24 pieces of gold jewellery and replaced six pieces with copies from Taobao.

Darren Wai Mun Jun, 31, was employed as an assistant store manager at CHJ Singapore Jewel at Northpoint City at the time.

According to court documents seen by Mothership, Wai stole S$216,613.05 worth of gold jewellery and pawned the 24 pieces he swiped for S$131,253 in cash.

Wai used the ill-gotten gains to pay off his debts and to gamble.

On Aug. 20, Wai was sentenced to two years, four months and two weeks' jail after pleading guilty to two counts of theft and one count of dealing with the benefits of his criminal conduct, according to The Straits Times (ST).

He has not made restitution.

Bought copies on Taobao

Wai was employed by CHJ in September 2025 and was promoted to an assistant store manager the following month.

He was responsible for assisting the manager and attending to customers.

He was also one of the staff members who held the shop key.

In late December 2025, Wai conceived a plan to replace the jewellery with gold-coloured ones purchased from Taobao, the Chinese online commercial platform.

He purchased many Taobao items with the purpose of substituting the gold pieces.

Weighed real item and matched it to fake counterpart

Before making the swaps, Wai would weigh the item he intended to replace and select the Taobao piece that matched it in weight and appearance.

He would arrive early to work or wait for his colleagues to go on their breaks, and swap the CHJ jewellery with the Taobao ones when he was alone in the shop.

To avoid detection, he would also switch off the Wi-Fi to disable the shop's CCTV.

Wai would then transfer the price tag from the real item to the Taobao copy, placing the copy on display before switching the Wi-Fi back on.

He carried out this plan initially but began stealing jewellery pieces by replacing the stolen pieces with stock pieces from the shop's own inventory, as he knew the store did not have a proper stock-taking system.

Pawned items

In December 2025, Wai stole gold necklaces weighing 62.37g and 70.35g on two separate occasions. The necklaces were worth S$37,825.20 in total.

He pawned the necklaces at two different pawnshops, and the 62.37g necklace was later seized from the pawnshop.

On 22 separate occasions between Jan. 8, 2026 and Jan. 20, 2026, Wai stole S$178,787.85 worth of gold jewellery consisting of bangles, bracelets and necklaces.

Of the 22 stolen items, 18 were seized from pawnshops.

Colleague discovered deception

On Jan. 21, 2026, a colleague was serving a customer at the store when she discovered that the weight of a gold bangle she was selling did not match the weight reflected on the price tag.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed the bangle did not bear the "CHJ" engraving on its inner surface.

She checked the other items on display with another colleague and found that four gold bangles did not belong to CHJ.

Wai was not on duty at the time.

ST reported that Wai was arrested later that same day.

On Aug. 20, Wai's bail was set at S$15,000, and he will begin his sentence on Sep. 3.

A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to jail for stomping on his father's chest and hitting him multiple times with a remote control after getting upset over rental income.

According to a report by The Straits Times (ST), the incident left his father, then aged 72, with rib fractures and a scalp laceration.

His father is now 75-years-old.

The son, Teo Yao Zhong, pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing grievous hurt and was sentenced to 21 months’ jail on Aug. 20.

Upset over rental income

The incident took place in 2023 at the home where Teo lived with his father, ST reported.

The prosecution said Teo’s father had rented out a room in the unit to a tenant to supplement his income.

It was not disclosed in court what either Teo or his father did for a living.

Court documents seen by Mothership showed that before midnight on Jan. 19, Teo became upset because his father had not shared the rental income with him and began throwing household items around the home.

When his father tried to stop him, Teo used a remote control to hit him on the head multiple times.

His father used his arms to defend himself, but tripped over items scattered on the floor and fell.

Teo then used his foot to stomp on his father’s chest while his father tried to push his feet away.

Some objects thrown landed near police officers

Teo eventually stopped the assault and resumed throwing items around the home.

His father then fled the unit, called the police and waited for officers at the void deck.

When police arrived, officers saw injuries on the father's forehead and took him to the emergency department at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Meanwhile, other officers attempted to calm Teo down, who continued to behave aggressively inside the unit.

Despite multiple warnings from police, Teo continued throwing items around, including a large television.

Several of the objects landed near the officers.

Teo was arrested and released on bail on Jan. 20, 2023.

Prosecution: father was vulnerable due to his age

The prosecution sought a jail term of between 20 and 21 months for Teo, saying his father was vulnerable because of his age and was unable to stop his son from throwing items around the unit.

Teo, who was unrepresented, said in mitigation that he could not recall what had happened that day, but accepted that he had done wrong and had nothing further to add, ST reported.

At the start of the hearing, Teo had asked for the case to be adjourned to a later date as he needed time to clean his room.

When the judge asked why he had not cleaned it earlier, Teo said he had started cleaning but could not finish because the room was too messy.

The judge rejected his request for an adjournment and proceeded with the hearing.

For voluntarily causing grievous hurt, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and may also be fined or caned.

Two years ago, Matin Holmberg left his engineering job to become a Senior Prison Officer.

For the 32-year-old, there has always been something appealing about wearing the uniform and serving the nation.

“I always look forward to going back for my reservist and putting on the uniform,” he said.

Now a Senior Correctional Unit Officer (SCUO) at Institution B2, Holmberg shares with Mothership the challenges and opportunities he has found in his new career.

Making the switch

Back when he was serving his National Service (NS), Holmberg completed his Basic Military Training (BMT) with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

He was then seconded to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), where he became a Rota Commander.

It was the experience of both agencies which inspired Holmberg’s passion to serve.

He later went on to pursue a Diploma in Aeronautical Engineering, and began his career in the aerospace industry.

After a few years, however, he felt it was time for a change and decided to sign up as a Senior Prison Officer with the Singapore Prison Service (SPS).

It was fitting as he had always envisioned serving the country in one way or another.

His father, with whom he shares a close relationship, served in the SCDF for more than 30 years before retiring.

With a broad smile, Holmberg recalled growing up listening to stories about how his father had impacted others' lives.

“I think the values he upholds, like integrity and being genuine, and the lessons he learned from being in the force are admirable. So the man that he is is what I wished to become as well,” Holmberg said.

When asked how his family reacted to his career switch, he laughed, “My wife was very happy because I can put food on the table.”

Holmberg also acknowledged that job stability was one of the factors behind his decision.

Ultimately however, the biggest draw for him was the opportunity to do meaningful work, continue learning and build a long-term career.

Nine months of training

Before stepping into his new role, Holmberg underwent nine months of training with SPS.

The programme consisted of two phases.

The first was five months of residential training at the Home Team Academy (HTA), where Holmberg and his fellow trainees stayed on campus five days a week.

There, they received practical and operational training to prepare them for work in the Singapore Prison Service, he said.

This was followed by four months of on-the-job training.

During this phase, trainees were deployed to various prison institutions to gain first-hand experience and better understand the realities of working in a prison environment.

The training left a lasting impression on Holmberg, who credits several mentors with shaping the officer he is today.

“They call it the ‘jailcraft’ that you try to learn from them, and then you create your own ‘jailcraft’. Those lessons are very valuable, and I am who I am today because of my mentors,” he said.

One mentor, in particular, taught him the importance of being "firm and fair".

Those are values Holmberg continues to embody in his role at Institution B2, which houses remand inmates.

Day in the life

So what does a typical day look like for SCUO Holmberg?

“A lot of walking,” he joked, though it turned out to be quite true.

He usually starts his day at 5am, fitting in exercises such as Muay Thai or a run before work, depending on his shift.

He works AM and PM shifts, with occasional 12-hour shifts on weekends.

A typical shift begins with the opening muster.

“This is where we make sure that all inmates are accounted for, but more importantly, safe, healthy, and responsive,” he shared.

This is followed by inmate movements for interviews, court sessions, Out Of Cell Activities (OCA), such as exercising in the yard or attending rehabilitation programmes, external transfers, tele-visits, and face-to-face visits.

Around noon, inmate movements pause for the midday muster.

The afternoon then consists of more inmate movements for transfers, visits and rehabilitation programmes before the day ends with a closing muster.

Beyond these routine duties, Holmberg is also responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the inmates under his care and maintaining operational continuity should incidents arise.

He also leads a team of officers who rely on him to make operational decisions.

By the end of each shift, Holmberg estimates he has probably clocked around 15,000 steps.

Wearing many hats

Some people may wonder why he traded a comfortable desk job for a “blue-collar job”.

But Holmberg stressed that being a prison officer involves far more than simply "locking up inmates".

“Prison officers wear many hats,” he said.

Besides the physical demands, officers also need strong communication skills and high emotional intelligence.

“Let’s say things go out of hand, you still need to make a lot of decisions under immense pressure. So it is not a low-skill job. It takes someone special to do the job,” he added.

Holmberg recalled one incident involving an uncooperative inmate.

“When we were doing our routine cell search, he refused to listen to instructions to squat down. I think we instructed him about four or five times (to do so),” he shared.

“He later turned aggressive and was a danger to those around him.”

As the inmate was physically larger than him, Holmberg and his team worked together to safely remove the uncooperative inmate from the correctional unit and escort him to a punishment cell.

“This is a clear act of defiance and we do not accept this kind of behaviour in Singapore’s prisons,” he said.

The experience reinforced the importance of thinking quickly, staying calm and knowing how to de-escalate tense situations.

At its core, however, the job is about working with people, Holmberg said.

That means taking time to listen to inmates and helping them navigate through difficult emotions.

He recalled helping one inmate, who had never met his newborn baby, secure an open visit.

It became a touching moment for both the new father and Holmberg, who was glad he could help make it happen.

While some people may have the misconception that inmates are “scary”, sometimes they just need a listening ear, he said.

Over time, Holmberg realised these experiences had also changed him outside of work.

“I have found that the patience and empathy I have developed over the two years have allowed me to connect to my loved ones on a deeper level,” he said.

What it takes

Holmberg strives to embody four key qualities: being genuine, honest, firm and fair — values he learned from both his father and his mentors.

According to him, inmates are selective about which officers they approach because they have "all the time in the world" to observe and assess those around them.

As a result, Holmberg makes it a point to treat every inmate consistently, without playing favourites or applying double standards.

“When you are firm and fair, inmates respect the boundaries you set,” he said.

Over the past two years, Holmberg admitted good-naturedly that he has earned a reputation for being "rabak" because of his strict nature.

“But those same inmates also know that when they have a complex issue that needs resolving, they can come to me, because they know wholeheartedly that I will do my best to help them,” he said.

To him, that is what being genuine and honest looks like in practice.

“Just maintain your discipline, that’s all I ask,” he added.

Dynamic work environment

Beyond his day-to-day responsibilities, Holmberg appreciates the variety of career opportunities available within SPS.

Thanks to regular posting cycles and a wide range of roles beyond inmate management, he sees plenty of room for growth.

Potential career paths include postings to SPS headquarters or other specialised units.

Asked whether he worries about being posted somewhere new, Holmberg said no.

“I see it as a natural progression, and also an opportunity for me to know more people.”

While every job has its ups and downs, Holmberg says he has no regrets about making the switch.

For those interested in making a difference like Holmberg, you can check out SPS's various job opportunities here.

This branded article by the Singapore Prison Service gave this writer a newfound perspective on prison officers.

Nine members of a U.S. Marshals Service task force fell to the ground after a second-storey wooden deck collapsed beneath them.

They were there to arrest a 26-year-old man for failing to register as a sex offender.

Body camera footage from the Jul. 21 incident showed the officers standing in a line outside an apartment door in Huntsville, Missouri, when the deck suddenly gave way.

The officers, several of whom were holding firearms, fell straight down. However, none of their weapons were discharged during the incident, according to ABC News.

7 officers injured

Seven officers were taken to hospital following the fall.

Steven Lewis, the U.S. marshal for the eastern district of Missouri, told ABC 17 News that the officers had little time to react when the deck collapsed.

Lewis said: “Someone described it almost as if a trap door opened and it fell that way.”

“Not away from the structure, but straight down, which gave them almost no time to react,” he added.

The injured officers included four deputy U.S. Marshals and three local law enforcement officers.

Their injuries included broken bones, torn muscles and concussions, none of which were life-threatening, according to NBC News.

All seven were later treated and released from hospital, ABC News reported.

The suspect was subsequently taken into custody, U.S. Marshals Service spokesperson Abigail Meyer told ABC News.