Singer Bella Astillah's children, Ayden and Ara, expressed their happiness at being able to call Malaysian politician Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman "daddy" after the couple officially married on Oct. 10.

Livestreamed on Malaysian channels and online platforms from 9am, the solemnisation ceremony took place at Kuala Lumpur's Merdeka 118, with 200 guests in attendance, an earlier report mentioned.

Someone to call Dad

Ayden told Malaysian media outlet Gempak that they are very excited about the addition of a new member to their family.

"And I have someone to call daddy!"

Ayden added that the two of them were very much looking forward to welcoming a new member into the family.

Ara also similarly expressed happiness at the new addition to the family.

The two have been very welcoming of Syed Saddiq, with Ayden even openly calling him "daddy" since a few months back.

That affection has been very much returned.

The couple previously got engaged on Mar. 28, 2026, where the engagement ceremony was livestreamed on Astro's social media platforms.

It took place at 3:30pm that day and was attended by family and close industry friends.

In his speech, Syed Saddiq said he was speaking not as a member of parliament or debater, but as the "luckiest man on this earth".

Politicians attended

A separate report also mentioned that among the guests on Oct. 10 were Singapore's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, whom Syed Saddiq previously invited to his wedding.

Syed Saddiq had joked that the invitation marked an "upgrade" in bilateral ties between the two countries.

Others in attendance included former Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo.

Wedding reception, community receptions

Over the next few weekends, the couple will hold another wedding reception in Kuala Lumpur as well as community receptions in Syed Saddiq's constituency in Muar and Kota Kinabalu in Bella's home state of Sabah.

Describing it as a kenduri rakyat (the people's feast), the receptions in Muar and Kota Kinabalu openly invite the public to celebrate the happy occasion with them.

To give back to the community, the couple has prepared 10,000 wedding doorgifts for receptions in Muar and Kota Kinabalu.

The doorgifts and food will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, but Syed Saddiq said the couple will be there to "spend time with the guests who attend", according to Malay Mail.

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Local air purifier sales have seen an increase due to the worsening haze, with appliance stores interviewed by Lianhe Zaobao experiencing a significant increase in sales.

Demand

A Gain City spokesperson told Zaobao that September 2026 air purifier sales increased by 76 per cent compared to August 2026.

They are currently working closely with various brand suppliers to ensure supply, as well as restocking some popular models weekly to meet market demand.

Gain City sells more than 100 air purifier models. Besides purification efficiency, consumers are increasingly looking at whether a product can filter PM2.5, pollen and other airborne particles, the spokesperson said.

A Courts spokesperson also told Zaobao that its air purifiers saw an increase of more than fourfold in sales in the last three to four weeks.

With a significant increase in the number of customer inquiries, the spokesperson added that many have enquired about the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) of air purifiers.

They have also asked about other factors, including lifespan and frequency of filter replacements.

Zaobao cited Courts as saying they still have sufficient air purifier inventory online and across its 12 stores islandwide.

It also maintains its inventory of products at different prices and specifications by working with brand partners and supply chain distributors.

Electronics and home appliance retailer Audio House's founder and executive director also told Zaobao that there has been a 100 per cent increase in air purifier sales as compared to non-haze periods.

As concerns about haze in Singapore rise, the Ministry of Education (MOE) would consider closing schools and postponing national exams if the next day’s forecast enters the hazardous range, which is a 24-hour PSI above 300.

For now, Minister for Education Desmond Lee said lessons and national exams will continue in enclosed venues with air purifiers.

Schools are also ready to step up measures if required.

For students who are unwell and unable to sit for their exams, they may apply for Special Consideration through their schools.

In his Facebook post on Oct. 10, Lee shared that any decision to close schools will be announced around 8pm the day before through schools and the official channels.

"We will continue to monitor the situation closely each day and review whether schools should stay open or be closed the next day."

"I know many parents are concerned about the haze, especially those with children who have medical conditions or are sitting for national examinations. I assure you that the health and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority," Lee said.

Under MOE's haze management measures, when the 24-hour PSI forecast is in the unhealthy range (101-200), schools are to avoid strenuous outdoor physical activities that require a lot of energy or effort and continuous exposure for several hours.

All classrooms are to have air purifiers, and students who are unwell or have pre-existing lung or heart conditions will be exempted from all outdoor physical activities.

As of 6pm on Oct. 10, the 24-hour PSI reading sits in the unhealthy range, with the central area at 168.

Haze Task Force convened

With the possibility of haze conditions worsening in the upcoming days, the Singaporean government's Haze Task Force (HTF) has convened and stands ready to roll out the next tier of action plans and advisories to protect the health and well-being of the public.

The HTF is led by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and comprises 28 government agencies.

The HTF outlined the measures it was preparing to take to ensure public health, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, and those with chronic lung and heart diseases.

NEA said that the 24-hour PSI may exceed 200 and enter the very unhealthy range as the haze situation has deteriorated over the past week due to an increase in hotspots in southern and central Sumatra, as well as unfavourable wind conditions.

Should the PSI enter the very unhealthy range, the People's Association (PA) grassroots organisations will start distributing N95 masks to eligible Singaporeans, such as those who may be more vulnerable to the effects of the haze or may have limited means of obtaining N95 masks.

Eligible Singaporeans can collect N95 masks or ask family members or friends to collect masks on their behalf using the eligible person’s NRIC at vending machines at selected public transport hubs, Social Service Offices and PA venues.

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Some cast members from the new Singapore mockumentary, The Sandbox, went to surprise some moviegoers at one of the screenings.

However, the excitement quickly turned to slight apprehension.

Documented on his Instagram, one of the stars, Nathan Hartono, shared that only seven people were in the cinema.

But the stars took it in their stride, and thanked the fans for supporting the movie.

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A post shared by Nathan Hartono 向洋 (@nathanhartono)

"This is the reality of releasing independent films in Singapore," wrote Hartono in the caption.

"All the good intentions in the world can never replace butts in seats."

The Sandbox is a new Singapore mockumentary by director James Thoo.

The plot follows a struggling stunt training school in Singapore that suddenly fills with applicants after a rumour that Marvel is looking to cast its next superhero from Singapore.

It's a zany premise, with some well-known local names like Benjamin Kheng, Hartono, Oon Shu An and Fauzi Azzhar.

Cast members also commented on Hartono's post, thanking those who came to the screening.

Thoo, the director, said: "We keep fighting".

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A post shared by Nathan Hartono 向洋 (@nathanhartono)

Interestingly, a point mentioned in the video about Singaporeans waiting for streaming was also touched on by Fauzi.

He made this observation:

"Not every Singaporean film is guaranteed streaming release. It really depends on the theatrical runs in the cinemas or if you got budget.

And most of the time both also not met as a criteria. So if we then keep waiting for films to appear on streaming platforms instead of supporting them in cinemas, how do we then expect our local film industry to grow anyway?"

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A post shared by Fauzi Azzhar (@fauziazzhar)

The cast and director of The Sandbox recently sat down with Mothership to discuss artificial intelligence and its impact on Singapore's arts scene, as well as the inspiration behind the movie.

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A post shared by Mothership (@mothershipsg)

A Chinese tourist in Singapore had his Louis Vuitton bag stolen at Gardens By The Bay on Oct. 5 at around 9pm.

On the Chinese social media site Xiaohongshu, the user shared that this was his first time abroad and in Singapore, and that someone stole his Louis Vuitton bag.

Describing himself as a "195cm muscular guy", the user said that as soon as he noticed his bag was missing, he started tracking his wireless earbuds.

He added that he purposely keeps his earbuds in his bag specifically to track them, but wasn't able to get a location at the moment.

Despite this, he was certain the thief couldn't have gone that far.

To cut the thief off at the exit, he waved to a man he ran into and asked for directions.

However, the man took off running, that was when the tourist realised the man was the thief.

Bag retrieved, contents missing

Speaking to Mothership, the tourist said the bag contained three passports, a Dior wallet, S$200 and 800 yuan in cash, and several camera items.

He also lost his socks, which he had taken out earlier in the day as he didn't feel it looked good.

He chased after the thief and snatched a paper bag from him, where he found his bag inside.

However, the man got away by running into thick foliage, making it difficult to pursue him.

The user shared that he got his Louis Vuitton bag back in 20 minutes, but he could not get his other items back, speculating that his right sock was probably used as the loot bag.

However, he was able to retrieve one of the passports as it was found under a tree in the park.

In another video, he said he believed the thief was not working alone, and that the man he chased may have been there to collect the stolen goods.

The man said he saw the CCTV footage, but he claimed the man deliberately avoided the cameras by parking in an area that prevented them from capturing the vehicle's licence plate.

The user said he handed the footage and information to the police but had not heard back.

Responding to queries from Mothership, the police confirmed a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

A foreign domestic helper allegedly fell while cleaning windows in Sengkang, prompting an investigation by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

A video on Facebook showed a woman lying on the floor at the foot of an HDB block.

A squeegee and a spray bottle could be seen on the floor near the woman.

Paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were seen attending to the woman on the floor.

According to the video, the woman was a foreign domestic worker who fell while cleaning windows.

In response to Mothership's queries, SCDF said they received a call for assistance at Block 121A Rivervale Drive on Oct. 8 at around 10:30am.

One person was conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

MOM investigating

MOM released a statement, stating that it is investigating the incident, The Straits Times reported.

The statement also reminded employers that they are responsible for the safety of their foreign domestic helpers at all times

Employers must guide them on safe practices for tasks like cleaning windows, including checking that window grilles are properly installed and locked throughout the process.

Employers must provide safe working conditions, and those who breach the requirements can be fined up to S$10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months.

Employers may also be barred from employing a foreign domestic worker.

A Rolls-Royce Phantom and a BYD apparently got into an accident while the latter was making a right turn on Carpenter Street on Oct. 9, 2026.

A 72-year-old female car passenger, as well as another individual, was conveyed conscious to the hospital, with two male car drivers, aged 48 and 76, assisting with investigations.

According to a Facebook post by @ROADS.sg, the accident left the front bumper of the Rolls-Royce partially detached, with its car plate number hanging off.

Pieces of debris were also observed to be scattered on the road, with the cars stationary and two men appearing to be talking about the accident with other passers-by standing nearby.

A TikTok video of the accident's aftermath, which appeared to be filmed from a bus, showed a police vehicle and an ambulance were present at the scene.

Investigations ongoing

Responding to Mothership's queries, the police said they were alerted at about 2:40pm on Oct. 9 to an accident involving two cars at the road junction of New Bridge Road and Carpenter Street.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the accident at the same time that day.

SCDF conveyed a 72-year-old female car passenger conscious, as well as another individual, to Singapore General Hospital.

Another two who were assessed for minor injuries declined to be sent to the hospital.

Both male car drivers, aged 48 and 76, are assisting with investigations and police investigations are ongoing.

A 56-year-old woman accused a Margaret Drive stall selling chicken dishes of cheating her after claiming that the S$8 portion of her food had become smaller by one-third.

Shin Min Daily News reported that in response, the head cook said that this was not the case and offered to produce CCTV footage as evidence.

Portion significantly smaller

Speaking to Shin Min, the customer, Chen (transliterated), said she visited the stall on Oct. 3 and spent S$8 on a chicken dish.

She claimed, however, that the portion was significantly smaller than usual.

As someone who used to frequent the stall, she said that the portions used to be very generous, but reportedly became smaller since last month.

"I was too embarrassed to say it before, thinking that things might improve next time I came, but I didn't expect it to be the same," Chen said.

Arguing that a serving of the dish should usually be a quarter of a chicken, she alleged that she received about a third less chicken on her last two purchases.

Chen found this unacceptable and complained to the stall staff on Oct. 3.

However, she was reportedly told that the portions remained the same and she could choose not to buy from the stall.

She told Shin Min that she was dissatisfied with their response and would not patronise the stall again.

No deliberate under-serving

When Shin Min visited the stall on the morning of Oct. 10, a 32-year-old head cook recalled the customer being emotional and accusing the stall of cheating her.

"She kept saying that the amount of chicken she bought was too small and did not match the price," he said.

He said the stall does not deceive customers and added that the chicken portions were always sold based on the same standard.

He pointed out that the stall has CCTV, and said customers who feel "shortchanged", could ask for the footage to checked.

Swapped dish

At the time, Chen said she found the employee's attitude unacceptable, and refused to accept the chopped chicken dish.

The employee explained, however, that the chicken could not be taken back since it had already been chopped.

Chen said: "I later asked him to change it to two portions of chicken rice for me. Afterwards, I also left an online review writing about my experience."

The head cook emphasised that swapping of dishes was usually not allowed, but the stall complied as there was a long line of customers and they did not want to make a scene.

After all his years there, the head cook said Chen was the first customer to complain about the portion of chicken.

A 63-year-old woman lost almost S$4,000 to a scammer who impersonated a staff member at a senior citizen centre in Singapore.

On Instagram, the victim's daughter shared that her mother fell for a scam in which a man posed as a staff member at Precious Active Ageing Centre (PAAC).

The man instructed her mother to download an application, then gained access to her phone and took control of her bank account.

He then transferred about S$4,000 from her account to another account before the victim realised it.

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A post shared by Home Swee Home (@home.swee.home)

Facebook ad

Speaking to Mothership, the daughter said her mother came across a Facebook ad that appeared to be from PAAC and promoted activities for seniors.

Such activities include educational talks, community events and overseas group trips.

Interested, her mother responded to the advertisement and left her contact details.

She then received a WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be from PAAC.

In the screenshots, the person said PAAC is an "all-in-one" service centre for seniors, with different activities every day.

The person also shared photos of these activities and PAAC members.

The person running the PAAC WhatsApp account then asked the victim if she would like to join and offered to help her complete the online registration.

The victim agreed, and the person provided his personal contact details, instructing her to contact him via his "private account" to confirm further details and send her more group photos for reference.

Download an app

The mother then contacted "Alan" on WhatsApp and gave him her personal details on Sep. 16.

The daughter told Mothership that her mother chatted with "Alan" for 30 minutes, whom she found very friendly, and that he repeatedly praised her mother for being smart throughout the call.

"Alan" then told her mother to download the PAAC application to stay up to date with the latest activities.

On Sep. 17, he sent her an APK file via WhatsApp and guided her through downloading the app.

Although no banking details were entered, the mother received an OTP via email and entered it as part of the steps.

The mother also noted that the download failed the first time, but "Alan" guided her through it again.

Discovery

On Sep. 19, her mother discovered she could not buy dinner because her debit card was rejected multiple times.

When she tried to log in to her DBS account to figure out what went wrong, it told her that her password was wrong.

Unsure what was wrong, they decided to call the bank to freeze her account as a precaution.

That was when the bank told them that four transactions totalling about S$4,000 had been transferred out of her account that day.

The bank also told them the account was compromised two days ago because her account was linked to a new phone number.

The daughter told Mothership that the bank's anti-scam protocol activated when the scammer tried a fifth transaction, leaving her mother unable to pay for dinner.

Disbelief

When asked how her mother was, the daughter shared that she was in "disbelief" that "Alan" was a scammer.

Her mother genuinely thought the man was from PAAC and was being helpful and kind.

"She was then very angry that he used such tactics to scam her and also blamed herself for trusting him blindly," she added.

"She is usually vigilant against scam calls and will avoid clicking suspicious links; however, she did not expect scams to be this intricate now and make victims voluntarily contact the scammer via impersonation ads.

She would like to spread awareness and get more people to share about this scam tactic, especially the elderly who are the targets. As elderly may not be as active on social media platforms, it would be best if the younger generation can help to inform their parents/grandparents of this as well."

Warning

On Oct. 9, the Bishan Neighbourhood Police Centre posted an advisory on Facebook about PAAC impersonation.

A 27-year-old man was acquitted of alleged sexual assault involving penetration and outrage of modesty after a judge found that the prosecution did not prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Both charges, which involved a vulnerable person, were alleged to have taken place on Oct. 30, 2024, Justice Kwek Mean Luck wrote in his judgement published on Oct. 9, 2026.

Background

The judgement noted that the 23-year-old complainant, who was around 21 years old during the alleged offence, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a child.

He was found to be to be extremely weak in verbal skills but relatively better in non-verbal skills and processing speed.

The complainant, who attended a school serving students with autism and intellectual impairment until he was 18, now has a job which his vocational institute linked him up with.

Prior to Oct. 30, 2024, the accused, who was 25 at the time, did not know the complainant.

Dispute

The judgement stated that at about 10:15pm that day, the accused approached the complainant after seeing him walking and pushing a bicycle within the estate.

They continued their conversation at a nearby bench.

The pair left after a while and made their way to a block.

They then took a lift together from the ground floor to level 19 of Block 14 at around 10:23pm, before sitting on the steps of the level 19 staircase.

At around 10:31pm, they took a lift back to the ground floor and went their separate ways.

According to the judgement, the dispute is regarding what happened at the staircase of level 19.

Prosecution's case

The prosecution argued that according to the complainant's oral testimony, he had seen a bicycle with a punctured tyre at the carpark, and pushed it as he wanted to throw it at a dustbin.

When the accused apparently asked him for the time, the complainant said his phone battery was weak.

The accused then supposedly asked him to sit on a bench to talk, where he asked the complainant several questions, including whether he was circumcised.

According to the prosecution, the complainant followed the accused to the block, supposedly "because he always says yes and was scared that [the accused] would do something bad".

They then went to the level 19 staircase, where the accused asked the complainant a second time if he was circumcised.

The prosecution argued that the accused then allegedly committed sexual assault involving penetration and outrage of modesty of the complainant.

Two prosecution witnesses also testified that the complainant disclosed the sexual offences to them on Nov. 2, 2024, or Nov. 3, 2024.

Defence's case

As for the defence, the judgement stated that the sole witness was the accused himself.

The accused completely denied the offences, and also denied asking the complainant if he was circumcised, eventually leaving the bench as he apparently noticed a police car nearby and was afraid of being fined for the vape in his hands.

The accused argued that he walked in the direction furthest away from the police car and claimed the complainant followed without being asked to do so.

He then supposedly pressed level 19 without looking, before talking to the complainant for no more than five to 10 minutes before heading down.

Assessment of testimony in light of ASD

Given that the complainant was diagnosed with ASD, the prosecution argued that the court ought to take that into account, and put forth that the complainant was susceptible to suggestion and had weak social resistance skills.

It was also argued that children or juveniles should not be measured by adult standards on how an average adult may be expected to react.

However, the defence countered that even if the complainant's testimony were to be treated as coming from the equivalent of a minor, the testimony of a minor should be treated no differently from that of an adult complainant.

The defence added that the test remains the same, namely that the court could only convict the accused on the uncorroborated testimony of the complainant if his evidence was so reliable or unusually compelling.

The judge said that regardless of the complainant’s personal characteristics, his testimony had to be "unusually convincing" if it was the sole basis for a conviction. However, he said the court could take his ASD into account when assessing how reliable his evidence was.

Corroboration

In terms of whether there was corroborative evidence such that the complainant's testimony need not be "unusually convincing", the prosecution submitted that the complainant's testimony was not subject to the “unusually convincing” standard.

They argued that it was independently corroborated by four pieces of evidence.

Firstly, video footage from the lift apparently showed the complainant's reaction immediately following the accused's alleged sexual assault, rushing into the lift, pressing the "door close" button and holding down the button even as the accused reached the lift.

This could supposedly be used as independent evidence to assess the veracity of the complainant's testimony.

Secondly, the CCTV footage showed observable changes to the complainant's clothing before and after going to level 19, as well as the accused and complainant's movements before going up to level 19 and the walking path the complainant took immediately after leaving Block 14.

This was said to be consistent with the complainant's account.

Thirdly, the accused was also said to have told a Lucas lie that he saw a police car while at Block 14, which the prosecution argued could serve as independent corroboration of the complainant's testimony.

A Lucas lie is a deliberate lie on a material issue, out of fear of the truth, and clearly shown to be false by independent evidence.

Lastly, the complainant was also said to have told witnesses about the alleged sexual assault within days of it happening, and filed a police report, this was said to serve as corroborative evidence.

However, the judge was unable to agree with the prosecution that the complainant's testimony was independently corroborated by the four pieces of evidence.

While the judge accepted that the complainant hurrying into the lift and pressing the "door close" button seemed consistent with his account, the judge said the complainant’s behaviour in the lift afterwards did not suggest fear.

He chatted with the accused, did not shrink away when the accused tapped his shoulder, and initiated a handshake before they left.

While the absence of visible fear is not determinative, the judge said, the footage does not corroborate "his version of events".

As for the changes in clothing appearance, the judge did not find that much weight could be placed as there could be "a variety of reasons" why the complainant's shirt was half-wedged in.

"For example, it is plausible that the shirt is wedged in as such because of how [the complainant] sat down and moved up when leaving the stairs."

As for the Lucas lie, the judge noted that evidence showed no such police car, but did not find that the accused had lied deliberately.

When asked during cross-examination why he thought that the car he saw was a police car, the accused testified that the car he saw was a "white car".

He had a vape in his hands, so he took a "glance", thought it was a police car, and left.

The judge also accepted that the complainant had made complaints to two people shortly after the incident, and accepted that these two were "truthful witnesses" with no motive to falsely implicate the accused.

Beyond reasonable doubt

In contrast, the judge did not find material inconsistencies in the defence's case.

In closing, the judge agreed with the prosecution that there did not appear to be any reason why the complainant would be motivated to falsely implicate the accused.

He, however, noted that the absence of motive is not sufficient for the case against the accused to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.