A 40-year-old former Singapore Airlines (SIA) stewardess suddenly passed away on Jul. 9, 2026, about two weeks after she slipped and fractured her ankle.

Venecia Ng had undergone what was expected to be a straightforward ankle surgery, and appeared to be recovering well.

However, she collapsed in the hospital after complaining of breathlessness, and did not regain consciousness.

Her death certificate, seen by Mothership, states her cause of death as multi-organ failure following pulmonary thromboembolism, a condition where blood clots block the arteries in the lungs.

Slipped on wet tiles while crossing to work

Ng's close friend of 18 years, Magdalene Tay, 39, told Mothership that the pair had joined SIA around the same time in January 2008.

Ng served as a flight stewardess for about 10 years, before moving on to a role at Thomson Medical, where she was working at the time of her fall.

On Jun. 22, Ng was crossing from a shophouse office, where Thomson Medical houses some of its staff, to the hospital building when she slipped on yellow tactile paving tiles that had become slippery after rain, Tay said.

The fall left her with a fractured ankle, and she underwent surgery on Jun. 30.

Extended hospital stay

According to Tay, Ng was expected to be discharged the day after her operation on Jul. 1, but decided to extend her stay by one more day as she was experiencing pain in her leg.

Tay said she appeared well after the surgery — even joking about her injury in a social media post.

However, in the wee hours of Jul. 2, she complained of breathlessness and collapsed shortly afterwards.

Tay said they were informed that Ng's heart had stopped, and that the medical team performed manual resuscitation for about two hours before she was placed on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine, a life-support machine that takes over the work of the heart and lungs.

Ng was then transferred to the intensive care unit at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

She never regained consciousness, and died on Jul. 9 at about 5:05pm.

Tay said:

"It is heartbreaking and shocking that what began as an ankle injury ended in such a tragic loss.”

"A ball of sunshine to many"

Tay described her friend as selfless, bubbly and cheerful. Ng was someone who always put others before herself and stood up for her friends and colleagues.

That selflessness showed even in Ng's hardest moments.

Seven years ago, Ng suffered a mid-term miscarriage, losing her baby Raelyn.

Tay recalled how Ng, even while grieving her pregnancy loss and struggling to conceive, never failed to check in regularly on Tay's sister, who had cancer at the time.

"That's how selfless she is. She is bubbly, she's cheerful and a ball of sunshine to many!"

In a heartfelt tribute posted on Instagram, Tay wrote that she had "lost a buddy but Raelyn gained her mummy".

Commenting on the attendance at Ng's wake, Tay said:

"Her wake is full tonight, so many people shared so many good things about her. A life well lived albeit too short. The hearts and lives she has touched with her sincerity and kindness brought so many people together tonight.

Venie, it's full house, bloody full house."

She told Mothership that the wake was filled with people from all walks of life — "a true reflection of the many lives she touched".

"In the midst of the grief, there was also warmth and joy in celebrating her life. It felt exactly the way she would have wanted it — bringing people together, just as she always did."

In her post, Tay shared photos of the pair from their flying days, adding that Ng was "gone too soon".

"I knew you were great but I didn't know you were THIS GREAT. I got so damn busy becos of you, you better meet me in my dreams soon! I love you"

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Anime shop Otaku House at Plaza Singapura will be closing in August after nearly two decades.

In an Instagram post on Jul. 9, the shop stated that after 17 years there, its last day of operations will be on Aug. 16.

To mark the end of its journey at the mall, Otaku House will be holding a sale with 40 per cent off its items, which include toys, collectables, plushies and other anime merchandise.

It currently has three other outlets at Jewel Changi Airport, PLQ Mall and Suntec City.

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Plaza Singapura revamp

This comes soon after the news of Golden Village shutting its doors at Plaza Singapura.

The mall is embarking on a major S$160 million revamp, with works slated to start in phases from the third quarter of 2026.

This would include reconfiguration of retail and food and beverage (F&B) units, the linkway on level one, bridge works on level three, as well as reconfiguration works on level seven.

CapitaLand said in a circular that the mall would remain operational and open for business as usual.

"General access within Plaza Singapura and to your premises will be maintained and efforts will be put in to minimise disruptions to your business operations," said CapitaLand.

Speaking to CNA, CapitaLand said it had been engaging tenants progressively on the revamp since the start of 2026, informing them of the timeline and scope before works commence.

It has also been "working closely" with tenants on "suitable options tailored to their business needs", its spokesperson said.

A 62-year-old woman in Taiwan was driving to a temple when she crashed her car on Jul. 9.

According to CTS News, passers-by rushed to help and found that her daughter was sitting unresponsive in the passenger seat.

It was later discovered that the daughter had been dead even before the car accident.

The woman was believed to be taking her 37-year-old daughter to the temple to pray after refusing to believe she was dead, Sin Chew Daily reported.

Investigations found that the woman, surnamed Chen (transliteration), had been taking turns caring for her daughter, who suffers from a chronic illness, with her sister for over 30 years.

Accident

CCTV footage showed the car veering off course and crashing into a motorcycle and a temple flag on the side of the road.

According to witnesses, the woman had initially tried to flee but a group of people stopped her.

The authorities were called after witnesses found the unconscious daughter inside the car.

Police later confirmed the woman was dead, and estimated that she had died two to three days earlier, reported CTS News.

One witness described the dead body inside the car as "creepy", saying her face was swollen.

A forensic pathologist stated that the body presented signs of rigour mortis, which did not coincide with the time of the accident.

The police also found no external injuries on the deceased and Chen also tested negative for alcohol, Sin Chew reported.

A Malaysian paediatrician in Perth who is accused of sexually abusing children, including his own young patients, has been granted home detention bail, even as four fresh child sex charges were laid against him.

Chia Liang Saw, 41, now faces a total of 57 charges, up from the 53 he had been facing, after he appeared at Perth Magistrates Court on Friday (Jul. 10) via video link, Australian media reported.

From two charges to 57

Saw, a dual Malaysian-Australian citizen, was first arrested and charged in May with one count of persistent sexual conduct with a child, and one count of possessing child exploitation material, according to WAtoday.

His 57 charges now include multiple counts of producing child exploitation material, indecently dealing with and indecently recording children, one count of sexual penetration of a child over 13 and under 16, and 20 counts of using electronic communication to procure a child to engage in sexual activity, reported ABC News.

Allegedly filmed abuse on hidden cameras

It is alleged that Saw installed hidden cameras in his Nedlands and Midland consulting rooms, where he treated children with behavioural issues, and recorded himself abusing them, reported ABC News.

The alleged victims are mainly young female patients aged between 12 and 15, who had been receiving treatment for behavioural issues.

The others include a 10-year-old girl who police allege was abused in a home, and a child allegedly exploited online in 2022.

The court heard that Saw had allegedly stalked victims via social media, and had used the Sugar Daddy dating website.

Saw's lawyer Alex Smith said the clinic recordings were allegedly made to protect Saw against any accusations of "untoward behaviour".

The lawyer acknowledged that his client's name was now "mud", but noted that Saw had no criminal record.

Home detention

The magistrate granted Saw home detention bail after a report deemed his home address suitable, according to WAtoday, and imposed more than a dozen conditions.

Saw must remain at his home address, wear an electronic monitoring device, and will not be released from Hakea Prison until the monitoring is installed and approved at the property.

He is barred from coming within 50m of his alleged victims, from any unsupervised contact with children under 16 apart from his own, and must surrender any working with children card or authority.

He was also ordered to provide a AUD$500,000 (S$450,000) personal undertaking, along with a AUD$750,000 (S$675,000) surety.

The magistrate placed strict limits on Saw's access to communication devices as well, requiring that police be given the subscription number of any device within 48 hours, and barring social media apps from being installed.

Passport seized

Given his dual citizenship, Saw has had his passport seized, and has been ordered not to leave Western Australia or to come within 100m of the Malaysian consulate, reported WAtoday.

Smith said Saw's wife and children had voluntarily moved out of the family home, and that a "large suite of protections" had been put in place to guard against any re-offending.

Saw is listed in the Malaysian Medical Council's registered doctor database, with his graduating institution stated as the International Medical University in Kuala Lumpur, the South China Morning Post reported.

When asked, his lawyer declined to comment on his nationality.

Saw is next due to appear in court on Oct. 30 for a committal hearing.

Four people were taken to the hospital after they were stung by hornets near Redhill Market.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed with Mothership that they received a call for assistance along Redhill Lane at about 1:30pm on Jul. 10.

According to Shin Min Daily News, two men and two women were attacked by the hornets, which apparently came from a huge hive on a tree.

A woman in her 70s had her ears and hands stung.

Passerby stungs

A Shin Min reporter at the scene spoke to a man surnamed Chen (transliteration), vice-chairman of the market's merchants' association, who was helping direct pedestrians away from the hornet nest.

Chen said he was having coffee when he heard people shouting that there were hornets in a nearby tree.

He said an elderly man had been chased by the hornets, causing him to fall.

According to Chen, an elderly woman was the most seriously injured and ran into a nearby toilet to wash her hair.

A market stall owner, Mei Zhen (transliteration), told Shin Min that she found the woman frantically combing through her hair over a sink.

She claimed that there were over 10 hornets swarming around the woman, with some crawling out of her hair.

The woman then weakly asked her to call an ambulance.

Mei Zhen added that the woman's ears were red, swollen and bleeding, and that she had visible sting marks on her hands. The woman also complained of headaches and dizziness.

Another stallowner later brought over a chair with wheels, and with the help of several passers-by, wheeled the semi-conscious woman out of the toilet, Shin Min reported.

Hornet nest removed

Tanjong Pagar Town Council told Shin Min it received a report at about 1pm on Friday about a hornet nest in a tree along the pavement between 78 Redhill Lane and a nearby petrol station.

The affected area was immediately cordoned off, and a pest control contractor was deployed to remove the nest.

The nest has since been safely removed, and the area has been reopened to the public.

The town council advised residents who encounter a hornet nest or aggressive hornets to remain calm, move away immediately and seek shelter in a nearby building.

It also reminded the public not to disturb or attempt to remove hornet nests themselves.

Anyone who is stung should leave the area immediately, the town council said.

Those experiencing a severe allergic reaction or requiring emergency medical attention should call 995 for an ambulance.

According to the National Parks Board (NParks), members of the public who come across a bee or wasp hive are advised to keep their distance and avoid approaching, provoking or touching the hive.

They can call the NParks’ Helpline at 1800-471-7300.

Those who find themselves swarmed by bees or wasps should cover their head and run toward shelter, as this disorients the attacking insects.

Do not swat at the insects as this will cause them to become more aggressive, NParks said.

A video of an elderly person apparently relieving themselves at a community garden in Singapore has sparked debate online, with some criticising the act while others calling for more compassion towards the individual.

The nine-second clip was posted on Jul. 9 by Facebook user Tan Kai Chih Roger to the Facebook group Complaint Singapore.

In the video, an elderly person in a red top is seen crouching above a planter at the community garden, with their pants pulled down to their knees.

They then wipe themselves with tissue before discarding it on the ground.

In his post, Tan wrote: "Was so disgusted by what I saw this afternoon. What's the rush?! Coffeeshop toilet is just nearby."

He added in the comments section that he had reported the incident via the OneService app, and that the National Environment Agency (NEA) would be sending someone to "clean the area".

The post drew mixed reactions.

Some found humour in the situation, while others called for empathy, stating that the person might have incontinence issues

"Please have a little more compassion for the weak and vulnerable in our society and try to understand. One day we'll all grow old and may face incontinence," they said.

NEA responds

In response to Mothership's queries, NEA said urinating or defecating in public is an offence under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations, with offenders liable to a maximum fine of S$1,000 for a first conviction.

NEA said that it "will not hesitate to take action against any person found committing such unhygienic and socially irresponsible acts".

Members of the public who observe such acts may utilise NEA's online feedback form or myENV mobile application to report the details of the incident.

Messaging platform WhatsApp is planning to introduce usernames as part of a privacy feature for users to hide their phone numbers.

Before the new feature officially rolls out, the platform has already locked down high-profile usernames of politicians in Singapore, The Straits Times (ST) reported.

This includes usernames for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.

Various permutations of these politicians’ names have also been locked, such @lawrencewong, @LawrenceW0ng, @Lawrence_Wong, and @LawrenceWongg.

Checks by Mothership found that usernames for Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam were not available as well.

Some permutations of usernames for Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing were also unavailable.

Preventing imposters

The lockdown was implemented to protect against impersonation so that the usernames can be claimed by their legitimate owners, WhatsApp told ST.

This prevents impostors from claiming the names of these public figures, government entities or celebrities, they said.

Handles used by fraudsters can feature visually similar characters or subtle spelling differences with convincing profile pictures to look legitimate, said Santiago Pontiroli, threat intelligence research lead at cyber protection company Acronis’ Threat Research Unit.

As such, lookalike derivatives of known names are held as well.

New privacy feature

WhatsApp announced the new feature in a blog post on Jun. 29, letting users reserve a username on a first-come first-serve basis ahead of the official roll-out.

The change means that a user can now enable their account to be found only by their username and keep their phone number private.

The platform said they have a username generator for those who needs help choosing a username.

Meanwhile, creators, small businesses, and organisations who may want to maintain a consistent presence online can claim their existing Instagram or Facebook username on WhatsApp.

Users can go to the latest version of WhatsApp, go to settings, then account, and enter a username.

Those who choose not to select a username can continue to use their mobile number.

Safeguards

Users can report impersonators through WhatsApp's website if there is a dispute over a username, after which the platform will review the case and take appropriate action, ST reported.

Additionally, users will be prevented from browsing a username directory — a sender will need to know the exact username before they can start a conversation with someone new.

Other than that, users can also opt to give the other party a four-digit code to initiate a new conversation.

WhatsApp will also block repeated attempts to guess usernames, detect and remove suspicious accounts, and limit the number of new contacts an account can message.

A 19-year-old intern who urinated into a colleague's water bottle after becoming unhappy at his workplace was sentenced on Jul. 9 to 12 months' probation and 60 hours of community service, Shin Min Daily News reported.

He pleaded guilty to one count of mischief.

As he was under 18 at the time of the offence, his identity cannot be disclosed.

Grew resentful over unclear instructions

The incident took place on the afternoon of Aug. 1, 2024, at a retail outlet in an undisclosed shopping mall, where the youth was working as an intern.

According to the facts of the case, he had grown resentful as he felt that staff members had given him unclear instructions.

That afternoon, he took a water bottle from a randomly chosen locker in the staff room, urinated into it, and returned it to where it was.

Colleague drank from the bottle

At about 2pm that day, a 28-year-old sales assistant drank from the bottle and immediately noticed a foul taste.

She found that the liquid had turned yellow and gave off a strong smell of urine. She subsequently reported the matter to the store's management, who confronted the intern.

He admitted to the act, and the sales assistant lodged a police report the following day.

Besides probation and community service, the youth must also observe a curfew.

His parents were required to post a S$5,000 bond to ensure his good behaviour throughout the probation period.

A man in Tampines has taken up a new hobby after retiring: photographing people he sees littering or parking illegally below his Housing and Development Board (HDB) block and submitting the evidence to the authorities.

Spends whole day looking out of his window

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, 68-year-old Tan Qiangsheng (transliterated) said he began documenting such offences after frequently noticing illegal parking and littering in the area.

"I would spend the whole day looking out of my window at home to observe," he said. "Whenever I see something illegal happening, I would take a picture with my camera and submit it to the authorities."

Besides taking photographs and videos, Tan also keeps written records of his observations.

Once a month, he travels for over an hour to the National Environment Agency (NEA) to submit the evidence he has collected.

According to Tan, he initially reported between 40 and 50 littering cases each month.

As the situation improved, that number fell to about 20 to 30 cases monthly.

Residents' reactions

Some residents have since received fines based on the evidence Tan submitted.

One private-hire driver, surnamed Lin, told Shin Min that many residents were unhappy with Tan's actions.

He added that he was issued four fines so far and paid about S$1,000 in total.

"I later learned from a cleaner that Tan was the one who took the pictures and reported me to the authorities," he said.

Lin added that he was once fined S$70 for parking outside a designated parking space, but successfully appealed.

"If I'm parking in a parallel parking lot, I'll move the car forward a little so that drivers behind can get out easily," he said.

When asked if anyone had thanked him for his efforts to keep the neighbourhood clean and report offences, Tan said no.

"Even so, I will continue to do it. As long as I see it, I will report it," he said. "Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility. If you litter, I will catch you."

Spent over S$1,000 on a better camera

According to Shin Min, Tan uses a Nikon long-zoom digital camera to document offences from his flat.

The camera's high-magnification optical zoom allows him to capture clear images of the car park below from his home.

"I used to use a small digital camera, but the pictures weren't clear," he said. "Three or four years ago, I spent more than S$1,000 to upgrade to this current camera."

Tan's wife shared that her husband used to work as a cleaner, and that she fully supports her husband's efforts.

When asked if she was concerned about possible retaliation, she said she was not.

"I believe we are doing the right thing," she said.

Tan added that he has installed two CCTV cameras outside his flat and would call the police if anyone came to harass him.

Confrontation with neighbours

However, his actions have also led to confrontations with neighbours.

Lin told Shin Min he argued with Tan about three weeks ago after encountering him in a lift.

"I saw him in the lift that day and I felt very angry," he said.

Lin claimed the pair exchanged insults and that he pretended to kick Tan without making any contact.

He alleged that Tan then kicked him and threatened to call the police.

Tan disputed this, saying Lin had kicked him instead.

He said he later lodged a police report over the incident.

Another resident, surnamed Zheng, said he was issued a ticket after washing his car while visiting his parents in September 2025.

A few days later, he received a notice after someone allegedly filmed him pouring water into a drain.

"The photos are very clear," he said. "If there were cameras pointed at you every day, would you be comfortable living like that?"

Another resident said he had seen people being photographed on several occasions.

"As long as we park our cars downstairs, there are cameras pointed at us," he said, adding that a friend was fined after being photographed throwing a cigarette butt outside his car.

A video of a teenager standing in the middle of a road appearing disoriented has been circulating online, with the person who filmed it alleging that the youth had been using a Kpod.

The video was posted on Instagram page sgfollowsall on Jul. 9 by an anonymous follower, who said the incident occurred at about 8:53am the previous morning (Jul. 8).

The video

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In the footage, the teen, dressed in an oversized black T-shirt, shorts and slides, can be seen standing and swaying in the middle of a pedestrian crossing, hunched forward with his head down and appearing to hold his phone in his hands.

He takes an unsteady step to the side before coming to a halt, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. A sign warning of traffic can be seen behind him.

The location of the incident is unclear.

Poster said teen had fallen

According to the follower who submitted the video, the teen had been on the ground before the recording started.

"He was on the floor fallen down phone and vape nearby. He was sitting down trying not to fall," the user wrote.

They added that the video only showed the teen after he had stood up, "shaking a lot and standing still in the middle of the road while he was trying to recover and walk off".

The poster said many passers-by looked at the teen as it was "prime rush hour", but nobody knew what to do or had to rush off to work, and could not stay to call the police.

The user stated that they personally could not help the teen as he was "twice [their] size", and they too had to rush to work.

Commenters asked why poster didn't call police

Several commenters questioned the poster's decision to film the incident rather than seek help for the teen.

Other commenters observed that the teen did not appear to realise he was standing in the middle of the road.

Kpods are vapes laced with etomidate, an anaesthetic agent.

Vaping is prohibited in Singapore.

From May 1, 2026, etomidate and its analogues are listed as specified psychoactive substances (SPS), and those caught using vapes containing such substances face a fine of up to S$20,000, up to 10 years' jail, or both, according to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

The purchase, possession and use of a vape carries a fine of up to S$10,000.

Mothership has reached out to HSA for comment.