The elderly man who was thrown to the ground for patting a young girl on the head is doing well and in good spirits, according to "Ah Boys to Men" actor Noah Yap.

Yap, who previously said he has known the man for over 20 years, paid the elderly man a visit at the Roxy Square coffee shop on Aug. 16, a day after the incident.

Elderly man in good spirits

Providing an update on the well-being of the elderly man, Yap said that he had a nice chat with the elderly man and his family.

"Uncle is doing well but he still very stubbornly refuses to see a doctor," Yap wrote.

Yap also noted that the elderly man is in good spirits and "still his usual chirpy self".

The actor also said he was heartened to see that many had gone to check on the elderly man.

"I just want to put it out there that violence is never the answer to anything. I hope we can spread a little more kindness to each other," Yap commented.

Yap shared a photo of him and the elderly man, who could be seen holding onto a walking cane.

The actor also shared a dated photo of them, which he said was taken 10 years ago.

Yap previously shared about the incident on his Instagram story, adding that he will be visiting the elderly man, whom he has gotten to know by visiting the stall for over 20 years.

Yap told Mothership that the elderly man owns the wanton noodle stall.

Based on what he knows, Yap said that the elderly man has been working there for over 40 years.

"When I went to see him he seemed very jovial, like normal. He doesn't want to pursue anything further," Yap shared.

The actor said he urged the uncle to visit the doctor and hopes he will do so.

He also hopes that the man who threw the elderly man to the ground "will be brought to justice".

Celebrities and online personalities react

Yap's update on the elderly man drew responses from celebrities and online personalities.

Presenter and actress Jade Seah thanked Yap for this visit, and tagged the Singapore Police Force in her comment.

DJ Glenn Yong also commented on Yap's post, describing what happened as "ridiculous".

Online personality Amy Ang offered to pay for the elderly man's medical bills, to which Yap replied that the man had also refused to accept his money.

The incident was first shared by the man's family member on the social media pages of Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle.

"We are not looking for anyone to harass or confront him. We simply want the truth to be known and for this matter to be addressed appropriately," the family member said.

Actor Romeo Tan reposted the video on his Instagram stories with the caption, "There was absolutely no need to get physical."

An Australian man, 37, and an American man, 50, will be charged in court on Aug. 17 for two separate cases of shop theft at Changi Airport.

Both thefts, involving perfume bottles, were committed at the transit areas of Terminal 1 and 2, the police said in a news release.

First case

The Australian man had allegedly committed the theft at the transit area of Terminal 2 on Nov. 19, 2025.

The police said they were alerted to the case at about 6:45pm after a retail assistant noticed two boxes of perfumes missing from the display shelf.

A review of the CCTV footage showed the man allegedly taking the two boxes of perfumes, valued at about S$430, at 4:50pm before leaving without making payment.

When the Airport police identified him, they found that he had already departed Singapore.

He returned to Changi Airport on Aug. 4 while in transit and was arrested.

Second case

The alleged theft by the American man was committed at the transit area of Terminal 1 on Aug. 5.

Police said they were alerted to the case at about 1:25am after a retail assistant noticed that a box of perfume was missing from the display shelf of their store.

CCTV footage showed that the man allegedly took one box of perfume, valued at S$310, at about 12:40am and left without making payment.

He was located and arrested by airport police officers before he could board his flight.

Further review of the CCTV footage also found that he had stolen another box of perfumes, valued at about S$170, and one bottle of perfume tester, valued at more than S$230, from two other retail stores in the transit area.

In total, the stolen items were worth about S$717.

Both men will be charged in court on Aug. 17 for theft.

If found guilty, they could face up to seven years' jail, a fine, or both.

Former Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Lee Yi Shyan has chimed in on the debate surrounding The Workers' Party (WP) future economy motion, tabled in parliament on Aug. 5.

The motion, WP's first since 2023, was titled "An economy of the future that works for all" and put forth by WP Members of Parliament (MPs) Kenneth Tiong and Jamus Lim.

It outlined arguments advocating a rethink of Singapore's economic model into one designed for the success of local entrepreneurs and SMEs.

'I was taken aback'

Lee, who had been involved in economic policies as a civil servant (Economic Development Board [EDB] and then International Enterprise Singapore [IE Singapore]), and later as a political office holder in MTI, shared his thoughts in a Facebook post on Aug. 16.

Lee wrote that he was "taken aback" by Tiong's call for an "economic engine driven by dynamic local companies" and "healthy domestic demand".

Lee, who was also a former CEO of IE Singapore, also expressed his surprise at Lim's urge for a "pivot toward SMEs as our homegrown economic engine".

"I have worked with entrepreneurs and SMEs as they grew and ventured abroad.

I’ve also seen firsthand how MNCs in Singapore create opportunities for local companies, and help them build capabilities and reach new markets."

"So yes, we want dynamic local companies, and healthy domestic demand. But neither can substitute for foreign investment and global markets," he argued.

Lee, currently the Chair of Business China, continued that with a domestic market of only six million people, the domestic market alone cannot sustain the jobs and living standard Singaporeans aspire for.

'Political opportunism'

Lee then turned towards a "familiar pattern" he saw in the WP's policies.

"Too often, the WP formula seems to be this: when a Government policy is popular, demand more of it; when it is unpopular, oppose it while playing down the consequences of the alternatives it offers."

He highlighted a number of examples to support this argument, including the WP's changes in stance when the PAP tightened its foreign worker policies in 2011, and later when the debate became about population policies.

The same "backtracking" happened during incidents involving the government's BTO building programme and with regards to the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) scheme, he claimed.

Genuine difference in approach to reserves

The only area where the PAP and WP have genuinely diverged is in their views on the government's use of the national reserves—with the WP advocating a greater use of it—Lee added.

"This is not legitimate differences over policy calibration. It is about taking the politically easier position at every turn.

This is not serious policy debate. It is political opportunism."

He concluded that the philosophical difference between both parties "is worth debating further".

"It is easy to take positions that are politically attractive. It is much harder to make choices, confront trade-offs, and be honest about their consequences."

Parliament motion

The motion was met with responses by PAP political office holders, who spoke in favour of an amended version of the motion. They were

• Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Trade and Industry, Low Yen Ling,
• Minister of State for Cultural Community and Youth and Manpower, Dinesh Vasu Dash,
• Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, Jeffrey Siow, and
• Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry), Tan See Leng.

They emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that Singaporean workers are able to succeed, while highlighting the difficulties that entrepreneurs face and the moves the government has made to help them.

Multinational companies (MNCs), far from hindering the success and growth of local SMEs and start-ups, provide good partners and test beds for such small companies to succeed, they added.

An elderly man was thrown to the ground by a man at an East Coast coffee shop after he patted a young girl on the head as he walked past her table.

The younger man is believed to be the girl's father.

According to the elderly man's family, the incident has left him with "severe back pain", adding to his physical difficulties.

Pat on the head

The incident was first shared on Aug. 15 on the Facebook and Instagram pages of Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle.

According to Google Maps, the noodle stall has two outlets, one of which is at Roxy Square.

A family member of the elderly man, supposedly in his 70s, detailed the incident in the social media posts.

They also shared closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident.

According to the CCTV timestamp, the incident appeared to have taken place at around 4:37pm on Aug. 15.

In the video, the elderly man could be seen walking with a limp across the coffee shop, in between tables of patrons.

As he passed by a table with a young girl, the elderly man reached out to pat the girl on her head.

This prompted a woman at the table, presumably the girl's mother, to reach out with her hand in a bid to stop the elderly man from doing so.

Girl's father reacts

A man, wearing a cyan T-shirt, then rushed back to the table to confront the elderly man.

The man, presumably the girl's father, could be seen gesticulating as the elderly man responded.

The video has no audio.

During the course of the altercation, the father grabbed the elderly man by his arm and swung him around, causing the elderly man to fall to the ground.

The elderly man was later helped up by others at the coffee shop.

Man apologised, offered drink

The elderly man's family member wrote in the social media posts that the girl's father apologised after the initial confrontation and offered a drink.

However, the elderly man was now "suffering severe back pain" following the incident.

The family member commented that while the apology is appreciated, "a drink and an apology cannot simply take away the physical pain or injuries he is experiencing."

The family member explained that they are sharing about the incident to "identify the man involved and seek justice for [their] father".

"We are not looking for anyone to harass or confront him. We simply want the truth to be known and for this matter to be addressed appropriately," they added.

In another video shared on Telegram channel sgfollowsall, the girl's father could be seen seated on a chair and speaking with the elderly man.

Online reactions

On Instagram, the post has garnered more than 9,200 reposts and over 33,700 likes at the time of writing.

In a comment on their Instagram post, the family member admitted that their elderly father "probably disturbed their peace".

"Some parents don't like strangers touching their kids and I completely understand that [to be honest] I wouldn't like it either," the family member wrote.

"But pushing an elderly man over something like this?" the family member asked, adding, "There are ways to tell someone to back off without getting physical."

While commenters recognised that the father might understandably be trying to protect his daughter, they took issue with his seemingly disproportionate reaction.

The incident has also drawn reactions from online personalities and celebrities, with some leaving comments on the Instagram post.

Actor Romeo Tan reposted the video on his Instagram stories with the caption, "There was absolutely no need to get physical."

"Ah Boys to Men" actor Noah Yap similarly shared the post on his Instagram story, adding that he will be visiting the elderly man, whom he has gotten to know by visiting the stall for over 20 years.

Yap has since posted about his visit, sharing that the elderly man is doing well but has refused to visit a doctor.

The elderly man's family member shared in an Aug. 16 post that they have yet to identify the couple in the video and noted that they will continue to pursue this matter "until it has been properly investigated and dealt with appropriately under the law".

A 67-year-old man has died in a fire that broke out in the early morning of Aug. 16 at a block in Jurong East.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire at Block 339, Jurong East Avenue 1 at about 3:55am.

Upon arrival, they saw black smoke emitting from the living room of a unit on the third floor.

Firefighters entered the unit forcibly and extinguished the fire, which involved items in the living room, with one water jet.

A person was found unresponsive in the living room and pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.

About 50 residents from the block were evacuated out of precaution.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirmed that the deceased was a 67-year-old man.

Based on preliminary investigations, no foul play is suspected.

Police investigations are ongoing.

One person was conveyed to the hospital after an incident at Jurong West Swimming Complex on Aug. 15.

Responding to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for assistance at around 5:25pm.

The person was conveyed to National University Hospital.

A photo shared by a Mothership reader, purportedly of the incident in question, showed lifeguards gathered beside a pool.

According to the reader, they were performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Responding to Mothership's queries, a Sport Singapore spokesperson confirmed that an incident occurred at the ActiveSG Jurong West Swimming Complex on Aug. 15.

"Our lifeguards and staff promptly attended to the individual, in accordance with our emergency response protocols," the spokesperson said.

"The individual was conscious when subsequently conveyed to the National University Hospital. We understand that the individual is currently under observation," the spokesperson added.

The death toll of the deadly earthquake that struck Flores Island, Indonesia on Aug. 15 has increased to 47, local authorities said.

According to the Jakarta Post, the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency said another 50 people were injured.

Shallow quake

The magnitude-7.7 quake struck off the coast of Flores, an island in eastern Indonesia, at around 5:30am local time yesterday (Aug. 15).

Its epicentre was located off the north coast of Flores, about 68 kilometres northwest of the coastal town of Ende.

Multiple strong aftershocks were felt after the initial tremor, including one at a magnitude of 6.1.

The earthquake recorded a shallow depth of 15km, indicating a higher likelihood of causing more damage given its close proximity to the surface.

It was initially reported that 38 people were dead while two people were seriously injured.

Another 11 suffered minor injuries and thousands were displaced.

Nearly 160 houses, dozens of schools and other public buildings were damaged, according to the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

It added that rescue teams will target buildings where people are reportedly trapped.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam penned words of encouragement for Singapore's national football team ahead of their second leg semi-final match against Thailand in the Asean Championship.

The Lions went down 1-3 to Thailand, who are the top-ranked football team in the region, in the first leg of the Championship semi-finals on Aug. 15.

The match was played at Jalan Besar Stadium.

The Thai team pulled ahead early in the match, with Singapore's Ilhan Fandi curling one into the net in the 84th minute to grant the Lions some respite.

Amidst the roaring crowd of Lions supporters were President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife Jane Ittogi, who were seen singing along to "Home".

Never give up: President Tharman

Following the Aug. 15 match, President Tharman took to Facebook to cheer the Lions on ahead of their next match against the Thais.

"The Lions went down against Thailand tonight, but earned the hearts of the crowd with their fighting spirit," he wrote.

President Tharman, known to be a sports enthusiast, noted that Singapore had equal command of the game, but the Thai's "superior finishing" game them a two goal advantage.

To the Lions, he wrote, "Wish them the best in the second leg of the Asean Championship semi-finals in Bangkok next Tuesday. Never give up!"

Going again in Bangkok

The teams will face off again in the second leg of the semi-finals on Aug. 18 in Bangkok.

The Thais have won the Asean Championship the most times, being seven-time champions.

Singapore follows behind, having lifted the trophy four times.

In a post-match interview, Lions head coach Gavin Lee acknowledged the performance put up by the 12th man in the stands, saying that the fans' unyielding spirit kept the team going despite the scoreline, CNA reported.

The head coach commented that the players will recover from the defeat "as good as they can" and will want to "go and right the wrong" in Bangkok.

A Singaporean man wanted by the Malaysian police for three years over a corruption probe has issued a statement denying he "ran away".

He will continue cooperating with the Malaysian police, he said on Aug. 14.

Wanted for 3 years

Poh Po Lian was described by Malaysian media reports as being "on the run" from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for the past three years.

According to the New Straits Times, he, alongside Malaysian national Jennifer Kok Sau Keng, was being sought to assist in an ongoing investigation.

After supposedly remaining untraceable despite promising to meet investigators 10 months ago, an arrest warrant was issued against the duo on Aug. 4.

Malaysian media reported that both Poh and Kok's last known addresses are at different condominium complexes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Not on the run

Poh issued a statement via a spokesperson on Aug. 14, where he denied running away from the Malaysian police.

"I am very surprised to hear about the arrest warrant and the latest turn of events. I have always cooperated with the Malaysian authorities," he said.

He added that he travelled to Malaysia and cooperated with the MACC at their office in Johor Bahru on Mar. 5, as well as providing a statement.

On Mar. 11, he also attended the probate hearing for the estate of the late Malaysian tycoon Ta Kin Yan at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur, he claimed.

Poh and Ta were co-founders of WazLian Group, a Malaysian hotel conglomerate. Poh was granted probate for Ta's estate after his death in 2024.

"I attended the hearing in person in Kuala Lumpur, as the executor and trustee of his estate."

According to Poh, his solicitors also sent a formal representation to the MACC on Mar. 27 to request that the matter be reviewed and that no further action be taken.

"I have never “run away” and any accusation in this regard is false. As shared, I have continued to cooperate and have travelled to Malaysia when required.

⁠I will continue to cooperate with the authorities in every way possible."

The Democratic Republic of Congo's current outbreak of Ebola is on track to be the deadliest outbreak of the disease ever, said the director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

According to the BBC, Tedros noted that "at its current pace", the outbreak declared on May 15, 2026, would "eclipse" the 2014 to 2016 epidemic that claimed the lives of at least 11,000 people.

A WHO news release on Aug. 14 said the current Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak has seen at least 4665 cases and caused more than 2184 deaths as of Aug. 12.

This equates to a crude case fatality rate of 46.8 per cent.

Outbreak likely began in February

The outbreak was officially declared in May but was believed to have started at least three months before, reported the BBC.

The WHO said it hoped to reverse the spread of the disease within three months but cautioned that this was to bring transmission under control.

In a press conference, WHO Africa director Mohamed Janabi said: "We are chasing the virus, the virus is ahead of us".

He said research showed the virus started spreading in February and was initially misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid.

Bundibugyo 

The 2026 outbreak is caused by a rare Ebola strain, Bundibugyo, which has previously caused two known outbreaks in 2007 and 2012.

There are no approved vaccines or recognised therapeutic drugs that can treat BVD.

The BBC noted that regional instability in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has hindered efforts to control the spread of the disease.

Health workers have only been able to reach around 30 per cent of cases.

Ebola symptoms

BVD's incubation period ranges from two to 21 days; infected individuals are only infectious when symptoms onset.

Early indicators include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat before progressing to gastrointestinal symptoms, organ dysfunction, and, in some cases, bleeding.