China has learnt a lot from Singapore on its journey towards modernisation, and continues to learn from it, said the Chinese Ambassador to Singapore Cao Zhongming on Sep. 24.

He described Singapore as taking the lead in modernisation, which he said is important for many Asian countries looking to become more developed.

As for China, he explained that China is not copying from Singapore, but rather emulating and learning from Singapore's useful experiences.

Bilateral cooperation

Cao was speaking at the Singapore-China bilateral relations session, held on the first day of the FutureChina Global Forum 2026 in Singapore.

He was responding to a question that a student in the audience posed to Zhai Jun, the Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue, who had also spoken at the forum.

As Zhai had highlighted in his speech that China and Singapore differ in their path towards modernisation, the student asked whether it was possible for the two countries to form a cooperation model that can be a reference for other developing countries in Asia.

In reply, Zhai recounted a trip to Singapore in 2010, when he accompanied then-vice president of China Xi Jinping to meet several Singapore leaders including Lee Kuan Yew, Goh Chok Tong, and Lee Hsien Loong.

He found that the leaders of both sides shared similarities in their views on governance, and had deep exchanges on the subject.

This demonstrated that the two countries have a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation, which can offer a basis for them to build a unique approach to it, Zhai said.

Similar development goals

Zhai then invited Cao to share his thoughts on the question, saying that Cao would have a deeper understanding about China—Singapore bilateral ties.

Cao began by saying that the two countries differ in terms of size and development stage, but have many similarities as well.

He pointed out that Singapore started its pursuit of modernisation earlier than China, which only started from 1978 with its reform and opening-up policy.

After that, China and Singapore worked together closely, and China has learnt a lot from Singapore, Cao said.

He laid out three features and goals that the two countries share regarding modernisation.

Both countries aim to achieve common prosperity for all, he said. They will not let their people end up on the streets, and will combat wealth polarisation.

Both also seek to strike a balance between their people's connection to the material and to nature.

Cao highlighted Singapore as an exemplar .in this area as a "city in a garden", and added China has followed by pursuing green development, including by tackling their air pollution.

Finally, the two countries strive for a peaceful path towards development.

He named a few projects between Singapore and China — such as the Suzhou Industrial Park and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City — and said they have made a lot of success in cooperation, and have provided useful experiences for other countries to refer to.

More to learn from

Looking ahead, Cao believes both countries can do more to learn from each other in tackling today's challenges in modernisation.

He pointed out the changes in the global landscape that have brought to the fore issues such as an ageing population and climate change.

The two countries now have to focus more on enhancing the quality of their development, moving beyond economic gains to areas such as air quality, Cao said.

He added that Singapore has had great success in social governance and economic development, while China has worked towards development as a large country with a complex national situation. Both countries thus have experiences that can offer other countries an approach or model for their own development.

In this area, he also finds much potential for the two countries to cooperate.

A 62-year-old woman will be charged on Sep. 25 for participating in a public assembly without a permit on six occasions.

She had prior convictions of similar offences in 2001, 2005, and 2007.

In July 2020, she was issued a 12-month conditional warning for participating in a public assembly without a permit.

On Oct. 12, 2024, she allegedly took part in a public assembly without a permit at Merlion Park.

This was followed by five other alleged infractions of a similar nature on Jun. 25, Oct. 10, Oct. 25, Nov. 24, 2025, and another on Feb. 14.

Despite the past convictions and conditional warning, the police said the woman remained recalcitrant and continued to participate in public assemblies without a permit.

The woman will be charged with six counts of participating in a public assembly without a permit under the Public Order Act.

Convicted offenders are liable to a fine of up to S$3,000.

The police reminded members of the public that public assemblies in Singapore are regulated under the Public Order Act, and that organising or participating in a public assembly without a police permit constitutes an offence.

The police added that they will not grant permits for assemblies that advocate the political causes of other countries or foreign entities that may stir emotions and lead to public order incidents.

Members of the public are also urged not to engage in activities that may undermine the peace, public order and social harmony in Singapore.

An Indonesian woman was accepted into a master's programme with the Singapore Management University (SMU).

Unlike most prospective students, she took to the internet to look for sponsors.

However, responses were mixed, and she was met with both support and heavy criticism.

On Instagram and Threads, Evelyn Clarissa Siregar, 28, made a post on Sep. 20 2026 to seek funding for her Master in Business Administration (MBA) programme.

View on Threads

 

In the post, she explained how she accepted an offer for SMU's Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme, to begin in January 2027.

She managed to obtain an SMU ASEAN Discount of S$3,000 on the tuition fees.

However, this was still a small fraction of the total amount of S$82,840.

As such, she decided to ask for help.

She admitted that she could not pay back her sponsors in money, but stated that she could offer her "skills and experiences".

She then detailed her past experience in sales and content creation for brands.

Noting that she was in her 20s, without a husband nor kids, she declared, "I have absolutely nothing preventing me from soaring high except for the funding".

"This request for help is not only for sponsors but also for anyone who believes in me," she wrote.

She ended her pitch by calling on others to share her post or to give her advice, and promised to do her best for those that supported her.

Backlash

The post became widely shared, with some netizens expressing their support for Siregar. Others, however, were more caustic.

Her detractors labelled her as entitled, with one user telling her that there were no "free lunches".

Remarks were made about the travel videos that she previously posted on Instagram, questioning if she truly needed the financial aid.

In a criticism on Threads, one user questioned if she had ever "heard of student loans".

Another user suggested working first and saving up some money.

Other commenters were more supportive, lending her words of encouragement.

She also received advice from those who had taken the same programme, with some recommending various scholarship programs for her.

In a follow-up comment to the same post, Siregar gave an update, stating that she was refining her pitch to sponsors and arranging meetings with them.

She added, "Call me entitled if you want, but I’m just a girl knocking on every single door to fight for my dream."

Personal journey

Speaking to Mothership, Siregar shared that she was a pharmacist by training but worked mainly in business-to-business (B2B) sales in the tech sector.

Working as an employee in a small company, she said that paying for such exorbitant fees was a "significant financial consideration".

She had attempted to look for a full-time role that allowed her to complete the MBA programme part-time, but was unsuccessful in her search.

Hence, she began thinking of ways to make the MBA programme work, such as through finding a sponsor.

According to Siregar, she has been continually applying for scholarships as well.

She does not see the sponsorship as a gift, but simple as "another route", and a form of "value exchange".

"...instead of simply asking someone to fund my MBA, I thought, what can I actually offer in return?

That could be through a job opportunity, part-time work where permitted, or other ways I can contribute my skills and commitment.

That’s why I started reaching out to potential employers and sponsors, sharing what I can bring to the table, and seeing if there’s a way we can work together. I’ve also been pitching publicly, which is how this conversation started in the first place."

Clarification

Four days after the first post, Siregar made a second post on Sep. 24 in response to the backlash.

She apologised, saying that she took the time to reflect on what had happened.

She admitted that while she "didn't see asking for sponsorship as something wrong", her execution and defensive replies came across as "too entitled".

She added that she had openly mentioned the amount she was seeking "without considering the current situation or how it might come across to people", and that this was "unacceptable".

"In doing so, I was undermining the journey and struggles that many people have gone through to get where they are today."

View on Threads

 

Last attempt

Taking the opportunity to further explain her pitch, Siregar stated that for quality products to be made, she believes Southeast Asia needs robust research and development (R&D).

Siregar envisions her role as being a potential bridge between researchers, investors, and industries.

She claimed that an MBA would allow her to realise that dream by equipping her with the requisite investing knowledge.

She added that Singapore was the ideal place to do so thanks to its developed economy and science sector, where she is able to "learn from the best".

She also shared that the journey to an MBA had not been easy — she had been rejected from various scholarships and programmes, failing several standardised tests and exams, before finally landing a spot in SMU.

This, Siregar said, was her last attempt at getting the MBA.

Her second post still drew some critique.

Netizens criticised her for not having numbers or figures to justify the pitch and told her that her plan would not make financial sense for a potential sponsor.

However, others praised her bravery and confidence in expressing her goals.

What's next?

Siregar shared with Mothership that her goal was to see Southeast Asian products compete in global markets.

While she acknowledged that she's still "figuring out the exact role" she wants to be in,  she said that she was "less attached to the job title and more attached to the problem I want to work on".

She hopes to learn from Singapore's ecosystem and bring the knowledge to the rest of the region.

Heng Ah Kim, affectionately known as "Uncle Heng" to generations of Raffles Institution (RI) students, has passed away at the age of 85.

His passing was announced in a post on RI's official Facebook page on Sep. 23.

Always there with "a ready smile"

According to the post, Uncle Heng had run the drinks and snacks stall at the school for more than four decades, moving with RI from its former campus at Paterson Road to the Mount Sinai campus in Bishan, and to its current integrated campus.

"His passing is deeply felt by all who knew him, and by the many whose school days were brightened by his presence at Heng’s Cafe," the post read.

In its tribute, RI described Uncle Heng as a familiar and caring presence in the school community who greeted his customers with a "ready smile".

His wife, known as "Auntie Heng", stood by him through the years.

Together, they built a stall that became more than just a place for students to buy drinks and snacks, RI said.

For generations of students, Heng's Cafe was a familiar stop between lessons and before co-curricular activities (CCAs).

"Without fanfare, he became part of the memories we carry from our school days," the post read.

The school said it was grateful for Uncle Heng's "life lived in service to the Raffles community", as well as the warmth he and his wife brought to the canteen.

RI also encouraged members of the school community to visit Heng's Cafe when Auntie Heng returns, saying that a kind word or simply being there could offer her comfort during the difficult period.

The school also invited former students and members of the RI community to share their memories of Uncle Heng or messages of comfort for his family in the comments of its post.

"So long, Uncle Heng. May you rest in peace."

A 66-year-old taxi driver, who had stepped out to help unload his passengers' luggage, died after he got trapped between the taxi's door and door frame when the vehicle moved forward and collided with a lorry.

The deceased was identified as Chi Jingzhong (transliteration).

A coroner's inquiry into his death began on Sep. 24, 2026, with his wife, son, and daughter present at the hearing, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Among those who testified were investigation officers from the Traffic Police (TP) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

The case

According to Shin Min, the incident had taken place at 12:49am on Feb. 24, 2025, in front of The Noble Hotel along Jalan Besar.

According to the TP investigation officer, the police received a report at 12:50am on the day of the accident.

A hotel employee also recalled seeing a taxi stopped in front of the hotel.

After two passengers alighted, the driver had only just taken a step out of the vehicle when the taxi began moving forward.

Its open door then collided with the left rear side of a lorry parked along the roadside.

The hotel employee said the driver's head and upper body became trapped between the taxi door and its door frame as the vehicle continued moving forward.

Investigations later found that the deceased had earlier picked up a couple from Changi Airport.

The husband was seated in the front passenger seat, while his wife was seated in the rear.

Their luggage was placed in the boot and on the rear seat.

As the couple's home was located beside The Noble Hotel, the deceased had stopped the taxi in front of the hotel for them to alight.

After they got out, they suddenly realised that the taxi was still moving forward and had collided with the parked lorry, the male passenger recalled.

He went over to help and found the deceased trapped between the taxi door and its frame.

He then reached into the vehicle and shifted the gear from drive to park, stopping the taxi.

When paramedics arrived, the deceased was still trapped between the door and the door frame.

The impact had pushed the taxi door inwards.

An autopsy found that the main causes of death were traumatic asphyxia and severe facial trauma.

No problems found with the taxi's brake system

The MOM investigating officer said the deceased had been a taxi driver for 12 years and had held a driving licence for 42 years, Shin Min reported.

He said the deceased was a trained and experienced taxi driver, and that it was believed that he forgot to shift the gear into park as he was in a hurry to get out of the taxi and help the passengers with their luggage.

The officer added that the accident was not believed to have been caused by overwork or fatigue, as the deceased had been working for only about an hour when the incident occurred.

The inquiry also heard that the taxi was equipped with an electronic parking brake, which could not be activated unless the vehicle came to a complete stop.

As the front of the taxi had been severely damaged, an operational test could not be conducted.

However, inspections found no issues with the taxi's braking system, steering system, or other related components.

The coroner will deliver his findings at a later date.

People should rely on the Online Safety Commission (OSC) less, and not more over time, Law Minister Edwin Tong said on Sep. 23, 2026.

Speaking at the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act 2025 (OSRAA) partners' appreciation tea event, he said the OSC hopes to lower the number of cases it handles by preventing repeated instances over the long run.

Fewer cases submitted to OSC showed that society "should be able to deal effectively with harmful content" before a victim has to escalate the matter to the authorities, he added.

The OSC has received over 500 reports since Jun. 29, 2026, when operations started, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo revealed on Sep. 22.

It has resolved more than 90 per cent of eligible reports.

Cases reveal pattern

However, Tong cautioned that the OSC should not be judged by how many cases are brought to its attention or how quickly it resolves them.

Looking at the cases collectively could provide information on how to tackle recurring issues and prevent future instances.

"But take it together, they can tell us a story, and that's what I mean by looking at the pattern. The concentration of reports in a particular type of harm is one example of why we need to look across cases," he said.

He also said the 500 cases so far will help OSC deal better with the next 500 cases, and perhaps even "prevent some of the next 500 from even recurring if we go further upstream".

"And perhaps that is ultimately how we should measure success — not by how many people come to the OSC for assistance, but by whether over time fewer people begin to do so," he said.

Work on other categories of harms

Tong also told the media after the event that the Law Ministry will continue to work with the technology platforms and study the cases.

He said: "But our approach is to have a very good, clear framework. Everyone knows what they are supposed to do or can't do under this framework."

This is to sharpen the remedies and to make access to relief more accessible and more effective for victims.

During his speech earlier, he said: "Perhaps maybe a designated email address for a start for people to submit these notices easily. So the moment you need to address a particular platform, find the email address, find the connection, and this is the right channel, and you put your request through."

"And we should approach notices in a practical and, I think most importantly, victim-centric way," he added.

Singapore is currently empowered to address 13 categories of online harms, but is tackling five specific online harms in its initial phase of operations.

Tong added that the ministry will continue to expand to work on the other categories of harms, such as cases of impersonation, in the next phase.

A man in his 50s reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest at nightclub Zouk on Sep. 19 and collapsed.

Fortunately, a Good Samaritan in the crowd stepped forward and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.

What happened

The incident first came to light after one of the man's friends, who goes by the username @90s_clubber_singapore on Instagram, posted about the incident.

According to the friend, the man works in the fitness industry and had suffered a cardiac arrest 26 years ago.

He had experienced symptoms back then, but did not experience any warning signs before this recent collapse, the friend said.

She said the man first partied with them at Simply Retro CHIJMES on the night of Sep. 18, before heading to Zouk.

"One minute, he was dancing calmly to the music. The next minute, he just froze and fell backwards," the friend wrote in her post.

After the man collapsed, a Good Samaritan in the crowd then stepped in and performed CPR on him, the friend said.

An ambulance then took the man to hospital.

The friend said he "flatlined" again in the ambulance but was resuscitated using an automated external defibrillator (AED).

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed it received a call for assistance at 3C River Valley Road, the address for Zouk, at about 2:35am on Sep. 19.

It subsequently conveyed one person to Singapore General Hospital.

The friend said the man had recovered and was under observation in hospital, adding that medical tests showed he did not have any blockage in his arteries.

According to the friend, the doctors said the man's heart had stopped due to an irregular rhythm and will be receiving a defibrillator implant soon.

"You managed to shut down Zouk"

In a video shared on Instagram, a friend had visited the man in the hospital and asked him if he remembered anything about the night.

"I remember Tin Box. I can’t remember Zouk," the man said.

"You can’t remember Zouk? You managed to shut down Zouk. Very few people can say that," the friend joked, adding that they had turned the lights on for him at 3am.

The man said he believed that the immediate CPR performed by the Good Samaritan had helped maintain blood flow and oxygen supply to his brain and other vital organs while his heart had stopped.

The friend subsequently appealed for the Good Samaritan to come forward so that the man could thank him personally.

Good Samaritan is a member of Samaritans of Singapore

In an updated caption, the friend said the person who performed CPR had since contacted him and was revealed to be a member of Samaritans of Singapore.

The user also said the Good Samaritan hadn't initially planned to go to Zouk that night but changed his mind.

It was also the second time the stranger had performed CPR on someone, he added.

"Coincidentally, the name I used on him is most fitting!"

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Club & Grub Singapore (@90s_clubber_singapore)

An inquest in the UK was told by the local coroner that the British man who died during Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 in 2024 had suffered a cardiac arrest due to the "physiological effect" of the severe turbulence experienced by the plane, British media reported.

The conclusion was presented by an assistant coroner during a hearing at Avon Coroners' Court.

Last month, the widow of the man, Linda Kitchen, 74, initiated proceedings at Britain's High Court against Singapore Airlines over the death of her husband.

'Physiological effect' of turbulence precipitated cardiac arrest

SQ321 was flying from London to Singapore on May 20, 2024, when it experienced severe turbulence.

It experienced drastic changes in altitude within 4.6 seconds.

The late British man, Geoff Kitchen, then 73, was travelling to Singapore from London for a six-week holiday in Singapore, Indonesia and Australia with his wife.

He was the sole deceased in the incident.

The inquest was told earlier that Kitchen had a history of coronary artery disease, BBC reported.

He was cleared of health problems during a review in 2023, The Independent wrote.

A statement by a pathologist indicated that prior heart disease could increase the risk of sudden death during incidents of aircraft turbulence, owing to the stress caused by the release of adrenaline.

An assistant coroner, Peter Harrowing, took note of the pathologist's finding, but concluded that it was the "physiological effect" of aircraft turbulence that precipitated Kitchen's cardiac arrest and death.

According to the BBC, Harrowing noted that Kitchen was thrown from his seat and landed on an adjacent passenger during the turbulence.

Kitchen's wife, Linda, initiated the legal proceedings to seek damages in order to access specialist support for her back, BBC wrote.

As a result of the turbulence, Linda sustained spinal fractures and spent 10 days at a hospital in Bangkok, where SQ321 made an emergency landing.

She was eventually airlifted back to Bristol, where she spent another week in the hospital.

A report released by Singapore Airlines on the incident found that the reaction of the plane's pilots at the time was "understandable and appropriate".

It also found that it could not rule out the possibility that a malfunction of the onboard weather radar prevented the crew from detecting the presence of storm clouds along the plane's flight path.

Following the incident, Singapore Airlines' CEO apologised to SQ321's passengers.

A federal judge has ordered U.S. president Donald Trump to lift his White House ban against CNN, MS NOW, and Politico journalists.

District Judge Tim Kelly made the order on Sep. 24, Reuters reported.

Order

The judge issued the order following a lawsuit the three media outlets filed against Trump, challenging the ban issued on Sep. 18.

The outlets alleged that the ban violated their rights to free speech and free press under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.

Kelly ordered the Trump administration to return the outlets’ press passes immediately.

He also ordered officials not to enforce the ban for 14 days.

Kelly rejected the government’s claim that the ban was made because of national security concerns.

"The record lacks factual support for defendants’ contention that the revocation of plaintiffs’ hard ⁠passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds," he ​said.

Kelly added that Trump said the ban stemmed from an "alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity" in the three outlets' reporting.

Ban

On Sep. 18, Trump announced on Truth Social that he was banning “Fake News”, which consisted of the three outlets.

“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow,” he wrote.

Following the White House access ban, the three outlets filed a lawsuit against Trump.

"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference," the three outlets wrote in a joint statement on Sep. 21.

Previous ban

On Feb. 11, 2025, the White House office indefinitely banned the Associated Press.

This followed the outlet’s refusal to refer to the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America” after Trump announced the name change in January 2025.

According to the Associated Press, the outlet will use its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump chose.

“As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognisable to all audiences,” the outlet said.

Singaporean activist Gilbert Goh, 65, will not proceed with any partnership with a Palestinian hospital to avoid any ambiguity regarding the "independence, neutrality, and humanitarian purpose" of his charity.

His Love Aid Singapore (LAS) charity has been distributing food and providing other aid in West Bank, Palestine.

Goh's statement to Mothership on Sep. 24 via his charity came after three ministries in Singapore said on Sep. 22 that LAS does not require the Singapore government's approval for its humanitarian operations in Palestine.

LAS was told it has to register with the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Ministry of Interior (MOI) if it carries out humanitarian operations in the West Bank and Gaza.

Signing a memorandum of understanding

Before the Singapore ministries' joint statement was issued, Goh had met the Office of the Commissioner of Charities (COC) on Sep. 21.

The COC and Goh discussed LAS's intention to sign a memorandum of understanding with Al-Awda Hospital as a partner.

The COC had told Goh that whether LAS proceeded with the agreement was its decision, but stressed the importance of conducting proper due diligence on potential partners.

It added that, according to the Palestinian Authority (PA), Al-Awda was not affiliated with the authority, and that the PA had no role in managing the hospital.

Status of Al-Awda Hospital

Al-Awda Hospital was previously known as the Union of Health Work Committees.

The hospital is operated by the Al-Awda Health and Community Association (AWDA), which is allegedly affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Many countries, including the U.S., Japan, and Canada, have designated PFLP as a terrorist organisation.

However, Al-Awda Hospital has worked with organisations like UNICEF Palestine in receiving aid for people in Gaza and has been featured by the United Nations for its lifesaving work for children.

LAS explained in its statement that it understands that Al-Awda participates in the Gaza Health Cluster in humanitarian coordination meetings with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as well as other partners.

"However, LAS is not in a position to independently verify or comment conclusively on allegations concerning political affiliations," the organisation said.

Singapore Love Polyclinic in Gaza

According to Goh, the Singapore Love Polyclinic was established in Gaza nearly a year ago.

Its facilities have been run by a team selected directly by LAS and operate independently.

LAS said the Palestinian Ministry of Health authorities in Gaza requested that the clinic operate through a partnership arrangement, but LAS did not proceed with it.

LAS was then advised that the clinic should work through a locally registered Palestinian health organisation, and Al-Awda was proposed as one of the established healthcare organisations.

To reopen the clinic, LAS sought to identify an "appropriate and compliant solution".

Given the concerns raised, however, LAS's team in Gaza has decided not to proceed with the proposed partnership with Al-Awda.

The LAS statement added:

We want to avoid any ambiguity regarding the independence, neutrality, and humanitarian purpose of LAS operations. We will therefore explore an alternative arrangement that allows the Singapore Love Polyclinic to reopen under an appropriate, transparent, and compliant structure.

LAS added that it prefers to retain direct leadership and oversight of the clinic as it is "an important medical facility with substantial capacity to serve the local population, and it carries Singapore’s name".