The former OG Orchard Point building, which was briefly Taste Orchard by Hao Mart, will be transformed into a retail and co-working space after JustCo announced its takeover as the master tenant of the building.

F&B, lifestyle and co-living apartments

In a Jul. 9 press release, global co-working brand JustCo announced its tenancy of Orchard Point, describing it as part of its "expansion strategy".

The building will be renamed "JustCo Place".

Opening in September 2026, the third and fourth levels of the building will become a JustCo-branded co-working centre.

The remaining space, from the basement to the second level, will be a "curated mix of food & beverage, lifestyle, wellness and healthcare for connection of tenants".

Co-living and retail experiences expected to begin in January 2027.

The fifth floor will serve as a rooftop terrace for the co-working space.

Accounting firm Deloitte Singapore will be the anchor customer of the space, JustCo added.

Additionally, JustCo will take over management of the serviced apartment tower above the building.

The existing serviced apartments will be transformed into "123 premium coliving apartments".

These will range from studio units to three-bedroom apartments, accommodating up to 475 guests.

Discussion with prospective tenants ongoing

According to The Business Times, JustCo is currently in negotiations with prospective tenants for 87,000 square feet of retail space across the basement to second level of the building.

BT also wrote that JustCo had been in discussions with OG since the previous master tenant, Hao Mart, vacated last year.

OG had invested tens of millions to retrofit the building, BT reported, citing JustCo CEO Kong Wan Sing.

JustCo itself has also invested millions to refurbish the building's retail and co-working spaces.

Department store to food mall

OG bought Orchard Point in 2001 and operated its department store there from 2004 to 2022.

Hao Mart took over as master tenant on a 7.5-year lease agreement in 2024, operating the building as Taste Orchard with a food-focused mall concept.

It closed less than two years later in December 2025, after OG terminated the lease.

Local actress Ya Hui has opened up about how she used to feel embarrassed by her parents' age when she was younger, admitting that she would even ask her mother to wait outside her school instead of going in to pick her up.

Felt "paiseh"

In an Instagram post on Jul. 7, the 39-year-old shared that she had celebrated Parents' Day with her parents last month.

In her caption, Ya Hui recalled that her classmates would often mistake her mother for her grandmother whenever she went to pick her up from school.

"When I was younger, my friends would tease me every time my mum came to pick me up from school, saying, 'Your grandma is here!'," she wrote.

Looking back, the actress admitted that she was young and naive then, and often felt "paiseh" because her parents were older than those of her classmates.

She said she even asked her mother to wait outside the school instead of going in to fetch her.

Today, people still occasionally mistake her mother for her grandmother.

But unlike before, Ya Hui said she now corrects them proudly:

"I'll say it loudly: 'That's my mum!'"

She added that she would sometimes joke: "She's so pretty, you can't tell we're mother and daughter?"

Ya Hui also thanked her parents for giving her "the best genes".

"I definitely hit the genetic jackpot," she quipped.

The actress also shared that she discovered something new about her mum during their celebration.

"Turns out my mum is such a drinker! I only just found out!" she said. "I told her not to drink, but she kept going, one glass after another!"

"It's our turn to love them"

In her post, Ya Hui shared a series of photos and videos from the family meal, and ended her caption with a heartfelt reminder for everyone to cherish time with their parents.

"Bring your parents out more often and make memories whenever you can. As they grow older, they slowly become like kids again. It’s our turn to love them, care for them and be there for them just like they did for us ❤️"

Several of Ya Hui's celebrity friends also chimed in in the comments section, praising the family's good looks.

Hostel fees at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have increased for the 2026/27 academic year.

Singapore Management University has also increased its hostel fees for the 2027/28 academic year.

NUS

Checks by Mothership showed that multiple hostel fees at NUS have risen in the 2026/27 academic year.

According to its website, a non-air-conditioned single room at Eusoff Hall, King Edward VII Hall, and Temasek Hall currently costs S$165 per week, a S$14 increase from the previous academic year's S$151 per week.

An air-conditioned twin-sharing apartment at UTown Residence costs S$275.50 per person per week, a S$20.50 increase from the previous academic year’s S$255 per week.

A non-air-conditioned six-bedroom apartment at Tembusu College, College of Alice & Peter Tan, Cinnamon Wing and Acacia College costs S$193 per week, a S$14 increase from the previous academic year’s S$179 per week.

NTU

Several hostel fees at NTU have risen for the 2026/27 academic year.

According to its website, an air-conditioned single room at Hall of Residence 5 currently costs S$657 per month, a S$49 increase from the previous academic year’s S$608 per month.

A non-air-conditioned double en-suite room at Hall of Residence 2 currently costs S$412 per month, a S$31 increase from the previous academic year’s S$381 per month.

SMU

SMU is also increasing hostel fees for the upcoming 2027/2028 academic year, as seen on its website.

A small single room at the hostel, located at Prinsep Street, will cost S$917 per month in the upcoming academic year, a S$44 increase from the current cost of S$873 per month.

A large single room will cost S$1,019 per month in the upcoming academic year, a S$49 increase from the current cost of S$970 per month.

A twin room will cost S$748 per month in the upcoming academic year, a S$29 increase from the current cost of S$719 per month.

Mothership has reached out to the universities for comment.

Four boys under 14 years old, who were seen abusing a mother dog and her puppies to death in Jieyang, Guangdong, China, have been sent to specialised education facilities.

According to Global Times, local authorities confirmed the case in a statement on Jun. 30.

Investigations were launched after videos of the boys violently abusing the dogs circulated on social media.

The boys were believed to have also filmed the acts themselves, including beating the stray dogs with sticks and setting the mother dog on fire.

In one video, the mother dog could be heard yelping in pain as three boys simultaneously hit her with a long stick.

The dogs reportedly passed away from the abuse.

Strengthening education for minors

The statement said local education authorities have ordered schools to strengthen education for the minors, Global Times reported.

Meanwhile, the parents or guardians of those involved have been urged to "fulfil their supervisory responsibilities".

The authorities also called on the public to stop spreading information related to the case as it involved minors, and urged them to refrain from cyberbullying.

Public outrage

The videos have sparked public outrage, with attention drawn to China's lack of animal cruelty laws.

According to CNA, China do not have a dedicated national law against animal cruelty.

This is despite growing calls from the public for proper legislation to protect animals.

Analysts told CNA that the legislative impasse has more to do with "competing economic interests and bureaucratic caution" than public sentiment.

A driver on ride-sharing platform Gojek has been suspended after he was filmed repeatedly asking a female passenger inappropriate questions during the ride.

At one point, he also suggested engaging in a "threesome" with her.

1am ride

The incident occurred on Jul. 9 at about 1am, the passenger told Mothership.

She said she began filming the exchange after the conversation had gone on for 10 minutes as she "felt something was wrong".

The driver had also purportedly driven unusually slowly, she alleged.

According to a clip posted on Instagram, the driver could be heard asking the woman a series of personal questions, including: "Are you a virgin?"

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A post shared by huatyousay (@huatyousay)

He also made explicit suggestive and sexual remarks.

"Every time I go travel ah, one country one country I take girl eh," he said at one point.

He then suggested "doing threesome" with the woman and her partner, while claiming that "this is joking ah".

Driver has daughter the same age

Reflecting on the incident the next day, the woman said she had filed a complaint with Gojek.

She added that the driver had asked how old she was before stating that he had a daughter of the same age.

"You actually wanna have sex with someone who is your daughter's age?", the woman asked rhetorically.

"You are technically at work... that is a violation of workplace ethics."

She added that she went along with the conversation out of fear of her own safety.

"And I think that this is what a lot of women experience... we're just so afraid, like of what this man is gonna do," she said.

Gojek responds

In response to Mothership's queries, Gojek said it is aware of the video and is investigating the matter.

The driver has also been suspended from the platform in the meantime and appropriate actions will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation, it added.

"We take allegations of inappropriate conduct seriously.

We are committed to providing safe and comfortable rides for everyone on our platform."

From Jul. 18 to Aug. 29, 2026, DBS and POSB credit or debit card users will be able to enjoy up to S$6 off eggs and rice every Saturday when they pay with the bank's credit or debit cards at Sheng Siong or Giant supermarkets islandwide.

This is the first phase of DBS' S$10 million support measures, announced in April, to help ease cost pressures, the bank said in a Jul. 10 news release.

S$3 off rice and eggs on Saturdays

Each Saturday during the offer period, customers at Giant and Sheng Siong supermarkets can redeem S$3 off eggs and S$3 off rice when they pay with a DBS or POSB credit or debit card.

According to the DBS website, there is no minimum spend required.

Redemption is capped at one redemption per item per customer, per day.

The offer applies only to the following brands of eggs and rice at the two supermarkets.

At Giant:

• Eggs: Giant Farm Fresh Eggs (30s) (S$6.65)

  Rice: Giant Jasmine Fragrant Rice (5kg) (S$9)

At Sheng Siong:

• Eggs: Egg For You Fresh Eggs (30s) (S$6.65)

  Rice: Happy Family Fragrant Jasmine Rice (5kg) (S$10.50)

The promotion is not valid with other promotions, discounts, vouchers or CDC vouchers.

The promotion will be while stocks last.

Giant will restock on a weekly basis, while Sheng Siong will restock monthly.

"This year, we’ve expanded the offer to cover both Sheng Siong and Giant supermarkets, while increasing redemption quantities by more than threefold, so more can enjoy these savings,” said Calvin Ong, DBS Singapore head of consumer banking group.

Details on the campaign can be found here.

From September 2026 onwards, DBS will be offering S$3 cashback on PayLah!. More details to come, the bank said.

The bank introduced the cashback programme at selected hawker stalls and heartland shops in 2025.

A lawyer in Singapore has been struck off the rolls on Jul. 9, 2026, for lying to the police after a drink-driving accident in 2024.

At the time of the accident, Steven John Lam Kuet Keng gave two false statements to the police and claimed that someone else was at the wheel.

On Nov. 7, 2025, Lam was sentenced to eight weeks' jail and a fine of S$18,000. He was also disqualified from driving for six years.

The 56-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of giving false information to a public servant, one count of drink driving and one count of careless driving.

Disciplinary proceedings

According to The Straits Times, after Lam's conviction, the Law Society of Singapore started disciplinary proceedings against him, as was required under the Legal Profession Act for cases involving dishonesty.

The Court of Three Judges, the legal profession's highest disciplinary body that has the power to suspend or disbar, heard Lam's case on Jul. 9.

The court comprised Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Justice Ang Cheng Hock and Justice Hri Kumar Nair.

The Law Society, represented by William Ong, submitted that striking off, a presumptive penalty, should apply to protect the public and uphold confidence in the legal profession's integrity.

Ong said the society recognised Lam’s long record of public service, but it was of little relevance in this case.

ST reported that Lam's lawyer, senior counsel Chelva Rajah, said Lam was remorseful and had made a grave error of judgment.

Rajah also urged the court to consider Lam's volunteer work, including his running of legal clinics.

No grounds for departing from presumptive striking off

The court said there were no grounds for departing from the presumptive penalty and ordered Lam to be struck off the rolls.

The judges acknowledged that Lam did not try to avoid the consequences of his error and that he had apologised for diminishing the profession's reputation, reported ST.

The judges also noted Lam's public service contribution record and said these would be kept in mind in the future if he applied to be reinstated as a lawyer, subject to meeting other considerations.

Lam was called to the Singapore Bar in 1996, but does not currently hold a practising certificate, reported ST.

He was appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 2023 and was a co-founder and director of Templars Law at the time of his offences.

In December 2025, his appointment was in the process of being revoked.

Crashed into guard railings

In the early hours of Apr. 7, 2024, Lam lost control of his vehicle along Bukit Panjang Road after a drinking session at a friend's place.

He admitted consuming about four or five cans of beer before driving home.

Mothership previously reported that he lost control of his car, mounted the right curb of the road divider and crashed into nine sections of the central guard railings.

He tried to leave the scene by flagging down a taxi, but was physically restrained by witnesses.

He proceeded to lie that an unknown friend was the driver to the traffic police twice, once at the scene of the accident and at the traffic police headquarters.

The proportion of alcohol in his breath was 61mcg of alcohol in every 100ml of breath.

This exceeded the prescribed limit of 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

He was previously convicted of drink driving in 2006 as well.

A 40-year-old Indonesian man was sentenced to life imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane after attempting to smuggle more than 1kg of methamphetamine in women’s underwear he wore in Malaysia.

The man, identified as Amriadi, was sentenced on Jul. 9, New Straits Times reported.

Smuggle

The incident occurred on Oct. 11, 2024, at about 9:45am, at the Tawau Ferry Terminal.

Amriadi, who was a father of one and worked as a farmer in South Sulawesi in Indonesia, was detained at the passenger inspection area before he could board a ferry.

He was headed from the Tawau Ferry Terminal to the Nunukan Port in Indonesia.

A body search revealed he was wearing a black corset, with five packs of drugs hidden inside a pair of women's underwear he had on.

Another portion of the drugs was concealed in the soles of his shoes.

1,078.9g of methamphetamine was found on Amriadi.

Defiance

In mitigation, Amriadi’s lawyer noted he was a first-time offender who was remorseful.

Amriadi pleaded for leniency.

The prosecution argued that the weight of the seized drugs remained the primary factor to be considered in sentencing.

She further argued that a heavy deterrent sentence was warranted as public interest outweighed the personal interest of the accused.

In his verdict, the judge said Amriadi was caught while attempting to leave Malaysia.

He said Amriadi demonstrated defiance of Malaysia laws, despite knowing the risks of undergoing security checks at the Tawau Ferry Terminal.

In Malaysia, drug traffickers are liable to the death penalty or life imprisonment and a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane.

A paddleboarder died following a lightning strike at the Pasir Ris beach area on Jul. 5 at about 4:46pm.

In response to queries from Mothership, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said the lightning strike was detected when the main thunderstorm cloud was still a few kilometres away.

A total of 1,569 lightning strikes were observed that day, MSS added.

Thunderstorms developed near Yishun

According to MSS, thunderstorms that day began developing in the north of Singapore near the Yishun area at about 3:20pm and moved north-westwards.

Forecasts for thundery showers were issued for many locations in the west, central and north of Singapore, said MSS, which is under the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Subsequently, at around 4:30pm, thunderstorms developed around Punggol and moved westward away from Pasir Ris.

These further developed and intensified rapidly into a large cell which extended over the Straits of Johor, MSS said.

Several lightning strikes in north of Singapore

Based on NEA's lightning detection system, several lightning strikes were observed over the north of Singapore and the Straits of Johor, MSS said.

The data showed that only one lightning strike was detected at the Pasir Ris beach area at about 4:46pm, when the main thunderstorm cloud was still a few kilometres away.

At about 4:50pm, the police responded to a call where a man was apparently struck by lightning while paddleboarding at Pasir Ris Beach.

Mikhail Benyamin, a 24-year-old freelance sea sports instructor, was brought to Sengkang General Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Lightning can strike a distance away from the main thunderstorm cloud even when there are no showers, MSS explained.

Lightning alert

NEA provides a lightning information service through the myENV app and the weather information website.

By default, alerts will be triggered if cloud-to-ground lightning is detected and/or forecasts of thundery showers are issued within a 6km radius of the location for the next two hours, MSS said.

Following the initial alerts, notifications will also be sent when no lightning activity has been observed over the watch area for the past 30 minutes, or when thundery showers are no longer expected.

For the afternoon of Jul. 5, the forecast of thundery showers for the Pasir Ris town centre was issued at about 4:30pm and cloud-to-ground lightning was detected subsequently.

Depending on the settings selected in myENV, MSS said users would have received alerts for these events shortly after.

Singapore has high incidence of lightnings

Singapore has a high incidence of lightning, with an average of 176 lightning days per year, MSS said.

Data collected over the last 10 years showed that between 6,400 and 39,600 lightning strikes were detected over these areas in July, while the annual number of lightning strikes ranged from approximately 216,000 to 380,000.

"Our records do not indicate any discernible trend in lightning occurrences over the years," MSS said.

What is lightning?

"Lightning is a large electrical discharge produced by a thunderstorm cloud, whether over land, coastal, or sea areas," MSS said.

Locations in open spaces like fields, beaches, and parks are generally more at risk of lightning strikes due to the exposure and absence of lightning protection.

Tall structures may also be more susceptible to strikes as they provide a shorter path for charges to reach the ground, MSS said.

Here are some precautions to protect yourself:

A man in Taiwan has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home in the middle of the night and repeatedly stabbing her new partner with a knife.

All of this happened while a young child slept in the same room.

The Taichung District Court found the defendant, surnamed Zheng, guilty of attempted murder, according to 8world.

What happened

The incident took place in the early hours of Jul. 13, 2022, at a residential property in Taichung, according to Taiwanese outlet ETtoday.

Reports mentioned that Zheng had called the victim earlier that night, demanding he spoke to him.

Zheng then broke into the home in the early hours of the morning and entered the room where the victim and a young child were asleep.

The victim told the court he was woken by sharp pain, only to find Zheng attacking him repeatedly with a machete.

He tried to fend off the blows with his bare hands, but sustained multiple stab wounds to his chest and limbs.

At one point, he could not breathe due to the severity of a chest injury.

Zheng continued the attack until the victim called out for help and alerted the police, at which point Zheng fled.

The victim was hospitalised with an open wound approximately 16cm long on his right chest, along with fractures, severed tendons and ruptured nerves.

Zheng fled, evaded police for years

After the attack, Zheng evaded authorities for several years before being arrested following a warrant, according to 8world.

Defendant denied intent to kill

During the trial, Zheng denied intending to kill the victim.

He claimed he had lost control after being provoked verbally, and that he had grabbed the machete from a friend's car on impulse, insisting he had not meant to cause death.

Court rejected his defence

The judge rejected Zheng's account, making a finding that carrying a machete, breaking into a home in the early hours of the morning, and launching an attack on an unguarded victim, demonstrated clear intent to kill.

According to 8world, photographs of the injuries showed wounds on the victim's chest and limbs so deep that his bone was visible.

The judge also noted that a young child had been present in the room during the attack, putting the child's safety at risk as well.

Zheng was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted murder.

The case may still be appealed.