Two male Chinese nationals, aged 43 and 50, were arrested for their suspected involvement in a case of housebreaking and theft.

On Apr. 2, at about 12:30am, the police were alerted to a case of housebreaking and theft along Tai Gin Road in Balestier, where a temple was broken into.

Cash amounting to between S$300 and S$400 was allegedly stolen from the donation boxes.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the pair had apparently entered the premises and used a card affixed with adhesive tape to remove cash from the temple’s donation boxes.

Through follow-up investigations and the aid of surveillance footage, officers from Tanglin Police Division established the men’s identities.

Both men purportedly left Singapore on the same day as the offence.

On Aug. 16, they returned to Singapore and were arrested.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the two men allegedly used the stolen cash.

Both men will be charged on Aug. 18 with the offence of housebreaking and theft with common intention.

Offenders are liable to a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine.

The police advised property owners to secure all doors, roller shutters, windows and other openings with good quality grilles and padlocks when leaving the premises unattended, even for a short while.

They should also refrain from keeping large sums of cash and valuables on the premises, and install a burglar alarm, motion sensor lights and/ or CCTVs, to cover the access points, while ensuring that they are tested periodically and are in good working condition.

A shooting at a high school in the southern Philippines has left two people dead, including the suspected shooter.

Officials say the situation has since been brought under control.

It happened on Aug. 18 at a high school under the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, in the southern city of Zamboanga, CNA reported.

Both of the dead were students

Speaking to DZMM radio, Zamboanga mayor Khymer Adan Olaso said both casualties were students, and that one of them was the gunman.

He said a "high-powered firearm" had been used.

Reporters at the scene said the suspect was a student, and that the shooting happened in a classroom.

University says there is no longer an active shooter

Ernald Andal, who heads the university, said the shooting had ended and that nobody else had been killed or reported hurt.

He said: "As of now, we confirm that there are two fatalities. There are no more active shooters."

Andal said the university was in touch with the authorities and would share more once it had further information.

He said: "We do not want any of these things to happen. We wish to prioritise the safety of all our students."

Police were still working to secure the campus, according to regional police spokesperson Major Shellamie Chang, who said she had no further details to give at that point.

A woman, 42, a Chinese national, was sentenced to three months’ jail after repeatedly punching her colleague, a Singaporean woman, 60, in the face.

The victim suffered a nasal fracture.

Wang Lina pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt and was sentenced on Aug. 17.

She was also ordered to pay approximately S$2,175 in compensation to the victim.

Beautician

In court documents seen by Mothership, Wang worked as a beautician at the True Harmony beauty salon located at City Link Mall at the time of the offence.

The victim was Wang’s colleague who worked as a receptionist.

On Feb. 11, 2026, at about 2:30pm, both women were on duty, and their supervisor was absent.

The victim temporarily oversaw store operations, including managing appointments and assigning beauticians to customers.

Massage oil

At the time of the offence, Wang was serving a customer and gave the customer a free sample of massage oil.

As Wang was still relatively new to her role, the victim approached her and questioned her actions.

After Wang explained that she wanted to promote the massage oil to the customer, the victim agreed and allowed her to carry on.

Shortly after, another customer arrived and requested Wang’s services.

As Wang was still promoting the massage oil, the victim assigned another beautician to attend to the customer.

Wang objected to the work arrangement and argued that the victim should have assisted and taken over the sale of the massage oil so she could serve the other customer.

She claimed the victim made things difficult.

Both women argued on the spot, and Wang reportedly swore at the victim.

The victim confronted the accused and asked her who she was directing the vulgarities at.

The pair continued shouting at each other and moved toward the back of the salon.

The argument then escalated into a physical fight.

Fight

At about 2:39pm, Wang punched the victim's face multiple times.

Another female colleague heard the commotion and went to check.

She saw the victim trying to protect herself with her hands.

She immediately stepped in to separate the two.

The victim's nose began to bleed, and she became unsteady on her feet.

She then alerted the police to the incident.

Nasal bone fracture

The victim subsequently sought medical attention at a hospital that evening.

A computed tomography (CT) scan of her head and face revealed that she had sustained a comminuted nasal bone fracture.

The victim was given five days of medical leave.

She incurred medical expenses amounting to S$2,174.98.

Wang was arrested on Apr. 21.

After being charged on Apr. 22, she was remanded as she was unable to post bail.

Initiated altercation

The prosecution sought three to three-and-a-half months’ jail for Wang.

They argued that Wang initiated the altercation by “directing vulgarities at the victim”.

“Throughout the assault, the victim did not retaliate and was reduced to shielding herself from the accused’s blows. There is no indication that the accused would have ceased the attack of her own accord,” the prosecution said.

Wang’s lawyers argued that the witness “only saw a portion of the altercation and not from the start”.

“The accused claims that she only intended to cause simple hurt in the heat of the moment due to the stress/ provocation but did not intend or foresee causing a fracture (grievous hurt),” they said.

Wang’s lawyers had sought a reduced charge for Wang.

An unaccompanied toddler was spotted running across a road near Punggol Coast Mall on Aug. 15.

No adult in sight

Dashcam footage of the incident, posted on TikTok, shows the toddler running across the road as a car appears to be exiting a carpark.

The driver then stops his car and rushes over to pick the child up.

Speaking to Mothership, the driver said the incident took place at around 6pm.

He said he and his family had been leaving the mall after picking up some takeaway food.

As they exited a small service road from the carpark, his wife suddenly pointed out that a young toddler was walking alone on the main road.

The family was shocked, particularly as there was no adult in sight, he said.

Concerned for the child's safety, the driver immediately stopped his car and went after the toddler.

"My top three concerns at that moment were ensuring the child's safety, protecting my family's safety, and preventing the car behind me from overtaking abruptly," he said.

"I hurried after the toddler, managing to reach him before he stepped onto the main road, and carefully picked him up since there was a blind spot on the right side of the road obscuring our view."

The driver said the toddler, whom he estimated to be under two years old, appeared calm and held onto him tightly.

He added that there were two vehicles behind his car, so he signalled to the driver behind him to stop to ensure that no one was put in danger.

Helped the toddler search for his guardian

The driver then carried the toddler to the nearby bus interchange in an attempt to locate his parents.

After asking around but being unable to find anyone, they continued along the connecting pathway towards the mall, which was about 300m away.

He eventually saw a young man approaching, and the toddler's reaction led the driver to believe that the man was his father.

He approached the man and explained that his child had been found alone and was nearing the main road, which he described as alarming and dangerous.

According to the driver, the father did not appear concerned or remorseful.

Instead, he simply took the toddler from the driver's arms and said that the child had been "running too fast".

The driver said he was disappointed by the man's reaction.

"Instead of expressing gratitude, he merely took his child and walked away without further acknowledgment."

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A 47-year-old woman who allegedly hurt her 13-year-old daughter in a mall at Havelock on Aug. 12 had reportedly kicked and punched the girl over a complaint about her tuition homework.

The woman was later arrested for voluntarily causing hurt to a person below the age of 14, the police confirmed in response to Mothership's queries.

Investigations are ongoing.

Kicked and punched over tuition homework

The police said they received a call for assistance at 2 Havelock Road at about 2:30pm that day.

Checks by Mothership showed the address corresponds to Havelock 2 shopping mall.

According to Shin Min Daily News, employees at a nearby nail salon heard a commotion coming from the tuition centre nearby.

The centre had called the girl's mother to complain about her daughter's homework, they alleged.

When the mother arrived, she began hitting and scolding the girl.

Another mall employee claimed that the mother lost control of her emotions and began punching and kicking her daughter, who crouched on the ground covering her head.

A passerby then called the police, who arrived and arrested the woman.

Separately, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said it conveyed the 13-year-old girl to the National University Hospital.

Another employee at the mall told Mothership that she understood the mother as initially being inside the tuition centre, but dragged the girl outside.

She also claimed to have seen the woman repeatedly hitting her daughter on the head.

She added that there have been repeated issues with the centre's students behaving aggressively outside her shop.

Many spend long hours there, sometimes between 10am and 7pm, she said.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 17-year-old Iffah Nur Syaurah Binte Abdullah.

She was last seen wearing a black jacket and greyish black pants in the vicinity of 42 Surin Avenue on Jul. 30 at about 6:30am, which is the address of Pertapis Centre for Women & Girls.

Anyone with information is requested to call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 13-year-old Kylie Tan Le Tian.

She was last seen wearing a dark blue top and dark blue skirt in the vicinity of 10 Tanjong Rhu Road on Aug. 17 at about 7:30am, which is the address of Dunman High School.

Anyone with information is requested to call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

74-year-old Ya Ni (transliterated) was an ethnically Indian woman, but before she passed away from pneumonia on the week of Aug. 10, she instructed her family to send her off in accordance with Chinese funeral rites.

At the wake, younger generations were dressed in blue and green pants to differentiate their generations and knelt before the altar as per Taoist customs.

Grew up in Chinese village

According to Shin Min Daily News, the Singaporean woman grew up in a predominantly Chinese village.

She was the third child and eldest daughter of seven children.

Three generations of her family spoke Mandarin and Hokkien.

Her father had migrated from India while her mother hailed from Malaya, and the family settled in Sembawang.

Indian rituals preserved

Ya Ni's wake was held at Block 109, Yishun Ring Road, according to Shin Min.

Chinese rituals were adhered to, including the preparation of a spirit house to be burned.

Indian cultural rites were also preserved, such as the placing of a bindi on the deceased's portrait by her son.

According to Ya Ni's sister, who spoke in Hokkien and Mandarin, their family was the only Indian family in the village growing up, and as such had to learn to communicate in Hokkien.

They celebrated both Deepavali and Chinese New Year, even receiving red packets during the latter.

While their father originally spoke in Malayalam, an Indian language, he learnt Hokkien from his wife, who spoke the dialect authentically.

The elder woman similarly had a Chinese-Taoist funeral when she passed in 2003.

When one of Ya Ni's brothers passed away in 1998, the same was prepared for him.

Of the seven siblings and their spouses, two in-laws are ethnically Chinese.

Ya Ni's husband also started speaking in Hokkien after marriage.

According to their children, they spoke in the dialect to their maternal grandmother from a young age, but never learnt their maternal grandfather's native Malayalam.

Ya Ni had reportedly requested one of her brothers, who works in the funeral industry, to prepare her funeral in accordance to Hokkien customs before her death, according to her sister.

The Singapore Police Force approved 92 applications to extend liquor trading hours to 4am (the following day) on all Thursday and Friday nights within the Clarke Quay Conservation Area, Boat Quay Historic District and Upper Circular Road area.

In an Aug. 17 joint press release by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs, this was the result of a one-year pilot of revitalisation measures introduced on Aug. 18, 2025.

Following encouraging results and strong interest from businesses, the government will formalise the measures with effect from Aug. 18, 2026.

In a doorstop on Aug. 17, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Development, Alvin Tan, said, “We think that these measures will help our tourism and nightlife offerings become more attractive. It will support business vibrancy and also create good jobs in the sector.”

“As we know, both Boat Quay and Clarke Quay behind me are prominent waterfront destinations for both locals and tourists alike.”

Revitalisation measures

According to the press release, the Boat Quay Historic District and Clarke Quay Conservation Area, both located within the historic Singapore River precinct, play an important role in Singapore’s lifestyle landscape.

The revitalisation measures in the area are as follows:

1. Allowing new Change of Use applications for new bars, pubs and nightclubs within the Boat Quay Historic District along the Boat Quay Waterfront, Circular Road, Lorong Telok and Canton Street, with approved proposals granted Temporary Permission for up to three years,
2. Extension of liquor trading hours to 4am (the following day) on all Thursday and Friday nights,
3. Resumption of road closures at Circular Road for events and pedestrian-friendly activities.

Results of pilot

Between August 2025 and June 2026, the Urban Redevelopment Authority has approved 37 applications for new nightlife uses in the Boat Quay Historic District where new applications can be considered.

The press release noted that the law-and-order situation in the precinct has remained stable throughout the pilot with support from local stakeholders in stepping up security patrols.

Businesses may continue to apply for the relevant approvals, such as Change of Use applications and extended liquor trading hours after the formalisation of revitalisation measures.

"The Government will continue to work with local stakeholders to facilitate nightlife vibrancy in the Boat Quay Historic District and neighbouring areas," added the press release.

"The respective agencies will continue to work with local stakeholders on security measures to ensure law and order as well as responsible management of the nightlife spaces and public areas at these locations."

UPDATE on Aug. 17, 5:25pm: The article has been updated with SPF's statement.

A boy allegedly placed an "Out of Order" sign on a vending machine at E!Hub at Downtown East, potentially affecting sales from the machine, said the business's owner.

CCTV footage

In an Instagram post on Aug. 16, Press On Me (POM), a business selling press-on nails, lashes and jewellery, shared CCTV footage of the incident.

In the video, a boy wearing glasses can be seen approaching the vending machine while holding a piece of paper.

He then appears to paste the paper onto the machine’s LCD screen at the side.

Speaking to Mothership, POM said the incident took place at around 9pm on Aug. 8.

According to the business, another person was with the boy at the time.

The pair approached the vending machine together, with the boy placing what appeared to be a pre-printed "Out of Order" sign on the machine’s screen, POM said.

"We do not know the boy or the other person with him, and we still do not know why they did this."

The business added that the machine was functioning normally at the time and that no one had been authorised to put up the sign.

Sign discovered about three days later

POM said it discovered the sign on Aug. 11, about three days after it was placed on the machine.

The team happened to be in the area and decided to check on the machine, it said.

"We usually replenish [the stock] about once every two weeks, so otherwise the sign could have remained there much longer," POM said.

The business said it subsequently informed the management of Downtown East, which reviewed the mall’s CCTV footage and confirmed the incident.

POM said it was concerned that the sign may have affected sales, particularly as the incident occurred over the National Day long weekend.

"It happened over the National Day long weekend, so there would have been an impact on sales opportunities, although we cannot accurately determine how many customers saw the sign and walked away."

Despite this, POM said its bigger concern was that the incident appeared deliberate and could potentially happen again or escalate into damage to the machine.

POM added that it has since lodged a police report.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirm that a report was lodged and are looking into the matter.

Impact on small businesses

POM said the incident also highlighted the potential impact of what may appear to be a "harmless prank" on small businesses.

"With the current market conditions, businesses are already facing a challenging environment and everyone is working hard just to sustain sales," it said. "For an unmanned vending business, simply putting up an ‘Out of Order’ sign can quietly stop customers from purchasing for days without the owner even knowing."

It added that it was fortunate that the team checked the machine on Aug. 11, as it could otherwise have taken much longer to discover the sign.

POM said it hoped sharing the incident would raise awareness about the consequences of such acts.

"Every sale matters to businesses, especially in the current climate, and we hope people can be more considerate and respectful of others’ livelihoods."