Local actress and influencer Chen Yixin has moved to Paris, and is documenting the experience in a new Instagram series.

The 26-year-old is the daughter of actors Edmund Chen and Xiang Yun.

She announced the move in the first instalment of her social media series.

She wrote in the caption: "26, and somehow it feels like I'm only just starting. I’ve wanted this for a long time. Not to become someone new, but to find out what happens when I give myself a little more room to be me."

"It's my hundredth time taking this"

In the video, filmed sitting on her bed, Chen opened by admitting how long it had taken her to record.

She said: "It's my hundredth time taking this. I don't know why, there's no one in the room, and yet, I think I'm always just afraid of saying the wrong things."

She said she had held back from talking to the camera because so much of her personal life is already discussed.

She said: "For the longest time, I kept most of myself to myself. I didn't want to give any more ammunition to be picked apart."

Chen said she used to want to be accepted, and to give no one a reason to talk about her. She has since realised that was “never going to happen”.

She said: "They're just going to be saying what they want to be saying."

She added that she has never claimed to be perfect, pointing to her tattoos as an example. People see them as marring her skin, she said, but she is happy with them. She wondered whether part of her was acting out due to the pressure she puts on herself.

Growing up online

Chen reflected on having her adolescence documented publicly.

She said: "There's digital footprints of me growing up, which is really not the most ideal for a young girl. Of course it's not as big as it seemed in retrospect. A lot of the things were very magnified because I was still really young. I'm still very, very sensitive to unnecessary noises. So that affected me a lot."

She said she had grown disconnected from her own content, with things she wanted to share but did not dare to.

She also wrote a letter for the video but decided to “go rogue” instead because she wants to build a community that knows and loves her for who she is.

She added that she had written many songs about her life that she had never dared to share, and was trying to build the confidence to do so.

"Now here I am, the one choosing to put my life on the internet, which is very ironic,” Chen said.

Why she moved

On why she moved, Chen said she wanted to find out what her life could look like somewhere new.

She said:

"I have to trust the process and I have to grow. If it's not now then when. Even saying this statement myself, I know I'm very lucky to even be saying it."

She added: "I just have no friends here, so why not have you guys as my friends? I'll be chatting a lot more with you guys, so stay tuned."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chen Yixin 陈一心 🧿 (@chxnyixin)

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in central Singapore crossed into the unhealthy range at 11pm last night (Sep. 9) and has climbed steadily since.

According to the National Environment Agency's (NEA) website, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for central Singapore hit 106 as of 9am on Sep. 10.

Overnight readings

The 24-hour PSI readings in other parts of Singapore, including the north (75), south (78), east (83) and west (86), remained in the moderate range as of 9am on Sep. 10.

As such, the overall PSI in Singapore was in the moderate to unhealthy range, from 75 to 106 at 9am.

The 24-hour PSI reflects air quality over the preceding 24 hours. NEA advises the public to use it for planning next day outdoor activities.

For immediate outdoor activities, check the 1-hr PM2.5 concentration readings.

As of 9am on Sep. 10, the 1-hr PM2.5 remains in the normal range.

NEA advisory

NEA said in a Sep. 9 advisory that the the 24-hr PSI is forecast to be in the "high moderate" to "low unhealthy" range.

Moderate to dense smoke plumes continue to be detected from fires in southern and central Sumatra and Kalimantan, with smoke haze observed to drift towards Singapore, the agency said.

It added that while some showers are forecast over central and northern Sumatra in the coming days, dry conditions are expected to persist over Kalimantan and southern Sumatra.

"With prevailing winds blowing from the southeast or south, there remains a risk of smoke haze affecting Singapore should the fires persist."

MPs Shawn Loh and Alex Yeo raised questions on the validity of pressure tactics during livestreams.

Loh asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) whether the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) could review whether interactive pressure tactics during live-stream broadcasts, such as manipulated real-time stock counters, flash countdowns, and automated social proof notifications, fall under actionable dark patterns and unfair trade practices under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act 2003.

Yeo also asked whether, given the time-compressed decision-making for consumers during livestreams, enforcement actions, similar to those against online retailers using misleading features, will be used against these types of livestream sellers.

He also asked if there will be further consumer protection measures, such as extending a mandatory cooling-off period.

In his written reply, Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng said it is unfair practice for a business to make false or misleading representations, or exert undue pressure on a consumer to enter into any transaction in both physical and online settings, including livestream broadcasts.

He said the usage of urgency cues by livestream sellers is not, by itself, an unfair practice.

Tan noted in his reply that features such as stock counters, countdown timers and social proof notifications may serve legitimate commercial purposes by informing consumers about stock availability, time-limited promotions or purchasing activity.

Whether a particular feature is an unfair practice depends on the specific facts and circumstances, including whether the urgency is genuine and whether the information presented is false or misleading.

Consumers who have encountered potential unfair practices in livestream commerce should approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) for assistance.

Tan said the government will also work with CASE to raise consumer awareness of unfair practices and help them to make more informed decisions.

He also said that businesses and marketers, including livestreamers, should take note and abide by the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice, issued by the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) under CASE.

After years of rumours, the iPhone Duo is here.

It is Apple's first foldable phone in 19 years since the first iPhone launched in 2007.

Singapore prices

In Singapore, the iPhone Duo is selling for S$3,099 for the 256GB model.

The most expensive option, the 2TB model, is going for S$4,899.

Here is the full price list:

256GB: S$3,099

512GB: S$3,399

1TB: S$3,999

2TB: S$4,899

The iPhone Duo will come in two colors: Night Sky and Star White.

Pre-orders in the U.S. start on Oct. 16, 2026.

The Duo will be available in 70 countries on Oct. 23.

The entry level model available in the U.S. is priced at US$1,999 (S$2,527) for the 256GB model.

2 screens

The folding iPhone has a smaller exterior display when closed.

It opens up to a larger internal screen.

The outer display is 5.4 inches, while the interior panel is 7.6 inches, and can run two separate apps.

Passport-sized

The iPhone Duo is about the size of a passport when closed.

It is made with a titanium frame for durability and to keep its weight down.

Specifications

Inside, the iPhone Duo is powered by Apple's new A20 Pro chip and the company's own C2 modem.

There are two batteries for up to 24 hours of use when both displays are employed equally.

It offers up to 31 hours of video playback using its inner display and up to 44 hours when using the outer screen.

Apple said a 20-minute charge can replenish half the battery.

Sheng Siong will increase its Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) discounts for Blue and Orange cardholders from four per cent to six per cent, as the supermarket chain steps up efforts to help households manage their grocery expenses.

Enhanced discounts till Jan. 1, 2027

In a press release on Sep. 10, 2026, the group said the enhanced discounts will run until Jan. 1, 2027.

Blue CHAS cardholders will now receive a six per cent discount every Thursday, while Orange CHAS cardholders will receive the same discount every Friday.

The move follows Sheng Siong’s decision earlier in June 2026 to double the CHAS discount from four per cent to eight per cent for that month.

The four per cent discount was subsequently extended for the rest of 2026.

The group said it hopes the higher discount will provide customers with additional savings on their regular grocery purchases in the coming months.

Sheng Siong also offering Purchase-with-Purchase promotions

Sheng Siong will also introduce Purchase-with-Purchase (PWP) promotions on selected house brand products, including everyday essentials such as rice and cooking oil.

The group said Blue CHAS cardholders have been receiving a four per cent discount since March 2025, while the same benefit was introduced for Orange CHAS cardholders in January 2026.

Senior citizens will continue to receive four per cent off their purchases on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Together, the various discount programmes provided customers with about S$7.5 million in savings in 2025, the group said.

Family members shopping on behalf of seniors can also present the senior’s physical identity card at the checkout to enjoy the discount, making the scheme more accessible.

CHAS cardholders can likewise present either their physical or digital CHAS cards to receive the applicable discount.

The supermarket chain also continues to offer regular promotions and discounts to help customers save on their grocery purchases.

Customers can also receive cash rebates when they pay with selected credit cards issued by participating bank partners.

A number of online users have shared their opinions on the Singapore government's decision to increase political salaries following a report by British broadcaster BBC.

A video posted on BBC News' Instagram page on Sep. 8, was headlined "Highest paid world leader to get salary increase of $1 million", making a reference to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's increment.

The video stated that PM Wong's annual salary, currently about S$2.2 million, makes him the highest paid leader in the world.

The host added that following this, he will receive an increase of US$1.1 million (S$1.4 million), rounding off his pay to S$3.6 million.

The new benchmark salaries will kick in immediately for the President, PM, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and MPs.

But for other political appointment holders, the proposed adjustments will not be immediately implemented in one step.

The video also compared PM Wong's salary to that of other world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly earns about US$400,000 (S$505,504) per year.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, meanwhile, makes about US$230,000 (S$290,665) annually.

PM Wong also announced that he would be donating the full increase of his salary, around S$1.4 million each year, to "suitable good causes" for the next five years.

Netizens on pay increment

This is the first time in 15 years the salary norms for political appointment holders is being updated.

Some social media users took to the comments section to voice their support for the pay increment and PM Wong's high salary.

Some said they were Singaporeans.

Others also spoke up.

Some also claimed that the comparison with other world leaders was flawed.

Salary increase

It was announced in parliament on Sep. 8 that the salaries of political appointment holders and members of parliament will be increased following the government's acceptance of an independent review committee's recommendations to raise ministerial salaries.

The increment will be made in line with benchmarks, and the reference annual salary for an MR4 minister will be updated from the existing S$1.1 million to S$1.8 million.

This increase represents a 3.6 per cent annual growth rate since 2011, when ministerial salaries were last adjusted.

However, the proposed adjustments will not be implemented immediately in one step.

More immediately, existing political officeholders will receive a one-off adjustment of up to 9 per cent from Oct. 15, 2026.

PM Wong said that the same increase will not automatically apply to everyone, as it will depend on individual circumstances, including performance and when their salary was last adjusted.

He explained that ministerial salaries have fallen behind as salaries in other sectors have increased, including those in the private sector, civil service and judiciary.

The increment is also meant to encourage capable Singaporeans to step into political office, he added.

Kiki Darling's role in the upcoming "Ah Boys to Firefighters" movie will be recast following the production team's discovery that he had previously been convicted of sexual assault.

The 24-year-old, whose real name is Hari Kishen Balakrishnan, was unveiled on Aug. 31 as one of the leading men in Jack Neo's latest film.

After Hari's casting, news of his previous conviction circulated online.

A spokesperson from the production told Mothership that they had verified the news on Sep. 8.

"We were very surprised to hear about it," the spokesperson said.

"None of the production crew was aware of his previous conviction as none of the cast members had declared that they had any prior convictions."

After discussions, Hari decided to resign from his role.

The spokesperson said the actor understood the "potential risks" to the production if he were to continue as one of the movie's main characters.

Prior conviction in 2021

CNA reported in September 2021 that Hari — then aged 20 — pleaded guility to committing sexual assault on a 23-year-old male friend after a night of drinking.

In the bedroom of a friend's apartment, Hari sexually assaulted the almost unconscious man for about 17 minutes.

The latter had not consented to the act before passing out.

Hari also took seven video clips of himself performing sex acts on the naked victim.

The clips were deleted, but police later recovered them during investigations.

Described as "stateless", the aspiring actor was sentenced to at least six months of reformative training, a regimented rehabilitation programme for those under 21 who commit relatively serious crimes.

Recasting and reshooting

Work to recast the role and reshoots are currently underway, while edits will be made to remove Hari from the film.

Casting for future movie projects would go through more stringent processes, the spokesperson added.

The film is set to portray the story of four young National Servicemen who are posted to the same fire station, each with very different attitudes towards their service.

It is slated for a 2027 Chinese New Year release.

After a 15-year freeze, the salaries of Singapore's political officeholders will be adjusted after the government accepted the recommendations of an independent review committee.

The benchmark salary of a minister at entry-level grade MR4 will increase from S$1.1 million to S$1.8 million.

The news caught international media attention, and all sorts of numbers have been thrown out — S$1 million increase, 64 per cent rise.

But how much are Singapore's political officeholders actually getting paid now?

Why raise salaries?

Before anything, the context.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong emphasised the reason for the increase: good government depends on good leadership, and good leadership requires good talent.

There are many impediments when it comes to convincing individuals to switch to political life. A pay cut might not be the main reason — but it's still an opportunity cost that should not be ignored.

In his speech, PM Wong mentioned potential pipelines of talent for public office. Such an individual might be a senior civil servant, or the CEO of a major listed company in Singapore (or on track to be one).

"At those levels, remuneration can run into several million dollars a year — well even above the revised MR4 benchmark," PM Wong said.

The government is not, and will not, try to match that. But adjusted salaries could help make sure that the financial hurdle is not "unnecessarily high".

So, what's the pay package?

To understand a minister's salary, we first have to understand how their pay structures work.

In short, the pay is based on a few key components: the framework, the ratios, the salary range, and the pay composition.

The framework

First, the framework.

It was established by the 2012 review committee, which was also when salaries were last adjusted. In fact, at the time, salary benchmarks were cut.

The salary point of an entry-level grade MR4 minister takes reference from the median income of the top 1,000 Singapore citizen earners.

This was chosen as the 2012 committee found that these earners represented the calibre of individuals needed in government.

A 40 per cent discount was then applied to this median figure to reflect the spirit of public service.

40 per cent is more art than science. As the 2012 committee wrote, "There is no scientific method for striking a balance between paying competitive salaries and taking a discount to signify the political service ethos. It is a judgment call."

So, the 2026 committee found that the median income of the top 1,000 was S$3.1 million. After applying the 40 per cent discount, you get around S$1.8 million.

So that S$1.8 million is now the benchmark salary for an entry-level grade minister.

The ratios

Now, the MR4 salary — that S$1.8 million figure — is important. Remember it, because it's the reference point for the salaries of all other political appointment holders.

How, you may ask. Well, all other salaries of political appointment holders, from the PM to the Deputy PM and President, are calculated based on ratios, pegged to the MR4.

For example, the PM's ratio compared to MR4 is two. This means the PM will earn twice the MR4 minister benchmark salary.

Here's the full table of ratios following the 2026 review.

For the sake of simplicity, the table doesn't include the President, Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Members of Parliament, Nominated Members of Parliament, and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament.

But the salaries of all these appointments are also pegged, indirectly, to the MR4 benchmark salary.

For example, the President's salary is pegged to 70 per cent of the PM's, the Speaker's at 50 per cent of an MR4 minister's, and the Deputy Speaker's at 15 per cent of the Speaker's.

The salary range

Does this mean a newly-appointed MR4 minister will get S$1.8 million? Not quite.

S$1.8 million is the reference salary point, but each ministerial grade also has a salary range, based on this reference point.

This range is meant to give the PM flexibility in deciding how much to pay ministers within the same grade. And where an individual places in this range can be based on factors such as performance, experience, and so on.

Let's say you and a friend are both up to become newly appointed ministers. You have a long and illustrious career behind you, and a pay package to match; your friend, on the other hand, is less experienced, though super promising.

This salary range will give your boss the room to pay you more, based on your experience and career stage, than your younger colleague.

So what does this mean for the pay package? Following the 2026 report, this range is between +/- 25 per cent from the reference salary point, for most ministerial grades.

That means a new MR4 minister can be remunerated anywhere between S$1.35 million to S$2.25 million.

Here are the salary ranges for the various ministerial grades and appointment.

The pay composition

PM Wong has said that 10 out of 16 ministers are currently at the MR4 grade.

He expects most of them to be at the lower end of the MR4 grade salary point — which means S$1.35 million — by the end of this term of government.

Does this mean an average MR4 minister will receive exactly S$1.35 million?

Not quite either.

Ministerial salaries are made up of two components: fixed and variable pay.

Fixed pay comes in at 65 per cent. Variable pay comes in at 35 per cent.

The fixed pay consists of the monthly pay and a 13th-month bonus. In other words, 13 months of pay annually.

The variable pay component comprises an annual variable component (AVC), individual performance bonus, and the National Bonus.

AVC typically ranges zero to 1.5 months, depending on Singapore's economic performance.

Individual performance bonus is decided by the PM, and ranges from zero to six months.

The National Bonus depends on whether the four key indicators meet their target levels, and ranges from zero to six months.

For PM Wong, because nobody grades his individual performance, his pay packet does not include an individual performance bonus component.

Instead, his National Bonus is double that of a minister, ranging from zero to 12 months.

In short, here's the formula for a minister/appointment holder:

One more thing

We are almost ready to make a calculated guess as to how much ministers will get paid, following the adjustments.

But first, there is one more detail to take note of.

The new benchmark salaries will kick in immediately for the President, PM, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and MPs. (It's worth mentioning that PM Wong has committed to donating his entire increment to suitable good causes for the next five years.)

But for other existing officeholders — current ministers included — salaries will not immediately shift to the new benchmarks.

Instead, they will instead receive a one-off adjustment of up to 9 per cent by Oct. 15, 2026, subject to performance.

So, how much are the ministers getting paid?

It is impossible to know the specific adjusted salary without knowing the specific pre-adjustment figure, which is not public information.

So, we'll have to make use of the example given by PM Wong.

Let's assume you are an MR4 minister earning S$1.1 million at the moment. You've done well, and PM Wong gives you the full 9 per cent increment.

You get about S$1.2 million. That's about 33 per cent shy of the benchmark salary of S$1.8 million.

Let's break this figure down.

In a good year

For starters, your 65 per cent fixed pay will be S$780,000. That's about S$60,000 a month (remember, it's inclusive of a 13th-month bonus).

You performed well, so PM Wong decided that you are deserving of a three-month performance bonus.

At the same time, Singapore fared well and hit the National Bonus indicator targets, but did not exceed them. This grants you an additional three-month bonus.

Together with an AVC of one month, your bonus comes in at seven months.

So, you get an additional S$420,000. This is how you'll earn the full S$1.2 million. Inclusive of bonuses, this comes up to 20 months of pay.

In an exceedingly good year

Let's say both you and Singapore do exceedingly well. You get the maximum six months of performance bonus and six months of National Bonus.

Together with a maximum 1.5-month AVC, your bonuses will come in at 13.5 months.

With the fixed pay component, your take home in an exceedingly good year will go beyond S$1.2 million, reaching S$1.59 million.

In a bad year

But take the converse. Let's say both you and Singapore underperform, for whatever reason. Your bonuses will clock in at zero months.

That leaves you with just your fixed pay of 13 months, and your pay that year will be S$780,000.

So taking everything together, if we consider bonuses and assume that you're getting S$1.2 million after the 9 per cent adjustment, you stand to make between S$780,000 and S$1.59 million in a year.

Of course, this is just for entry-level ministers.

For a more senior figure — say DPM Gan — let's assume his original remuneration was S$1.87 million (the previous salary reference point for DPMs).

With the full 9 per cent applied, his adjusted remuneration will be around S$2,040,000 in a good year.

In an exceedingly good year, his remuneration may reach S$2,703,000, after including 13.5 months worth of bonuses.

In a bad year with no bonuses, S$1,326,000.

However, because the salaries of each minister are assigned within a range, it is impossible to know the exact remuneration of each individual minister without making assumptions, unless the particular figures are explicitly disclosed. Which they're not, for now.

Clean wages

Even in a bad year, an MR4 minister stands to earn more than most political leaders around the world. The U.S. president earns US$400,000 (S$505,636); the UK prime minister, £172,153 (S$294,787).

But one running argument in support of the high wages is that these high wages are also clean wages, which is one the core principles of the current ministerial salary framework.

That means the ministerial salaries do not contain hidden perks. No pensions, no housing, no flashy vehicles, no tax exemptions.

Only the President, Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament are accorded the use of an official car, which is taxable.

Ministerial salaries are also CPF-eligible and taxable.

Compare this with the U.S. and UK examples mentioned earlier. The British prime minister gets access to extensive property, including various country houses across the UK. The U.S. president gets a US$246,000 per year pension from the time they leave office until their death.

(Donald Trump also famously flies around in a luxury private jet gifted by the royal family of Qatar. But that's another story.)

In PM Wong's words:

"The full remuneration is transparent. There are no hidden salary components or perks outside the published framework. This is what we mean by a clean wage.

In return, Singaporeans rightly expect a great deal from their political leaders. High standards of integrity and conduct. Competence. Responsibility for the decisions we make. And ultimately, accountability to voters at the ballot box."

Debate on Thursday

While the government’s decision on the salary adjustments does not need to pass a vote in parliament, parliament is nonetheless set to debate the government’s position on the ministerial salary review on Thursday (Sep. 10).

The debate will be on PM Wong's and Chan's ministerial statements.

The Workers' Party has raised objections to the ministerial salary framework in the past.

Its manifesto also calls for the abolishing of the office of the mayor.

In 2012, when debating ministerial salaries, the Workers’ Party proposed an alternate framework to peg a minister’s salary to that of a senior management grade in the civil service instead.

Back then, chief among their criticisms of the 2012 framework was that the proposal to peg a minister’s salary to the top 1,000 income earners has “created a flawed formula”.

These income earners make up a small percentage of the workforce and are unrepresentative of the general population, the WP said in a 2012 statement.

They also proposed for any review or change of the salary structure for political office to be subjected to parliamentary approval.

Earlier this year during his Budget 2026 speech, WP chief Pritam Singh questioned if some of the National Bonus indicators, such as GDP and income growth, were still relevant in the age of AI.

"If GDP growth will no longer reliably create good jobs for Singaporeans, should it remain in the ministerial bonus formula at all?" he asked.

In his speech on Sep. 8, Chan Chun Sing said that the government will be tightening the targets for the National Bonus and studying indicators to reflect the quality of life as experienced by Singaporeans.

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Singapore ranks 17th globally in estimated OnlyFans spending per 10,000 adults in 2026.

In terms of total estimated spending on the subscription-based online content platform, Singapore ranks 35th globally.

The "per 10,000 adults" method of calculation is a way to measure and compare data fairly across countries with very different population sizes.

For example, two countries might spend the same amount in total, but the country with a smaller population will have a higher per 10,000 adults spending.

Total spending

According to the OnlyFans Wrapped 2026 report, people in Singapore spent an estimated US$18.8 million (S$23.8 million) on OnlyFans in 2026.

This is a 12.44 per cent increase from the US$16.7 million (S$21.1 million) in the previous year.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore ranks sixth in total spending on OnlyFans, falling behind Japan in fifth place, with a total estimated spending of US$22.4 million (S$28.3 million).

Australia is ranked highest in the Asia-Pacific region at US$120.2 million (S$151.9 million).

Per 10,000 people

In Singapore, an estimated US$36,955 (S$46,714) is spent on OnlyFans per 10,000 adults in 2026.

This is a 12.43 per cent increase from the US$32,868 (S$41,537) spent per 10,000 adults in the previous year.

Singapore ranks third in estimated OnlyFans spending per 10,000 adults in the Asia-Pacific region, falling behind New Zealand in second place, with estimated spending of US$45,191 (S$57,112) per 10,000 people.

Australia ranks highest in the Asia-Pacific region at US$56,383 (S$71,255) per 10,000 people.

Global ranking

Globally, the United States dominates the rankings with a whopping estimated total of US$4.8 billion (S$6.07 billion) spent on OnlyFans in 2026.

OnlyFans made an estimated US$7.8 billion (S$9.9 billion) in revenue, and its creators kept an estimated US$6.8 billion (S$8.6 billion) of it.

A man, 32, was arrested on Sep. 7 at Tiong Bahru Plaza during a routine police patrol.

While the police carried out their arrest, the man put up a struggle and had to be subdued by force.

In a video shared by Xiaohongshu user Chic Ken, the man is seen cornered against the wall by two police officers while attempting to wrestle himself free.

In response to queries from Mothership, the Singapore Police Force stated that the incident took place around 8:30pm when officers approached the man while on patrol for a routine check.

He was found to be wanted for drug-related offences.

In addition, he was also discovered to have a vaporiser in his possession.

The man put up a struggle and necessary force had to be used to restrain him.

The vaporiser-related offence has been referred to the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation, while the drug-related offences have been referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau.

Investigations are still ongoing.