A 13-year-old boy was playing at the void deck of an HDB block when he accidentally stepped on a protruding object, which pierced his foot and resulted in a hospital visit.

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, the boy's mother, Tan, said that her son was playing with a ball at the void deck of Block 172B Sengkang East Drive.

He then stepped on a screw-like object.

In the photo Tan showed Shin Min, the object was about three centimetres long and embedded in the concrete floor.

Deep cut

Other family members immediately took the boy to a nearby clinic.

However, the doctor was unable to properly assess the injury as the wound was deep.

Tan then called an ambulance and sent her son to KK Women's and Children's Hospital for further examination.

While an X-ray showed no fractures, the teenager has been put on antibiotics to prevent a potential infection.

Tan told Shin Min that she was heartbroken over the whole incident and sent in her feedback to her Town Council that very night.

Other residents apparently also informed her that similar objects were spotted in other parts of the estate.

"I don't want the same thing to happen to other children. If a child accidentally trips and hits their eye on it, the consequences would be unthinkable," Tan said.

The next day, Tan noted that the object her son had stepped on had been removed by noon, adding that the Town Council had visited in the morning.

When Shin Min visited the area, the object was gone and the ground had been patched with cement.

Nozzle used for waterproofing works

A spokesperson for Sengkang Town Council told Mothership that the object the boy stepped on was a grouting nozzle.

They are also aware of the incident and have been in touch with the family to offer assistance.

The Town Council added that upon receiving the report, they immediately inspected the site and surrounding areas, where they discovered a similar nozzle at a nearby block.

The affected area was cordoned off as a precaution.

These nozzles were used for waterproofing works, but the spokesperson said that they had reviewed their records and confirmed they had not carried out such work at the location.

They have since reported the matter to HDB, and are working with the main contractor to remove the remaining nozzles and patch up affected areas.

When Shin Min reached out to HDB, it said that no protruding nozzles were found during the estate's inspection and handover process.

After the estate's completion in August 2023, HDB said that it had progressively handed over the project's common areas to Sengkang Town Council for management and maintenance.

The specific spot where the incident occurred was handed over in early 2024.

During the handover inspection, no nozzles were found, and HDB added that it has not carried out any further works in the area since.

A woman in China has been reunited with her birth family 35 years after going missing as a toddler, only to discover that she had spent her entire life living just across the street from where she disappeared.

Her father spent decades searching for her without ever finding her.

According to ETtoday, Cui Ning, now 37, went missing in 1991 at the age of two in a market in Nanning, Guangxi, after her father allowed her to go to a nearby stall to buy a bun.

How she disappeared

Cui had been at the market with her father, who was busy managing his vegetable stall.

When she grew restless, he handed her some money and told her to buy buns from a nearby stall. However, she wandered off and crossed the road into a bustling wholesale market on the other side of the street.

A woman selling clothes at the market noticed the lost toddler and made an announcement hoping to find her parents.

Nobody came forward.

Not bearing to leave the little girl behind, the woman brought her home as a temporary measure.

However, she eventually ended up raising Cui as her own daughter.

Cui told ETtoday that her adoptive mother had initially thought she was mute, and later assumed from her accent that she was from Yulin, another city in Guangxi.

A lifetime of searching

Wracked by guilt, Cui's birth father never stopped searching for her.

According to ETtoday, he spent the rest of his life trying to locate his daughter, but died without ever finding her or knowing that she had just been across the street the entire time.

The reunion

Cui told ETtoday that her adoptive parents and brother had treated her well throughout her childhood.

However, with the advent of technology, stories of people reuniting with their biological families have been popular on social media, which prompted her to wonder about her own roots and register her details on a reunion platform.

On Jul. 7 this year, Cui registered her details on a family reunion platform. Within hours, her biological sister had reached out.

The two completed a DNA test, which confirmed their relationship. Cui has since met her birth mother and sister, with all three in tears when they were finally reunited.

A heavily pregnant woman was publicly accused of concealing stolen merchandise in her baby bump by staff at a Lotus's outlet in  Selayang, Malaysia.

The woman's husband, who goes by @fareezshah10 on Threads, shared a detailed account of what happened, saying it was "one of the most humiliating experiences" they've ever had.

What happened next

The couple had just finished paying for their groceries when a male staff member stopped them right outside the cashier area.

According to the husband, the staff member approached them without introducing himself or explaining the situation, and asked his wife what she was hiding in her stomach.

The husband demanded to know what his wife had stolen and who had seen it happen. Rather than producing any evidence, the staff asked for his wife's maternity health booklet and told her to expose her stomach to prove she was pregnant.

He wrote:

"A woman who is 38 weeks pregnant was being asked to prove her pregnancy because someone thought her baby bump looked suspicious."

The couple then continued to stand for nearly 20 minutes, surrounded by other shoppers, while the staff tried to contact their supervisor.

Cashier admitted she never saw any theft

When the supervisor arrived, the husband confronted the cashier who had allegedly flagged them. He asked her directly if she had witnessed his wife stealing anything.

He wrote:

"Her suspicion was simply because my wife's stomach 'didn't look like a pregnant belly' and she thought it looked like someone hiding merchandise. So there was no witness. No evidence. No stolen item. Only an assumption."

The cashier eventually apologised to his wife. The male staff member stayed silent until the husband stepped forward, at which point he too apologised.

"This isn't even about the apology anymore"

In his post, the husband said the incident had left his wife, who is carrying their first child and is due any day, feeling like a criminal.

He wrote:

"This isn't even about the apology anymore. It's about the way my wife was treeated. No pregnant woman deserves to go through this. No customer should be publicly accused without evidence."

Lotus's responds

Lotus has since responded on the post, saying:

"We are deeply sorry to read about your experience and the distress this incident has caused you, especially during you and your wife's pregnancy. We take the concerns you've raised very seriously and have escalated the matter to our management team for an urgent and thorough investigation to establish the full facts."

Netizens react

The incident caused a wave of anger and mockery online.

User @hamiddi_ wrote: "As a husband, I respect this brother. To the Lotus's Malaysia staff, how dare you ask someone's wife to expose her stomach without evidence. I hope legal action can be taken. Tomorrow, whoever goes to Lotus Selayang, before paying, ask the staff: 'Don't you want to check my stomach first?'"

On Facebook, a user wrote: "Your staff at Lotus's Selayang harassed a pregnant woman, accused her of stealing but there was no evidence. Shame on you.”

Others poked fun at the situation. One commenter, Khairul Didie, wrote: "Good morning. I'd like to ask, if my stomach is a bit bloated and my waist is size 38, will I be allowed into Lotus?"

Another commenter joked: "Discrimination against those with round stomachs. Looks like we need to suck in our bellies before entering, or risk being accused of stealing."

Some netizens advised the couple to pursue legal action, with one commenter writing: "Lodge police report, appoint lawyer, let lawyer do the rest. No need to talk with the hypermarket's customer service or communications team. Just go through your lawyer."

From Jul. 5, Go-Ahead Singapore will progressively become the anchor operator at:

• Tampines Bus Interchange,
• Tampines Concourse Bus Interchange,
• Tampines North Bus Interchange, and
• Changi Business Park Bus Terminal.

It will take over the Tampines Bus package, with all bus services transferred from SBS Transit to Go-Ahead Singapore.

Go-Ahead Singapore previously announced that 14 bus services (10, 10E, 18, 20, 31, 39, 65, 129, 292, 293, 298, 299, 454, 646) will be transferred from Jul. 5.

The remaining 15 bus services (4, 19, 23, 28, 29, 37, 38, 47, 69, 72, 81, 127, 291, 296, 460) will continue to operate under SBS Transit until Jul. 19.

The bus company added that there will be no changes to bus routes or fares as a result of the transition.

On Jul. 4, SBS Transit bade farewell to the town in a Facebook post, recalling their initial days back in 1983.

It also thanked the bus captains, interchange and depot staff for their hard over the years, regardless if they were staying on at SBS or "embarking on a new chapter".

Go-Ahead Singapore told The Straits Times (ST) that most of the affected SBS Transit employees have joined them.

Those who stayed have been redeployed to other bus interchanges in the same role, a spokesperson for SBS Transit also told ST.

A family in Thailand had a close call after their pet dog unknowingly carried a live grenade into their home after mistaking it for a toy.

The incident happened in the Non Khun district of Sisaket province, in northeastern Thailand.

According to a Facebook post by the Sisaket Provincial Public Relations Office on Jul. 10, the dog wandered outside to play before returning home with what appeared to be a rusty round object in its mouth.

The dog's owner, Rungnapa Dawta (transliteration), only realised the danger after he picked up the object and found that the grenade's safety pin was still attached.

Dog had been playing and chewing on grenade

The owner had just returned home from the hospital to rest when he discovered the grenade.

He immediately placed the grenade outside his home and alerted his village's community leaders and the authorities.

According to the post, Dawta's elderly relative had thought the object was an old bone or scrap of plastic.

They added that the pet dog had been playing and chewing on the object since morning.

The homeowner said he could not have imagined what might have happened if the dog pulled the pin or dropped it hard enough, reported Khaosod English.

Thai police confirmed grenade was fully operational

The Non Khun district's sheriff, Chaiwat Thammawat (transliteration), and other police officers inspected the area after being informed of the incident.

They later confirmed that the grenade was a Chinese-made Type 82-2 hand grenade.

While the bomb was old, it was still in working condition and was commonly found along the border.

It was later safely transported and detonated in a field far from the village, resulting in a crater that was approximately 30 cm deep and 60 cm wide with no injuries or property damage.

According to Khasod English, Thammawat called the incident an important warning, especially for Thai citizens living in areas where old military supplies and ammunition could be found.

He urged those who encountered suspected explosives or military objects to avoid touching or moving them and to inform the authorities immediately.

Erling Haaland may have been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, but he made sure to give his supporters one last moment to remember.

After Norway's devastating loss to England, Haaland reportedly became the last Norwegian player to leave the stadium, staying behind to take photos with "family and other fans".

A video of the scene was shared by American sportscaster Josh Moser (@TheMozKnowz) to X, who added that Haaland left the stadium at 9:30pm local time, long after the match had ended at around 7pm.

The post has since gathered more than 1.4 million views.

Fans respond

The gesture drew an outpouring of warmth from fans online, many of whom praised both Haaland and Norway's overall campaign at the tournament.

One X user wrote: "Norway played a fantastic game, the chances just didn't go their way. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They put Norway on the map as real contenders for the next World Cup."

Another wrote: "They will be better than ever when they come back next time! Norway captivated the world!"

Erling Haaland the last Norwegian player to leave the stadium. Stayed behind until 9:30 PM local time to take photos with family and other fans. He became one of the most beloved players in the sport by Americans during this tournament. #worldcup2026 pic.twitter.com/owt0MTIjDX

— Josh Moser (@TheMozKnowz) July 12, 2026

Norway's run came to an end in the quarter-finals, after England's Jude Bellingham secured a comeback win with a double.

A video of a woman clinging to her dog while battling raging floodwaters in China has gone viral online on Weibo.

The footage, initially shared by Weibo user "2吉不是老邢,” is believed to have been filmed in Nanning, Guangxi, where severe flooding broke out following torrential rain brought by Typhoon Maysak, according to Oriental Daily.

What the video shows

In the clip, a woman and her border collie fights against a powerful current, using a wall beside them to inch their way forward.

She grips the wall with both hands to avoid being swept away, and although the canine understood which direction to go in, it could not cling to the wall.

The dog therefore gets caught up by the current multiple times, and each time, the owner would risk her own life to let go of the wall and grab it with one hand, so that they do not get separated.

The pair gets swept backwards at one point, but managed to resist the current.

About two minutes into the video, bystanders wade in from a corner to extend a bamboo pole, pulling both dog and woman to safety. Both are believed to have survived.

The exact time and location of the video could not be verified, Oriental Daily noted.

搭救洪水中的女人和狗。

这么危险的情况下，女主也不放弃她的狗，在即将冲走的时候，冒险拉回狗子。 pic.twitter.com/VWuYgvwRxL

— 魔都老猿 (@AriXZone) July 8, 2026

Reactions online

The clip has since made its way to X, where commenters were moved by the footage and praised the woman's determination.

One user wrote:

"One's first reaction on the edge of life and death is the hardest to fake. By not giving up on any life, this owner, like those who rescued her, shines with the most beautiful light of humanity."

Another said:

"I was genuinely moved. She was almost swept away so many times, yet never forgot about the dog by her side."

A group of passers-by banded together to lift a vehicle and extracted a 14-year-old boy from underneath it in Jurong East.

In a video shared to Facebook on Jul. 11, about a dozen people were gathered around a black car, with more looking on.

Heaving in unison, the group managed to lift the car off the ground, and a man lying prone helped to pull a figure out from under it.

The person retrieved appeared to be a young boy, dressed in a red shirt.

Four men then carried him off the road and gently placed him beside the road, advising him to lie down and not move.

One of the men also adjusted the boy's backpack to support his head.

The boy was conscious and responsive.

14-year-old cyclist

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Police Force was alerted to an accident involving a car and bicycle along Jurong Gateway Road on Jul. 11 at around 1:25pm.

A 14-year-old male cyclist was conveyed conscious to the hospital, while a 48-year-old male driver is assisting with the investigation.

A 27-year-old Malaysian man has pleaded guilty to driving along the heavy vehicle lane at Woodlands Checkpoint to avoid getting stuck in jam and later hitting an auxiliary police officer who tried to stop him.

Suriya Ganisan faced five charges under the Road Traffic Act, including dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident to render assistance.

He pleaded guilty to three of the charges on Jul. 8, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The remaining charges are to be taken into consideration during sentencing.

Jam

On Sep. 26, 2025, at about 2:50pm, Suriya arrived at Woodlands Checkpoint intending to return to Malaysia.

At the time of his arrival, the lanes for cars and other vehicles were jammed, but the lane for heavy vehicles was reportedly clear.

After waiting in the queue, Suriya proceeded to swerve into the heavy vehicles lane.

He headed towards the checkpoint but was stopped by an auxiliary police officer.

The officer instructed Suriya to make a U-turn and rejoin the queue.

However, he failed to comply with the officer’s instructions, and instead swerved towards the car lane and drove past the officer.

Another auxiliary police officer, Muhamad Irzan bin Masrabi, proceeded to intervene to stop Suriya's vehicle. Suriya then accelerated and crossed a double white line.

As a result, Irzan was hit in the abdomen by the vehicle and fell.

The Straits Times previously reported that Irzan sustained a "serious injury", but noted that the court did not provide specificities then.

He was eventually intercepted before he entered the Malaysian checkpoint, where he was instructed to make a U-turn.

Suriya complied and was escorted back to Woodlands Checkpoint before being arrested.

Extent of injuries

Irzan has been diagnosed with an undisplaced sacral fracture and a cervical disc protrusion.

He was hospitalised for six days and discharged on Oct. 1, but had three follow-up medical appointments and was granted a total of 46 days of hospitalisation leave.

He is still unable to walk or sit for prolonged periods without pain.

Serving sentence while awaiting outcome

Suriya said he deeply regretted what he had done and apologised to the auxiliary police officer during mitigation.

His lawyer, who apparently took the case on a pro bono basis, cited that Suriya was from Perak, Malaysia, adding that the man's family could not afford legal representation.

He argued that Suriya lacked the financial means to cover his living expenses in Singapore while awaiting the outcome of the case.

Therefore, even though Suriya was granted bail, he chose to begin serving his sentence in the meantime.

While his lawyer sought a jail term of no more than 16 months for Suriya, arguing that the auxiliary police officer’s injuries were not the most severe when it came to similar cases, the prosecution countered that Suriya's actions could have resulted in something even more serious.

The latter is seeking a jail sentence of between 28 months and six weeks and 29 months and eight week, as well as a three-year disqualification from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences.

Sentencing will be carried out on Aug. 19.

The Circle Line Stage 6 (CCL6) opened for passenger service on Jul. 12, with train enthusiasts waking up bright and early to ride the first train from Marina Bay at 6:14am.

The completed loop includes three new stations: Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road.

But it was not just locals onboard.

An Austrian man told Mothership that he flew halfway across the world to Singapore just to experience the completion of the Circle Line.

"I came all the way from Austria to visit the CCL6 opening, and I’m very happy to be here. I thank all my friends [who] told that today CCL6 was opening."

Has not slept since Friday

When asked what time he woke up to be on the first train, the Austrian man said: "To be honest, I woke up on Friday, and since I had to fly on Saturday, I haven’t slept since.”

The Austrian man, who was holding on to a suitcase, also told Mothership that his favourite station was Harbourfront.

A student said he woke up at 4am at his boarding school to catch the first train.

“It’s like the Circle Line after so many years is finally a full circle, and I want to see this historic moment," he said of his excitement.

When asked what his favourite station was, the student replied Tan Kah Kee as he was from Hwa Chong.

'Alternative route'

Another transport enthusiast who woke up at 5:15am said he liked that the Circle Line was now a full loop.

He added: "It’s also convenient as another alternative route to get between the eastern and western sides of Singapore, and it will definitely relieve congestion from the existing East-West line."

When asked what his favourite station was, he said Cantonment due to its railway heritage from the former Tanjong Pagar railway station.

"We used to catch trains from there to across the border, to and from Malaysia, and I love how the railway heritage is preserved."

Young boy "dragged" parents out of the house

A young boy told Mothership that in addition to the CCL6 opening, he also attended the Punggol Bus Interchange and Hume Station openings.

Responding to a question on the trick to being early, the boy said: “Wake up early and pray that your parents don’t say ‘I want to sleep longer.'"

He added with a slight smile: “My parents feel tired cause I dragged them out of the house."

Spans 39 kilometres

According to a May 14 Land Transport Authority (LTA) news release, the completed Circle Line will span 39 kilometres across 33 stations, with 12 interchange stations.

LTA said that commuters will enjoy shorter travel times, saving 10 minutes of travel time from Telok Blangah to Marina Bay, for example.