32-year-old Gabriel Foong Shi Cheng was charged in court today for murder after a 73-year-old man died after being stabbed on Oct. 5 evening near Block 61 Telok Blangah Heights.

A 53-year-old man was also allegedly injured by Foong.

Court hearing

Foong, a Singaporean, appeared in court via video link and was dressed in a white collared t-shirt.

The court hearing was conducted via a Mandarin translator.

Foong was handed one charge of murder over the death of a 73-year-old on Oct. 5 near Block 61 Telok Blangah Heights.

According to charge sheets seen by Mothership, Foong is accused of causing the death of 73-year-old Tham Nam Poh.

The incident took place at the void deck of Block 57 Telok Blangah Heights at about 6pm on Oct. 5.

When asked if he understood the charge read to him, Foong responded that he did.

He is represented by a team of lawyers from Invictus Law Corporation, including its managing director Josephus Tan, who were present in court.

The prosecution applied for the accused to be remanded for three weeks, and is seeking an IMH assessment for Foong.

The judge granted the application.

Foong's next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.

Background

Police said they received multiple calls for assistance on Oct. 5 at about 6pm at Block 61 Telok Blangah Heights.

On arrival, they found the 73-year-old motionless.

He later died at the hospital.

A doctor from the nearby clinic who attended to the 73-year-old shared that the man had suffered injuries to his neck and chest areas.

A 53-year-old was also injured by Foong and had a wound on his left shoulder.

He was conveyed conscious to the hospital.

According to the police, Foong later turned himself in.

Eyewitnesses shared that the two injured men ran from the direction of Block 56 to the Block 61 coffee shop.

Help was then sought from the doctor at a nearby general practitioner clinic.

The 73-year-old deceased was a regular at the Block 61 coffee shop, one of the vendors told Lianhe Zaobao.

Eyewitnesses also reportedly saw Foong looking dazed, with some speculating that he might have been under the influence of drugs.

The deceased and Foong did not know each other, Shin Min Daily News reported.

A Singaporean man, 35, was referred to the police after he made remarks about a bomb in his vehicle at Woodlands Checkpoint.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on social media on Oct. 6 that the incident occurred on Oct. 4 at around 6:20pm.

Taunted ICA officers

The man was travelling with five companions in his vehicle when they were directed to undergo enhanced checks at the Arrival Cargo Zone, ICA said.

After checks on the vehicle ended, the man taunted ICA officers about finding a bomb in his vehicle.

Officers immediately cordoned off the area and additional resources were activated to conduct further checks on the vehicle and the group of travellers, ICA added.

The checks established that there was no bomb in the vehicle.

The man was referred to the police for the offence of making indecent communications likely to cause alarm under the Protection from Harassment Act.

Police investigations are ongoing.

ICA said it takes the security of Singapore’s checkpoints very seriously.

The authority added:

"All reports of security threats will be thoroughly investigated. We will not hesitate to act against those who make false or misleading claims that may cause unnecessary alarm. Travellers are also reminded to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and comply with officers’ instructions at the checkpoints."

The Singapore police are investigating a 17-year-old boy for his involvement in a case of rash act at Cove LRT Station in Punggol.

On Sep. 29, 2026, the police received a report about an incident that occurred two days ago.

A teenager allegedly threw a bag off the LRT platform at about 11pm on Sep. 27.

Preliminary investigations revealed the bag contained two blocks of ice cream.

The identity of the teenager was established through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from surveillance cameras.

He is currently assisting with police investigations.

The offence of rash act carries a jail term of up to six months and a fine.

The police said they take a serious view of acts that endanger life or personal safety.

The CEO of RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), the operator of the long-awaited Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, shared about the engineering challenges that the project faces.

Marzuki Ariffin wrote in a post that while the RTS Link seems "relatively straightforward" as it has only two stations, the challenges that it faces require "careful engineering".

Marzuki stated that the viaduct had a 3 per cent gradient.

Trains have to descend along this slope from the bridge's higher point down to ground level.

However, he pointed out that this adds further design considerations to ensure that the train is able to maintain a safe speed and stop smoothly and accurately.

This requires careful coordination of the track design and braking and signalling systems, he claimed.

Another challenge comes in the form of wet weather, as rain reduces friction and affects how trains accelerate and brake.

"This is just one example of the engineering solutioning that must be accomplished for every safe and comfortable journey. It involves many hours of design thinking, testing and teamwork."

He then thanked the partners and stakeholders involved in the project, including Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Malaysia's Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).

RTS opening delayed till Feb. 2027

RTSO is a joint venture between Malaysia's Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and Singapore's SMRT Corporation. They own 52 and 48 per cent of the venture respectively.

Marzuki's comments come in the wake of a further delay announced for the RTS Link project on Friday (Oct 2).

Initially slated to open by the end of December 2026, the opening date was delayed to February 2027.

More time is needed to obtain independent safety certification and secure regulatory approvals, the Singapore and Malaysia authorities said.

History

The RTS project has been delayed and restarted several times over more than a decade.

Plans were discussed and initiated since 2010 and finally signed in 2018, but suspended from 2019 to 2020 after Malaysian political party Pakatan Harapan (PH) formed a new government and curbed spending.

It was then restarted with a final targeted opening of end-2026, before the most recent wave of delay.

Those caught rummaging through public refuse bins, removing items from them, or leaving or spilling waste on the ground could face legal action, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

Fu was responding to a parliamentary question from PAP MP Hazlina Abdul Halim, who asked whether measures were in place to prevent unhygienic practices under the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS), and whether separate collection bins and facilities for liquid disposal would be provided at high-use locations.

BCRS was launched on Apr. 1, 2026.

Under the scheme, consumers are refunded 10 cents when they return their used eligible cans or bottles at Return Right Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) in Singapore.

NEA to take action

In a written reply, Fu said members of the public should do their part to keep shared spaces clean.

"Rummaging through public refuse bins, removing items from them, and leaving or spilling waste on the ground are against the law," she said.

She added that the National Environment Agency (NEA) will take action against those who commit such offences.

Fu also reminded the public that the RVMs are designed for the return of empty beverage containers.

As such, users should ensure that containers are emptied before they are returned.

As most users return their beverage containers responsibly and empty them beforehand, there are currently no plans to provide dedicated facilities for liquid disposal at RVMs, she said.

Earlier on Oct. 3, 2026, a photo of a man and child looking into a rubbish bin at night, which was posted on the Facebook page Complaint Singapore, sparked debate online.

According to the caption accompanying the photo, the pair were allegedly a father and son who were rummaging through the bin for BCRS containers.

For the past two years, a resident at Havelock Road says he has been frustrated by a neighbour's dog regularly pooping along the common corridor.

It would happen two to three times a week, sometimes outside his house — even though they are not right next to each other — and sometimes outside other neighbours' houses, the man told Shin Min Daily News.

According to Shin Min, video footage from Sep. 28 shows a Pomeranian running to the man's doorstep at 4am and defecating before leaving.

Issue still unresolved

The man claimed that he had submitted a complaint to various authorities over the years, but to no avail. They apparently advised him to install a CCTV camera outside his house to get evidence.

Initially, when the issue first began, he would talk to the dog's owner and ask him to clean up the poop.

But later, the man started to have difficulties walking, and was unable to approach the dog's owner directly each time it happened.

He had to resort to informing the authorities to come and clean it up instead.

That does not solve the root problem, the man said.

"We don't think that it's a problem to keep pets," he added, "but people need to take responsibility and ensure that the common areas are clean."

However, other neighbours Shin Min spoke to said the dog had not pooped outside their houses before.

Poop was tossed aside

In another video footage provided by the complainant, the Pomeranian again went to his doorstep to relieve itself on the evening of Aug. 11, Shin Min reported.

A man believed to be the dog's owner's son appeared on camera, and looked to be picking up the poop, then tossing it down the corridor.

That night, dog poop was allegedly found at another spot along the corridor, and the complainant had to ask the dog's owner's son to clean it up.

"The problem keeps happening," the man said. "I feel helpless and very troubled."

The dog's owner's response

The dog's owner, surnamed Lin (transliteration), explained to Shin Min that the problem arose because he has been unable to shut his front door completely.

He demonstrated this to the reporters. No matter how hard he tried to pull it shut, the door would still open, according to Shin Min.

"The door is faulty," he said. "I did not let the dog out on purpose, so it's not my fault."

He was also often exhausted after work to notice the dog slipping out, and his children did not pay much attention either.

However, his children would walk the three-year-old Pomeranian every day, he added.

"There's no way I would have specially trained the dog to go poop outside [the complainant's] house," Lin said. "As long as they inform us, we will go to clean it up."

A 22-year-old childcare teacher was charged for allegedly abusing seven two-year-olds under her care in September 2025.

She was handed 12 child abuse charges involving three girls and four boys on Oct. 5, The Straits Times reported.

Details about the teacher, the location of the alleged abuse and the children cannot be disclosed due to a gag order.

Forced-fed and hit the children

The woman allegedly abused the first victim on Sep. 23, using excessive force while trying to force-feed her, ST reported.

The woman is also accused of repeating her actions on Sep. 24.

On Sep. 25, she allegedly used a tambourine to hit a second girl’s head.

She is also accused of hitting a boy’s hands with a speaker on the same day, as well as pulling his hair and flicking his ears with her hands.

A fourth victim reportedly had his head pushed towards another child’s leg.

The teacher held on to his ears tightly and banged his head against another boy, the fifth victim.

On the same day, a sixth victim was said to have been hit on the left side of her body using a maraca, a musical instrument.

The woman also allegedly shook the girl.

The woman is accused of hitting a seventh victim on the head with a tambourine, and banged his head against the sixth victim’s “for no reason” as reported by ST.

She is expected to return to court on Nov. 2.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is investigating 77 persons for unlicensed moneylending activities following an enforcement operation from Sep. 21 to 25.

In a press release on Oct. 6, the SPF stated that the five-day operation was carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and seven Police Land Divisions (PLD) islandwide.

According to preliminary investigations, of the 77 persons, seven had harassed debtors at their houses, and 38 were runners who assisted in unlicensed moneylending by carrying out ATM transfers.

Another 32 had opened bank accounts and provided access, such as through ATM cards, giving their PIN numbers or internet banking tokens, to unlicensed moneylenders.

All 77 persons are currently being investigated.

Penalties

Under the Moneylenders Act 2008, if a phone line, bank account, ATM card or internet banking token of any person is used to facilitate moneylending by an unlicensed moneylender, that person is presumed to have assisted in unlicensed moneylending.

First-time offenders can receive up to four years' imprisonment, a fine of not less than S$30,000 and not more than S$300,000, and up to six strokes of the cane.

For those found guilty of committing or attempting harassment on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender, first-time offenders can be meted up to five years' imprisonment, a fine of not less than S$5,000 and not more than S$50,000, and between three to six strokes of the cane.

Those that allow their bank accounts to be used by unlicensed moneylenders may also be barred from using ATM and internet banking facilities for a year.

Foreigners who borrow from or aid unlicensed moneylenders will have their student or work passes revoked and be deported from Singapore after their sentence.

Enforcement action

The Police said that it will continue taking enforcement actions against those who assist unlicensed moneylending syndicates.

It also urged the public to avoid unlicensed moneylenders and to refrain from working with or assisting them in any way.

Such moneylenders are known to persistently and dangerously harass borrowers and their families, such as through setting fires, splashing paints at their homes, and using chains or bicycle locks to lock gates and confine occupants.

Members of the public can call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or go to www.police.gov.sg/i-witness if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in unlicensed moneylending activities.

All information provided will be kept confidential.

British author Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86.

He died “suddenly and peacefully” at his home on Oct. 5, BBC reported.

This was a day before the global release of his final novel, "Adam and Eve", publisher HarperCollins said.

Passed away a day before last book was out

The new book, like his bestseller "Kane and Abel", follows a pair of biblically named characters born on the same day to different social classes.

The upcoming novel, a love story and class commentary, follows the daughter of an earl who wanted a son so he could pass down his estate, and the son of a shepherd who wanted a daughter because he knew a son would be sent to war.

Archer said: “'Adam and Eve' has proved the most satisfying thing I have ever written.”

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, two sons, two granddaughters and three grandsons, his publisher said.

He has sold more than 300 million copies of his books worldwide over his five-decade writing career.

First major success

Archer was plunged into financial ruin in his 30s after some bad investments.

His debut novel, "Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less", was released in 1976.

His experience of almost becoming bankrupt inspired the book.

He subsequently spent 14 years and five months on Britain's Sunday Times bestseller lists and over five years on The New York Times bestseller lists, according to HarperCollins.

Scandal-plagued politician

Archer was also a scandal-plagued politician, AFP reported.

He climbed the ranks of Britain’s Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher.

He was appointed in 1992 to the House of Lords by her successor, John Major.

Archer was cast out of his political party just before he was jailed on perjury charges in 2001.

What led to jail time

In 1999, Archer was running for mayor of London when allegations emerged that he had lied in court during a libel case in the 1980s.

In the 1987 case, he had sued a newspaper, The Daily Star, that accused him of paying a sex worker and won £500,000 (S$846,200) in damages.

But a jury found that Archer had made up an alibi.

He was given a four-year jail sentence.

Archer was released early in 2003 after serving just over two years.

He returned to the House of Lords, but without any political affiliation.

There was no legal avenue to remove him from the upper house of parliament at the time.

He retired in 2024.

Thai authorities are investigating an elderly and psychiatric care facility in Kachanaburi after it was discovered that some of its patients are sleeping in beds enclosed by a metal frame.

Rooms enclosed by metal bars were also discovered.

The case apparently came to light after an elderly woman went on a television programme to accuse her son and daughter-in-law of tricking her into moving into the care facility in order to take over her business.

Woman's on-air allegations

According to Bangkok Post, the woman alleged that she was kept at the care facility against her will for more than two years.

While there, she was reportedly assaulted, threatened and forced to medicate.

She managed to contact her sister in secret and sought help leaving.

The woman's on-air allegations prompted the local authorities to visit the care centre on Oct. 5 evening.

Thai authorities find enclosed sleeping areas, beds

Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau released images of the facility from the visit, showing sleeping areas fitted with metal cages and padlocks, Thai PBS World reported.

The perimeter of the complex also had barbed wire and steel frames.

Elderly patients were also found sleeping in beds enclosed by a metal cage bolted to the bed frame.

Necessary permits and licenses obtained, says owner

According to the facility's owner, the facility was opened in 2006.

It became a registered facility caring for elderly and dependent patients in 2021, Bangkok Post reported.

These patients include those receiving psychiatric and rehabilitative care.

The owner also said that necessary permits from relevant authorities have been obtained.

The centre's license was presented to officers during the inspection.

92 patients are currently housed at the facility, 75 of whom are male and 17 female.

Of these, a total of 81 are receiving psychiatric care.

19 caregivers are employed there.

The owner explained that those with severe psychiatric conditions are housed in rooms fitted with steel-bar enclosures as they may damage property, self-harm or wander about.

Local police are continuing with their investigations, Bangkok Post wrote.