Three public buses were involved in an accident in Yishun on Oct. 15.

Six passengers were injured

The accident took place at Block 790 Yishun Avenue 2 at about 3:05pm.

Bus operator Tower Transit Singapore said its service 853 bus rear-ended a service 852 bus.

This caused a chain collision with a service 851 bus, Tower Transit said in a Facebook post about an hour after the accident.

SBS Transit operates bus services 852 and 851.

The renewal of the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (BPLRT) system has been "substantially completed" since works began in 2018, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Oct. 15.

With this "comprehensive improvement" of the system, commuters "will experience better, more reliable rides on the LRT", said Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow at a visit to Ten Mile Junction Depot on Oct. 15.

According to LTA, many of the core systems were approaching the end of their design life by the late 2010s.

The authority thus progressively made upgrades to the vehicles, the signalling system, the power supply system, the Operations Control Centre (OCC), the power rails on the tracks, and more.

Vehicle upgrades

In phases over the past eight years, LTA introduced new and upgraded light rail vehicles (LRVs) to replace all the first-generation ones that served the network since 1999.

Today, there are 19 new third-generation vehicles in operation.

They are equipped with condition monitoring systems that allow the staff to detect potential faults earlier, thus supporting pre-emptive maintenance.

They are also brighter and cooler, thanks to more energy-efficient LED lighting and upgraded air-conditioning systems that also improve ventilation.

Furthermore, commuters on board can plan their journeys better using the dynamic route displays.

The 13 second-generation vehicles, which continue to be in use since 2015, have also been upgraded to a new signalling system.

Signalling system upgrades

Following extensive testing and commissioning, the LRVs began operating on a new Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system from November 2025.

A signalling system tells the trains when to stop or move.

Similar to that currently used on the MRT lines, the new system allows the LRVs to run closer together safely, improving service frequency and punctuality.

In January 2026, LTA completed upgrades to the Operations Control Centre (OCC), and integrated it with the new signalling system.

After that, they commenced the decommissioning of the legacy signalling equipment.

Power system upgrades

LTA has also worked on strengthening the reliability and resilience of the power supply to the Bukit Panjang LRT network.

They have installed a new power supply intake source at Ten Mile Junction, while keeping the previous source at Choa Chu Kang MRT substation functioning as a back-up power supply.

Several transformers, switchboards, trackside infrastructure, and the control system have been upgraded to newer models that improve power efficiency and capacity.

A total of 16.6km ageing power rails across the Bukit Panjang LRT network are also getting replaced.

The work is currently 98 per cent finished, and on track to be completed by the end of 2026, LTA said.

Improved reliability

As a result of the renewals so far, the reliability performance of the Bukit Panjang LRT line has improved significantly.

This is measured by Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF), which refers to the average distance that a train travels before it encounters a delay of more than five minutes.

After the project started, the MKBF rose gradually from 43,000 car-km in 2018 to 248,000 car-km in 2023.

Then, it fell in 2024 and 2025 due to teething issues during the transition to the third-generation vehicles and the migration to the full CBTC signalling system.

However, from 199,000 car-km in 2025, the MKBF shot up to 443,000 car-km in September 2026.

This improvement came after the full upgraded fleet of vehicles was introduced and the migration to the new signalling system was completed.

Through careful coordination and sequencing, LTA managed to maintain daily LRT operations while carrying out the various renewal works.

Additional upgrades still ongoing

Commuters can look forward to further changes at the LRT stations across the line.

LTA has been working on upgrading communications at the stations, which include the passenger information display system, the public address system, and the emergency telephone.

Currently, 88 per cent of the planned improvements have been made, and LTA expects to complete it by the second half of 2027.

The authority also aims to replace the passenger lifts across all 13 stations on the line by February 2027.

They are close to meeting this target, as works at 11 stations will be done by the end of October, with only Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang stations remaining.

The new lifts will use energy-efficient motors, drives, and lighting.

Additionally, they will have more accessible features such as tilted floor indicators for better visibility, rear wall mirrors, side-mounted operating panels, and larger illuminated lift buttons.

At Ten Mile Junction Depot, Siow said that upgrading projects have been in the works across the entire the MRT and LRT systems.

LTA is expanding the capacity of the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) depot to run more trains, scheduled for completion in 2027.

A woman described a food court in People’s Park Complex as a “haven of female companionship”, claiming older men were openly getting intimate with women, according to a report by Shin Min Daily News.

In a Threads post cited by the publication, she claimed men had also approached her after mistaking her for a drinking companion.

Following the post, a Shin Min reporter visited the food court and saw an older man getting handsy with a middle-aged woman.

The reporter also witnessed a man and woman embracing and kissing outside the nearby toilets.

Diner said she was approached and harassed

The woman said in her post that she had eaten lunch at the ground-floor food court on a weekend and returned for a dinner of mala soup, but she got something spicier than she asked for.

During the evening visit, she noticed that most patrons appeared to be men aged over 60. Some had their arms around scantily-clad women, estimated to be in their 40s.

She claimed she was mistaken for one of the women accompanying the men and was approached and harassed, prompting her to leave hurriedly.

Commenters said that the food court’s atmosphere was generally normal during weekday lunchtimes, but changes drastically on Friday evenings and weekends.

Some described it as a gathering spot for older men, with women in revealing clothing accompanying patrons at almost every table.

Shin Min reporter witnesses the scene

Following the woman's account, a Shin Min reporter visited the food court on a weekend and saw an older man getting handsy with a middle-aged woman before entering the food court.

The man reportedly quickly withdrew his hands when he noticed an outsider approaching.

The food court was almost full, with bottles and drinking glasses covering the tables. Most patrons were older men, some accompanied by younger women.

The reporter subsequently saw an older man and a woman leave the food court and embrace and kiss outside the nearby toilets.

The exchange lasted a few seconds, with the pair seemingly unconcerned about those around them.

Woman calls her time at the food court her "early shift"

Posing as a diner, the reporter was directed by a beer promoter to share a table with male patrons.

The undercover observed some women serving beer, while others occasionally helped to pour drinks but mainly sat with patrons to keep them company.

One of the "hostesses" was seen greeting several drinkers warmly and addressing the men as “older brothers”.

She said she did not work regularly at the food court and had been invited there to drink: “I treat this as my early shift. Once I’m done here, I’ll head off to work the night shift."

Patrons allegedly gave tips of S$10 to S$20

Several patrons said they were regulars who visited the food court to drink whenever they had time.

They told the reporter that they would give women S$10 to S$20 in tips for sitting with them, knowing that they were here to earn a living.

"If they visit many tables in an evening, they can earn around S$100.”

During the visit, some women were seen flirting with drinkers and kissing them on the cheeks.

However, when asked whether they would patronise the nightlife venues where the women worked, the men declined, citing high costs.

Nearby businesses said there had previously been only four or five women accompanying drinkers.

As more men began bringing women from elsewhere, the number had grown to more than 10, Shin Min reported.

The news that the United States will be replacing its ambassador to Greece is usually a story that would have little interest outside of Greece or the U.S.

But Kimberly Guilfoyle is no ordinary ambassador.

Guilfoyle is a lawyer, a former host on the conservative Fox News Channel, the former wife of the incumbent governor of California, Gavin Newsom, and the former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr.

Her firing comes scant weeks before a hotly contested midterm election, after a Trump donor told the Wall Street Journal that she offered him access to senior administration officials in exchange for money, which he called ‘pay to play.

So who is Guilfoyle, why has she been removed from her post, and what has she been accused of?

Who is Kimberly Guilfoyle?

Guilfoyle has been described as “MAGA royalty”. She was the former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., although they eventually broke up, with Don Jr. marrying Bettina Anderson in 2026.

She had been with Don Jr. since 2018 and rose to national prominence as a presenter for the conservative TV channel Fox News.

But the 57-year-old Guilfoyle got her start in the notably liberal city of San Francisco, where the Sacramento Bee says she first worked as a public school teacher, then a prosecutor.

She served as a prosecutor both in San Francisco and Los Angeles; in the latter, she maintained a 97 per cent conviction rate, according to the Bee.

It was also in San Francisco that she met her first husband, Gavin Newsom, being married for nearly five years.

Newsom would go on to become mayor of San Francisco, and then governor of California, and is anticipated to be a serious contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, despite not yet announcing a bid for the role.

Sent to Greece

An article in The New York Times said that Guilfoyle was announced for her ambassadorial role a day after Don Jr. was seen with another woman in December 2024.

The NYT said the timing suggested Trump wanted her out of the country at an awkward moment for his son, who went on to marry Anderson this year. Guilfoyle’s allies said that was not the case

Her appointment was met with some apprehension on the part of the Greek establishment, but she appears to have been quite effective in her role.

Guilfoyle has long been a controversial figure, and, as a media personality, was known to be enthusiastic in her support for Trump, but also for her own firebrand opinions; notably, she once suggested that Greeks were “freeloaders” during the Greek Financial crisis in 2015.

But it is for things she said after she was nominated as ambassador that have brought about her downfall.

Credit cards and private jets

Since the end of September 2026, the Wall Street Journal has published a series of articles detailing corruption allegations.

As of Oct. 14, Guilfoyle is alleged to have

• Promoted a Greek construction firm and worked closely with its top lobbyist, even calling administration officials.
• Sought US$100,000 (S$128,233) from Trump donor Eric Deters in order to pay off her credit card debt.
• Accepted private jet travel and hospitality from a Greek shipping magnate.

The Deters' request has exploded, with leaked texts showing Guilfoyle telling Deters to send money directly to American Express, and that if he did, “it won’t show up anywhere.”

“Honey please I need you to get this done for me today,” the texts showed her saying, along with a praying hands emoji and instructions on how to pay her bill.

These texts were sent in July 2025, when Guilfoyle was facing congressional hearings for her ambassadorship.

Guilfoyle, through her lawyers, has rejected many of the accusations against her, for instance, suggesting that the texts were either faked or were payment for previously rendered services.

Rejection

However, Deters has been vigorously refuting her defences.

Deters has confirmed the texts regarding her credit card bill, amongst other things, and said that he did not pay her bill.

He also said that he had used her to lobby the Trump administration’s Justice Department on his behalf using her close connections to Trump and his family, but to no effect.

The WSJ reports prompted Democrats from the House and Senate foreign affairs committees to urge the U.S. Department of State to review her conduct.

Guilfoyle, through a lawyer, disputed the texts' authenticity.

She was initially defended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who on Oct. 7 spoke in the Greek capital of Athens, where he said that the local U.S. embassy had been doing a “great job” and that “our ambassador has been a strong ambassador.”

But by Oct. 11, the AP reported via the Guardian that Trump and Rubio were “extremely pissed off” by her conduct, and were considering her position, effectively firing her a few days later on Oct. 13.

Trump distanced himself and his family from Guilfoyle, saying that she was not a family member but that “she, I guess, dated my son a long time ago,” according to the BBC.

Keep her head down

The New York Post suggested that Guilfoyle’s best hope in avoiding punishment for the allegations was a presidential pardon from Trump.

It reported that unnamed sources in the White House were warning that she “would need a pardon”, something that she would only get if she “behaved.”

One advised that “if I were her, I’d probably shut up and hope for it.”

But on Oct. 14, the New Republic reported rumours that Guilfoyle is keeping a "burn book" on the Trump family, containing all manner of negative information on them.

It reported that Guilfoyle was planning to "burn bridges", with one source describing her return to the U.S. as "a nightmare" as she "knows where the bodies are buried."

The head of neurosurgery at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) told a coroner’s inquiry that compassion for a patient’s family influenced his decision not to report her death to the coroner.

Jai Prashanth Rao, who heads the National Neuroscience Institute’s (NNI) neurosurgery department at SGH, is being investigated over his failure to report the death as required under the Coroners Act, CNA reported.

A coroner's inquiry on Oct. 14 revealed that 75-year-old Tan Suan Lin had died six days after undergoing surgery by Rao to remove a brain tumour.

An internal NNI review had flagged the case about a year after Tan's death and a police report was lodged. No autopsy was performed because of the delay.

Changed his mind about reporting death

Rao reportedly said he initially told Tan’s family that her death would need to be reported to the coroner.

However, he later changed his mind and issued a death certificate instead, reported CNA.

Explaining his decision, Rao said: “Probably my heart overruled my brain.”

Tan’s husband had initially been reluctant for an autopsy to be carried out, but had tried to accept the reasoning after it was explained to him.

Her daughter repeatedly expressed that she did not want her mother to undergo an autopsy and wanted her to retain “dignity in death”, Rao stated, according to CNA.

Rao said he did not press the family further, explaining that he wanted to show compassion and give them closure.

Tan's death certificate gave the cause of death as "malignant neoplasm – brain, unspecified", which Rao said was meant to show she died from the tumour. Rao said a junior doctor had signed it.

According to CNA, an HSA forensic pathologist indicated a possible cause was bleeding complications during surgery.

Thought only deaths within 24 hours of surgery had to be reported

Rao also reportedly claimed he had mistakenly believed that reporting to the coroner was mandatory only for deaths occurring within 24 hours of an operation.

He could not recall where that understanding had come from.

When State Coroner Adam Nakhoda asked whether he had undergone training on when deaths should be reported, Rao said such training was given when doctors were “very junior”.

According to CNA, the surgeon said he has since refreshed his understanding of the requirements and acknowledged that Tan’s death should have been reported.

Under the Coroners Act, anyone who becomes aware of a death that is, or appears to be, reportable must inform the police as soon as reasonably practicable.

This includes deaths linked directly or indirectly to medical treatment or care, as well as cases where the cause or circumstances of death are unknown.

Those who fail to report such a death without reasonable excuse may face up to one month’s jail, a fine of up to S$1,500, or both.

Surgery complicated by severe bleeding

Rao operated on Tan on Jan. 3, 2024.

The surgery was going as planned until the team reportedly struggled to control the bleeding.

Tan lost around three litres of blood, and her brain began to swell.

Rao ended the surgery and closed the skin before updating Tan’s husband and daughter on what had happened and telling them that her chances of recovery were poor.

Tan was then moved to the intensive care unit, where her condition worsened.

Tan died on Jan. 9, 2024.

Rao testified that he could not explain the cause of the swelling, but based on his medical expertise, it appeared to him to be a seizure, CNA reported.

Expert says case should have been reported

A state-appointed independent expert witness reportedly said Tan’s death should have been reported to the coroner.

The expert said reporting such deaths was something doctors were taught from the time they entered the speciality.

However, as a fellow surgeon, he said he could empathise with Rao’s decision-making, CNA reported.

The expert said the main surgeon carries “the most emotional burden” and that it was “entirely reasonable” for emotions to sometimes affect judgment.

The coroner will deliver his findings at a later date.

ActiveSG's outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities have been closed temporarily due to worsening haze conditions.

According to ActiveSG's website, the closure affects ActiveSG's sports and recreation facilities in the East and Central regions, as of 2:30pm on Oct. 15.

The affected facilities include:

• ActiveSG Sport Park @ Teck Ghee Swimming Complex

• Bishan Clubhouse

• Bishan Stadium

• Bishan Swimming Complex

• Burghley Squash Centre

• Burghley Tennis Centre

• Hougang Stadium

• Hougang Swimming Complex

• Kallang Sport Centre

• Jalan Besar Stadium

• Jalan Besar Swimming Complex

Other facilities in the East region, such as Serangoon Stadium and Pasir Ris Swimming Complex are also affected.

Facilities in the North, South, and West regions remain open, but visitors are advised to check for the latest updates before heading down, ActiveSG added.

As of Oct. 15, 3pm, NEA's website showed that the East and Central regions had a 24-hour PSI reading of 165 and 188 respectively.

The North, South and West regions have a reading of 125, 158, and 196 respectively.

This places every region in Singapore in the Unhealthy scale.

In a similar move, SAFRA branches at Jurong and Choa Chu Kang have closed their outdoor facilities, according to Facebook posts on their respective accounts.

A petrol shortage in Indonesia's resort island of Bali left motorists waiting hours and in snaking queues just to fill up their gas tanks earlier this week.

Some petrol stations also ran out of fuel.

Officials explained that the shortage was the result of an unfortunate confluence of events that affected domestic distribution, but stressed that there was enough fuel to go around, as fuel deliveries have resumed.

Queues reported since Sunday

The queues were observed at multiple districts across the Indonesian island, including in the capital of Denpasar, South China Morning Post wrote.

According to the Associated Press, they have been reported since Sunday.

One motorist said he spent a morning visiting 10 petrol stations, only to find long lines at each of them, ABC Asia reported.

In another video by RT, a station attendant was seen handing out water to those in line.

At some stations, signs were put up informing motorists that fuel was not available, AP reported.

Delayed shipment of fuel

The shortage was not the result of disruptions in international fuel supplies, a director-general from Indonesia's energy ministry explained, according to AP.

Rather, a fuel tanker delivering fuel to the island suffered an anchor issue while preparing to unload at the island's port.

Inclement weather and rough seas also hampered deliveries to the resort island.

Panic-buying by motorists, in anticipation of a shortage, only made things worse.

The delayed fuel tanker has since arrived, and 24-hour deliveries to the island have been underway since Oct. 14.

The governor of Bali, I Wayan Koster, urged patience and reminded motorists that there was enough fuel to meet demand, South China Morning Post reported, citing Jakarta Globe.

A man and his friend solicited an older man in Geylang for oral sex, but assaulted him afterwards when he asked for payment.

Shakur Han Shaid, 23, was sentenced to seven years and four months’ jail and six strokes of the cane on Oct. 13.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by a dangerous weapon, voluntarily causing grievous hurt and theft in dwelling.

His accomplice, Richard M. Azhar, was previously sentenced to four and a half years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane on Sep. 29, 2025.

Court documents seen by Mothership stated that Shakur was released from reformative training under supervision on Jul. 3, 2024.

He was to remain under supervision until Jul. 5, 2026, but committed a slew of offences shortly after his release.

Solicited man for sex act

According to court documents, Shakur and Azhar decided to engage sexual services from prostitutes on Feb. 3, 2025.

They headed to Geylang, where they spotted the 44-year-old victim.

The victim agreed to provide sexual services to them both, and they headed to the back alley of Geylang Lorong 21 sometime after midnight.

Afterwards, he told them that it would cost S$50 per person.

Azhar told the victim that he did not have enough money and then snatched the victim’s bag to take his money.

However, the victim pulled his bag back.

Assaulted victim

Azhar then punched the victim in the face a few times.

Irritated that the victim had touched his body, Shakur punched the victim’s face, pulled the victim’s bag and shirt, and pinned him to the ground.

Shakur then punched and kicked the victim while he was on the floor while Azhar pulled the victim’s handbag to see what valuables were inside.

Later, Shakur spotted Azhar holding onto a brick weighing almost 2kg and took it from him.

He then used the brick to hit the victim.

Azhar also hit the victim with the brick and took his valuables, including a handphone, his NRIC card, a blue CHAS card, and cash amounting to S$40 from the floor.

After the assault, Shakur spotted the victim’s ATM card on the floor and handed it over to Azhar.

The two left the victim in the alley and fled.

Arrested

At around 9am on Feb. 4, 2025, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the assault.

The victim was found unconscious, lying in a pool of blood, with a bloodstained brick nearby.

He was taken to Changi General Hospital, where doctors found extensive injuries, including a skull fracture, traumatic brain injury, multiple facial fractures, and compartment syndrome in both legs.

He underwent several surgeries and required prolonged rehabilitation.

Medical fees at St Andrew's Community Hospital alone amounted to over S$37,000, according to court documents.

Shakur was arrested on the afternoon of Feb. 4 and subsequently charged in court.

Other offences

Shakur also committed other offences, including turning aggressive and pushing an auxiliary police officer's hand away during a body check in remand.

Before this, Shakur had also stolen money from a staff at a drinks stall in a Boon Lay coffee shop on Nov. 10, 2024.

On Dec. 26, 2024, he also assaulted a 58-year-old man at a void deck in Boon Lay.

The governor of East Kalimantan province in Indonesia was recently spotted at Marina Bay Sands having breakfast.

The scene of Rudy Mas'ud at the hotel sparked criticism and anger after going viral on Threads.

The photo, which has since amassed over 11,000 likes and 1,500 shares, was posted on Oct. 12.

It was not revealed when exactly the photo was taken.

Indonesian netizens lambasted the pair for going on "vacation" and "having a good time", while forest fires continue burning in Kalimantan.

Health check

However, East Kalimantan's communications and information agency clarified on Oct. 13 that Rudy had been in Singapore days earlier for a health check.

According to Indonesian media outlet Kompas, he had received permission from the minister of home affairs, and the trip was for "health reasons".

Rudy underwent a routine health check at Mount Elizabeth Hospital and left Singapore on Oct. 11, reported another Indonesian media outlet, Benua Kaltim.

He resumed his governmental duties and was in Jakarta the day after.

Fires

Fires in Kalimantan have been burning for the past three months.

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Indonesia's environment minister said on Oct. 13 that it aims to extinguish all forest and land fires in a month.

Regarding offers of assistance from other countries, the minister said that the government would assess potential aid based on its type and effectiveness in accelerating firefighting operations, Antara wrote.

Small deployments may have a limited impact, since Indonesia has already deployed large numbers of responders.

Thus far, over 60,000 personnel have been deployed to support ground operations.

Related stories

A group of women was seen brawling along the Clarke Quay riverfront on Oct. 11.

In a video shared online by Instagram page sgfollowsall, one woman in white can be seen being thrown to the ground.

Two women grappled with her hands and legs, while another yanked forcefully at her hair.

They fell and continued tussling on the ground.

The woman wearing white tried to stand up but was restrained and pinned to the ground.

Another assailant kicked at the woman while she was on the floor.

While the brawl was happening, one woman in black noticed the cameraman taking the video and told them to stop.

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Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) reported that one worker at a nearby Thai restaurant witnessed and heard the group of women shouting loudly and fighting.

Another worker at a nearby restaurant told Shin Min that it was "common" to see drunken spats and fights in the area.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed that they received a call for assistance around 9:55pm that day.

They assessed one person for minor injuries, who refused conveyance and declined to be sent to the hospital.

Police investigations are ongoing.