After their condominium unit became damaged by termites, a couple in Singapore sued the building's management for its repair costs.

They argued that the termites originated from common property soil and that the management corporation had failed to prevent the infestation.

The corporation, meanwhile, contested that the damage may have resulted from damp conditions caused by the "unauthorised and illegal" installation of a kitchen.

The court ruled in the couple's favour and they were awarded a total of S$10,978 for the damage, as well as S$42,750 in legal costs and disbursements.

According to the court, the case appears to be the first where the duty of a condominium management corporation has come under question.

Lawsuit

According to the judgement paper, the claimants, Glenford Tan Ming Loon and Loo Hwee-Wen Vivien, owned a fifth floor unit at low-rise condominium development Freesia Woods at 61 Sunset Way.

They discovered a termite infestation some time in December 2023, which had caused damage to their built-in wooden cabinetry in the home.

As a result, the attached basin sink, marble top and backing related to the cabinet also had to be reinstalled as a single unit.

Tan and Loo filed a claim against the condominium's management, claiming that it had failed to ensure that the property's soil was free from subterranean termites.

The couple also claimed the management had failed to undertake anti-termite measures on the soil that would have prevented termites from nesting or making their way to the unit.

While the management accepted that there had been termite damage, it disputed the fact that the termites were subterranean.

They further argued that the couple's allegedly unauthorised kitchen renovations had made the unit susceptible to infestation.

Court findings

The judge accepted Tan and Loo's claims that the damage had been caused by subterranean termites.

The couple's entomologist, Teh Jo Lyn, said she had found widespread subterranean termite activity across the common property, originating from the ground.

However, a pest control company hired by the condominium refuted that it was improbable for these termites to reach the top floor unit, where Tan and Loo's unit was, without affecting any of the lower floors.

Teh argued in response that it was possible for termites to emerged in random units without affecting lower floors first, which the pest control company did not refute.

The court also rejected evidence presented by the owner of the pest control company, stating that he had a commercial relationship with the condo's management corporation and lacked the necessary specialised expertise.

History of termite infestation

The condominium was found to have a history of subterranean termite infestations, a fact the management was aware of.

The judge thus pointed out that the corporation should have been aware of the possibility of a recurrence and had a duty to take preventive measures.

It was also found that the pest control company had mainly conducted visual inspections on the area and treated termites after they were found, but did not carry out preventive termite management.

They also failed to pick up widespread signs of termite infestation despite years of inspection, something Teh did on a single inspection.

As the case was the first in Singapore dealing with the duty of management corporations in maintaining common property, specifically regarding termite management, the court referred to Australian legislation in enacting the Building (Strata Management) Act (BSMA).

Under the legislation in Queensland, Australia, there is a duty imposed on body corporates to maintain common property.

At the same time, the court ruled that there was no evidence that the kitchen works done by Tan and Loo in their unit were illegal.

As the renovations were made within their private property, it was within their right to do so, the judge said.

A man living in Toa Payoh came across a note at the lift lobby about a Primary 6 boy's supposedly less-than-desirable lift etiquette, and later realised the boy mentioned was his son.

The man told Stomp he previously came across the printed note on Jul. 15, and though he did not pay much attention to it at first, he began reading it while waiting for the lift.

The note had been addressed to the family of a primary school student who takes the lift from the 23rd floor at around 7:20am on weekdays, according to Stomp.

It described the student as typically seen wearing "a green school T-shirt" and carrying "an oversized school bag with a small dangling toy".

The note added that the boy "often appears sleepy with slightly uncombed hair in the mornings".

In addition, the note carried a few requests for the boy's family, Stomp reported.

Reminders

Firstly, it asked the family to remind the boy "not to stand directly in front of lift doors after boarding".

"On several occasions, he has remained at the doorway instead of moving further into the lift, blocking access and making it difficult for residents to enter or exit," the note added.

"His oversized school bag did not help with the encounters."

It also asked that the family encourage the boy to "move further into the lift, keep his bag close to him", and "be mindful of others sharing the lift".

The note added:

"We hope he can develop good lift etiquette, spatial awareness, and consideration for other residents.

We appreciate it if this repeated issue can be addressed."

Son frightened

Following this, the man told Stomp that he realised the note was describing his youngest son.

While he initially felt embarrassed by his son's behaviour, he later felt uncomfortable due to the amount of detail the note included.

When he showed the note to his son, his son acknowledged that it was wrong of him to block the lift entrance, but said no one had told him to move further inside.

Noting that his son was frightened by how the note had described him in such detail, the man told Stomp:

"What happened to a simple request to my son by saying, 'Excuse me, boy, please don’t block the lift and move to the back'?"

Though the man agreed that his son ought to be more considerate, he questioned if it was necessary to post such a detailed note publicly.

He said that "it is quite common for a young boy waking up early in the morning to still feel sleepy and blur, and not do the right thing", but questioned if his son's lift etiquette was "really that serious that my neighbour has to go all the way to terrify [him]?"

The man added that unsure of how to respond, he had initially turned to artificial intelligence (AI) for advice.

He is now considering printing his own response and pasting it at the lift lobby.

Since launching crow shooting operations on Mar. 24, the National Parks Board (NParks) has culled more than 500 crows.

Now it has been progressively rolling out this method in other districts, said NParks' group director of wildlife management How Choon Beng in a Jul. 17 statement.

These districts include Bukit Panjang, Marine Parade, and Tanah Merah.

They were selected as they have large numbers of crows, which have been averse to traps in the area, and they were deemed suitable sites to conduct crow shooting safely.

Crow shooting

NParks resumed crow shooting operations in Singapore from Mar. 24 due to an increase in crow population and in public complaints about their aggression.

Such feedback surged from over 460 cases in 2020 to more than 2,000 cases in 2025.

As of June 2026, operations were conducted in nine districts: Bishan, Jurong, Kranji, Punggol, Sembawang, Tampines, Toa Payoh, Woodlands, and Yishun.

Shooters have to adhere to strict shooting protocols, such as ensuring that the shooting trajectory of the pellets is always directed upwards, How said.

At the same time, they also need to adapt according to varying site conditions. Crows can detect and recognise danger, making them difficult to predict due to their adaptability, How explained.

NParks has described crows as an invasive non-native species that poses a threat to Singapore's native biodiversity.

They may also attack residents when they sense that their young are threatened, and can cause noise, soiling, and hygiene issues.

A complementary measure

"Crow shooting is a complementary measure that will augment our existing crow management efforts, which will continue to be carried out on top of the progressive implementation of shooting operations," How said.

These other efforts include removing crow nests, studying their ecology, reducing food sources, modifying their habitat, and monitoring feedback on illegal bird feeding.

How assured that the various measures collectively will "contribute towards a gradual and sustained reduction in crow numbers".

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Singaporean actor Ben Yeo has shut down all six of his Tan Xiang Sliced Fish Soup stalls.

The 47-year-old made the move as the business “failed to meet expectations”, 8days reported.

Unsustainable

Yeo first launched Tan Xiang Sliced Fish Soup in September 2023 with a stall in a Toa Payoh coffee shop.

Nine months later, he shut it down and relocated.

Yeo expanded his fish soup business in 2025 by opening six stalls located at Clementi, Orchard Towers, and Ang Mo Kio.

However, he claimed that “some outlets made money, some didn't”, which made the expansion unsustainable.

“We lost a mid-five-figure sum,” Yeo told 8days.

He gave the business one year to see results, and would cut losses if it was unsuccessful.

The losses eventually led to closures.

Yeo attributed the closures to aggressive expansion.

He said he thought stalls required smaller investments and more people would see the brand with more stalls, and he was following a strategy that worked for other brands.

“Looking back, I don't think that works anymore," he added.

Sliced fish soup is still available at Yeo’s zi char outlets located at Chai Chee and Kallang.

20 dishes only

Yeo is still embarking on F&B ventures with new brands as a diversification strategy.

He launched the “20 Dishes Only” stall in the Block 645 Yishun Street 61 coffee shop in early July 2026.

It serves only 20 dishes, such as Steamed Minced Pork with Salted Egg and Steamed Fish Head.

The prices range from S$6.80 to S$15.

Only four dishes cost more than S$10.

The dishes come in one serving size.

He recommends the Hand-Pulled Sweet and Sour Pork, ABC soup, Grandma Fried Egg, Steamed Fish Head, and Prawn Paste Fish.

Yeo said the menu was inspired by lessons learned from operating Thai eatery, Benkok13.

He wants to keep wastage to a minimum and make the business sustainable.

Mediacorp actor Richard Low has revealed that the health scare which landed him in the hospital back in May 2026 was caused by a colon condition.

The 74-year-old was previously hospitalised for six days after suddenly losing control of his bowel and bladder functions.

"Okay for now"

In an interview with Lianhe Zaobao, Low said his health is "okay for now".

He shared that his recent hospitalisation was caused by diverticular disease, a condition in which small pouch-like sacs develop in the wall of the large intestine.

In his case, the condition led to intestinal bleeding.

"When I got up in the morning and went to the toilet, I saw blood in my stool. I immediately thought: 'This is bad,'" Low recalled.

"I had a bad feeling that the same thing that happened 20 years ago might be happening again."

The actor revealed that he had suffered from the same condition two decades earlier, making the symptoms immediately recognisable.

Despite this, the actor said he initially felt fine.

"I was feeling okay at the time, and I even filmed a video for 'The OG Gang' (with actors Chen Shucheng and Zhu Houren). Around 3pm or 4pm, I asked my wife to accompany me to the hospital."

Doctors later discovered that diverticulitis had caused a perforation in his intestine, resulting in continuous bleeding.

Low also revealed that he lost 5kg during his hospital stay.

"For the first three days, I had to undergo various tests, so I wasn't allowed to eat anything. I didn't have much of an appetite anyway," he said. "Over the next few days, I could only consume liquids."

According to Low, the condition cannot be completely cured.

Instead, he has to manage it by watching his diet and avoiding fried food and alcohol to reduce the risk of another flare-up.

Upcoming project

The actor's next project is the upcoming Mediacorp drama "Old & Dangerous", which is set to premiere on Jul. 27.

It follows five former elite special forces operatives in their 70s who reunite for a special mission, with Low starring alongside Chen Shucheng, Zhu Houren, Wang Yuqing and Li Wen Hai.

The drama is expected to air on weekdays at 9pm on Channel 8, and will also be available on mewatch.

The Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) held an all-hands "Ask Me Anything" session with staff after announcing what has been described as the first large-scale government retrenchment in many years.

However, some employees said morale remained low and concerns about job security persist as further job cuts are going to occur.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, GovTech chairman Chng Kai Fong and chief executive Goh Wei Boon held the session at the agency's Punggol Way office on Jul. 16 at 4pm.

The session was attended by around 200 staff in person, with the rest joining online.

Warning before the session began

Before the session started, a message on screen warned employees that sharing the contents of the meeting without authorisation could result in disciplinary action or legal consequences, according to Zaobao.

Technical issues and unanswered questions

The session did not go entirely smoothly, Zaobao reported.

A GovTech employee of three years, identified by the pseudonym Zhang Keling, attended the session and told the paper that technical issues arose frequently, with some online participants unable to hear the proceedings clearly.

Questions were submitted through an internal communications platform, meaning employees could not tell who had asked what, or which questions management had chosen to address.

Scale of retrenchment

GovTech announced on Jul. 15 that it would be cutting 7 to 9 per cent of its workforce, equivalent to about 270 to 350 people, following a shift to a new operating model.

In the first phase, 93 officers will be laid off.

About 110 will undergo retraining and be redeployed to other positions.

The Amalgamated Union of Statutory Board Employees (AUSBE) negotiated an enhanced support package for affected staff, as Mothership previously reported.

The agency currently employs about 3,900 staff, of which around 13 per cent are on contract.

Those most affected in this first phase are employees in their 40s and 50s.

"Everyone is quite worried"

Zhang Keling told Zaobao his own position was currently stable, but that he had no certainty about the longer term given the ongoing restructuring.

He said: "We've never heard of the government doing layoffs, and on such a large scale. Everyone is quite worried. We probably need to keep upgrading ourselves."

He also noted that overall morale among staff was low, with widespread anxiety about job security.

When Zaobao reporters visited the office in Punggol Digital District on Jul. 16, most staff who entered and exited the building identified themselves as contractors or part-time workers and declined to comment.

One employee who appeared to be in their 40s or 50s acknowledged having just attended the session but said only: "I have not been authorised. I cannot say."

An 11-year-old girl who has been missing in Sabah, Malaysia, since Jul. 13 has been found dead on Jul. 16.

The body of Nurjilya Abdullah was reportedly found near a house under construction, Malay Mail reported.

Local police said the body was discovered after they received information from members of the public.

Body decomposed

The body was reportedly found in an "advanced state of decomposition," and she is believed to have died from injuries to the face and back of the head caused by blunt force trauma from a hard object.

The victim’s identity was confirmed by her mother based on the clothing she had been wearing when she disappeared.

2 men arrested on suspicion of murder

Two men, aged 39 and 42, have been arrested in connection with the murder, the New Straits Times reported.

The 39-year-old is undocumented, while the 42-year-old is local, it was reported.

The motive for the killing has yet to be established, police said.

Investigations are ongoing.

A man disqualified from driving for life in 2023 after three past drink driving convictions was charged again for the same offence.

Lee Shin Nan was accused of drink driving in a car on Sep. 10, 2025 without the owner's consent and despite his disqualification, The Straits Times reported.

After a police officer stopped him around 1am, he allegedly failed to give the officer his breath sample.

He was later found to have at least 135mg of alcohol in 100ml of his blood, above the prescribed limit of 80mg.

On Jul. 16, he was handed five charges for these alleged offences.

Previous convictions

Lee was previously convicted of drink driving three times in 2009, 2012, and 2023.

For his first offence, he was fined S$2,800 and banned from driving for two years.

For his second, he was sentenced to two weeks’ jail, fined S$4,000, and banned from driving for four years.

For his third, he was jailed eight weeks, fined S$10,000, and disqualified from holding a driving licence for life.

According to a judgement dated Dec. 18, 2023, Lee appealed against the imprisonment term and the lifetime disqualification order.

The judge dismissed his appeal and affirmed the sentence imposed, saying that is was fair.

The court will review Lee's bail, set at S$30,000, on Jul. 17, ST reported.

Mona Koh, one of Singapore's most famous mamasans, has passed away at the age of 80.

The "Queen of the Nightclubs" died on Jul. 15, according to a post by Facebook tribute page Death Kopitiam.

Koh, a Singaporean of Indonesian descent, became a mamasan in her 20s.

A mamasan manages female staff and acts as the proprietress of entertainment establishments.

She gained her legendary status in the 1980s and 1990s after starting to run her own nightclubs, where her fees rose to S$15,000 a month, according to Death Kopitiam's post.

S$15,000 in the 1990s is about S$39,000 in today's dollars.

The post also described her services as "sought by most of the businessmen when they need to entertain".

1994 shooting

On Oct. 15, 1994, Koh was ambushed and shot twice at Katong People's Complex, which is now replaced by i12 Katong.

She sustained two bullet wounds to her face and back, with the latter shattering a spinal bone and paralysing her from the waist down.

According to a Straits Times article at the time, the suspect was described by police as a "slim, dark Chinese man".

He was never caught and the motive for the attack was never established, making it one of Singapore's most prominent unsolved crimes.

Koh, who has two adopted children, continued working in a wheelchair despite her injury.

She was also actively involved in charity, as she visited and helped the elderly every weekend, according to Death Kopitiam.

The Thai Festival 2026 held at the Royal Thai Embassy in Orchard from Jul. 10 to 12, 2026 drew about 80,000 attendees.

The three-day event was organised to promote Thailand's vibrant creative economy, the embassy said in a post-event news release.

Among those in attendance were Singaporeans, the Thai expat community, and international tourists, the embassy noted.

The Thai Festival has traditionally been an annual flagship event.

It was paused during the pandemic and made its return in 2025.

Businesses

The event served to bring Thai businesses and entrepreneurs into Singapore, according to the embassy.

More than 100 participating Thai brands, artisans, and vendors showcased their offerings to consumers.

Vendors reportedly experienced sales that exceeded expectations, and many sold out their merchandise before the festival concluded, the embassy noted.

Notable brands that participated in the festival included INGU, a Thai skincare brand that had gone viral on TikTok.

The festival also welcomed eateries, such as Plu Restaurant, a Michelin-rated establishment, and Emily’s Mee Kai Cheek, which returned after making a successful run at last year’s festival.

Culture

A cultural highlight of the event was a “Chud Thai” exhibition showcasing the eight styles of Royal Thai dresses at the Elephant Hall located on the second floor of the embassy.

It was created to honour the legacy of the late Queen Sirikit.

Her model for the national costume laid the groundwork for Thailand’s 2026 Unesco "Chud Thai" proposal.

Performances

The festival’s main stage entertainment blended traditional Thai cultural performances with contemporary music.

There were performances by the Chanakarn Thai Dance troupe and the Human Puppet troupe, Huachiew Chalermprakiet University, who presented “Rabam Si Phak” ("Dance of the Four Regions").

Musical performances and mini-concerts were also held throughout the festival.

The event concluded with musical performances by Thai Labour Volunteers’ ISAN Band and Friends of Thai Workers Association (Singapore)’s V&C Band.