While visiting her sister in Hong Kong in June 2025, a 36-year-old tourist from Singapore was attacked with acid, perpetrated by a then-17-year-old teenager.

The attack left her with second-degree burns on both legs.

Although he fled the scene, the teenager, Anson Kew, later turned himself in. He did not offer an explanation for the attack.

The teenager, now 19, pleaded guilty before the Hong Kong courts on Oct. 15.

The attack

According to ST Headline and HK01, the 36-year-old, Jiang Wen, had travelled from Singapore to Hong Kong in June 2025 to visit her sister.

On the day of the attack, Jiang was leaving The Hennessy in Wan Chai after meeting her sister.

She was getting into a private hire car when Kew appeared wearing dark clothes and donning a cap and mask.

Kew approached Jiang and splashed acid at her.

This caused Jiang to fall to the ground, screaming in pain.

She collapsed after feeling an intense burning sensation on her face and legs, South China Morning Post reported.

The private hire driver called the police.

Kew fled the scene.

Burns to 10 to 11 per cent of body

Jiang was rushed to the hospital and found with burns to 10 to 11 per cent of body, mainly affecting her face and limbs.

She was put through an emergency surgery and received skin grafts.

Jiang would go on to spend about two months in the Hong Kong hospital before returning to Singapore for further treatment.

Teenager scouted location days before attack

Two days after the attack, Kew turned himself in at a police station.

He remained silent as he was questioned by police and did not explain why he carried out the attack.

Hong Kong police later found a plastic bottle containing small amounts of a liquid in a back alley near where the attack took place.

Tests showed that the liquid contained highly-concentrated sulphuric acid.

CCTV footage from Kew's residence showed him handling a plastic bottle and backpack with gloves on.

Investigations also revealed that Kew had scouted the location days before the attack.

Kew, now 19, pleaded guilty during a hearing in the Hong Kong courts on Thursday (Oct. 15).

He will be back in court again on Oct. 29 for sentencing.

Indonesia has agreed to accept assistance from neighbouring countries to tackle the forest fires that have sent haze across the region.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Arrmanatha Nasir said on Oct. 15 that President Prabowo Subianto had approved the assistance, while the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) was working out the technical arrangements, according to Antara.

Offers of help being processed

Speaking to reporters, Arrmanatha said: “The assistance that neighbouring countries wish to provide has already been discussed and is now being processed.”

He did not specify which countries’ offers were being considered or what form the assistance would take, Bernama reported.

He added that Prabowo was closely monitoring the fires as their impact spread across several Indonesian provinces and the wider Southeast Asian region.

Head of BNPB, Lieutenant-General Kristomei Sianturi said the agency would first assess the resources already available locally and nationally before determining what overseas assistance could help speed up firefighting efforts.

Earlier responses less certain

Singapore had earlier said it was ready to assist Indonesia.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Oct. 10 that Singapore was aware of Indonesia's efforts to contain the fires and would “stand ready to assist” where possible.

Fu also said she had been in contact with Indonesian Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat and supported regional cooperation on the haze, Mothership reported.

In the days before Prabowo’s approval was confirmed, Indonesian officials said the offers were still being discussed and operational details had yet to be worked out.

Malaysia offered aircraft, helicopters and personnel

Malaysia had also offered assistance.

During a meeting with Prabowo in Hambalang, West Java, on Sep. 18, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi offered one aircraft, three helicopters and 52 firefighting personnel.

On Oct. 14, Honi Havana, a spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs, said operational requirements, including personnel deployment and logistical support, still had to be worked out.

He added that Indonesia had not outright rejected Malaysia’s offer of assistance.

Prabowo has described the haze as a problem whose effects extend beyond Indonesia.

“The fires are in Indonesia, but their impact is felt by our neighbours, so we welcome their support.”

Worst fire season in more than a decade

Indonesia is facing its worst fire season in over 10 years, with fires concentrated in Sumatra and Kalimantan, The Straits Times reported.

The fires have been exacerbated by a strong El Niño weather phenomenon and have sent haze across parts of Southeast Asia, contributing to respiratory illnesses, school closures and flight cancellations.

Malaysia has closed schools in several states, Reuters reported, while some outdoor activities in Singapore have been curtailed.

Photos and videos have circulated online showing the state of rainwater collected in pails in Singapore following a downpour on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, as hazy conditions persisted.

The rainwater collected in receptacles appeared greyish and blackish.

A number of photos and videos have been shared on social media of this phenomenon.

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Reactions

The photos and videos drew a slew of comments, some expressing shock and disbelief.

Those who expressed disbelief wrote that the pails or the area above them might have been dirty or contaminated in the first place, which resulted in the blackish water.

Some claimed the photos and videos might have been exaggerated or faked as they did not show public housing blocks or pavements covered in a layer of soot.

This drew responses from others who shared other photos and videos shot in Singapore of rainwater collection.

Those who expressed shock wrote that the same impurities seen in the water will also be present in people's lungs from breathing in the haze in the air.

What caused phenomenon

Haze from forest fires contain soot, ash, and unburned carbon.

The process where rain washes fine particles, including PM2.5, out of the air is known as "wet deposition", or "rain scavenging".

The relief is usually short-lived.

But the resultant grey and murky residue can coat cars and plants when they fall on the ground with the rain.

The body of a 76-year-old Singaporean woman was found decomposed in a shophouse in Johor, Malaysia, on Oct. 13, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The shophouse is located in Gelang Patah.

The owner of a nearby shop, Chen (transliteration), 26, told Shin Min that the upper floors of the shophouses in the area are mostly rented out as accommodation to migrant workers.

Chen said the elderly Singaporean Chinese woman has resided there for quite some time.

Nobody knew why she lived there, according to Chen.

"The boss from downstairs told me that she's old, and did not see her together with anyone else. It's likely that she died of old age," Chen said.

A food stall assistant who worked nearby said that police had set up a cordon at the scene, which led to a crowd gathering.

Local police said that they were alerted to the case and pointed out that the 76-year-old was unemployed, Shin Min reported.

They confirmed that the body was found in a shophouse typically used as workers' accommodation.

The case is being investigated as a sudden death case.

Singapore is looking into which companies may be responsible for the haze-causing fires in Indonesia, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in an Oct. 15 Facebook post.

Where warranted, Singapore will take action under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act and explore joint action with other countries, PM Wong added.

Enacted in 2014, the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act allows the government to prosecute any entity found guilty of engaging in conduct that causes or contributes to haze pollution in Singapore.

Such conduct may take place in or outside of Singapore.

In the post, PM Wong also said that Singapore has offered assistance to Indonesia and will continue to work closely with the country and Asean partners to address the issue.

PM Wong commented, "We cannot control the weather or winds, nor can we directly control what happens beyond our borders."

"But we will do everything we can to protect Singaporeans, while working with our neighbours to address the underlying causes of the haze," he added.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) previously said that it is monitoring the haze situation closely and that a probe into four firms over the haze in 2015 is still ongoing.

The former inmate who starred in CNA's prison documentary, "Inside Maximum Security", has been sentenced to three years and one month's jail for reoffending.

Graceson Ang, 41, had failed to present his Singapore passport to an immigration officer when departing Singapore to Malaysia via Woodlands Checkpoint in March 2023.

He also made a false statement electronically when applying for a Singapore passport online.

Ang also imported mini LED flashlight stun guns in a parcel on Mar. 7, 2023.

At the time of the importation, Ang was under a remission order for the period from Nov. 19, 2022 to Jan. 19, 2025.

According to CNA, Ang pleaded guilty to six of the charges he faced, while nine charges were taken into consideration.

On top of the three years and one month's jail, Ang was also handed an additional 510 days in prison as he reoffended while he was on remission, CNA reported.

Ang was previously jailed for carrying weapons, drug consumption and criminal intimidation.

New offences

According to court documents, Ang was placed under compulsory supervision on Nov. 15, 2022 for a period of 60 months, from Nov. 19, 2022, to Nov. 18, 2027.

He was not allowed to leave Singapore during this period.

However, Ang left Singapore for Malaysia on Nov. 23, 2022, without approval.

He returned a day later.

In February 2023, Ang bought two stun guns via an overseas seller on an online platform.

The devices were capable of emitting an electric current and could injure a person.

On Mar. 7, 2023, the parcel was intercepted at SingPost Centre by an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority screening officer after it went through an X-ray machine.

Ang had also failed to turn up for a required urine test on Apr. 3, 2023, and had no medical certificate nor a valid reason.

He was also found to have failed to turn up for urine tests on at least 107 other occasions between Apr. 10, 2023 and Jun. 16, 2025.

According to CNA, Ang also admitted to conspiring with a Lim Jun Hong to deliver duty-unpaid cigarettes worth more than S$175,000 on Feb. 8, 2023.

On Jun. 17, 2025, Ang was arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint after he was deported from Malaysia.

Ang was charged and remanded in Singapore shortly after.

DPP's arguments and defence's mitigation

In their submission, the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) sought 36 months' and six weeks' to 42 months' and eight weeks' jail.

According to CNA, the DPP told the court that Ang's reoffending pointed to weak prospects of rehabilitation.

The DPP also pointed out that Ang reoffended just four days after leaving the halfway house he was admitted to.

In mitigation, Ang's defence lawyer said that Ang has three children and was divorced, CNA reported.

The lawyer also went through Ang's efforts to secure employment and contribute to his family financially after he was released.

It was during this process that Ang asked a friend about employment opportunities and was referred to a job involving contraband cigarettes, CNA wrote.

Ang's lawyer also appealed for "mercy" and said Ang promises not to reoffend.

In sentencing, the judge noted Ang's "recalcitrant behaviour" and the amounts involved in the contraband cigarette offences, CNA reported.

Appeared in prison documentary

Ang first came into the public eye when he appeared in a documentary by CNA in 2022, showcasing the lives of inmates in prison.

His story was particularly well-received as he candidly shared his fears about his wife asking for a divorce and his concerns for his children.

He was previously jailed for carrying weapons, drug consumption and criminal intimidation.

Ang also appeared in a follow-up series documenting his life after prison.

On Sep. 12, Susan Lee was supposed to celebrate her 52nd birthday surrounded by family.

But the day took a devastating turn when her son, Damian Ong, fell into a coma.

That day, the 24-year-old had participated in the "Fight for Hope" Muay Thai charity event. It was meant to raise funds for breast cancer.

Instead, he suffered a head injury and ended up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

For two agonising weeks, he fought for his life.

On Sep. 27, Damian was officially pronounced brain dead.

The day of the match

Speaking to Mothership days after his wake, his parents and older sister recounted the incident.

The whole family had gathered to watch Damian compete that day, and they planned to go for a celebratory meal afterwards.

From their vantage point in the stands, Damian appeared to be doing “okay”, having finished his first two bouts still on his feet.

He was still standing and fighting in his third and final bout when the referee called a stop to the match.

This is one of the moments the family continues to question, Damian’s sister, Agnes Ong, said.

What did the referee see that prompted the decision to stop the bout?

After the winner was announced, Damian was still able to walk over to his opponent’s side to shake hands.

It was only after he returned to his resting area that he began complaining of dizziness.

Susan went over to him and noticed that his left eye was swollen.

“His last words to me were, ‘Mummy, I feel very dizzy. I need to rest.’," Susan recounted, choking back tears.

Seen by medics on site, told to call SCDF

After the match, medics arrived to assess Damian.

They told the gym staff that they would return to check on him in 10 minutes.

Shortly afterwards, Damian began rolling around in pain, Agnes said. He was also pressing both sides of his head.

Although a private ambulance was on site, the medics apparently told the gym staff to call the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to transport Damian to hospital.

“So then, there was a slight delay because we had to call our own ambulance,” Agnes said.

According to Agnes, the medics on site said they were unable to transport Damian in the private ambulance.

She added that there was also confusion over which entrances the SCDF ambulance could use, causing further delays.

SCDF paramedics eventually arrived and transported Damian to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

“When Damian was in the SCDF ambulance, I saw tears coming out from his eyes, and that was the last scene I have of him,” Agnes said, tearing up.

Listening to her daughter, Susan murmured: “Damian must have been in such great pain that it made him tear.”

Damian was usually a strong person who did not cry easily, Agnes added.

Fighting for hope in the ICU

At the hospital, computed tomography (CT) scans revealed extensive bleeding in Damian’s brain.

Doctors recommended surgery to remove part of his skull and clear the blood clots.

However, they warned the family that even if the surgery was successful, Damian’s quality of life would be “very poor” if he regained consciousness.

The family was not ready to give up.

After a five-hour operation, Damian was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

There, his family prayed every day for him to wake up.

They played old Chinese songs he liked and dabbed small amounts of his favourite foods on his lips, hoping to somehow rouse him.

At one point, they noticed his face “flushing red” — a sign of life they desperately clung to.

“Ultimately, it could also be Damian doesn't want to come back to be in a state where he doesn't want to be,” Agnes surmised.

His last act of selflessness

On Sep. 27, at 6:50pm, a doctor officially pronounced Damian brain dead.

His father, Jeffrey Ong, said the entire family broke down in tears upon hearing the news.

But they knew the doctors had done their best, and that even the best medical care could not save him.

When doctors raised the possibility of organ donation, Jeffrey said the family was initially hesitant.

However, he recalled how Damian had once expressed his desire to donate his organs after watching his grandfather undergo kidney dialysis.

The family decided to honour that wish and do what they believed Damian would have wanted.

Before the organ retrieval procedure, Damian was honoured with a walk through the hospital, surrounded by hospital staff, family and friends.

“He did not manage to survive. But he gave hope to four person, four lives,” Susan said.

Seeking answers

But Damian’s parents and older sister are left grappling with their grief while seeking answers.

Was there more that could have been done to prevent this tragedy?

Their biggest question is whether appropriate safety protocols were in place.

Jeffrey acknowledged that every sport carries risks, particularly high-contact sports such as Muay Thai, where injuries can occur.

Still, he questioned whether adequate safety measures had been in place, given that the medics had left Damian after an initial assessment and they had to wait for an SCDF ambulance before he could be taken to hospital.

Agnes said the police are investigating the incident, while relevant organisations, including the Singapore Muay Thai Association, are conducting their own internal investigations.

For now, the family can only wait for answers as they grapple with their loss and the questions that continue to haunt them.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that licensed ambulance providers are required to properly triage patients before conveyance.

This was in response to a 2024 parliamentary reply to a question about the circumstances under which private ambulance providers would advise a patient or their family to call for an SCDF ambulance during a medical emergency.

"Where the provider assesses that it cannot safely convey the patient, the provider must make appropriate alternative arrangements, such as calling for an SCDF ambulance, for the safe and timely conveyance of the patient. In the event of a life-threatening medical emergency, the public should call for an SCDF ambulance in the first instance," MOH said then.

SMA declined to comment when Mothership reached out to them on Oct. 14, citing an ongoing independent review.

Sport Singapore and The Kallang Group also previously confirmed with Mothership that they are aware of the incident and are working closely with relevant parties to support the review of the incident.

Remembering Damian

For Agnes, the loss means losing the one person she would turn to with all the little updates about her life.

To her, Damian was a younger brother who felt more like a “kor kor” (older brother).

He was someone who gave without expecting anything in return, she said.

Susan described Damian as a “responsible and sensible” son.

He readily pitched in around the house, from doing the laundry to cooking for the family.

Each time he went for a Muay Thai competition, he would reassure his worried family, especially his mother.

“He said rest assured that it's safe with headgear and all the necessary protection,” Susan recalled.

Now, the once-lively household, filled with the sounds of Damian cooking his signature Western dishes and playing old pop songs, is shrouded in an overwhelming emptiness.

“Our lives are totally destroyed,” Jeffrey said.

Finding comfort in the community

Amid their grief, the family has been heartened by the outpouring of support from those who loved Damian.

About 100 people visited him while he was in hospital. Some of his close friends even stayed overnight nearby, Jeffrey said.

Similarly, many also turned up to pay their respects at Damian’s wake.

Friends from kindergarten and primary school, his gym buddies and even neighbours the family barely knew.

One elderly woman told the family that Damian would carry her groceries whenever he saw her at the void deck.

Another uncle, who had played basketball with Damian since he was a child, recalled greeting him at the court just days before his death.

On the final day of Damian’s wake, his loved ones released balloons into the sky in his memory.

Those who knew and loved — and still love — Damian during his 24 years wrote their final messages to him on the balloons.

When asked what they would say to Damian if he were still here, each family member had a slightly different answer.

“Please wake up and recover,” his father pleaded.

“I want to let him know that he doesn't have to worry about us. So he can just fly wherever he wants to right now,” his sister reassured.

“Forever, my beloved son, always in my heart,” his mother cried.

A Maxwell Hawker Centre food stall up for rent attracted a monthly rental bid of S$7,911.

The bidding war was intense as the top five bidders submitted bids of over S$7,000 each.

The S$7,911 bid set a new record for the highest-ever bid received for a stall at Maxwell Hawker Centre.

This is according to National Environment Agency data on the five highest tender bids in August 2026.

The previous record of S$7,107 was set in May 2026.

The four other bidders for the same stall made offers of S$7,031, S$7,138, S$7,341, and S$7,486.

The stall is allowed to sell cooked food, halal food, Indian cuisine, drinks, or even cut fruits.

S$1,000 revenue a day

Dao Kim Thoai, who set the record in May, now sells beverages and breakfast sets.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, Dao said the stall generates a daily revenue of about S$1,000.

Depending on the food sold, it was reported that a stall rented for over S$7,000 can still be profitable owing to lunchtime crowds that bring in sales.

Dao said he also believes that running a beverage business has its advantages as most customers will buy a drink to go with their meal.

Meanwhile, an individual manning a stall at Maxwell Food Centre said he believes that S$7,911 is too high a price.

He said that if operators want to maintain their business under such high rent pressure, they need to ensure that they are able to stand out and attract different customers, such as tourists.

Passengers on Singapore Airlines (SIA) flights can look forward to a new range of in-flight amenities, including sleepwear, skincare, and Disney’s Toy Story-themed items for kids.

In a press release on Oct. 14, SIA said all new amenity kits will be progressively introduced from November 2026 on flights above six hours.

This comes after the airline recently announced other upgrades like a refreshed dining menu and a new in-flight entertainment system.

Suites and First Class

For Suites and First Class passengers, SIA has partnered with French luxury cosmetics brand, Sisley.

The kits are split into two types: Men's and Women's.

The women’s amenity kit features:

• Anti-age cream
• Anti-age eye and lip contour cream
• Essential skin care lotion
• L'Eau Rêvée d'Eliya fragrance
• Black rose cream mask
• Restorative hand cream

Meanwhile, the men’s amenity kit contains:

• Anti-age gel-cream
• L'Eau Rêvée d'Alma fragrance
• Lip balm
• Restorative hand cream
• Ecological compound
• Essential anti-ageing protection

Suites and First Class passengers will also be getting new pyjamas, SIA revealed.

The dark grey sleeper suits are made out of 100 per cent cotton, available in four sizes.

They will also receive cushioned coral fleece slippers and eye masks.

Business Class

Business Class passengers will also receive a Stockholm-founded brand Byredo amenity kit.

The kit will include:

• Blanche eau de parfum
• Hand cream
• Lip balm
• Eye shades
• Socks
• Dental kit

For the first time, Business Class passengers will receive pyjamas as well.

These come in navy blue, made of poly-cotton and available in two sizes.

Grey poly-cotton slippers are provided alongside the sleeper suits.

The sleeper suits will be available on selected medium-haul overnight flights of more than six hours and on all long-haul flights.

Economy and Premium Economy

Meanwhile, Premium Economy passengers will receive a zip pouch that includes:

• Lip balm
• Eye shades
• Socks
• Dental kit

Economy Class passengers will receive a collectible drawstring pouch containing:

• Eye shades
• Socks
• Dental kit

The amenity kits will be introduced progressively on flights lasting more than six hours.

Young flyers

SIA is also offering exclusive Toy Story-themed amenities on all flights for young flyers.

These include "age-appropriate items" such as bibs, drawstring bags, and an activity notepad depending on the child’s age, SIA said.

Children in Suites, First Class and Business Class on flights above five hours will also receive the latest collectible Beary soft toy, which is "larger, plusher, and softer" to the touch.

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.