A lorry driver has been sentenced to a year and nine months in prison after he ran a red light and collided into a motorcyclist.

The 45-year-old motorcyclist was sent flying about 10 metres onto the grass, and later died of his injuries in the hospital, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The lorry driver, Vellaisamy Manikandan, was 25 at the time of the incident.

Now 27, he was convicted of driving without due care and attention causing death. Besides jail, he was also disqualified from holding a driving licence for 10 years on Jul. 2, 2026.

The collision

The incident happened at the traffic junction of Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim and Tuas West Road, at about 7:30am on Mar. 25, 2024.

According to a video shown in court, the light for Manikandan's lane was still red when he drove ahead.

The lorry then continued through the junction, and drove into a motorcycle that was travelling through it at the time.

The motorcyclist was flung into the air due to the impact.

The police said he was conveyed unconscious to the hospital. He passed away the same day due to multiple injuries.

Claimed he could not see the traffic light

During investigations, Manikandan told the police that he could not see the traffic light clearly due to the sun's glare at the time, Shin Min reported.

He drove ahead at the junction because he thought the light had turned green, he claimed.

Pleading for leniency, Manikandan's lawyer told the court that there were two traffic light signals during the incident — one was shorter, and the other was taller.

As he drove a relatively short lorry, and was also affected by the sun's glare, Manikandan was not able to see the taller traffic light clearly, according to the lawyer.

He claimed to have only seen the shorter traffic light, which did turn green, and thought he could start driving.

However, the prosecutor pointed out that not only was the light red at the time, the other cars beside Manikandan had also stopped before the junction because of the red light, yet he appeared not to have noticed it.

Residents and family remember Uncle Thien, the 83-year-old who went viral for his spontaneous twig art in Pek Kio estate, as a man who quietly devoted time to his passion.

One resident said that his absence will be felt in the estate.

Uncle Thien passed on Jul. 2.

Someone we are proud of: Resident

One resident, Mike, recounted to Mothership the times he had encountered Uncle Thien.

He showed a few photos of Thien's work, which he had taken over the years.

One of Uncle Thien’s usual spots was the corner of cement pavement, perched atop a grass verge behind the food court at 44 Owen Road.

The trees nearby supplied Thien with his medium of choice.

“When I come by to buy dinner for my family, about [7pm], I always see him in this spot, doing his art,” Mike, who has lived in the estate for about 10 to 12 years, said.

“He's a person that doesn't talk much, very quiet person, and he will just do his art, and then residents will just stand around and appreciate what he's doing,” Mike continued.

Thien’s artistic inclination is well known by residents in the area, Mike said. When residents from beyond visit the estate, Thien’s artworks have similarly impressed them.

Mike described the 83-year-old as someone “we are proud of”.

When asked if he had any parting words for Uncle Thien, he said, “I’d like to thank him for his artwork that he has shared with all the residents here.”

Quiet, good man

Uncle Thien was unmarried. He lived alone with a roommate, 69-year-old Uncle Choo.

While Choo has shared the house with Thien for about five years, he said they have both lived in the Owen Road estate for decades and have known each other for just as long.

Speaking to the media in an interview in their home, Choo described Thien as a “good man”.

He recalled with a laugh the times when he would cheekily tease Thien while he worked on his twig art.

But he said Thien would never anger, and would simply get back to it.

Thien also worked with more conventional mediums and tools, such as pencil on paper.

Choo showed off a collection of such work by Thien, flipping through a booklet of A3-sized pages that featured various portraits of opera characters.

Uncle Thien struggled with asthma

According to Choo, the 83-year-old struggled with asthma.

Thien had experienced trouble breathing, and on Jun. 20 at about 2am, Choo pushed an emergency help button at home that called for an ambulance.

He also shared that before Thien’s passing on Jul. 1, Thien was hospitalised for 11 days.

When asked how he felt about Thien’s passing, Choo took it in his stride.

“This is life,” he commented.

What’s more important is to pass without pain or suffering, the 69-year-old opined.

When asked about his parting words, Choo continued to appear unfazed and said he would tell Thien himself if he were there.

He quipped that he had gone up to Thien’s casket, teased him one last time by knocking on the glass, and said, “Hey, go well.”

Lifelong passion for Chinese opera

When Mothership visited Uncle Thien’s wake on Jul. 3, some residents were seen visiting and paying their final respects.

Thien’s wake was organised by his nieces and nephews, who were present at the wake.

One of them, Thien's niece, told Mothership that Thien remained passionate about Chinese opera over the years.

This passion is reflected in his artworks, which often feature opera characters.

On how this passion came to be, she said, “I don’t know because I was very young… I know he just loves it.”

“I don’t know who the characters he drew were, I just know they’re from opera,” she added.

She also shared that Uncle Thien didn’t start out making artworks, but rather with singing Chinese opera songs.

As he got older, drawing and making art became more accessible to him.

She similarly remembered her uncle as a man who enjoyed his peace.

"Thank you, it's nothing"

In fact, Uncle Thien himself had expressed his shyness about being in the spotlight.

"I've never thought that I'll become so popular here. A lot of people are looking for me. It's embarrassing," Thien told Mothership in a 2020 interview.

Thien was full of laughter then as he spoke about his passion and his experiences with his newfound fame.

Regarding the compliments paid to him about his art, Thien said they were great encouragement to him.

"Thank you, it's nothing," Thien shrugged.

At the end of the interview, Thien reflected on the fleeting nature of his artwork, sharing about how the wind would take it away sometimes, prompting him to restart the creative process.

He shared his nugget of wisdom on life, saying in a mix dialect and Mandarin:

"When you're happy, you don't get old. Happy ah. Life is just a few decades. It passes you in the blink of an eye. Don't worry too much. If it's meant to happen, it will. If it's not meant to happen, it won't. Life is short, we should be contented with what we have."

Final goodbye

Thien’s niece revealed that the night before his passing at the hospital, Thien was still jovial, with the family sharing laughs alongside the 83-year-old.

Uncle Thien was the youngest of five siblings, Thien’s niece said.

Her late dad, who was the eldest among them, doted on Uncle Thien the most.

The niece assured, “My dad will be there for him. No need to worry.”

Uncle Thien’s cortege departs on Jul. 4.

A man has been fined RM20,000 (S$6,342) by a Malaysian court for illegally pumping his Singapore-registered car with subsidised RON95 petrol.

The man, in his 50s, was the driver and owner of the car.

He was sentenced on Jul. 2 after pleading guilty to the charge, The New Straits Times reported.

He paid his fine that same day. If he were unable to, he would have had to serve three months in jail.

He was the first person arrested for this offence after the ban on purchasing RON95 petrol for foreign-registered vehicles came into effect on Apr. 1, 2026.

He was caught and detained during an enforcement operation at a petrol station at about 10pm on Apr. 9.

The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry's Johor chapter director said the successful prosecution proved the ministry's continuous commitment to combating the misappropriation of controlled goods to protect consumer interests and ensure national supply stability.

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Love works in mysterious ways, and for one Malaysian couple, it looks like successfully navigating a 37-year age gap to build a lasting marriage.

Norlida Mohamed Salleh, 64, and Muhd Sabree Razaman, 27, tied the knot in September 2020.

At the time of their wedding, Norlida was 58 while Sabree was 21.

Six years on, the couple who live in Negeri Sembilan say that over the years, their relationship has become increasingly harmonious, built on a foundation of solid communication and mutual understanding.

This is Norlida's third marriage, and she has six children aged between 26 and 40.

'She is my first love'

The couple first crossed paths at the minimart where Norlida had worked, reported Berita Harian (BH).

Sabree was a frequent customer of the minimart, which happened to be owned by her second ex-husband.

Norlida shared, "We've known each other for a long time because we live in the same neighbourhood, but we started getting to know each other two years before getting married".

Their friendship blossomed from these regular shop visits, and Sabree eventually developed romantic feelings for her.

Norlida admitted she had initially ruled out remarrying after separating from her former husband in 2016.

"I only cared for him and initially regarded him like a son, but eventually we became partners."

She ultimately accepted what she saw as God's will and was won over by his sincerity and mature personality despite Sabree being 19 years old when they first met.

Speaking to the New Straits Times (NST), Sabree revealed, "I had never been in love with any woman before I met my wife, so she is my first love."

Family acceptance

When the couple first discussed marriage, they faced mixed reactions from their respective families.

Norlida's children were initially sceptical about the union.

"I understand that I am getting older, so they may have thought there were bad intentions since my husband is much younger."

However, her children eventually accepted her choice.

Sabree, who works as a school security guard, clarified to NST that he has never taken financial advantage of his wife: "I work day and night because I am aware that it is a husband's responsibility to earn a living and provide for his wife."

While Norlida's family, including four stepchildren older than Sabree, had accepted him "from day one", his family initially struggled to approve of their relationship.

"But I stood by my decision because I saw it as fate that had already been written. I was ready to become a husband, even though I was only 21 at the time."

The couple maintained that their marriage remained strong due to consistent communication and the belief that their match was determined by God.

6 years of marital bliss

Norlida described her husband as a loving and understanding husband, according to Harian Metro.

Over their six years of marriage, Norlida claimed that they had never fought.

She added that Sabree would always give her a massage before he goes to work and get her a drink before meals at home.

Norlida said that she has asked Sabree to take on another wife so he could have his own children but he refused.

She said: "He promised that he'll never leave me, but I'll accept it if he has a change of heart one day."

"I promise to take care of my wife until the end of her life and I will never leave her. Whatever happens, I want her to remain before my eyes," he told NST.

Norlida, who currently earns a living by taking orders for kuih, echoed the sentiment: "He still has a long journey ahead of him and before I close my eyes, I want to make him happy. I always pray that Allah gives my husband strength."

An 18-month-old boy was found dead in a sports utility vehicle (SUV) outside a preschool in Plantation, Florida, United States.

In a post on X, the Plantation Police Department and the Plantation Fire Department responded to the report of a deceased person in a vehicle on Jun. 29 at about 5:39pm at the World of Discovery Academy, a day care and preschool.

NEWS BRIEF: Death Investigation

On Monday, 06/29/2026 at 5:39 pm, the Plantation Police Department and Plantation Fire Department responded to the report of a deceased child in a vehicle at 7025 NW 4th Street (A World of Discovery Academy).

Upon arrival, Plantation Fire… pic.twitter.com/LfstX4a9cu

— Plantation Police (@PlantationPD) June 30, 2026

Emergency responders pronounced the boy dead on-site.

Investigations into his death are ongoing.

What happened

Carolina Quecano, an assistant director at the preschool, told New York Times that the boy and his father arrived at the preschool on the afternoon of Jun. 29.

He reportedly pulled up to the pick-up and drop-off area where preschool employees would meet parents who drove their vehicles.

Quencano claimed that “the ladies outside” told the boy’s father that “he is not here”.

The boy’s father then purportedly exited the SUV and looked into the backseat, realising that his child was deceased.

Leslie Novoa, the owner of the preschool, told ABC News that she alerted emergency responders after the father discovered the deceased child.

Novoa also claimed the father arrived to pick up his child, and when he reached the parking lot, he realised he “forgot the child”.

"He never dropped off the child at the school," she added.

Family

According to Novoa, the family had been enrolled at the preschool for years.

The boy was apparently the family’s third child to attend the school.

"They're a very loving family, and unfortunately, this happened," she added.

Heat

According to New York Times, 122 children have died in hot cars since 1990 in Florida.

In South Florida, as temperatures have reached to about 32°C and higher.

In an Instagram post by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office following this incident, at least nine children have reportedly died after being left in hot cars in the U.S. in 2026, including three in Florida.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office ⭐️ (@pbcountysheriff)

Local police departments urged parents to check the back seat of their vehicles before leaving.

“Always make it a habit to LOOK before you lock, keep a reminder in the back seat, and always check before walking away. One moment of distraction can change a family forever,” the caption read.

Workers' Party (WP) leader Kenneth Foo, 49, was named NSman of the Year on Jul. 1.

According to a Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) press release, 20 NSmen received awards during the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Day celebrations in recognition of their "sterling contributions".

In addition, 12 active units and 18 NS units were honoured for their "outstanding achievements".

Foo, who contested in the 2025 General Election, received the award from Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing.

Thanked his wife

In a LinkedIn post, the lieutenant colonel thanked his wife for her unwavering support over the years.

"Sometimes, I even dragged you along to army events and ended that you are left alone as I go around engaging fellow friends," Foo wrote.

Photos shared by well-wishers showed Foo's wife standing beside him as he accepted the award from Chan.

WP chief Pritam Singh also congratulated Foo in a Facebook post, saying he had been recognised for his "excellent national service performance and contributions".

"Thank you for serving as a role model for so many of us, and anyone in uniform. Well done and congratulations! Majulah Singapura!"

Previously contested in GE2025

Foo currently serves as the WP's deputy organising secretary. He contested Tampines Changkat SMC in the 2025 General Election, where he lost to the People's Action Party's Desmond Choo after securing 43.83 per cent of the valid votes.

He joined the WP in 2006 and was previously part of the party's East Coast GRC team in the 2020 General Election.

In a candidate introduction video released on May 1, 2025, the party said Foo serves under the Reservist on Voluntary Extended Reserve Service (ROVERS) scheme, through which Singaporeans voluntarily extend their National Service beyond mandatory obligations.

He is also a recipient of the Singapore Armed Forces Long Service and Good Conduct (20 Years) Medal.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Foo is the head of governance and risk at the Singapore Cancer Society, where he has worked for the past 11 years.

A total of seven stalls at a Eunos canteen at Block 29 Eunos Avenue 6 have reportedly been told to vacate the premises after the owner supposedly decided not to renew their lease.

Shin Min Daily News reported that they received news that they had to move in June. 2026 and were all shocked.

More than 10 employees of a stall, DUDU Cantonese Cuisine, were faced with unemployment after the vendor had invested over S$100,000 to move in six months ago.

Told to vacate after half a year

Speaking to Shin Min, 30-year-old Peng Junkang (transliterated), who runs the stall, said he received a notice from the owner on Jun. 21, 2026.

It apparently stated that seven vendors, including himself, had to move out by end of July 2026 as the premises would only be open until then.

He said: "When [the owner] told me this to my face, I was completely stunned and couldn't react at all."

Peng added that he had just invested over S$100,000 to move into the canteen in November 2025.

He had agreed then to pay a monthly rent of S$10,000 for three stalls until 2028.

Now he has been notified to vacate after only after half a year.

"The owner mentioned that the premises would be taken back in two years, but he could rent it until the contract expired," said Peng.

He added: "I liked that the space was large, so I agreed to rent it and even spent nearly S$10,000 to install a giant fan."

Employees worried about losing jobs

Upon hearing the news of having to vacate, his employees were all worried about losing their jobs, he told Shin Min.

"Many of them came to work in Singapore from their hometowns," he said, adding that "we are like a big family, so it hurts me to see them so worried".

Noting he would do his best to find a new location for the stall, Peng said that since opening the stall, business was gradually getting better and he had plans to expand the kitchen team and release a new menu next month.

Though the stall had only been open for a few months, they overcame a number of challenges and it was only recently that they began to build a customer base, he said.

He added that he never expected to have to move out so soon.

Given that the stall requires a larger space, Shin Min reported that Peng would have to secure at least three stall spaces adjacent to one another again, which would not be easy.

He has yet to find a suitable space despite viewing five to six places, but would persevere in finding one, he said, as quoted by Shin Min.

'A difficult update': Stall

The stall said via a Jun. 23 Instagram post that it "became more than a restaurant", "a place filled with memories, laughter, and familiar faces who slowly became our friends and family".

According to its Instagram account, its last operating day will be Jul. 26.

The post read: "Thank you for every meal shared with us, every recommendation, all the kind words, and every time you chose us.

"You were the reason that this place came to life, and we’ll never forget that."

Food is good: Customers

When Shin Min visited the canteen on Jul. 1, six stalls were found to be open during the day.

Shin Min also observed that only "DUDU Cantonese Cuisine" and another stall were open in the evening, with quite a few diners at the canteen during the dinner peak hour.

Diners who heard about the stall having to vacate expressed their sadness, including a 40-year-old customer who drove from the west with his wife to dine there.

He said: "The food here is really good. I hope they can find a new place to relocate smoothly, otherwise it would be a real shame."

Feel helpless

A 61-year-old vendor who has operated his stall for six years said he was mentally prepared for the relocation to take place and considers himself fortunate to have already found a new space in Ang Mo Kio.

Another vendor, 53, said she has operated her stall for 10 years and had spent S$18,000 half a year ago to secure the neighbouring stall.

Shin Min reported that she is now unsure of what to do and may retire should she fail to find a new space.

Rent increase, sharp drop in foot traffic: Owner

Speaking to Shin Min, the 67-year-old canteen owner, Chen Qiwen (transliterated), said he decided to close it due to increased rent and a sharp drop in customer traffic, which caused business to plummet by more than half in the past two years.

He added that the landlord had informed him that rent would be increased, after which he decided to close the business as he believed that the risk of renewing the contract was too great.

"I've been running this canteen for 40 years, and some vendors have been renting from me for a long time," he said.

He added: "I'm definitely reluctant to give it up, but I'm also getting old. I'm worried that if I continue, I might even lose my life savings."

A Japanese travel YouTuber drew widespread attention on X after sharing how she helped a Malaysian stranger avoid excess baggage fees at Kansai International Airport by transferring 4kg of the woman's belongings into her own bag.

She was subsequently warned by netizens that the well-meaning act could have had dangerous consequences.

The traveller, who goes by @A_chan_tgb on X, posted about the encounter, explaining that the Malaysian woman's luggage came in at 19kg against a 15kg limit.

This would have meant paying 12,000 yen (S$96.25) in excess baggage fees.

To spare her the charge, A-chan offered to take 4kg of the woman's items into her own bag.

In her post, she admitted she had briefly wondered whether the items could contain drugs, but brushed off the thought and proceeded to help.

She wrote that she hoped someone would help her out too if she were ever in a difficult situation.

Drug trafficking tactic

The post quickly attracted warnings from other users, many of whom pointed out that carrying a stranger's belongings through an airport is a well-known drug trafficking tactic.

One user, @chitekinajyosei, wrote:

“This is the kind of thing that could get you the death penalty. Depending on the destination or transit country, if drugs are found, you could be arrested and face the death penalty. Women who are naive should be especially careful. ‘The world is not as lenient as Japan.'”

Another user, @arcurd00, wrote:

“This is absolutely not okay. Your kindness is truly wonderful, but there is a possibility of getting involved in a crime. Depending on the country and what the item is, there was a possibility that you could never return to Japan.”

A-chan responds

Although nothing untoward occurred from this incident, A-chan acknowledged the criticism and said she had not realised how dangerous her actions were at the time.

She replied:

“I was being naive living in Japan’s peaceful bubble. I learned from everyone that it was quite a dangerous act. I travel abroad often so I will absolutely never do this again.”

In a separate post, she added:

"It was a very good memory because I helped her out of kindness and exchanged contact information with her. But it was a very dangerous act. Thank you for saying that. I will travel safely from now on."

Japan Customs' website includes advisories warning travellers about drug smuggling as well as being unknowingly recruited as a drug mule.

This can occur through being asked to carry someone's luggage or belongings, or by being contacted with a request to transport documents or items internationally.

"Be careful of the offer that sounds too good to be true," the advisory wrote.

A man was spotted using the baby changing station inside the women's toilet at Wheelock Place on Jun. 28, drawing mixed reactions online.

A shopper, who witnessed the incident, shared about it on Stomp.

The incident occurred at the mall's second-floor restroom at around 12:46pm.

The eyewitness said the man's wife was inside one of the cubicles at the time, and had apparently given her approval for him to be there.

But the eyewitness was still "appalled" to see a man there.

"Everyone in the toilet was giving looks of disdain... Some ladies left the toilet because the man was there."

She added that almost all cubicles were occupied at the time, and the last two were inaccessible while the diaper was being changed.

She said she did not confront the couple.

Reactions online

The incident drew mixed responses on HardwareZone, with many siding with the father.

"So small issue also report," one online commenter wrote.

Another said: "Live and let live. He was there for a purpose cos men toilets not equipped to change baby's diaper."

A third echoed the same point: "Because men's toilet no baby changing facilities."

One user also raised a comparison: "Why the men never complain when female attendants go into men's toilet?"

Wheelock Place responds

In a statement to Mothership, a Wheelock Place spokesperson said the mall was aware of the feedback and had reached out to the shopper concerned.

“Dedicated baby diaper changing facilities are available in both the male and female restrooms on the upper levels of the mall. We will review internally on the feasibility of enhancing or adding on more amenities, depending on the overall needs of our shoppers."

The spokesperson added that in situations like this, shoppers are encouraged to approach on-site cleaners or security personnel for assistance.

Two people were taken to the Singapore General Hospital after a brawl between a man and two women at a massage parlour in People's Park Complex in Chinatown.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed with Mothership that they received a call for assistance at 1 Park Road on Jul. 2 at about 2:30pm.

The police also confirmed that a report was lodged.

Videos of the brawl, which took place at Beijing Royal Massage Parlor, later circulated on social media.

Two women vs man

One video showed a woman in a pink top and a woman in a black cardigan locked in a fierce struggle with a man.

They were seen punching and kicking him, with the woman in pink choking him from behind at one point.

When someone tried to break up the fight, the woman in black pushed them, saying, "Don't interfere!"

The man was also seen shoving the woman in pink aside, then punching the woman in black in the head, before choking her and slamming her to the ground.

A woman can be heard shouting, "My friend is pregnant!"

Sent to hospital

Another video showed police officers and medical personnel with a stretcher at the parlour.

The woman in pink was seen sitting outside the massage parlour while the man was being tended to inside.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the massage parlour was operating as usual the next day.

When Shin Min reporters asked around, the staff and businesses in the vicinity remained tight-lipped about the incident.

One of the women involved is suspected to be the owner of the massage parlour.