An 11-year-old boy in China's Hebei Province drowned at a sports centre after being partially sucked into the circulating drain outlet in the pool's shallow water area.

The incident occurred at about 4:50pm on Jul. 6, 2026, and the boy was accompanied by his mother.

Struggled underwater

According to 163.com, the boy was sucked into the side wall water pump's circulating drain outlet in the shallow water area of ​​the swimming pool.

He was reportedly unable to break free, causing his left arm and shoulder joint to be completely sucked in, and his head pulled underwater.

This made it impossible for him to breathe, thepaper.cn reported, adding that he then struggled underwater for about three to five minutes.

The drain outlet that sucked him in was 15cm wide and was located about 80cm below the water's surface, according to 163.com.

There were reportedly no lifeguards on site, with only one female staff member who was allegedly looking at her phone and not paying attention to the pool's surface.

Unable to rescue boy

About three minutes after the boy began drowning, another child in the same pool noticed and ran to inform those in the waiting area, thepaper.cn reported.

At 4:56pm, the boy's mother and a swimming coach rushed to the pool, where the coach jumped in to attempt a rescue.

However, due to the suction force of the pool's drainage outlet, three adults were unable to remove the boy's arm from the outlet.

The coach then rushed to the electrical room and pulled the emergency switch to cut off the power.

They managed to remove the boy's arm from the circulating drain pipe and lift him out of the pool.

However, his face was bluish-purple with no breathing or vital signs, thepaper.cn reported.

Sent to hospital, died

The boy was given first aid and sent to the hospital, where he arrived about 20 minutes after drowning.

Despite about an hour of intensive resuscitation efforts, the boy was declared dead.

Following the boy's death, his father reported the incident to the police.

Investigation as a major accident due to negligence

According to thepaper.cn, personnel from the Emergency Management Bureau and the Education and Sports Bureau conducted an investigation at the location on the afternoon of Jul. 8.

This reportedly took place after multiple complaints from the family.

On Jul. 10, the family was told to return to the accident site at 8:30am, where the Gaobeidian Municipal Emergency Management Bureau, along with safety experts, conducted an on-site investigation.

Though the family requested a report as soon as possible, they were allegedly told it would be issued within 60 days.

On Jul. 14, the police opened a case for investigation as a major accident due to negligence, 163.com reported.

The pool has since been closed, with the police and emergency management departments investigating.

In the financial year 2025/2026, registered charity Pro Bono SG helped and engaged over 16,000 individuals and social impact organisations.

This was made possible by the S$6 million raised through grants and donations to support all its legal aid programmes and four centres across Singapore.

Of the S$6 million raised, close to S$3 million was donated by individuals and organisations.

The achievement was highlighted at the Pro Bono SG Awards 2026 on Jul. 21 attended by Minister for Law Edwin Tong.

In his speech, he said: "A first-class legal system is only truly first-class when it is accessible to everyone in society, not just those who can afford it."

"That is the gap that everyone in this room is working hard at closing, one case at a time," he said.

Tong was referring to the legal work carried out by over 800 active volunteer lawyers and 470 student volunteers.

New initiatives announced

Pro Bono SG also announced new initiatives, including expanded Help Centre services at the State Courts, where the charity assisted in over 1,000 applications and conducted 295 lawyer consultations on-site.

The charity is also working with partners to operationalise the Inclusive Justice Law Centre in the second half of 2026.

This will improve access to legal assistance for persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

A Malaysian couple who had spent decades together passed away just one day apart.

According to Oriental Daily, Shen Guilan, 82, and Zhang Guangxiang, 89, from Sungai Petani in Kedah, passed away on Jul. 19 and Jul. 20, respectively.

Their joint funeral has been arranged for Jul. 22, after which their ashes will be placed together at Ming Xiu Shan She Le Tian Shrine.

The couple's family have also arranged for them to be buried side by side.

A love that began in Taiping

Their eldest son, Zhang Liangrui, 59, a car dealer, told Oriental Daily that his parents were inseparable throughout their lives.

Nobody had expected them to pass one day after the other, almost as if they had planned it that way.

He told Oriental Daily: “My father was outgoing and talkative, while my mother was quiet and reserved. They supported each other through decades together."

His parents met when they were both working in Taiping, Perak.

His mother worked at a tailor shop, and his father was introduced to her through a mutual friend.

After getting married, his father was posted to Sungai Petani for grain contracting work, then later ran a transport business.

His mother managed the household and raised their three children.

A decade of caregiving

Shen was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more than ten years ago. From then on, Zhang took it upon himself to care for her, tending to her meals and daily needs.

Their eldest son told Oriental Daily that although the children had suggested hiring a domestic helper, their father refused, insisting on caring for his wife himself.

The couple's eldest grandson, Zhang Wenkai, told Oriental Daily that his grandparents had long been seen as a model couple by the whole family.

He added that his grandfather's devotion in caring for his grandmother, including personally bathing her, left a deep impression on him.

Separated in their final days

Shen passed away peacefully on Jul. 19. Fearing the news would be too much for the husband to bear, the family chose not to tell him, and arranged for him to rest upstairs instead.

The following day, while family members were downstairs conducting the funeral prayers for their mother, the domestic helper suddenly came down to inform the son that his father had passed away.

The helper recalled that after hearing the prayers coming from below, the father had grown restless, turning his head from side to side repeatedly, before passing away peacefully shortly after.

The family believes their father may have sensed his wife's passing and chose to follow her.

A final journey together

Since the two passed away one after the other, the family was initially unsure how to arrange the funerals. Even funeral directors said they had rarely encountered such a situation.

They eventually decided to postpone the mother's funeral from Jul. 21 to Jul. 22, together with the father. They would then be cremated and their ashes would be placed together.

The couple's daughter, Zhang Xiufen, who had rushed back from Sarawak on Jul. 18, told Oriental Daily she was grateful she had arrived in time to speak with both parents, which gave her some comfort amid the grief.

Liangrui told Oriental Daily that he believed his parents would remain together in the next life.

A number of National Day banners put up around Block 409 Bedok North Avenue 2 have raised eyebrows after inconsistencies typical of AI-generated images were spotted on them.

One of these included a red and white flag that was missing its stars and crescent.

Missing elements on Singapore flag

Photos of the banners first appeared in the Facebook group SG Creative & Cultural Community on Jul. 20.

A user, Zu, an art practitioner, shared the photo with the caption, "A good example of AI generative artworks".

In the comments, one user circled other inconsistencies with the artwork.

Other commenters chimed in, with some asking why checks were not done before the banner was printed and put up.

Another asked if there are guidelines on how national symbols are used, given that artwork these days could be AI-generated slop.

A handful quipped that the flag, without its crescent and stars, resembled the Indonesia flag.

Banner replaced the same evening feedback shared

Zu, who is also a resident of the estate, told Mothership that she first noticed the inconsistencies on Jul. 19 morning.

She then shared her feedback in a residents’ group chat.

The banner was replaced later that same evening, with rectifications made to the flag.

Other banners also had issues

However, other banners, which also appeared to feature AI-generated images, remained up at the time, Zu said.

Some inconsistencies in these other banners included a “Singapore National Indoor Stadium” phrase on an AI-hallucinated landmark.

Zu also highlighted the portrayal of the individuals in one of the banners, commenting that ethnic group representation is "super important", particularly during an occasion like National Day.

Created by seniors, CC says

In a Jul. 21 Facebook post, the Kampong Chai Chee Community Club (CC) said it has received feedback regarding an AI-generated banner that was displayed as part of the estate's National Day celebrations.

It said the banner was created and paid for by residents "who came together to celebrate Singapore's National Day and bring some festive cheer to our community".

"Many of the volunteers are seniors who generously gave their time and effort to make our estate a more vibrant place for everyone. They were not aware that the AI-generated banner contained inaccuracies," the CC also said.

The CC shared that once the issue was brought to its attention, the residents promptly replaced the banner on the same day.

The CC also recognised that while AI is a useful tool, "its output should always be carefully checked before it is used".

Zu told Mothership that as of Jul. 22 morning, all the banners had been taken down.

A man was charged with allegedly murdering his neighbour at Block 55 Lengkok Bahru on Jul. 20.

Ng Swee Seng, 59, appeared in court via video link on Jul. 22, The Straits Times reported.

He told the court: "If I hear sounds, I will scold people... I reacted because I heard [a] voice."

Dispute

The police told Mothership that they were alerted to the incident at about 4:45pm that day, and arrived to find the victim lying motionless at the 16th floor lift lobby.

He was allegedly stabbed in the abdomen, and died after he was taken to the hospital.

Preliminary investigations by the police revealed both men knew each other.

They were reportedly neighbours and had a long-standing dispute.

It was previously reported that he and the victim, also 59, had allegedly been in a long-standing dispute.

The victim, also 59, allegedly would get drunk and used the corridor as a toilet, and was told by residents not to do so, a neighbour told Lianhe Zaobao.

Ng's case has been adjourned to Aug. 12.

He faces the death penalty if convicted of murder.

A 49-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 33 weeks’ jail after acting as a lookout for sex workers in Geylang to avoid law enforcement.

A total of 19 out of the 33 weeks' jail were for breaching his remission order.

Magandran Nadarajan pleaded guilty to one charge under the Women’s Charter of receiving gratification for providing a service aiding sex work and another for aiding an attempt to obstruct justice, CNA reported.

He was sentenced on Jul. 21.

Two other charges were considered during sentencing.

Release

In June 2025, Magandran was previously convicted of a similar offence related to sex work.

He was released from jail on Dec. 27, 2025.

Magandran was on a remission order that lasted until mid-June 2026.

On the same day of his release, Magandran met his friend, identified as Subash Rao Muniandy, and discussed employment.

Subash offered Magandran the job of acting as a lookout for police officers in the Lorong 22 Geylang area.

The job reportedly paid about S$60 to S$70 a day.

Subash explained the job scope was to assist sex workers in avoiding law enforcement.

If police officers were spotted on patrol, Magandran was to contact Subash, who would then inform the sex workers.

Both men knew that these “services” were attempts to obstruct law enforcement against vice activities.

Work

Magandran accepted the job and rode his bicycle in the area from Dec. 27, 2025, to around Feb. 10, 2026.

He would look out for police officers from about 9pm to 5am and call Subash if he spotted any.

An average of around 15 sex workers would engage their services daily and pay S$10 in cash per day to Subash.

He would then split the cash and give Magandran his share of about S$60 to S$70.

A worker entered Singapore in December 2025.

She plied her illegal sex trade through the introduction of a friend.

Around Dec. 27, 2025, Subash approached the worker while she was soliciting and offered her the look-out services for S$10 a day.

She agreed and paid him S$10 in cash on 48 occasions, with a total gratification of S$480 as a reward for services aiding sex work.

The police eventually received intelligence about the services provided by the men.

The pair was subsequently arrested on Feb. 10 at Lorong 22 Geylang.

Repeat

The prosecution sought 14 to 17 weeks' jail for Magandran and an additional term of 19 to 23 weeks for breaching his remission order.

They argued that Magandran was a repeat offender who repeatedly attempted to commit the offences almost daily for over two-and-a-half months.

The prosecution also said Magandran had low rehabilitative prospects as he committed the offences on the day he was released from jail.

As a repeat offender, he could have been jailed up to 10 years and fined up to S$150,000 for receiving gratification to aid sex work.

For aiding an attempt to obstruct justice, an offender can be jailed up to seven years, fined, or both.

Subash's case is pending.

Teresa Hon was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most aggressive and fastest-growing type of brain cancer.

A former Singapore Airlines stewardess, Hon, 31, had left the airline and was working at a retail outlet in Marina Bay Sands when she began experiencing severe headaches.

Despite being prescribed painkillers, the pain built to a "hammering" intensity.

She vomited everything she ate, and continued retching even on an empty stomach.

An MRI scan revealed a tumour so large it appeared to cover almost a third of her brain.

It was later diagnosed as grade 4 glioblastoma, with a size of more than 6cm.

Before the surgery

Hon was admitted to hospital on Dec. 10, 2025, and began having seizures.

Her husband, Bjorn Chua, a senior director at a real estate agency, recalled the harrowing experience of watching her struggle.

He told CNA Lifestyle: "She was gripping her hair so tightly and pulling it so hard that I could not open her hands. I was really afraid she would pull her scalp out so I held the centre of her long hair to stop her from pulling it out while waiting for doctors and nurses to calm her down (with medication).”

On the morning of her surgery, Hon was calm.

Chua recalled her telling him: "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

He said: "I don't know why she had that kind of unspoken strength then. It could be because of the pain that she had gone through."

Her surgeon could not remove the tumour in full as it was close to parts of the brain controlling vital functions, and doing so would have risked speech loss, hearing loss or paralysis.

More than 40 per cent of the tumour was removed.

The surgery was expected to take four to six hours, but the neurosurgeon emerged in just two-and-a-half.

Chua told CNA Lifestyle he panicked, thinking his wife had died.

The surgery was a success.

Chua found his wife awake when he visited her in the intensive care unit shortly after.

Chua said he was shocked to find her smiling and greeting him, and said he was just relieved to have her back.

'I woke up a different person'

Hon remembers nothing of the weeks leading up to her surgery.

When her awareness returned after the operation, she told CNA Lifestyle: "I woke up a different person."

Her face was swollen and her eyes looked different.

Steroids she was taking to reduce inflammation caused dramatic weight gain, taking her from an XS or S to an M or L in the weeks that followed.

During her hospitalisation, she temporarily lost her usual inhibitions, at one point asking nurses to sing her favourite Jay Chou songs.

This behavioural change resolved about a month after her discharge.

She was discharged on Dec. 29, 2025, and went on to undergo nearly six weeks of daily radiation therapy, followed by chemotherapy.

Speaking to Mothership, Hon said her recovery extended well beyond surgery.

She said:

"There were many challenges, both physically and emotionally. The surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and their side effects were difficult to endure. There were days when the side effects were overwhelming and the uncertainty of the future weighed heavily on me. There were days I grieved the person I used to be. Days I looked in the mirror and barely recognised myself, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually."

Hon added that weakness in her left knee required months of physiotherapy and water therapy to rebuild her strength.

She said that even now, some days are harder than others, but sees the positive side of things.

She also said: "Even today, there are good days and difficult days, but every small improvement is a victory."

Family rallied around her

Chua put work on hold and gave up sleep to be there for his wife.

Knowing she missed her hair, he helped her pick scabs from her scalp with tweezers to encourage new hair growth.

Both of Hon's in-laws were also by her side throughout her recovery.

She told Mothership: "One of the most touching moments for me was my in-laws cared for me so lovingly right after I was discharged from the hospital. Knowing I needed a healthy diet, my mother-in-law prepared three to five meals for me every single day without fail."

She added that both in-laws often gave up their own rest while still juggling their errands and time with their grandchildren, and that their quiet selflessness left a lasting impression on her.

Her mother-in-law also offered to sell her flat to help cover medical bills, estimated at between S$300,000 and S$400,000.

The couple declined, but were deeply moved.

Hon's sister flew in from Penang for a month to help care for her, and continues to send daily messages of love.

Faith as an anchor

A pivotal moment in Hon's recovery came from an unexpected source, a church testimony that moved her to tears.

Hon told Mothership that her faith was deeply strengthened after hearing Kenny Lee, a member of New Creation Church, share his testimony somewhere in April.

Lee had undergone brain surgery himself and spoken about his long road to recovery through physiotherapy.

She said: “His story resonated deeply with me because I knew exactly what those difficult days felt like. He ended his testimony with this bible phrase that I would never forget: 'We walk by faith not by sight.' In that moment, I was reminded that God is faithful."

She added that hearing Lee's story gave her renewed hope, and deepened her belief that the same God who carried him through his journey would do the same for her.

Current status

Hon has since completed every cycle of chemotherapy and is now under close monitoring, with regular MRI scans, monthly blood tests, IV drips and follow-up appointments with her three doctors.

Her tumour has shrunk to less than half its original size.

She is gradually regaining her mobility and returning to golf.

Gratitude for her medical team

Hon expressed deep gratitude to her doctors and the hospital staff who cared for her throughout.

She told Mothership: "I was placed in the hands of my neurosurgeon, Dr Prem Pillay. There is no way to fully express how grateful I am for the life he helped to restore. He is more than a doctor. I will forever carry this gratitude in my heart."

She also thanked her radiation oncologist, doctors Edward Yang and Valerie Yang from OncoCare, as well as nurses and therapists who she said "treated me with love and kindness during one of the most difficult periods of my life".

Her message to others

Hon told Mothership that her journey has been one of the most painful and transformative experiences of her life, teaching her that strength does not always look the way we expect.

She said she discovered resilience and faith in herself she never knew she had.

To others facing a similar diagnosis, Hon said she wanted them to know that their illness does not define who they are or what their future holds.

She urged them to choose courage, faith and hope above all else.

She said: “Brain cancer became part of my story, but it did not become my identity.”

And to anyone reading her story:

"Cancer changed my life but it did not define my life. Even in our darkest moments, hope can still exist. Treasure your loved ones, cherish your health and never take another day for granted. If sharing my journey helps even one person feel less alone or gives someone the courage to keep fighting, then every part of this journey has been worthwhile."

The police have arrested a 48-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of aggravated outrage of modesty.

On Jul. 21, 2026 at about 12:45am, the police received a report from a victim that he was allegedly molested by an unknown man in the male toilet along Woodlands Avenue 1.

The unknown man had pulled him into the toilet, locked the door and proceeded to molest him.

Officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him within four hours of the report.

They did so with the aid of images from police and surveillance cameras and by conducting ground enquiries.

The man will be charged in court on Jul. 22 with the offence of aggravated outrage of modesty.

The offence carries a jail term of two to 10 years with caning.

The police said members of the public are urged to remain vigilant and to report to the police immediately if they witness an incident of or are aware of someone being a victim of outrage of modesty.

A Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle (EV) apparently caught fire after exiting a car park in Woodlands.

The incident occurred at about 10am on Jul. 21 near the entrance of a multi-storey car park at Block 548 Woodlands Drive 44, which is next to Vista Point.

In photos circulating online, the vehicle engulfed in flames.

Emergency responders and vehicles were also present at the scene.

Thick black smoke could be seen emanating from the vehicle.

Smoke

According to Shin Min Daily News, the vehicle’s owner was present at the scene.

She claimed she purchased the vehicle less than three years ago for over S$230,000.

The vehicle had not shown any issues before the incident, she said.

She claimed that just as she was about to drive out of the car park, she apparently smelled something burning and got out to check the vehicle.

She then saw smoke coming from inside the car and grabbed a small fire extinguisher.

She also called for nearby security guards to help put out the fire, which started between the driver's seat and the front passenger seat, where the car battery is believed to be situated underneath the chassis.

She and the security guards attempted to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful.

They then alerted the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to the situation.

She claimed the fire spread quickly and she ran away as she feared that the vehicle might explode.

She also apparently heard explosion noises.

In response to queries from Mothership, the SCDF was alerted to the fire at about 10:10am on the day of the incident.

The fire, which involved the interior of an vehicle, was extinguished by SCDF with a water jet.

There were no reported injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

According to Shin Min, the vehicle's interior was completely burned.

The vehicle was eventually towed away at about 12:15pm.

Unexpected

The vehicle owner told Shin Min that she was initially not confident in electric vehicles when they were first launched.

However, after a few years, she felt that the technology was stable and decided to purchase the vehicle.

She said it was “fortunate” that the vehicle caught fire outside the multi-storey car park and not on the expressway,

“I definitely wouldn't have dared to stop, and even if I did, I might not have dared to open the door because of the passing traffic. I would have been trapped inside the car," she said.

A 59-year-old man will be charged with murder after a man died at Block 55 Lengkok Bahru on Jul. 20.

It was earlier reported that the victim, also 59, had allegedly been in a dispute with the man.

The pair were apparently neighbours and had fought that day.

In a press release, police said they were alerted to the incident in Redhill at about 4:45pm on Monday.

Police found a man lying motionless at the 16th-floor lift lobby.

He died after he was taken to the hospital.

The other man was arrested at the scene.

Preliminary investigations revealed that both parties are known to each other.

The man will be charged in court on Jul. 22 with murder.

The offence of murder carries the death penalty.

Police investigations are ongoing.