A Singaporean woman was found dead inside an apartment complex in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday (June 13).  Her «desiccated» body was discovered inside a unit at The Goldview apartment complex by the owner who'd informed the building's management, reported Vietnamese news outlet VN Express.  The woman was reportedly last seen on Jan 31. However, it is not known when she died.  The management then called the police, who went down to the unit to conduct investigations.  According to Vietnamese news reports, the owner claimed he did not rent out the unit to anyone, and the apartment's key card was last used to access the lifts at 10.20pm on Jan 31.  An official police investigation is ongoing, reported Vietnamese media. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) told CNA that its Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City has been in contact with the local authorities regarding the case. MFA and the Consulate-General have been providing assistance to the woman's family.  «We express our deepest condolences to the family,» said an MFA spokesperson. 

A 53-year-old male cyclist who was on his way to work was killed in an accident involving a lorry and a pedestrian near Woodlands Avenue 9 last Tuesday (June 11) morning.  Wang Baohai (transliteration) was taken to the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital after the accident, where he succumbed to his injuries, The Straits Times reported.  He and his wife were both employees of Tee Yih Jia Food Manufacturing, and would cycle to work daily, Wang's eldest daughter, Jingyi (transliteration), told Shin Min Daily News.  However, her father would usually leave the house an hour earlier than her mother.   Wang's daughter, 28, added that the accident occurred a mere 10 minutes away from her home.  "My mother left the house at about 8am that morning, when she rode past the [accident scene] she noticed a bicycle that looked like my father's. She also saw a broken basket and a water bottle.  According to her mother, there was a lorry parked at the scene. Two police officers were conducting investigations then. She also saw two pairs of shoes — one of which she recognised as belonging to her husband. 

Do you expect to see lemon in your iced lemon tea? A man was upset that a coffee shop raised the price of its iced lemon tea and took away the lemon. Stomp contributor Raven was having lunch at Cafe Link on Sixth Avenue in Bukit Timah on June 13 when he discovered the missing citrus fruit in his drink. «Not only the price increased by another 10 cents to $1.90, to my horror, the drink that was served to me was without lemon,» railed the Stomp contributor. PHOTO: Stomp «My goodness! The price has went up! They took away the lemon as well. It was previously given in the past. This had never happened before. Inflation is here.» It was only after a few sips when he realised the lemon was not there. Neither was the coffee shop staff for him to complain to as she was already serving another customer.

The excitement of moving into a new home quickly died down for one family, as they fell sick one after another.  Song Hongjun, 52, told Lianhe Zaobao that he purchased a 1,615 sq ft condo unit at Normanton Park in June 2023, and hired Far East Service Centre to handle the unit's renovations and furnishing.  The Songs moved into the apartment on March 13 this year, after renovations were completed.  Trouble began that very day, as Song's eight-year-old daughter developed dry eyes and a sore throat. The 52-year-old businessman and his wife didn't think too much of their child's discomfort, until they also developed similar symptoms.  After losing her voice for two weeks, Song's wife visited the doctor and was told that she might be suffering from formaldehyde poisoning. Formaldehyde is a colourless, pungent chemical that is found in adhesives, composite wood and paint, which are used in furniture such as cabinets. High levels of exposure to formaldehyde can irritate the skin, throat, lungs and eyes, while long-term exposure can potentially lead to cancer.

Three people involved in a collision along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) have been accused of fleeing the scene by the driver of the car they hit. A series of pictures posted to Facebook group SG Road Vigilante on Friday (June 14) showed two men and one woman exiting a dark blue car, which had rear-ended a silver car. One of the men can be seen holding a pink paper bag, while the second is seemingly taking pictures of the collision. The driver of the silver car, surnamed Yeo, said that he is looking to identify the three people who fled on foot after the accident, which took place on Friday morning along the PIE towards Tuas, before Exit 12. «[They] did not even stop to exchange contacts. Spotted [them] carrying some pink bags and [they were] later observed to have crossed the expressway no longer carrying the bags,» Yeo wrote. He added that no record of the car's license plate number could be found on the One Motoring portal, attaching a screengrab of his search.

A man who was travelling with his friends was taken aback by the condition of their rooms at a resort in Phuket. In a post on Lemon8 on Wednesday (Jun 12), user Marcus Toh, a traveller from Singapore, shared his experience staying in a resort while on a trip in Phuket, Thailand. He and his friends had booked the accommodation as it was relatively cheap, but the decision «turned out to be a huge mistake», he wrote. «We had to change rooms twice and downgrade to a smaller room due to how bad the conditions and cleanliness of the rooms were.» The post included pictures of cockroaches in the room, some dead and some alive, and black stains on the bed sheets. Toh said that although he was sceptical of the room's worn-out appearance, he put up with it. However, when the traveller entered the attached bathroom, he was greeted by a large cockroach. The group then called hotel staff to help them remove the bug but found three more cockroaches when they returned to the room after having dinner.

Some Choa Chu Kang residents are crying foul over motorcyclists who have been indiscriminately riding along a pavement and using it as a shortcut, thereby endangering pedestrians. The riders were either diners at the nearby eatery or doing food delivery, reported 8World. A member of the public, Qiu, told 8World that these riders would illegally ride or park on the pavement below Block 160A Jalan Teck Whye, and that they are a menace.  Zheng, a resident who has lived there for over ten years, told 8World that the situation has been ongoing for several years. And that these riders are usually diners at an eatery located nearby or food delivery riders parking their bikes outside that outlet. These motorcyclists usually appear during dinner or supper time. Cai, another resident, said: «I am worried about the children because there is a new HDB block nearby and there are many children running around. If the motorcyclists cannot see them, they may hit them.»

Size matters. A commuter was concerned that man on a personal mobility aid (PMA) was taking too much space on the MRT train and could cause an obstruction in case of an emergency. Stomp contributor Tan shared a photo of the PMA on the East-West Line on June 12 at around 2.30pm. «I saw this huge PMA with this equally huge guy sitting on it,» said the Stomp contributor. «He don't even bother to park his huge PMA properly.» She felt that such large PMAs should be banned from public transport. «In the event of an emergency, huge PMAs like this obstruct fast evacuation. They also take up too much space and deprive commuters,» said the Stomp contributor. «MRT staff must be more vigilant and forbid huge PMAs like this to board the train.» According to the Land Transport Authority, PMAs such as mobility scooters for the elderly or people who have difficulty walking are allowed on MRT and LRT trains. But they should not exceed 120cm in length, 70cm in width and 150cm in height. The total weight of the PMA together with the user should not exceed 300kg.

SINGAPORE - A clean-up operation is under way after oil washed up the coast of Sentosa's Tanjong Beach on June 15, a day after a damaged cargo tank leaked oil into the sea at Pasir Panjang Terminal. A video sent to The Straits Times by a reader showed thick, dark-coloured oil in the waters of Tanjong Beach, staining the sand along the shoreline. In an advisory on its website, Sentosa said: «The waters of Tanjong, Palawan and Siloso Beach on Sentosa are currently closed for beach cleanup, due to instances of oil spillage observed in the sea waters.» It added: «During this period, guests can still use our beaches, but swimming and sea activities in and along the waters will not be allowed.»

A homeowner was left at a loss after he was prevented from exiting his property due to a van parked in front of his gate. In a TikTok video uploaded on Monday (June 10), Thomas Tong, who lives in a landed estate at Upper Paya Lebar, shared details of the incident, which occurred past midnight last Saturday. «I realised there was a van parked right here,» Tong said, referring to the road right outside his front gate.  The 36-year-old property agent had planned on driving to a nearby gym to work out, but was unable to do so because the van was «directly obstructing» his driveway, preventing him from getting his vehicle out of his home. Stating that he «knows for a fact» that this is an issue for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to resolve, he claimed that the agency doesn't operate 24 hours and would therefore not be able to help him. Desperate, he called the police to seek assistance. When they didn't arrive, it prompted a second call from Tong. This time, the police informed him that it was an issue he had to take up with LTA.

SINGAPORE - A 72-year-old man was fined $600,000 for converting 11 private residential properties into unauthorised dormitories that he then rented out to migrant workers. One of the units housed 23 foreigners. Inspections carried out between January 2016 and April 2018 found that Tan Hock Keng had carved multiple rooms in the residences, which he then packed with workers, who had to live in unhygienic conditions. At a unit in Geylang, enforcement officers from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) found that the floor and walls of the kitchen and toilets were badly stained. They also discovered bedbug stains in a bedroom of another unit nearby. On May 30, Tan was convicted of three charges, with eight additional charges for similar offences at other private residential properties taken into consideration. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) in a statement on June 14 said that MOM enforcement officers who inspected properties linked to Tan found that the number of occupants «significantly exceeded» the authority's occupancy cap rules.

There's a durian flash sale in town and people have been quick to act on it.  Customers snapped up Malaysia kampung durians — retailing at $1.95 each — in about an hour at a FairPrice outlet in Bedok on Friday (June 14) morning. It was the first day of a three-day promotion held there. The durians, weighing between 600g and 800g, were on sale as part of the FairPrice Annual Durian Fair. Before the sale started at 9am, there was already a long queue outside the supermarket at Block 212 Bedok North Street 1, 8world reported. First in the line was a 71-year-old woman surnamed Wu, who brought her three grandchildren with her. «My grandchildren like to eat durians so I queued up to buy some,» she told the Chinese publication. They managed to snag a total of 12 durians, thanks to two people who decided not to go ahead with the purchase and passed their queue numbers to the family. Another woman surnamed Chen, who was in the shopping in the area that morning, chanced upon the flash sale and decided to join the queue.

A netizen has called out motorists who park their vehicles on a footpath in Choa Chu Kang, which prevent pedestrians from passing through and force them to walk on the road instead. User Kiwis Kiwis posted photos of a lorry and a car parked, on separate occasions, along a pavement in front of Block 216, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 on Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Tuesday (June 11). The two-storey block houses shops and eateries, including a coffee shop with stalls that open late into the night.  «The illegal parking on the pavement not only obstructs the way for pedestrians but also forces them to walk on the road, which is extremely hazardous,» the post read. It was a «persistent issue» that the user said has been going on for «an extended period». The post also detailed an instance where the user saw a woman walking on the road because a parked vehicle was obstructing the footpath. «She was nearly hit by a motorbike,» the user said, adding that the incident highlighted the «imminent danger» of the problem. «It is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs if no action is taken.»

SINGAPORE — A divorced man, who forbade his 11-year-old son to contact his former wife, flew into a rage when the boy disobeyed his orders and slapped the child's face, causing a perforated left eardrum. After that, the man repeatedly struck his son with a rubber water hose, causing multiple bruises. On other occasions, he also punished his son by coiling a chain around either the boy's ankle or wrist before using a padlock to secure it to a fixed metal bar in the bathroom. The court heard that the boy, now 13, could be chained for between two and five hours after his father caught him lying, failing to do his homework or contacting the man's former wife. On June 14, the 53-year-old private-hire driver, who cannot be named owing to a gag order to protect the victim's identity, was sentenced to two years' jail after he pleaded guilty to three counts of ill-treating the child. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jocelyn Teo told the court that the man had custody of the victim following his divorce, and the father-and-son pair lived in a flat near Kallang Road.

SINGAPORE — Travellers using the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints over the Hari Raya Haji long weekend are advised to factor more time for immigration clearance, Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on June 14. This is because traffic at these land checkpoints is expected to «remain very heavy» during this period, it said in a Facebook post. ICA added that more than 510,000 travellers cleared the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints on June 13. Hari Raya Haji falls on June 17, and within the June school holiday period between May 25 and June 23. In a statement on May 20, ICA said heavy traffic is expected within this period. During the Good Friday long weekend from March 28 to April 1, almost 2.3 million travellers crossed the two land checkpoints connecting Singapore and Malaysia, marking more than 455,000 crossings daily.

SINGAPORE — From July 1, virtually all SMSes sent by government agencies in Singapore will have a single sender ID, as part of efforts to make it easier for the public to identify authentic government text messages. Such SMSes will show «gov.sg» as the sender ID instead of individual government agencies, such as «MOH» for the Ministry of Health or «Iras» for the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore. Besides the gov.sg sender ID, every text message will begin with the full name of the agency that sent it and end with a note stating that it is an automated message sent by the Singapore Government, to indicate that recipients should not reply to it. Over a two-week period beginning on June 18, government agencies will gradually begin to send messages using the gov.sg sender ID, with all messages displaying the new ID from July 1. There are exceptions, though: Text messages from the Defence and Home Affairs ministries about national service matters and emergency services will have different sender IDs.

Soilbuild Construction Group has clinched a $647.5 million contract for the construction of a development at the upcoming Tuas mega port. This brings the group's order books beyond $1.2 billion for the first time in history. Known for their construction, development and management of residential and Green Mark certified commercial properties, Soilbuild's construction of Port + Hub at Tuas Terminal will consist of warehouse buildings, gate buildings, a main intake substation and ancillary buildings. It will be built to achieve Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy - an eco-sustainable rating for a building under the Building & Construction Authority's Green Mark Certification Scheme. This rating recognises best-in-class Green Mark Buildings that achieve at least 60 per cent energy savings. Executive Director of Soilbuild Construction Group Lim Han Ren shared that the project in Tuas mega port is «one of the most prominent private sector industrial projects in Singapore awarded to date» and «the largest construction project won by the group».

Stop transferring money to me — that is the plea from Lions goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, who was dubbed a hero by Chinese football fans after his performance during Singapore's World Cup qualifier match against Thailand on Tuesday (June 11). Fans have attributed China's progress to the final round of Asia's qualifiers to the 40-year-old's 11 saves during the game. Chinese fans in Singapore flocked to his nasi padang stall in Tampines, Dapur Hassan. Many fans, including those in China, also sent him money through the stall's QR code –which accepts Alipay and WeChat pay and was circulating on social media – to show their appreciation. In an Instagram post written in Chinese on Thursday (June 13), Hassan thanked the fans for their outpouring of support, but urged them to «support him rationally» and not to send any more money. He warned that some scammers had been taking advantage of the situation by circulating fake QR codes. 

A Grab driver was forced to call the police on a verbally abusive passenger, who swore at him for refusing to take a longer route to his destination.  The driver, surnamed Wu, told Shin Min Daily News that he picked up the male passenger from Block 626 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 at about 8am on June 7. He had booked a ride to the  SP Group building in MacPherson.  When the man boarded, he requested that Wu drive to his destination by going past Bishan, Braddell and Serangoon — a different route from what the GPS suggested.  «The original route was to go by CTE. My guess is that he wanted to avoid the ERP charges. But he suggested a roundabout route, which would take an extra 10 minutes,» said the 52-year-old driver. ERP rates along the CTE from 8am to 9am range from $4.50 to $5.  Since he became a private-hire driver in 2016, Wu said he would try to help passengers avoid ERP costs if possible.  «I'll help whenever I can, but I found his request too unreasonable, so I refused.»  When Wu informed the passenger that the route he wanted was too long, the latter told him it «didn't matter» and that he wanted to «kill time». 

SINGAPORE - Eligible families waiting for their Build-To-Order (BTO) units can apply to tap $300 a month in rental vouchers to offset rent for an HDB flat or bedroom on the open market from July 1. The voucher under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS), which provides interim rental housing for families with an unfinished flat from HDB's sale exercises, will run from July 2024 to June 2025. To qualify for the full year of support, which amounts to $3,600, applicants' tenancies must start on or before July 31, 2024, and they must submit their application to HDB by Aug 31. «This gives eligible households who are planning to apply for the PPHS voucher sufficient time to secure a suitable tenancy and apply for the voucher,» HDB said on June 13. The initiative provides these families with more support as HDB works to double its supply of interim rental flats under the scheme from 2,000 units now to 4,000 by 2025.

In recent months, some Bukit Batok residents have been troubled by sightings of rats in their estate.  On June 5, a netizen uploaded a video of a group of rats scurrying around the void deck of Block 304 Bukit Batok Street 31.  «They will roam around boldly at night, hopping in and out of the green dustbins in front of the block, scaring residents when they walk past as the rats in the bins cause the bins to rattle [sic],» wrote the netizen.  This has been going on for «months», he said, urging the authorities to look into the issue. 

A GrabFood rider ran into a speed bump during his delivery rounds when he nearly collided with a reversing vehicle in a HDB car park. Dashcam footage from the vehicle involved in the incident was posted on Facebook group Singapore roads accident.com on Wednesday (June 12).  In the 59-second video, a Grabfood rider on a bicycle is seen heading in the direction of the vehicle, which is backing up into a parking lot. Spotting the vehicle, the rider speeds up in an attempt to pass through before the car goes into the lot. The driver (wearing a cap) got out of his vehicle to check on the rider. PHOTO: Facebook/Singapore roads accident.com However, the driver appears to be caught offguard and only manages to stop at the last minute. This causes the rider to lose his balance and fall onto the grass patch beside the lot. Food packets also tumble out of the bag that was attached to the back of his bicycle.

KUALA LUMPUR – There is still a lot of work to be done domestically and externally to take Singapore forward, and the general election will be called at an appropriate time, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on June 12. He was responding to a question on whether people should expect a general election this year, during an interview with the Singapore media on his introductory visits to Brunei and Malaysia on June 11 and 12. Since PM Wong took office in May, there has been speculation that the upcoming general election, due by November 2025, may be called this year – as early as September. The first step on the road to an election is the formation of a committee to review electoral boundaries. In early June, the Elections Department said the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) had not been convened. On June 12, PM Wong said: “Eventually, at the time that we decide it’s appropriate, and an election has to be called, people will know. Same for the EBRC. Eventually, when it is convened and it has done its work, people will know, and then I suppose everyone will get ready for the elections.

SINGAPORE — Nearly half of workers in Singapore feel exhausted after a day at work, a recent survey by health technology provider Telus Health has shown. The survey points to the growing risk of burnout among workers and a need for greater mental health support, said the firm. The report, which was released on June 13, showed that 47 per cent of workers in Singapore feel mentally or physically exhausted by their work. Exhaustion is one of the three main symptoms of burnout, which is also characterised by diminished performance and cynicism, said Telus Health's director for Asia Haider Amir. The study showed that two-thirds of workers here have at least one of these three indicators of burnout, with those under the age of 40 being three times more likely to feel extremely burnt out than workers over 50. The same group was also nearly twice as likely as workers over 50 to find it difficult to be motivated to do their work. Workers said the top reason for burnout was having too much work — this was cited by 27 per cent of respondents.

A squabble between a diner and shop owner escalated into a brawl at Sim Lim Square last Wednesday (June 5). The altercation occurred at around lunchtime on the second floor of the complex, reported Shin Min Daily News. A video of the fight circulating online shows a man with black hair slamming another man with blond hair against the shutters of a shop named Sexy Corner and repeatedly pummeling him. The former is the diner while the latter is believed to be the owner of the shop, which sells sex toys, according to the Chinese daily. Both men end up tussling on the floor as a group of onlookers try in vain to break up the fight. The diner subsequently wraps both legs around the other man's head, pinning him down. The onlookers eventually manage to separate the duo. The police were also called to the scene, reported Shin Min. Responding to AsiaOne’s queries, the police confirmed a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

SINGAPORE – The tattoo of the five Olympic rings on Shanti Pereira’s right wrist embodies her quest to keep breaking new ground as a sprinter. On June 12, another ring came into the picture, adding another significant milestone to her life as she announced her engagement to her boyfriend Tan Zong Yang. The Asian Games gold medallist posted a series of photos on her Instagram with former national sprinter Tan, documenting the couple’s engagement in Stockholm on June 9. In the post, Pereira, 27, said: “Cheers to your 30th, 3 years together, and to the rest of our lives!!!!!!!!” https://www.instagram.com/p/C8G3-HJOiFN Tan, who won the 400m bronze at Hanoi SEA Games in 2022, has been a constant figure of support in Pereira’s life, travelling to cheer her on at various meets, including the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Athletics Championships in 2023.

After completing a job at a condominium apartment, an air-con technician found that his van had been wheel-clamped at the car park. It turned out that he had unwittingly parked in a lot meant for residents. The 50-year-old, surnamed Lin, had to fork out $272 to get his vehicle released, reported Shin Min Daily News. But Lin said he genuinely thought he had parked at a visitor's lot and blamed his mistake on the «misleading» car park signage. The incident occurred around noon last Friday (June 7) at D'Leedon condo along Farrer Road. When he was at the car park, Lin said he noticed two pillars painted in purple with the word 'visitor'. He parked his van in the lot on the right side of one of the pillars. But when he returned to the car park around 45 minutes later, the vehicle had been wheel-clamped. He was told that he had parked in the space reserved for residents. Lin headed to the management office and was reportedly told that visitors can only use the parking lots marked out with purple grid lines.

Lions goalkeeper Hassan Sunny's nasi padang stall drew large crowds and numerous five-star reviews from Chinese football fans following his performance in Singapore's World Cup qualifier match against Thailand on Tuesday (June 11). Thailand needed to win with a three-goal margin to make it to the final round of Asia's qualifiers. It clinched the match, but the 3-1 score was not enough to stop second-placed China from advancing to the next stage. Chinese fans attributed China's progress to Hassan's heroics in the match, where he chalked up 11 saves, as well as Iksan Fandi's goal. The 40-year-old was lauded by the fans as a hero and trended on Chinese social media. In Singapore, they flocked to his stall, Dapur Hassan, at a coffee shop in Block 144 Tampines Street 12. Pictures posted by multiple users on Xiaohongshu on Wednesday showed long queues. Some Chinese football fans also snapped pictures with the stall's green signboard. «The saviour of the Chinese national football team, the Singaporean goalkeeper who sells nasi lemak has become famous,» wrote one netizen who patronised the stall.

It was a birthday cake which came with an added 'surprise'. A man has claimed that he found a small cockroach in a box containing a whole cake he'd bought from a Four Leaves outlet in HarbourFront Centre, according to a post made on Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Tuesday (June 11). The user, Jeff Soh, said that he had bought a Chocolate Classico cake from the bakery chain on Sunday (June 9) at around 5pm. He placed the cake in the fridge when he reached home, taking it out around 8pm for a birthday celebration. «However, to our horror, we found a dead baby cockroach lying on the cake board and next to the cake,» he wrote. Soh called the bakery's HarbourFront outlet to inform them about the issue and was contacted by the store's manager Daniel about an hour later. «[Daniel] was more interested to know how the cockroach came about and to arrange to retrieve the 'evidence',» Soh wrote. He claimed that the manager sought to settle the matter privately, «without offering any remedial actions».

The new housing estate in Yishun, Chencharu, will see the launch of its first Build-to-Order (BTO) project in June. The project comprises 1,270 units, ranging from two-room flexi to five-room flats. They make up part of the approximately 10,000 homes — of which 80 per cent will be public housing — to be built in Chencharu by 2040, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee announced in March. Flats in the estate will boast sustainable and smart features. For instance, they will be oriented in the north-south direction to improve natural ventilation and minimise direct sunlight entering the homes as well as the subsequent build-up of heat. «Where applicable, studies on wind flow, temperature, solar irradiance and sun-shadow analysis will be carried out to create a green and comfortable living environment,» said the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in a press release on Wednesday (June 12). «Homes will also incorporate provisions to facilitate the adoption of smart home solutions.»

SINGAPORE – A man ran a series of renovation and rental scams, cheating almost 70 people of about $78,000 which he then used for personal expenses like a hotel stay and alcohol. Tan Kai Wen, 24, had been arrested and released on bail three times, but kept scamming victims until he was finally kept in remand. On June 11, he was jailed for 28 months after he pleaded guilty to four cheating charges. Another eight cheating charges were taken into consideration for sentencing. The court heard that he has used up all the money he cheated people of and has made no restitution. Tan, a Malaysian, was previously working as a salesman at a renovation company here in late 2021. He was facing financial difficulties at the time, and came up with a plan to cheat clients by having them make payments to his bank account instead of the company’s, for tabletops and other renovation work. Tan began cheating clients from November 2021, getting four of them to transfer more than $11,000 in total to him. The ruse involved excuses such as the company’s account being closed on Saturdays and that he was able to offer discounts.

Are Chinese restaurants charging more for tea these days? According to Lemon8 user Lemonade8870, that appears to be the case.  «I have been dining at many Chinese restaurants… and have noticed that the charge for Chinese tea has gone up recently — to unreasonable prices, say about $4 to $5 per person,» she wrote in a post on Sunday (June 9). However, the price of $7 a person seems to be the last straw for her. «But I got a shock last night after I dined at Kai Garden in Marina Square — each person was charged $7.20 for Chinese tea,»  she continued. She added that the price was for free flow of the beverage, but that much is to be expected at Chinese restaurants. Describing the pricing as «atrocious», she said: «Just want to alert everyone so you know the amount they charge!» She had dined at the restaurant the evening before, ordering a spread of kurobuta pork, braised vermicelli and mushrooms. For drinks, she got ju pu tea, which cost $21.60 in total for three persons. Ju pu tea is a mix of pu'er and chrysanthemum tea.

Hoarding, while identified as a result of a mental condition, can also be caused by other factors unknown to anyone looking in from the outside. And hoarders often fall into a spiral and their living conditions become so dire, they need a village to help them regain their foothold in life. Singapore charity Helping Joy has volunteers to do just that – help hoarders declutter. National Development Minister Desmond Lee on June 9 shared a Facebook post in which he highlighted the work done by Helping Joy and several other partners in cleaning up a flat. According to Shin Min Daily News, the flat at Block 613 in Clementi West Street 2 belonged to a 68-year-old man whose hoarding had filled his flat with clutter.  The man fell and had to be hospitalised. Mr Lee joined the volunteers to clean up the flat – removing the junk, scrubbing the furniture and giving the walls a fresh coat of paint.

An early morning blaze, which broke out at a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio on Tuesday (June 11), has ravaged about 10 stalls and the hawkers are worried about the huge sums of losses they may face. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were alerted to the fire at GHK 407 Food House at Block 407 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 at about 2.40am. Eighteen residents living above the two-storey block were evacuated by the police and no injuries were reported. Preliminary investigations found that the fire likely originated from unattended cooking at one of the stalls.

With the help of an anonymous donor, one hawker at Chinatown Complex is now selling a bowl of Katong laksa for just $2 — half the usual price. Bobby Lee, 71, a graduate of social enterprise Project Dignity, has been running The Asian Makanstall for the past eight years, reported Shin Min Daily News. The stall has a rotating menu of dishes and started selling laksa — priced at $4 a bowl — about six months ago. Three weeks ago, Lee slashed the price by half at the request of a customer who donated a sum of money to the stall. «He said he hopes to let more people enjoy tasty and affordable food, especially the elderly or those in need,» the hawker said. He added that the customer frequently does charity work, including making donations to temples and elderly care homes. The donor prefers to keep his identity and contribution amount private, Lee said.