Media conglomerate MM2 Asia and its subsidiary MM2 Entertainment were ordered to make partial payments of S$263,000 in outstanding Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions.

The company received a final adjournment on Aug. 19, CNA reported.

Contributions

MM2 Asia faces three charges of failing to pay CPF contributions to one employee from November 2025 to Jan. 6, 2026.

MM2 Entertainment faces eight charges that involved four employees in November and December 2025.

MM2 Asia has approximately S$22,000 in outstanding contributions, while MM2 Entertainment owes about S$241,000.

The total amount owed by the company and its subsidiary was not disclosed.

Melvin Ang Wee Chye, founder and executive chairman of MM2 Asia, reportedly told the court that an ongoing scheme of arrangement had constrained its ability to make CPF payments.

Its funds apparently could not come in until the process was completed.

In a previous court mention, the court directed MM2 Asia to pay at least S$11,000 and MM2 Entertainment at least S$60,000.

Ang said MM2 Asia remains committed to paying the sum.

However, it was prioritising staff salaries with the funds available.

He also claimed that MM2 Entertainment had paid S$20,000 towards its outstanding contributions on Aug. 18.

The prosecution reportedly said they would need time to verify the payments and noted that the company would still be S$40,000 short.

They sought a final adjournment for MM2 Asia and MM2 Entertainment to make the required payments.

It would proceed on three charges against MM2 Asia and eight against MM2 Entertainment.

The prescribed fine ranges from S$1,000 to S$5,000 per charge for first-time offenders, and the court will decide on the sentencing.

Both companies were granted a final adjournment, with a direction that they make the partial payments in full by the next hearing.

The case was adjourned to Sep. 16.

Financial issues

This comes after reports of MM2 Asia facing financial difficulties and undergoing restructuring.

It apparently owes millions of dollars to creditors and faces repayment demands from landlords over the now-defunct Cathay Cineplexes chain it used to operate.

MM2 Asia reportedly recorded a net loss of S$199.4 million for the year ended Mar. 31.

Trading in its shares was suspended on Nov. 10, 2025, after it said it could not demonstrate it could continue as a going concern.

MM2 Asia and MM2 Entertainment subsequently applied for moratoriums to facilitate their restructuring.

A 31-year-old man was charged with trafficking etomidate vaporiser pods (Kpods) after a traffic accident.

Tan Jun Yuan Jovan was charged on Aug. 12 under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act 1993 (TVCA).

On Aug. 10, the traffic police attended to a road traffic accident involving Tan’s rental car and a taxi.

Officers found two vaporisers and 94 vaporiser pods during a search of the car.

Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officers were alerted and took over the seized items at the scene.

Traffic police officers then arrested Tan and handed him over to HSA to assist with the investigation.

He apparently tested positive for etomidate in an instant urine test and admitted that he vaped etomidate in the morning before the accident.

He was remanded for a week.

Laboratory testing also revealed the seized pods contained etomidate.

A vaporiser and pod seized were allegedly intended for Tan’s consumption.

The rest were apparently intended for supply.

Investigations into the vaporiser and etomidate trafficking offences are ongoing.

Tan is also assisting in the traffic police’s investigations under the Road Traffic Act 1961.

The case was mentioned again in court on Aug. 19.

The case has been adjourned to Sep. 28.

Under TVCA, etomidate and its analogues are listed as specified psychoactive substances in the schedule.

Importers found guilty are liable to three to 20 years’ jail and five to 15 strokes of the cane, while suppliers found guilty are liable to two to 10 years’ jail and two to five strokes of the cane.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened financial penalties on any nation that helps Iran evade sanctions, calling it the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country".

In a Truth Social post on Aug. 20, Trump said: "This will be economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale."

"No one has given the Islamic Republic of Iran a greater opportunity to make a deal than me. Tragically, for them, they have failed to take it."

Trump claimed that Iran was "hanging by a thread" and that "their navy is gone, their air force is destroyed, their military factories are now rubble, their currency is worthless".

'Tremendous economic consequences'

Trump said: "Any country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face tremendous economic consequences."

Trump wanted "oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies" to be shut down immediately.

He called on allies to stand with the U.S. to "isolate and defeat the Iran threat" and noted that "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon".

According to CNBC, Trump has waged a pressure campaign on Iran since April under Operation Economic Fury, which targeted what it calls the regime's global terror financing and revenue streams.

Iran responds

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to X on Aug. 20 to condemn the "Economic D-Day" and accused America of creating a diversion from its own crisis: "unprecedented debt & surging interest costs".

"Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat—and enmity of Iranians. US economic terrorism threatens global economy and sovereignty worldwide."

CNBC reported that Araghchi had previously accused the U.S. of escalating sanctions after rounds of failed negotiations to force Iran into submission, and said the approach to the conflict was a barrier to any negotiated exit.

UAE suspends trade and financial dealings

This escalation comes a day after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) suspended all trade and financial dealings with Iran despite being one of Iran's most important commercial partners.

According to NBC News, on Aug. 19, the UAE accused Iran of firing two ballistic missiles towards it.

Both missiles splashed down in the Persian Gulf.

In a statement on X on Aug. 19, the Emirati Foreign Ministry said it decided to impose punitive measures but also said the country remained committed to "dialogue, cooperation and regional integration".

UAE's Director of the Strategic Communications Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Afra Al Hameli, said: "In light of regional escalations that undermine regional and international peace and security, all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran have been halted until further notice".

CNBC reported that Iran denied firing the missiles.

The UAE was Iran's largest source of imports, supplying more than 30 per cent of the country's total imports in 2024, according to the World Trade Organization.

Strait of Hormuz

According to Lloyd's List Intelligence, ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz ran at levels well below pre-war numbers.

Preliminary data show 73 transits between Aug. 10 and 16, down from 91 the previous week.

The U.S.'s national debt has soared past US$40 trillion (S$50.8 trillion), the highest number in the country's history.

The record number on Aug. 19 comes amid large-cost federal spending, including in defence, Social Security and Medicare.

High-cost spending

According to AP News, the staggering number has been growing by US$1 trillion (S$1.3 trillion) every five months over the past year.

In October 2025, it reached US$38 trillion (S$48.3 trillion) and in March 2026, it hit a record US$39 trillion (S$49.5 trillion).

Contested administration decisions like U.S. President Donald Trump's war on Iran were among the factors contributing to the high debt.

Other past high-cost packages passed by Congress, like Trump's 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill and several Covid-19 relief bills by Trump and former President Joe Biden are expected to pile onto the federal debt over time, reported CNN.

At the same time, the country's aging society means there are fewer workers to support the number of beneficiaries.

The US$40 trillion (S$50.8 trillion) is said to have hit earlier than expected. The Congressional Budget Office had earlier predicted the U.S. to hit that number only in the 2028 fiscal year.

Affecting Americans' livelihoods

According to AP News, experts say the debt is affecting Americans' livelihoods, from raising borrowing costs for mortgages and cars to lowering wages for businesses with less available funds to invest.

Good and services are also getting increasingly expensive for the average American.

"If we want to improve our living standards, today and for the next generation, now is the time for lawmakers to put our nation on a more affordable and sustainable path," a U.S. fiscal think tank said.

After a commuter collapsed at Woodleigh MRT station, three station managers and other commuters immediately stepped in to help.

They took turns performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and administered first aid, eventually saving the man's life.

Incident

SBS Transit recounted the incident in a Facebook post on Aug. 19.

According to them, the incident occurred on Jun. 27.

After the man collapsed suddenly on the train platform, two staff members, station manager Eric Tan and assistant station manager Jonathan Ching were at his side within minutes.

A female commuter called for an ambulance in the meantime.

The trio then realised the man had stopped breathing, which led the commuter to begin CPR immediately.

Tan also rushed to retrieve the station's automated external defibrillator (AED), a device typically used for cardiac arrests.

Meanwhile, another assistant station manager, Thangavel Siva, arrived at the scene.

Alongside a male commuter, both men took turns performing CPR until paramedics arrived.

Victim was saved

Other commuters also stepped in to help in various ways while station staff kept the area clear and assisted where they could, the post detailed.

Due to the fast response time, the victim eventually started breathing again.

He was then transported to the hospital.

SBS said that when they later checked in on the man, he expressed his gratitude to commuters who came to his aid.

"If you were one of them, please reach out to us at customercare@sbstransit.com.sg. We’d love to hear from you," the transport company wrote.

"In that critical moment, our station staff and commuters came together with one goal: to help someone in need.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who stepped forward without hesitation and made a difference that day."

At least four masked men allegedly used sledgehammers to rob a goldsmith within a few minutes in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia on Aug. 20, 2026,

Footage of the brazen heist in broad daylight has been put up online.

The suspects were seen smashing display cases inside the premises at Jalan Tengku Kelana.

They then fled on motorcycles with the valuables.

The shop is about 200m from the Klang Selatan district police headquarters, according to China Press.

It has yet to be confirmed how much jewellery was stolen or whether anyone was injured in the incident.

Police have not issued an official statement on the case.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sparked controversy when he said he believes Taiwan is part of China, and that he would use force to protect territorial unity.

His remarks have drawn praise from the Chinese government, and rebuke from Taiwan's.

Anwar was speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera titled "Malaysia between the Superpowers", which aired on Aug. 16.

When asked for his views on "Chinese aggression" regarding Taiwan, Anwar said, "I see Taiwan as part of China, period... It is one China. It's accepted by all."

Democracy and territorial integrity

In response to Anwar's support of the One China principle, the interviewer pointed out the Taiwanese people do not want to be "governed by an authoritarian state", and prefer their democratic system instead.

"Don't you feel as a leader, as a democrat, some empathy for that sentiment?" the interviewer asked Anwar.

Anwar replied that he has empathy for "many other issues", including religious, regional, and tribal issues "in all these countries, even in Malaysia".

But in the case of Taiwan, Anwar said that empathising with the view of Taiwan's independence is "condoning an attempt to break up a legitimate independent country".

He argued that much of the China-Taiwan debate is associated with colonial history, and underscored that he was not at all condoning colonialism.

Use of force

The interviewer also asked Anwar whether he would condemn any use of force by China on Taiwan to achieve a "peaceful reunification".

In reply, Anwar considered what he would do if Malaysia was in China's position.

"If one province decides to break away, do we use force? I think I will protect the sanctity and unity of the nation," he said.

When pressed to confirm that he would use force in such a situation, Anwar said yes, because Malaysia would otherwise "be fragmented".

China's response

A spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended Anwar's remarks both on X and in a press conference in Beijing on Aug. 19.

On X, he also highlighted Anwar's "steadfast position on the one-China principle".

"The international community’s commitment to the one-China principle is not to be shaken. Nothing will stop China from being reunified."

Clips of the video interview have also been shared by Chinese media and the Chinese embassy in Malaysia.

Taiwan's response

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement to "strongly condemn and refute" Anwar's remarks on Aug. 18.

It interpreted the Malaysian prime minister as implying that Taiwan is a province seeking to separate from China, and legitimising China's stance on using force to take Taiwan.

Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country that is not subordinate to China, and this fact will not be changed no matter what others claim, the ministry underscored.

It highlighted that Malaysia is a democracy, and Anwar has long portrayed himself as a defender of democracy and human rights.

Thus, the ministry argued, he should value principles such as freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, and respect and uphold the will of the people.

Furthermore, although Taiwan and Malaysia have close economic ties, the ministry also emphasised the close link between national sovereignty and economic security.

It said that the remarks threaten regional peace and stability, and "Anwar's one-sided support for China" could undermine Taiwanese businesses’ confidence in investing in Malaysia.

In the last two years, at least four more primary schools have removed parent volunteer (PV) schemes that give parents priority placement when registering their children for Primary 1.

According to The Straits Times (ST), the schools that stopped accepting PVs are Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) and Mee Toh School in 2026, and Hong Wen School and Rosyth School in 2025.

Parents would complete at least 40 hours of volunteer work under the scheme, which was often seen as a method of getting one's foot in the door.

Tasks included helping at school events, serving as traffic wardens or librarians, ST reported.

The parents get priority to register in Phase 2B of the yearly Primary 1 admission exercise, under which 20 places in each primary school are reserved.

Children of active grassroots leaders and those with church or clan associations connected to the primary school also qualify under this phase.

One-third of primary schools offer scheme

In response to queries from Mothership, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that around one-third of Singapore's primary schools currently offer the PV scheme.

According to MOE's school finder website, there are 182 primary schools in Singapore.

MOE said: "The number of schools which offer the PV scheme has remained fairly stable over the past few years."

MOE noted that "schools may offer the PV scheme at their own discretion, based on their school’s needs".

"PVs play a role in providing schools with valuable additional support, either on a recurrent or one-off basis, as part of a wider ecosystem of community partnership, which also include Parent Support Groups (PSGs)."

Primary 1 registration exercise

According to MOE's Primary 1 Registration phases and key dates website, Phase 1 is for a child who has a sibling in the school.

Phase 2A is for a child studying in the MOE Kindergarten in the primary school, whose parent or sibling is a former student of the school, whose parent is a member of the School Advisory or Management Committee, or whose parent is a staff member of the primary school.

Phases 2C and 3 are open to all other applicants, with 2C based on the distance between the home and the school.

ST reported that the framework has drawn scrutiny over whether the priority should favour children of alumni, parent volunteers or those living close by.

The ministry is currently reviewing the Primary 1 registration system to widen access to schools for children of different backgrounds to encourage social mixing, ST reported.

On their websites, Fairfield Methodist and Rosyth both noted that they no longer recruit PVs for admission under Phase 2B as the schools receive extensive support from their PSGs.

Phase 2B

Based on MOE's vacancies and balloting data for the 2025 P1 registration exercise for Phase 2B, Fairfield Methodist, located in Dover, was oversubscribed with 30 applicants competing for 20 places in 2025. ST reported that in 2026, 27 applicants were balloting for 22 spots.

Hong Wen in Bendemeer had enough places for applicants in Phase 2B with 23 applicants and 28 vacancies. However, it had 32 applicants vying for 30 places in 2026, ST reported.

Rosyth School in Serangoon North saw 31 applicants trying for 20 spots in 2025. According to ST, it had enough slots for all applicants in Phase 2B in 2026.

Mee Toh in Punggol had enough slots for all Phase 2B applicants for both years.

Other schools that no longer accept PVs

ST reported that at least six other schools no longer accept PVs: Bukit Timah Primary School, CHIJ (Katong) Primary, St. Margaret’s School (Primary), Maris Stella High School (Primary), Opera Estate Primary School and Queenstown Primary School.

ST reported that in 2014, four schools under the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (SHHK), namely Tao Nan, Ai Tong, Nan Chiau Primary and Kong Hwa, scrapped the scheme.

ST also reported that St Anthony’s Canossian Primary in Bedok North had also done so that same year.

While the scheme was scrapped in the four SHHK schools, parents could still gain access through clan association; similarly, parents who are baptised catholics can register their children in Phase 2B for admission into Catholic schools.

According to ST, since 2022, MOE has reserved 60 places for Phases 2B and 2C; any vacancies remaining from earlier phases are split, with one-third allocated to Phase 2B and two-thirds to Phase 2C.

The charred body of a 29-year-old woman has been found in a vineyard in France.

The victim was identified as Sonia Bellina, a French TikToker, a prosecutor said on Aug. 19, according to the BBC.

Two men have been arrested for their suspected "direct or indirect involvement in the incident".

Discovery

BBC reported that the discovery was made in the Saint-Gilles vineyard in Southern France.

A farmer reportedly found the body, without clothes at the time, lying between rows of vines in the village near Nîmes on Aug. 12.

It remained unidentified for several days, but Bellina's identity was eventually confirmed on Aug. 19 after investigators conducted DNA tests.

Her family's lawyer told the French media that the body has been abandoned and "almost thrown away like garbage", according to BBC.

The lawyer also alleged that it was a "murder of rare savagery".

Bellina's family members were reportedly convinced of the identity of the body before it was confirmed by authorities.

They said they have faced harassment since, with some saying Bellina "deserved what happened to her".

Influencer on TikTok

Bellina was an influencer on TikTok with about 263,000 followers.

Her last post was of a makeup video, posted on May. 13, 2024.

BBC also reported that she was visiting her family in the area where her body was found a month before her 30th birthday.

A driver who came across a grisly traffic accident on Seletar West Link helped to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on an injured motorcyclist for 10 minutes.

Witnessed aftermath

On the evening of Aug. 18, 53-year-old Martin Wong was driving home when he noticed the accident on the opposite side of the road.

"I stopped my vehicle, took my first aid kit and automated external defibrillator (AED), and crossed over to see if I could help," he told Mothership.

Wong, who did not witness the actual collision, said that he saw the casualty lying prone, with a large pool of blood near his head.

His immediate concern was to assess the casualty's condition and provide the necessary emergency assistance.

"In truth, having been exposed to prior emergencies such as cardiac arrest cases and even road traffic accidents, I was able to remain focused and composed throughout the rescue."

Resuscitation efforts

A few others at the scene, including Wong, coordinated to carefully turn the casualty over so Wong could assess him.

Since the casualty was unresponsive, with no detectable pulse and no breathing, Wong commenced CPR immediately.

He then asked another person to assist him in preparing the AED, while another individual remained on the line with the 995 operator.

They also appointed someone to direct traffic, ensuring they had a safe space to work around the casualty.

Wong then continued performing CPR, providing breaths using a face mask, for approximately 10 minutes while kneeling on the asphalt beside the casualty.

While the AED was attached and analysed the casualty, it did not advise any shock throughout the process, he said.

"We continued the resuscitation efforts until the emergency responders arrived and took over," Wong added.

Thoughts remain with casualty, family

Despite it being a "very distressing scene", Wong pointed out that "in such situations, there is little time to think about anything other than helping the casualty".

While he was fortunate to have his first aid kit and AED with him, he also wanted to acknowledge the other members of the public who stepped forward to help.

"Resuscitation is rarely a one-person effort," he said.

"Someone assisted with the AED, another remained in communication with the 995 operator, while others helped to manage the traffic and maintain a safe space for us to work."

Wong said: "Doing CPR continuously for around 10 minutes is physically demanding, particularly while kneeling on the road surface, but at that point the only thought was to keep going and give the casualty whatever chance we could until professional help arrived."

He hopes this incident also serves as a reminder of the importance of learning CPR and how to use an AED.

"In a medical emergency, the actions taken in those first few minutes can be critical," he added.

"My thoughts remain with the casualty and his family."

Victim was 25-year-old man who later passed away

The police have confirmed with Mothership that the motorcyclist, a 25-year-old man, was taken unconscious to hospital where he later died.

A 57-year old female car driver was arrested on suspicion of careless driving causing death and is assisting with police investigations.