A 26-year-old Chinese influencer known as Xiao Yue, who stood at 2.2m tall, has passed away.

Her husband, Zihao, announced her passing on social media, as reported by Red Star News.

She leaves behind her husband and her one-year-old son.

Xiao Yue reportedly suffered from pituitary gigantism, a rare condition caused by excessive growth hormones, as well as secondary diabetes.

Medical conditions

In July 2026, Zihao posted a video on Xiao Yue’s medical condition.

She has been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor and a meningioma, and her condition subsequently worsened, leading to severe hyperglycemia, kidney failure, and other complications, as reported by Yangste News.

Zihao brought his wife back to her hometown to let her rest and stabilise her blood sugar levels before proceeding with surgery to remove the tumor in her brain.

Doctors had told him that it would be a minimally invasive procedure.

However, she unexpectedly passed away before the surgery could take place.

She passed away before her child's first birthday.

Zihao said that he never imagined this disease would take someone’s life, and that Xiao Yue was a cheerful person who didn’t care what others said about her, as reported by Lianhe Zaobao.

The family will hold a simple funeral and will not have a memorial service, according to Xiao Yue’s wishes and the family’s opinion.

A man from Singapore spent about six hours searching for a hotel he had booked in China before paying to stay elsewhere overnight, according to Shin Min Daily News.

When he finally located the hotel the following morning, he was told it only accepted Chinese guests.

The 54-year-old security guard, identified as Mr Wu, had paid around S$30 through Agoda for a stay at Ruiping Hotel in Taiyuan from Sep. 28 to Oct. 2.

Searched for six hours

Wu said he arrived in the city after 8am but struggled to find Ruiping Hotel.

According to him, Agoda’s listing lacked a detailed address and telephone number, and his emails went unanswered.

After about six hours of searching, Wu tried to check in at Lixin Hotel instead. However, the staff allegedly told him they only accepted Chinese guests and could not accommodate him.

Eventually, he had to resort to staying at a third hotel nearby, paying an additional S$58 to stay overnight.

Turned away

At around 7am the following morning, Wu used another travel website to find Ruiping Hotel’s exact location.

He then found out it was near Lixin Hotel.

However, upon arrival, the staff at Ruiping Hotel also purportedly told him they could only accommodate Chinese guests.

The staff also told Wu that the hotel’s sign had no English wording.

He told Shin Min that Agoda’s booking page had not flagged that the hotel did not accept foreign guests and allowed him to book and pay for a room.

Agoda issued refund

After returning to Singapore on Oct. 4, Wu contacted Agoda’s customer service to report what had happened.

He was told the company would investigate and respond as soon as possible. Screenshots he provided showed that his refund request had been completed.

In repsonse to Shin Min's queries, Agoda said it deeply regretted the matter but could not disclose specific details of individual cases due to privacy protection rules.

Agoda said their customer experience team has contacted the customer to provide further assistance.

They also said they would continue to work closely with their accommodation partners to ensure accommodation information on their platform is clear, accurate and helpful to travellers.

Agoda also said that when concerns are raised about a property’s information or check-in requirements, it will review the circumstances and, where necessary, follow up with the accommodation provider and take appropriate further action.

A teacher in Singapore has been accused of recording a video of a female individual’s groin area in a school in 2023.

The 45-year-old man was charged with voyeurism on Oct. 12.

Chargesheets seen by Mothership did not indicate if the victim was a student or staff member at the school.

There is a gag order placed to protect the identity of the victim.

The man is expected to plead guilty on Nov. 30.

Suspended from duties

In response to queries from Mothership, a Ministry of Education (MOE) spokesperson said the man had been suspended from duties since June 2026 and is no longer teaching in any school.

The spokesperson added: "MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service."

Those found guilty of voyeurism face up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, caning, or a combination of these penalties.

More than 200,000 Singapore Airlines return tickets and over 180,000 one-way tickets on Scoot will be on sale from Oct. 23 to 30, during the annual Time To Fly promotion.

The tickets will be for destinations such as Bangkok, Hangzhou, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Seoul, and Sydney.

They will also include new Scoot routes to Belitung, Chiang Rai, Guiyang, and Okinawa.

The discounted SIA tickets can be used for travel between Jan. 1 and Sep. 30, 2027, from Singapore to 78 destinations, an Oct. 13 joint release by the two carriers said.

It covers the economy, premium economy, and business class flights.

The discounted Scoot tickets are for travel between Nov. 9, 2026 and Oct. 15, 2027, across ScootPlus and economy class flights between Singapore and 70 destinations.

These tickets will be available online through the SIA and Scoot websites and mobile applications, as well as appointed travel agents.

A three-day physical Time To Fly travel fair will be held from Oct. 23 to 25 at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre, Halls 401, 402, and 403.

A man in southwestern China's Guizhou Province sparked controversy when he apparently held a wedding banquet and his baby's 100-day celebration with two different women on different floors of the same building.

The man, Wu, (transliterated), reportedly held his wedding banquet with his wife and the celebration for his baby he had with his ex-girlfriend, according to CTWANT.

Staff members at the scene called the police when the dispute occurred around Oct. 9, Sohu News reported.

Banquets signed by separate families

According to 163.com, the restaurant was unaware of this administrative issue before the incident as the contracts for both banquets had supposedly been signed by two separate families.

The dispute reportedly broke out after the families bumped into each other inside the premises.

It was recorded in a video posted online by @paluyyds on X, which garnered millions of views.

Not directly considered bigamy

While financial disputes between the parties involved have not been resolved, local authorities have apparently determined that this was not considered bigamy.

This is because Wu and his wife were said to be legally married after completing their marriage registration, CTWANT reported.

Despite having a child with his ex-girlfriend, the pair had supposedly never registered their marriage.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) is monitoring the haze situation in Singapore closely and gathering information on fire hotspots, their sources, and their impact on air quality.

The agency was responding to media queries on Oct. 12 on whether any action would be taken under Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, as reported in The Straits Times (ST).

During the severe haze back in 2015, NEA identified fires on concession lands linked to six companies.

All of them were issued legal notices under the Act.

Investigations into two of the companies were later closed after NEA accepted their explanations that they were no longer associated with the affected land when the fires occurred.

However, the other four Indonesian companies are still under investigation: PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries and PT Rimba Hutani Mas, CNA reported.

Due to the ongoing investigations, NEA said it is unable to provide further details.

Regional cooperation remains crucial

Regional cooperation within Asean is vital in resolving transboundary haze pollution, said NEA.

According to ST, the agency highlighted the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre, which is hosted by the Meteorological Service Singapore under the NEA.

The centre monitors and assesses land and forest fires, tracks satellite imagery and hotspots, and issues early warning advisories on the hotspot and smoke haze situation.

NEA is also in touch with the Jakarta-based Interim Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control, which is responsible for managing and mitigating the regional fire and haze situation and coordinating responses among Asean member states.

The centre also has the capacity to mobilise resources in response to the haze.

The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act

The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, which came into force in September 2014, covers conduct that causes or contributes to haze pollution in Singapore.

Under the act, a poor air quality episode occurs when:

• The air quality index for any part of Singapore reaches the prescribed level or higher; and
• For the next 24 hours or longer, the index for the same or any other part of Singapore stays at or reaches that level or higher.

An entity shall be considered guilty of an offence if it engages in conduct, whether in or outside Singapore, that causes or contributes to haze pollution in Singapore.

It is also an offence to condone such conduct by another entity or individual.

There also has to be haze pollution in Singapore at or around the time of the conduct.

If found guilty of causing or contributing to transboundary haze pollution, a company can be fined up to S$100,000 a day, capped at S$2 million.

Current haze situation

The 24-hour PSI has been in the unhealthy range in at least one region of Singapore since Oct. 5.

As of 10am on Oct. 13, the 24-hour PSI reading sits in the "Unhealthy" range.

The west and central regions recorded the highest readings, at 172 and 170 respectively.

Call centre lines across NHG Health are temporarily unavailable.

According to a Facebook post on Oct. 13, they are working to restore access.

Patients and members of the public can still visit their websites and the HealthHub and NHG Health App for assistance.

NHG Health apologised for the inconvenience caused.

Here are the institutions under NHG Health, according to their website.

No evidence of fraud or cheating was found in the work injury claim filed by an employee of EatGreen Pte. Ltd., which operates Sumo Salad.

The investigation outcome was announced in a joint media release by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Oct. 13.

In 2025, the late owner of Sumo Salad posted on Facebook alleging that a former staff had orchestrated a fall to file a false work injury claim.

This occurred just before the staff's employment contract ended.

The owner passed away shortly after the posts were made.

MOM said then it would look into the allegations of fraud.

No further action, work injury claims to be processed

According to the media release, as the police had found no evidence to suggest that the former worker had committed the offence of cheating, they will not be taking any further action against the former worker in this matter.

The police had consulted the Attorney-General's Chambers on this.

Given that no evidence of fraud was found in relation to the work injury claim, MOM said that the claim will be admitted and processed by the designated insurer, in accordance with the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA).

The designated insurer had earlier reimbursed the employer in June 2025 for the medical cost and medical leave wages incurred for the work injury up till then.

It will continue to cover the eligible compensation benefits.

Lapse in work injury insurance coverage found

In the course of its investigations, MOM said it also reviewed EatGreen's work injury compensation insurance coverage.

It found that while the company had insurance coverage for the worker's claim, its policy only covered two employees and did not provide coverage for the remaining employees required under the WICA.

MOM said it has issued a stern warning to the company for this lapse under WICA.

MOM explained that the WICA ensures that workers who suffer work-related injuries or occupation disease receive timely financial support, while safeguarding employers' interests through due process and capped compensation limits.

"MOM takes the integrity of this framework seriously and will not hesitate to take action against those responsible for false or misleading claims or circumvention of the framework," the ministry also said.

Late owner was stressed over work injury claim

Sumo Salad's owner, Jane Lee, was found dead at the foot of a Bukit Timah housing block in 2025.

A recent coroner's inquiry found that Lee had attempted suicide on Jul. 18, 2025, the same day she made the Facebook posts regarding her employee's work injury claims.

She was sent to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) but later discharged against medical advice.

Lee had been stressed about work injuries claim, and had also indicated that she felt guilty about time spent away from her children due to work.

She was found dead a day later on Jul. 19, 2025.

Helplines

If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:

National mindline.sg Hotline: 1771 (24 hours)

National mindline.sg WhatsApp: 66691771 (24 hours)

SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767=

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Centre for Domestic Employees: 1800 225 5233 (24 hours)

Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training: 1800 339 4357 (24 hours)

HOME: 1800 797 7977 or +65 9787 3122 (WhatsApp / Viber / SMS)

A Taiwanese businesswoman and influencer's visit to a restaurant has turned sour over a dispute regarding a stained handbag.

According to a series of posts by Anni Miao — the CEO of a cosmetics and health foods wholesaler — on Facebook, the incident took place in May this year, when Miao was dining at Ushigoro S Taiwan.

A stained white crocodile leather bag

During the meal, Miao alleged that staff accidentally spilled two or three drops of wine on her Hermès Kelly To Go, a handbag made from white crocodile leather.

After sending the bag to the Hermès store she had purchased it from, Miao learned it would have to be sent back to France and that the stain could not be fully removed.

Miao alleged that in the ensuing months, her discussions with the restaurant over the stained bag came to naught, with no concrete follow-up on how they could compensate her for her damaged item.

By October, Miao said that her attempts to communicate with the restaurant were either ignored or deflected.

She said if the restaurant did not respond, she would have no choice but to take the legal route.

S$37,000 in compensation

In response, Fujin Tree Catering Group — the restaurant's parent company — issued its own statement on Facebook, disputing Miao's account of events.

The hospitality group claimed that Miao only brought the stain to staff's attention when paying the bill, not at the time of the alleged spill.

The company said that any apology and offer of assistance from staff at the time had been made out of good faith, and did not constitute an acknowledgment that the damage was caused by the restaurant's staff.

They further alleged that Miao demanded NT$930,000 (S$37,294) in compensation for the bag and associated purchase costs.

As they were unable to conclusively verify who was responsible for the stains on the bag, the company declined to compensate Miao.

They also said they were seeking legal advice on the matter.

Miao responds to the restaurant

Miao then responded to the hospitality group in a series of posts on Facebook, denying that she had demanded NT930,000 (S$37,294) in compensation and sharing screenshots from conversations between her and restaurant staff.

She expressed her disappointment that the restaurant had dithered in discussing the matter directly with her until her decision to go public with the matter.

Foreign workers in Jurong are giving away their empty beverage containers to a man and a woman who go around asking for them, Shin Min Daily News reported.

A member of the public tipped the Chinese media off after seeing the man and woman asking foreign workers drinking in public for the containers.

It was believed that they were collecting the containers to receive refunds at the Return Right machines under the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS).

Eligible containers can receive a S$0.10 refund each.

More people asking for containers

Shin Min reported that the man and woman were seen holding plastic bags and asking foreign workers gathered outside the mall if they were done consuming their drinks.

For some, this practice is now commonplace.

One foreign worker said he has encountered at least four middle-aged men collecting containers.

The foreign worker said: "After all, it's only worth a few cents, so it doesn't matter if I gave it to them. I told them that I hadn't finished drinking yet, and that I would hang it on the doorknob of a door after I have finished, and they would come to get it then."

Woman "changed careers"

The manager of a bakery in the vicinity claimed that a middle-aged woman has now "changed careers" and is picking up BCRS bottles and cans outside the mall for a living.

She used to recycle cardboard and beverage cans, the manager added.

According to the manager, the woman said she could earn S$2,000 a month collecting BCRS containers now.

Why hand over containers?

Another foreign worker said those who hand over containers outside Jurong Point might have done so as the walk to the nearest Return Right vending machine might be a distance away.

There is one on the ground floor nearby and another inside the supermarket, he said.

Another foreign worker said he has heard of BCRS, but has not tried returning the containers as he is not very good with English.

He added that he sees middle-aged people picking up such empty containers.

He previously handed over an empty container to a man in his 50s or 60s as he appeared not to have a job.

Other members of the public said the scheme has good intentions, but there are also unintended outcomes.

Other than the mess caused by rummaging through rubbish bins in search of BCRS containers, the Return Right machines have started to smell as containers were not washed first before being returned.