To head to university as a 19-year-old is exciting enough for many, to do so for double degrees is incredibly impressive.

But Guo Bin from Shanxi province in China is even more remarkable, as he has achieved these feats after being blinded at age six in a horrific attack.

Horrific attack

China Daily reported on Guo's past and current circumstances.

In 2013, his parents, who were farmers, found the boy in a field, his face covered in blood.

They took him to the hospital, only to find out that his eyes were missing.

His assailant is believed to be his aunt, who took her own life shortly after the attack.

No reason was ever found.

Wuhan school for the Blind

After undergoing a life-saving treatment, Guo was invited to join a community of blind students and mentors in Wuhan, reported China Daily on Jun. 24.

He was enrolled in the Wuhan School for the Blind, where he continued his studies in Braille and excelled academically.

"He explores every question repeatedly and helps classmates patiently," his math teacher said.

The teen also picked up music, co-founding Hubei's first blind electric band as well as mastering multiple instruments and winning national awards.

Sat for entrance exams

12 years later, he sat for China’s college entrance exams for students with disabilities, scoring an exemplary 721 out of 800.

He received high marks in math, Chinese, English, and top marks in anatomy, chemistry, and physics, according to the report.

Guo will attend Changchun University to pursue a double degree in computer science and traditional Chinese medicine.

Asked about his future, he said hopes to return to the Wuhan School for the Blind as a teacher to guide other visually impaired children.

A 20-year-old Singaporean was the sole survivor of a fatal car crash in Kuala Lumpur early on Saturday (Jun. 27).

The sports car had skidded, crashed and burst into flames, reported Malaysian media.

The Singaporean, who was in the back seat, escaped with minor injuries.

The driver and front-seat passenger, both university students, were trapped inside and burnt to death.

Car bursts into flames

The car is believed to have skidded before catching fire at the Jalan Kuching exit ramp on the Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE), the New Straits Times (NST) reported.

The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department said rescuers were sent to the scene after it received an emergency call at 5:20am.

They arrived to find the vehicle engulfed in flames.

While they managed to rescue one of the victims, the other two remained trapped in the car and were burnt to death, said the department's operations commander.

They managed to extinguish the fire, but the car was "destroyed", he said.

Driver was a student in Australia

The car, a BMW, was driven by a 22-year-old Malaysian man who was a student at the University of Brisbane in Australia.

The 21-year-old front-seat passenger was a student studying in Sunway University in Malaysia.

The two casualties have not been formally identified.

The Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zamzuri said this would be done through DNA analysis, NST reported.

Meanwhile, the Singaporean suffered minor injuries to his hands and legs and was taken to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for treatment.

Under investigation

Police believe the car was being driven at speed before the driver lost control and crashed into a road divider, The Star reported.

The impact apparently caused it to catch fire.

Officers have requested CCTV footage from the area and carried out preliminary questioning, with the survivor's statement also being recorded.

The cause of the accident and fire is still under investigation.

A drinking session between two friends in Thailand's Khon Kaen province ended with one man dead, after the other allegedly accused him of being a ghost and beat him with a hammer.

Wichan Khunsri, 59, was arrested over the death of his friend, Banjong Daphaeng, 57, on Jun. 24, The Thaiger reported.

Drinking since morning

The pair had been drinking white liquor together at a hut, which Wichan owned, since the morning.

But an argument broke out at around 5pm, investigators said.

Police have not disclosed what triggered the dispute.

During the confrontation, Wichan accused Banjong of being a "Phi Pop" — a cannibalistic spirit in Thai folklore — before fetching a hammer from inside the hut and attacking him.

Wichan struck Banjong on the head and body about 20 times, inflicting severe injuries, according to the police superintendent.

The police turned up at around 7pm and took Wichan into custody.

Banjong was rushed to Nam Phong Hospital, but later died.

Suspect waited at the scene

Wichan made no attempt to flee and remained at the hut until officers arrived, police said. He did not resist arrest.

Investigators sealed off the hut for forensic examination, photographing the scene and collecting evidence, the Thai Examiner reported.

Banjong's body will also undergo a forensic examination.

Wichan was handed over to investigators and faces a charge of assault causing death. Police said the case is proceeding through the legal process.

A 33-year-old woman has been arrested by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) for her suspected involvement in a case of loanshark harassment.

Loanshark harassment

On Jun. 25 at around 10:40pm, the SPF was alerted to a case of loanshark harassment at a residential unit along Jurong West Street 65.

The main door of the unit was splashed with white paint.

Photos of the incident showed an outdoor shoe cabinet covered in splashes of paint, which also partially covered the floor.

The woman was identified by officers from the Jurong Police Division, through follow-up investigations and images taken from police cameras.

She was arrested on Jun. 26.

Preliminary investigations indicate that she is also involved in other cases of loanshark harassment, said SPF.

The woman will be charged in court on Jun. 27 under the Moneylenders Act 2008.

First-time offenders for loanshark harassment face a fine of between S$5,000 and S$50,000, up to five years' jail, as well as up to six strokes of the cane.

Zero tolerance

In a police news release, the police warned that they have "zero tolerance" for loanshark harassment.

Those who would deliberately vandalise property, cause annoyance, or disrupt public safety, peace, and security will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.

The police advised staying away from loansharks, as well as to not assist or work with them in any way.

Members of the public can call 999 if they suspect someone they know of being involved in loansharking activities.

Cinema operator Shaw Theatres has opened its eighth cineplex at Jem.

This marks its return to West Singapore, after its JCube outlet closed in 2023 when the mall shut down for redevelopment.

In a Jun. 27 statement, the director of Shaw said that it has "always had a presence in Jurong East, from Jurong Entertainment Centre and JCube to now Jem".

"It is good to be back in the neighbourhood, and with a wider spread of offerings for our patrons, including premium and dining options."

Shaw first announced its western comeback last May.

The new cineplex replaces the former Cathay outlet, which closed last March.

10 halls, including IMAX

The new cineplex will include 10 halls, including an IMAX hall.

There'll also be a Dreamers hall, aimed at families with children.

It's fitted with soft lighting, lowered contrast, and lowered audio levels to better accommodate young moviegoers.

The Dreamers hall at JEM will also feature five-metre-long slide and a spacious 17 sq m ball pit (anti-slip socks mandatory).

Here's what it looks like:

Opening promos

As part of an opening promotion, moviegoers can redeem a free scoop of Signature Salted Caramel Popcorn gelato on Jun. 28.

The free dessert will be available at Shaw's new F&B concept, CENTRO Gelato & Dessert Bar.

Patrons must follow centro.sg and Shaw Theatres on Instagram. Redemptions are limited to the first 150 scoops.

Shaw Theatres Jem will also be offering S$2 off tickets to its Dreamers hall, as part of a limited ongoing promotion.

More information at Shaw's website.

The United States has attacked military targets in Iran on Jun. 26, after Iranian drones struck a Singapore-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz the day before.

U.S. president Donald Trump called it a "foolish violation" of the ceasefire.

"Powerful response"

The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said on Jun. 26 that it had struck missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar positions in Iran, reported the BBC.

Centcom described its attacks as a “powerful response”, and claimed that Iran's dangerous behavior “undermined freedom of navigation” as the Strait of Hormuz reopens after several months of closure due to the Iran war.

The attacks come after a Singapore-flagged container ship, the Ever Lovely, was struck by a “one-way attack drone” on Jun. 25 while it was exiting the strait.

Centcom called the drone attack "unwarranted aggression" against commercial shipping, which "clearly violated the ceasefire".

The container ship did not suffer any casualties and was able to complete its transit.

In response, Iran blamed the "treaty-breaking U.S. regime" for its attack, and claimed that the ship had been using an unauthorised route to transit through the waterway.

'Foolish violation'

Speaking to the press on Jun. 26, Trump was elusive about how the U.S. would respond to the attack on the Ever Lovely.

He did not respond to questions about whether he considered the ongoing ceasefire to be still intact.

Earlier on social media, he described the attack "on the large and very expensive cargo-carrying ship", the Ever Lovely, as a "foolish violation", and that the U.S. had intercepted three other drones in what he said was a coordinated attack.

When asked about the U.S.' response prior to the retaliatory strikes being announced, he simply said, "You'll find out," and that “I didn't like the fact that they took a shot yesterday.”

U.S. vice president J.D. Vance posted on social media, saying that if Iran has “disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone", but that violence would be met with violence.

In response to the attack on the Ever Lovely, the United Nations International Maritime Organization paused an evacuation program targeted at over 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

Reckless violation

Following the attack, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that it had struck the "terrorist U.S. military" in response to a projectile attack in southern Iran.

"The United States, by provoking various fronts, sought to violate [the ceasefire agreement], and the necessary response was given and will continue to be given," they said.

The head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission, Ibrahim Azizi, added in an X post that Iran governs the strait and that ships should "respect the rules".

“This reckless violation of the ceasefire will, as always, lead to retreat and regret on their part,” he said.

Azizi had earlier posted on X, claiming that the Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran.

This is in contrast to traditional understandings of the Strait of Hormuz, which sees the strait as an international waterway.

He also denied that the drone attack was a violation of the ceasefire, instead calling it "cease-fire management".

Peace deal?

The U.S. and Iran signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding on Jun. 17, with the two countries currently in negotiations for a final peace deal.

In the MOU, Iran had committed to the safe passage of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, although it also signaled that it intends to exercise more direct control over the waterway.

The Iran-run Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) had previously issued new designated routes through the strait that differed from the pre-war transit passage regime.

It also warned that ships transiting the strait outside of those routes, as the Ever Lovely had been on Jun. 25, were not covered by promises of safe passage.

Appeals for information about the whereabouts of missing people in Singapore appear now and then.

You would likely have stumbled across such appeals.

Sometimes those who were reported missing are young people.

Two teenage girls, Bella, 13, and Nicole, 14, (not their real names), found themselves the subject of a missing persons appeal some time in 2026.

Speaking to Mothership, on hindsight, they admitted that their experience was the result of an act of “haste” and “rebellion”.

They are aware that some missing cases do actually end up in tragedy.

“It’s stupid,” one of them said when she recalled their experiences that happened not long ago.

According to a parliamentary reply by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, K Shanmugam, there were around 1,300 missing persons reported annually from 2021 to 2025.

Catalyst

So, why did they even choose to run away?

According to the duo, their decision was not a premeditated one, but more spur of the moment.

It all boiled down to an altercation with a schoolmate they had in school.

The girls, who were friends, were called for a mediation session.

They were apparently asked about how they could have reacted to the incident.

Bella recalled her response.

She said: “We could hypothetically run away.”

Somewhere along the line during mediation, an intended joke became the catalyst for a search for them that would last more than 24 hours.

Runaway

In that moment when they ran away, they felt a sense of euphoria.

But the consequences of their actions also lurked in the pair’s mind.

“We both know that our parents would be so pissed if they found out we escaped from school,” Bella said.

Back home, their families were the complete opposite of euphoric when they wondered why the pair had not come home that day.

“My mother was mostly the more worried one, and she was consistently contacting her friends, my sister's friends, and the school on my sister's whereabouts,” Nicole’s brother said about his younger sister's sudden absence.

Nicole’s parents, who were present when the pair spoke to Mothership, declined to comment on the incident.

However, one could immediately tell that Nicole’s mother truly cared for her children through her demeanour.

Experiences

Regarding their experience of being on the run, the pair had differing perspectives.

Bella described disappearing as “interesting” and “adventurous”, while Nicole's experience was the antithesis of that.

“It was mostly quite boring, cause like we had nothing to do,” Nicole said.

During their disappearance, they apparently walked and cycled all around Singapore, exploring different places.

However, as time went on, they started to experience the downsides of being on the run.

“We had limited money. We couldn't contact anyone, cause her (Nicole) phone died also during the runaway,” Bella recalled.

She also shared a story about wanting to buy some ice, but Nicole stopped her as they wanted to conserve funds.

Nicole asked: “With what money?”

They added that they smelled and were slowly getting tired as time progressed.

Unexpected

When asked about their reactions towards the media covering the police’s appeal for information on their whereabouts, they recalled being shocked.

While Nicole did expect it to eventually happen, the pair did not expect the word to travel that fast.

“I only expected a few close people to know about it,” Nicole admitted.

The girls also joked about how they were surprised that they were not found when they were still on the run.

Found

At some point, the pair decided that it was enough.

They wanted to return home.

However, they did not dare to show up back home out of fear of being reprimanded.

Instead, they wanted to be found.

The pair decided to loiter at a park.

They apparently knew that police officers would patrol that area from about 12am to 1am.

Bella and Nicole were eventually recognised by the members of the public, and the pair were rounded up by police officers.

Nicole’s brother was also present at the time.

“There were already quite a lot of police over there, so all I could do was just wave to her while she was talking to the police,” he said. “I was quite thankful that she was found.”

Bella and Nicole also described what happened when the police officers found them.

They were apparently patted down and searched.

They claimed the officers were purportedly "very calm" and patient when they interacted with them.

Reunited

Some two to three hours after they were found, the girls were eventually reunited with their family.

“I can finally shower, not worry about money too much, I can eat whatever I want to eat, I can drink water, I can sleep,” Bella said when listing the small perks of not being on the run.

While both of them were reprimanded by their parents and received a bit of unwanted attention, they did agree that it was a relief to be under their families’ care.

Stupid

When reflecting on their decision to run, they simply put it down to being “stupid”.

Both girls answered with a resounding “no’ when asked if they would run away again.

“You're just wasting your parents' time. Eventually you get found anyway,” Bella said.

While they came to a consensus that their decision to run away was not the wisest, they did admit that it deepened their friendship.

After all, they both endured the circumstances of being out and about together.

But the cons outweighed the pros for them.

“Do stupid things, get stupid consequences,” they concluded.

Ten people were injured in a strong earthquake near Mount Fuji on Jun. 26, Japanese authorities said.

5.6 magnitude

The quake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6, struck central Japan at around 10:28pm and shook the central and eastern regions, including the Tokyo metropolitan area.

It also triggered at least one landslide, damaged buildings, and caused electricity and water outages in affected areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported the injuries on Jun. 27, describing them as minor, according to Kyodo News.

Its epicentre was in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, at a depth of around 20 kilometres.

Strongest shaking in Yamanashi since 1924

The quake registered lower 6 on Japan's seismic intensity scale of 7 in parts of Yamanashi — the strongest shaking recorded in the prefecture since 1924, the JMA said.

Parts of the Tokyo metropolitan area registered an intensity of 4.

An official with the town office in Fujikawaguchiko described the jolt as "like an upward-thrusting earthquake", reported Kyodo News.

No tsunami warning was issued, and the JMA also found no abnormality in volcanic activity at Mount Fuji.

Takuya Nishimura, a professor at the Disaster Prevention Institute of Kyoto University added:

"It is unlikely to cause Mt. Fuji to erupt considering the mechanism of the quake, which occurred near the boundary between tectonic plates."

The earthquake came a day after another powerful quake struck north-eastern Japan.

Disruptions

Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train services were suspended immediately after the quake between Tokyo and Shizuoka stations, operator JR Central said.

They resumed in the early hours of Jun. 27, with around 22,000 passengers affected.

No abnormalities were found at nuclear power facilities, including Chubu Electric Power's Hamaoka plant, reported NHK.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has since set up a task force, and instructed officials to gather information and keep the public promptly informed.

A total of 380 offences involving illegal vehicle modifications were spotted islandwide in Singapore.

In a Facebook post on Jun. 26, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the violations spotted were part of islandwide enforcement operations.

A toal of 70 vehicles were fitted with illegal exhausts, 80 vehicles were caught with improper lights, and 90 vehicles displayed improper number plates, including those with incorrect sizing or which were not prominently displayed at the front and back of the vehicle.

In the post, a motorcycle was seen fitted with an illegal exhaust and an improperly sized number plate.

Here's another motorcycle which was fitted with improperly sized number plates.

A BMW was seen fitted with a laser-engraved number plate.

Laser engravings affect the plate's visibility, LTA noted.

The offence of illegal modifications carries a fine of up to S$20,000, two years’ jail, or both.

The offence of placing improper number plates carries a fine of up to S$1,000, three months’ jail, or both.

Repeat offenders face double the penalties for both offences.

The Singapore police have arrested a 41-year-old woman for her suspected involvement in the online sale of counterfeit goods via social media platform TikTok.

On Jun. 25, 2026, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department conducted a raid in the vicinity of Yishun Street 61.

More than 700 purported trademark-infringing goods comprising luxury bags, wallets, watches, sunglasses, apparel, footwear, and accessories were seized during the operation.

The estimated street value of the seized items was more than S$34,000.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Penalties

Under the Trade Marks Act 1998, the offence of possession of goods with falsely applied trademarks for the purpose of trade carries a fine of up to S$100,000, a jail term of up to five years, or both.

The police said they take a serious view of intellectual property rights infringement and would like to remind the public that the distribution and sale of counterfeit goods, including through online platforms, are serious offences.

The police added that they will not hesitate to take tough action against those who profit at the expense of legitimate businesses and consumers.