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.

A man in Singapore has apparently been offering free earphones to passengers who play music or videos aloud on public transport.

In a video on Aug. 14, TikTok user Josh Goh could be seen getting up from his seat on a bus to approach a female passenger who was playing a video out loud on her phone.

He then offered her a pair of earphones.

"Aunty, I give you earphones, you can plug it into your phone," Goh could be heard saying in Mandarin. "It's free."

However, the woman declined his offer, even after Goh repeatedly assured her that the earphones were new and free.

Started carrying spare earphones with him since two months ago

Speaking to 8world, Goh, who is a part-time tutor, said the incident took place on Aug. 16.

Although the woman declined the earphones, she eventually turned off the sound on her phone, he said.

The 57-year-old said he had noticed that some passengers played music or videos loudly on public transport, potentially disturbing other commuters.

As such, about two months ago, he began carrying spare, unused earphones with him so that he can offer them to passengers playing audio aloud.

Goh said he has approached such passengers about eight or nine times so far, and has given away three or four pairs of earphones.

On one occasion, a passenger who accepted a pair even gave him a thumbs-up, he said.

"I'm a problem-solver," Goh was quoted as saying. "So I brought out some earphones I had collected to see if distributing them to others would solve the noise issue."

Reactions

Many online commenters praised Goh's actions in the comments section of his TikTok post.

Others also asked if new laws had been introduced to address inconsiderate behaviour and noise on public transport.

New penalties were previously introduced for public transport users and visitors to bus interchanges in Singapore who behave in ways that disrupt other passengers.

Under the rules, penalties are imposed based on how disruptive an offender’s behaviour is to other commuters, with repeat offenders facing higher penalties.

The law, which was passed on Oct. 14, 2025, allows authorised officers, including Land Transport Authority (LTA) enforcement officers, ticket inspectors and empowered interchange staff, to take enforcement action against offenders.

They may also conduct security checks and screening of passengers and people entering bus interchanges.

Those who refuse to comply with such checks may be fined up to S$1,000 and asked to leave the premises.

A 1982 1.3-litre manual Toyota Corolla, which has been restored in Singapore to look like a Hong Kong taxi, is up for sale for S$168,888.

The car sale listing was publicised by SGcarmart on Aug. 16, 2026.

The car's owner, Jack Yong, 31, previously told The Straits Times that he spent one year refurbishing the car.

He had bought the second-hand car for a five-figure sum in April 2023, he said.

The car is registered under the classic vehicle scheme.

A classic vehicle can be used for a maximum of 45 days in a calendar year, which includes weekends and public holidays.

This restriction prevents older, pollutive, and congestion-heavy vehicles from being used daily.

The removable taxi lightbox on top of the car and taxi meter are to be sold with the car.

The taxi meter is functioning, but its price changes at a rate of S$0.50 per 30 seconds, and not according to the distance travelled.

The car currently has 20 days left of usage before the next calendar year kicks in.

Subjected to LTA inspection

Yong previously said the car attracted the attention of the public and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) two years ago.

On Aug. 14, 2024, an LTA enforcement notice was found tucked under the windscreen wiper of the car.

Photos of the warning issued by LTA were originally shared online by Yong.

LTA's warning at the time said the car was a “private vehicle displaying a ‘taxi’ sign” and had to undergo an inspection at an authorised centre.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 15-year-old Maha Lekshmi.

She was last seen wearing a white top and light blue jeans in the vicinity of Block 3 Lorong Napiri on May 2 at about 3:40pm.

Anyone with information is requested to call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.