Another two Crystal Jade Singapore outlets are set to shutter in 2026, bringing the total number of closures this year to five.

The chain's Hong Kong Kitchen branch in Clementi mall was closed on Sep. 15.

The restaurant was cordoned off and a notice dated Sep. 16 was put up indicating that its tenancy has been forfeited.

Crystal Jade's Jurong Point outlet will also close on Sep. 18.

Ongoing review

The Group said, in response to a query from Mothership, that the closures are part of an ongoing review into its operations and outlet network.

It ensures the business "remains aligned with evolving market conditions and long-term business priorities".

However, Crystal Jade confirmed affected employees were informed of the closures directly and are being supported with redeployment opportunities within the company.

More details on the review are expected to be shared with stakeholders at a later time.

Fifth closure this year

The closure of the Jurong Point outlet will be the group's fifth one this year.

On Sep. 1, the company shut its Great World outlet, also citing the same operations review.

Its Hillion Mall and Suntec City outlets were closed earlier this year, while its La Mian Xiao Long Bao outlet at Holland Village was shut in June 2025 after 20 years.

A total of 13 outlets under Crystal Jade group remain in Singapore, including four Hong Kong Kitchen branches, four La Mian Xiao Long Bao branches and two CJ Go branches, their online delivery and pick up outlets.

Crystal Jade was founded in Singapore in 1991 and grew to 120 restaurants worldwide in 2015.

47 of these were in Singapore.

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) caught 27 motorists committing traffic offences at Woodlands Checkpoint during the September school holidays between Sep. 4 and 13.

ICA officers stepped up traffic enforcement operations at the checkpoint during this period, the agency said in a Sep. 18 news release.

Among the 27 caught, 24 committed offences at the departure area.

They were found crossing double white lines, making illegal right turns, and queue cutting.

Some were stopping in positions likely to cause danger, obstruction, or undue inconvenience.

Most, or 16 of them, were directed to make a U-turn and join the queue again.

8 foreign-registered vehicles subject to entry bans for offences

Eight people were driving foreign-registered vehicles, and they were subjected to entry bans into Singapore for offences including crossing double white lines, and queue cutting.

ICA added that 16 motorists were also referred to the Traffic Police for further action.

At the arrival area of Woodlands Checkpoint, three motorists were caught queue cutting and crossing double white lines.

They were referred to the Traffic Police for follow-up.

ICA reminded the public that they take a very serious stance against motorists who violate traffic laws or do not comply with officers’ instructions at the checkpoints, as such behaviour compromises the safety of other motorists.

A Malaysian soldier was arrested and is facing charges after kicking his 5-year-old daughter on Sep. 11 2026.

According to The Star, Mohamed Nisa Mohamed Nasir, 40, was charged with allegedly abusing a child under his care on Sep. 17.

He pleaded not guilty.

In a widely shared video on social media, Nisa was captured in the act on security camera footage at a restaurant in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

While leading his daughter out of the restaurant, Nisa was seen forcefully kicking his daughter to the floor while startled onlookers watched.

He then dragged her back up on her feet and led her away.

According to a Facebook post by the Kelantan police, the incident occurred at a Thai restaurant, and the footage was uploaded online by the shop owner.

As Nisa pleaded not guilty to the charges, the case will proceed to a trial.

Lawyers debated over bail

The Star said that the prosecution did not offer bail, citing the fact that the victim was Nisa's biological daughter, and subsequent fears that he might interfere with her.

On the other hand, Nisa's lawyers requested for bail, saying that he had served in the military for 19 years and has three children.

The court also noted that Nisa's wife was not employed and relied on him to accompany her for her kidney dialysis treatment and hospital appointments.

They further raised that he had no prior instances of domestic abuse, and that he is not a flight risk as he had to answer to his military unit.

Ultimately, the court granted him bail of RM10,000 (S$3,095) under the condition that he not interfere with the victim and witnesses.

He was also required to surrender his passport and report to a police station every two weeks until the case is resolved.

The next mention in court will be on Oct. 22.

If found guilty, he faces a fine of up to RM50,000 (S$15,479), or imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.

On Sep. 16, the United States Federal Reserve voted unanimously to raise its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 per cent.

The decision comes against the wishes of U.S. President Donald Trump, who criticised the move and demanded on social media that the interest rates be lowered “and fast”.

The conflict between Donald Trump and the Chair of the Federal Reserve would be unsurprising if it were a year ago.

But the current chair, Kevin Warsh, is Trump's own nominee from earlier this year.

What does the rate increase mean? How was it decided upon, and what is the political background behind Walsh's decision?

Raising rates

In a statement released by the Federal Open Market Committee, the 12-member group that effectively decides what interest rates are set at, the primary reason for the increase was in order to support a “timely return” to the committee's 2 per cent inflation goal.

Interest rates are considered a critical indicator of how U.S. economic performance, and hence the health of the global economy.

This could be seen in how the U.S. stock market reacted immediately to the news, falling initially, before recovering as trades assessed the news, as the Wall Street Journal reported.

Higher interest rates, make borrowing more expensive, benefiting lenders and making things more expensive for people and businesses borrowing money.

CNBC reported that the Fed also signaled that it was not yet done, and that it was likely to raise rates one more time before the end of the year, where as the WSJ suggested that traders had been expecting two more raises, hence the recovery was an indication of relief.

The BBC quoted Fed Chair Kevin Warsh as saying that inflation had been too high for too long and that raising rates was a “sober” and “responsible” decision.

The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics puts the current inflation rate at 3.4 per cent, and it has not been below the 2 per cent target since 2021.

Fighting inflation, but also growth

Higher interest rates mean that the cost of major items of household spending will go up, such as mortgage rates for home buyers.

U.S. consumers are increasingly using debt to purchase items such as vehicles or even home goods, and increasing interest rates will make such spending more expensive.

But at the same time, years of high inflation have exacerbated a cost-of-living crisis in the U.S., and the present moment is a timely reminder of why the Fed, and other central banks like it, are given so much power to rein it in.

However, just as crucial is the impact higher interest rates will have on business.

Higher interest rates make it more expensive for businesses to borrow money, effectively slowing economic growth as companies find it harder to expand and customers find it harder to make purchases.

How did Trump react?

Trump was apoplectic.

He took to Truth Social to declare that interest rates should be 1 per cent or less, and that the US had the best credit in the world.

Resorting to all caps, he demanded: “LOWER THE INTEREST RATES FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND FAST!”

But when he spoke to the press later, he absolved Warsh from blame, saying that the 12-member board he was part of was “very hostile” and “very political”, and that Warsh “might as well vote with the board, because it's not going to matter.”

Is this chair taken?

Warsh is Trump’s own pick for Fed chair, after feuding for the entirety of 2025 with Jerome Powell, Warsh’s predecessor.

Powell, also pursuing lower inflation, resisted Trump’s urging to either lower interest rates or quit his position early in order to enable Trump to nominate a Fed chair who would.

But the Fed Chair is not the only person who determines interest rates.

That is done by the FOMC, made up of Warsh as the chair, but also the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the heads of the various regional reserve banks.

Powell, as the former chair, remains on the board, also against the wishes of Trump.

There are a few moments of irony regarding the ongoing bad blood between Trump and Powell: Trump famously threatened to fire Powell earlier in 2026, an action he’s not allowed to take.

One irony is that Powell spent most of the first year of Trump’s second term not raising interest rates, unlike Warsh, who has raised them within six months of taking office.

The other irony is that Trump literally only has himself to blame for Powell’s appointment; he nominated him in 2017 during his first term.

A hawk in dove's clothing

Although the BBC suggested that some had feared Warsh would simply rubber-stamp Trump’s demands in his role, it was noted at the time of his nomination that Warsh was a “relatively safe choice”, a former financier with central bank experience.

The Guardian, at the time of Warsh's nomination, quoted an expert as saying that Warsh was "one of the better outcomes".

Warsh was also known for having strong views on monetary policy, even being classified as a "hawk", someone more willing to use interest rates to fight inflation, although the closer he got to being appointed, the less he emphasised those views, as reported by Morningstar magazine.

When asked by the press about what message the move had for the president, Warsh simply chuckled and said: “I’ve got nothing for you on a discussion with the president.”

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max launched in Singapore on Sep. 18, 2026.

Wait

When Mothership arrived at the Apple store in Orchard at about 5:35am, a long queue had already formed.

More than 120 people were seen in line.

Those in the queue were issued a wristband a day before on Sep. 17, which allowed them to get in line to purchase the phones.

According to a security staff managing the crowd, the queue started forming in earnest at about 4am.

The Apple store was set to open its doors at about 8am.

Open

Ten seconds before the doors opened, Apple staff started a countdown.

Once the store opened for business, customers were seen inspecting the new phones and making purchases.

The first customer to get his hands on a new iPhone 18 Pro Max was Hector Yong, a 19-year-old student.

His brand new phone came in the “Glacier” colourway.

Yong said he felt “very honoured” to be the “first in Singapore” to try the new phone and was mainly excited about its features.

“I am very particular about its display, to see that the iPhone has cut down the dynamic island, I am quite happy to see,” he said.

Yong added that he had been queuing for the phone since 11pm overnight.

Another customer, Vu Tran, a 30-year-old Vietnamese national who works in construction, was a returning customer.

He had bought the previous year's iPhone and came back to Singapore for this year’s iteration.

Tran added that he flew in to Singapore to also help his “wife and mum” get their hands on the new phones.

He was at the launch with his friends.

Observations

One man was seen collecting at least 33 iPhones.

When Mothership reached out to him, he declined to comment.

He was likely picking up the purchases on behalf of others.

Mothership understands that each person is limited to buying two iPhone 18 Pro and two iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Another man was also seen purchasing the phone in cash.

Out of stock

The phones ran out of stock before 10am.

But the phones were still available next door at Courts Nojima at The Heeren.

They are limited to one set per customer.

A line could be seen outside Courts.

Price

The new phones come in four new colourways: Burgundy, Glacier, Silver, and Black.

Here is the price list for the iPhone 18 Pro:

256GB: S$1,899

512GB: S$2,199

1TB: S$2,799

2TB: S$3,699

Here is the price list for the iPhone 18 Pro Max:

256GB: S$2,099

512GB: S$2,399

1TB: S$2,999

2TB: S$3,899

A woman took to social media to describe her experience with a funeral provider in Singapore, which she had engaged to handle her father's cremation.

She alleged that after she decided to terminate the provider's services upon learning about a past incident involving the company, her father was handed over to a new funeral provider with clothes stained with urine.

She also alleged that the original cremation booking for her father was released after she terminated the provider's services, resulting in the new funeral provider having to secure another slot.

"All I could do was trust"

Speaking to Mothership, the woman, surnamed Low, said the incident took place on Sep. 1.

She said she had opted for a direct cremation for her father and was quoted S$1,480 for the service by Harmony Funeral Care (HFC).

HFC subsequently collected her father's body at about 5am that day, and Low said she trusted it to handle his final arrangements with care.

"When they took him away, I trusted them. As his daughter, there was nothing else I could do," she said.

"I couldn't follow him behind those doors. I couldn't see where he was being kept. I couldn't see how he was being treated. All I could do was trust."

Decided to terminate their services

According to Low, she later learnt about a 2019 incident involving HFC, in which an employee had allegedly collected the wrong body from an embalmer, resulting in the wrong body being cremated.

HFC and its director subsequently apologised for the distress caused by the incident.

Learning about the incident frightened her, Low said, as cremation is irreversible.

"I had already lost my dad," she said. "I could not bear the thought of anything else going wrong with his final journey."

As such, she decided to terminate HFC's services and engaged another funeral provider.

Father's clothes were allegedly stained with urine

Low said her father had a urine bag attached to him when HFC first collected him.

Before they took him away, she said she had specifically asked if the urine bag could be removed and handled properly.

According to Low, HFC assured her that it could.

She said her father was wearing green when he was collected and that she was later informed he had been changed into another set of clothing.

About 10 hours later, at around 1pm or 2pm, his body was handed over to the new funeral provider, Low said.

During the handover, the new provider took photographs of her father so that Low could confirm his identity.

However, the photographs showed that the clothes he had been changed into were visibly stained with urine, she said.

Low said she believed the staining occurred because her father's urine bag or body had not been handled properly during the changing process.

The new funeral provider subsequently offered to clean her father and dress him in a fresh suit, she said.

"It may sound like something small to other people, but to me, as his daughter, it meant everything. Seeing my dad properly dressed again gave me at least a little comfort during one of the most painful days of my life."

Cremation slot allegedly released

Low also alleged that after she terminated HFC's services, the cremation booking that had been made for her father was released.

As a result, the new funeral provider could not simply take over the original booking and had to secure another slot, she said.

Fortunately, they eventually secured another slot later that night.

"Imagine already grieving your father and suddenly having to worry about whether he could even be cremated that day," she said.

Low also noted that HFC had retained her S$800 deposit.

"My dad is not a parcel you collected"

Low said the experience had made her reflect on the trust families place in funeral service providers during a particularly vulnerable period.

"After everything that happened, I deserve transparency. But more than the money, what hurts is the lack of communication and compassion," she said.

"My dad is not a parcel you collected at 5am. He is not a booking. He is not a cremation slot. He is my father."

Low said she chose to share her experience so that other grieving families would not "blindly assume everything is okay behind the scenes".

"I'm sorry, Dad. I really tried to settle everything properly for you. I just wanted to send you off peacefully and find you a beautiful final resting place," she said.

"I hope you know that choosing direct cremation never meant I cared any less. I love you. And until your very last journey, you deserved to be treated with dignity."

Funeral provider responds to the allegations

In an Instagram post on Sep. 15, HFC responded to the allegations and provided its account of what happened.

HFC said the family had indicated that they wanted the deceased to be dressed in the same clothes he had been wearing after washing and preparation.

When the deceased was collected that morning, there was no visible leakage or staining on his clothing, the company said.

HFC explained that for a direct cremation without embalming, which was the service selected by the family, final washing and preparation would be carried out closer to the viewing and cremation.

This was because natural post-death changes, including possible fluid leakage, could occur, it added.

However, HFC said it was later informed that another funeral provider would be taking over before it had the opportunity to carry out the washing and preparation.

It claimed that the handover was subsequently documented in the family group chat, along with photographs.

No concerns about stained or soiled clothing were raised in response to the handover, it added.

On the cremation booking, HFC said it had secured a slot at around 9am and paid the required booking fee.

At 11:41am, it was contacted by the incoming funeral provider regarding a possible change of funeral provider, HFC said.

The company then contacted the family, who confirmed the change at 11:59am.

As the booking had been made under HFC's arrangements and responsibility, it could not simply remain under HFC while another provider managed the funeral, the company said.

The booking was therefore released as part of the transfer of arrangements, it said.

HFC also addressed Low's allegation that it had retained her S$800 deposit.

The company said the deposit was non-refundable, as stated in the signed agreement.

By the time the arrangement was terminated, HFC said it had already incurred costs and committed resources towards manpower, transportation, care and safeguarding, the cremation booking and other operational matters.

HFC said it understood that funeral arrangements take place during an "exceptionally difficult and emotional time" and respected the family's experience and decision to change providers.

"At the same time, we believe it is important that the facts and context from our records are also shared," the company said, adding that it is not their intention to discredit the family’s experience or engage in a public dispute.

"Above all, we extend our sincere condolences to the family," it said.

Cremation booking cannot be transferred: NEA

In response to Mothership's queries, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said there are no restrictions on a next-of-kin (NOK) changing funeral service providers (FSP).

Cremation applications are made online via NEA's ePortal and can be submitted by either the NOK or the FSP.

If an applicant cancels a cremation booking, the vacated slot is released and made available on the ePortal for booking on a first-come, first-served basis, NEA said.

However, a cremation booking cannot be transferred.

Should the applicant wish to retain the booked slot, they can contact NEA for assistance with cancelling and rebooking the same slot, NEA said.

Autonomous ride-hailing service Waymo is set to come to Singapore by 2028, marking its first entry in Southeast Asia.

The company announced the expansion on Sep. 18 during a press event where Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow was the Guest-of-Honour.

An independent subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, Waymo was the first company to launch a self-driving public robotaxi service in the U.S. in 2020.

The expansion to Singapore is in partnership with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Waymo said in a press release.

Self-driving cars in Singapore

Siow welcomed Waymo’s entry as Singapore’s newest autonomous vehicle (AV) operator, saying it brings “world-class technology and operational expertise” to Singapore.

He also noted that it will create new transport options for Singaporeans as well as strengthen our ecosystem and create new capabilities and jobs.

Just a few days prior, on Sep. 14, Grab had announced that it will be expanding its AV fleet from 10 to 50 vehicles over the next six months and also broaden its AV service coverage beyond Punggol.

It was the first to launch an autonomous public ride service in Singapore earlier this year, in April 2026.

Phased roadmap

Waymo said it will introduce its fully autonomous, all-electric ride-hailing service in Singapore via the Waymo app by 2028.

An initial fleet of all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles is expected to arrive in the coming months, it said.

Mapping and validation activities are scheduled for 2027, with trained autonomous specialists conducting initial manual driving to adapt the Waymo Driver to local road geometry, monsoon weather patterns, and more.

Waymo Driver is the company’s driving technology that controls a vehicle from pickup to destination without needing a human behind the wheel.

Bringing fully autonomous technology to any city requires “rigour, patience, regulatory approvals alongside extensive engagement and collaboration”, Waymo said.

The company said they are applying the same methodical, safety-first framework that has guided their growth across the U.S.

Waymo was also working to launch in Tokyo, London and Munich.

Complementing S’pore’s transportation ecosystem

Waymo said it will complement Singapore’s public transit network and aim to bridge first-and-last-mile transit gaps across residential and commercial hubs.

“In our existing commercial service territories, many riders enjoy using Waymo to connect to mass transit, including more than a third of riders in San Francisco who are picked up or dropped off near transit stations,” it said.

Their 100 per cent electric fleet also directly supports the Singapore Green Plan 2030, the company noted.

Currently, their fleet prevents an estimated 480 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide from road travel every week.

On mobility protection, Waymo say its custom sensor suite of lidar, radar, and cameras provides a 360-degree view that detects and predicts the movements of pedestrians, cyclists, and active mobility users.

It is designed to ensure “cautious, predictable interactions” on dense urban streets, the company said.

"Singapore has built one of the safest, most efficient, and most forward-thinking transportation ecosystems in the world. Their focus on reliability, sustainability, and human-centric progress directly mirrors how we have built Waymo’s technology and service," said Tekedra Mawakana, co-chief executive officer of Waymo.

Support for drivers

In a press release, LTA said the government will continue to work closely with tripartite partners and operators to provide more support for drivers.

This builds on the manpower transition package announced in parliament in July 2026.

For instance, LTA said it will support drivers to acquire new skills and assist willing drivers to pivot into new roles created by the growing AV sector.

“The government is committed to helping drivers prepare for the autonomous vehicle transition early and will not allow autonomous vehicle deployment to run ahead of our ability to retrain and support affected drivers,” LTA said.

LTA stated that Waymo’s deployment supports Singapore’s approach to expand the range of autonomous mobility services and provide commuters with more transport options.

LTA said it will work closely with Waymo to ensure that all deployments meet safety and regulatory requirements and build public trust in autonomous vehicles.

Joanna Wietrzyk, the Australian Hyrox athlete who continued the race in Beijing despite experiencing faecal incontinence, has apologised for what happened.

In an Instagram post, the 24-year-old said she did not expect to fall ill mid-race and regretted not stepping off the track.

She apologised for the discomfort and disruption caused to those affected.

She also announced that she will retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points she earned.

Wietrzyk won the Pro Women division at Hyrox Beijing.

She did not choose to quit the competition and the organisers did not take her off the race either.

Opinions were divided.

Some praised Wietrzyk for her determination, while others felt that she did not think about public hygiene and the impact on participants who would be using the same stained route after her.

It did not help that Wietryzk posted "a win is a win", showing a lack of remorse after the race, and Hyrox defended her in its very first response.

Hyrox's co-founder followed up with an apology to those affected and acknowledged their public hygiene concerns.

Hyrox also reportedly refunded affected participants.

Joanna Wietrzyk's apology in full

Personal statement: I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the HYROX organizers for what happened during the race in Beijing.

I felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness. Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognize that I should have made a different choice. I take responsibility for my decision to continue and am deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused.

I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected. I am learning from this experience and will carry those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away. On reflection, I have decided to retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points I earned.

Thank you to those standing by me, both as an athlete and as a person, during this time, and to everyone who has reached out with kindness and support. It means more to me than I can properly express right now. I will be taking some time to recover, reflect and look after myself and my family away from the noise.

A 22-year-old Singaporean woman flew a drone for commercial purposes without a licence or a permit.

She was placed on 12 months’ probation and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service.

Ong Siqi faced 31 charges under the Air Navigation Act, Shin Min Daily News reported.

She pleaded guilty to four charges and was sentenced on Sep. 16.

The other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Salesperson

At the time of the offences, Ong was a salesperson at JD Works Pte Ltd, a supplier of commercial and industrial equipment, including solar panels.

The company director bought a DJI Mini 2 Pro that weighed approximately 249g.

He allowed employees to use it for recreational purposes, provided they complied with the relevant regulations.

However, Ong used the drone for commercial purposes without his knowledge.

Between Mar. 13 and Jul. 10, 2025, Ong operated the drone without necessary permits for commercial purposes on 10 separate occasions.

Survey

In charge sheets seen by Mothership, on Jul. 10, 2025, at about 10:33am, Ong operated the drone near Jalan Demak at Upper Changi Road East.

Ong was conducting a roof survey for a client interested in the company’s solar panel products and services.

Ong needed an unmanned aircraft licence and a Class 1 activity permit to operate the drone in the area, which she did not have at the time.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) detected drone operations at the location and subsequently dispatched auxiliary police officers to the scene.

On Aug. 26, 2025, at about 12:40pm, Ong flew a drone for about two minutes near Macpherson Road, within 5km of Paya Lebar Air Base aerodrome, for recreational purposes.

She did not have a Class 2 activity permit applicable to the drone model at the time.

Bond

Ong’s parents were required to provide a S$5,000 bond to ensure good behaviour during her probation period.

The conditions of her probation included a curfew from 11pm to 6am.

Avelogic's HR and payroll system was hit by a cybersecurity incident that affected its clients, including 48 mosques, four madrasahs, the Islamic Learning Hub and Management Office (ILHAM), and Mosque-Madrasah-Wakaf Shared Services (MMWSS).

In a statement on Sep. 17, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) said that a police report was made and no ransom was paid.

MUIS ensuring employees get their salaries on time

Concerned about the impact on affected organisations and their employees, MUIS said it is working with the institutions to ensure employees receive their salaries on time.

"Alternative payroll arrangements are already in place, and there has been no disruption to religious or public-facing services," added MUIS.

MUIS also said it will continue to support the affected community sector organisations to ensure essential HR and payroll functions continue without disruption.

No evidence large amount of data was taken from system

Meanwhile, Avelogic is continuing investigations and assessing the situation's wider impact.

It has since recovered the compromised data, and independent cybersecurity experts have been engaged to investigate the incident.

"Based on the investigation to date, there is no evidence that a large amount of data was taken from the system," the statement said.

It added that data stored in the affected system is also encrypted as an additional layer of protection.

"Investigations and security checks are ongoing, and the system will only resume operations after the relevant safeguards and checks have been completed."