Singapore's development from the very beginning has been guided not by ideology, but by pragmatism, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Jun. 15.

This can be seen in its state-led approach to housing, to keep homes affordable and communities inclusive, he gave as an example.

Speaking on the second day of the 2026 World Cities Summit hosted in Singapore, PM Wong talked about the work of growing and managing cities.

He shared Singapore's approach and experience in terms of its urban planning, housing, and support for seniors.

"Our developmental story has always involved balancing competing priorities... We try different approaches, we keep what works, and we change what does not.

And above all, we focus on what delivers the best outcomes for Singapore and Singaporeans."

Protecting nature in a land-scarce city

While Singapore places great emphasis on economic growth, it also recognises that "a good life cannot be measured by GDP [gross domestic product] alone", PM Wong said.

This is why the country protects its natural and cultural heritage, and dedicates prime land to such spaces despite its small, land-scarce conditions.

PM Wong brought up Gardens by the Bay and the Rail Corridor as examples where Singapore "looked beyond purely commercial considerations" to prioritise quality of life and people's connection with nature.

State-led approach to housing

Singapore decided early on to take a state-led approach to housing, Wong said.

The government believes in the power of markets to allocate resources efficiently, but also recognises that markets alone do not always produce the outcomes it wants.

It thus plays a more active role in areas such as housing.

PM Wong shared that about eight in 10 Singapore residents live in public housing flats today, and the vast majority own their homes.

"We ensure a sufficient supply of new flats to meet demand, and heavily subsidise them to keep home ownership within reach for Singaporeans," he said.

Beyond affordability, the government also seeks to ensure an inclusive mix of residents from different races and backgrounds in the public housing estates.

"We believe a home is not just shelter. It is where communities are built, where neighbours form lasting bonds, and where the social fabric of a city is woven over generations."

Support for seniors

As for its ageing population, Singapore's approach is to foster partnerships and ground-up community participation.

Rather than building exclusive retirement villages for seniors, the country develops "Age Well" neighbourhoods, PM Wong shared.

He said that in such neighbourhoods, older citizens can age in place within their own homes and communities, and still access a wide range of services and support close to home.

To achieve this, there needs to be strong partnerships with healthcare providers, community organisations, caregivers, and volunteers.

Connecting cities

PM Wong described city planning as a continuing process with "no perfect answers or silver bullets".

But cities can nevertheless learn from each other's experiences — something which Singapore can help to do, he said.

"Singapore remains committed to playing our part as a connector — bringing together people, ideas, and cities from around the world."

To further strengthen these connections between cities, Singapore has launched a new initiative, the Mayoral Fellowship.

It will extend opportunities for learning and exchange to leaders beyond the existing circle of cities that have won the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.

He also announced the four inaugural Mayoral Fellows, who come from Agra, India; Bucharest, Romania; Kigali, Rwanda; and Tshwane, South Africa.

In addition, PM Wong launched the Liu Thai Ker Distinguished Speaker Series, whose inaugural session will be held later in 2026 in Singapore.

"Cities succeed when they remain open to new ideas, while staying anchored to enduring principles... Singapore has been fortunate to have many urban leaders, who embodied this spirit.

One of them, whom perhaps many of you know, was the late Dr Liu Thai Ker."

Liu, who passed away in January 2026, was a pioneering urban planner who Wong said "played a key role in shaping" Singapore.

This new series is in honour of his contributions and legacy, and aims to inspire new generations of urban leaders to carry it forward.

After a man stole her bag, an Italian socialite ran him over several times with her car to reclaim her bag, killing him as a result.

The incident, which happened in September 2024 in a town in Tuscany, Italy, was captured on surveillance footage.

Cinzia Dal Pino, a 65-year-old beach resort entrepreneur, was convicted in court for voluntary manslaughter, People reported.

On Jun. 11, she was given an 18-year sentence that the court ruled she could serve under house arrest for the time being.

What happened

According to People, the victim was a homeless Moroccan national named Noureddine Mezgui.

The surveillance footage showed that after Dal Pino first struck the 52-year-old man with her car, he fell to the ground and appeared to be in pain, Daily Mail reported.

Then, Dal Pino reversed and ran over him again three more times until he stopped moving.

She got out of the car, retrieved her stolen bag, and drove off.

Rather than call for help, she reportedly returned to the restaurant where she had been dining at earlier, to bring back an umbrella she had borrowed.

It was passers-by who called an ambulance, and the paramedics who arrived later declared Mezgui dead at the scene.

Dal Pino was arrested the next day, while praying in a nearby church, People cited Italian news reporting.

"Didn't mean to kill him"

Dal Pino told the police that Mezgui had mugged her as she came out of a restaurant.

She claimed that she had chased after him only to get her bag back.

"He had threatened to kill me with a knife. I was scared," she told the police, as quoted by Daily Mail. "I didn't mean to kill him, I just wanted my belongings back."

Her bag held her house keys, her phone, and some documents, including a note with passwords to her bank accounts and other important accounts, she said.

No knife had been found on Mezgui, officials said later.

In December 2025, Dal Pino told the court she did not think she had killed him by running him over.

"I drove toward him, toward the sidewalk. I didn't want to kill him, just knock him down so I could stop him — I didn't even realise I'd hit him. Then, after the first manoeuvre, it seemed to me he was getting up again; I didn't think I'd killed him."

Her lawyer argued that she "just wanted to stop him and was aiming for his legs", and has been feeling remorse for what happened.

The prosecutors, however, argued that Dal Pino sought "excessive" revenge.

Serving her sentence

Although Dal Pino was allowed to serve her sentence under house arrest for now, there will still be a final hearing for her case.

If her conviction is upheld at that hearing, she may be sent to prison for the remainder of her sentence.

While awaiting trial after her arrest, she was placed under house arrest with an electronic bracelet, which drew criticism from Mezgui's family in Morocco.

"Not even an animal is killed in this way," Mezgui's sisters told Moroccan media.

They called for justice for their brother, and said that Dal Pino must remain in prison.

A 66-year-old man was found dead alone in his home at Block 554, Bedok North Street 3, after neighbours noticed a foul odour emanating from his flat for days.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the body was found on the block's 10th floor on Jun. 13.

Neighbours told the media that the smell first became noticeable on Jun. 11.

One resident recalled not seeing any laundry hanging outside the deceased man's home for two days, which she found unusual.

She also initially thought that something had rotted in her home, but was unable to find the source of the smell.

Another neighbour said he last interacted with the deceased two weeks before his death.

He was in good spirits, and there was nothing out of the ordinary then, he added.

However, some neighbours reportedly described the deceased man as someone who lived alone and did not speak much to others.

He was sometimes seen buying food downstairs and was known as someone who liked to grow flowers and plants and rear fish.

According to Shin Min, the police said they received a call for assistance at about 5:50pm on Jun. 13.

A 66-year-old man was found unconscious in his unit and pronounced dead at the scene.

Preliminary findings ruled out homicide, and further investigations are underway.

Second death in a day

On the same day, an elderly woman believed to have been living alone in her flat at Block 508, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 was found dead.

Neighbours called the police after noticing a smell, Shin Min reported.

The body was found by police on the third floor of the block, where neighbours said they had smelled the odour since Jun. 12.

The woman had lived in the unit for at least six years, said a neighbour.

She was known to keep her house door shut and rarely interacted with neighbours, though she was frequently seen alone below the block.

A neighbour, 101, told the media that the deceased woman had an elder brother who resided in a nursing home.

It was not clear if he had been notified of his sister's death, she said.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed it received a call for assistance at about 10:20pm on Jun. 13, according to Stomp.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

American alt-pop singer and internet personality Oliver Tree was among six individuals who were killed in a mid-air helicopter collision in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

The incident occurred on the morning of Jun. 14 in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a western suburb of Rio De Janeiro, AFP reported.

Mid-air collision

In videos circulating online, two helicopters were seen colliding mid-air before plummeting into a car park reportedly belonging to an electric car dealership.

About 20 vehicles, including the helicopters, were set ablaze as a result of the collision.

According to local police sources, the 32-year-old was listed as one of the six people on the manifest of one of the helicopters, and the victims could not be formally identified yet as they were badly burned in the crash.

One of the helicopters carried five individuals, including Tree.

There were no survivors.

Among the helicopter Tree was in was an Argentine video director, a Brazilian music producer and an Argentine YouTuber, Gaspar Prim, known online as Gaspi.

Eyewitnesses and emergency responders

According to Thamires Santos, a 27-year-old Burger King employee who was working when the incident occurred, a “really loud explosion” was heard.

He apparently saw helicopter parts “flying in all directions.”

Local fire services spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras, told local media that it was unclear exactly how the incident unfolded.

“Parts of the aircraft are scattered hundreds of metres away, so the information we have is still very preliminary,” he said.

Oliver Tree

Oliver Tree Nickell, known professionally as Oliver Tree, was a singer and songwriter who gained international fame in 2021.

Tree was in Brazil for a world tour and was due to play more than 70 shows across 30 countries on seven continents.

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A post shared by Oliver Tree (@olivertree)

In recent days, his Instagram account featured videos of him in Brazil, where he performed in São Paulo on Jun. 6 as part of his tour.

His next show was due in Lisbon, Portugal, on Jul. 1.

He was known for his iconic bowl cut, and his hit songs “Miss You” and “Life Goes On”.

Cornerstone Community Church held its first weekend services in its new Orchard Towers location in December 2025, and business owners are reporting a boost in foot traffic and sales, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Some business owners have even seen their revenue increased by nearly 30 per cent.

Bought retail space

Earlier reports mentioned that the church had bought over 19,000 sq ft, equivalent to six units, of retail space on the fourth floor of the mall.

One of the units was originally a disco pub converted from a cinema.

The church's presence was part of the building's management plan to reinvent the image of Orchard Towers, which has long been known as the "Four Floors of Whores".

A number of murders also took place there.

In 2023, all of their public entertainment outlets were slated to close.

Order food from cafe

Upon visiting the building, Shin Min observed that most retail units were occupied by the food and beverage industry.

Lin Huihui (transliterated), 39, and her mother Zhuo Meilan (transliterated), 66, run a pet-friendly cafe, Cafe Blossom.

Speaking to Shin Min, Lin said when they moved in around February 2025, about half of the units in the mall were vacant.

Noting that some shops were used as warehouses, she added: "Sometimes we don't have any customers at all on weekdays, and we can only rely on relatives, friends and regular customers for support."

Shin Min reported that after the church moved in, many people attended the weekend services, and the church would order food from the cafe for the Sunday morning service.

Business revenue, volume increase

Zhang Weilong (transliterated), the 40-year-old owner of a Thai restaurant at the basement, told Shin Min that foot traffic was not ideal when he moved in around September 2025.

"When the church was first established, a representative contacted us, saying that they hoped to support the surrounding catering industry," he said.

Noting that the church had booked the entire restaurant for a gathering, he said this increased the mall's foot traffic, and added that business volume has increased by about 10 per cent.

Shin Min reported that the owner of an Indonesian restaurant on the second floor who opened it in May 2025, said the mall was like a "ghost town" at the time and saw a daily turnover of only about S$300 or S$400.

She added: "Many people come down to eat after worship, and the number of customers and revenue has increased by nearly 30 per cent. After the church held an event in January this year, they also had a meal here."

A barber shop owner in his 50s, Bai Xuanying (transliterated), said some church members would visit the barber shop and make follow-up appointments, which increased business by nearly 30 per cent.

In addition, Shin Min reported that a shop that was previously a pub was occupied by a gym "chocoZap" in May 2026.

Environment has changed

Members of the public told Shin Min that there has been an increase in the number of food options and the environment is no longer "chaotic".

A 42-year-old man said he occasionally brings his son there for meals during the weekends and noted that it feels different compared to before when he seldom visited.

Having last visited two years ago, a 35-year-old woman said there are more things to eat now, and added that the place has changed "quite a bit".

Around 4am on Jun. 14, the manager of a coffee shop stall in Geylang got a call from one of her employees informing her that all 10 donation boxes had been stolen, along with over S$20,000 cash.

These boxes were placed on a trolley along the corridor at the front of the coffee shop where Kwan Tzi Zhai Vegetarian Cuisine operated.

The charity boxes collected donations from the public for various non-profit organisations, including the Buddha of Medicine Welfare Society, the Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution, and the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic.

The 72-year-old manager, surnamed Zhu (transliteration), told Shin Min Daily News that it was not the first time the stall's donation boxes had been stolen.

The previous theft happened 10 years ago, and the incident prompted her to make sure the boxes were kept indoors every night after closing.

On the night of Jun. 13, however, the employee in charge of closing up was feeling unwell, and forgot this step.

Felt guilty

In response to Mothership's queries, the police said they were alerted to a case of theft at about 5:30am at Block 134 Geylang East Avenue 1, where the coffee shop was located.

When Shin Min reporters visited the scene, they saw that the cable tie that previously secured the donation boxes had been cut.

After the first theft 10 years ago, Zhu added some features to make the boxes more secure, and spent close to S$3,000 on customised steel structures.

They were apparently not enough to prevent the theft, however.

Zhu estimated that the total amount in all the boxes was between S$20,000 and S$30,000, as each box typically contained between S$2,000 and S$3,000 when the respective organisations collected the donations once a month.

She was frustrated and felt a great deal of responsibility for what happened, knowing that donations for so many organisations were affected by this theft.

"I don't understand why people would even steal charity donations," she said. "And we were always so careful. Just this once we slipped up, and the money was stolen."

The employee who closed up expressed guilt and apologised to Zhu repeatedly.

Blind spot

Zhu believed that the thief had planned the act and took advantage of the blind spots of the coffee shop's CCTV cameras.

As the incident happened after all the stalls had closed, none of their internal CCTV cameras captured what happened.

Although many cameras were installed at other areas of the coffee shop, the thief was not caught on the footage, possibly because he moved along the blind spots only, Zhu said.

An employee at the coffee shop told her that one of the trolleys used to collect used bowls and plates had also disappeared.

This made her suspect that the thief took this trolley and used it to bring the donation boxes away.

When the boxes were full, they would be very heavy, at about 4kg to 5kg each, according to Zhu.

Police investigations are ongoing.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) plans to scale up the use of non-invasive technologies to detect underground utility networks, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said on Jun. 14.

This method provides a clearer picture of what lies underground, and reduces the need for exploratory digging, which in turn reduces disruption for road users.

Speaking at the first day of the 2026 World Cities Summit Mayors Forum hosted at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre, Chee explained that Singapore has already been using such technologies to supplement traditional trial trenches.

These technologies include electromagnetic locators and ground-penetrating radars.

Managing the underground space

In his speech, Chee spoke about several challenges and solutions for managing a dense, mature city.

One area he discussed was the management of Singapore's underground utilities.

"In Singapore, which is a land-scarce country, making better use of underground space is critical to optimising our limited land resources," he said.

"Beneath our city lies a complex and dense network of utility infrastructure, which requires capital planning and coordination."

However, conflicts might happen because different utility owners plan and handle their assets separately.

Underground utility records are often maintained across multiple systems and may not always be accurate, he added.

Contractors thus frequently need to carry out exploratory investigations to verify the locations of existing utilities before starting on projects.

"This can lead to repeated road openings, causing inconvenience to the public, increasing structure costs, and extending project guidelines," Chee said.

Solutions

Apart from using non-invasive utilities detection technologies, URA has also been working on improving the planning and coordination of underground utility projects.

Since 2024, the agency has put in place an enhanced workflow so that potential conflicts can be identified and resolved early before construction begins.

"To date, we have coordinated about 272km of utility corridors and avoided about S$300 million in unnecessary costs in having to re-route existing utilities halfway through construction," Chee shared.

To build more reliable shared records of Singapore's underground space, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has been developing a centralised submission portal for project teams to submit utilities data with locational information after completing works.

This portal is being trialled on selected projects in 2026 and will be scaled up in 2027, Chee said.

Partnerships between governments & residents

Chee highlighted the importance of collaboration in tackling urban challenges from underground management to municipal services.

On providing effective municipal services, he said it depends on strong partnerships between governments, communities, and residents.

"We encourage our residents to play an active role to improve their neighbourhoods and co-create solutions together with government agencies and businesses to tackle local challenges," he continued.

To help residents do so, the Singapore government has been improving data sharing across agencies, and enhancing digital platforms for residents to provide feedback and receive updates on agencies' actions more conveniently.

The president of a Mexican engineering guild publicly apologised on Jun. 14, 2026, after he had earlier made a racist gesture during a World Cup match between South Korea and the Czech Republic.

He was seen making a slant-eye gesture in a video that has since circulated online.

Captured in Instagram video

Held in Mexico on Jun. 11, the match was attended by a Korean YouTuber who is also known as "inocat_t" on Instagram.

In the video she posted, a man could be seen making the racist gesture at the camera.

Mexican media outlet Politico MX later identified him to be Ulises Fernando Bernal Miramontes, president of the College of Geomatics and Topographic Surveying Engineers of the State of Jalisco (CITGEJ).

Apology, removed from office

After the video sparked public backlash, Maeil Business reported that Bernal publicly apologised via an Instagram video.

He said: "I sincerely regret everything this situation has caused."

He added that he has "taken time to reflect on what happened" and understands "the responsibility" he has "at this moment".

Noting that he was not trying to justify himself, he added: "I am here to acknowledge that this situation has caused discomfort and to express my most sincere apologies in a clear and respectful manner."

In light of his actions, Bernal will be "removed from office", a CITGEJ spokesperson told New York Post.

The spokesperson added: "We are deeply saddened by what is happening regarding this incident."

Internal review

On Jun. 13, CITGEJ had earlier issued a statement addressing the incident.

Noting that the matter would be internally reviewed, it was also reported that "clarifications" will continue to be issued: "We trust the acting president will, in a personal capacity, provide the clarifications he deems appropriate, contributing to the proper clarification of the facts."

The statement emphasised that the guild was committed to "promoting a culture of respect, hospitality and healthy coexistence for all people."

Prevent similar incidents

The Korea Herald reported that Seo Kyoung Duk, a Sungkyunkwan University professor, had condemned the incident and urged Bernal to formally apologise.

He also called on FIFA to take measures that would prevent similar incidents.

"It is unimaginable that something like this would happen at the World Cup, an event where the global community joins together as one, regardless of race and nationality," he added.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) concluded its participation in Exercise Red Flag – Alaska, the multilateral large-scale air combat exercise.

Hosted by the United States Air Force (USAF), it was held at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, United States, from May 28 to Jun. 12.

Large-scale exercise

The RSAF deployed 10 F-16 and eight F-15SG fighter aircraft with over 250 personnel from its Peace Carvin II and Peace Carvin V detachments.

More than 60 foreign aircraft and over 2,100 personnel from the USAF and participating forces from countries including Belgium, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, also took part.

The participants engaged in a series of realistic and challenging air-to-air and air-to-ground training missions in a simulated combat environment to hone their operational competencies and sharpen combat readiness.

Clinched three awards

The RSAF clinched three awards – the "Top Mission Commander", "Top Fighter Generation Squadron" and "Top Sorties Generated" awards.

Lieutenant Colonel Zhang Jianwei, the RSAF’s Peace Carvin II Detachment Commander, said: “Exercise Red Flag – Alaska features a diverse range of demanding and complex mission scenarios."

"The awards received by our personnel are a testament to the professionalism and dedication of our airmen and women, as well as the high training standards that the RSAF upholds," he added

The USAF’s Deployed Forces Commander for the exercise, Colonel Christopher Austin added: “The RSAF truly stands out in their capabilities and their professionalism to execute tactical air operations. Exercise Red Flag – Alaska is an exceptional operation, and you see how impressive the capabilities are of the RSAF.”

Participation in this exercise underscores the long-standing and mutually beneficial defence ties between Singapore and the United States, RSAF said.

It also enhances professionalism and cooperation amongst the participating forces, and provides the RSAF an opportunity to benchmark itself with other leading air forces, RSAF added.

Malaysian tourists have been criticised online after hotel staff members in Xi'an, China, had to sort through about 1,200 parcels that were delivered to the hotel.

The incident was brought to light after the travel agency that handled the group supposedly posted a video on social media platform Xiaohongshu.

Tourists in China have the practice of purchasing items online and then have the goods delivered to their hotels for easy pick-up.

Staff sorting through parcels

In the video that was also posted by "iamelvaa_" on Instagram, individuals who appeared to be staff of the hotel could be seen sorting through a large number of parcels by hand.

They were also seen matching the parcels to the orders placed.

One tourist had to drag a large bag of items.

The video stated that 50 items apparently belonged to her group.

Backlash

The Star reported that the video has since sparked backlash against the tourists.

The tourists were criticised for being inconsiderate towards the hotel staff.

One online commenter said: "Hotel staff were forced to work overtime sorting and moving them, leaving them exhausted. The staff are not your personal parcel ­managers."

The hotel guests were also criticised for creating extra work for the already busy hotel staff.