Singapore’s English-language daily, owned by Singapore Press Holdings
A 19-year-old student has pleaded guilty to public nuisance after licking a straw and returning it to an iJooz vending machine in a Singapore shopping mall. The act, filmed for social media, prompted the company to replace all 500 straws and upgrade its machines. The court has imposed a fine; probation was considered but deemed impractical due to the student’s travel plans.
A glacial collapse on 26 August has produced torrent floods that have killed more than 1,395 people and left over 5,600 missing across Nepal and Tibet. Rescue teams have been recovering bodies, searching buried hydropower tunnels and remote villages, and racing to control newly formed barrier lakes that are threatening further flooding and hampering access.
A gunman has opened fire outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, wounding a police officer; the suspect has died after hospitalisation. Ontarios SIU and Belleville police have opened investigations and police have increased patrols near places of worship. Separately, Reform synagogues in Jerusalem and other countries have reported repeated vandalism and harassment targeting LGBTQ-friendly and non-Orthodox communities.
The Aug. 26 floods in Nepal and Tibet have produced a mounting death toll and thousands missing. Rescue teams are focused on tunnels at Trishuli and Upper Trishuli hydropower projects, where many workers may be trapped; international teams have begun to join efforts as authorities pledge no let-up in operations.
Singapore launches ReadSG, a gamified reading scheme that rewards 15-minute daily reading with virtual coins and small cash rewards. Experts say the approach may help form a reading habit, though concerns remain about long-term persistence after incentives end.