SINGAPORE: What was supposed to be a fun and enjoyable dining out experience turned out to be a traumatic experience when a woman was nearly burned when a fire broke out at their table at a Korean hot pot restaurant. 

A 23-year-old woman reported to Shin Min Daily News that she and her friends decided to dine out at a Korean hot pot restaurant located in Orchard Road last April 23, but the accident allegedly happened shortly after they sat down to eat.

The diner shared that at first, they thought it was parchment paper that was causing the burning smell. However, they were wrong. 

“When I bent down to look, I found thick smoke and flames coming out of the hole under the dining table, which scared me so much that I ran away quickly,” the diner declared. She then felt a warm feeling coming from her thigh, which alerted her even more. 

As seen in the photos provided by the diner, the holes, plugs, and outer walls of the electrical outlets under the dining table were blackened, and the electrical wires were loose. Due to this, they complained to the store afterwards, but the staff only helped them change the table and did not apologise or offer any compensation afterwards. 

“This could have been a big or small matter. If I hadn’t noticed it in time, I could have been burned. I also heard several sounds that sounded like wires breaking, which were all potential safety hazards,” the diner declared, and expected that the restaurant would take full responsibility for what happened. The diner stated that the staff did not apologise at all, and requested for a refund. 

Restaurant claimed that there was no fire

In an interview, the manager of the hot pot restaurant admitted that the diner had been eating in the restaurant for nearly an hour when the induction cooker inside the table malfunctioned, but it did not catch fire. 

“If there had been a fire, the store would have lost power, but that didn’t happen. They were able to continue eating for another half hour, and then they came to ask us for a refund,” the restaurant said. 

The restaurant added: “The customers were not injured, and the food supply was not affected. Business is already difficult, and we have apologised many times, but they seem to want more.” 

Moreover, the staff pointed out that they had apologised multiple times but believed that the refund request was slightly inappropriate. 

Other related news 

In similar news related to fire in Singapore, a 40-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in three arson cases, with police making the arrest within two hours of receiving a report.

Read more about the news story here. 

This article (‘I could have been burned’—Diner complained as hot pot table suddenly burst into flames) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board HDB) is now launching a new round of renovations across 27 estates islandwide—a significant upgrade for HDB residents. The projects are backed by government funding of more than S$130 million and will benefit more than 30,000 households. 

As reported by Yan.sg, the project is divided into two major programs, namely the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and the Silver Upgrading Programme (SUP). The Neighbourhood Renewal Scheme has selected 246 renovation projects across 16 batches nationwide since its launch in 2007, and the government has invested over S$1.6 billion in this program, benefitting an estimated number of 315,500 households. As of March this year, a total of 141 projects were completed, and the remaining 105 are under construction. 

More so, the Silver Upgrading Programme will have 10 new HDB estates, including Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, and Queenstown, for its next batch. This project, set to begin in the second half of the year and be done by the second half of 2028, is expected to benefit more than 9,000 households. Launched in 2024, this program focuses on older HDB estates with a large population of elderly residents, adding senior-friendly facilities to support the people in their later years. There is an approximate number of 14,400 households that have benefited from this program to date. 

According to feedback, common renovation issues from residents include constructing fitness trails connecting facilities for seniors, adding clearer directional signs, especially to facilitate travel for the elderly, and installing yellow warning lines along the ground boundaries to prevent tripping. Furthermore, residents want more sheltered rest areas to chat and rest after exercising, and have wheelchair-friendly community gardens and sheltered fitness areas. 

Indeed, HDB is committed to making homes and communities warmer and more welcoming for residents of all ages, empowering each and everyone to have a place they can truly call home. 

Read more about HDB’s renovation plan here. 

This article (Good news! 27 HDB estates are being renovated, lifting 30,000 households islandwide) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Garbage is supposed to be thrown in the right bin, but in the case of a beautician homeowner, her flowerpot became the garbage bin instead. 

A 46-year-old beautician living in Yishun Street reported to Shin Min Daily News that people have been leaving garbage in the flowerpot outside her home, and some people even poured an entire bag of brown sugar in it. The homeowner admitted that when she first moved in about six months ago, there was no issue until February of this year, when garbage started appearing. 

She shared that the flowerpot contained a money tree, which was not blocking other people’s way, and she had kept it tidy. She revealed that the first trash that she had found in the pot was a tissue paper, followed by torn advertising flyers. 

“Someone dumped a bag of finely chopped flyers into the flowerpot, which I couldn’t clean up,” the homeowner declared. 

When she checked her surveillance camera, she found that it was done by an older woman, wearing shorts and a sleeveless top, carrying a plastic bag containing shards. She then scattered the shards into a flowerpot and left. 

In order to prevent such things from happening again, the homeowner printed out the CCTV footage and left a notice with a note stating that there is a camera and that littering should not be done. However, despite the notice, the incident happened once more. 

The homeowner remarked, “It only stopped for a few days. Yesterday, I found that someone had poured a whole bag of brown sugar into the flowerpot again, attracting a large number of ants. I suspect it was the same person who did it.”  The money tree, which cost the homeowner more than $100, was now an anthill, and she needed to replant it. 

With this, she immediately reported the incident to the police. Police confirmed that they had received a report and that the case is under investigation.

Other related news 

In other news related to Singapore complaints, a resident of a Yishun HDB flat recently raised safety concerns after concrete blocks began falling from the ceiling of his unit, causing cracks in parts of the ceiling and walls. 

The building is said to be 42 years old, and many residents, unfortunately, reported similar problems. 

Read more about the story here.

This article (Angry beautician reports flowerpot turning to trash cans to the police) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A man holding the power of being a director used it as an opportunity to do something illegal—to steal accommodation, services, and goods amounting to over S$100,000 from the company he once worked for. The 37-year-old suspect now faces 23 charges in court, including deception, fraudulent services, and forgery, and is now sentenced to three and a half years’ imprisonment. The remaining charges will be taken into consideration by the judge during sentencing. 

Case details 

The suspect has already been sent to a juvenile detention centre as young as 10 years old for theft, according to Shin Min Daily News. He became a director of a company between November 2022 and May 2023, and during his tenure, he stole from the company and continued to do so even after he left his position. 

Investigations revealed that between June 2024 and May 2025, the suspect stole more than S$100,000, and also attempted to steal others of S$500 in insurance premiums by forging medical bills. His crime fell into three main classifications, namely pretending to buy goods from an online shopping platform, placing huge amounts of orders directly with wholesalers or catering businesses, and using services such as renting cars, renting apartments, or checking into hotels.

How did he commit his crimes?

In order to deceive his victims, he would show screenshots of transfers from his Wise e-wallet to create the illusion of payment, only to cancel the transfers later. When being questioned by victims, he would claim that the transactions needed time to process and then disappear afterwards. 

The police then received 13 reports of similar cases, and the authorities identified the suspect as the mastermind of all fraud cases. 

After his arrest in August 2025, the suspect has been in custody ever since. The authorities later confirmed that after being sent to a juvenile detention centre at the age of 10, and three years later, he was sentenced to another three years in the juvenile detention centre, three years after,  for committing theft and fraud.

In similar news, a man was caught in the act when a neighbour vigilantly filmed his crime and reported it to the homeowner. 

The homeowner knew that a stranger had gone inside their home, thanks to the evidence provided by the neighbour, and immediately reported the crime to the police. 

Read more about the story here.

This article (Man abuses position as director to steal over S$100,000, gets jail term) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: More graduates in Singapore are turning down job offers if the salary does not meet their expectations, reflecting a shift in how young job seekers approach employment.

A recent graduate employment survey conducted by six autonomous universities, including the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, found that over 30% of graduates rejected job offers due to low pay.

Many graduates are becoming more selective, choosing to wait for better opportunities rather than accept roles that fall short of their expectations.

A survey released by Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower unveiled that salary is the top factor for local university graduates when looking for a job. It is the factor that is mostly considered, even more so than career development and job flexibility. 

Data revealed that approximately 35% of graduates who received job offers chose to decline the offer, with the reasoning that the salary did not meet their expectations. In terms of salaries, the latest graduate employment survey report shows that the median monthly salary for full-time jobs for 2025 public university graduates will still be S$4,500.

Graduates in information technology-related fields will have a median monthly salary of S$5,500, the finance and insurance industry, followed closely with salaries ranging from S$5,500 to S$8,000. Furthermore, engineering graduates earned a median monthly salary of approximately S$4,600, with architecture-related fields having a huge increase, rising by about 4% year-on-year.

More so, NTU’s business and computer engineering double degree graduates are reported to have an average monthly salary of nearly S$7,000, and NUS’s medical and computer science graduates can also get starting salaries of over S$6,000. 

Meanwhile, for graduates majoring in art, design, and media, their full-time employment rate is only 50%, and with a median monthly salary of S$3,840. Many graduates are also pursuing freelance or part-time work. 

Given the standards of the newer generation in terms of job employment, experts are now urging companies to focus on improving their salary rates, career development offerings, and work flexibility to attract more young and fresh talent in their pool. 

This article (Willing to wait rather than settle: Graduates nowadays are quick to turn down job offers if the salary isn’t right) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A disturbing case unfolded at an HDB block, where a son refused to let his elderly father into their home, forcing the 74-year-old man to sleep downstairs for months.

The 40-year-old son is now facing four charges, including intentional assault and violence. He pleaded guilty to two charges, with the remaining taken into consideration, and was sentenced to 13 weeks’ jail.

Case details

According to Shin Min Daily News, the HDB flat was owned by the suspect’s parents, but the son would only allow his father to return home if he followed certain conditions.

At one point, the elderly man was allowed back into the flat only after buying breakfast for his son. Once inside, the son would confiscate his phone, preventing him from contacting anyone.

The mother was also reportedly not allowed to return home and had to stay with their daughter. However, the daughter’s home was too small to accommodate the father.

As a result, the elderly man spent nights sleeping downstairs at the HDB block. Some neighbours, who noticed his situation, gave him money for food.

One 79-year-old resident said he had often seen the man sitting or sleeping downstairs, though many did not know the full details at the time.

On Feb 21, 2026, the father tried once again to return home. However, his son demanded that he buy a testosterone patch first. When the elderly man refused, the two got into an argument.

The son then kicked his father three times. Despite the pain, the elderly man begged for mercy, but the son continued to punch him in the arms.

Two days later, on Feb 23, the son made further demands and even threatened to burn the house. During another confrontation, he punched his father twice in the left eye.

Despite the repeated assaults, the elderly man did not seek medical attention.

Following the incidents, the son was arrested and has since been remanded.

Other related news 

In another story involving elderly residents in HDB estates, a resident shared a video of a group of aunties gathering weekly at the void deck. The women were seen dancing to loud music, drawing attention from neighbours in the otherwise quiet block.

Read more about the story here.

This article (Father forced to sleep outside HDB block for months, son jailed for assault) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Crows nesting near Chinatown Complex have reportedly been attacking passersby, with more than 10 people affected in the past week.

The birds appear to be targeting individuals with bald or thinning hair, according to Shin Min Daily News.

A resident said three crows have been seen around a tree near the complex, where they are believed to have built a nest.

In one video, an elderly man was walking past when a crow suddenly swooped down and struck his head before he could react.

In another instance, a crow flew towards a passerby but veered away at the last moment.

Business owners in the area said the attacks have been happening almost daily, typically around 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., with two to three crows circling overhead.

One shop owner said the birds are likely becoming aggressive as they protect their nest and chicks.

He added that while around 10 people have been affected so far, the incidents have not significantly impacted business.

Other related news 

In a similar case, residents at an HDB block have raised concerns over repeated crow attacks along a sixth-floor corridor. Some said it has become difficult to move around safely, with many now wearing hats or carrying umbrellas to avoid being targeted.

Read more about the news story here. 

This article (Crows in Chinatown attack over 10 people, targeting bald and thinning-haired men) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Ghosting is often talked about in the context of romantic relationships, but one netizen pointed out that it seems to be happening in friendships too.

In a post on Reddit, the user shared that they had invited a friend out for lunch nearly a month ago — but the message is still left unread. This led them to ask whether ghosting has become a common part of today’s culture.

The post got people talking and many shared their own thoughts and experiences

One commenter said that friendships nowadays can feel more transactional, often limited to work or school. While they didn’t agree with it, they noted that some people seem fine keeping things that way.

Others said delayed replies don’t always mean someone is ignoring you. For some, replying can feel like a task, so they leave messages unopened until they’re ready.

“I usually call people instead of making plans on chat — that way they know I really want to follow through,” one shared.

Still, not everyone was convinced. Some felt ghosting simply comes down to avoidance or lack of interest.

“If you are wondering why people ghost, it’s because some people dislike confrontation or just don’t care,” one commenter said.

At the same time, a few urged others not to jump to conclusions, pointing out that people may be dealing with things in their personal lives that others are unaware of.

One netizen, however, took a more direct stance: “If close, at most one day to reply. Else they don’t really care.”

While opinions differed, the discussion reflects how unclear communication has become, where unread messages and delayed replies can easily be interpreted in different ways.

Ghosting, whether in relationships or friendships, can leave people feeling ignored or rejected. For many, it comes down to one thing: clear communication still matters.

This article (‘Left unread for a month’ — Netizen asks if ghosting is becoming normal) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

Hi Aiah! This one isn’t really publishable right now as it feels quite thin and lacks value. Maybe you can try adding something more substantial, like a dentist’s input? e.g. whether flossing after meals is actually recommended, if people are doing it right or wrong. But even with that, the topic might still be quite flat. If there’s no stronger angle, it might be better to just move on to another piece.

Hello, editor! I tried adding a bit more info to the article. But if it did not work, it is okay with me to disregard this. Thank you! -Aiah

SINGAPORE: Generally, flossing is known to be part of having good dental hygiene, and the usual time people do it is at night, before going to bed. However, a Redditor shared what he thought was a unique routine where he does it right after eating his lunch. 

He admitted that he did not encounter any other people who do this, whether in the office or in the mall, but because he is a male, he became curious if some females do the same. 

With this, other netizens shared their thoughts and opinions. A few comments admitted that there is nothing to be weird about flowing after lunch, as long as it is properly rinsed off in public. 

“It’s quite common to see in the female toilets. Not just flossing but brushing as well,” a netizen admitted, which gained a response from the one who posted, stating: “Interesting. I wonder why there is a difference between male and female.” 

As per another comment, females tend to take better care of themselves, and naturally females care more about their appearance, and this can be a factor. 

“I floss after lunch too but I do it in the cubicle not in front of the mirror lol. Maybe that’s why you don’t see people doing it,” one added. 

However, there are some comments stating that it is not common for them to floss after lunch time, and some just drink water to rinse their mouths. Others use toothpicks or gargle with mouthwash to remove uncomfortable bits that were stuck in their teeth. 

“Brushing immediately after eating is actually not recommended. I do floss at night before sleeping,” one claimed. 

A netizen further added: “Also I think a lot of people use those little floss pick things now which are less obvious than regular floss so easier to just do it quietly at the sink without it looking like a whole production.” 

Is it wrong? 

While opinions on post-lunch flossing may vary from one person to another, it is important to really take the appropriate actions to have good dental hygiene. This Reddit thread reveals how personal habits and gender norms influence hygiene practices in Singapore, showing us that what feels right to a person might be different to others. 

According to professionals, it is not wrong to do it after lunch. The timing of flossing is not an issue as long as you do it properly, and make it part of your consistent daily routine. It is important to pick a moment, like morning if evenings leave you exhausted, or even after taking your lunch break. 

This article (Dental hygiene: Is it wrong to floss after lunch? Netizens answer) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: Recycling is truly a great start to help the environment in the simplest way. In Singapore, there have been recycling bins around the city that accept all forms of recyclables, but how true is it that these items are being ‘recycled’? 

In a Reddit post, a netizen pointed out that while recycling bins are everywhere, there are doubts about what really happens after items are thrown in. They also mentioned hearing that in some newer HDB flats, recyclables and general waste may still end up in the same place.

They added that in other countries, it is advisable for people to do more necessary recycling actions, such as removing labels from the bottles before putting them in a recycling bin, but these are not practised in Singapore. With these, the post wanted to seek others’ opinions if recycling in Singapore is just for show.

The responses were mixed.

One commenter said, “I feel there’s not enough education on recycling in Singapore. As someone who actively sorts recyclables and brings them down to the blue bin (flatten and fold cardboard packaging, stack plastic egg cartons, wash and dry plastic bottles, etc.), I feel sad when I see people treat the blue bin as another common rubbish bin.” A netizen shared as well that once these recyclables are contaminated, it will be difficult to recycle. 

For some, it is not the lack of education but the lack of civic-mindedness—the care for the community. A netizen declared: “These are the same people who needed to be threatened by a monetary fine before they returned their trays at hawker centres.” 

Moreover, others believe that it is really recycled. A commenter remarked: “All the blue bins go to Senbcorp, where it is manually sorted and then packed by plastic bottles/cardboard etc.” 

Several netizens also shared that they really give importance to segregation of the recyclables in the blue bins provided, and hope that everything is not a scam. 

“The government should be pushing this agenda truthfully,” a comment concluded. 

Overall, this thread is a reminder that everyone should take care of each other and the environment, and every decision that one makes—as simple as disposing of garbage and recyclables properly—can have an impact on the betterment of society. 

This article (Do Singaporeans really recycle and does it really work? Netizens share their views) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A 40-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in three arson cases, with police making the arrest within two hours of receiving a report.

According to 8world, authorities were alerted on the evening of April 22 to a fire that had occurred at a residential unit along Yung Kuang Road the day before.

The fire caused damage to parts of the unit, including walls and two bicycles. No injuries were reported.

Officers from the Jurong Police Division identified the suspect using images and surveillance footage and arrested him within two hours of the report.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man may also be linked to two other similar fires that took place along Yung Loh Road.

Police said they have zero tolerance for acts that endanger lives and public safety, and will take firm action against offenders.

If convicted, the man could face up to seven years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

In a separate report, a Yishun HDB resident raised safety concerns after concrete blocks began falling from the ceiling of his unit, causing cracks in parts of the walls and ceiling.

The block, said to be around 42 years old, reportedly had similar issues in other units when reporters visited the area.

Read more about the news story here. 

This article (Man linked to three fires in Jurong arrested within two hours of report) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: A Reddit user recently asked a simple but relatable question: What time do you usually sleep when you have work the next day?

The post quickly drew responses, with many sharing their routines—and for some, the lack of sleep that comes with it.

The user who started the thread said they typically work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., reach home around 7 p.m., and head to bed by 9 p.m., or even 8 p.m. if there’s nothing else to do. They wake up at 7 a.m. the next day and even squeeze in a gym session before work.

Some netizens said they admired that routine.

“Sleeping at 9 p.m. is something I’ve dreamt of all my life but I can’t seem to do it. You have a really great lifestyle,” one wrote.

Others shared slightly later schedules. One said they have similar working hours, get home around 7.15 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., and usually sleep at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m.

For parents, the routine looks very different. Several said their time is packed from morning until their children go to sleep, leaving little room to rest during the weekdays. Many said they only catch up on sleep or personal time over the weekend.

There were also those who admitted to getting very little sleep.

“Wish I had your lifestyle. Unfortunately, my job is very busy, and I work till 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. every day, sleep at 4 a.m. and wake up at 8 a.m.,” one netizen shared.

Another said they juggle two shifts in a day, starting work in the morning, then working again at night.

“I know I have no work-life balance… This means about six hours of sleep daily. For those who think their hours are bad, I hope this makes you feel a bit better,” the commenter wrote.

The discussion showed just how different sleep routines can be among working adults in Singapore. While some are able to turn in early and get enough rest, others are running on just a few hours of sleep as they try to keep up with work and daily responsibilities.

This article (Is sleep a luxury? Singaporeans online share how much rest they get on workdays) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.