'I vaped when I woke up until I slept'; Jet Li reportedly had surgery to remove benign tumour: Singapore live news
China-born Singapore action star Jet Li has told fans he is doing fine after an operation. The martial arts legend had caused concern after sharing videos on social media from hospital. The 62-year-old is believed to have had the surgery to remove a small benign tumour.
Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates:
'I vaped when I woke up until I slept': Youth turning to vapes to cope with stress
Malcolm (not his real name) turned to etomidate-laced vapes, or Kpods, after he failed his O-level exams.
The 18-year-old, in an interview with the Straits Times, recalled how he used Kpods to cope with the stress and disappointment of his O-level setback. A schoolmate had introduced him to them. "My friend said [Kpods] would help with the depression, but it made it worse."
Malcolm revealed he would vape from the time he woke up until he slept. Within months, he would start to black out every day. Concerned, his parents contacted an addiction recovery centre, We Care Community Services, for help.
He has been attending daily weekday counselling sessions – and is now clean of Kpods for three months. The young man is set to start a PSB Academy course in life sciences in September.
Malcom is just one of over 30 clients who sought help at We Care to quit vaping in 2025, reports ST. Social agencies, quoted in the report, said that they are seeing more young people vaping, with some starting as young as 10 years old.
You can read more insights from the social workers in the full article, here.
Jet Li reportedly had surgery to remove benign tumour
Legendary martial arts star Jet Li has reassured fans that he is doing fine after an operation.
The 62-year-old had worried fans after he shared a video, on 17 August, of himself lying in bed in hospital with his eyes closed. "I've recently faced another unexpected challenge," he said in the post.
Li posted another video later that night of himself being wheeled into the operating theatre. He explained that: "A few days ago, my hardware broke down, so I sent it back to the manufacturer for repair."
The actor did not specify what his medical condition was but a close friend was quoted in Taiwanese newspaper China Times as saying the surgery was to remove a small benign tumour.
Li has posted a video of himself after the surgery, where he said: "I feel much better now. Let's tell the others that I'm fine."
81-year-old woman taken to hospital after her car turns turtle in accident
An 81-year-old woman was taken to the hospital after an accident involving a car and a minibus in Upper Thomson Road on the morning of 18 August.
The police were alerted at about 8.55am to the accident which resulted in a car overturning. The woman, who was the driver of the red car, was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
A 55-year-old male minibus driver is assisting with investigations, which are ongoing, said police.
More details of the accident can be found here.
Around 20,000 children taken from Ukraine by Russia, Zelensky says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked US first lady Melania Trump for her "compassion" and advocacy for children amid Russia's war with Ukraine.
Melania had penned a letter to Vladimir Putin that spoke about the need to protect children – it was hand-delivered by US President Donald Trump to the Russian leader in Alaska. The letter did not specifically mention Ukrainian children.
Zelensky, who hand-delivered a letter to Trump from his own wife for Melania, posted today (19 August) on X that at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia. "We are working tirelessly to bring every child home," he said.
I want to thank @FLOTUS Melania Trump for her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war – the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. We deeply appreciate her compassion and her letter to Putin.This issue lies at the heart of the war's… https://t.co/DHiGcUGydO
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2025
You can read Zelensky's full post in the link.
Yahoo readers worried about PMD-linked fires
A recent poll by Yahoo asking readers if they felt worried about the number of PMD-linked fires this year has returned an overwhelming response of 'Yes'.
Results showed that 98% of the 523 votes – at press time – were troubled by fires resulting from overheated PMD batteries, especially given the personal mobility devices are typically stored in homes.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said there have already been 20 such PMD-related fires in the first half of 2025, up from 10 in the same period in 2024.
Earlier this month, a blaze at a Bukit Merah HDB that killed two people is believed to have started from a PMD battery pack.
Trump's meeting with Zelensky: Key takeaways
US President Donald Trump's meeting on Monday (18 August) with Volodymyr Zelensky went drastically different than six months ago, when the Ukrainian leader was reprimanded for not wearing a suit and not being thankful enough for US military support.
Here are key takeaways from this latest attempt to end the Ukraine war:
Trump tells Zelensky US will be involved in security guarantees for Ukraine.
European leaders praise Trump but say tough work is still ahead
More formal attire and far different reception for Zelensky.
Next steps in the negotiations turn back to Putin.
Follow the links for more details on each topic.
Controversial Singapore athlete Soh Rui Yong has no regrets
Soh Rui Yong says he has no regrets after the controversial runner was left out of a preliminary list for the upcoming SEA Games.
The 34-year-old, in an in-depth interview with CNA, believes there is no point in regretting decisions from the past as "you cannot go back and change it."
Soh is considered by many to be Singapore's greatest marathoner but lawsuits and public spats have tarnished the public's perception of him.
However, Soh said in the interview that he has grown as a person, especially after getting married in 2023. He revealed to CNA plans to compete in the 2029 SEA Games hosted in Singapore. "You won't see the end of me anytime soon," he said.
You can read the full Soh Rui Yong article, here.
Malcolm (not his real name) turned to etomidate-laced vapes, or Kpods, after he failed his O-level exams.
The 18-year-old, in an interview with the Straits Times, recalled how he used Kpods to cope with the stress and disappointment of his O-level setback. A schoolmate had introduced him to them. "My friend said [Kpods] would help with the depression, but it made it worse."
Malcolm revealed he would vape from the time he woke up until he slept. Within months, he would start to black out every day. Concerned, his parents contacted an addiction recovery centre, We Care Community Services, for help.
He has been attending daily weekday counselling sessions – and is now clean of Kpods for three months. The young man is set to start a PSB Academy course in life sciences in September.
Malcom is just one of over 30 clients who sought help at We Care to quit vaping in 2025, reports ST. Social agencies, quoted in the report, said that they are seeing more young people vaping, with some starting as young as 10 years old.
You can read more insights from the social workers in the full article, here.
Legendary martial arts star Jet Li has reassured fans that he is doing fine after an operation.
The 62-year-old had worried fans after he shared a video, on 17 August, of himself lying in bed in hospital with his eyes closed. "I've recently faced another unexpected challenge," he said in the post.
Li posted another video later that night of himself being wheeled into the operating theatre. He explained that: "A few days ago, my hardware broke down, so I sent it back to the manufacturer for repair."
The actor did not specify what his medical condition was but a close friend was quoted in Taiwanese newspaper China Times as saying the surgery was to remove a small benign tumour.
Li has posted a video of himself after the surgery, where he said: "I feel much better now. Let's tell the others that I'm fine."
81-year-old woman taken to hospital after her car turns turtle in accident
An 81-year-old woman was taken to the hospital after an accident involving a car and a minibus in Upper Thomson Road on the morning of 18 August.
The police were alerted at about 8.55am to the accident which resulted in a car overturning. The woman, who was the driver of the red car, was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
A 55-year-old male minibus driver is assisting with investigations, which are ongoing, said police.
More details of the accident can be found here.
An 81-year-old woman was taken to the hospital after an accident involving a car and a minibus in Upper Thomson Road on the morning of 18 August.
The police were alerted at about 8.55am to the accident which resulted in a car overturning. The woman, who was the driver of the red car, was taken conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
A 55-year-old male minibus driver is assisting with investigations, which are ongoing, said police.
More details of the accident can be found here.
Around 20,000 children taken from Ukraine by Russia, Zelensky says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked US first lady Melania Trump for her "compassion" and advocacy for children amid Russia's war with Ukraine.
Melania had penned a letter to Vladimir Putin that spoke about the need to protect children – it was hand-delivered by US President Donald Trump to the Russian leader in Alaska. The letter did not specifically mention Ukrainian children.
Zelensky, who hand-delivered a letter to Trump from his own wife for Melania, posted today (19 August) on X that at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia. "We are working tirelessly to bring every child home," he said.
I want to thank @FLOTUS Melania Trump for her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war – the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. We deeply appreciate her compassion and her letter to Putin.This issue lies at the heart of the war's… https://t.co/DHiGcUGydO
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2025
You can read Zelensky's full post in the link.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked US first lady Melania Trump for her "compassion" and advocacy for children amid Russia's war with Ukraine.
Melania had penned a letter to Vladimir Putin that spoke about the need to protect children – it was hand-delivered by US President Donald Trump to the Russian leader in Alaska. The letter did not specifically mention Ukrainian children.
Zelensky, who hand-delivered a letter to Trump from his own wife for Melania, posted today (19 August) on X that at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia. "We are working tirelessly to bring every child home," he said.
I want to thank @FLOTUS Melania Trump for her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war – the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia. We deeply appreciate her compassion and her letter to Putin.This issue lies at the heart of the war's… https://t.co/DHiGcUGydO
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 19, 2025
You can read Zelensky's full post in the link.
Yahoo readers worried about PMD-linked fires
A recent poll by Yahoo asking readers if they felt worried about the number of PMD-linked fires this year has returned an overwhelming response of 'Yes'.
Results showed that 98% of the 523 votes – at press time – were troubled by fires resulting from overheated PMD batteries, especially given the personal mobility devices are typically stored in homes.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said there have already been 20 such PMD-related fires in the first half of 2025, up from 10 in the same period in 2024.
Earlier this month, a blaze at a Bukit Merah HDB that killed two people is believed to have started from a PMD battery pack.
A recent poll by Yahoo asking readers if they felt worried about the number of PMD-linked fires this year has returned an overwhelming response of 'Yes'.
Results showed that 98% of the 523 votes – at press time – were troubled by fires resulting from overheated PMD batteries, especially given the personal mobility devices are typically stored in homes.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said there have already been 20 such PMD-related fires in the first half of 2025, up from 10 in the same period in 2024.
Earlier this month, a blaze at a Bukit Merah HDB that killed two people is believed to have started from a PMD battery pack.
Trump's meeting with Zelensky: Key takeaways
US President Donald Trump's meeting on Monday (18 August) with Volodymyr Zelensky went drastically different than six months ago, when the Ukrainian leader was reprimanded for not wearing a suit and not being thankful enough for US military support.
Here are key takeaways from this latest attempt to end the Ukraine war:
Trump tells Zelensky US will be involved in security guarantees for Ukraine.
European leaders praise Trump but say tough work is still ahead
More formal attire and far different reception for Zelensky.
Next steps in the negotiations turn back to Putin.
Follow the links for more details on each topic.
US President Donald Trump's meeting on Monday (18 August) with Volodymyr Zelensky went drastically different than six months ago, when the Ukrainian leader was reprimanded for not wearing a suit and not being thankful enough for US military support.
Here are key takeaways from this latest attempt to end the Ukraine war:
Trump tells Zelensky US will be involved in security guarantees for Ukraine.
European leaders praise Trump but say tough work is still ahead
More formal attire and far different reception for Zelensky.
Next steps in the negotiations turn back to Putin.
Follow the links for more details on each topic.
Controversial Singapore athlete Soh Rui Yong has no regrets
Soh Rui Yong says he has no regrets after the controversial runner was left out of a preliminary list for the upcoming SEA Games.
The 34-year-old, in an in-depth interview with CNA, believes there is no point in regretting decisions from the past as "you cannot go back and change it."
Soh is considered by many to be Singapore's greatest marathoner but lawsuits and public spats have tarnished the public's perception of him.
However, Soh said in the interview that he has grown as a person, especially after getting married in 2023. He revealed to CNA plans to compete in the 2029 SEA Games hosted in Singapore. "You won't see the end of me anytime soon," he said.
You can read the full Soh Rui Yong article, here.
Soh Rui Yong says he has no regrets after the controversial runner was left out of a preliminary list for the upcoming SEA Games.
The 34-year-old, in an in-depth interview with CNA, believes there is no point in regretting decisions from the past as "you cannot go back and change it."
Soh is considered by many to be Singapore's greatest marathoner but lawsuits and public spats have tarnished the public's perception of him.
However, Soh said in the interview that he has grown as a person, especially after getting married in 2023. He revealed to CNA plans to compete in the 2029 SEA Games hosted in Singapore. "You won't see the end of me anytime soon," he said.
You can read the full Soh Rui Yong article, here.
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