The Albatross File — created, named and kept by Singapore's first Defence Minister Dr Goh Keng Swee — sheds new and never before published insights on the story of Singapore's separation from Malaysia on Aug 9, 1965.It contains cabinet papers, conversation records and handwritten notes detailing vividly, a «dramatic, blow-by-blow record» of how Singapore came to separate from Malaysia. Speaking at the launch of the Albatross File exhibition and a 488-page book titled The Albatross File: Inside Separation at the National Library along Victoria Street on Sunday (Dec 7), Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he decided, when he was prime minister, to declassify and publish the file. SM Lee said he also asked for the file to be published alongside relevant extracts from the oral histories of key participants involved in the separation, to bring together and put on public record a «full documented account» of the separation, which he describes as «a seminal event» in Singapore's independence journey. 

Two Gojek passengers who identified themselves as doctors have received praise for stopping to help the victim of a fatal accident after their driver drove past the scene.In a dashcam video shared in the Facebook group SG Road Vigilante on Saturday (Dec 6), paramedics can be seen attempting cardiopulmonary resuscitation on an individual laying on the road. A motorcycle can be seen laying on the side of the road.The two passengers can be heard in the video stating that they are doctors and able to help the victim. The driver then stops the car and allows them to do so.According to the caption, the video was allegedly provided by a Gojek driver, who was ferrying the two individuals from Tan Tock Seng Hospital to Bukit Batok.«[I would] like to compliment two doctors from TTSH,» the caption wrote. «It was close to 12 midnight and despite a tiring day at work, both doctors without any hesitation identify themselves as doctors and volunteered in helping.»The video has since received around 130,000 views and 1,600 reactions.

A total of 10 men and 37 women were arrested in a series of multi-agency operations aimed at curbing illegal and criminal activities, said the police in a statement on Sunday (Dec 7).Led by Tanglin police division and supported by officers from the Health Sciences Authority, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, Central Narcotics Bureau and the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the four-day operation conducted from Dec 3 to 6 involved individuals aged between 20 and 88.Targeted areas included public entertainment outlets, massage establishments, residential units, and commercial premises across Orchard Road, Whampoa, Toa Payoh, Novena, Balestier, Kim Keat Road, and Robertson Quay.AsiaOne was among the media invited to observe two such enforcement operations on the night of Dec 3.The crackdown took place at a coffee shop in Whampoa, where several seniors were arrested for suspected illegal horse-betting activities. 

SINGAPORE - Less than two weeks before she gave birth, Fionice Teoh, a DBS assistant service manager at the bank's Century Square branch, served a woman in her 70s who looked agitated.She had gone there on the afternoon of Dec 24, 2024, demanding to withdraw $190,000 in cash.As customers looked on, she shouted: «This is my money, how can you control and not let me withdraw? If you don't let me withdraw everything, I'll close all my accounts.»But the bank refused, as it suspected that she was a scam victim.Teoh, 31, was 38 weeks pregnant and on one of her final shifts before her maternity leave began.The woman verbally abused her for almost two hours.Teoh said: «I kept reminding myself to stay calm. It would have been easier to just let her withdraw everything.»But my job isn't just about transactions. It's about protecting people, especially those who are most vulnerable."The woman initially claimed the money was for festive shopping, before saying it was for an investment. She also asked for her money to be given in cash.

Some may recoil at the sight of a snake, but not this uncle.On Dec 2, Facebook user Ah Tye Tang posted a video showing the efforts of a man trying to relocate a reticulated python from a coffee shop at Block 211 Marsiling Crescent.The elderly man, clad in a black t-shirt and shorts with a white cap, can be seen stalking the snake before grabbing its tail. In the clip, the coffee shop appears to be mostly empty with some meals left unattended on tables.The animal escapes, but the man manages to get a grip on its tail again and pops a cigarette into his mouth. He then begins pulling it away from the establishment.Despite the python attempting to slither away into some shrubs, the man grabs its tail again and drags it back. The snake attempts to strike at him, but he avoids it.The video shows a blue bucket, possibly meant for the man to contain the snake, but the serpent has other plans.It coils around a nearby bicycle. The man lets it go and it manages to slither away.

«A special kind of ugly.»That is what one netizen called Singaporean Chinese people.An illustration comparing the facial features of men from various regions of China recently made its rounds on the internet, sparking debate online.While one X post with over 5.7 million views described the depiction as «lifelike», several netizens responded that the picture seems biased against those from the southeastern areas of Guangdong and Guangxi.«The creator of this image despises people from the southeast, and has made them look like cavemen,» one comment read. Another countered that several Hong Kong celebrities, including Tony Leung, Aaron Kwok and Andy Lau, are of southeastern Chinese heritage and are considered attractive.你别说，真的很传神。 pic.twitter.com/KkbGQgvs5J— 运动水货 (@shuhongwei22) November 26, 2025

A 31-year-old Malaysian man was arrested on Nov 20 for attempting to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint.In a Facebook post on Friday (Dec 5), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said its officers had directed a Malaysia-registered motorcycle for enhanced checks.During the checks, ICA officers uncovered 570 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden within various compartments of the motorcycle.The Malaysian motorcyclist was arrested and referred to the Singapore Customs for further investigation. Buying, selling, conveying, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are considered serious offences under the Customs Act and the Goods and Services Tax Act. 

SINGAPORE – A 34-year-old man was sentenced to 15 years’ jail and 14 strokes of the cane on Dec 5 for raping and sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl he met on a mobile chat app.The sexual acts took place on April 18, 2022, at a secluded open space in the vicinity of Vanda Link, near Sixth Avenue MRT station.Mookkapillai Pazhanivel, an Indian national, was earlier found guilty of one count each of statutory rape and sexual assault by penetration following a trial that began in April.In sentencing arguments on Dec 5, Deputy Public Prosecutor Jiang Ke-Yue highlighted Mookkapillai’s actions throughout the proceedings, which show “an utter lack of remorse”.During the trial, Mookkapillai declared that he would go on a hunger strike until a lawyer was appointed for him.Describing this as “nothing more than a stunt” to obstruct the trial, the DPP noted that before the trial started, he had chosen to remain unrepresented after legal aid was withdrawn.Mookkapillai also engaged in victim-blaming and made baseless allegations that he had been treated roughly by police officers.