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.

A group of Singapore Armed Forces (BMT) recruits on their 24km-long route march brought early festive cheer to parkgoers at East Coast Park (ECP).On Thursday (Dec 4), TikTok user iwchickenwings shared a video of her wholesome encounter with the recruits during a Christmas gathering.In the video, the user and her group were singing along to «Jingle Bells» when the passing recruits joined them for a singalong, instead of the usual SAF route march songs.A second platoon following them later took it a notch higher by joining in to sing «Happy Birthday». But the wholesome exchanges did not end there.After the video was posted, one soldier came across the post and asked if this was where they «started a happy chain (of songs)». Soon after, others from the route march that night also joined the comment wall to identify themselves. «We were marching yesterday when you guys were celebrating. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed [it]», one of the recruits said.Another added: «Our sergeants encouraged us to join in.»

A 57-year-old man was arrested on Thursday (Dec 4) for his suspected involvement in a series of theft in dwelling cases. In a statement on Dec 5, the police said they were alerted to a case of theft at a drinks stall at a hawker centre along Old Airport Road, where $20 in cash was stolen. The police said the suspect was identified with the aid of images from police cameras and through ground queries. Preliminary investigations revealed that he is also believed to be involved in other similar cases of theft in dwelling. The suspect will be charged in court on Dec 6. If found guilty, he can be fined and jailed for up to seven years. The police also advised businesses, especially those operating in high-traffic public areas, to secure valuables such as tip boxes and cash containers to prevent opportunistic theft. [[nid:726273]]editor@asiaone.com 

Singapore marathoner Soh Rui Yong’s hopes of contending for a medal at the 2025 SEA Games are now uncertain after an abnormal finding surfaced during his pre-Games medical screening. But he is unfazed and remains hopeful. In a Facebook post on Friday (Dec 5), Soh wrote: «The doctor says I’m getting old. Looking forward to proving my heart health at the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon this weekend.» The medical screening was conducted at Changi General Hospital a day earlier. Soh was informed that he might not be cleared to compete as his electrocardiogram (ECG) results were «abnormal, with multiple premature ventricular complexes» and that he would “likely to need further cardiovascular evaluation before clearance”, reported The Straits Times. Soh told The Straits Times that he has not experienced any cardiovascular difficulties previously and hopes that the issue will be resolved in time for his race on Dec 16. In spite of the situation, Soh still intends to compete in the half marathon and marathon at this weekend's Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. 

Many parents of students with disabilities have concerns about the school-to-work transition for their children when they turn 18 and complete schooling at special education schools (Sped), said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (Dec 5). He was speaking at the launch of Vista @ Enabling Village in Bukit Merah on Friday morning, where he also announced the launch of a new taskforce on assurance for families with persons with disabilities at the event. Vista, a four-storey block at the Enabling Village, provides a dedicated space for those with disabilities after they turn 18 and age out of the system. It will also host initiatives that strengthen support for caregivers. 

Barisan Sosialis — once Singapore’s largest Opposition party — is one of the 14 dormant political parties that were deregistered on Thursday (Dec 4). This comes after the authorities gave the political parties three months to give proof of their continued existence to ensure they comply with the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act. Under the law, those involved in Singapore’s political process, such as political parties and Members of Parliament, are designated as politically significant persons and are subjected to measures to mitigate the risk of foreign interference. For instance, they have to report single donations of $10,000 or more, and are required to disclose if they have been granted migration benefits such as permanent residency or honorary citizenship by foreign governments. The Ministry of Home Affairs told The Straits Times that Singapore now has 20 registered political parties. Eleven of them contested in the 2025 General Election. According to a notice in the Government Gazette on Thursday, the political parties that have ceased to exist are:

Commuters travelling from Bedok and Kembangan MRT stations could face waiting times of up to 17 minutes during off-peak hours as planned works on the East-West Line (EWL) enter the final phase. This is because one platform at the two train stations will be closed for tests to be done on the newly fitted tracks linking the EWL to the new East Coast Integrated Depot, said Chia Choon Poh, group director of rail at the Land Transport Authority (LTA). «We need to retest the system to make sure that it is safe, reliable, and ready for passenger service,» he said on Friday (Dec 5). Since Nov 29, there has been no train service between Bedok and Tampines stations, as well as between Tanah Merah and Expo stations due to the track works which saw the removal and installation of several track segments. Shuttle bus services have been made available for commuters travelling between the closed stretches. 

A Singaporean man has made the news in Thailand after marrying a nurse from Kalasin province in Northeast Thailand. Their whirlwind romance reportedly involved him quitting his $12,000 a month job in Singapore to settle down in Thailand, with the wedding dowry of cash and gold valued at over $250,000, according to Kalasin News. The 32-year-old man, identified only as Jordan, told the news outlet that he'd met his wife, «Eve» Ratchadaporn, 29, at a cafe in Bangna district in Bangkok. They exchanged contact numbers and began texting on the Line messaging app, sparking a long-distance relationship. The pair decided to marry after dating for a year, with Jordan making the move to Thailand. Jordan, who speaks Thai, told the news outlet that he and his wife wanted to build a life for themselves in Thailand. He added that he'd taken on a job at a local company for half his original salary at a bank in Singapore — equivalent to about 300,000 baht (S$12,162). Jordan expressed that he appreciates the Thai culture where «you have to create whatever you want yourself». 

Taxi rides between Singapore and Malaysia are set to become more convenient and accessible, as both countries will each increase their fleet of licensed cross-border taxis and allow passengers to be freely dropped off at their desired destinations. This comes after a meeting between Singapore's Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke at the 12th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat on Wednesday (Dec 4). In a joint statement on Dec 5, both transport ministries said the ministers had acknowledged the demand for more convenient cross-border ride services and agreed to enhance the cross-border taxi scheme. Each country's quota for licensed cross-border taxis will be gradually raised from the current 200 to 500, subject to the implementation of safeguards against illegal domestic trips and insurance requirements. 

Minister of Parliament for Chua Chu Kang GRC Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim will be appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Social and Family Development on Jan 1, 2026.He had been set to take up the position on Feb 1, but his appointment has been brought forward as Zhulkarnain «has discharged his professional obligations earlier than initially scheduled», the Prime Minister's Office said on Friday (Dec 5).Zhulkarnain was a senior partner at law firm Dentons Rodyk, where he handled dispute cases and corporate and regulatory advisory matters.He made the decision to give up legal practice to join Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's Cabinet as a political office holder after the 2025 General Election in May.Singapore's code of conduct for ministers states that a minister who is a partner in a professional firm or other business must, cease to practise for remuneration or to play any part in the day-to-day management of the firm's affairs upon taking office.The two-term MP oversees the Keat Hong ward and is vice-chair of the South West Community Development Council and Chua Chu Kang Town Council. [[nid:718138]]

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has taken over 14,400 enforcement actions this year for smoking in prohibited areas, as of November 2025.Smoking is currently banned in more than 49,000 indoor and outdoor premises, with NEA enforcement officers patrolling hotspots.For instance, smoking is prohibited within five metres of bus stops to protect the public from second-hand smoke exposure.In response to queries by AsiaOne, a NEA spokesperson said: «We encourage smokers to be socially responsible when smoking in public places, and not to light up in smoking-prohibited places.»Friendly and timely reminders from family, friends and other members of the community can help to reinforce the right social behaviour and norms."Earlier this month, a man claimed he was fined $300 after leaving his extinguished cigarette butt on top of a rubbish bin. [[nid:725338]]esther.lam@asiaone.com