The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has launched an investigation following images of a stall employee using their fingers to scoop butter and spread it on bread was shared online.

A video of the incident was uploaded on Sep. 28 to Complaint Singapore.

In the video, a person was seen scooping out butter onto several pieces of bread, then using their finger to spread the butter.

The post alleged that the incident occurred at a stall called "Tuantuan Puanpuan" near Woodlands MRT station.

A scan of Google reviews for the stall turned up at least one complaint regarding a cockroach that was supposedly found in a drink while most of the other complaints involved rude staff.

Calls by Mothership to a number associated with the stall did not go through.

In response to media queries, the SFA said it is investigating the incident and that it will take enforcement action once sufficient evidence is available.

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Marina Ibrahim, the former DAP assemblyman who is now a special officer for the Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation, shared a touching story to encourage cancer patients to seek prompt medical attention for cancer.

Marina told the story of a woman she had met in 2023 when Marina was working as a community coordinator in Renggam, Johor.

The woman, whom Marina called "Auntie", told her that she had a lump on her breast but that she had treated it.

That treatment was applying leaves on the aforementioned lump. Marina brought her to the hospital, and got her a scan.

While Auntie said she was unafraid of death, Marina feared that she would need some help during the recovery process, since she was living alone.

After a quick consultation with her mother, Marina invited Auntie to stay with her.

The results on Sep. 3 confirmed that Auntie had breast cancer, and would require a mastectomy.

Auntie would stay with them till the day of her mastectomy on Sep 11.

And while Auntie remained calm throughout, Marina recalled her holding her hand tightly that day.

Auntie was someone who did not want to impose on others, and often told Marina "sorry, I'm troubling you again".

That wasn't the end of her helping out the elderly woman though.

The recovery process would be just as important for Auntie. To aid this, Marina's mother would cook all three meals for her.

Marina, despite her busy work in politics, would check up on the fluid in Auntie's drainage tube and record the measurements as laid out by the doctor.

That help wasn't just limited to purely medical areas, Marina took Auntie for walks and made sure she regained back some of her arm mobility, which would have been affected by the surgery.

"I made her go out walking every day and do her rehabilitation exercises. A month later, at her follow-up appointment, the doctor said she was recovering very well."

Marina said what Auntie's biggest worry was rarely the cancer itself, but the feeling of burdening others.

Marina was adamant on having her out and about though, her reasoning being that she wanted Auntie to understand that having cancer didn't mean her life had to stop.

"Don't let cancer defeat you."

Till today, Auntie is living strongly.

Marina said she was glad to have helped her take the first step, and noted that "what's truly terrifying isn't the illness itself — it's missing the window for treatment."

AirAsia's co-founder, Tony Fernandes, has documented his experience as a passenger on other commercial flights on several occasions.

In an Oct. 1 Instagram post, Fernandes said that he flew on SIA because he couldn't get a seat on AirAsia.

Accompanied by a set of photos, he said the service was great and the internet "amazing", but the food was "poor".

"Santan is far, far better and [the] crew admitted. Great flight but we['re] not far off," he said.

Santan is the Malaysian low-cost airline's official in-flight dining brand, which offers ASEAN-inspired cuisine, including nasi lemak and chicken rice.

Comments

Fernandes's caption was met with a myriad of reactions, with some comparing the two airlines.

While some agreed with his opinion on Santan's food, with one saying "nothing compares to Santan food", others pointed out that there might be more pressing issues for travellers.

With one saying "but they leave on time", another commented on the legroom, humorously noting that "at least I don't need chop my legs to the knees to sit in S'pore Air".

With some speculating why Fernandes could not get a flight on AirAsia.

"Is it because your AirAsia flight was cancelled or delayed? I think that's more important than food or service."

New food

Fernandes' post comes days after SIA announced that more than 100 new and refreshed appetisers, main courses, and desserts are being introduced across all cabin classes.

This also comes on the heels of SIA being named the World's Best Airline by SkyTrax.

SIA also won the World's Best Economy Class Onboard Catering.

Warning: This article contains descriptions of self-harm and violence against a minor. Reader discretion is advised.

A Texas woman has shot her daughter, and then herself, after losing custody of her daughter and hours before she was supposed to turn the child over to the father.

Divorce proceedings

35-year-old Cibelle Savella had divorced her husband, Aaron Savella, in 2024.

On Sep. 29, Cibelle and Aaron had attended a child custody hearing involving their four-year-old daughter Vivian, in which Cibelle reportedly lost custody of the child, according to the New York Post.

Vivian was placed in Aaron’s primary care, and was due to be turned over that evening.

But that reunion never came.

Critical condition

Instead, Vivian was allegedly shot and killed by her mother, before Cibelle appears to have shot herself.

Image via Facebook

The Post reports that Cibelle had lost primary care rights to her daughter, and was also subject to other restrictions.

Cibelle, who is originally from Brazil, was reportedly banned from speaking to Vivian in her native Portuguese, unless a supervisor who could speak the language was present.

She was also banned from attending school performances and extracurricular activities, pay child support to Aaron, as well as 50 per cent of any out-of-pocket medical expenses.

However, the Post noted that there was no immediate explanation as to why Cibelle had lost custody, nor why the restrictions were put into place.

Family devastated

Click2Houston published a statement released by Aaron’s family, saying that the family was “devastated.”

Vivian, it said, was “loved without limit by her father, Aaron, and by everyone whose life she touched.”

“There are no words for what has been taken from us.”

Of Aaron, the statement said that he had done “everything the law asks of a parent who is trying to protect his child.”

The statement said that Aaron had trusted the courts, followed every order, and waited for “the process to work,” finally receiving the court order that would allow Vivian to “come home to him that evening."

“She never did.”

The statement went on to ask the public to remember fathers who fought “quietly, patiently, and within the law to protect their children,” whose stories were “rarely told.”

HELPLINES

If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:

SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2000 (24 hours)

Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 (for primary school-aged children)

SHECARES@SCWO: Call: 8001-01-4616 | Whatsapp: 65714400 (for targets of online harms)

The code of conduct for pet groomers has been revised and a new code has been created for dog trainers in Singapore.

Launched on Oct. 3 by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) of NParks, the updated code includes a slew of new minimum standards and best practices.

These include ensuring "constant physical supervision" of tethered animals for pet groomers, a move that comes after several high-profile cases involving unattended pets in recent years.

AVS added that licencing and accreditation of pet groomers is a "separate consideration" that bears further consultation with stakeholders.

Other minimum standards

The revised code for pet groomers follows a stakeholder survey and two focus group discussions in March and April this year.

There was a "broad consensus" on the need to strengthen industry standards, AVS said in its statement.

Meanwhile, in the revised code for dog trainers, aversive strategies — which include the use of shock and prong collars — are discouraged.

Instead, the "Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive" (LIMA) approach is recommended, promoting the use of evidence-based training methods and positive reinforcement, AVS said.

New requirements were also set for the transportation and boarding of dogs.

You can read the full revised code here.

Review of code of animal welfare for pet owners

While a code of conduct is not enforceable in itself, it sets out minimum standards and best practices that should be adhered to by members of the pet industry.

Failure to meet the minimum standards may be used as evidence to support prosecution for offences under the Animal and Birds Act.

In addition, AVS will soon commence a review of the code of animal welfare for pet owners as well.

Over the coming year, it will engage pet owners, veterinarians, animal groups, and the wider community through public consultations to refine proposed revisions.

The revisions will target areas such as accountability of pet owners, diet and nutrition, housing and environment, and more.

In early September 2026, Singaporean actress and influencer Chen Yixin revealed that she moved to Paris, France.

In a recent YouTube video posted on Sep. 27, the 26-year-old shared that she moved to Paris to further her studies.

Although Chen didn't say which school she's attending due to "safety precautions", she did say that she is on a scholarship pursuing fashion and creative direction.

Chen also talked about her living situation, sharing that she's currently living in a 32 sqm apartment.

The monthly rent? S$2,300 euros (S$3,312).

Getting the apartment wasn't very smooth sailing, though.

She said that during the apartment inspection, the apartment's state of hygiene was "really, really bad".

She mentioned finding bugs, stains on the beds and hair everywhere, even in the coffee machine.

However, Chen felt grateful to have met many nice people, including the apartment inspector and her landlord, whom she said was apologetic about the situation.

"She (the landlord) immediately called her housekeeper to come down and just clean the entire place thoroughly again and she also got a pest control professional to check out on all the cushions and beds."

Chen also said bed bugs are common in Paris, but fortunately, there was no trace of them in her apartment.

She acknowledged that her rent is on the higher side and admitted she cannot afford it every month for the next two years.

She said: "I've been able to save quite an amount of money just to tide me through the first couple of months. But guys, don't worry, I also cannot afford this at all. In fact, I'm actually very stressed out because I don't know how to move forward with this situation."

Nonetheless, she clarified that she moved to Paris entirely on her own savings and at her own expense, and hoped that her sharing would help others set expectations on what it's like to move abroad.

]]> 1175669 https://mothership.sg/2026/10/chinese-blogger-stomach-cancer-warn/ 2026-10-03T11:00:44 https://mothership.sg/2026/10/chinese-blogger-stomach-cancer-warn/

A young blogger from China who had detailed her fight with cancer passed away on Sep. 28.

According to Chinese media, Xu Ziting was known for her optimism even in the face of fighting stomach cancer.

She also encouraged fellow patients, while detailing her own fight.

In one of her videos, she also detailed how she felt her unhealthy lifestyle prior to her diagnosis had affected her.

She said that her unhealthy lifestyle consisted of frequently eating takeout and staying up late.

Her diet was also not ideal, as she rarely drank water.

Instead, Xu said she consumed coffee, milk tea and other sugary drinks five times a day.

She was also not a fan of fruits and vegetables, favouring oily and spicy food instead.

Xu said she believed that lifestyle choice caused irreversible damage to her digestive health.

While she was quick to clarify that she was not implying a causal relation between her lifestyle habits and her stomach cancer, she said these unhealthy habits would have an impact on health nonetheless, advising netizens to take care of themselves.

A man assaulted his 74-year-old mother twice and threatened his older brother, 45, with a knife after he became angry that his family had not consulted him about renovations at their home in Bukit Panjang.

Chen Chen Xi (transliteration from Mandarin), a 41-year-old permanent resident, was sentenced to four months and two weeks in jail. He was slapped with four charges including intentional assault, criminal intimidation and possession of weapons.

He pleaded guilty to two of the charges with the remaining two taken into consideration, Shin Min reported.

Hit his mother on the head, told his brother he would kill him

According to court documents, the incident happened in May 2026.

The defendant had been living with his mother and brother in the vicinity of Bangkit Road.

On May 24, Chen complained to his mother, who was washing cups in the kitchen, that he was unhappy the family had not discussed the renovation of their home with him.

When his brother returned home at 4pm, he informed Chen that the contractor and interior designer would be coming the next day.

According to Shin Min, Chen then asked his brother why the family was renovating and questioned the decision.

He brought up past grievances, including accusations that his brother had humiliated him and called him fat.

Chen also vented his frustration at his mother, eventually losing control of his emotions. At this point, he shoved her in the chest, and hit her on the left arm as well as the left side of her head.

When Chen's brother went to the kitchen upon hearing that their mother was being beaten, Chen grabbed a knife, pointed it at his brother and said, "Don't come in! If you do, I'll kill you and jump down afterwards! And before jumping down, I also won't let her (their mother) go! I'll kill her too!"

His brother was eventually able to persuade him to calm down and Chen returned the knife to the rack.

Assaulted his mother again the next day

However, on May 25, at 1:30pm, he lost his temper with his mother again over the renovation, and ended up punching her three times on the side of the head, once on her left thigh and stomped on her feet.

Shin Min reported that he was arrested at 9:15pm following a police report.

According to a psychiatric report, Chen suffered from schizophrenia at the time of the crime and that his condition was related to his offence.

His medical condition was taken into account when the judge was deciding his sentence.

The ongoing court trial for Abby Choi saw prosecutors trying to establish intent in the gruesome murder of the Hong Kong socialite.

According to CNN, the lead prosecutor, Charlotte Draycott, said the three people on trial, Choi's ex-husband, Alex Kwong, his father, Kwong Kau, and brother, Anthony Kwong, had bought items like a meat mincer and an electric saw days before the murder.

They have all pleaded not guilty to murder.

Hong Kong media noted that the brother and father looked notably thinner during the trial than in their photos before it.

Footage of the two brothers at a Starbucks before the murder, with Anthony making a "series of gestures" was also brought up by the prosecutor, who suggested this may have been about the attack.

The prosecutor said Choi's murder took place in a car that Alex borrowed.

According to the series of events she put forth, Anthony picked Choi up in the car. Alex got on the vehicle at another location.

The prosecutor said Anthony struck Choi repeatedly in the head inside the car, with a hammer that he bought.

According to the prosecutor, the vehicle was driven to a house in a rural part of Hong Kong; the house was allegedly rented by Kwong Kau.

Later that day, a neighbour heard the sound of an electric saw being used.

That was why the prosecutor claimed it was a "cogitated plan" as each person "played their part", CNN reported Draycott saying.

The timing of the murder was also raised by prosecutors. According to HK01, Choi was on the phone with her mother-in-law while she was in the car.

They were talking about clothes she had bought recently. The last voice message was sent at 2.44am. This is around the time the prosecutors believe Choi was attacked.

The trial is expected to last about eight weeks according to CNN.

First day

The first day of trial saw the prosecutors characterising the murder as the result of a financial dispute.

They argued that Choi's former father-in-law enlisted his two sons, including her ex-husband, to help him kill her after he became "extremely resentful and angry" over her insistence on selling a HK$72 million (S$11.7 million) flat where he had been living, The South China Morning Post reported.

Days after Choi was reported missing in February 2023, the police found some body parts believed to be hers in the refrigerator of a house that her ex-husband's family was renting.

Police later found her head in pots filled with soup and minced meat.

They have all pleaded not guilty to murder.

A 24-year-old man sexually assaulted and filmed his female friend while she was drunk and asleep on his bed.

According to Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min), the man pleaded guilty on Oct. 1.

The judge ordered that the media not disclose any information that could reveal the victim's identity.

Shin Min reported that the victim was a longtime friend of the man, and she would visit his home to play video games and drink alcohol.

On Dec. 12 2025, the two were drinking and playing video games till the early hours of the next morning.

She then fell asleep on the bed.

The offender then assaulted her, at which point she was unaware and did not consent to the act.

When she awoke, she found her clothes pulled back and the man's hand on her breast.

He was also holding his phone and attempting to film the act.

Jailed

The man was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment and one stroke of the cane.

According to Shin Min, the man's mother burst into tears upon hearing the news.

After the judge allowed the man to meet with his parents for 10 minutes, his mother further broke down and fell to her knees.

Their conversation was silent, and neither the man nor his parents said anything while his father cried.

Before leaving, his father gave the man a thumbs-up to say goodbye, and he nodded in response.