Christmas is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about festive treats, and what to bring to your year-end gatherings.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is ushering in the season with festive drinks, cakes and a limited-edition tumbler. Essentially, everything you need for a sweet, delightful Christmas party.

Tis’ the season to sip and treat

First up, celebrate the season with the limited-edition Christmas Duo-Sip Tumbler with Flower Braided Strap.

Available in a S$19.90 bundle with a small Peppermint Dark Chocolate Ice Blended, it pairs a festive favourite with a keepsake to enjoy all year round.

Just looking for a drink? You can also get the ice blended with the option of coffee or non-coffee versions, available from S$8.80.

There’s also the newest addition to their festive drinks collection: Tiramisu Ice Blended.

Priced from S$8.80, it’s packed with espresso, mascarpone, and tiramisu flavours, topped with dark chocolate cocoa powder and a ladyfinger biscuit.

Looking for something warm and fuzzy to snuggle in the cosy Christmas atmosphere? The Peppermint Dark Chocolate Latte is available hot or iced from S$8.

The Joy of Sharing

No Christmas gathering is quite complete without cake.

This year's collection features four festive cake options, each priced at S$8.80 per slice.

Here's what you can look forward to:

Tiramisu Log Cake

Coffee lovers might want to start with this one.

The Tiramisu Log Cake features mascarpone mousse and homemade ladyfingers, topped with freshly made espresso cream.

Nutty Lemon Butter Cake

Inspired by the Nutcracker, this cake puts a festive spin on a classic butter cake.

It combines buttery lemon cake with a subtle salted caramel coating and a nutty crunch, with a slight tang from the lemon.

Cookie Dough Chocolate Cheesecake

For those who prefer something richer, the Cookie Dough Chocolate Cheesecake layers chocolate cheese and chocolate cookie dough, finished with a topping of 55 per cent dark chocolate ganache.

Flourless Chocolate Peppermint Cake

This cake brings together two familiar Christmas flavours: dark chocolate and peppermint.

It's an option for those who enjoy the combination of rich chocolate and a refreshing minty finish.

What’s Christmas without presents?

There's also something for those who enjoy getting a little keepsake with their dessert.

The Jolly Bakeware with Choco Strawberry Mousse costs S$12.90.

The chocolate strawberry mousse comes in present-inspired bakeware that is both oven- and microwave-safe.

Once you've finished the dessert, you can keep the bakeware and reuse it at home.

Better to be over-prepared

If you’re already planning your Christmas celebrations, you’re on the right track because we all know how the festive frenzies can get.

From now till Nov. 29, you can enjoy 10 per cent off selected 8-inch whole Christmas cakes if you pre-order online.

The cakes serve around 10 to 12 people and are available in three flavours: Cookie Dough Chocolate Cheesecake, Nutty Lemon Butter Cake and Flourless Chocolate Peppermint Cake.

The last date for collection is Dec. 18.

Set your alert, as you can also get the 600g Tiramisu Log Cake for S$29.90 (U.P.: S$45) if you pre-order it between Nov. 16 and 29.

Collection will take place from Dec. 3 to 18.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Christmas 2026 collection is available while stocks last, with selected items available in-store and online.

Prices may vary across outlets and store exclusions apply.

This Coffee Bean-branded article is making it very hard for this writer to decide between something new, or something familiar….

Alice Huang, a former Megaspeed executive whom U.S. intelligence has alleged to be a Chinese spy, was reportedly introduced to recently-ousted Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang by her husband, Chinese businessman Kang Wei.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Nov. 11 that people who know the couple said Kang had known Jensen Huang for about a decade.

Called wife a "personal assistant" to Jensen Huang

According to the report, Kang appeared to accept his wife’s relationship with the Nvidia chief.

He allegedly spoke openly about their closeness for about two years.

WSJ reported that he even half-jokingly told associates that she was Jensen Huang’s “personal assistant”.

Jensen Huang had reportedly known Kang since the 2010s, according to U.S. tech website The Information.

Jensen Huang, who is married, was first seen together with Alice Huang in June 2024.

They were mingling at a bar with other tech executives after a technology trade show in Taipei.

Tech investors told The New York Times (NYT) that Alice Huang and her associates often boasted about her ties to Jensen Huang, using them to raise funds and promote the business.

Nvidia declined comment to WSJ, which said it could not reach Kang or Alice Huang for comment.

Who is Kang Wei?

Kang is reportedly in his early 50s.

He founded Shanghai Hexi in 2010, a private equity firm of which Alice was reportedly a major shareholder and senior executive.

He and Alice Huang reportedly co-ran the company from 2016.

Alice Huang was previously the managing director of Singapore-based Megaspeed, which U.S. intelligence has alleged smuggled advanced Nvidia AI chips to China.

Nvidia has denied this.

Kang has also been embroiled in controversial capital operations in recent years.

He was recently under criminal scrutiny for manipulating listed stocks, Caixin reported.

Sources claimed that Chinese securities regulators previously fined him as well.

Investigations into Megaspeed ongoing

In February 2025, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Customs initiated an independent investigation into several companies and their key officers, including Megaspeed.

On Nov. 12, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Singapore police had concluded in February 2026 that there was insufficient evidence that Alice Huang had committed offences relating to possible false declarations by Megaspeed.

However, police assessed that she had given inaccurate information during investigations to downplay her role in the company.

Police issued her a stern warning and barred her from re-entering Singapore, and she has not returned since.

Police investigations into Megaspeed and six other individuals are ongoing.

Two Thai women working together at a food court in Changi Airport got into a fight involving a ladle and a pair of scissors.

The tussle left one woman with a fractured rib and the other with two stab wounds.

Shin Min Daily News reported that Changsuwan Titirat, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 11 weeks' jail.

The court heard that Changsuwan had been working with the victim, Charoensuk Krittya, 53, at the Singapore Food Street food court in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 3.

The two had worked together for nearly a month but had a misunderstanding that led to tensions between them.

Fight broke out

On May 2, 2025, the friction between the two resulted in an argument at about 9:05pm.

The argument escalated into a physical altercation, with Charoensuk pushing Changsuwan and causing her to fall and hit a nearby metal stool.

This caused a minor fracture of the seventh rib on her left side.

They were separated by another employee, but began arguing again less than five minutes later.

Charoensuk, who had been preparing food outside the kitchen, returned to confront Changsuwan and threw a ladle at her.

In retaliation, Changsuwan, who was preparing food with scissors, stabbed Charoensuk twice on the arm.

She stopped when Charoensuk retreated.

Charoensuk was subsequently taken to Changi General Hospital for treatment.

She suffered a laceration to her left arm and was given three days' sick leave.

The manager of the food court then made a police report, leading to Changsuwan's arrest that same day.

She was released on bail the following day.

Other woman also facing charges

According to Shin Min, Charoensuk is also facing one count of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, as well as one count of criminal intimidation.

The charges allege that she threatened to break Changsuwan's nose with a ladle.

Her case is still pending before the courts.

A 75-year-old man died after his power-assisted bicycle collided with a car in Hougang on the morning of Nov. 13.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the accident at the junction of Hougang Avenue 9 and Yio Chu Kang Road at about 11:25am.

The SCDF conveyed the unconscious cyclist to Sengkang General Hospital, where he subsequently passed away.

A 54-year-old male car driver is assisting with investigations, said the police

Police investigations are ongoing.

Third report of fatal accident involving cyclist this week

This is the third report of a cyclist dying in a road traffic accident this week.

On Nov. 12, a 24-year-old male cyclist died in an accident involving a tipper truck in Tanah Merah

On Nov. 11, a 37-year-old female cyclist died in an accident involving a tipper truck at the junction of Amber Road and Amber Gardens.

According to the Annual Road Traffic report released in February 2026, Singapore's road fatality rate increased by 24 per cent from 2021 to 2025.

A Singaporean family’s trip to China hit a snag before it even began, when they arrived at Changi Airport to find there was apparently no record of the flight tickets they had booked.

Not allowed to board

Speaking to Mothership, Tseng said he had booked a round trip with China Southern Airlines, from Singapore to Chengdu and back, for his family via the online travel agency Trip.com.

The tickets had cost S$1,077.20 for four people.

Both the booking and payment went through, and the e-tickets were sent to him.

On Nov. 8, the day of the flight, Tseng said he received reminders from the Trip.com app that the flight was on schedule.

However, when they arrived at Changi Airport, check-in staff could not locate the booking in their system.

Staff also checked with the airline directly, but were unable find the reservations.

As a result, the family was not allowed to board the plane.

"My family and I were left stranded at Changi Airport, with our holiday plans suddenly in jeopardy," Tseng said.

He said he immediately contacted Trip.com via phone and in-app chat for assistance, but claimed the company failed to acknowledge responsibility or offer an immediate solution.

He said its representatives had asked him to wait and said they would call back in 15 or 30 minutes, but mostly did not do so on time.

The family subsequently booked a new flight departing at 3am, about six hours after their original flight, and spent the night at the airport.

The replacement outbound flight had cost the family an additional S$1,805.60.

Return flight in doubt

Even after arriving in China, the family's troubles continued.

Tseng said he kept following up with Trip.com during the holiday to seek clarity on their return flight.

On Nov. 11, he received an email from the agency saying that following its latest communication with the airline, the existing return tickets could not be used for travel.

No further explanation was given, although the tickets still showed up as "confirmed" on the Trip.com app, Tseng said.

He added that the platform said it had submitted an urgent enquiry to the airline on whether the tickets could be reissued, and asked for more time.

Tseng also said Trip.com suggested cancelling their tickets and making a new flight booking, and informed them that any reimbursement was not guaranteed, and was subject to review and approval.

In a subsequent email, the agency apologised for the inconvenience caused by the return journey being marked as invalid, and said it was still checking the root cause of the problem.

It said it had escalated the matter to the airline, which advised that there was an "involuntary-change" remark on the tickets and that it may be able to reissue the return journey free of charge.

The final outcome remains subject to the airline’s review and approval, Trip.com said.

The family remains in China, with their return flight originally scheduled for Nov. 18.

Tseng said they have yet to book a replacement flight, as they are still hoping Trip.com can assist and it has not confirmed a full refund for one.

"Imagine spending your family holiday worrying about whether you can get home, while potentially having to pay for another set of flights just to ensure that you can," he said.

Trip.com apologises

In response to Mothership’s queries, a Trip.com spokesperson said the company takes full responsibility for the situation.

“We sincerely apologise to the customer for the inconvenience caused by a human error during the ticketing process,” the spokesperson said.

The company is in contact with the customer and has fully secured his travel arrangements, the spokesperson added.

It has also offered to cover any additional travel losses caused by the issue and is finalising the details with him.

Jensen Huang has agreed to testify before the U.S. Congress, a lawmaker told Bloomberg.

The now-former Nvidia CEO agreed to testify on Nov. 11, after several key lawmakers threatened to subpoena him, said House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast at the U.S. Capitol.

A subpoena is a compulsory legal directive that obliges one to appear for testimony to provide evidence.

Huang is expected to appear before Congress before Thanksgiving on Nov. 26.

The testimony is set to take place behind closed doors but will be recorded and transcribed, said Mast.

He added, “Jensen and I have been very at odds as some of you already know on export controls, but Nvidia is a very important company to the United States of America. I don’t want to see anything hurt in Nvidia, but he has some very serious questions to answer.”

Huang's fortunes have taken a sharp turn in the past few weeks, having stepped down as Nvidia CEO on Nov. 12 after he admitted to having an extramarital affair.

He is suspected of having three affairs in total.

More pertinently for lawmakers in Congress, however, are allegations that one of the women he was said to be involved with, Alice Huang, was a Chinese spy.

Megaspeed, the Singapore-based company at which she was a former executive, was accused by U.S. intelligence of importing and diverting advanced Nvidia chips to China, bypassing U.S. export restrictions on AI chips.

A report claimed that his relationship with Alice Huang allowed S$9.6 billion worth of Nvidia chips to enter China.

The U.S. fears that this will allow China to take the lead in the AI race.

Huang will be questioned by Mast’s House Foreign Affairs Committee, along with the House’s China and Intelligence panels.

Related stories

A 27-year-old woman was arrested for theft in dwelling following an incident at Block 731 Clementi West Street 2 on Nov. 12.

According to Shin Min Daily News, a domestic worker allegedly argued with a person in the flat after being suspected of theft, before locking herself inside with a knife.

The worker was arrested following an alleged three-hour confrontation with police officers.

In response to Mothership's queries, police confirmed receiving a call for assistance at about 7:15pm.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Police officers seen carrying shields

According to Shin Min, reporters arrived at the block at around 8pm and spotted four police vehicles and two Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) vehicles.

Several police officers were also seen outside the flat.

A neighbour, who declined to be named, told Shin Min that she had seen police officers at the unit as early as 5pm. She also heard children crying.

The neighbour said a couple and their two primary school-aged children lived in the flat.

The husband had suffered a stroke about two years earlier, after which his wife rarely returned home.

A domestic helper was subsequently hired to care for him.

On the evening of the incident, the neighbour also heard the husband shouting, although she was unsure what had happened.

She added that she saw police officers carrying shields outside the unit.

At around 9pm, a person was observed being taken to an ambulance while covered with a towel.

Police officers were still taking statements inside the flat at around 10pm.

One person taken to hospital

In response to Mothership's queries, SCDF confirmed that it received a call for assistance at about 7:20pm on Nov. 12.

"SCDF conveyed a person to National University Hospital," they said.

SCDF did not identify the person who was taken to hospital or provide details about their condition.

A woman allegedly stole S$364 worth of Pokémon cards from a trading card game (TCG) shop in The Centrepoint mall on Orchard Road on Nov. 7.

The store, Play United, posted a video of the incident on its Facebook page, seeking eyewitnesses and giving the woman a chance to come forward and return the cards; otherwise, a police report would be filed.

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, the store owner, Wu, said the woman targeted higher-priced and rarer cards.

The 32-year-old store owner suspected that the woman knew the value of the Pokémon cards.

Took 13 packs of Pokémon cards

The CCTV footage showed a woman with medium-length hair in a blue dress browsing the card selection.

The bespectacled woman kept glancing to her right.

Shin Min noted that when a clerk turned to attend to other customers in the store, the woman reached out and took a stack of cards from the table and display case.

According to the video, the woman allegedly stole packs of The Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—151 expansion, Japanese edition.

The overlaid caption of the video noted: "Hoseh 151 (Jap) 100 per cent off for her. You have three days to surrender yourself; otherwise, we will press charges."

"We have CCTV everywhere; don't try to be funny."

The woman allegedly stole a total of 13 packs, priced at S$28 each.

Most of them were best-selling sets, with some being discontinued collectables.

Chance to return the cards

After speaking with her staff, Wu found out that the woman was a first-time customer, reported Shin Min.

Wu said that other branches of the TCG chain had faced thefts in the past, but as the amounts stolen in those instances were small, the chain decided not to pursue the matter.

However, in this instance, the number of cards allegedly taken by the woman was higher.

Shin Min reported that the store chose to be lenient and give the woman a chance to return the cards and apologise.

Woman has not shown up

The woman has yet to make restitution.

Wu said: "Perhaps she has some difficulties. Hopefully, she'll be willing to return and resolve this issue. If so, we won't pursue the matter any further."

Shin Min noted that the store has installed more than 10 surveillance cameras and reduced the number of items on display to prevent theft.

Noting that displaying the cards allows customers to pick what they want, Wu said it was impossible to store all of the cards.

After the incident, Wu said she reminded employees to be more vigilant and to put the cards back in their boxes.

More than 10 CCTV cameras have been installed in the store, covering almost all angles to prevent theft, Wu added.

A Grab delivery driver gave Shaun Chen the middle finger.

The 48-year-old actor then took to Instagram on Nov. 12 to call him out, uploading a dashcam video and two images of the incident.

In the video, Chen's car can be seen at the side of the road, in what appears to be an HDB housing estate.

The Grab driver then drove past him on a motorcycle and gave him the middle finger.

However, it is not known what happened after.

He wrote in the caption, "Why so rude?? [Is it] normal to point middle finger like that?" and tagged the official Grab Instagram account.

The other two images he posted show the licence plate of the motorcycle, and a clear shot of the middle finger gesture.

In response to Mothership's queries, a Grab spokesperson said they are aware of the video circulating online and are currently looking into the matter.

"Road safety and mutual respect are important to us. We expect all our partners to uphold our code of conduct, and will take appropriate action where needed."

You probably heard that Singapore is now encouraging people to read at least 15 minutes a day, courtesy of the ReadSG challenge by the National Library Board (NLB).

The aim of the initiative is to invite Singaporeans to rediscover the joy of reading through a simple daily reading habit, according to the campaign objective.

But what exactly is the joy of reading? And how does it benefit us?

The wonders of reading

According to ScienceDirect, reading can help us better understand others.

When we read, we imagine the experiences of others, including those with different backgrounds from our own.

A study in Germany found that students who own more books tend to be more empathetic and prosocial, even after accounting for socioeconomic status (SES), language background and gender.

In addition, reading has also been found to boost one’s well-being, regardless of age.

Another study quoted by the BBC found that children who read for pleasure have better attention spans, memory, and problem-solving skills.

They also tend to perform better in school, experience fewer mental health problems and lead healthier lifestyles, with more sleep and less screen time.

Meanwhile, adults aged 55 and above who read were found to be significantly less likely to develop cognitive impairment.

More literary events around Singapore

Keen to pick up a book, but still feeling uninspired to do so? Here’s some more good news: there are actually many more literary events around Singapore you can check out to help give you that extra boost, beyond the ReadSG Challenge.

Singapore Writers Festival

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From Nov. 13-22, the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) will be running at multiple locations, including The Arts House at the Old Parliament, Asian Civilisations Museum and various libraries.

There will be various programmes for you to look forward to, ranging from understanding how killers might behave to a keynote talk by award-winning journalist Stephen Witt, where he will share insights from his new book, The Thinking Machine, which chronicles the rise of Jensen Huang and Nvidia.

Ever wondered how authors come up with detective stories and get into the mind of a detective to create gripping mysteries?

You will have the opportunity to join three mystery authors, Robin Stevens ("Murder Most Unladylike"), Ning Cai ("The Savant Trilogy: Misdirection") and Shamini Flint ("Inspector Singh Investigates"), as they share their creative process and give you a peek behind the scenes of crafting a good whodunit.

Book clubs

If you’re looking to read while connecting with like-minded people, joining a book club is a great way to do both.

Book Bar organises monthly events, ranging from talks with authors and illustrators to quiet group reading sessions. Its monthly book club,

Bookworm Banter, gives participants time to read quietly before coming together for lively discussions and a chance to mingle with fellow book lovers.

Mother tongue reading clubs are also available at our local libraries, catering to different age groups from young learners to adults.

Using your SG Culture Pass to buy Sing Lit books

Did you know you can use your SG Culture Pass credits to purchase eligible Sing Lit titles from participating bookstores?

Here are some of the bookstores:

• ah-Ha! Bookstore by Child Ed
• Basheer Graphic Books
• Book Bar
• Book Point Pte Ltd
• Books Kinokuniya
• BookXcess at OCBC Wisma Atria
• City Book Room
• Grassroots Book Room
• Lingzi Warehouse Books Sale
• Littered with Books
• Maha Yu Yi
• Nurul Anwar Bookstore
• Owl Books
• Pepple Studiomarket
• Popular Bookstore
• TCZ Studio
• The Zall Bookstore
• Union Book Co
• Wardah Books
• Woods in the Books

Literature and whisky, a perfect pairing

Unsure of where to start? Try combining your literary journey with a little treat instead.

Spend an afternoon on Nov. 15 with like-minded kindreds, reflecting on the poems found in Singaporean writer Alvin Pang’s What Gives Us Our Names, alongside a flight of three whiskies.

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Now’s your chance to finally pick up that book. It will really do you some good.

This sponsored article got the author thinking about the joys of reading and why it's worth turning a few more pages.