The Straits Times
Singapore to invest $1 billion over 5 years to boost AI public research
Singapore is setting aside $1 billion over a period of five years from 2025 to 2030 to boost its public research capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI). Announced by Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo at a gala dinner...
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SGX proposes reducing lot sizes to make trading more affordable
The Singapore Exchange is proposing to reduce the minimum amount required to invest in stocks and other instruments – a move that will make trading on the local bourse more affordable for investors, such as younger people. This will be done by...
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Building jobs worth up to $53b expected in 2026: BCA
Some $47 billion to $53 billion in construction contracts across the public and private sectors are expected to be awarded in 2026, driven by projects such as Changi Airport Terminal 5 and the Marina Bay Sands expansion. In 2025, an estimated $50.5...
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Trump says he won’t take Greenland by force, wants immediate talks to get it
AUSTIN/DAVOS – US President Donald Trump has softened his stance on taking Greenland by force, saying he was seeking immediate negotiations to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish territory. He cast his demand as a “small ask” that was purely for...
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Singapore invited to join Trump’s Board of Peace and is assessing invitation: MFA
AUSTIN, Texas – Singapore has been invited to join the US-led “Board of Peace” proposed by the Trump administration to supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan. “The Singapore Government has received an invitation from the US to join the Board...
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Migrant worker dorms to benefit from $100m retrofitting grant
Dormitory operators that house some 200,000 migrant workers are expected to receive more than $100 million of government funding to defray the cost of enhancing the liveability of about 900 existing dormitories to meet stricter requirements. On Jan...
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PM Wong removes Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has removed Workers’ Party chief Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition (LO), and asked the opposition party to nominate another MP to fill the position. In a statement on Jan 15, PM Wong said: “Having considered the...
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Trump vows 25% tariff on goods from Iran’s ‘business’ partners
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said he is imposing a 25 per cent tariff on goods from countries “doing business” with Iran, ratcheting up pressure on the government in Tehran that has been rocked by widespread protests. He posted on social...
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GLS, commercial deals lift 2025 property investment to $40b
Property investment activity in Singapore hit a new eight-year high of $40 billion in 2025, fuelled by robust participation in Government Land Sales (GLS) tenders and more commercial transactions as interest rates eased amid geopolitical and economic...
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Parliament set to debate Pritam’s suitability as Leader of the Opposition
Parliament is set to debate if Mr Pritam Singh is suitable to continue as Leader of the Opposition following his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee. Leader of the House Indranee Rajah has tabled a motion for the upcoming session of...
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Growing unease in Asia-Pacific over US strike on Venezuela
MANILA – While governments across the Asia-Pacific region have responded cautiously to the US attack on Venezuela, lawmakers and former officials have hit out at Washington’s move, saying its actions risk accelerating the erosion of the rules-based...
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Passenger numbers at Changi hit new high of about 70 million in 2025
Changi Airport handled about 70 million passengers in 2025, with volumes surpassing pre-Covid-19 levels, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow on Jan 5. This means passenger numbers at the airport reached an all-time high in 2025, eclipsing the...
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Venezuela’s Maduro sits in US custody as loyalists vow defiance
NEW YORK – Venezuela’s toppled leader Nicolas Maduro was in a New York detention centre on Jan 4 awaiting drug charges after US President Donald Trump ordered an audacious raid to capture him, saying the US would take control of the oil-producing...
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Captured Maduro to face drug charges, says US after strike on Venezuela
WASHINGTON/CARACAS – The US attacked Venezuela and deposed its long-serving President Nicolas Maduro on Jan 3, President Donald Trump said, in Washington’s most direct intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama. “The United States...
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Singaporean households can begin redeeming $300 in CDC vouchers
Every Singaporean household can claim $300 worth of CDC vouchers from Jan 2. This is part of continued government support to defray households’ daily expenses, and to help participating hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets. The vouchers can...
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Tengah residents settle in as S’pore’s newest HDB town fills up
When Mr Mohd Zaki moved into his two-room flexi flat in Tengah in October 2024, much of the Housing Board town was still under construction. But despite the teething problems of living in a new estate, Mr Zaki – who lives with his wife, 18month-old...
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Economy grew 4.8% in 2025, but S’pore needs fresh ways to stay competitive: PM Wong
Singapore posted stronger-thanexpected economic growth of 4.8 per cent in 2025 amid a changing global order and deepening geopolitical tensions. But Singaporeans must be realistic and know that sustaining this pace of growth will be challenging, Prime...
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SGX renews push for Chinese firms, with focus on strong listings
Investors could see more familiar Chinese names on the local bourse in 2026 as the Singapore Exchange (SGX) makes a renewed push to draw Chinese companies for listings. Fresh from grant injections by the Government and recent regulatory nods from both...
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Myanmar holds restricted election, its first since 2021 coup
YANGON – Gallery owner Su Htwe was in hospital after giving birth to a baby boy during the last Myanmar general election back in 2020. Despite pain from her caesarean operation and her newborn being in intensive care, she made her way to a polling...
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Cambodia, Thailand agree on immediate ceasefire after weeks of deadly border clashes
BANGKOK – Cambodia and Thailand have inked a fresh ceasefire agreement aimed at ending a fractious cycle of deadly clashes along their shared border that lasted for nearly three weeks. But given the high level of distrust between the two sides, it...
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Najib gets new jail term of 15 years, $3.6b fine over 1MDB scandal
PUTRAJAYA – Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was sentenced to 15 years’ jail on Dec 26 in a case involving the alleged misappropriation of about RM2.3 billion (S$730 million) in funds linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state...
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Floating solar farm to cover one-third of Lower Seletar Reservoir by 2029
A new floating solar farm occupying an area larger than Gardens by the Bay will soon cover 36 per cent of Lower Seletar Reservoir. Construction is slated to begin in 2027. When completed two years later, the facility will generate at least 130...
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Cambodia, Thailand to hold ceasefire talks on Dec 24
BANGKOK/KUALA LUMPUR – Cambodian and Thai officials will meet on Dec 24 to negotiate the potential return to a ceasefire. This comes after a Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting convened in Kuala Lumpur appeared to provide a key circuit breaker as...
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Prime HDB flats still oversubscribed, but demand eases with higher supply
Demand for new flats in the choicest locations has eased in the year since the Housing Board rolled out its Prime, Plus and Standard classification framework, following a ramped-up flat supply. Of the three categories, demand for Plus flats has been...
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41,800 foreigners denied entry to S’pore in 11 months
Around 41,800 foreigners were turned away at the Republic’s checkpoints in the first 11 months of 2025, but undesirable travellers will face even greater scrutiny from 2026 with a new no-boarding directive (NBD) initiative. From January 2026,...
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Electricity retailers to face stricter rules when auto-renewing contracts
From June 19, 2026, households will have more leeway to cancel electricity contracts with retailers, following complaints that such contracts were being automatically renewed without ample warning. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) said on Dec 19 that...
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92 SMRT trains to be upgraded by mid-2030s
By the mid-2030s, 92 trains on Singapore’s oldest and busiest MRT lines will be upgraded with new systems to detect problems early and reduce breakdowns, rail operator SMRT said on Dec 18. The trains to get these advanced systems make up just under...
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About 1 in 6 families on ComLink+ scheme faced violence at home
About one in six lower-income families on a national scheme to support them in improving their lives faced violence at home. As at December 2024, 16 per cent of ComLink+ families had cases involving domestic violence or child protection concerns, up...
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Bondi Beach shooting sparks ‘lone wolf ’ fears in Australia
SYDNEY – Even as the authorities probe possible foreign terror links in the Dec 14 Bondi Beach mass shooting, they say the father-and-son duo appear to have acted alone – a scenario that analysts say is hardest to prevent. As the nation reels from the...
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At least 12 dead, 29 injured in terrorist attack at Australia’s Bondi Beach
SYDNEY – A mass shooting by two gunmen on Dec 14 targeting a Jewish festival event at Sydney ’s Bondi Beach – Australia’s best-known beach – left at least 12 people dead and 29 injured, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing the attack as “an...
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Thailand vows to continue military operations against Cambodia
SURIN, Thailand/ODDAR MEANCHEY, Cambodia – Thailand has vowed to continue military operations in its border conflict with Cambodia, with its foreign minister saying that earlier comments made by US President Donald Trump – including that the latter had...
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38 Oxley Road gazetted as a national monument
The site at 38 Oxley Road – where key discussions between Singapore’s founding leaders took place – has been gazetted as a national monument. The preservation order for the site – published in the Government Gazette on Dec 12 at 5pm – takes effect on...
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Rise in number of child abuse cases in Singapore in 2024
Child abuse cases rose in Singapore in 2024, with those aged seven to 12 making up the largest group of children abused by a loved one. New high-risk cases increased by 14.5 per cent, from 2,011 in 2023 to 2,303 in 2024. These cases managed by the...
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New hospitals will be built faster, could cost less: Minister
With standard design guidelines in place, new hospitals can now be built faster at a potentially lower cost. Key to this effort is the Healthcare Facility Design Standards (HFDS) – the first framework in Singapore that harmonises hospital design...
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Smooth resumption of MRT service on EWL after track works
The resumption of MRT service on the East-West Line (EWL) from Bedok to Tampines and Tanah Merah to Expo got off to a smooth start on Dec 8, a day ahead of schedule after works were completed early. Passengers whom The Straits Times spoke to were...
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'Singapore's independence was not inevitable'
Till the final ys before Separation, foundin prime minister Lee Kuan Yew wa ambivalent about Singapore lea ng Malaysia. Senior Mi ster Lee Hsien Loong recou ed how the Lee family were o holiday in Cameron Highlands on Aug 3, 1965, when his fat r...
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Over 14,000 flats in Tengah completed; 2nd neighbourhood centre to open in 2026
More than 14,000 flats across 14 projects in Tengah have been completed to date, with over 12,000 households having collected their keys, HDB said in an update on Dec 6. This is close to half of the 30,000 or so flats planned for Tengah, it...
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S’pore, Malaysia to allow cross-border taxi drop-offs anywhere: Ministries
Cross-border taxis will be able to drop off passengers anywhere in their destination country under new agreements by Singapore and Malaysia aimed at improving travel convenience between the neighbouring nations. Foreign taxis will still only be...
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S’pore, Malaysia deepen collaboration; continue talks on longstanding issues in ‘constructive spirit’
Singapore and Malaysia will deepen collaboration and continue talks on longstanding issues, with the leaders of both countries emphasising moving forward with a “constructive spirit”, mutual respect and goodwill. The two countries have inked an...
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Businesses must develop wide networks for resilience amid uncertainty: President
MEXICO CITY – With a weakened and less predictable global economic order likely to be the new normal, it is all the more important that businesses diversify and develop wide networks for resilience amid such uncertainty, said President Tharman...
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Private housing land supply to fall further in H1 of 2026
Land set aside for private housing on the confirmed list of the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme will shrink further in the first half of 2026, while supply on the reserve list will increase. The confirmed list, which comprises eight private...
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Longer wait times for CCL trains from Jan 17 to April 19 due to tunnel works
Passengers using the Circle Line (CCL) will face delays of up to 30 minutes from Jan 17 to April 19, 2026, as work is carried out to strengthen the tunnels linking Mountbatten, Dakota and Paya Lebar stations. This stretch of underground tunnels was...
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No smartphone and smartwatch use in secondary schools from 2026
From January 2026, secondary school students will not be allowed to use smartphones and smartwatches outside of lesson time, such as during recess and cocurricular activities, as part of tightened guidelines on screen use. Currently, they are limited...
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Singapore’s largest polyclinic opens in Serangoon
Serangoon Polyclinic, the largest polyclinic in Singapore, opened its doors on Nov 29 with a new care model that has a healthcare team looking after patients from the same family and a more structured approach to assess and treat frailty. It will also...
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Real median income in S’pore up 4.3% in 2025 amid lower inflation
Singapore workers saw their incomes grow in 2025 after taking lower inflation into account, while the proportion of the workforce in permanent jobs hit a high of over 90 per cent, according to data released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Nov...
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Integrated Shield Plan riders soon won’t cover minimum deductibles
To address rising insurance premiums and private healthcare costs, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is putting a stop to health insurance plans that protect policyholders almost “to the last dollar”. New riders sold from April 1, 2026, will no longer be...
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Countries should find ways forward together, even if US is not involved: PM Wong
ADDIS ABABA – Countries should come together and find ways forward on their own, even if the United States is not involved in discussions or chooses not to be, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at the end of his trip to Africa, where he attended the...
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Singapore to open embassy in Ethiopian capital as ties grow
ADDIS ABABA – Singapore will establish an embassy in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Ababa, as both countries cooperate to connect their respective regions. Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong announced this on Nov 24, during his...
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Address concerns over AI’s impact on jobs and livelihoods: PM Wong
JOHANNESBURG – Amid all the innovation brought about by artificial intelligence (AI), a key challenge for governments worldwide is addressing concerns about jobs and livelihoods and helping workers adjust, said Prime Minister and Finance Minister...
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New infectious diseases agency to chart S’pore’s pandemic plans: PM Wong
Singapore’s newest public health agency will take the lead to refresh and update the country’s pandemic plans, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Speaking at the official launch of the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), PM Wong likened pandemic...
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HDB’s deficit eases slightly to $6.34 billion amid BTO roll-out
The roll-out of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats and the disbursement of housing grants led the Housing Board to report a deficit of $6.34 billion for the 2024 financial year (FY) from April 2024 to March 2025. This eased slightly from the record housing...
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Green jet fuel levy to start for flights out of S’pore from Oct 2026
Passengers flying out of Singapore from October 2026 will pay a levy of between $1 and $41.60 that will go towards the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel. The levy will apply to tickets sold from April 1, 2026, for flights leaving Singapore from...
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Beyond policy, PAP must also set the tone for politics in S’pore: PM Wong
The PAP has to speak up each time it sees something that crosses the line, or politics in Singapore will gradually take a turn for the worse as seen around the world, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Nov 9. This could include distorting facts to...
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80% of homes now equipped with smart electricity meters
At least four electricity retailers are offering plans with lower off-peak rates, as 80 per cent of all residential premises in Singapore have smart electricity meters that tell users how much power they consume and when. These plans offer different...
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Singapore and Thailand ink deals in rice trade, healthcare
Singapore and Thailand have signed pacts to expand the sale of rice to the Republic, and to deepen cooperation in healthcare capabilities to meet the needs of their ageing societies. The two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed on Nov 7...
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Govt will keep all options open for 38 Oxley Road: David Neo
In deciding to gazette the site at 38 Oxley Road as a national monument, the Government’s considerations were for the entire site and not for the buildings and structures within it, said Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo. The...
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Zohran Mamdani’s New York win challenges both Trump and Democrats
NEW YORK – The first city of finance has a committed socialist at the helm of city affairs. But that was not the only remarkable thing about the victory of 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s mayoral elections on Nov 4. The charismatic...
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S’pore revises 2030 farming goal amid headwinds facing sector
Singapore has replaced its original 2030 farming goal with new targets for fibre and protein production by 2035, amid headwinds confronting the local agricultural sector. At the same time, the Government is also exploring new ways to help local farms...
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38 Oxley Road earmarked to become national monument
The site of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew’s family home at 38 Oxley Road has been earmarked to become a national monument and could be converted into a public heritage park. On Nov 3, the Government announced that it intends to gazette the site...
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Singapore and S. Korea launch strategic partnership to expand bilateral links
Singapore and South Korea have agreed to work more closely in a range of areas such as trade, sustainability and defence technology, as the two countries upgraded bilateral ties. On Nov 1, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and South Korean President Lee...
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Apec summit shows nations can mitigate economic rifts: PM Wong
GYEONGJU, South Korea – The trend towards more global economic fragmentation will most likely continue after a “temporary truce” between the US and China, but the rest of the world still has agency, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. Singapore and...
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Collective leadership of Apec needed to reform WTO: PM Wong
GYEONGJU, South Korea – The collective leadership of Apec’s 21 economies is needed to reform and strengthen the World Trade Organisation (WTO) so that it stays effective and relevant, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at the annual Asia-Pacific...
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Trump cuts tariffs on China after striking rare earths deal with Xi
AUSTIN/SINGAPORE – A meeting of about 100 minutes on a cloudy morning in an unglamorous building off an airport tarmac in South Korea appears to have brought some respite in the USChina trade war. Several pain points in trade between the world’s...
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More support for AI start-ups to scale faster under new partnership
Artificial intelligence (AI) startups in Singapore will get help to scale more quickly in the region and globally, thanks to a new tieup between Microsoft, Enterprise Singapore and the National University of Singapore’s entrepreneurial arm. This is...
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Silver lining amid dark clouds as Asean recognises need to deepen unity, says PM Wong
KUALA LUMPUR – Amid the dark clouds of geopolitical uncertainty, there is a silver lining for Asean – that its leaders recognise more clearly than ever the need to be more integrated and united, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. He pointed to what he...
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Asean leaders push for stronger trade ties among RCEP members
KUALA LUMPUR – The world’s largest trade pact has stressed its commitment to an open, fair and rules-based multilateral trading system, amid an increasingly unsettled geopolitical climate. At the 47th Asean Summit and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur...
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Timor-Leste officially admitted to Asean, becoming its 11th member
KUALA LUMPUR – For the first time in 26 years, Asean has expanded its ranks, with Timor-Leste officially admitted as the grouping’s 11th member on Oct 26. The announcement came as regional leaders convened for the 47th Asean Summit and related...
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S’pore, China to establish green, digital shipping corridor
Singapore and China have agreed to work together to decarbonise and digitalise shipping routes between the two countries, with the establishment of a national green and digital shipping corridor. This memorandum of understanding (MOU) is one of eight...
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Asean on track to sign digital economy agreement in 2026
KUALA LUMPUR – Asean is on course to sign a digital economy pact in 2026, which aims to boost cross-border digital trade and services. Talks on the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (Defa) reached a “substantial conclusion” at the 26th Asean...
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Review panel finds multiple breaches by agencies in Megan Khung abuse case
An independent review panel has found a series of breaches by agencies in the handling of Megan Khung’s case, including a Child Protective Service (CPS) officer failing to log calls from the girl’s pre-school seeking help, and police officers not...
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S’pore will take a proactive, practical approach in dealing with emerging tech
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems capable of autonomous actions present unique challenges for society, raising critical questions about accountability when technology malfunctions and when humans lose control over it. “Who is accountable when...
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Sanae Takaichi makes history as Japan’s first woman prime minister
TOKYO – In a landmark moment for Japan, Ms Sanae Takaichi has risen to the nation’s highest political office and become its first woman prime minister after a parliamentary vote on Oct 21. But any hopes that her appointment will lead to better gender...
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US steps up diplomacy after Gaza’s weekend of violence threatens truce
CAIRO/JERUSALEM – US envoys met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct 20 aiming to corral Israel and Hamas to get the Gaza ceasefire plan back on track after an explosion of violence over the weekend that threatened to derail the week-old...
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Bukit Timah Turf City nature park to preserve threatened flora, fauna
Residents of the future Bukit Timah Turf City will have a new nature park for a backyard, home to the shy pangolin and a critically endangered songbird. On Oct 10, National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat announced on social media that two forested...
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