KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Singapore will extend emission limits for air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment to large commercial refrigeration systems and vehicle air-conditioning over the next two years, according to The Straits Times.

In a statement today, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) said the move, which includes a ban on new refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment with high greenhouse gas emissions for these systems, is aimed at helping the country meet its climate targets for 2030.

Refrigeration and air-conditioning systems traditionally use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases, which can be hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.

From July 2027, new centralised commercial refrigerators, commonly used in supermarkets, will be required to use refrigerants with a global warming potential (GWP) capped at 150, in line with standards in Europe and Japan.

According to the report, this means that over a century, these systems can contribute to global warming at a rate of up to 150 times that of carbon dioxide.

From July 2028, the same GWP limits will apply to air-conditioning systems in new passenger cars and light goods vehicles.

The NEA said the later implementation date for vehicles is to give suppliers more time to adjust, as some models using lower-GWP refrigerants are not yet widely available.

It said the limits apply only to new equipment, and existing systems can continue operating until the end of their service life to minimise disruption to businesses.

From July 2027, companies involved in dismantling refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment will also be required to register with NEA and follow formalised disposal practices, The Straits Times reported. 

The measures were developed in consultation with suppliers, users and recycling companies, and build on existing industry practices, NEA said.

Singapore had earlier introduced GWP limits in 2022 for household air-conditioners, refrigerators and water-cooled chillers used in large building cooling systems.

The agency added that the transition away from HFCs is part of a global effort to address climate change, and it will continue reviewing measures based on industry readiness and availability of low-GWP alternatives.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has encouraged North Korea to engage constructively with the region and maintain open channels for dialogue, including by attending the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), saying such communication is increasingly important amid global uncertainty, according to The Straits Times.

Balakrishnan made the remarks during a visit to North Korea on May 26 at the invitation of his counterpart Choe Son Hui, as part of a wider North-east Asia trip that also includes China and South Korea.

“We had a candid and wide-ranging exchange of views on regional security and international developments. I expressed my hope that our countries would continue to do our part to support peace and stability amid the challenging developments in the region,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday referring to his talks with Choe.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said Balakrishnan also invited Choe to attend the ARF, a diplomatic and security dialogue that North Korea has been part of since 2000.

“Our ties are friendly, built on mutual respect and continued engagement over the decades,” he wrote on Facebook.

According to the report, both ministers also reaffirmed the “longstanding cordial and friendly relations” between Singapore and North Korea, MFA said. Balakrishnan was also hosted to a welcome banquet during the visit.

The trip comes as Singapore and North Korea marked 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2025, against a more volatile backdrop on the Korean peninsula, with Pyongyang reporting missile tests on May 27 that raised fresh security concerns.

It was Balakrishnan’s second visit to North Korea since 2018, when he travelled to Pyongyang ahead of the US-North Korea summit in Singapore, The Straits Times reported. 

He also met Jo Yong Won, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, where both sides recalled North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to Singapore for the 2018 summit with US President Donald Trump.

Balakrishnan’s trip followed meetings in Beijing earlier in the week, where he met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, with both calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East and an end to the Strait of Hormuz blockade.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — A Hong Kong secondary school principal has been suspended pending an investigation after a video showing him swearing at security guards during a parking dispute in Singapore triggered widespread backlash online.

According to Singapore-based media organisation AsiaOne, Lee Cheuk-hing, principal of San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School in Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun district, was filmed confronting two security personnel at Safra Jurong on May 22.

The video, which quickly spread on social media, allegedly showed Lee telling the guards to “shut up” while also pulling faces and using profanities during the altercation.

The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute involving a bus that had stopped near the entrance of the clubhouse, blocking other vehicles from entering the premises.

A spokesman for Safra told Chinese-language daily Shin Min Daily News that the appointed security company later lodged a police report over the incident.

Singapore police confirmed to AsiaOne that a report had been made and that investigations are ongoing.

The fallout has now spread back to Hong Kong, where the school board moved to suspend Lee after statements were collected from him and other teachers who had been on the overseas study trip.

“I think the board as a whole feels that the principal’s words and actions did not meet public expectations,” independent board member Edmund Wong told Hong Kong media outlet HK01.

The school also issued a public apology on Tuesday, saying the incident had caused “public concern and unease”.

In its statement, the school said it was working with the travel agency involved in the trip to better understand what had happened and pledged to conduct a thorough investigation.

Hong Kong’s Education Bureau earlier said it would take appropriate action against any educator found to have breached professional conduct standards, depending on the seriousness of the case.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — A Singapore bus driver is being showered with praise after returning a diamond ring worth around S$35,000 (RM110,000) to its distraught owner.

According to Singapore’s The Straits Times (ST), 54-year-old SBS Transit bus captain Teo Lai Huat found the sparkling solitaire ring at the end of his shift after a passenger accidentally left it behind on bus service 10 earlier this month.

The ring’s owner, Clarissa Tan, had been travelling from Siglap to East Coast Road with friends on the night of May 11 when the precious piece of jewellery slipped from her possession unnoticed.

Panic set in the next morning when she realised it was missing.

But in a stroke of luck, Teo had already found the ring near the rear door of the bus while carrying out a routine inspection at Kent Ridge Terminal.

Knowing instantly how devastated the owner must have been, the veteran driver quickly handed the ring over to his supervisor for safekeeping.

“When I contacted SBS Transit the next morning, I was told, to my relief and gratitude, that Mr Teo had found the ring,” Tan wrote in a letter to ST.

The emotional reunion left her in tears.

“The ring is precious to me because of its monetary worth and sentimental value,” she said.

“Mr Teo’s actions turned what could have been a heartbreaking loss into a reminder that there are still many good and honourable people among us.”

Teo, who has spent nearly three decades driving buses, said the ring was one of the most unusual lost items he had ever come across.

“The moment I saw the ring, I knew the owner must have been very worried,” he said.

“If someone loses something valuable, they would naturally hope for it to be returned. I simply did what I felt was right.”

SBS Transit said the company would recognise Teo for his honesty and professionalism.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong today expressed appreciation to the republic’s Muslim community for ensuring those in need continued to receive support during Hari Raya Aidiladha despite challenges affecting livestock supplies for korban (sacrificial offering) activities.

He said the resilience and community spirit shown by Muslims in carrying out korban activities reflected the strong bonds within the community.

“As families observe korban this year, I am heartened by the resilience and community spirit shown by all involved.

“These efforts reflect the strong bonds within our community,” he said in his Aidiladha wishes in a Facebook post today. 

According to the prime minister, Aidiladha remains an important occasion for the Muslim community, marked by prayer, sacrifice and sharing with others.

“May this Aidiladha bring blessings to you and your family, and strengthen the spirit of compassion and mutual cooperation among the Singaporean Muslim community,” he added. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 27 — If Singapore was already one of the easiest weekend escapes for Malaysians, Jewel Changi Airport has just added another reason to book that quick getaway.

The airport lifestyle destination has been transformed into a larger-than-life floral fantasy with Celebrate Jewel Blooms with Lego Botanicals, a massive showcase packed with colourful installations made from around 800,000 Lego bricks.

And yes — it’s as Instagrammable as it sounds.

The centrepiece? Towering two-metre-tall Lego roses blooming dramatically against the backdrop of the Rain Vortex, which somehow already looked like it belonged in a sci-fi garden anyway. Across the Forest Valley, quirky Lego plant sculptures are tucked between the real greenery, turning a casual stroll into a giant botanical treasure hunt.

Over at Canopy Park on Level 5, things get even dreamier. The space has been reimagined into a globe-trotting garden trail inspired by Lego’s Gardens of the World collection. One moment you’re wandering through a Japanese-inspired landscape complete with Lego koi fish and water lilies, the next you’re stepping into a Mediterranean floral scene before ending up in an English-style cottage garden with oversized mushrooms and whimsical Lego characters.

It feels part flower show, part theme park and part childhood nostalgia trip.

There’s also an interactive Lego stamp rally spanning seven locations around Jewel, giving visitors an excuse to properly explore every corner. Complete the trail and you can redeem a special souvenir from the Lego pop-up store — provided stocks haven’t vanished into the hands of fellow collectors first.

Speaking of the pop-up, expect giant Lego builds, exclusive merchandise and enough temptation to make your cabin baggage allowance sweat a little.

The Forest Valley showcase runs until July 26, while the Canopy Park installations continue until August 30.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — Singapore has recorded its highest weekly dengue case count so far this year, with infections more than doubling in a week as the city-state enters its annual peak dengue season.

According to Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA), 53 dengue cases were reported in the week ending May 23, up sharply from 26 cases the previous week, reported The Straits Times.

The latest figures come as Singapore enters the traditional dengue peak period between May and October, when warmer and wetter conditions fuel mosquito breeding and virus transmission.

As of May 25, there were six active dengue clusters across the island republic, though none had reached the “red alert” category reserved for high-risk areas with at least 10 cases.

The clusters were located in areas including Braddell Hill, Defu South Street 1 and Depot Road, while three others were concentrated in Singapore’s north-east region around Mimosa Vale, Nim Drive and Jalan Jarak.

Under NEA guidelines, dengue clusters are identified when two or more infections occur within 14 days and within a 150m radius of each other.

Despite the latest spike, overall dengue infections in Singapore remain significantly lower than last year. NEA said more than 600 cases were recorded between January and May 15, marking a 66 per cent drop compared with the same period in 2025.

One dengue-related death was reported between January and March this year.

Singapore recorded its deadliest dengue outbreak in 2020, when 32 people died from the mosquito-borne disease. The previous highest death toll was 25 in 2005.

In a statement issued on May 16, NEA said inspections carried out across the island in 2025 uncovered 20,469 mosquito breeding habitats from more than 565,000 premises checked.

It said 65 per cent of Aedes mosquito breeding sites in dengue cluster areas were found inside homes, while public areas accounted for 23 per cent.

“Singapore’s tropical climate and high population density create ideal conditions for mosquitoes to thrive,” NEA said, urging residents to remove stagnant water and eliminate breeding grounds around homes.

The agency also advised residents to use insect repellent, spray insecticide in dark corners and wear long-sleeved clothing to reduce the risk of mosquito bites.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — A Singapore court has rejected a divorced father’s attempt to compel his ex-wife to send their two children to a church camp, with a judge warning against using the courts to enforce one parent’s religious preferences over another’s objections.

In a judgment published yesterday, District Judge Kow Keng Siong said the court should remain neutral in family disputes involving religion, identity and conscience, according to CNA.

“In family disputes touching on religion, identity and conscience, judicial restraint is often the wiser choice,” Judge Kow said.

The former couple, who obtained an interim divorce judgment in January 2025, share two children — a son born in 2016 and a daughter born a year later. Both children are baptised and attend Christian schools, while their mother has care and control over them.

The father had sought a court order requiring his ex-wife to ensure the children attended a four-day church camp, transport them daily and split the registration costs. He argued the camp would support their religious development and provide “wholesome activities that benefit their creative and physical development”.

He also accused his former wife of showing “a consistent pattern of obstructing the formation of the Christian faith” in the children by not taking them to various religious activities since May 2024.

The mother denied this, saying scheduling conflicts linked to school commitments prevented attendance at some events. She also argued that forcing her to transport the children daily would be “oppressive and unreasonable”.

The court heard that the couple’s son had recently expressed suicidal thoughts and was undergoing counselling. The mother said he had told her he felt stressed about attending the camp, while their daughter was also reluctant to go.

Judge Kow said the case raised a broader question over when courts should intervene in religious disagreements between parents.

“Consideration for a child’s welfare is not a licence for judicial micromanagement of the child’s life,” he said. “The court is not intended to function as a day-to-day surrogate parent tasked with resolving every ordinary parenting disagreement.”

He added that the courtroom was “ill-equipped to determine which parent’s religious preference for the child should prevail”.

The judge found there was no evidence the children’s absence from the camp would harm their welfare, or that the mother was attempting to erase their Christian identity.

“For avoidance of doubt, nothing in this judgment prevents the father from sharing his faith with the children during his own access time,” Judge Kow said.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — A 22-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a young woman was found lying motionless at a public housing block in Singapore’s Choa Chu Kang estate last night.

According to CNA, Singapore police said officers were alerted to a call for assistance at Block 248 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 2 at about 8.55pm.

When officers arrived, they found a 21-year-old woman lying motionless at a lift lobby on the 12th floor.

She was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Police said a 22-year-old man was arrested for murder and later taken to hospital.

Preliminary investigations revealed that both individuals were known to each other, authorities added.

The SCDF confirmed it had received a call for assistance at around the same time yesterday evening.

“A person was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic,” the SCDF told CNA, adding that another person was taken to the National University Hospital.

Police said investigations into the case are ongoing.

The incident drew attention in Singapore after reports emerged of a heavy police presence at the residential block in Choa Chu Kang, a town in the island republic’s western region.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — A Singapore court has handed a record three-year jail sentence to a 47-year-old dual Singaporean-Indonesian citizen for evading mandatory National Service (NS) obligations for more than two decades, in what prosecutors described as one of the most serious cases of enlistment default to date.

According to CNA, Edmond Yao Zhi Hai was sentenced yesterday after the court found that he had failed to fulfil both his full-time NS duties and subsequent reservist obligations for 21 years and nine months.

District Judge James Elisha Lee said Yao’s conduct fell within “the worst category of NS defaulters”, noting that he had effectively avoided the entirety of his military obligations.

The sentence is the longest jail term imposed so far in Singapore for an NS defaulting case.

Yao was also fined S$3,000 (RM9,300) for immigration-related offences after failing to present his Singapore passport to immigration officers upon entering the country.

The court rejected the defence’s argument that Yao had believed Indonesian law prevented him from serving in a foreign military, with Judge Lee ruling that he could not “by any stretch” be considered to have acted in good faith.

The Singapore-based media organisation reported that the judge also dismissed claims of delayed prosecution, saying Yao himself had “clearly contributed to his non-apprehension” by travelling on an Indonesian passport for years.

Born in Singapore in 1978 to a Singaporean mother and Indonesian father, Yao attended local schools including Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College before failing to report for enlistment in 1997 despite notices from Singapore’s Central Manpower Base (CMPB).

He later studied overseas and attempted to renounce his Singapore citizenship in 2003, though Singapore authorities did not approve the move.

Yao continued travelling in and out of Singapore until his arrest in September 2021 while attempting to extend his short-term visit pass.

He has indicated that he intends to appeal both his conviction and sentence.

CNA reported that Yao remains out on bail pending the appeal.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — A performer involved in the WaterWorld stunt show at Universal Studios Singapore has died after suffering a medical emergency during a training session last week, according to Singapore media reports.

Resorts World Sentosa confirmed the death yesterday, saying it was “deeply saddened” by the incident.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of a WaterWorld performer and send our condolences to the family, our show vendor and his fellow performers during this very difficult time,” Resorts World Sentosa executive vice-president of attractions and destination experience Lena Lee said in a statement cited by Singapore-based media organisation AsiaOne.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it received a call for assistance at about 10.35am at 30 Sentosa Gateway, the address of Universal Studios Singapore.

He later died in the Singapore General Hospital.

Police said investigations are ongoing, but preliminary findings do not point to foul play, according to The Straits Times.

An RWS spokesman previously said fellow performers noticed the man was in distress during the training session and immediately stepped in to assist him.

RWS also said the performer had been engaged through an appointed vendor for the WaterWorld attraction.

“Safety is our priority. Training is conducted with safety protocols in place, and we are reviewing the circumstances of the incident together with the performer’s employer,” the company said.

According to the resort’s website, the WaterWorld live-action stunt show is inspired by the 1995 film of the same name and features “a tidal wave of death-defying stunts, along with thrills and spills from real explosions of fire and water”.

The attraction is currently listed as temporarily closed until December 31, 2026, although reports said the closure is unrelated to the incident.

SINGAPORE, May 27 — A woman has died and a man was seriously injured following a violent incident at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block in Singapore’s Choa Chu Kang estate last night, according to The Straits Times (ST).

Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao reported that the woman was allegedly stabbed near the lift landing on the 12th floor of Block 248 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 2 at about 9pm.

The man later fell from the same block and was taken to hospital in an ambulance. The pair were believed to know each other.

In a statement cited by ST, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for assistance at about 8.55pm.

“A person was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic, while another person was taken to the National University Hospital,” the agency said.

When ST arrived at the scene at about 10pm, police had cordoned off areas near the block, including the void deck and the 12th floor.

Several reddish stains were seen on the ground within the cordoned area, alongside a white cloth marked with red stains.

Residents described scenes of panic and confusion following the incident.

A student living on the 12th floor told ST she heard a loud bang shortly after 9pm.

“It was like a construction sound,” she said.

Homemaker Devi, who lives on the sixth floor, said she looked down after hearing the noise and saw a man lying beneath an overturned dustbin.

“The bin was covering him, but his head and hands were exposed. He was bleeding,” she said, adding that the man lived on the 12th floor.

Another resident, civil servant Johan Jahari, said the injured man was conscious after the fall.

“The man was conscious, and crying out in pain,” the 52-year-old said.

A woman believed to be the man’s mother was later heard crying: “My son, my son!”

Singapore police have yet to issue further details on the case.

SINGAPORE, May 26 — Vivian Balakrishnan is making a rare visit to North Korea as Singapore steps up diplomatic engagement amid rising global tensions.

Singapore’s foreign ministry said Vivian is visiting North Korea from Tuesday as part of a regional trip that also includes China and South Korea, business wire Bloomberg reported today.

His last official trip to North Korea was ahead of the 2018 summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

Vivian will also make the first official visit by a Singapore foreign minister to South Korea in nearly 20 years.

The trip comes as Singapore seeks to strengthen ties beyond traditional partners amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.

Vivian began the tour in Beijing, where he and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a ceasefire in the Middle East where the US and Israel have been making strikes against Iran and its neighbours.

SINGAPORE, May 26 — Singapore is moving to speed up how quickly wealthy clients can open private banking accounts as it seeks to strengthen its position as a global wealth hub.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is working with industry players to streamline onboarding processes for private banking clients, The Straits Times reported today.

MAS managing director Chia Der Jiun said the aim is to improve competitiveness while maintaining regulatory standards.

“More efficient account opening will improve the competitiveness of the wealth management industry while maintaining high standards,” he was quoted as saying.

The changes will introduce a “risk-proportionate” approach, where simpler cases are processed faster.

More complex cases involving higher risk will continue to face stricter checks, regulators said.

The reforms are expected to cut median onboarding time from about six weeks to around one month by end-2026.

Authorities said the move is designed to avoid unnecessary and excessive steps in account opening procedures.

The push comes after tighter compliance measures following Singapore’s S$3 billion (RM9.31 billion) money laundering scandal in 2023.

MAS said the new framework will still prioritise anti–money laundering safeguards.

“Safety, stability and trust remain the core advantages of Singapore,” Chia was quoted as saying.

The initiative is part of broader efforts to maintain Singapore’s edge in global wealth and asset management.

SINGAPORE, May 26 — Singlish is increasingly shaping everyday communication in Singapore, including in workplaces, according to a new study by the Institute of Policy Studies.

The study found that more young Singaporeans say they speak Singlish well and use it frequently, The Straits Times reported today.

According to the news report, about 80 per cent of those aged 18 to 35 said they could speak Singlish at least well, far higher than older age groups.

The proportion of respondents who identified most with English or Singlish rose to 47.6 per cent in 2024, up from about one in three in 2013.

More than half of respondents said Singlish is an important part of culture that should not be lost.

The Sinngapore newspaper also cited several researchers saying that Singlish reflects a sense of national identity in Singapore and captures everyday life from hawker centres to workplaces.

Singlish proficiency has also risen, with 57.8 per cent of respondents in 2024 saying they could speak it well or very well.

However, Standard English proficiency has also hit a decade high, with about eight in 10 respondents saying they speak it well.

The study found that Singaporeans increasingly switch between informal Singlish and formal English depending on context.

Researchers said this reflects “a mature public instinct for code-switching”.

At the same time, the share of people identifying most with their mother tongue or dialects has fallen over the past decade.

The researchers concluded that Singapore’s language landscape is one of “negotiated coexistence” rather than replacement.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Abaxx Technologies Inc (Abaxx), a financial software and market infrastructure company, announced that trading has commenced in Silver Singapore (SSP) futures, expanding Abaxx Exchange’s precious metals product suite.

The contract is designed to address the gap between global silver price formation and the physical requirements of Asia’s industrial silver market, where demand for higher-purity material is increasing across solar and advanced electronics supply chains.

By establishing a physically deliverable four-nines silver benchmark in Singapore, Abaxx SSP futures are intended to support more direct price discovery and hedging for commercial participants managing physical silver exposure in the region.

According to a statement, the Abaxx SSP futures contract is a United States dollar-denominated, 1,000-troy-ounce, physically deliverable product of 0.9999 fineness, with delivery into approved vaults in Singapore, including Brink’s Singapore.

Silver Institute President and Chief Executive Officer Michael DiRienzo said the launch marks a meaningful step forward for the global silver market, adding that Abaxx is addressing a long-standing gap in price discovery for Asia’s industrial silver users.

“The Silver Institute welcomes innovations that strengthen market infrastructure and give commercial participants better tools to manage their physical silver exposure,” he said.

SSP futures are available for trading from 10 am for 14 hours on weekdays, except Singapore public holidays. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 25 — Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports (NODX) grew by 9.6 per cent during the first quarter of 2026 (1Q 2026), supported by resilient artificial intelligence (AI)-related demand, according to Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG).

In a statement, it said the growth was driven by electronics export expansion, primarily supported by integrated circuits (ICs) and disk media products, while exports of non-electronics declined.

EnterpriseSG said the 2026 NODX is expected to grow by 3.0-5.0 per cent, underpinned by the better-than-expected NODX performance to-date, as well as continued resilience in AI-related demand.

“The updated forecast remains consistent with the International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation’s projection of softer growth in global trade volumes in 2026, while also factoring in high base effects in the latter half of the year.

“Downside risks include a prolonged conflict in West Asia and a potential re-escalation of trade tensions,” it said on Monday.

Meanwhile, EnterpriseSG said the republic’s non-oil re-export expanded by 45.4 per cent in 1Q 2026,  extending the 19.7 per cent increase in the previous quarter

Total merchandise trade rose by 25.6 per cent during the quarter, while total services trade grew by 4.4 per cent. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 25 — War in Iran, strained US commitments in Asia and rising tensions over Taiwan will likely dominate the agenda at this week’s annual Shangri-La Dialogue, the region’s premier defence forum.

The free-wheeling informal gathering, running from May 29 to 31, draws an eclectic mix of ministers, generals, intelligence chiefs, diplomats, ‌analysts and weapons makers for carefully worded speeches and frank exchanges behind polished hotel doors.

While Vietnam’s President To Lam will deliver Friday night’s keynote, the spotlight will fall squarely on US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth when the Pentagon chief takes the floor against the backdrop of halting efforts to end the war in Iran. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had told his representatives not to rush into any deal with Iran, as his administration played down hopes of an imminent breakthrough in the three-month-old conflict.

The US blockade on Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz would “remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Iran has effectively shut the Strait since the war erupted on February 28, throttling a vital artery that typically carries about a fifth of global oil and gas shipments. Asian allies are expected to scrutinise Hegseth for any sign that President Donald Trump’s administration is overstretched, pulled into the Middle East conflict, embroiled in ‌disputes with Europe, including withdrawing troops from Germany, and consequently distracted from the region.

“There will likely be some continued anxiety over the unpredictability and volatility ⁠of US policy, and the consequences for stability,” said Chong Ja Ian, ⁠a political scientist at the National University of Singapore.

“The most pressing issue for Asia would be ⁠the US-Israel-Iran conflict and its effects on energy supply.” The ⁠Iran war has thrown the ⁠global economy into disarray with sharply higher oil prices stoking inflation and straining supply chains from fertiliser to food, pressures that are acutely felt across Asia’s import-dependent economies.

China’s participants unclear as tensions over Taiwan rise 

A key unknown is whether China will send its defence minister after skipping last year’s dialogue, ⁠a decision that ceded the stage to Washington with Beijing later accusing Hegseth of “vilifying” China.

China’s defence ministry has not confirmed whether Defence Minister Dong Jun will attend and which other officials it might also send. The ministry did not respond to a Reuters’ request for comment. Hegseth arrives after the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump earlier this month in Beijing and amid simmering tensions over Taiwan. China has ramped up pressure on Taiwan by increasing its military presence around the island, keeping Taipei on high alert for further Chinese moves following the summit.

China claims democratically ⁠governed Taiwan as its own territory, a position the government in Taipei rejects.

“In the aftermath of the summit, I suspect he will tread carefully on China,” said Bonnie Glaser, head of the Indo-Pacific Programme of the German Marshall Fund think-tank, adding that ⁠Hegseth might further push allies and partners to spend more on defence.

Foreign military attaches say the Chinese delegation is likely to face pointed questions at the ⁠forum about how ⁠sweeping corruption purges of senior officers are affecting the Chinese military’s combat readiness. Analysts expect exchanges on how smaller states navigate the US-China rivalry, as well as focus on maritime flashpoints in the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca, and defence spending.

Vietnam’s Lam is expected to underscore Hanoi’s neutrality as it deepens ties with both ‌Washington and Beijing while defending its maritime claims against China.

Newly installed as both Communist Party chief and president, Lam is the most powerful Vietnamese leader in decades and is poised to play a more prominent diplomatic role. — Reuters

SINGAPORE, May 25 — Singapore’s economy grew six per cent year-on-year in the first quarter as demand skyrockets for artificial intelligence chips, balancing the fallout from the Middle East war, the government said today.

As a major electronics hub, the city-state has seen a significant increase in the production of memory chips and server components that are essential for the data centres that power AI tools.

Due to the “better-than-expected” growth, the trade ministry said it would maintain its forecast for the economy to expand 2.0 to 4.0 per cent in 2026.

That is despite the impact wrought on economies worldwide by the conflict in the Middle East.

The ministry warned that “downside risks to Singapore’s economic outlook have risen significantly”, saying it would monitor global developments and adjust forecasts if necessary.

The first-quarter growth — extending expansion of 5.7 per cent in the December 2025 quarter — was “driven by strong performance of the wholesale trade, manufacturing and finance and insurance sectors”, the ministry said in a statement.

As an export-oriented economy with a small domestic market, Singapore is usually seen as a bellwether for international trade.

Disruption to oil supplies and other resources such as fertiliser and aluminium due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have caused a spike in prices, driving up inflation and dampening consumption.

Sectors related to Singapore’s role as a major oil-refining hub have been negatively affected.

But “AI-related demand has remained robust and should continue to support the growth of regional economies throughout the year”, the trade ministry said.

Governments and tech companies worldwide are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into building data centres that can power AI tools such as chatbots, image generators and agents.

“In particular, robust AI-related demand led to growth in the machinery, equipment and supplies segment of the wholesale trade sector, as well as the electronics and precision engineering clusters within the manufacturing sector,” the ministry said.

Exports for the first quarter rose 9.6 per cent compared to the year before, bolstered by the electronics sector, said Enterprise Singapore, another government agency, in a separate statement. — AFP

SINGAPORE, May 24 — A smartphone app designed to help people with visual impairments navigate public transport independently has been expanded to 15 additional MRT stations and bus interchanges, widening access to step‑by‑step audio guidance across some of Singapore’s busiest transit nodes.

According to The Straits Times, The Waymap‑SG app, which gives spoken instructions to help users move through complex spaces, was first piloted in 2023 at Tampines MRT station and the adjoining bus interchange. The Land Transport Authority said the latest rollout includes major interchanges such as Dhoby Ghaut, Outram Park, Yishun Integrated Transport Hub and Marina Bay, where multi‑level layouts and numerous exits can be challenging for commuters with low or no vision.

The system works without GPS or mobile data. Instead, it relies on sensors already built into smartphones — such as the accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer and barometer — combined with detailed digital maps of each location. An AI‑driven algorithm learns a user’s walking pattern over time, improving accuracy with repeated use. At the start of a journey, the app may prompt users to take photos of their surroundings so its visual positioning system can determine their exact location.

Before each site goes live, the UK‑based developer maps out key features including platforms, lifts, escalators and walkways. The company has been working with beneficiaries from the Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped and Guide Dogs Singapore since the first trial, refining the app based on their feedback. Improvements since 2023 include clearer audio cues, more intuitive routing, and fixes for issues such as inaccurate readings during gentle turns or sudden phone movements.

The most recent testing phase, which began in December 2025, involved 12 participants with varying degrees of vision loss. Many reported that the app made it easier to move around independently, reducing the fear of getting lost in crowded or unfamiliar stations.

The expansion sites were chosen to provide a mix of environments — from straightforward layouts to large, multi‑line interchanges — allowing the authorities to assess how the technology performs under different conditions. No additional hardware is required in the stations.

Waymap has been deploying its technology in other cities as well, including Washington’s public transport network, Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, and several locations in Austin, Edinburgh and Birmingham. In Singapore, the app is also available at Punggol Regional Library.

Users involved in the trials said the technology offers a sense of autonomy and confidence when travelling alone, especially for those who typically avoid going out due to navigation challenges.

SINGAPORE, May 24 — A start-up developing heat mitigation technology has begun testing a new type of cooling garment in Singapore that uses water based gel beads to draw heat away from the skin, potentially lowering surface temperature by up to 9°C.

According to The Straits Times, the product, created by climate tech firm Eztia Materials, was showcased at a Building and Construction Authority technology exchange event on May 22, where government agencies and industry players examined tools to protect outdoor workers from rising temperatures. The gel is printed on the inside of clothing in small, soft beads that absorb heat and release it gradually through evaporation.

Eztia, founded in the United States in 2022 and operating in Singapore since 2025, says the cooling effect is felt within minutes and can last several hours before the gel needs to be rehydrated. Unlike battery powered vests or fan based suits, the garments are activated simply by washing or soaking them in water.

The company currently produces singlets, arm sleeves, bandanas and scarf like wraps. Prices range from US$25 to US$57, and each item is designed to last three to six months. Eztia says costs could fall if adoption increases across worksites or uniformed sectors.

Trials are under way at several locations, including the NS Square construction site in Marina Bay, where workers in different roles have been testing the garments since early 2025. According to the site’s assistant project director, temperature readings taken during the pilot showed that a worker wearing the cooling attire registered a skin temperature roughly 4°C lower than a colleague without it.

Feedback from workers prompted refinements to the design. Earlier prototypes used firmer gel beads and zips on the sleeves, which some found uncomfortable. The current version uses a softer formulation that sits more smoothly against the skin.

Contractors involved in the trials said they had evaluated other cooling suits but were concerned about the weight of battery powered options and the potential hazards of electrical components on a worksite.

At the same event, the Ministry of Manpower said it is studying cooling solutions for road marshals as part of broader efforts to reduce heat related risks for outdoor workers.

SINGAPORE, May 24 — A planned S$1.43 billion (RM4.43 billion) takeover of M1 by rival operator Simba has been scrapped, ending what would have been Singapore’s first major telco merger and a potential turning point in the sector’s prolonged price war.

The Straits Times reported that Simba’s parent company, Tuas Limited, said on May 22 that it had withdrawn from the agreement to buy M1 from Keppel after regulators halted their assessment of the deal while looking into an alleged breach. The collapse of the transaction leaves the market’s four‑player structure intact and prolongs the intense competition that has squeezed margins across the industry.

Keppel, which has been seeking to divest M1, will now delay any sale by up to two years. The company has begun a 90‑day effort to stabilise the telco’s performance through cost reductions and automation. Its shares rose more than 5 per cent over the week, closing at S$10.91 on May 22.

Singtel, meanwhile, saw its stock slide nearly 5 per cent to S$4.59 after reporting a 20.9 per cent drop in half‑year net profit to S$2.2 billion. Although enterprise services continued to grow, the group’s Singapore consumer business weakened further amid aggressive discounting by all four operators in a saturated market.

Chief executive Yuen Kuan Moon said the company is seeking clarity from regulators on whether it may participate in future mergers or acquisitions, arguing that Singapore’s market is too small to sustain four telcos and would ultimately benefit from consolidation.

The developments come as other major corporates reported restructuring moves and earnings shifts across the week, underscoring broader pressures in the business landscape.   

SINGAPORE, May 24  — A multidisciplinary team from the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has successfully removed a 2.5cm brain tumour through a patient’s eye socket, marking the first time the technique has been used in Singapore for tumour removal. 

According to The Straits Times, the eight-hour operation, performed in November 2025, used a minimally invasive method known as transorbital neuroendoscopic surgery (TONES). The patient, 38-year-old Teong Wen Han, was discharged just three days later with no neurological or eye complications.

Teong, a learning and development manager, had no known medical issues until Oct 9, when he suffered a seizure while driving on the CTE, crashing into four vehicles and a lamp post. A CT scan at the hospital revealed the tumour growing behind his right eye. 

He said his only symptom had been mild morning headaches, which he had attributed to caffeine withdrawal.

The tumour’s position — at the skull base and close to the optic nerve and key blood vessels — made traditional open-skull surgery riskier. Instead of removing part of the skull, surgeons accessed the tumour through a 2cm incision in the upper eyelid crease, leaving minimal visible scarring. 

The team included neurosurgeons Dr Jensen Ang and Assoc Prof Ang Beng Ti, ophthalmologist Dr David Law, and ENT surgeon Dr Tan Jian Li.

Dr Law created the access corridor by removing part of the eye socket bone while protecting the optic nerve.

Dr Tan operated the endoscope, navigating the “deep and narrow” surgical corridor.

The neurosurgeons removed the tumour by peeling it away from surrounding structures. 

The team rehearsed the procedure using a 3D-printed model of the patient’s skull to map out angles and risks.

Traditional skull-base surgery can leave lasting facial asymmetry due to muscle disruption. TONES avoids these complications and offers a shorter recovery time — a key reason Teong chose it, joking that “vanity” played a part. 

He has since been weaned off anti-seizure medication but cannot drive for a year under medical guidelines.

SINGAPORE, May 23 — Veteran shipping executive Teo Siong Seng has taken a leave of absence from his roles at the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (SERT) and Enterprise Singapore, as he moves to address criminal charges filed against him by the US Department of Justice (DOJ). 

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said  Teo informed the ministry of his decision, citing the need to “focus his attention” on responding to the indictment. MTI declined further comment, noting that legal proceedings in the US are ongoing. 

SBF confirmed the move, adding that vice-chairman and honorary treasurer Mark Lee will assume  Teo’s duties as chairman. The federation said its operations and initiatives will continue uninterrupted. 

Teo, 71, is among seven individuals charged in the US for allegedly colluding with executives from major container manufacturers to restrict the production of dry shipping containers, a move that prosecutors say artificially inflated global prices. 

Between 2019 and 2021, prices of standard containers reportedly doubled, while four of the world’s largest manufacturers saw profits surge nearly hundredfold. One of the firms named is Singamas Container Holdings, where  Teo serves as chief executive. Singamas is a subsidiary of Pacific International Lines, where he is executive chairman. 

The other companies cited in the indictment include China International Marine Containers (CIMC), Shanghai Universal Logistics Equipment, and CXIC Group Containers. 

Among the individuals charged is Vick Ma, Singamas’ marketing director, who was arrested in France on April 14 while attempting to fly to Hong Kong. Others named include senior executives from CIMC, Shanghai Universal Logistics Equipment and CXIC. 

Beyond chairing SBF,  Teo sits on the board of Enterprise Singapore and, through his SBF role, is a member of SERT, which was formed to help Singapore navigate the economic impact of US tariffs. 

SINGAPORE, May 23  — All adults aged 21 and above should undergo at least one HIV test in their lifetime, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on May 23, in its first major public advisory since being set up in 2025. The recommendation applies regardless of risk level, with the agency stressing that early diagnosis remains key to treatment and prevention. 

According to The Straits Times, those with higher-risk sexual behaviours — such as having multiple partners or engaging in casual or commercial sex — are advised to test every three to six months. HIV self-test kits, available at selected pharmacies since 2025, offer a quick and discreet option.

The CDA’s guidance aligns with the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, which aim for 95 per cent of people with HIV to know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed to receive treatment, and 95 per cent of those treated to achieve viral suppression. Singapore is close to these benchmarks: nearly 90 per cent of people living with HIV know their diagnosis, 96 per cent of them are on treatment, and 94 per cent have achieved viral suppression. 

To strengthen access to care, the Ministry of Health will raise the MediSave withdrawal limit for HIV drugs from S$550 (RM1,705) to S$850 per month starting June 1. Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam said the move will ease the burden of lifelong antiretroviral therapy and encourage patients to begin treatment immediately after diagnosis. 

Patients may also tap their family members’ MediSave accounts, a measure aimed at supporting long-term care and reducing financial barriers.

Singapore recorded 166 new HIV cases in 2025, slightly higher than the year before but still part of a long-term downward trend. Annual cases have fallen from 300–500 in the 2009–2019 period to below 200 since 2024. 

However, late-stage diagnoses remain a concern, with 55.4 per cent of new cases in 2025 detected at a late stage — up from 51.7 per cent in 2024.

Men accounted for 96.4 per cent of new infections. Sexual transmission remains the dominant mode, with 94 cases among men who have sex with men, 54 via heterosexual transmission, and 13 among bisexual men. 

The CDA noted that self-initiated screening is more common among men who have sex with men, leading to earlier detection in this group.

The agency reiterated that the most effective prevention methods include staying faithful to one partner, avoiding casual sex, and using condoms. It also highlighted the effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) when used as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy. 

With early and consistent treatment, individuals can suppress the virus to undetectable levels — meaning they cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners.

SINGAPORE, May 23 — Senior minister of state for manpower and health Dr Koh Poh Koon will leave political office on June 1, saying he needs to devote more time to his family after more than a decade in government service. He will continue as MP for Tampines GRC, the Singapore Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

The Straits Times reported Dr Koh in a Facebook post said the decision came after “much deliberation”, acknowledging that the demands of office had made him “an absent husband, father and son” since entering politics in 2015. His wife, also a doctor, had shouldered much of the caregiving responsibilities for their children and elderly parents, he added.

“Right now, my family needs my attention in a way that is not compatible with the demands of political office,” he wrote.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said he accepted Dr Koh’s resignation with sadness, praising his “thoughtful and rigorous approach to issues” and his contributions across portfolios including trade and industry, manpower, health, sustainability, national development and the labour movement.

PM Wong highlighted Dr Koh’s work on the infant milk formula task force, which tightened regulations and expanded affordable options for parents, as well as his efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare through Healthier SG and Age Well SG.

Dr Koh, a colorectal surgeon, first contested in the 2013 Punggol East by-election before entering Parliament in 2015 as part of the Ang Mo Kio GRC team. He was appointed to political office in 2016 and later moved to Tampines GRC in 2020.

Cabinet colleagues including Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng and Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli paid tribute to Dr Koh’s steady leadership, clinical insight and grounded approach to policymaking.

Dr Koh said he will spend the next few months with his family while considering his next steps, but stressed that he remains committed to serving residents in Tampines.

SHANGHAI, May 23 — Singapore’s relationship with China is grounded in mutual benefit, not common ethnicity, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on May 22.

“We are a Chinese-majority country, but we are a multiracial society. We are a separate country with separate sovereignty from China,” Lee told Singapore media in Shanghai, according to The Straits Times.

He added that Singapore is friends with both the US and China, and will take stances based on its own interests.

Lee noted that China is advancing quickly in AI and adapting to an ageing population — areas Singapore can learn from. In 2025, China became the largest source of fixed asset investment into Singapore, overtaking the US for the first time.

On US-China relations, Lee said stable ties are crucial for the world, but the issues are complex and “not something which can go away easily”.

SINGAPORE, May 22 — A man who was previously jailed for telling an Israeli man that he would kill him was sentenced again after verbally abusing a 14-year-old boy wearing a Jewish skullcap on a bus in March 2026, according to The Straits Times Singapore.

Mohammad Arif Ismail, 40, was jailed for 20 weeks on May 21 after pleading guilty to three charges involving separate incidents, including uttering words to wound the racial feelings of another person, assault, and theft.

According to the report, court documents stated that Arif had earlier been convicted in 2024 after pleading guilty to making threatening remarks to a 34-year-old Israeli man with the intent to wound his religious feelings.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Khong Zi-Wei told the court that he was previously sentenced to three weeks’ jail for that offence.

Following his release, Arif reoffended on March 20, 2026, while on board bus service 858, when he saw a 14-year-old boy wearing a kippah, a skullcap traditionally worn by Jewish men.

He turned towards the teenager, hurled vulgar language at him and flashed a lewd hand gesture in an unprovoked act, court documents said.

The prosecution said the accused directed the abuse at the victim in a manner intended to injure him, noting the incident took place amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Straits Times reported that the court also heard that Arif was involved in another unrelated assault case involving a 79-year-old man at a taxi stand along Commonwealth Avenue in October 2025.

In another offence, Arif also admitted to stealing two bottles of liquor worth more than $100 from a supermarket along Tanglin Road in November 2025.

Arif, who was unrepresented in court, pleaded for leniency and told the court he would not reoffend.

SINGAPORE, May 22 — Travellers heading into Malaysia through Singapore’s Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints have been warned to expect heavy traffic and longer waiting times during upcoming public holidays and the June school holiday period, according to The Straits Times Singapore.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on May 22 that congestion is expected during peak periods and advised travellers to plan their journeys early.

It also urged motorists to consider travelling during off-peak hours, such as early mornings and late evenings, to avoid long delays.

According to the report, the advisory comes after more than two million travellers crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during the recent Labour Day long weekend from April 30 to May 3.

ICA said peak congestion during that period saw nearly 580,000 travellers on April 30 alone, with car travellers experiencing waiting times of up to three hours during peak hours.

The agency said upcoming holidays, including Hari Raya Haji on May 27 and Vesak Day on May 31, are expected to contribute to another surge in cross-border traffic.

June 1 is also a public holiday, while the June school holidays run from May 30 to June 28, further increasing expected travel demand.

ICA said it has stepped up security checks at all checkpoints in view of the heightened global security environment arising from the war in Iran.

The Straits Times reported that travellers have been encouraged to use QR codes via the MyICA mobile app to speed up immigration clearance at both land checkpoints.

Motorcyclists and pillion riders can also use facial recognition under the New Clearance Concept, which ICA said has improved clearance rates by more than 35 per cent compared with pre-pandemic levels.

The system now processes an additional 7,600 travellers per hour during peak departure periods, compared to 2019 levels.

ICA also reminded motorists to observe lane discipline and cooperate with officers, warning that queue-cutting disrupts traffic flow and offenders will be made to re-queue from the back.

During the Labour Day weekend, 19 motorists were caught for traffic-related offences and dangerous road behaviour and faced enforcement action, including prosecution and entry bans.

SINGAPORE, May 21 — Singapore is monitoring a fresh rise in Covid-19 infections after weekly cases jumped by nearly 60 per cent, although authorities said there is no sign that circulating variants are causing more severe illness.

According to Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), the estimated number of Covid-19 infections rose to 12,700 cases in the week of May 10 to 16, up from 8,000 cases the week before, CNA reported.

Average daily hospitalisations also climbed from 56 to 73 cases over the same period, while intensive care admissions remained low at around one case a day on average.

“As with other endemic respiratory diseases, periodic Covid-19 waves are expected throughout the year. There is no indication that the variants circulating locally are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to previously circulating variants,” the agency said.

The CDA said Singapore’s public hospitals remain able to cope with the increase, adding that waning immunity among the population could be contributing to the latest wave.

The NB.1.8.1 variant — a descendant of the JN.1 strain — now accounts for more than half of locally sequenced Covid-19 cases in Singapore.

Authorities said current vaccines remain effective against the variant and urged higher-risk groups, including those aged 60 and above and medically vulnerable individuals, to keep their vaccinations updated.

The CDA also advised people feeling unwell to minimise social interactions, practise good hygiene and wear masks if showing symptoms such as fever, sore throat or a runny nose.

SINGAPORE, May 21 — A Singapore man who exploited a loophole in Grab’s courier service to claim payouts for delivery jobs that were never carried out has been jailed for 13 months and 16 weeks, according to The Straits Times.

Alex Wang Xiang Yi, 30, was sentenced today after pleading guilty to 14 charges, including multiple cheating offences and unrelated Road Traffic Act offences. He will also be barred from driving for two years after completing his sentence.

Wang was among four men charged in November 2025 over a scheme that caused Grab Holdings to lose more than S$58,000 (RM180,000) through thousands of fraudulent GrabExpress transactions.

The court heard that 5,540 fake transactions were carried out in total.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jheong Siew Yin said Wang had introduced the loophole to other Grab drivers involved in the operation.

Under GrabExpress, drivers receive a commission for completed deliveries. If a delivery cannot be completed, drivers are required to return the parcel to the sender and mark the job as a returned item on the app. Grab would then cancel the order while still paying the driver for the attempted delivery.

But prosecutors said the drivers accepted bookings and “immediately indicate on the application that the parcel was returned”, despite never attempting to collect the items.

“These drivers also exploited the fact that Grab did not conduct cross-checks of the profile photos of Grab drivers,” DPP Jheong said.

Court documents showed the five drivers operated multiple Grab accounts registered under other people’s names while using their own profile pictures.

Between May 8 and June 11, 2025, Wang falsely claimed to have carried out 667 attempted deliveries, cheating Grab out of S$8,964.90. In a separate period between May 29 and June 10, he fraudulently obtained another S$5,403 through 459 fake delivery attempts.

The scam was uncovered after Grab conducted internal checks and detected suspicious transactions across 24 driver accounts linked to five drivers.

Wang was arrested on July 7, 2025.

Two other men involved in the scheme had earlier been jailed, while the case against a fourth accused remains before the courts.

SINGAPORE, May 21 — Fathers who took paternity leave in Singapore were no more likely to have a second or third child than those who did not, according to a new study that suggests leave policies alone may not be enough to reverse falling birth rates.

The study, led by National University of Singapore professor of paediatrics Jean Yeung, found no statistically significant difference in couples having additional children regardless of whether fathers took one week, two weeks, or no paternity leave at all.

Based on data from 1,835 households in the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG-LEADS), the research examined families with children born between 2013 and 2019, reported The Straits Times (ST).

At the time, Singapore offered two weeks of government-paid paternity leave, before it was doubled to four weeks in January 2024 and made mandatory in April 2025.

Around 24 per cent of fathers in the study took one week of paternity leave, while 48 per cent used the full two weeks available. The remaining 28 per cent did not take any leave.

The findings differ from studies in Nordic countries, where paternity leave has been linked to higher birth rates.

Prof Yeung said Singapore’s relatively short leave duration and entrenched gender norms may explain the gap.

“Those countries tend to have more egalitarian gender roles than in Singapore,” she told ST.

“One possibility is that two weeks is still too short to meaningfully change a couple’s intention to have another child,” she added.

The study also pointed to structural and cultural barriers that continue to place childcare responsibilities largely on women despite high female workforce participation.

“There is also unequal allocation of maternity and paternity leave in Singapore, with 16 weeks for the mother and two weeks for the father, which further reinforces the norm of mothers being the primary caregivers for young children,” Prof Yeung said.

She added: “This unequal division of labour may increase the opportunity costs associated with having additional children for women.”

The study found fathers working as machine operators, assemblers and cleaners were less likely to take paternity leave, while higher-income households were more likely to have a second child.

Prof Yeung said long working hours and male-dominated workplace cultures could also discourage fathers from taking leave or being more involved in caregiving.

“Such institutional and cultural constraints may reduce families’ perceived capacity to balance work and family responsibilities, ultimately weakening their willingness or ability to have additional children,” she said.

She welcomed Singapore’s recent expansion of paternity and shared parental leave, but said broader cultural changes and stronger employer support would still be needed to normalise active fatherhood.

SINGAPORE, May 21 — The Singapore Zoo has welcomed the birth of a male Sumatran orangutan named Ayaan on March 18, 2026 via a caesarean section, following a high-risk pregnancy complicated by placenta previa.

Ayaan was born to a 29-year-old female Sumatran orangutan named Chomel and 48-year-old male Sumatran orangutan Charlie.

Mandai Wildlife Group in a statement today said the procedure is believed to be the first documented case of its kind in an orangutan where both mother and infant survived.

“Ayaan, whose name means blessing, and his mother Chomel are doing well.

“Following two months of recovery and bonding in off-exhibit care, the pair has returned to the orangutan exhibit, where guests may see them,” it said.

According to the zoo operator, the pairing of Charlie and Chomel was recommended under the South-east Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association (SEAZA) Species Management Programme for the Sumatran orangutan, a regional cooperative breeding programme co-coordinated by Mandai Wildlife Group.

Despite multiple attempts at pairing since 2018, none have resulted in a successful conception, and the team turned to assisted reproductive methods, it added.

Deputy chief executive officer of life sciences and chief life sciences officer, Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, said Ayaan’s birth is the result of years of careful planning and teamwork behind the scenes.

“Faced with a complex and high-risk pregnancy, our teams brought together all available expertise to give both the mother and infant the best possible chance.

“This reflects the value of science-led, collaborative breeding programmes in safeguarding critically endangered species for the long term,” he said. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 21 — A Singaporean tourist was rescued by helicopter in South Korea after he allegedly wandered into a restricted section of a popular mountain on Jeju Island and became lost.

According to The Straits Times, the 60-year-old man, identified only as Mr A in local media reports, had allegedly entered a prohibited area on Sanbangsan Mountain at about 7.48pm on May 18.

Located along the south-western coast of Jeju Island, Sanbangsan is a well-known tourist attraction, especially during spring when its mustard flower fields draw large crowds. However, access to the mountain’s upper sections, including the summit, is prohibited due to concerns over vegetation protection and the risk of rockfalls.

Visitors are only permitted to go as far as the ticket office and the Sanbanggulsa Cave Temple located midway up the mountain.

The Chosun Daily reported on May 19 that the Singaporean had lost his bearings while climbing the mountain before making a distress call.

Fire authorities launched a search operation and eventually rescued the man by helicopter at around 10pm, roughly two hours after the report was received. He was said to be in good condition following the rescue.

The Jeju Self-Governing Police Agency said on May 19 that it is investigating the tourist for allegedly breaching South Korea’s Cultural Heritage Conservation and Utilisation Act.

Under the law, unauthorised entry into restricted heritage zones can carry penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment or fines reaching 20 million won (about RM53,000).

SINGAPORE, May 21 — A 23-year-old man was arrested after a five-hour standoff with police at an HDB block in Woodlands, Singapore, where he allegedly hurled liquor bottles from his flat and triggered a major emergency response, according to AsiaOne.

The incident unfolded yesterday evening at a unit in Block 687A, Woodlands Drive 75, where residents watched as bottles were thrown from a second-floor window onto the void deck below.

Videos shared with Singapore-based media organisation AsiaOne showed a man standing at the window holding what appeared to be wine bottles before tossing them one by one to the ground.

In another clip, bottles were seen smashing against the wall beside the unit’s window, sending shards of glass flying while red wine spilled over the ledge and onto the ground below.

The area beneath the flat was later cordoned off with police tape as officers diverted pedestrians away from the scene.

Several emergency vehicles, including police cars, tactical vehicles from the Special Operations Command, a fire engine, an ambulance and a Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) vehicle, were deployed to the estate.

One resident told AsiaOne the man had lived at the unit for about five years, while another neighbour alleged he had quarrelled with his mother the previous day.

AsiaOne reported that the man’s father had earlier contacted the authorities for assistance.

In a statement to AsiaOne, Singapore police said officers responded to a call for assistance at about 6pm on May 20.

“When police officers arrived, they found that a 23-year-old man had locked himself in his residential unit,” police said.

Authorities added that the man was assessed to pose “a possible danger to himself”, prompting the deployment of officers from the Special Operations Command and Crisis Negotiation Unit, alongside personnel from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Police eventually entered the flat at about 10.20pm, ending the hours-long standoff.

The man was arrested for a rash act before being taken conscious to hospital.

SCDF confirmed to AsiaOne that a safety life pack had been deployed while Dart rescuers remained on standby “as a precautionary measure”.

Police said investigations are ongoing.

SINGAPORE, May 21 — A 15-year-old is among nearly 300 people being investigated in Singapore after a two-week police crackdown on scam syndicates uncovered cases linked to losses exceeding S$5 million (RM15.5 million).

According to a report by The Straits Times, Singapore police said 295 individuals — comprising 191 men and 104 women aged between 15 and 76 — are suspected of involvement in more than 750 scam cases.

The suspects are believed to have acted either as scammers or money mules in schemes involving e-commerce scams, friend impersonation scams, job scams, government official impersonation scams, investment scams and rental scams.

In a statement issued today, the police said the operation was conducted between May 7 and May 20 by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and all seven police land divisions.

The suspects are being investigated for offences including cheating, money laundering and providing payment services without a licence.

Under Singapore law, those convicted of cheating or money laundering could face up to 10 years in prison, fines, or both.

Meanwhile, individuals found guilty of operating payment service businesses without a licence may be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.

Singapore police also warned that scammers and members of scam syndicates may face mandatory caning of between six and 24 strokes.

“Scam mules who assist scammers by laundering proceeds, or by providing SIM cards or Singpass credentials, may face discretionary caning of up to 12 strokes,” the statement said.

Authorities added that those implicated in mule-related offences could also face restrictions on banking facilities and mobile phone subscriptions aimed at preventing further scam activities.

SINGAPORE, May 21 — A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer has been charged after allegedly falling asleep while driving a fire engine, causing a crash that injured three passengers, according to a report by Singapore’s The Straits Times (ST).

Muhammad Imran Norzehan, 28, was hauled to court on May 20 over the January 2025 incident, which reportedly took place along Sungei Kadut Street 1 shortly before 1.50pm.

Court documents cited by ST stated that Imran was behind the wheel of an “SCDF pump ladder” when he allegedly “failed to keep proper control” of the vehicle after dozing off.

The fire engine then veered to the right and slammed into a parked lorry, which was pushed backwards into a parked prime mover.

Three passengers were injured in the collision. Court documents, however, did not specify the extent of their injuries or whether the men were also SCDF officers.

Imran has been charged with offences including causing grievous hurt by dangerous driving.

He is expected to plead guilty on June 29.

Responding to queries from ST, the SCDF said Imran — a sergeant with the force — has since been removed from frontline duties and reassigned to an administrative role pending the outcome of the court proceedings.

“(We take) the safety of our personnel and members of the public seriously. We expect all our officers to exercise due care and adhere to high standards of professionalism in the discharge of their duties,” an SCDF spokesperson said.

“SCDF is unable to comment further as court proceedings are ongoing.”

SINGAPORE, May 21 — Singapore is in talks with technology companies about attaching “nutrition labels” to AI products, designating their intended uses and limitations, a senior minister said yesterday.

“We may start with a voluntary framework, and then in time ... we’ll see how effective these kinds of labels are before deciding to take the next step,” digital development and information minister Josephine Teo told Reuters in an interview.

The labels, which would be a global first, would apply to consumer applications with AI features, similar to food or medicine labels. She said they would indicate the “right ways” and “not-so-correct ways” of using AI.

The minister, who was speaking on the sidelines of the Asia Tech x Singapore Summit, said Singapore is also developing testing frameworks and accrediting organisations to evaluate AI products.

The country has emerged as a neutral ground for the AI sector, popular with both US and Chinese startups.

Singapore announced yesterday that it would host OpenAI’s first Applied AI Lab outside the United States, with an investment of more than US$234 million (RM928.8 million).

At the same time, Google DeepMind announced a partnership with Singapore covering education, healthcare and scientific research after opening a new AI lab in the country in November.

Teo said at the ATX summit that Singapore wants to support 10,000 firms with AI adoption and expand usage across the manufacturing, healthcare and finance sectors.

She identified the city-state’s semiconductor equipment manufacturing, which accounts for 20 per cent of global supply, as a key asset to build an AI hub.

She said Singapore is also investing in energy-efficient AI research at the chip and algorithm level to address power constraints.

Teo was speaking ahead of talks she and digital ministers from other Asean member states will hold with US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.

Representatives from China are also attending the summit, which has become a rare forum where policymakers from both the United States and China regularly meet. — Reuters

SINGAPORE, May 21 — A prominent Singapore shipping executive and six Chinese nationals have been accused by United States authorities of conspiring to fix global shipping container prices during the Covid-19 pandemic, in a case that allegedly fuelled soaring freight costs and generated massive profits for some of the world’s biggest container manufacturers.

According to court documents unsealed in the US on May 19, executives from several container manufacturing firms allegedly colluded from late 2019 to restrict the production of dry shipping containers, a move prosecutors said artificially drove up prices during the global supply chain crunch. The Straits Times (ST) first reported the case.

Among those named is Singapore shipping veteran Teo Siong Seng, chief executive of Singamas Container Holdings and executive chairman of Pacific International Lines (PIL). Teo also chairs the Singapore Business Federation and sits on Singapore’s Economic Resilience Taskforce.

The US Department of Justice alleged that executives from four major manufacturers met at China International Marine Containers’ (CIMC) headquarters in Shenzhen in November 2019 and agreed to limit production by reducing factory shifts, capping operating hours and monitoring compliance through video surveillance. Financial penalties were also allegedly introduced for firms that exceeded agreed quotas.

Court filings alleged that Singamas joined discussions shortly after, with one executive reportedly informing Teo that “all the (six) factories” would meet in Shanghai in December 2019 to discuss “production capacity and (the) healthy development of (the) container industry”.

The alleged agreement was formalised in February 2020 and signed the following month, according to the filings.

US prosecutors said the scheme contributed to a sharp rise in shipping container prices during the pandemic. Prices for standard 20-foot containers reportedly jumped from about US$1,600 (RM6,350) in 2019 to more than US$3,500 by 2021.

The Justice Department said profits at the manufacturers surged during the same period. CIMC’s container business reportedly saw profits leap from 137 million yuan in 2019 to 11.3 billion yuan in 2021, while Singamas swung from a US$110 million loss to a profit of nearly US$187 million.

The court documents also detailed alleged attempts to conceal the arrangement. In one December 2019 email exchange cited by prosecutors, Teo allegedly wrote that “we also need to keep low key” in response to reports about meetings between the companies. He also allegedly agreed to delete the email thread discussing the matter.

ST reported that one of the accused executives, Singamas marketing director Vick Ma, was arrested in France in April while attempting to board a flight to Hong Kong and is awaiting extradition to the US.

ST said it has contacted Teo and Singamas for comment.

SINGAPORE, May 21 — Singapore has pledged US$12 million (US$1=RM3.97) contribution over four years to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), in support of global pandemic preparedness, said the Health Ministry (MOH).

In a statement, MOH said the contribution was announced by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung during a CEPI side event at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

The commitment reaffirmed the importance of partnership in advancing global health as vaccines are a critical line of defence against infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics.

“As a partner of CEPI since 2020, Singapore’s continued contribution supports global efforts to develop and deploy vaccines rapidly and equitably against future threats.

“Singapore’s latest contribution will be over 2027 to 2030 and is a continuation of our earlier contribution to CEPI,” said the ministry on Tuesday.

According to Ong, Singapore has invested steadily in vaccine research and development and also manufacturing capability and capacity.

“Our partnership with CEPI has deepened our own capabilities, including in scientific advisory engagement, regulatory preparedness, research and development and manufacturing collaboration, while allowing us to continue to contribute meaningfully to this broader global effort,” he added. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 21 — Gardenia Foods (S) Pte Ltd yesterday announced that it will shift its bakery production from Singapore to Johor Bahru, as its Pandan Loop manufacturing facility will cease operations on June 30.

The company said the move would result in the retrenchment of 141 employees at the Pandan Loop facility.

In a statement, the company said the move is part of its ongoing efforts to enhance operational efficiency and maintain competitiveness amid an increasingly challenging global environment.

Gardenia said all affected employees were informed of the decision during an internal meeting yesterday morning and would receive the appropriate notice period and support in line with local regulations and guidelines.

“The company is also considering eligible employees for suitable roles within the group’s network of operations, where possible,” said the statement.

According to the company, Singapore will remain Gardenia’s central hub for key functions.

These include brand management, innovation, product development, quality and regulatory oversight, customer and stakeholder engagement, as well as daily distribution and supply chain operations.

“The Singapore team will still have 250 employees after the transition and will continue to oversee quality governance and ensure compliance with requirements set by the Singapore Food Agency and the Health Promotion Board,” it added. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 20 — Artificial intelligence (AI) firm OpenAI today announced a S$300 million (RM1.19 billion) commitment to boost Singapore’s AI ecosystem.

The ChatGPT operator has launched OpenAI for Singapore in partnership with the Digital Development and Information Ministry (MDDI) to support Singapore’s ambition of becoming an AI-powered economy under its National AI Strategy.

The initiative will focus on three key areas: supporting organisations in Singapore in deploying frontier AI and addressing complex challenges; developing the next generation of local AI talent; and enabling more individuals and businesses across the republic to benefit from AI.

OpenAI chief revenue officer Denise Dresser said Singapore has strong technical talent, trusted institutions and a clear ambition to use AI to drive long-term growth and improve people’s lives.

“Through OpenAI for Singapore, we want to help more organisations benefit from frontier AI, support the next generation of local AI talent, and widen access to these tools across the country,” she said in a statement today.

According to OpenAI, the partnership will see the establishment of an Applied AI Lab in Singapore, marking the company’s first such facility outside the US.

This will lead to the creation of more than 200 Singapore-based technical roles over the next few years, positioning the republic as one of its global hubs for Forward-Deployed Engineers.

“Through the partnership, the lab will support work aligned with Singapore’s AI Mission priorities, particularly in areas such as public service, finance, healthcare and digital infrastructure.

“As this work grows and our Singapore-based team expands, we also expect to increase our office footprint in the country over time,” it added. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 20 — A Singapore man was reportedly sentenced to 14 years’ jail today after admitting to abusing his baby nephew over three months.

According to Singapore’s The Straits Times, the 32-year-old man, who cannot be named due to a gag order, had pleaded guilty in April to eight counts of ill-treating a child.

He was also ordered to pay S$4,000 (RM15,902) in compensation to the victim’s parents.

District Judge Koo Zhi Xuan reportedly described the abuse as exceptionally cruel and sadistic, noting that doctors said it had likely contributed to the boy’s developmental delays.

The court heard that the man targeted the baby, who was less than a year old, because of his anger towards his brother-in-law — the child’s father.

He also reportedly recorded some of the abuse on his phone and would watch the videos whenever he was angry with his brother-in-law.

Prosecutors said the abuse included hitting, slapping, pinching and forcefully shaking the baby when the man was left alone with him.

On one occasion, the man placed the infant in a pail of water during a shower and pushed his head into the water for about six seconds.

In another incident, he took the boy to a void deck, placed him on a metal table, slapped him several times and briefly lifted him by one leg.

He also choked the baby on several occasions, including once after lifting him by the neck.

The court also heard that the man recorded some of the abuse on his phone and would watch the videos when angry with his brother-in-law.

The abuse came to light on September 16, 2024, after a woman saw him mistreating the child at a void deck, recorded the incident and lodged a police report.

SINGAPORE, May 20 — Singapore will undertake the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Phase 1 Mission next year to assess its preparedness for the possible deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies.

The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said the assessment would determine the republic’s readiness to make an informed decision on the possible future deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies.

“As part of efforts to assess the suitability of advanced nuclear energy technologies for power generation, Singapore has been progressively building capabilities in nuclear science, safety, and technology in line with international best practices.

“The INIR Phase 1 Mission will support the government in validating our progress and ensuring our capability development is advancing in the right direction, based on an internationally recognised assessment framework known as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Milestones Approach,” it said in a statement yesterday.

According to the ministry, the assessment via the INIR Phase 1 Mission will be a key milestone of Singapore’s nuclear capability-building journey.

It will also enable the IAEA to better understand Singapore’s current stage of development and provide more tailored support for capability-building efforts in the future, it added.

Singapore has not made a decision on the adoption or deployment of nuclear energy.

“We will continue to monitor global developments and work with international partners to build capabilities in nuclear safety and regulation, as part of efforts to study all potential pathways for decarbonisation,” the ministry said. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, May 20 — Singapore authorities are expected to charge a Chinese national today after he allegedly stole two bank cards from another passenger during a flight from South Korea.

According to Singapore’s The Straits Times, the 59-year-old man was arrested at Changi Airport Terminal 1 on May 18 during a police operation targeting thefts on board aircraft.

Police said officers from the Airport Police Division found two bank cards in his possession that did not belong to him.

Investigations showed the man had allegedly taken another passenger’s bag from the overhead compartment during the flight before moving to another seat several rows in front.

He allegedly removed the passenger’s wallet from the bag, took out two bank cards, returned the wallet, and placed the bag back in the overhead compartment.

Police said the man later left the aircraft while the victim was still unaware of the alleged theft.

He is expected to be charged with theft on board an aircraft, which carries a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

SINGAPORE, May 20 — Eight companies, including Grab and Certis, will reportedly lead a renewed push to deploy robots for cleaning, security patrols and food delivery in Singapore’s Punggol Digital District.

According to Singapore’s The Straits Times, large-scale trials are expected to begin by the end of 2026 to test artificial intelligence safety measures and help shape regulations for wider adoption.

Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo announced the initiative today at the Asia Tech x Summit, saying robots could help workers improve service delivery in areas that are currently underserved.

“We will create an integrated data platform, design renewable test scenarios and rules that enable robots to safely operate across the district,” she was quoted as saying.

According to the report, the eight firms involved are Grab, DHL, Certis, Quikbot, FieldAI, Thoughtworks, Slamtec and Unitree, working with government agencies and the Singapore Institute of Technology.

The robotic fleet will be tested on public roads, in office building lobbies and on a university campus to create realistic conditions for autonomous robots and AI systems.

In a joint statement, the Infocomm Media Development Authority, JTC and SIT said robotics and embodied AI marked a shift from screen-based tools to physical systems that can perceive, reason and act in the real world.

Embodied AI refers to AI-powered physical systems, including humanoid robots, general-purpose robots and autonomous vehicles, that can interact with their surroundings.

The authorities said delivery robots could improve first- and last-mile efficiency, while cleaning and security robots could support human operations after office hours, in hard-to-reach areas and through more frequent cleaning.

Robot operators will reportedly get special approval to test their machines on public paths across the district, instead of having to apply separately to the Land Transport Authority for each trial.

IMDA, JTC and SIT said more details on the trials and use cases will be shared later this year when the testbed is launched.

SINGAPORE, May 19 — A 26-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 18 years in jail and 24 strokes of the cane on Monday for sexually abusing his younger sister over a period of seven years.

The abuse began in 2012 when the offender was 12 years old and his sister was just five or six, and escalated over time into more serious offences.

The offender pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of statutory rape, with eight additional charges taken into consideration, CNA reported.

Neither the offender nor his victim can be named in court due to gag orders protecting the identity of the 19-year-old victim, who is his biological sister.

The siblings lived with their parents and two older siblings in a one-room flat, where the offender would target his sister when no one else was present or when the family was asleep.

The victim did not report the abuse earlier due to the close relationship she shared with her brother, as well as feelings of fear and embarrassment.

In March 2022, the victim finally disclosed the abuse to her school counsellor, who immediately reported the matter to the police, leading to the brother’s arrest two days later.

Medical assessments revealed that the victim suffered severe psychological trauma, including suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and hypersensitivity to being touched on certain parts of her body.

Prosecutors argued that the offender had “absolutely devastated” the victim’s childhood by subjecting her to abuse in her own home, at times using violence such as slapping, punching, and pinching when she resisted.

The defence contended that the offender was very young when the offences began and is aware of the impact his actions have had on his family.

SINGAPORE, May 19 — A 31-year-old Singaporean man has been sentenced to one year and nine months in jail and two lashes of the cane after he was caught with a collection of 79 sexually explicit videos involving 87 identifiable children.

Emerson Poh Jun Wei pleaded guilty on May 18 to one count of possessing child sexual abuse material. At the time of the offence, he was employed as an operations assistant, The Straits Times reported.

The materials, which included a video of a boy who appeared to be only two years old, were discovered during a police raid on his home on September 7, 2023. The 79 videos were found stored across his laptop, desktop computer, and mobile phone.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yang told the court that Poh’s consumption of pornographic material began in 2013.

Around 2018, he started using the social media platform Tumblr to download videos and photos of boys aged 12 to 16.

When Tumblr began removing such content from its site, Poh went on a downloading spree to hoard as much material as he could find.

“Progressively, the accused came to prefer child abuse material involving young boys around 12 years old, and he became addicted to watching such videos,” Zhou said.

Poh initially stored the files on his Google Drive, but the account was suspended in 2023 after the illicit material was detected.

To maintain easy access, he then transferred some of the videos directly to his mobile phone gallery, which is where they were ultimately found by police.

Poh was arrested on the day of the raid and charged in court in 2025. He is currently out on S$25,000 (RM78,000) bail and is set to begin his sentence on June 15.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — Transport & Environment (T&E) and ODI Global announced that Singapore Changi Airport ranked ninth among the world’s most carbon-intensive airports in 2023, generating 14.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

The findings were published in the 2026 Airport Tracker, which analysed 1,300 airports globally using data from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

T&E Regional Policy and Program Director, APAC, Jude Lee said transparent disclosure of aviation emissions would become increasingly important as Singapore positions itself as a hub for sustainable finance and future aviation fuels.

“The race among global aviation hubs is no longer just about passenger volumes. It is increasingly about who can demonstrate the most credible, MRV-backed decarbonisation pathway,” said Lee in a statement.

Meanwhile, ODI Global Research Associate, Sam Pickard said aviation emissions had continued to rise since the Paris Agreement despite decarbonisation efforts in other sectors.

According to the report, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region became the world’s largest contributor to aviation emissions, accounting for 32 per cent of global aviation-related CO₂ emissions — more than Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa combined.

The report also stated that the world’s top 100 airports were responsible for about two-thirds of total passenger flight emissions, while fewer than 2.3 per cent of airports had credible net-zero Scope 3 emissions plans.

The report comes as the European Union considers extending carbon pricing to all departing international flights, a move the organisations said could increase pressure on aviation hubs to strengthen decarbonisation measures. — Bernama 

SINGAPORE, May 18 — Singapore’s exports rose nearly 25 per cent in April compared to the same month the previous year as strong demand for AI-related products outweighed the effects of the Middle East crisis, official data showed today.

Non-oil domestic exports posted forecast-beating 24.5 per cent growth that extended the 15.3 per cent rise recorded in March, said Enterprise Singapore, a government body helping local firms expand globally.

As an export-oriented economy with a small domestic market, Singapore is usually seen as a bellwether for international trade.

“Electronics (exports) continued to expand, supported by robust AI-related demand,” Enterprise Singapore said.

The rise highlights an insatiable global appetite for advanced artificial intelligence chips, key components in a diverse range of hardware, from laptops and smartphones to next-generation digital storage devices.

Exports to the US surged 59.6 per cent, reversing a fall of 2.8 per cent in March.

Shipments to China climbed 37.8 per cent from 20.3 per cent the previous month and those to the European Union rose 33.4 per cent after shrinking 12.2 per cent in March.

On May 1, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned that economic growth for the city-state will likely slow this year as the Middle East crisis keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed.

Shipping through the strait, though which around a fifth of global oil and gas transits, has been largely blocked by Tehran since the US and Israel carried out the strikes on Iran that began the regional war on February 28.

The closure and a rival US blockade on maritime traffic to Iranian ports has jolted global energy markets and raised fears of a dampening in international economic growth as consumers grapple with rising prices.

Wong did not provide specific figures, but the trade ministry in February said it expected the economy to expand 2-4 per cent this year, a bump from its previous forecast of 1-3 per cent.

Wong urged Singaporeans to “be prepared for a more difficult period ahead,” but also added that government policies implemented in the past to build energy resilience, including turning the small nation into a major oil refining hub and energy trading centre, would help the country deal with the crisis from a position of strength. — AFP