SGNews
01

S'pore life expectancy hits 83.9 years in 2025

  • exceeds pre-pandemic levels
  • women still living longer than men
  • focus shifts to healthy lifespan, not just years
Sources (4) STZBTMBH
  • ST Front Page — “Life expectancy at birth for Singapore residents rose in 2025 to 83.9 years”
  • ZB News Focus — “国人预期寿命达83.9岁 超越冠病疫情前水平 (Singaporeans' life expectancy reaches 83.9 years, exceeding pre-Covid levels)”
  • TM Front Page — “சிங்கப்பூரர்களின் ஆயுட்காலம் 83.9 ஆண்டுகளாக உயர்வு (Singaporeans' life expectancy rises to 83.9 years)”
  • BH Front Page — “Jangka hayat penduduk S'pura meningkat 83.9 tahun pada 2025, tertinggi pascapandemik (Singapore residents' life expectancy rose to 83.9 years in 2025, highest post-pandemic)”
02

S'pore bus driver starting pay up $450 from Jan 2027

  • average new-driver pay set to cross $4,000
  • existing drivers get $150-$250 monthly raise next year
  • targets recruitment and retention pressure
Sources (5) STZBTMBH
  • ST Big Story — “Starting pay of local bus drivers to rise by $450 from Jan 2027”
  • ZB Front Page — “明年起新加入本地巴士车长 起薪加450元月入逾4000元 (From next year, new local bus drivers see starting pay rise $450 with monthly income over $4,000)”
  • ZB Local News — “在职巴士车长每月工资 明年上调150元至250元 (Existing bus drivers' monthly pay to rise $150 to $250 next year)”
  • TM Front Page — “புதிதாகப் பேருந்து ஓட்டுநர் பணியில் சேர்வோருக்கு $450 வரை ஊதிய உயர்வு (New bus drivers to get pay rise of up to $450)”
  • BH Berita — “Gaji pemandu bas tempatan baru naik $450 mulai Jan 2027 (New local bus drivers' pay rises $450 from Jan 2027)”
03

H2 2026 GLS offers 4,745 private homes, incl Orchard, Raffles Town Club sites

  • 7 confirmed and 3 reserve sites in the programme
  • Jurong CBD site to be launched in July
  • supply increase responds to rising land bids
Sources (6) BTSTZBTMBH
  • BT Front Page — “Land for 4,745 private homes in H2 2026 GLS confirmed list”
  • BT Top Stories — “Orchard plot, Raffles Town Club site among 10 new housing parcels in H2 GLS plan”
  • ST Big Story — “Private residential land supply set to rise; Jurong site to be launched in July”
  • ZB Front Page — “九正选地段下半年推出　可建4745私宅单位 (Nine sites on confirmed list to be released in H2; can build 4,745 private homes)”
  • TM Local News — “4,745 புதிய தனியார் வீடுகளுக்கு நிலம் ஒதுக்கீடு (Land allocated for 4,745 new private homes)”
  • BH Berita — “Bekalan tanah bagi rumah privet naik pada separuh kedua 2026 (Private-home land supply rises in H2 2026)”
04

S'pore faces possible 12.5% US tariff after forced-labour probe

  • US agency proposes tariffs on around 60 economies
  • Singapore's proposed rate sits at 12.5%
  • would compound Iran-war drag on global trade
Sources (4) BTSTZBTM
  • BT Top Stories — “Singapore could face 12.5% US tariff after forced labour trade probe”
  • ST Big Story — “Singapore could face 12.5% US tariff after forced labour trade probe”
  • ZB Front Page — “美拟对60经济体征税　我国税率12.5% (US plans tariffs on 60 economies; Singapore rate at 12.5%)”
  • TM Local News — “அமெரிக்காவிற்கான ஏற்றுமதிக்கு 12.5% வரி விதிக்கப்படலாம் (12.5% tariff may be imposed on exports to the US)”
05

Heng Swee Keat named SIT's first chancellor

  • gives SIT a senior figurehead
  • comes as the Punggol campus build-out continues
  • first post-Cabinet public role for Heng
Sources (3) STTMBH
  • ST Front Page Singapore — “Former DPM Heng Swee Keat appointed SIT's first chancellor”
  • TM Local News — “முன்னாள் துணைப் பிரதமர் ஹெங் 'எஸ்ஐடி' முதல் வேந்தராக நியமனம் (Former Deputy PM Heng appointed as SIT's first chancellor)”
  • BH Berita — “Mantan DPM Heng dilantik Canselor pertama SIT (Former DPM Heng appointed SIT's first chancellor)”
06

NKF and 5 partners launch kidney-patient employment push

  • aims to help dialysis patients stay in or return to work
  • breaks the treatment-schedule and job-stability barrier
  • builds on this week's $9m palliative-care initiative
Sources (2) STTM
  • ST Big Story — “NKF teams up with other dialysis outfits to improve kidney patients' job prospects”
  • TM Local News — “சிறுநீரக நோயாளிகளுக்கு வேலைவாய்ப்பு: புதிய முயற்சியில் ஆறு அமைப்புகள் (Job prospects for kidney patients: six organisations in new initiative)”
07

S'pore and Malaysia sign 2 MOUs on alternative dispute resolution

  • push businesses toward mediation and arbitration
  • aim to reduce cross-border court cases
  • adds to a steady cadence of bilateral pacts
Sources (2) ZBBH
  • ZB Local News — “新马签署两谅解备忘录 致力少让企业对簿公堂 (Singapore and Malaysia sign two MOUs to keep businesses out of court)”
  • BH Berita — “S'pura, M'sia tandatangan MOU bagi galak guna huraian pertikaian alternatif (Singapore and Malaysia sign MOUs to promote alternative dispute resolution)”
08

$6.3m R&D centre to develop better fish feed for SG farms

  • targets barramundi, red snapper and tilapia
  • aims to lift local aquaculture yields
  • supports the '30 by 30' food-resilience plan
Sources (4) STZBTMBH
  • ST Front Page Singapore — “Upcoming centre to research better fish feed to help farms boost yields”
  • ZB News Focus — “630万元注资水产科技园 提升本地海水罗非鱼养殖 ($6.3m injected into aquaculture tech park to lift local marine tilapia farming)”
  • TM Local News — “மீன் பண்ணைகளில் உற்பத்தியை பெருக்க புதிய ஆய்வு நிலையம் (New research centre to boost fish-farm production)”
  • BH Berita — “Pusat penyelidikan baru akan kaji makanan ikan bagi tingkat hasil ladang S'pura (New research centre to study fish feed to boost Singapore farm yields)”
09

Trump signs AI order requiring testing of top models before release

  • federal safety check on most capable models
  • tightens posture after state-level AI lawsuits
  • follows Florida suit against OpenAI on minor harm
Sources (1) ZB
  • ZB World — “特朗普签AI行政令　促商家发布顶尖模型前接受测试 (Trump signs AI executive order requiring developers to test top models before release)”
10

Thai ex-PM Thaksin to be freed after royal pardon

  • ends remainder of his prison sentence early
  • closes a high-profile legal chapter
  • removes a constraint on his political influence
Sources (3) STZBBH
  • ST Front Page World News — “Former Thai prime minister Thaksin to be freed after royal pardon”
  • ZB World — “达信获泰王特赦　提前结束假释获自由 (Thaksin granted royal pardon; parole ends early, gains freedom)”
  • BH Dunia — “Thaksin terima pengampunan diraja, bebas sepenuhnya lebih awal (Thaksin receives royal pardon, fully freed earlier)”

Follow-ups

Iran/Hormuz war and ceasefire

Iran strikes Kuwait airport; US hits Iranian island; OECD: growth at risk

  • one dead in Kuwait airport strike; flights suspended
  • Trump reportedly called Netanyahu 'crazy' over Beirut plan
  • OECD: global growth could fall to 2.1%; EU sees 1m+ jobs at risk
Sources (8) STBTZBBH
  • ST Front Page — “Mid-East war Iran's strike on Kuwait airport kills one person”
  • ST Big Story — “Gulf tensions rise as Iran hits Kuwait, US strikes near Hormuz”
  • ST World — “Trump-Netanyahu relationship under growing strain”
  • BT International — “Global economy risks slump on prolonged Iran conflict: OECD”
  • BT International — “EU risks losing more than 1 million jobs over global pressures”
  • ZB News Focus — “伊朗袭科威特巴林　美军反击伊朗岛屿 (Iran attacks Kuwait and Bahrain; US strikes Iranian island)”
  • ZB World — “中东战火若不熄　全球增长恐跌至2.1% (If Mideast fighting persists, global growth may fall to 2.1%)”
  • BH Malaysia — “Iran lancar gelombang serangan dron, peluru berpandu di Teluk (Iran launches wave of drone and missile strikes in the Gulf)”

Russia-Ukraine war

Ukrainian drone hits St Petersburg before Putin's economic forum

  • strike lands as forum opens
  • embarrasses Moscow's stability narrative
  • extends Kyiv's pattern of hitting Russian soil
Sources (1) ZB
  • ZB World — “普京主持经济论坛前　圣彼得堡遭乌无人机袭击 (St Petersburg hit by Ukrainian drone before Putin hosts economic forum)”

Malaysia Bersama and snap polls

Johor BN denies fake candidate list; Gerakan Reset to join Johor polls

  • caretaker MB Onn Hafiz: viral list is fake
  • new Gerakan Reset to contest the state election
  • NS dissolution stalls; MB cancels press conference
Sources (5) STBHZB
  • ST Front Page World News — “Viral BN candidate list for state polls is fake, says party's Johor chair”
  • BH Malaysia — “BN Johor nafi senarai calon tular, tegaskan maklumat palsu (Johor BN denies viral candidate list, says it is false)”
  • BH Malaysia — “Gerakan Reset sedia sertai Pilihan Raya Negeri Johor (Gerakan Reset ready to join Johor state polls)”
  • BH Malaysia — “Pilihan Raya Johor: BN perlu ketengah calon muda (Johor polls: BN needs to field younger candidates)”
  • ZB World — “州议会未解散　森大臣临时取消记者会 (State assembly not dissolved; Negeri Sembilan MB cancels press conference)”

Tropical Storm Jangmi (Japan)

Jangmi sweeps Tokyo region; transport, power disrupted

  • urban rivers surge, transport snarled in air and on land
  • power lost across large parts of Japan
  • Singapore embassy urges its citizens to stay safe
Sources (3) ZBTMBH
  • ZB News Focus — “台风'蔷薇'席卷东京首都圈 市区河川暴涨陆空交通大乱 (Typhoon Jangmi sweeps Tokyo capital region; urban rivers surge, transport chaos)”
  • TM Local News — “ஜாங்மி சூறாவளி: சிங்கப்பூரர்கள் பாதுகாப்பாக இருக்க அறிவுறுத்து (Typhoon Jangmi: Singaporeans urged to stay safe)”
  • BH Dunia — “Ribut Jangmi lumpuhkan penerbangan dan bekalan elektrik di Jepun (Storm Jangmi paralyses flights and power supply in Japan)”

Singapore mobility-aid speed limits

PMA retailers face heavier paperwork under new mobility-scooter rules

  • more paperwork and longer compliance checks
  • sellers warn of bottlenecks
  • safety regime's cost lands on the dealer layer
Sources (2) STTM
  • ST Front Page Singapore — “PMA retailers grapple with new mobility scooter rules”
  • TM Local News — “'பிஎம்ஏ' வர்த்தகர்கள் சந்திக்கும் சவால்கள் (PMA retailers face challenges)”

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