Singapore news digest: 24 June 2026

Lazada axes ~5% of S-E Asia jobs, hits Singapore

Lazada cuts about 5% of its South-east Asia workforce
Includes an undisclosed number of Singapore roles
Firm says it reflects a maturing e-commerce sector, not AI

Sources (4) STBTBHTM

ST Front Page — “Lazada cuts 5% of S-E Asia workforce, including roles in S’pore”
BT Top Stories — “Lazada cuts about 5% of workforce, a sign of maturing e-commerce sector in S-E Asia”
BH Ekonomi — “Lazada kurangkan 5% tenaga kerja di Asia Tenggara termasuk S’pura (Lazada cuts 5% of South-east Asia workforce, including Singapore)”
TM Local News — “லஸாடாவில் ஆட்குறைப்பு; சிங்கப்பூரிலும் பாதிப்பு (Lazada layoffs hit Singapore too)”

Civil servants to get 0.45-month mid-year bonus

All civil servants get a 0.45-month mid-year bonus
Marginally higher than 2025
Junior officers get up to $400 extra, one-time

Sources (4) STBTBHTM

ST Front Page — “Civil servants to get 0.45-month mid-year bonus”
BT Top Stories — “Civil servants get 0.45-month mid-year bonus, up marginally from 2025”
BH Front Page — “Penjawat awam bakal terima bonus pertengahan tahun 0.45 bulan (Civil servants to receive 0.45-month mid-year bonus)”
TM Front Page — “அரசு ஊழியர்களுக்கு 0.45 மாத அரையாண்டு போனஸ் (Civil servants to get 0.45-month mid-year bonus)”

Core inflation steady at 1.4%; MAS seen holding

Core inflation unchanged at 1.4% in May, below forecasts
Softer services offset higher food, retail goods
Economists expect MAS to hold in July

Sources (4) STBTTMBH

ST Big Story — “Core inflation stays at 1.4% in May, but prices could climb”
BT Front Page — “MAS likely to hold in July as May core inflation undershoots forecasts: economists”
TM Local News — “சிங்கப்பூரின் அடிப்படைப் பணவீக்கம் மே மாதத்தில் நிலையாக இருந்தது (Singapore core inflation steady in May)”
BH Berita — “Inflasi teras S’pura tidak berubah pada Mei (Singapore core inflation unchanged in May)”

Chan Chun Sing: update sea-lane rules for a new era

Sea routes now carry undersea data, energy cables, not just trade
Rules should be updated, says Defence Minister
Calls energy security Singapore's biggest 50-year challenge

Sources (4) STBHTMZB

ST Front Page — “Sea routes more than just for trade, so rules should be updated, says Chan Chun Sing”
BH Berita — “Chun Sing: Konflik Iran boleh ubah strategi jangka panjang Singapura (Chun Sing: Iran conflict could change Singapore's long-term strategy)”
TM Front Page — “அனைத்துலக விதிகள் மீதான தாக்கத்தில் கவனம் தேவை (Need to watch the impact on international rules)”
ZB Local News — “水道输送能源数据价值凸显各国应顺势共建新规迎挑战 (As waterways carry energy and data, countries should jointly build new rules)”

Endangered hawksbill turtle nests at East Coast Park

Critically endangered hawksbill turtle comes ashore June 22
Among the first of Singapore's 2026 nesting season
Species is rare worldwide; watched by conservationists

Sources (2) STTM

ST Singapore — “Critically endangered hawksbill turtle spotted at East Coast Park”
TM Local News — “ஈஸ்ட் கோஸ்ட் பூங்காவில் கரை ஒதுங்கிய அரிய வகை ‘ஹாக்ஸ்பில்’ கடல் ஆமை (Rare hawksbill sea turtle comes ashore at East Coast Park)”

Philippine school shooting kills 3, wounds about 20

Two teenagers open fire at a central Philippine high school
Three students killed, about 20 wounded
Attack possibly tied to bullying; safety protocols to be reviewed

Sources (3) STZBBH

ST World — “Philippines rethinks school safety measures after shooting”
ZB News Focus — “菲校园枪击案死伤增至23人　两少年嫌凶或受网上暴力影响 (Philippine school shooting casualties rise to 23; two teen suspects possibly influenced by online violence)”
BH Dunia — “Dua remaja lepaskan tembakan di sekolah Filipina, 3 maut, 7 cedera (Two teenagers open fire at a Philippine school, 3 dead, 7 injured)”

Kim vows to keep growing North Korea's nuclear forces

Kim Jong Un reaffirms continued nuclear expansion
Signals no move toward disarmament
Comes amid heightened regional tensions

Sources (2) ZBTM

ZB News Focus — “金正恩强调要持续扩大核武力量 (Kim Jong Un stresses the continued expansion of nuclear forces)”
TM World News — “ராணுவ பலத்தை முடுக்கிவிட வடகொரியத் தலைவர் உறுதி (North Korean leader vows to accelerate the military build-up)”

Five Eyes: West's AI and cyber edge may not last

Five Eyes warns the Western AI advantage may be hard to sustain
Rivals could breach network defences within months
Calls for faster action to protect the lead

Sources (1) ZB

ZB News Focus — “五眼联盟警告：西方AI优势恐难持久　对手数月内或突破网防 (Five Eyes warns the West's AI advantage may not last, with rivals possibly breaching network defences within months)”

HPV shot nearly ends cervical cancer deaths in young women

England study: near-zero cervical cancer deaths under 30 in vaccinated women
Among the strongest evidence yet for the HPV vaccine
Points toward eventual elimination of the disease

Sources (1) ST

ST Living Well — “Cervical cancer deaths for vaccinated young women almost zero in England: Study”

UN: Myanmar military killed 700+ civilians in 6 months

UN attributes 700+ civilian deaths to Myanmar's military
Killings spanned a six-month election period in 2025
Adds to evidence of widespread junta abuses

Sources (1) BH

BH Dunia — “PBB: Tentera Myanmar bunuh lebih 700 orang awam dalam 6 bulan (UN: Myanmar military killed more than 700 civilians in six months)”

Follow-ups

Iran/Hormuz war and ceasefire

Trump touts 'infinity' Iran inspections; Tehran denies

Trump says Iran agreed to nuclear inspections 'into infinity'
Tehran denies agreeing to resume inspections
US grants a 60-day waiver on Iran oil sanctions

Sources (4) STBHTMZB

ST Big Story — “Trump says Iran agreed to nuclear inspections into ‘infinity’; Tehran denies US claims”
BH Dunia — “Iran tegas Selat Hormuz kini ditadbir Teheran susulan rundingan di Switzerland (Iran insists the Strait of Hormuz is now administered by Tehran after the Switzerland talks)”
TM Front Page — “ஈரான்மீதான தடைகளை நீக்கிய அமெரிக்க அரசு (US lifts sanctions on Iranian oil)”
ZB News Focus — “美国豁免伊朗石油制裁60天　德黑兰否认同意恢复核检查 (US waives Iran oil sanctions for 60 days; Tehran denies agreeing to resume nuclear inspections)”

Malaysia Bersama and snap polls

N. Sembilan throne row halts Conference of Rulers

Throne dispute postpones the rare Conference of Rulers
Negeri Sembilan state polls now in doubt
Anwar names 56 PH candidates for Johor; PN adds Pejuang, PCM

Sources (4) STBHTM

ST Big Story — “Throne dispute in Negeri Sembilan halts rulers’ conference; state polls in doubt”
BH Malaysia — “Majlis Raja-Raja tangguh sidang, nasib PRN N. Sembilan kini jadi tanda tanya (Conference of Rulers postpones session, Negeri Sembilan polls now in question)”
BH Malaysia — “PRN Johor: 2 ahli Parlimen antara 56 calon PH (Johor polls: 2 MPs among 56 PH candidates)”
TM World News — “ஒரே கூட்டணி சின்னத்தைப் பயன்படுத்த முடியாது (Candidates cannot use a single coalition logo)”

World Cup 2026

Messi sets World Cup scoring record as Argentina advance

Messi scores twice to reach 18 World Cup goals, an all-time record
Overtakes Klose; Argentina beat Austria 2-0 to reach the last 32
France and Norway also progress; Haaland scores again

Sources (4) STBHTM

ST Sport — “MAGICAL MESSI MILESTONE”
ST Front Page — “Messi scores a place in World Cup history”
BH Sukan — “2 gol Messi tebus kecewa penalti, pacu Argentina ke pusingan 32 terakhir (Messi's two goals carry Argentina into the last 32)”
TM Front Page — “அதிக கோலடித்து மெஸ்ஸி உலகச் சாதனை (Messi sets a world record with the most goals)”

Europe heatwave 2026

Europe heatwave turns deadly with drownings, child deaths

About 40 drown trying to cool off in France
Two children die after being left in a hot car
Europe warming at over twice the global average; events postponed

Sources (2) STZB

ST World — “40 people drown trying to cool off as France sizzles”
ZB World News — “欧洲热浪破40摄氏度法国两孩童疑热死车内 (Europe heatwave tops 40 deg C; two children feared to have died in a hot car in France)”

Indonesia under Prabowo

Protests grow over Prabowo's free-meals programme

Debate over Indonesia's free-meals scheme intensifies
Protests erupt in Jakarta and Batam
Concerns over corruption, food safety and fiscal strain