SGNews
01

Twin quakes near Caracas kill at least 164

  • Two magnitude-7+ quakes within a minute, June 24
  • Nearly 1,000 injured; many trapped in rubble
  • USGS warns toll could reach thousands
Sources (5) STZBTMBH
  • ST ST Front Page — “At least 164 killed in Venezuela twin quakes”
  • ST Big Story — “Fears that Venezuela quake death toll may rise to thousands”
  • ZB News Front Page — “委内瑞拉遇罕见双强震　死亡人数恐上千 (Venezuela hit by rare twin strong quakes; death toll feared to reach the thousands)”
  • TM Front Page — “வெனிசுவேலா நிலநடுக்கத்தில் 164 பேர் மரணம், 1,000 பேர் காயம் (164 dead and 1,000 injured in Venezuela earthquake)”
  • BH Front Page — “Dua gempa kuat landa Venezuela, ribuan dikhuatiri maut (Two strong quakes hit Venezuela, thousands feared dead)”
02

Banks to keep an ATM within 500m of every HDB block

  • DBS, OCBC, UOB, Nets to expand ATMs, branches, cash points
  • Cash access within 500m of every HDB block
  • Reverses years of branch and ATM cutbacks
Sources (4) STBTZBTM
  • ST ST Front Page — “ATMs, cashpoints to be closer to home as banks expand support for seniors”
  • BT Top Stories — “DBS, OCBC, UOB, Nets to expand ATM, cash access network after years of rationalisation”
  • ZB News Focus — “银行服务更亲乐龄　住家500米内就能提款 (Bank services more senior-friendly; cash withdrawals within 500m of home)”
  • TM Front Page — “முதியோருக்கான வங்கிச் சேவைகளில் மேம்பாடு (Improvements in banking services for seniors)”
03

Pritam Singh faces challenge at WP cadre vote

  • WP internal leadership election on June 28
  • Group of cadres seeking to unseat the chief
  • No challenger for top post confirmed yet
Sources (2) ST
  • ST ST Front Page — “WP Pritam may face battle for leader's role”
  • ST Big Story — “Will Pritam Singh stay or be ousted as WP chief? Unhappy cadres plan to put up fight”
04

NDP 2026 to feature first all-disabilities contingent

  • First-ever contingent entirely of persons with disabilities
  • 'Go Beyond Self' theme, 32 contingents
  • 1,200 civilian marchers, biggest in a decade
Sources (4) STZBTMBH
  • ST ST Front Page — “NDP 2026 to feature first-ever persons with disabilities contingent”
  • ZB News Focus — “国庆检阅首迎残障者队伍 (National Day review welcomes its first contingent of persons with disabilities)”
  • TM Local News — “தேசிய தின அணிவகுப்பில் உடற்குறையாளர் அணி (Persons-with-disabilities contingent in the National Day Parade)”
  • BH Berita — “NDP 2026 ketengah 1,200 peserta awam, jumlah terbesar dalam sedekad (NDP 2026 features 1,200 civilian participants, the largest in a decade)”
05

PayNow to get integrated QR; finance AI institute planned

  • Second-gen PayNow: scan one QR across apps, wallets
  • Includes NETS QR codes many apps can't yet read
  • New institute to speed finance-sector AI adoption
Sources (4) STBTZB
  • ST Front Page Business — “Integrated QR payment for PayNow users with proposed upgrades”
  • ST Front Page Business — “New institute planned to help financial industry accelerate AI adoption”
  • BT Top Stories — “Singapore to upgrade PayNow, launch new finance institute to drive innovation”
  • ZB News Front Page — “颜金勇：PayNow系统将升级　扫码及网上付款更便捷 (Gan Kim Yong: PayNow system to be upgraded for easier QR and online payments)”
06

Firm fined $500k, director jailed over fatal Tuas blast

  • 2021 Tuas dust explosion killed 3, injured 7
  • Stars Engineering fined $500,000
  • Director jailed 18 months; obstruction of justice cited
Sources (4) STZBTMBH
  • ST Singapore — “Firm fined $500k, director jailed over Tuas blast that killed 3 workers”
  • ZB News Front Page — “大士粉尘爆炸案下判　公司罚50万元董事与经理入狱 (Tuas dust-explosion case sentenced: company fined $500k, director and manager jailed)”
  • TM Local News — “துவாஸ் வெடிப்புச் சம்பவம்: நிறுவனத்திற்கு $500,000 அபராதம், இயக்குநருக்குச் சிறை (Tuas explosion: company fined $500,000, director jailed)”
  • BH Berita — “Letupan maut di Tuas: Syarikat didenda $500,000, pengarah dijel lebih 18 bulan (Deadly Tuas blast: company fined $500,000, director jailed over 18 months)”
07

Singapore bedrooms average a warm 28 deg C at night: study

  • Local bedrooms average muggy 28 deg C at night
  • Worker dorms hotter; each 1 deg C costs ~10 min sleep
  • Researchers testing low-cost cooling options
Sources (3) STZBTM
  • ST Big Story — “Bedrooms here average a muggy 28 deg C at night: Study”
  • ZB Local News — “宿舍升温1摄氏度　客工平均少睡10分钟 (For each 1 deg C rise in dorms, workers sleep about 10 minutes less on average)”
  • TM Local News — “இரவில் படுக்கையறைகளின் சராசரி வெப்பநிலை 28 டிகிரி செல்சியஸ்: ஆய்வு (Bedrooms average 28 deg C at night: study)”
08

Malaysian cross-border taxis to pay $15 per S'pore trip

  • From Jan 1, 2027, $15 per trip into Singapore
  • Replaces current $2-a-month permit fee
  • LTA: levels operating costs with local taxis
Sources (3) STZBTM
  • ST Front Page Singapore — “Malaysian cross-border taxi drivers to pay $15 per S'pore trip from 2027, up from $2 a month”
  • ZB Local News — “马国德士明年入境每趟须缴15元 (Malaysian taxis to pay $15 per entry from next year)”
  • TM Local News — “மலேசிய டாக்சிகளின் கட்டணம் பன்மடங்கு உயர்வு (Malaysian taxis' fees rise several-fold)”
09

Anthropic accuses Alibaba of AI model distillation

  • Anthropic alleges illegal copying of its models
  • Calls it largest known distillation attack on it
  • Alibaba's Hong Kong shares fall on the news
Sources (1) ZB
  • ZB China News — “美企指控阿里非法蒸馏其AI模型能力 (US firm accuses Alibaba of illegally distilling its AI models' capabilities)”
10

Euclid telescope captures best Milky Way photo yet

  • Largest, most detailed image of the galaxy's centre
  • From the European Space Agency's Euclid mission
  • Densely packed star field to aid research
Sources (1) ST
  • ST World — “Euclid telescope snaps best photo yet of Milky Way's heart”

Follow-ups

Iran/Hormuz war and ceasefire

Oil falls to pre-war levels as Hormuz traffic recovers

  • Crude back to pre-war prices as supply floods in
  • Hormuz shipping nears normal volumes
  • Rubio reassures Gulf allies at GCC meeting
Sources (4) STBTZBBH
  • ST Big Story — “Oil prices fall to pre-war levels as Hormuz traffic rebounds and US reassures Gulf allies”
  • BT International — “Hormuz reopening is quickly flooding oil markets with supply”
  • ZB World News — “美承诺与伊朗协议维护波斯湾盟友利益 (US pledges any Iran deal will protect the interests of its Gulf allies)”
  • BH Dunia — “AS jamin kepentingan negara Teluk dilindungi dalam rundingan Iran (US assures Gulf states their interests are protected in the Iran talks)”

World Cup 2026

South Korea fall to South Africa; Brazil, Swiss advance

  • South Korea lose 1-0 to South Africa, qualification in doubt
  • Brazil beat Scotland 3-0 on Neymar's return
  • Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia through; Qatar out
Sources (5) STZBBHTM
  • ST Front Page Sport — “S. Korea fans sad but hopeful”
  • ST Sport — “Hong takes blame as Korea face wait”
  • ZB Sports — “生死战不敌南非　韩国晋级前景蒙阴影 (Beaten by South Africa in a must-win, South Korea's qualification hopes dim)”
  • BH Sukan — “Maghribi bangkit tumbangkan Haiti 4-2, mara ke pusingan kalah mati (Morocco rally to beat Haiti 4-2 and reach the knockout round)”
  • TM World News — “உலகக் கிண்ணம்: அடுத்த சுற்றில் பிரேசில், சுவிட்சர்லாந்து (World Cup: Brazil and Switzerland advance to the next round)”

Europe heatwave 2026

100 million Europeans face 35 deg C+ in deadly heatwave

  • Over 100m face above-35 deg C heat; France, Spain worst
  • Scientists tie the deadly heat to climate change
  • Bangkok heat index hits 51.9 deg C
Sources (3) STBTTM
  • ST World — “Mercury set to top 35 deg C for over 100 million in Europe”
  • BT International — “As Europe roasts in a heatwave, Asia's air-con makers grab some cool cash”
  • TM World News — “அபாயநிலையில் பேங்காக் வெப்பம் (Bangkok heat reaches dangerous levels)”

Malaysia Bersama and snap polls

Negeri Sembilan ruler to install new chieftains

  • Ruler shores up position amid throne dispute
  • Other royals refuse to affirm his legitimacy
  • Johor BN rules out coalition govt if it wins July 11
Sources (4) STZBBH
  • ST Front Page World News — “Muhriz to install new chieftains as throne tussle escalates”
  • ST Front Page World News — “Johor BN says it will not form a coalition govt with other parties”
  • ZB World News — “指巫统决策受王室影响 柔佛州前议长退出巫统 (Citing royal influence over Umno decisions, former Johor speaker quits Umno)”
  • BH Malaysia — “BN pertaruh gabungan muka lama dan baharu pertahan Johor (BN fields a mix of old and new faces to defend Johor)”

Singapore migrant wage arrears

MOM confirms 400 workers owed across three firms

  • VVR, KPA, SK Industries owe about 400 workers
  • KPA in financial trouble since 2023, owes DBS
  • MOM sets out hiring rules and safeguards
Sources (2) ST
  • ST Singapore — “Rules on the hiring of migrant workers and safeguards in place to protect them”
  • ST Singapore — “Firm in unpaid wages case had financial woes since 2023, still owes DBS money”

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