SGNews
01

Three teens detained under ISA over separate attack plots

  • 14-year-old wrote a 21-page manifesto for a school stabbing, arrested May
  • Tan Jun Jie, 19, targeted SAF personnel and LGBTQ students, also ran DDoS attacks
  • 15-year-old planned pressure-cooker bombs; MOE running school preparedness drills
Sources (6) STZBBHTM
  • ST ST Front Page — “Three self-radicalised teenagers with plans to carry out violent attacks detained”
  • ST Big Story — “19-year-old plotted knife attacks on SAF personnel, LGBTQ schoolmates”
  • ST Big Story — “'This was close': Tip-off foiled Sec 2 student's attack, says Shanmugam”
  • ZB News Front Page — “三青少年受网上影响自我激进化被拘 (Three teenagers self-radicalised under online influence are detained)”
  • BH Front Page — “Tiga remaja S'pura ditahan bawah ISA, termasuk budak 14 tahun rancang serangan di sekolah (Three Singaporean teenagers detained under the ISA, including a 14-year-old who planned a school attack)”
  • TM Front Page — “உள்நாட்டுப் பாதுகாப்புச் சட்டத்தின்கீழ் மாணவர்கள் மூவர் தடுத்துவைப்பு (Three students detained under the Internal Security Act)”
02

Singapore births fall to 29,864, fewest since 1965

  • Down 11.4% from 33,703 in 2024; 55,725 births in 1965
  • 87%, or 26,071, had at least one Singaporean parent
  • Median age of first-time mothers now 32.1 years; TFR hit 0.87 in 2025
Sources (3) STZBTM
  • ST ST Front Page — “Number of babies born in 2025 falls below 30,000 for first time since S'pore independence”
  • ZB News Focus — “本地新生儿去年跌破3万　历来最少 (Local newborns fell below 30,000 last year, the lowest ever)”
  • TM Front Page — “2025ல் பிறப்பு விகிதம் வரலாறு காணாத சரிவு (Birth rate in 2025 falls to an unprecedented low)”
03

MAS tightens a second time, allowing a stronger Singdollar

  • Follows April's first tightening since 2022
  • Core inflation 1.6% in June, forecast range 1.5% to 2.5% for 2026
  • Brent up more than 50%; economists eye another move in October
Sources (4) STBTZBBH
  • ST Big Story — “MAS allows for a stronger Singdollar on persistent Iran war-induced inflation risk”
  • BT Front Page — “Economists see more monetary tightening ahead, as early as October, after July's move”
  • ZB News Front Page — “应对中东冲突所致通胀压力　金管局再收紧货币政策 (Responding to inflationary pressure from the Middle East conflict, MAS tightens monetary policy again)”
  • BH Ekonomi — “Risiko inflasi perang Iran: MAS benarkan dolar S'pura lebih kukuh (Iran war inflation risk: MAS allows a stronger Singapore dollar)”
04

Singapore and Australia sign supply chain and defence pacts

  • Legally binding FTA addition bars export curbs on diesel and LNG
  • Industrial Base Resilience Arrangement covers defence supplies
  • Signed at the 15th Joint Ministerial Committee in Adelaide
Sources (4) STZBTM
  • ST ST Front Page — “S'pore and Australia commit to unrestricted flow of essential goods, defence supplies”
  • ZB News Focus — “新澳补充自贸协定　保障关键物资互通 (Singapore and Australia supplement their free trade agreement to safeguard the flow of critical supplies)”
  • ZB News Focus — “深化防务合作　新澳签署《工业基地韧性安排》 (Deepening defence cooperation, Singapore and Australia sign the Industrial Base Resilience Arrangement)”
  • TM Front Page — “சிங்கப்பூர்-ஆஸ்திரேலியா பொருளியல் மீள்திறன் ஒப்பந்தம் (Singapore-Australia economic resilience agreement)”
05

Large unlisted firms to report emissions from FY2030

  • Threshold: $1b annual revenue and $500m total assets
  • Scope 1 direct and Scope 2 purchased-energy emissions required
  • Scope 3 mandatory only for STI companies from FY2026; feedback closes Oct 25
Sources (1) ST
  • ST Business — “S'pore-listed and large firms will need to disclose climate impact”
06

HSBC to hire 200-plus in Singapore for AI centre and wealth push

  • First global AI centre of excellence, opening later this year
  • Focus on natural language processing, data science, AI governance, human-centred design
  • 100 relationship managers added over two years; HSBC has 3,600 staff here
Sources (3) BTSTTM
  • BT TECHNOLOGY — “Wanted: 100 AI specialists, 100 wealth relationship managers at HSBC Singapore”
  • ST Business — “AI specialists, relationship managers wanted at HSBC S'pore”
  • TM Local News — “எச்எஸ்பிசி சிங்கப்பூர் வங்கியில் 200 புதிய வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் (200 new jobs at HSBC Singapore)”
07

Marcos makes anti-graft drive the core of his address to Congress

  • Case could bring charges against cousin and ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez
  • Homemade bomb near Justice Ministry, second device found near Senate
  • Penultimate address before he steps down in 2028
Sources (4) STZBBH
  • ST Front Page World News — “Marcos puts anti-graft drive at the centre of his address to Congress”
  • ST Front Page World News — “Bomb explodes in Manila; second suspected one found”
  • ZB World News — “小马可斯承诺严办涉贪高官重振经济 (Marcos Jr pledges to deal severely with corrupt senior officials and revive the economy)”
  • BH Dunia — “Polis Filipina siasat 2 kejadian bom sebelum ucapan negara oleh Presiden (Philippine police investigate two bomb incidents before the President's state address)”
08

Bank Indonesia's Perry Warjiyo quits; Destry Damayanti steps in

  • Resignation submitted July 25, cited as personal reasons
  • Rupiah slid as much as 0.36% to 18,000 per US dollar
  • June law lets lawmakers make binding recommendations to the central bank
Sources (4) BTSTZBTM
  • BT BANKING & FINANCE — “Bank Indonesia governor Perry Warjiyo steps down in surprise move”
  • ST Front Page World News — “Indonesia's central bank governor steps down in surprise move”
  • ZB World News — “印尼央行行长突辞职　市场关注央行独立性和货币走势 (Indonesian central bank governor resigns suddenly; markets watch central bank independence and the currency)”
  • TM World News — “இந்தோனீசிய மத்திய வங்கி ஆளுநர் பதவி விலகல் (Indonesian central bank governor resigns)”
09

Nine Rohingya refugee schools shut in Malaysia amid hate campaign

  • Online invective spread from May on Meta-run platforms
  • About 120,000 Rohingya registered with the UN refugee agency
  • Malaysia classifies them as illegal migrants, not refugees
Sources (2) STZB
  • ST World — “Surge in hate speech online forces Rohingya refugee schools in Malaysia to close”
  • ZB World News — “槟州数百罗兴亚人遭驱赶赴隆扎营　安华下令严查严办 (Hundreds of Rohingya driven out of Penang camp in Kuala Lumpur; Anwar orders a strict investigation)”
10

CXMT jumps 466% on debut, tops China by market value

  • Closed at 49 yuan versus an 8.66 yuan offer price, intraday high 55.03
  • Market cap 3.3 trillion yuan, about US$487.3 billion, overtaking ICBC
  • First A-share to trade over 100 billion yuan in one day
Sources (2) BTZB
  • BT COMPANIES & MARKETS — “Chipmaker CXMT vaults to top of China's valuation with 466% surge in Shanghai debut”
  • ZB China News — “长鑫科技上市首日大涨成新股王 (CXMT soars on its first trading day to become the new king of stocks)”

Follow-ups

Iran/Hormuz war and ceasefire

Drones strike Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq during US pause

  • Saudi says drones came from Iraq via Iran-backed militia, reserves right to respond
  • Houthis target transit sites feeding the Red Sea port of Yanbu
  • Iran says the strait stays closed and it is not seeking talks
Sources (4) STZBBH
  • ST Big Story — “Iran's neighbours attacked as Tehran appears to test Trump's latest pause”
  • ST Big Story — “Singapore condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, urges parties to exercise restraint”
  • ZB World News — “伊朗称未与美国谈判　海峡仍关闭 (Iran says it is not negotiating with the US and the strait remains closed)”
  • BH Dunia — “AS-Iran henti serangan hari kedua, beri laluan kepada diplomasi (US and Iran halt attacks for a second day, making way for diplomacy)”

Singapore Cabinet reshuffle

Four promoted office holders sworn in as full ministers

  • Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Lawrence Wong witnessed the ceremony
  • Portfolios span culture, labour, transport, finance, foreign affairs and home affairs
  • Follows the reshuffle announced on July 22
Sources (3) STZBBH
  • ST Big Story — “New ministers sworn in at the Istana”
  • ZB Local News — “四新部长宣誓就职 (Four new ministers are sworn in)”
  • BH Berita — “Empat penjawat politik angkat sumpah sebagai Menteri penuh (Four political office holders take their oath as full ministers)”

Faishal resignation

Zaqy: woman wrongly named in Faishal case faces online abuse

  • Fitness instructor Rasidah Caudal denies any involvement
  • Zaqy invokes adab, the Islamic idea of decorum and decency
  • He took over as acting minister on July 20
Sources (3) STZBBH
  • ST Singapore — “Zaqy cautions against unfounded speculation, says woman wrongly identified in Faishal's case”
  • ZB Local News — “被指导致费绍尔辞职 女健身教练发文辟谣 (Accused of causing Faishal's resignation, a female fitness instructor posts a rebuttal)”
  • BH Berita — “Wanita nafi dakwaan terbabit dalam peletakan jawatan Faishal (Woman denies claims she was involved in Faishal's resignation)”

US 'forced labour' tariffs

12.5% US levy stacks onto China duties for Singapore exporters

  • July 23 Federal Register notice named 45 economies including Singapore
  • Export taxes on Chinese-made goods reach up to 89 per cent
  • One firm's annual business fell from US$8m to US$2m-US$3m
Sources (3) STZBTM
  • ST Big Story — “S'pore firms stung by higher US tariff”
  • ZB BUSINESS NEWS — “我国出口市场多元化 有望缓解新关税影响 (Singapore's diversified export markets are expected to ease the impact of the new tariffs)”
  • TM Local News — “அமெரிக்க வரி உயர்வு: சிங்கப்பூர் நிறுவனங்கள் கவலை (US tariff increase: Singapore companies concerned)”

COE supply and premiums

Focus groups propose merging Cat A and B COEs

  • Over 400 people joined the second phase of Land Transport Master Plan discussions
  • Ideas include value-based rebates and surcharges, need-based allocation for large families
  • Also floated: separate leasing category, multiple-car surcharge, scrapping Category E
Sources (3) STZBBH
  • ST Front Page Singapore — “Commuters call for revised car ownership policies, pedestrian-friendly roads”
  • ZB Local News — “公众建议合并AB组优化拥车证分类 (Public suggests merging Categories A and B to improve COE classification)”
  • BH Berita — “LTA semak semula dasar pemilikan kereta (LTA reviews car ownership policy)”

Berlin Pride attack

Berlin attack suspect shot dead; May conviction was suspended

  • Abdul Ballout, 21, killed in Spandau after charging officers with a blade
  • May conviction for planning serious violence carried a suspended 22-month term
  • Prior convictions for assault, extortion and robbery; failed bid to join ISIS in Syria
Sources (2) ZBBH
  • ZB World News — “柏林驾车撞人嫌犯被击毙 曾因暴力判监获缓刑引议 (Berlin car-ramming suspect shot dead; his suspended sentence for violence draws controversy)”
  • BH Dunia — “Polis tembak mati suspek rempuhan Berlin, disyaki bermotif pengganasan (Police shoot dead Berlin ramming suspect, believed to have a terrorist motive)”

Malaysia Bersama and snap polls

20,000 security voters cast early ballots in Negeri Sembilan

  • Anwar raises senior officer promotion timelines at a Gemas camp visit
  • Defence Minister Khaled Nordin, from UMNO, absent from Anwar's event
  • Turnout projected at 68 to 75 per cent, above Johor's 68.73 per cent
Sources (2) ZBBH
  • ZB World News — “森州选周二提前投票各阵营争取军警支持 (Negeri Sembilan holds early voting on Tuesday as all camps court military and police support)”
  • BH Malaysia — “Perang Manifesto: Kesinambungan PH lawan agenda perubahan BN-PN (Manifesto war: PH's continuity against the BN-PN agenda for change)”

India exam-leak protests

Nilekani to head India's expert panel on exam reform

  • Committee to secure transparency in National Testing Agency examinations
  • Follows NEET paper leak and CBSE irregularities
  • Pralhad Joshi sworn in as the new education minister
Sources (1) TM
  • TM India News — “தேர்வு முறையில் சீர்திருத்தம்: பணிக்குழு அமைத்த மோடி (Reform of the examination system: Modi sets up a task force)”

Northern Hemisphere heatwave 2026

France and Spain fires displace over 325,000 as heatwave nears

  • Displacement up from about 300,000 the previous day
  • Blazes concentrated in forest and tourist areas at peak holiday season
  • EU aircraft and national troops supporting exhausted firefighters
Sources (2) STZB
  • ST World — “France and Spain race to contain 'monster' fires as new heatwave looms”
  • ZB News Focus — “法国西班牙续战林火　新一波热浪恐恶化灾情 (France and Spain keep fighting wildfires as a new heatwave threatens to worsen the disaster)”

Commonwealth Games 2026

Shanti Pereira reaches 100m semi-finals in Glasgow

  • Finished third in her heat to advance
  • Ward takes Scotland's first all-around gold
  • McEvoy sets a Games record in the 50m freestyle
Sources (2) ZBST
  • ZB News Front Page — “珊蒂100米预赛获第三　晋级共运会半决赛 (Shanti finishes third in the 100m heats to reach the Commonwealth Games semi-finals)”
  • ST Sport — “Ward's all-around gold a first for Scots”

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