SGNews
01

S$300m grant backs deep-tech commercialisation

  • Up to S$2m for each selected project
  • S$3m ceiling with approved venture builders
  • Business R&D spending at S$9b in 2023
Sources (6) STBTZBTMBH
  • ST ST Front Page — “RIE2025 plan saw more business spending, jobs created in R&D”
  • ST Big Story — “New $300m grant to fund nascent technologies in Singapore”
  • BT Front Page — “Singapore’s inaugural RIE2025 report card shows business R&D spending up 64% at S$9b”
  • ZB News Focus — “本地研发增值额过去五年提高逾75% (Value added by local R&D rose more than 75% over five years)”
  • TM Front Page — “சிங்கப்பூரில் புது தொழில்நுட்பங்களை மேம்படுத்த $300 மி. மானியம் (S$300 million grant to develop new technologies in Singapore)”
  • BH Ekonomi/Ekonomi — “Geran baharu $300j bantu bawa hasil penyelidikan ke pasaran (New S$300 million grant helps bring research to market)”
02

MAS puts S$220m into fintech growth

  • Six funding tracks over three years
  • AI, quantum and shared platforms in scope
  • At least 1,000 co-funded internships
Sources (5) STBTZBTMBH
  • ST Front Page Business — “Singapore commits $220m over 3 years to drive fintech innovation”
  • BT Front Page — “MAS targets frontier tech and talent with S$220m investment in fintech innovation”
  • ZB News Focus — “金管局三年拨2.2亿元　加速金融科技创新与人才培养 (MAS allocates S$220 million over three years for fintech innovation and talent)”
  • TM Local News — “புதிய வாய்ப்புகளைக் கைப்பற்ற $220 மி. நிதி (S$220 million fund to capture new opportunities)”
  • BH Ekonomi — “Dana $220j rangsang teknologi, inovasi sektor kewangan bagi tempoh 3 tahun (S$220 million fund boosts financial technology and innovation over three years)”
03

Orchard ERP charging returns at 11 gantries

  • Weekday operation from 11am to 7pm
  • S$1 for cars and 50 cents for motorcycles
  • First activation since April 2020
Sources (2) ZBTM
  • ZB News Front Page — “乌节路11个ERP闸门 下周一起恢复收费 (Eleven Orchard Road ERP gantries resume charging next week)”
  • TM Local News — “ஆர்ச்சர்ட் சாலையில் மீண்டும் இஆர்பி கட்டணம் (ERP charges return on Orchard Road)”
04

Moneylender loans get 3-day cooling-off

  • Applies to unsecured non-business loans
  • Starts Sept 15 across licensed lenders
  • Retained fee capped by loan size
Sources (3) STBHTM
  • ST Front Page Singapore — “Cooling-off period to be imposed for loans taken from licensed moneylenders”
  • BH Ekonomi — “MinLaw kenakan tempoh bertenang 3 hari untuk pinjaman daripada pemiutang berlesen (MinLaw imposes three-day cooling-off period for licensed moneylender loans)”
  • TM Local News — “உரிமம் பெற்ற கடன் வழங்கும் நிறுவனங்களுக்குப் புதிய விதிமுறை (New rule for licensed moneylenders)”
05

Singapore, Indonesia activate local-currency link

  • Direct Singapore dollar-rupiah quotations
  • Trade, investment and payments covered
  • DBS, OCBC and UOB appointed locally
Sources (1) BT
  • BT Top Stories — “Singapore, Indonesia operationalise local currency transaction framework”
06

Ningbo edges Singapore in first-half port ranking

  • 22.9m containers versus Singapore's 22.7m
  • Lead equal to roughly 1 to 2 operating days
  • Full-year ranking still unsettled
Sources (1) BT
  • BT Top Stories — “Ningbo-Zhoushan pips Singapore as 2nd busiest container port in H1”
07

AI eye checks reach up to 200,000 patients

  • Deployed across 23 polyclinics
  • Retinal analysis in about three minutes
  • More than 90% diagnostic accuracy
Sources (1) ZB
  • ZB Local News — “23综合诊所用AI技术加快筛查眼疾 每年让12万至20万糖尿病患者受惠 (AI eye screening at 23 polyclinics benefits 120,000 to 200,000 diabetes patients yearly)”
08

WHO appoints Singapore clinical trials centre

  • First such centre in the Western Pacific
  • Network of more than 30 Asian hospitals
  • Four-year appointment through April 2030
Sources (2) STZB
  • ST Big Story — “Singapore-based research network appointed WHO collaborating centre for clinical trials”
  • ZB Local News — “本地研究网受委世卫临床试验合作中心 (Local research network appointed WHO collaborating centre for clinical trials)”
09

EU puts ChatGPT under tougher platform rules

  • First AI chatbot with very-large-service status
  • Four months to meet added obligations
  • Risk checks covering minors and public safety
Sources (1) ST
  • ST World — “ChatGPT becomes first AI chatbot to face tougher EU rules”
10

Coral bleaching outruns reef recovery

  • Events now about five to six years apart
  • Hard coral cover 9.5% below historical average
  • 77% of reef areas hit in 2023
Sources (2) STZB
  • ST World — “Coral bleaching occurring too often for reefs to recover, say scientists”
  • ZB World News — “报告：白化频率过高　全球珊瑚礁难恢复生态 (Report says frequent bleaching leaves global coral reefs unable to recover)”

Follow-ups

Social media age limits

Singapore considers daily teen social limits

  • Age checks to support enforcement
  • Autoplay and harmful interactions restricted
  • Legislative changes planned for early 2027
Sources (4) STZBTMBH
  • ST ST Front Page — “Daily time limits on teen social media use being considered”
  • ZB News Front Page — “社媒平台将须设使用时限等保护青少年 (Social media platforms will need usage limits and other safeguards for teenagers)”
  • TM Front Page — “தினசரி நேர வரம்பு விதிக்க சிங்கப்பூர் திட்டம் (Singapore plans daily time limits)”
  • BH Front Page — “S’pura bakal wajibkan pengesahan usia media sosial demi lindung pengguna remaja (Singapore to require social media age verification to protect teen users)”

Nepal-Tibet border flood

Singapore sends specialists as Nepal toll rises

  • Nearly 5,000 people still missing
  • Tunnel teams searching for trapped workers
  • Police identification officers and supplies deployed
Sources (5) STZBTMBH
  • ST Big Story — “Deaths surge past 900 as rescuers soldier on after Nepal-China flood”
  • ST Big Story — “Singapore to send police team, supplies to aid Nepal relief efforts”
  • ZB News Focus — “我国加码援助尼泊尔 派专家助辨识罹难者 (Singapore increases Nepal aid and sends victim-identification experts)”
  • TM Local News — “மனிதாபிமான உதவியுடன் நேப்பாளம் செல்லும் காவல்துறை: சிங்கப்பூர் (Singapore police head to Nepal with humanitarian aid)”
  • BH Berita — “S’pura bakal hantar bekalan, kakitangan misi kemanusiaan ke Nepal (Singapore to send supplies and humanitarian personnel to Nepal)”

Iran/Hormuz war and ceasefire

US-Iran attacks resume around Hormuz

  • US strikes on two Larak Island launchers
  • Reported Iranian retaliation at Jordan bases
  • Oil gains more than 3%
Sources (5) STBTZBTMBH
  • ST Big Story — “Iran President says war can only end with a negotiated settlement”
  • BT International — “Oil rises over 3% as US and Iran resume military attacks”
  • ZB World News — “美国一个月来首次打击伊朗火箭装置 (United States strikes Iranian rocket installations for first time in a month)”
  • TM Front Page — “ஈரானின் இரு ஏவுகணைத் தளங்களை அமெரிக்கா தாக்கியதாகத் தகவல் (United States reportedly strikes two Iranian missile sites)”
  • BH Dunia — “AS serang pelancar periuk api Iran di Selat Hormuz (United States strikes Iranian minelaying launchers in Strait of Hormuz)”

Transboundary haze 2026

Sarawak haze peak nears emergency level

  • Air Pollution Index reaches 475
  • Asthma cases rise eightfold in one week
  • Smoke moving towards three neighbouring countries
Sources (4) STZBTMBH
  • ST World — “Sarawak nears haze emergency with worst air quality since 2019”
  • ZB World News — “东马空污情况持续恶化 砂拉越四区达危险水平 (East Malaysia air pollution worsens as four Sarawak areas reach hazardous levels)”
  • TM World News — “சாபா, சரவாக்கில் காற்றின் தரம் மோசம் (Air quality worsens in Sabah and Sarawak)”
  • BH Dunia — “Jerebu Indonesia kini gerak arah rentas sempadan S’pura, M’sia dan Brunei (Indonesian haze now moves towards Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei)”

RTS Link and Johor

JB parking gantry frees 30% of spaces

  • First rollout at Jalan Geroda
  • Daily car fee capped at RM18
  • Spillover traffic reported nearby
Sources (1) ST
  • ST Front Page World News — “New gantry system eases parking woes in JB commercial areas”

Shein Hong Kong IPO

Shein drops 17% before Hong Kong debut

  • US$1.7b raised in initial public offering
  • US$26b market value at offer price
  • Tariffs and Temu weigh on growth
Sources (1) BT
  • BT COMPANIES & MARKETS — “Shein shares plunge on grey market ahead of Hong Kong debut”

Radiant World invoice scrutiny

Radiant World China trading chief quits

  • Highest-profile exit since scrutiny began
  • At least five banks question invoices
  • Accounts and credit lines restricted
Sources (1) BT
  • BT COMPANIES & MARKETS — “Radiant World’s senior China trader quits”

FIFA World Cup stake sale

Platini joins calls for Infantino to leave

  • World Cup rule controversies cited
  • Private-investment plan already abandoned
  • FIFA election scheduled for March
Sources (1) ST
  • ST Sport — “Infantino doesn’t respect rules and ‘must go’, says Platini”

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