CATEGORIES

Certificate of Clearance from police to go fully digital

Applications for a Certificate of Clearance (COC) will be fully digitalised from Jan 6, 2025.

More than 6,000 low-income families to get special year-end payout from Muis

Thousands of low-income families are expected to benefit from a special year-end payout of $4.3 million from Muis, while children of zakat beneficiaries are also set to receive more financial support for their educational needs.

The biggest education stories of the year, and what's next

Relooking the Gifted Education Programme and Direct School Admission exercise for secondary schools. Cyber-security breaches of the Mobile Guardian app. New measures to raise the quality of training courses for adults.

Alleged burglars entered home in Holland area via construction site

The two foreign men who allegedly burgled a landed estate in the Holland Road area on Dec 16 entered a home through an adjacent house that was under construction.

Caregiving guidelines are meant for child protection professionals: MSF

Guidelines by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) spelling out appropriate caregiving practices for parents and children are meant for professionals in the child protection system who work directly with at-risk families.

China to build world's largest hydropower dam in Tibet

China has approved the construction of what will be the world's largest hydropower dam, kicking off an ambitious project on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau that could affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh.

Rural communities in Australia urged to flee bush fire

The Australian authorities urged people in dozens of rural communities to leave their homes \"immediately\" on Dec 26 to escape an out-of-control bush fire tearing through a national park.

South Korea Officially a 'Super-Aged' Society

South Korea has officially become a \"super-aged\" society, with the total ratio of its population aged 65 and above surpassing 20 percent, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety on Dec. 24.

US biotech firm breeds pigs for human kidney transplants

The animals are genetically modified to make their organs less likely to be rejected

Syria Govt Launches Operation in Assad Stronghold

Syria's new authorities on Dec. 26 launched a security crackdown in a coastal region where 14 policemen were killed a day before, vowing to pursue \"remnants\" of the ousted Bashar al-Assad government accused of the attack, state media reported.

Hamas and Israel Blame Each Other for Gaza Ceasefire Delay

Both Sides Fail to Reach an Agreement While Casualties Continue to Mount

Finland-Estonia cable hit in latest Baltic Sea incident

The Finnish police on Dec 26 said they are investigating whether a foreign ship was involved in the damage of an undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia, following a sudden outage on Dec 25.

Russia Says It Foiled Ukraine Plots to Kill Senior Officers Using Disguised Bombs

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Dec. 26 that it foiled several plots by Ukrainian intelligence services to kill high-ranking Russian officers and their families in Moscow using bombs disguised as power banks or document folders.

Zelensky Condemns Christmas Attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Dec 25 denounced an \"inhumane\" attack from Russia, which launched dozens of missiles and drones on his war-torn country's energy grid on Christmas Day.

Azerbaijan Mourns 38 Killed in Kazakhstan Plane Crash

Experts say it may have been accidentally shot down by Russian air defence systems

Beijing Criticises Manila's Move to Deploy US-Built Missile System in Exercises

China's Foreign Ministry urged the Philippines on Dec 26 to return to \"peaceful development,\" saying Manila's decision to deploy a US-built, medium-range missile system in military exercises would only bring the risks of an arms race to the region.

Japan raises 'serious concerns' over China military build-up

Tokyo's top diplomat also brings up Taiwan situation with counterpart on visit to Beijing

Impeachment motion filed against S. Korea's acting president

South Korea's opposition said on Dec 26 that it filed an impeachment motion against Acting President Han Duck-soo, after he refused to appoint Constitutional Court judges to complete the process of removing his predecessor from office.

Graft probe of PDI-P sec-gen fuels claims of selective prosecution

Timing raises suspicions anti-graft body may be targeting critics of official policies

MRT, bus fares for adults to go up by 10 cents from Dec 28

Adult passengers will need to pay 10 cents more for each train and bus ride from Dec 28, when a public transport fare hike of 6 per cent kicks in.

Restaurants Grapple With Competition Amid Influx Of Foreign Players

Singapore eateries launch new brands or concepts to woo price-conscious diners

Aceh beefs up warning system to prepare for the next big one

Traumatised by the Indian Ocean tsunami that hit Indonesia 20 years ago, Mr Teuku Hafid Hududillah has spent his adult life making sure that if disaster strikes again, his home province of Aceh will be ready.

Tsunami Detection Buoys Help Safeguard Lives in Thailand

Country's Two Devices Linked by Satellite to Towers That Can Raise Alarm in Coastal Areas in Minutes

Tears, prayers as Asia mourns tsunami dead 20 years on

Tearful mourners prayed on Dec 26 as ceremonies were held across Asia to remember the almost 230,000 people who died two decades ago when a tsunami hit coastlines around the Indian Ocean, in one of the world's worst natural disasters.

S'pore firms braced for turbulent 2025 after a year of transformation

US-China tensions, Mid-East war, high costs, labour crunch among uncertainties

Rust prosecutor withdraws appeal of dismissal of Alec Baldwin case

The effort to prosecute Alec Baldwin (right) for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer in 2021 ended on Dec 23, when the special prosecutor withdrew her appeal of the judge's decision to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge during the actor's trial.

Stray Kids' album Hop gets historic sixth Billboard 200 No. 1

K-pop boy band Stray Kids marked a historic milestone by ranking No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the sixth time with their latest album, Hop.

New entries to a hallowed catalogue: The holiday album

NEW YORK A holiday album offers musicians a chance to adopt or reinvent a classic format and show fans a different side of themselves. Here is a sampling of 2024’s releases, from singers exploring the standards to artistes rethinking the meaning of the holidays.

‘I was upstaging myself constantly'

Actor Jim Carrey comes out of retirement to play dual geniuses in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Binge-worthy Gong Yoo shows fragile, vulnerable side in The Trunk

A gunshot and sinking of the titular trunk set up this psychological-romance drama led by South Korean star Gong Yoo.