BT Lens On

US President Joe Biden faced fresh doubts yesterday about his re-election chances from heavyweights Nancy Pelosi and George Clooney; Thailand’s Election Commission yesterday officially certified the 200 newly elected senators who will replace the 250 military-appointed members; the authorities are waiting for Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s assessment on how long he will be away from Singapore. Synopsis: A r...

Fed Chair Jerome Powell told Congress that the U.S. is no longer an overheated economy. The leaders of New Zealand, Japan and South Korea for the third year in a row attend the NATO summit, in Washington, D.C. And in Singapore the public is advised to stay clear of the water’s edge near Yishun Dam.   Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Le...

Russian missiles blasted cities across Ukraine yesterday, damaging the country’s largest children’s hospital and other buildings; a landslide triggered by torrential rains crashed onto an unauthorized gold mining operation on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island; there is low risk of transboundary haze shrouding Singapore and the region in 2024 as wetter weather is expected with the potential return of La...

French voters turned out in force for the second round of a parliamentary election with a leftist alliance unexpectedly taking the top spot. A workers' union at Samsung Electronics in South Korea is set to stage a three-day strike. And in Singapore home buyers take a shine to mixed-use developments. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee...

Britons went to the polls overnight in a parliamentary election that is expected to bring Keir Starmer's Labour Party to power. The Kremlin has announced that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Russia on July 8 and 9 and in Singapore, a framework has been launched to train 15 thousand workers across Sentosa in a range of skills in a bid to boost the local tourism sector. Synopsis: A ro...

US President Joe Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race during a call with campaign staff yesterday; severe overcrowding and a lack of exits contributed to a stampede at a religious festival that killed at least 121 people in northern India; a total of 71 offenders have been fined since twenty nineteen for providing illegal short-term stays in Singapore. Synopsis: A round up of global h...

The U.S. government will pay the vaccine maker Moderna $176 million, to develop a pandemic vaccine that could be used to treat bird flu in people. At least 116 people were feared dead after a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh and in Singapore, Minister Chan Chun Sing says the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee or EBRC, has not been convened. Syno...

The US Supreme Court ruled yesterday that Donald Trump cannot be prosecuted for actions that were within his constitutional powers as president in a landmark decision; Australian police have arrested a 14-year-old boy after a stabbing at the University of Sydney; around one hundred and eighty coffee shops will start offering budget meals by end July under a scheme to provide Singaporeans with more...

In world news, Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party scored historic gains to win the first round of France's parliamentary election. In Asia, South Korea's factory activity growth quickened in June. And in Singapore, Workers’ Party secretary-general Pritam Singh and chairwoman Sylvia Lim were returned to their posts at the party’s biennial conference. Synopsis: A round up of global headl...

In international news Bolivians rallied outside the president’s palace a day after a failed coup attempt. In Asia, Julian Assange spent his first night in 14 years as a free man back at home in Australia and in Singapore news users of the Causeway experienced traffic congestion this morning due to the crossing’s centenary celebrations. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by...

Armoured vehicles rammed the doors of Bolivia’s government palace yesterday in an apparent coup attempt; more than forty Indonesian agencies, including the ministry overseeing immigration, were impacted by a cyberattack on the country's data centres; a job portal dedicated to the food and beverage industry has been launched, aimed at attracting more Singaporeans to the food services sector. Synops...

In world news, police opened fire on demonstrators trying to storm Kenya's legislature overnight. In Asia, South Korea said North Korea was flying balloons likely carrying trash across the border for a second day. And in Singapore, households have started claiming $300 in CDC vouchers released yesterday. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by...

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty to a felony charge in a deal with the U S Justice Department that will allow him to walk free; police in Malaysia have detained eight people with suspected links to the Islamic State militant group; with the removal of oil from the sea and oil-soaked sand from affected beaches largely completed, the authorities are moving to the next phase of the...

In international news, Russian authorities said four people died and over a hundred were wounded in Ukrainian drone and missile attacks. In Saudi Arabia more than a thousand people died during Haj this year, due to extreme heat. And in Singapore, coral bleaching has worsened amid high sea-surface temperatures. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Writ...

Within less than a decade, despite the repeated warnings of climate scientists, global warming has exceeded the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold committed to in the 2015 Paris Agreement. What is the impact of climate change on sea levels? Claressa Monteiro explores how this is affecting various parts of the world. Synopsis: A monthly podcast series from The Business Times on current affairs, societal...

Israel said it was establishing a new safe corridor to deliver aid, but days later, this “tactical pause” has brought little relief to desperate Palestinians; a months-long heat wave across swathes of India has killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke; Singapore’s government will seek compensation for costs incurred after the oil spill from the owner of the...

Global fossil fuel consumption and energy emissions hit all-time highs in 2023, even as fossil fuels' share of the global energy mix decreased slightly; Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Oon signed an agreement that pledges mutual aid if either country faces 'aggression'; MRT tunnels will be built to connect stations in West Coast and Jurong Lake District as part of...

A bulk carrier sank days after an attack by Houthis believed to have killed one mariner on board, the second such ship to be sunk in the rebel campaign; Thailand's Senate passed the final reading of a marriage equality law, paving the way for it to become the first country in South-east Asia to recognise same sex couples; Singapore climbed three rungs and regained the top spot in the IMD World Com...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the influential war Cabinet that has overseen the fighting in Gaza; Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked North Korea for supporting his actions in Ukraine and said their countries will cooperate closely; the dredging boat that hit a bunker vessel at Pasir Panjang Terminal suffered a sudden loss of engine and steering control. Synopsis: A roun...

US President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodimir Zelensky have signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement; a military history buff in China picked up four discarded books at a recycling station that turned out to be confidential military documents. In Singapore, Pall Corporation, an advanced manufacturing tools and technology supplier, has opened its new plant that will create as many as...

US President Joe Biden will sign a new security agreement with Ukraine. In Asia, China’s Premier Li Qiang landed in New Zealand today ahead of three days of meetings and events. Singapore and Malaysia are committed to resolving outstanding bilateral issues.  Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee Kim Siang / Claressa Monteiro  Recording...

Hamas said that it gave mediators its reply to the U S backed proposal for a cease fire in Gaza, seeking some “amendments” on the deal. Turning to Asia, South Korean soldiers fired warning shots after North Korean troops briefly violated the tense border earlier this week. In Singapore, Singapore’s first satellite to fly closest to the Earth, has been built by NTU and will be ready for take-off in...

Full access for commercial maritime transit through the Port of Baltimore restored; India’s heatwave is the longest ever to hit the country and hiring sentiment in Singapore has weakened for the third consecutive quarter. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee Kim Siang / Claressa Monteiro  Recording engineer: Joann Chai Pei Chieh Produc...

Gains by the far right in voting for the European Parliament yesterday prompted a bruised French President Emmanuel Macron to call a snap national election. Turning to Asia, the US poses the largest security challenge in the South China Sea says the Chinese government, and in Singapore, the URA is seeking public feedback on future plans for the old Kallang Airport. Synopsis: A round up of global h...

Israel hit a Gaza school yesterday with what it described as a targeted airstrike on up to 30 Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters inside. Turning to Asia, Indonesia’s Mount Ibu erupted three times yesterday, spewing red lava and clouds of grey ash. And in Singapore, a water-repellent coating for air-conditioners’ cooling coils, which could help to reduce energy consumption, will be trialled at South...