BT Lens On

The Hamas leader demands a permanent end to the war; Indian PM Narendra Modi’s BJP forms an alliance with coalition allies and Singapore deepens its ties with the U.S through A.I. 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 Produced and edited by: Lee Kim Siang & Clar...

Heavy fighting rocked Gaza yesterday after G7 and Arab powers urged both Israel and Hamas to agree to a truce and hostage release deal outlined by US President Joe Biden. Turning to Asia, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks set to retain power at the head of a ruling coalition; Singapore will participate in an upcoming Ukraine peace summit hosted by Switzerland, with Senior Minister of State...

Google lays off at least 100 people; former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan's conviction has been overturned and the man suspected of killing Singaporean Audrey Fang has been confirmed as a beneficiary of her Central Provident Fund savings. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee Kim Siang / Claressa Monteiro  Recording engineer: Joan...

Two people were killed in violence at polling centres yesterday in the midst of Mexico's historic election; in Asia, strong earthquakes struck Japan’s north-central region of Ishikawa that was hit by the Jan 1 fatal quake; Ukraine and Singapore reaffirmed the 'warm and friendly' ties between both countries.  Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Writte...

In international news, U.S. Democrat Senators have asked the Attorney General to investigate allegations of collusion and price fixing between the oil industry and OPEC. In Asia, Hong Kong pro-democracy activists are found guilty in a landmark subversion trial and in Singapore, HDB Flat Portal now lists resale flats. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times...

Israeli forces have taken control of a buffer zone along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Turning to Asia, North Korea fired a barrage of suspected ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea; US and Chinese defence chiefs are set to hold rare direct talks in Singapore this weekend. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee Kim Si...

A U.S. appeals court overnight, set a fast-track schedule to consider the legal challenges to a new law requiring China based ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S, in Asia Hong Kong police have arrested six people, including a former organiser of the city’s decades-long annual vigil that commemorated China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown. And Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is planning an early visit to Kua...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that a “tragic mistake” was made in an Israeli strike in Rafah; a rocket launched by North Korea to deploy the country’s second spy satellite exploded shortly after liftoff; and in Singapore, LTA has awarded a contract of about S$530 million for the design and construction of Turf City MRT station. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to...

In world news, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the Conservative Party will introduce mandatory national service for 18-year-olds if it wins the national election. In Asia, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te extended goodwill towards and offered cooperation with China, and in Singapore news, a new study by the Singapore Department of Statistics found hawker food prices had gone up by ov...

With depression diagnosis among the young in Singapore growing four-fold between 2013 and 2018, something clearly needs to be done. But what? Howie Lim ventures into the dark recesses of the human mind to find out. Synopsis: A monthly podcast series from The Business Times on current affairs, societal issues and government policies explored through the lens of how it impacts us in Singapore and in...

Britain kicks off a six-week election campaign in which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party is trying to overturn a widespread sense that it will be ousted from power. Turning to Asia, Taiwan scrambled jets and put defence units on alert yesterday over Chinese military exercises being conducted around the island. In Singapore, SIA will now also stop serving meals when the seat belt sig...

In international news, the verdict in Donald Trump's hush money case may be reached as soon as next week. In Asia, President Emmanuel Macron arrives in New Caledonia this morning amidst unrest; and in Singapore news, twenty people hurt during severe air turbulence on Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 remain under intensive care. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Busin...

The ICC has requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence chief and three Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes. In Asia, a Japanese town is set to mount a barrier across the road from an Instagram-famous view of Mount Fuji in an attempt to deter badly behaved tourists. Some HarbourFront Centre tenants are uncertain about their future, with proposals for an i...

Updated at noon today. In world news, Iranian state media reported a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a “hard landing” with all passengers feared dead.  Mr Lai Ching-te takes office as Taiwan’s new president today and in Singapore news, several people linked to to the island’s biggest case of money laundering, have been named in an international media investigation. Syn...

In defiance of global warnings, Israel vows to intensify ground offensive in Rafah; Indonesia’s Ibu volcano erupts repeatedly and Singapore’s tourist arrivals fall, marking the lowest number in the year. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee Kim Siang ( kimsiang@sph.com.sg ) / Claressa Monteiro  Recording engineer: Joann Chai Pei Chieh...

Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition after he was shot in an assassination attempt. In Asia news, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin landed today in Beijing for a two-day state visit to China, in a show of unity between the allies. Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong vowed to make “tomorrow better than today” as he took his oath of office yeste...

In world news, U.S. President Joe Biden unveils a bundle of steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports. Hong Kong leader John Lee has called for full information from British authorities on the arrests of three men, charged with assisting Hong Kong's foreign intelligence service. In Singapore, students at the Institute of Technical Education can now apply for a scholarship with internsh...

Israeli forces pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza's northern edge yesterday to recapture an area from Hamas fighters. In Asia, millions of Indians across ninety six constituencies began casting their ballots yesterday. Singapore’s next prime minister Lawrence Wong unveiled his Cabinet yesterday, with Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong to be appointed as deputy prime minister. Synopsis: A...

In world news a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near the coast of Chiapas in Mexico and Brazil's, Rio Grande do Sul state has been hit by deadly flooding. In Asia, Australia’s inflation could ease and Singapore’s two cruise terminals will be consolidated in the coming years, with the cruise centre in HarbourFront set to move. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Busine...

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed US President Joe Biden's threat to withhold weapons from Israel if it assaults Rafah; Six months into an offensive against Myanmar’s military government, opposition forces have made massive gains, but civilian casualties are rising sharply; OCBC unveils a S$1.4 billion offer to buy the remaining stake in Great Eastern Holdings. Synopsis: A round...

Tens of thousands of displaced and exhausted Palestinians pack up their tents and other belongings from Rafah; US and Philippine forces, backed by an Australian air force aircraft, sink a mock enemy ship as part of large-scale war drills; authorities flag the listings of two HDB flats that were put up for sale for $2 million. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Busine...

Vladimir Putin, is sworn in for a new six-year presidential term. In Asia, Malaysia’s Defense Ministry and Home Affairs Ministry hosts Defense Services Asia and the concurrent National Security Asia exhibitions and Singapore ranked the fourth wealthiest city in the world, overtaking London. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee Kim Sian...

Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed to a Gaza ceasefire proposal from mediators. In Asia, Australia has formally expressed their concerns over an incident in the Yellow Sea involving a Chinese fighter jet and in Singapore, two men convicted in Singapore’s largest money laundering cases have been deported. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Writt...

Three Israeli soldiers were killed in a rocket attack claimed by Hamas. Chinese President Xi Jinping has kicked off a three-country trip to Europe and Singapore has announced that Malaysia’s King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, will make a two-day state visit. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times .  Written by: Lee Kim Siang / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.c...

Police forcibly removed scores of defiant pro-Palestinian protesters at several colleges. In Asia, claims circulating online in India recently have misstated various details about the upcoming election and in Singapore, an officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been suspended from duties to assist in investigations amid allegations that he filmed a teenager at a public bath in Japan.  Sy...