BT Lens On

Headline news for March 3, 2026: US and Israeli strikes on Iran widen across the region as Washington debates presidential authority, Malaysia’s reform bill falters, Asian factories hold steady and Singapore braces for energy-driven risks. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produce...

Headline news for March 2, 2026: US–Israel strikes on Iran intensify, lift oil and gold, and rattle Asian markets, as Washington signals sustained operations with uncertain diplomatic and economic fallout ahead. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by: Claressa Mo...

Headline news for February 27, 2026: Progress in US-Iran nuclear talks offsets tech stock losses after Nvidia earnings; Singapore hits a record low fertility rate; and Paramount Skydance wins the Warner Bros. Discovery bid. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim ( howielim@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by: Claressa Mon...

Headline news for February 26, 2026: US–Iran nuclear talks resume as geopolitical risks linger, Asian economies face currency and trade pressures, and Singapore’s Budget debate sharpens around inequality, ageing and workforce protection. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Pro...

Headline news for February 25, 2026: Britain tightens border entry rules, President Trump’s 10 per cent tariffs take effect, Asian inflation and equity markets surge, and Singapore’s S$15.1 billion Budget surplus sparks debate over fiscal prudence versus spending. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Claressa Monteiro ( cla...

Headline news for February 24, 2026: President Trump threatens higher tariffs after court setback, markets slide in Asia and Wall Street, Ukraine’s economy strains under war, Britain arrests Mandelson, and Singapore lawmakers press for rules on intelligence. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( cla...

Headline news for February 23, 2026: US trade deals after a tariff ruling, markets tread cautiously, Ukraine’s war grinds on, an earthquake jolts Malaysia, British hiring weakens, Asian exports stay firm, Singapore seeks clarity abroad. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )&nbsp...

Headline news for February 20, 2026: President Trump’s Board of Peace draws billions in pledges for Gaza rebuilding as questions persist over Hamas disarmament. Japan inflation cools, US unsecured loans surge, and a deadly fire hits a foreign-registered passenger vessel bound for Singapore. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Ho...

Headline news for February 16, 2026: Iran presses for a nuclear deal as talks resume, Israel tightens control in the West Bank, Japan edges back to growth, UK hiring slows, while Singapore exports climb on AI-driven electronics demand. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produ...

Headline news for February 13, 2026: US-Taiwan ink reciprocal trade deal; Ukraine seeks peace election backing; Hong Kong IPO market booms, stressing banks; and Singapore boosts its Financial Sector Development Fund as the STI hits a historic 5000+. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg...

Headline news for February 12, 2026: US House narrowly votes to terminate Trump’s Canada tariffs as Japan wholesale inflation slows, Australia signals rate vigilance, Malaysia tests rail link, and Singapore BTO demand surges before Budget day. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg...

Headline news for February 11, 2026: U.S. intelligence and immigration policies are recalibrated as household debt delinquencies hit a post-2017 high. Thailand extends a royal insult sentence, while Singapore flags gaps in public-sector IT oversight. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.s...

Headline news for February 10, 2026: China’s sway in Bangladesh looks set to deepen after elections, as US-Canada trade tensions flare and Australia’s business activity cools. Singapore upgrades its growth outlook as household incomes climb past S$12,000. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro (...

Headline news for February 9, 2026: Japan’s ruling coalition secures a landslide, lifting the Nikkei, while Thailand’s Bhumjaithai claims victory. Oil slips on easing Iran tensions, India shuns Russian crude and Singapore forecasts a stronger Budget surplus. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro...

Headline news for February 6, 2026: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces backlash over his US envoy pick as Ukraine-Russia talks yield a prisoner swap, oil eases on Iran diplomacy hopes and Wall Street slides on soaring AI spending. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced...

Headline news for February 5, 2026: China considers buying more U.S.-farmed soybeans; oil prices fall, BoE to keep benchmark Bank Rate and users of mobility scooters in Singapore will need certificate of medical need. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by:...

Headline news for February 4, 2026: EU and US cut a deal on minerals to curb China; Britain to develop advanced nuclear reactors; bitcoin continues to slide and New Zealand’s jobless rate at its highest.  Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by: C...

Headline news for February 3, 2026: President Trump and India clinch a deal cutting US tariffs to 18% as New Delhi halts Russian oil purchases and expands trade ties; cryptocurrencies slump, gold rebounds and South Korean inflation eases.  Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )&nb...

Headline news for February 2, 2026: Iran threatens regional conflict as Washington boosts its military presence. Manufacturing gauges in South Korea and Japan strengthen. U.K. sentiment steadies, while Singapore’s rental car fleet climbs to a record share. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( clare...

Headline news for January 30, 2026: President Trump backs a bipartisan spending deal to avert a shutdown and signals a Fed pick, the EU sanctions Iran, Tokyo inflation cools, and analysts assess China’s stance before Japan’s snap election. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com....

Headline news for January 28, 2026: Saudi Arabia pledges neutrality toward Iran, the dollar sinks, Amazon layoffs loom, a Johor peat fire spreads haze, and Singapore’s food delivery market lags regional growth. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph.com.sg )  Produced and edited by:...

Headline news for January 27, 2026: President Trump and Minnesota’s governor move to defuse tensions over a fatal deportation crackdown, France advances a social media ban for minors, markets eye yen intervention, and the Singapore dollar hits a decade high. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( cla...

Headline news for January 26, 2026: A second fatal federal shooting highlights US immigration tensions, Europe unites on offshore wind, Israel’s delays Rafah pedestrian passage, Japan’s PM approval rating, gold hits record levels and Singapore tightens health-data consent rules. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Li...

Headline news for January 23, 2026: Washington rebuffed limits on Venezuela action as Davos exposed Ukraine tensions and Indonesia’s pitch, Amazon prepared fresh cuts, oil slid on geopolitics, and Singapore households braced for higher utility bills. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sph...

Headline news for January 22, 2026: Washington eased tariff pressure linked to Greenland as Europe warned against escalation, Asian capitals assessed implications, and markets weighed slowing growth signals alongside fresh policy moves in Singapore and the region. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( cla...