BT Lens On

Headline news for January 21, 2026: Markets recoil from renewed US tariff threats, Syria redraws control lines, Japan steadies rattled bond markets, and Singapore deepens security and diplomatic ties with Washington. 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 20, 2026: Trump doubles down on tariff threats, AI anxiety reshapes work, Vietnam weighs power consolidation, China’s growth slows despite exports, and Singapore boosts education support for Malay/Muslim students. 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 )&n...

Headline news for January 19, 2026: Europe weighs retaliation as Trump Administration links tariffs to Greenland, Ukraine peace talks shift to Davos, Japan debates tax cuts, China’s growth slows, and Singapore plans A.I.-run driver training without instructors. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro (...

Headline news for January 16, 2026: US states move to cap data-centre power costs as Washington deepens trade ties with Taiwan, transport disruptions hit Japan, Malaysian politics resurface, Singapore exports slow, and Changi Airport traffic returns to pre-pandemic levels. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monte...

Headline news for January 15, 2026: Washington recalibrates its Middle East posture as Venezuela’s oil trade tightens, Japan keeps politics at arm’s length from central banking, and Singapore tweaks housing rules to keep upgrades moving. 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 January 14, 2026: Iran accuses Trump of encouraging political destabilisation; Japan PM may call a lower house snap election; the US dollar recovers ground; and the Port of Singapore has a banner year. 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 b...

Headline news for January 13, 2026: Reaction to Washington’s pressure on the Fed, tariffs widen with Iran, consumers pull back, and Singapore moves to centralise health data across its medical system. 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: Claressa M...

Headline news for January 12, 2026: Russia strikes Kyiv as Iran’s unrest deepens, Japan expands its security role in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s opposition lays out reform plans, Britain’s hiring slows, and Singapore’s property agencies quietly shrink. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Mon...

Headline news for January 9, 2026: Washington’s Venezuela push meets congressional resistance as Greenland talks continue, Japan’s consumers surprise on the upside, Malaysia clears a key political figure, and Singapore halts infant formula sales over safety concerns. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa...

Headline news for January 8, 2026: Washington escalates pressure on Venezuela’s oil trade and revives its Greenland push, as Japan pushes back against China’s export curbs, wage pressures deepen, and Singapore revamps food safety 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...

Headline news for January 7, 2026: Washington revives its push for Greenland, Asia questions US power after Venezuela, markets shift as Saudi Arabia opens up, and Singapore’s Orchard Road faces its first major collective sale. 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 January 6, 2026: Maduro pleads not guilty after his U.S. arrest, Denmark rebuffs Trump’s Greenland ambitions, Indonesia criminalises unnotified protests, Malaysia promises term limits, and Britain’s inflation pressures return. 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 5, 2026: Washington’s seizure of Venezuela’s president jolts global politics, Russia protests, North Korea tests hypersonic missiles. Japan’s factories stabilise, and Singapore pushes generative AI into classrooms today. 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 December 24, 2025: US courts block troop deployments at home, Syria deepens ties with Russia, Australia tightens gun laws, Washington readies chip tariffs on China, and Singapore outlines major transport upgrades for 2026. 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 December 23, 2025: President Trump revives Greenland ambitions and naval expansion, Syria de-escalates in Aleppo, France scrambles to fund government, Cambodia and Thailand reopen ceasefire talks, while Australia tightens gun laws. 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 December 22, 2025: Washington hardens its immigration stance, Australia rewrites gun laws after a mass shooting, Southeast Asia scrambles to halt border fighting, China holds rates steady, and Singapore moves to shore up retirement savings. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@s...

Headline news for December 19, 2025: TikTok’s US buyer found, Syria–Kurdish talks race to an end-year deadline, Australia prepares a nationwide vigil after the Bondi shooting, Bangladesh erupts in protest, and Japan’s inflation steadies ahead of a pivotal BOJ decision. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim /...

Headline news for December 18, 2025: Ukraine pushes Europe to unlock frozen Russian assets as Washington advances a major defence Bill; Taiwan secures a record U.S. arms package while ASEAN scrambles to calm Thai-Cambodian tensions, and Singapore extends essential-goods support. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa...

Headline news for December 17, 2025: England’s doctors strike amid winter strain, Trump’s approval dips, and Warner Bros faces a pivotal takeover decision, while Asia sees carrier manoeuvres, a major Malaysian reshuffle, and stronger export readings from Japan and Singapore. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim /...

Headline news for December 16, 2025: Ford slashes its EV ambitions, Brussels retreats on its 2035 combustion-car ban, and border clashes escalate in Southeast Asia, as Japan edges toward a rare rate hike and Singapore inks major deals with China. 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 December 15, 2025: Australia mourns deadly antisemitic shooting, Ukraine signals a major concession in peace talks, Thailand’s border conflict escalates, and Japan’s business sentiment climbs as Singapore employers brace for cautious pay rises in 2026. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Clare...

Headline news for December 12, 2025: Political upheavals in Europe, sanctions pressure in Venezuela and early polls for Thailand, while Asian markets steady after the Fed’s cut and Singapore buyers chase smaller landed homes. 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 December 11, 2025: The Fed cuts rates again but signals restraint, US bombers fly with Japan, Mexico slaps tariffs on Asian imports, fighting flares on Thailand’s border, and Singapore trains with China in urban counter-terror drills. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@s...

Dubai is engineering its future with uncommon precision. In this episode of Lens on Singapore, Claressa Monteiro speaks with Dr Marwan Al Zarouni, CEO of Artificial Intelligence at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO of DIFC Innovation Hub, to unpack how AI, governance and digital assets are being built into Dubai’s economic architecture.  From the D...

Headline news for December 9, 2025: Japan and China trade barbs as Ukraine revises its peace pitch, Thailand and Cambodia clash anew, media giants battle for Warner Bros, while Singapore hikes postal rates and cracks down on deceptive online retail tactics. Synopsis: A round up of global headlines to start your day by The Business Times.  Written by: Howie Lim / Claressa Monteiro ( claremb@sp...