Latest news with #Singapore
Malay Mail
38 minutes ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘We're not at war, but not at peace either': Singapore defence minister warns of becoming ‘collateral' amid rising global conflicts
SINGAPORE, June 28 – Singapore must heighten vigilance across various fronts due to escalating global conflicts that could see it becoming 'collateral in other people's fight', its Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing said this week. Speaking to Singaporean reporters earlier this week, Chan said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is continuously dealing with a wide spectrum of threats across its four service branches, as the country navigates a state that is neither conventional war nor peace. 'Today, we are not at war in the conventional sense, neither are we at peace in the conventional sense,' he was quoted saying by The Straits Times. 'We are always operating somewhere in between, with different gradations. And that's what keeps us on our toes.' The interview was held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters ahead of SAF Day on July 1, amid global security concerns stemming from rising tensions in the Middle East. Chan referenced the Iran-Israel conflict and the United States strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, cautioning that retaliatory actions could have broader implications beyond the key players involved. 'It could be anywhere else,' he said, warning that such developments might inflame regional sentiments and risk fuelling terrorism. He stressed that Singapore's defence posture must adapt to an evolving landscape where threats increasingly emerge from cyberspace and other non-traditional domains. Chan highlighted persistent cyber threats, with the Digital and Intelligence Service and other agencies fending off thousands of intrusion attempts daily, many of which are likely deliberate and malicious. Protecting Singapore's cyber domain is a round-the-clock effort, Chan added, warning that breaches could disrupt the power grid, financial systems and water supply, beyond compromising sensitive information or national reputation. Chan also noted daily attempts to influence public opinion in Singapore through information operations, warning of both direct and indirect efforts to sway national sentiment. 'The type of information operations that people conduct, perhaps directly on us and sometimes indirectly on us, where we are the collateral, is also not something that we will take lightly,' he said. The SAF also faces frequent incursions into its airspace and waters, with the air force responding to hundreds of suspicious cases annually, and the navy conducting extensive vessel checks in the busy Singapore Strait. 'The number of ships that sail through the narrow Singapore Strait, the number of boardings that we have to [do to] check and verify to make sure that the strait remains safe from threat actors, that goes into the hundreds as well and, in fact, sometimes the thousands,' he said.
CNA
2 hours ago
- Health
- CNA
Singapore to raise age limit for first-time blood donors from 60 to 65
SINGAPORE: In a move to expand Singapore's pool of blood donors, the Health Sciences Authority will raise the maximum age for first-time blood donors from 60 to 65, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced on Saturday (June 28). The rule relaxation, which kicks in on Jan 1, 2026, is aligned with longer life expectancy and better health in older age, said Mr Ong. He also said local data showed that adverse donor reaction actually decreases with age among Singapore's first-time donors up to the current limit of 60 years old. "There is no reason to believe that once you cross 60 years old, suddenly the adverse reaction prevalence rate is going to shoot up," said Mr Ong during an event at Marina Bay Sands marking World Blood Donor Day. Currently, first-time whole blood donors in Singapore must be aged 60 or below. Repeat donors can donate until they are 65, or beyond if they meet health criteria and have donated recently. Under the revised policy, healthy people will be able to donate blood for the first time until the age of 65, bringing Singapore in line with jurisdictions such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Ireland, the Netherlands, South Korea and the United Kingdom. BLOOD BANK CHALLENGES Mr Ong, who is also the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, noted that Singapore faces structural challenges in maintaining a stable blood supply. An ageing population is driving up demand for blood products, while the pool of eligible donors is shrinking, he said. The number of new blood donors has also declined, from over 20,000 in 2013 to around 18,000 in 2024. At the same time, demand is rising, said Mr Ong. Last year, more than 35,000 patients in Singapore received blood transfusions, which are needed for surgeries, cancer treatment and childbirth complications. "Each blood donation saves up to three lives," said Mr Ong. But if blood stocks run low, surgeries will be postponed, treatments delayed and lives could be at risk, he warned. Singapore also contends with seasonal fluctuations in supply, with donor numbers falling during festive periods, school holidays and long weekends when many travel overseas. Early last year, Group O blood stocks in Singapore dropped to critical levels as the country's stockpile stood at less than six days' worth of blood. A personal appeal by Mr Ong, he said, resulted in the blood stock rising by almost 2.3 times in a week. Mr Ong said that this experience showed how people are willing to step forward, adding that authorities would work to make donation more convenient, and to minimise rejection of willing donors. ENCOURAGING MORE TO STEP FORWARD Beyond the policy change, Mr Ong shared that he himself had been unable to donate blood for years because he had lived in the UK during the 1980s, when there was a risk of exposure to Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) - also known mad cow disease - a rare brain disorder linked to contaminated beef. However, a revision in donor guidelines now allows him to donate via apheresis, which he said makes the risk of blood contamination by vCJD "negligible". During donation by apheresis, only specific blood components like platelets or plasma are collected, while the rest is returned to the donor. Despite structural changes and policy reviews, Mr Ong stressed that the success of the national blood programme still hinges on community involvement. At the event on Saturday, over 2,000 champion blood donors were recognised, alongside 34 community organisations that had run donation campaigns, including student groups, businesses and even fan clubs of visiting pop stars. "Giving is a very joyous thing," said Mr Ong.
Geek Culture
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Singapore's First 'Love and Deepspace' Pop-up Event To Steal Hearts In Jul 2025
The heart wants what it wants, even light-years away. After charming players right, left, and centre for the past year, Infold Games' popular otome title – referring to a story-based romance game targeted towards women – Love and Deepspace is bringing its magic to the real world, including Singapore. In a first for the country, ave8 at Resorts World Sentosa will play host an immersive exhibition for the game to mark its latest version update. The event is scheduled to run from 18 to 31 July, but there's a catch: doors are only open on weekends (Friday to Sunday), 11am to 7pm, offering a tight limited-time window for fans to experience it in person. Alongside themed decoration and photo opportunities along the stairs, visitors can look forward to life-sized standees of Xavier, Zayne, Rafayel, Sylus, and Caleb. Complete the designated event activity to enter a special giveaway, with exclusive official merchandise award to 50 lucky winners, including the grand prize of a one-night stay at Hotel Ora. More details about the event are expected nearer to the date. The Love and Deepspace pop-up exhibition in Singapore is part of a bigger celebration that brings offline events to different parts of the world. The Global Expo Tour was also announced for Los Angeles' Anime Expo, taking place from 3 to 7 July, Bilibili World in Shanghai (11 to 13 July), Gamescom in Cologne (20 to 24 August), and Tokyo Game Show (25 to 28 September). Four pieces of exclusive merchandise will be available during these dates: Witness by Deepspace Large Paper Bag, Sworn by Love Photo Card, Light Blooms Transparent Fan, and Blissful Secret Ribbon. As for in-game rewards, a surprise collaboration with fashion brand Jimmy Choo welcomes an 'exquisitely recreated' version of its Cinderella shoes and jewellery. Love and Deepspace Version 4.0 comes to Android and iOS devices on 3 July, featuring brand-new 5-Star Interactive Memories, a free wedding dress for the player character, a new Caleb 5-Star card, and more. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. InFold Games Love and Deepspace resorts world sentosa Singapore
Bloomberg
3 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Singapore's Blueprint for a Future City
Each week we bring you insights into one of Asia's most dynamic economies. If you haven't yet, please sign up here. This week, Gabrielle Ng looks at how Singapore is trying to adapt its city for an aging population and a hotter world, while Ishika Mookerjee bemoans the pressures that could make air travel even more expensive.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
S'pore's new blueprint will give residents more flexibility to choose ideal home: Analysts
SINGAPORE – Singapore's latest draft masterplan will give residents greater flexibility in choosing an ideal living environment across the island, with amenities – as well as workspaces in some cases – located nearer homes, said analysts. The new masterplan – Singapore's land use development blueprint for the next 10 to 15 years – focuses more on creating an environment that fosters a healthier and more active lifestyle, supports the Republic's ageing population and addresses the challenges of climate change, they added. Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at property agency OrangeTee Group, said there is a bigger emphasis on an environment that enhances the quality of life for Singaporeans through the provision of more homes with access to sea, river and park views, as well as more parks and amenities, and the preservation of heritage buildings and cultural sites. Furthermore, there is a dedicated effort to build new sports facilities closer to residential areas to encourage a healthier lifestyle, Ms Sun said. This means that Singaporeans will have a more diverse array of housing options to suit their needs, be they near the city centre, schools, parks or waterways. With each community designed to be better connected with essential amenities, this ensures convenient access to schools, healthcare facilities and recreational areas wherever residents choose to live, added Ms Sun. 'All these initiatives will help to create a more balanced, sustainable living experience for all residents, regardless of age and budget,' she said. At least 80,000 public and private homes will be introduced across more than 10 new housing areas in the next 10 to 15 years, with new neighbourhoods planned in areas such as Dover, Defu, Newton and Paterson. Integrated community hubs with sports facilities, healthcare and community spaces are also in the works for Sengkang, Woodlands North and Yio Chu Kang. Mr Marcus Chu, chief executive of real estate agency ERA Singapore, said that with more housing estates catching up in terms of amenities and accessibility, housing demand may start to be spread more evenly across Singapore. This could, in turn, lead to more even price growth across different regions. More land parcels around MRT stations and more business hubs are also being planned outside the Central Business District to bring work closer to homes, spread the load on the transport network and reduce the need to set aside land for roads, said Mr Mark Yip, CEO of property firm Huttons Asia. One such example is the greater one-north precinct, which has developed into a bustling research-and-development hub with more than 50,000 knowledge workers. Mr Lee Sze Teck, Huttons' senior director of data analytics, said there is therefore a need to provide more homes so that the workers can live near their workplaces. 'This will reduce travelling time and stress on the transport network,' he added. The Dover-Medway neighbourhood in the precinct could see 6,000 new public and private homes built in the first phase, while some 5,000 new private homes could be introduced in Mediapolis, which is also in the area. Ms Sun said building more homes in Dover-Medway and Mediapolis will in turn attract more workers, researchers, students and expats to live there, and support business growth in the area. Mr Ismail Gafoor, CEO of property firm PropNex, said land use for three plots in Ayer Rajah Crescent, near Media Circle in one-north, has been changed from business park to residential, with commercial use on the first storey. That should bring more amenities to Media Circle, which is set to see more high-density housing. In addition, two sites in the nearby Singapore Science Park II have been updated from business park use to residential. This ties in with the ongoing rejuvenation of the Science Park, he added. In the heart of town, Paterson – on the doorstep of Orchard Road – could get 1,000 new private homes as part of an integrated development with retail, food and beverage and office spaces above Orchard MRT station. Ms Sun said expanding the residential landscape in the Orchard Road precinct is a good move due to the scarcity of available land in prime areas. New government land sites in prime areas – especially near Orchard Road – are quite rare, and it has been many years since The Orchard Residences, an integrated development near the heart of Orchard, was launched, Ms Sun noted. But given the luxury property market's slower growth, some of these new sites may be placed on the reserve list of the Government Land Sales (GLS) programme, she added. Such sites are launched for sale when a developer offers a minimum price that the Government accepts, or when there is enough market interest. Mr Lee pointed out that the land parcel above Orchard MRT station has been rezoned to a white site, and the plot ratios have been bumped up. White sites refer to land parcels designated for mixed-use development and allow for flexibility in development plans, while plot ratios measure how intensively land can be developed. 'This is a prime opportunity to build an iconic shopping and residential project as the last GLS site above Orchard MRT was Ion Orchard and The Orchard Residences in 2005,' he said. But the 60 per cent additional buyer's stamp duty on foreign buyers may not give developers the confidence to bid for that site if it is launched for sale, Mr Lee added. Meanwhile, Ms Catherine He, head of research at commercial real estate services firm Colliers, said sites including Paya Lebar Air Base (PLAB), Sembawang Shipyard and the former Singapore Racecourse in Kranji were chosen for redevelopment into housing estates to optimise land use for the maximum benefit of residents, and relocate industrial and commercial activities farther out. In particular, the relocation of PLAB in eastern Singapore from 2030 will be a game-changer, said real estate consultancy Knight Frank Singapore's research head Leonard Tay. With about 800ha of land to be freed up for the development of residences, offices, factories and recreational areas, this means that building height restrictions imposed for the safe navigation of aircraft in surrounding towns could be lifted. Although higher plot ratios around PLAB have not been announced in the latest draft masterplan, Mr Tay said it would be reasonable to expect some collective sale opportunities, as older properties that are no longer constrained by low-rise plot ratios could see an increase in land values after 2030. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
