Category: Singapore

Singapore

Louis Koo Faces HK$149 Million Lawsuit Over 2019 Loan — How Did a HK$70 Million Debt Grow So Large?

Hong Kong actor and filmmaker Louis Koo Tin-lok and his production company, One Cool Film Production Limited, are facing a civil lawsuit seeking more than HK$149.38 million (about US$19 million) over an alleged unpaid loan dating back to 2019. The case was filed in Hong Kong’s High Court on September 2 by Sino Hero Ventures Limited, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands. According to the writ of summons, the company provided Koo and One Cool Film with a HK$70 million term-loan faci

September 3, 2026

Singapore

Singapore’s Green Flight Charge Is Coming in 2027 — Here’s How Much Passengers Could Pay

Singapore is moving ahead with a new Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) levy that will add a separate charge to air tickets for passengers departing the country from January 2027, as the city-state pushes to cut aviation emissions while building a regional SAF industry. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) confirmed on September 3 that the levy will apply to origin-destination passengers and general and business aviation flights departing Singapore from January 1, 2027. Tickets and ser

September 3, 2026

Business

Singapore Stocks Hit Record Highs — But Analysts Warn the Easy Gains May Be Running Out

Singapore’s stock market has reached territory investors once only expected after years of gradual growth. But with the Straits Times Index (STI) trading at historically elevated valuations, the next leg of the rally may depend on something much harder to deliver: stronger corporate earnings. The STI reached an all-time intraday high of 5,774.21 on August 11, 2026, before ending August 2.3% higher. The rally followed an 8.8% jump in July, putting increasing attention on whether company profits

September 3, 2026

Business

Singapore’s 50 Richest Hold $303.5 Billion — But Tech Fortunes Are Taking a Hit

Singapore’s wealthiest tycoons are proving surprisingly resilient despite a tougher year for technology stocks. The combined fortune of Singapore’s 50 richest people and families remained virtually unchanged at S$303.5 billion (US$239 billion) in Forbes’ 2026 ranking, even as several major tech fortunes suffered sharp declines. The list was released this week, with wealth calculated using stock prices and exchange rates as of August 14, 2026. But beneath that headline figure is a major shift i

September 3, 2026

Singapore

Woman Loses S$108,500 Prudential Claim After Brain Aneurysm Surgery — The Clause That Decided Everything

SINGAPORE — A 45-year-old woman who survived a ruptured brain aneurysm has lost her legal battle against Prudential Assurance Company Singapore after the insurer refused to pay a S$108,500 critical illness claim over the type of surgery she underwent. The case has drawn attention to a question many insurance policyholders may never consider until it is too late: Can an insurer reject a serious medical claim because the treatment performed does not match the specific procedure written into an ol

September 3, 2026

Entertainment

Shawn Loh Says He’ll Listen First on Healthcare Costs and School Stress — But the Toughest Decisions Are Still Ahead

SINGAPORE — Incoming Minister of State Shawn Loh is not entering Singapore’s Education and Health ministries with a ready-made list of sweeping reforms. Instead, he says he wants to listen first. But the issues already landing on his desk are anything but small. Healthcare affordability for ageing Singaporeans. Academic pressure on children. Caregiving stress among middle-aged families. The impact of artificial intelligence on how students learn. And, looming behind them all, the difficult que

September 3, 2026

Singapore

Singaporeans Have Used S$30.4 Million in Culture Pass Credits — But the Bigger Challenge Is Just Beginning

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s SG Culture Pass has delivered a significant boost to the country’s arts and heritage scene during its first year, with about 411,000 Singaporeans using more than S$30.4 million in credits. But as the programme enters its second year, arts organisations and museums face a bigger challenge: turning the initial incentive into a lasting habit of attending performances, visiting museums and engaging with Singapore’s cultural scene. The SG Culture Pass was launched in Septemb

September 3, 2026

Singapore

Van Driver Who Ran Over Cyclist Gets 14 Years in Jail—But the Original Murder Charge Took a Dramatic Turn

SINGAPORE — A 51-year-old van driver has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after a Singapore High Court found him guilty of deliberately causing grievous hurt to a cyclist in a 2023 road incident that initially led to an attempted murder charge. Toh Sze Ee was sentenced on Wednesday, Sept. 2, after the prosecution's original attempted murder charge was amended near the end of the trial to voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous means, with the van treated as the weapon used in the off

September 3, 2026

Entertainment

CD PROJEKT RED Has 2 Secret Games in Development — But What Are They?

CD PROJEKT RED is keeping two major secrets under wraps. The Polish game developer behind The Witcher and Cyberpunk franchises has confirmed that it currently has two unannounced gaming projects in development, adding another layer of intrigue to an already packed production pipeline. The disclosure came from Chief Financial Officer Piotr Nielubowicz during the company’s post-earnings conference call, following the release of its first-half 2026 financial results. Reuters reported that the two

September 3, 2026

Singapore

Singapore’s New Green Flight Charge Is Coming in 2027 — But Air Cargo Just Got a One-Year Reprieve

Singapore is pressing ahead with its sustainable aviation plans, but air-cargo operators have been given another year to prepare for a new green levy. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced on September 3 that the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) levy for air cargo will be deferred by one year, following feedback from industry players. The cargo levy will now apply to services sold from October 1, 2027, for flights departing Singapore from January 1, 2028. For passengers, ho

September 3, 2026