Singapore Airlines is top airline in Fortune most admired companies list; which is the most annoying Chinese New Year greeting: Live news

As we go into another weekend of Chinese New Year visiting, have you ever thought about how much to give in your hongbaos (red packets)?

Whether you're a semi-seasoned hongbao giver or this Year of the Snake is your first time giving them out as a newlywed couple, you don't want to hiss out on this hongbao guide to Chinese New Year 2025. Let's dissect Moneysmart's "hongbao rate hierarchy".

Can you get a cake snack for under $1 these days?

Well, Sin Lee Huat Confectionery in Jurong is a rare old-school bakery that still sells mini-sponge rolls for 60 cents. A reviewer said, "They come with cream or jam fillings, and I selected the latter. Rolled into a swirl, the cake was light and cloud-like. It tasted very old school, like those Swiss rolls you'd get as a kid. The crust created from the baking had been left on, and it was soft and flaked off very easily."

Other items are substantial and affordable too. They include the tuna bun at $1.30 and eclair at $1.

Find out exactly where Sin Lee Huat Confectionery is located and what other baked goods are great there.

Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has exchanged gifts with its Malaysian counterpart on the occasion of the Chinese New Year.

The Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoint Commanders exchanged gifts at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar CIQ and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ.

If you're travelling to Malaysia this season, do check the ICA Facebook page for updates.

Are you looking to start investing in the Year of the Snake?

After all, it's said that the new year brings a time for reflection and wisdom. And there are few wiser investors than the legendary Warren Buffett. In 2025, the Oracle of Omaha will celebrate his 95th birthday, a testament to his enduring legacy.

Like the snake shedding its skin and emerging renewed, Buffett has consistently adapted and thrived in ever-changing markets. What truly sets Buffett apart is his ability to distil complex investment concepts into easily understandable principles.

His tips include seemingly simple and common-sensical advice, such as: "Instead of forecasting where the economy is headed, spend more time studying companies."

Read on for nine more Warren Buffett tips this Chinese New Year.

In South Korea, an investigation into a fire that engulfed an Air Busan plane at a South Korean airport this week is being slowed by a large amount of fuel and oxygen still on board, an air crash investigation official told Reuters.

The burned-out Airbus A321ceo plane remains on the tarmac at Gimhae International Airport in the southern city of Busan. All 169 passengers and seven crew members were evacuated using emergency slides after the fire broke out.

The incident came a month after the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil when a Jeju Air plane crashed on Muan Airport's runway as it made an emergency belly landing, killing all but two of the 181 people on board.

More details of the Air Busan incident here.

Peranakan restaurant Violet Oon – named after its chef-owner, will be leaving Jewel Changi Airport for Dempsey, with Monday (3 February) its last day of operation at the mall.

It's new home will be at Block 7 at Dempsey Hill. More information will be released at the end of March.

In August 2024, it was announced that the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has awarded the tender for a single-storey conserved building at 7 Dempsey Road to Violet Oon. Violet Oon's subsidiary, Halo Concept, submitted a monthly rental bid of $52,615, the highest of eight bids received.

In Japan, efforts to rescue a trapped elderly driver in a massive sinkhole in Yashio has entered its fourth day

Japanese authorities have asked 1.2 million people across 12 cities and towns in the eastern part of Saitama prefecture to limit showers and laundry use to ease the pressure on the sewer system – to help in the rescue efforts.

"Putting our first priority on saving the person's life, we are asking residents to refrain from non-essential use of water such as taking a bath or doing laundry," a Saitama prefecture official told AFP on Thursday.

Read more on this developing story.

How did you greet your family and friends this Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year)?

Well, according to a survey by language learning platform Preply, you shouldn't be saying, "Gong Xi Fa Cai, ang bao bo?" as it's the most disliked Singlish greeting. It had surveyed over 1,000 Singapore residents to find out their thoughts and feelings about the Lunar New Year, including their opinions on the most liked and most annoying greetings.

Some 19 per cent of respondents disliked "Gong Xi Fa Cai, ang bao bo?" as it's seen as too forward (asking for red packets).

In second place comes "Gong Xi Fa Cai, ang bao please!" – disliked for similar reasons.

"Choy ah! May your year be full of good luck!" (14 per cent of respondents) feels niche and is ranked at No. 3 for the most annoying greeting of the 2025 Lunar New Year.

On the flip side, "Huat ah!" (75 of respondents), a wish for prosperity, is the most loved greeting overall. Close behind is "Gong xi fa cai!".

Find out which are Singapore's most beloved Lunar New Year traditions and superstitions.