FairPrice doubles discount for SG60 to help lower-income families; PM Lawrence Wong among world's richest leaders in 2024: Singapore live news

Norway’s drive to phase out petrol and diesel cars is rapidly becoming a reality, with fully electric vehicles (EVs) now making up nearly 90 per cent of new car sales.

This remarkable shift comes after years of government policies that have heavily incentivised EVs while taxing internal combustion engines.

While some holdouts remain – mainly rental companies catering to tourists – the rise of EVs on Norwegian roads is undeniable.

The country is well on track to meet its ambitious goal of adding only electric cars to the market by 2025.

As the infrastructure adapts, the world is watching as Norway becomes the first country to almost entirely eradicate fossil fuel vehicles from the new car market.

Read on Norway's EV revolution here.

The results for the 2024 Singapore-Cambridge O-Level examinations will be released on 10 January at 2:30pm, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced Friday (3 Jan).

Students can collect their results from their respective secondary schools or, if they are unable to do so, appoint a proxy to pick up their results on their behalf.

For private candidates, the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) will make results available online via its portal from 3:15pm on the same day.

Those who have Singpass can access their results directly, while others can log in using their registration details.

The results will be available for viewing until 24 January.

As soon as students have their results in hand, they can begin applying for their next stage of education through the Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE).

Starting from 4:00pm on 10 January, students will be able to apply for places at junior colleges (JC), Millennia Institute (MI), polytechnics, and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) using their O-Level scores.

The JAE application portal will remain open until 4:00pm on 15 January.

In addition to the JAE, students may also apply for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP) and Direct-Entry Scheme to Polytechnic Programme (DPP), which are designed to help students who are eligible for alternative educational pathways.

These applications will also open on 10 January, with respective posting results due by late January and early February.

Read on the release of O-Level exams results and JAE here.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has ranked as the third-most punctual airline in the Asia-Pacific region for 2024, according to data released by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

SIA recorded an on-time performance score of 78.67 per cent, a slight improvement over last year’s 78.57 per cent, marking a notable leap from its seventh-place ranking in 2023.

Japanese carriers Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) clinched the top two spots with on-time performance rates of 80.9 per cent and 80.62 per cent, respectively.

Although SIA saw a marginal rise in its score, the airline's ascent to third place is primarily attributed to a decline in the performance of other competitors, rather than a significant improvement in SIA’s punctuality, explained Cirium's Chief Marketing Officer, Mike Malik.

Despite the tough competition, SIA's low flight cancellation rate of just 0.08 per cent was a standout, well below the industry average of 1 per cent.

This highlights the airline’s strong commitment to operational reliability.

When asked for a comment on the ranking, an SIA spokesperson emphasised the airline’s dedication to "operational excellence" and ensuring a seamless travel experience for its customers.

While SIA holds a respectable position in Asia-Pacific, it did not make it into the global top 10 for punctuality.

The global winner, Aeromexico, led with an on-time performance of 86.7 per cent, while Saudia and Delta Airlines rounded out the top three.

Find out the world’s most punctual airlines for 2024 here.

SenseTime Group, one of China’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) firms, is downsizing its operations in Singapore, signalling a shift in its ambitious growth strategy.

The company is giving up its prime office space in Frasers Tower, shifting to a smaller and more affordable location in a less central area, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Once viewed as a pioneer in the AI space, SenseTime’s move comes as the company faces intense competition from new and well-funded rivals in the AI field, particularly in the wake of the ChatGPT boom.

The company’s decision to reduce office space is also a reflection of its challenges in the rapidly evolving AI market.

It lost major financial backing from Alibaba Group in 2023, and it is now grappling with fresh competition from both global giants and emerging startups like Moonshot AI and Zhipu.

The downsizing is indicative of a broader trend in Singapore’s office market, which has seen demand from Chinese firms start to wane.

While the prime office vacancy rate in Singapore’s Central Business District dropped to 6.9 per cent in the final quarter of 2024, the city-state's office space market faces a softening demand as firms, including SenseTime, focus on cost-cutting measures amid global economic uncertainty.

Once eager to expand, Chinese tech firms are now reevaluating their presence abroad, including in Singapore.

SenseTime had previously expanded rapidly in Singapore, seeking to capitalise on the city’s growing tech hub status in the post-COVID era.

In 2021, company executives announced plans to launch a local AI innovation hub and triple their workforce to 300 employees within three years.

However, those ambitious plans appear to have been scaled back amid economic pressures and rising competition.

The company’s struggles are compounded by geopolitical tensions and regulatory hurdles.

SenseTime’s growth began to stall after being blacklisted by the US government in 2019 over allegations related to human rights violations in Xinjiang.

These restrictions curtailed its access to critical technology, including AI chips and equipment from US firms.

While SenseTime maintains that the accusations are unfounded, the company continues to face challenges in securing resources to fuel its innovation.

Read on SenseTime downsizing its Singapore presence here.

New Year’s Day festivities at The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore were marred by an unexpected brawl in the early hours of Wednesday (1 Jan), disrupting what was supposed to be a peaceful post-fireworks atmosphere.

A witness, who captured the incident on video, described the scene as a chaotic shift from celebration to confrontation.

He recounted how a group outside the hotel attempted to remove a man dressed in white.

However, the man refused to comply, leading to a heated exchange that quickly escalated.

In the video, a woman is heard urgently pleading for the altercation to stop, but her repeated requests went unanswered.

As tensions flared, the man in white charged aggressively towards a man wearing blue.

Despite several attempts by bystanders to break up the fight, the violence reignited multiple times, with the man in white persistently challenging the man in blue to continue.

The police were alerted at around 2.20am and responded swiftly to the scene.

A police spokesperson confirmed that four individuals, aged between 24 and 33, were helping with the ongoing investigation.

No serious injuries have been reported.

Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to understand the full scope of the incident, and whether more individuals were involved in the altercation.

Read on the New Year’s brawl at Fullerton Hotel here.

The new year is beginning with a splash, as Singaporeans can expect frequent thundery showers during the first fortnight of January, according to the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).

The prevailing north-east monsoon is expected to bring moderate to heavy showers, particularly in the afternoon, with some showers potentially extending into the evening.

In its latest advisory, the MSS noted that these showers are a continuation of the wet phase brought by the monsoon, which has caused similar weather patterns since December.

The last two weeks of 2024 were marked by above-average rainfall across parts of the island, and the rainy conditions show no sign of easing in early 2025.

Additionally, a monsoon surge – when a high-pressure system strengthens over northern Asia and pushes north-easterly winds southward – will bring even wetter conditions towards the end of the first fortnight.

This surge could cause temperatures to drop slightly, with daily highs expected to range between 24°C and 33°C, and possibly dipping to a low of 22°C.

The forecast predicts that the rainfall for the first two weeks of January will be above average, especially in the latter days of the period.

In December 2024, a similar pattern of afternoon showers, coupled with regional winds, led to widespread rainfall, with Bukit Timah recording the heaviest daily rainfall of 136.2 mm on 29 December.

Although some areas, like Tuas, experienced rainfall well above the average, others, including Pasir Ris, saw much drier conditions.

As Singaporeans brace for more rainy afternoons, the MSS urges the public to stay updated on daily weather forecasts via their website or the MyENV app.

Jessinta Tan Suat Lin, a former journalist, pleaded guilty to assault and harassment charges, in a series of alarming incidents.

The 50-year-old housewife, who previously worked with news platforms such as TODAY, admitted guilt to three charges on Thursday (2 Jan).

The charges stem from two separate incidents. On 16 February 2024, Tan attacked her neighbour at Westmont condominium in West Coast Road.

Frustrated by the neighbour's exercise routine, Tan hurled eggs and profanities before physically assaulting the woman with a mop, breaking its handle into three pieces.

The victim suffered injuries to her head and arms and later moved out of the condo.

Two months later, an argument over parenting styles escalated into Tan threatening her husband and teenage son.

She sent her husband a vulgar text message and told her son she would kill his father in his sleep.

That night, she threatened to accuse her husband of rape, prompting him to file a police report.

Tan's lawyer described her as a loving mother with a strained relationship with her husband. He requested leniency, citing Tan's anxiety and depression.

District Judge Crystal Goh has called for a report to determine Tan's suitability for a mandatory treatment order.

The case has been adjourned for sentencing on 11 February, and Tan is currently out on $10,000 bail.

Read more on the former journalist's court case here.

Singapore Post (SingPost) is facing mounting pressure for an independent investigation into the sudden dismissal of three senior executives.

The dismissal, which followed allegations of lapses in the company’s international e-commerce logistics operations, has sparked a public dispute between the company and the executives involved.

On Thursday (2 Jan), David Gerald, president of the Securities Investors Association Singapore (SIAS), called for an independent inquiry into the matter, saying that the conflicting statements from both parties had raised more questions than answers.

The controversy began last month when SingPost dismissed the three senior executives on disciplinary grounds following a whistleblower report.

The report alleged that several employees had manipulated delivery status codes to avoid penalties from one of the company’s largest clients.

According to SingPost, the executives were responsible for making false statements during the internal investigation.

In response, two of the dismissed executives have strongly denied the allegations.

They argued that they were not fully informed of the facts when they were asked to provide their input and have described the sackings as “procedurally unfair.”

Both executives have pledged to contest their dismissals.

SingPost has said it is open to discussions with the SIAS, but has yet to commit to a third-party investigation.

The retail investor watchdog’s call for an independent inquiry comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over corporate governance in Singapore.

Read on the call for independent Iinvestigation into SingPost executive firings here.