Singapore's labour market soars with 11,300 new jobs in Q2; Circle Line services disrupted for second day in a row: Singapore live news
We feature a curated selection of some of the biggest, most important, and fascinating news that’s making waves online
Yahoo News Singapore
Updated
And that's a wrap. Thanks for tuning in. We'll catch y'all again tomorrow.
Hello to all our readers, Yahoo Singapore will be bringing you live news updates today.
Singapore's employment rose by 11,300 in the second quarter of 2024, more than double the prior quarter's growth according to a report by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). Non-resident jobs surged, especially in construction, while resident employment saw minor declines. The unemployment rate dropped to 2.0 per cent, and job vacancies remained high, exceeding the number of job seekers. While retrenchments rose slightly, many workers found new jobs quickly. Here's the latest on Singapore's labour market.
A fire at Kim Chuan Depot on Wednesday (18 Sept) disrupted Circle Line services in Singapore for the second day in a row, following a previous power fault. SMRT restored power quickly, but commuters faced delays and discomfort. Investigations are underway to determine the causes of both incidents, amid concerns about the Circle Line's reliability. More on the Circle Line's disruption here.
Fasten your seatbelts! Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices for larger cars in Singapore are skyrocketing, hitting record highs in the latest bidding exercise. The recent COE bidding saw significant price jumps, particularly for larger vehicles. The latest COE prices are listed here.
Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) has refreshed guidelines to enhance collaboration between parents and teachers, emphasising respectful communication and boundaries. Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing said the initiative aims to strengthen parent-child relationships and support mental well-being. Measures to reduce teacher workloads and streamline administrative tasks have been introduced, alongside a commitment to fostering a supportive educational environment. Read on MOE's move to enhance parent-teacher collaboration here.
As Typhoon Yagi's wrath leaves Southeast Asia reeling, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is gearing up to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid. With the death toll surpassing 500, Singapore is stepping up to assist its neighbours Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam with critical supplies in the aftermath of the deadly typhoon. Read more on SAF's relief efforts in Southeast Asia here.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has flagged four food products containing banned substances linked to health risks. These products, marketed as weight loss aids, have been removed from local e-commerce platforms. The agency warns consumers against using these products and emphasises the legal consequences for sellers of unsafe food. Find out more about the SFA's recent food alert here.
The United States government has filed a lawsuit against Singapore companies Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, seeking over $130 million (US$100 million) for their alleged negligence leading to the deadly Baltimore bridge collapse. The Dali, a Singaporean-flagged cargo ship, was poorly maintained and suffered electrical failures before colliding with the bridge, resulting in six deaths. The lawsuit emphasises the companies’ cost-cutting measures and the disabled safety features that contributed to the disaster. More on the US government's pursuit for damages against two Singapore firms here.
Is YouTube the future of online shopping in Singapore?
YouTube has partnered with Shopee to launch an online shopping service in Indonesia, aiming to tap into the fast-growing e-commerce market in Southeast Asia.
This initiative is part of YouTube's strategy to enhance its shopping features, following similar services already active in South Korea and the United States.
The partnership comes as competition heats up in the region.
YouTube sees Indonesia's vibrant online shopping environment as a promising opportunity for growth.
While specific financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed, it marks a strategic move for Shopee to maintain its leadership amid increasing competition from other platforms like Lazada, Amazon and newer entrants.
The plan is to expand YouTube Shopping beyond Indonesia to Thailand and Vietnam shortly.
Singaporeans are already heavy consumers of online content and shopping, making it an ideal market for this service.
The integration of shopping features in videos could attract both local content creators and businesses, allowing them to showcase products effectively while tapping into Singapore's robust consumer base.
Furthermore, YouTube Shopping could leverage Singapore's strategic position in Southeast Asia to enhance connectivity in e-commerce with neighbouring count.
Job vacancies outnumber unemployed in Singapore's tight labour market
Singapore's labour market saw significant growth in the second quarter of 2024, with total employment increasing by 11,300 jobs, more than double the previous quarter's figure.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reported that this surge was largely driven by non-resident employment, particularly in construction and manufacturing sectors, while resident employment saw a slight decline due to seasonal layoffs in retail and support services.
The overall employment growth for the first half of 2024 reached 16,000, indicating a resilient labour market amid economic recovery.
Despite a rise in retrenchments to 3,270 in the second quarter from 3,030 in the first quarter, unemployment rates improved, with the overall rate dropping to 2.0 per cent.
The resident long-term unemployment rate remained low at 0.8 per cent, and the number of job vacancies was stable, exceeding the number of unemployed persons.
This trend reflects a tight labor market where job vacancies outnumber unemployed individuals, increasing the job vacancy-to-unemployed ratio to 1.67 in June.
The MOM's report highlighted that while overall retrenchments are low, many firms are reorganising due to business restructuring rather than economic downturns.
More than half of retrenched residents managed to secure new jobs within six months, although this re-entry rate saw a slight decline compared to the previous quarter.
Circle Line commuters suffer through disruptions for the second day running
A fire erupted in a power cubicle at the Kim Chuan Depot on Wednesday (18 Sept), causing disruption to the Circle Line in Singapore for the second day in a row.
The incident occurred around 8pm and led to stalled trains and affected lighting.
SMRT engineers quickly managed to extinguish the fire and restored power within minutes, allowing normal service to resume shortly thereafter.
This incident followed a similar power fault on 17 Sept, where multiple trains stalled during peak hours due to a power trip.
Although power was restored relatively quickly, passengers experienced significant discomfort due to the loss of air-conditioning.
SMRT is currently collaborating with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and equipment manufacturers to investigate both incidents, assessing if they are linked.
The affected power cubicle has been isolated to prevent further issues.
Passengers have expressed dissatisfaction with the frequency of disruptions and the communication from SMRT.
While some commuters were informed through transport apps, others were caught off guard by the sudden outages.
The Circle Line has been labelled the least reliable MRT line in Singapore, with reliability expected to improve upon completion of upgrade projects in 2026.
The US Justice Department seeks to recover over $130 million (US$100 million) for costs associated with the disaster and debris removal.
The Dali, a Singaporean-flagged vessel, suffered from significant mechanical issues that were ignored, resulting in a power failure just before the collision.
This lack of maintenance is said to have left the crew ill-prepared and the ship unseaworthy.
Investigations revealed that critical safety features were disabled, which would have otherwise allowed the crew to regain control in time to prevent the crash.
The companies involved have sought to limit their liability, but the US government asserts that such attempts lack legal merit.
These products were marketed as effective weight-loss aids but have been found to contain dangerous ingredients like sibutramine, which can lead to severe health issues.
Following this discovery, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) worked with e-commerce platforms to remove these products and warned sellers to halt sales immediately.
Consumers are advised not to consume these items and to seek medical attention if they have already done so.
The SFA underscored the legal repercussions for selling unsafe food, with fines and potential imprisonment for offenders.
They also encourage the public to report any suspicious food products to help maintain safety standards in Singapore.
Teachers can now focus on teaching, not after-hour messages: MOE
Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing emphasised the importance of collaboration between parents and teachers to enhance children’s development at the Schools Work Plan Seminar on Wednesday (18 Sept).
To support this, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has refreshed the Guidelines for School-Home Partnership and introduced a new initiative called Parenting for Wellness, aiming to strengthen parent-child relationships and promote mental well-being.
The updated guidelines were created through discussions with over 300 teachers and parents.
They focus on respectful communication and clear boundaries for teachers, allowing them to manage their time effectively without the pressure of after-hours communications, except in emergencies.
Teachers are encouraged to use official channels for communication to maintain professionalism and protect their personal time.
MOE is also taking steps to alleviate teacher workloads.
Starting in 2026, schools will have more autonomy in choosing whether to implement the Applied Learning Programme or the Learning for Life Programme, thus allowing better resource management.
A pilot program will also allow parents to submit absence documents electronically to streamline administrative tasks.
The Certificate of Entitlement (COE) bidding exercise on Wednesday (18 Sept) revealed a significant jump in prices for larger vehicles in Singapore.
Premiums for Category B cars, which include larger and more powerful vehicles, rose to $110,001 from $106,300.
The Open category COE, which is primarily used for large cars, also saw an increase, reaching $113,104 from $106,901, marking the highest price this year for that category.
Smaller car premiums under Category A, which includes vehicles with engine capacities of 1,600cc and below, climbed to $98,524, up from $96,490 in the previous bidding.
Meanwhile motorcycle COE prices increased slightly to $9,900, compared to $9,801 previously.
Notably, commercial vehicle COEs remained stable, decreasing only marginally to S$74,000.
The recent bidding exercise attracted 3,593 bids, but only 2,567 COEs were available, indicating strong demand despite rising prices.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced an overall increase in COE supply for the August to October period, with adjustments in quotas across categories.
Michael Moore wants President Joe Biden to leave the White House a “hero.” According to the renowned filmmaker, the president ought to take advantage of “full immunity” and pass a “bucket list” of reforms in his last 100 days in office. “With a simple stroke or two of your presidential pen, you can make life better for millions of people in ways you never would’ve dreamed possible,” Moore wrote on his Substack on Saturday.Referencing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity tha
Donald Trump, while giving a speech Friday in Colorado during which he used teleprompters, falsely claimed that he doesn’t use them.Not only that, but the chronically truth-averse candidate repeated a debunked assertion on the same topic: that Vice President Kamala Harris used a teleprompter during her Univision town hall the day prior.“Did you see where she did a town hall yesterday and she used a teleprompter? I never saw a town—you don’t use teleprompters. We don’t use teleprompters, period,
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis alleged that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is suffering from “cognitive decline” and can’t seem to remember who he’s running against.Trump campaigned on Friday in Aurora, Colorado, where he called Polis a “coward” and a “fraud” and said immigrants from Venezuela have “invaded and conquered” the city after a video of six armed men inside an Aurora apartment complex went viral in August.A 25-year-old man was later shot and killed, and social media users claimed th
Donald Trump faced an embarrassing takedown after claiming to have proof of the debunked claim that he was once given Michigan’s Man of the Year award.In a speech in which he trashed Detroit, the former president brandished a print-out of a story from the Oakland Press, saying he’d asked his staff to find evidence that he’d been honored with the accolade 11 years earlier.“It was like 19 years ago. It was a long time. But I was honored. And guess what? They found it. I was,” said Trump, unfolding
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie took shots at fellow Republican Donald Trump for his mental decline, his childlike behavior amid Hurricane Helene and his chances of winning the presidency in November during an interview with New York Times opinion journalist Frank Bruni.Christie—who supported Trump’s last two campaigns before speaking out against him more recently—told Bruni that he has seen declines in the GOP nominee’s mental acuity and speaking ability.“He wasn’t as good in 2020 as
Meghan McCain, the daughter of late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), pushed back against Vice President Harris’s mention of her father at a rally earlier this week, claiming Democrats are trying to “reinvent history.” “Now, I know democrats want to reinvent history and turn my Dad into any illusion you guys need him to be depending…
Former President Obama on Thursday night did what many Democrats had been craving. He said the quiet part out loud. For days, Democrats have been worried about a lack of enthusiasm among segments of their base. So when Obama made an unannounced campaign stop at a field office in Pittsburgh, he used the opportunity — with television…
“I’d like to report a murder,” one X user writes as clips of the political routine begin going viral The post Obama Roasts Trump for Everything From Selling Bibles to Needing a Diaper at Pittsburgh Rally | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Kamala Harris has appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine—but could only land the October digital version of the iconic mag with pop star Billie Eilish taking top billing on the cover of the new print issue.Some social media users suggested the photo was doctored to make the 59-year-old Democratic Party presidential nominee look younger.“Makeup magic plus airbrushing like no one has ever airbrushed,” wrote one user. Read more at The Daily Beast.Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals d
Turning the tables with an ironic twist, Donald Trump called Kamala Harris a threat to democracy on Friday, and announced a plan to use a 1798 law to round up and deport undocumented migrants.“We will begin the largest deportation operation in the history of the United States,” Trump said at a campaign stop in Aurora, Colorado.Trump said if he wins another term in the White House, he’ll create “Operation Aurora” to target Venezuelan gang members and other “illegal aliens,” whom he also referred
Trump’s running mate also debuted a strange impression of Kamala Harris and criticized her supposedly ‘awkward cackle’ at the campaign event. Eric Garcia reports from Greensboro
Donald Trump's campaign has requested the use of military aircraft and vehicles to protect the former president as he campaigns during the final weeks of the presidential campaign, the New York Times and Washington Post reported on Friday. The request follows two recent assassination attempts against the Republican presidential candidate. It also comes after Trump's campaign last month said he had been briefed by U.S. intelligence officials on alleged threats from Iran to assassinate him.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) condemned comments from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), calling him “the ultimate hypocrite” after the Democrat claimed former President Trump is trying to manipulate the electoral college. “Ranking member Raskin is the ultimate hypocrite,” Comer told Fox News Digital. “He talks a big game about ‘saving democracy’ yet actively undermines…
Inspired by a heated online debate about whether Snoopy would endorse former President Donald Trump for re-election, Bill Maher took stock of which other cartoon characters would side with the Republican presidential nominee to hilarious results.“Garfield is team Trump because they’re both fat orange p---ies,” the comedian said on Friday’s episode of Real Time With Bill Maher.“Charlie Brown is all in on Trump because they both take a single strand of hair and make it cover their head.”Read more