Country
Singapore
- Singapore and Indonesia plan joint haze task force to share data and go after assets of firms linked to fires
Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan visited Jakarta on Tuesday, Oct 27, and held two hours of talks with his Indonesian counterpart; the two sides said they are setting up a joint working group to tackle cross-border haze from Indonesian forest fires, including information sharing, cross-border evidence gathering and even recovering assets of companies linked to the fires. Indonesia is experiencing its worst forest fires in nearly 11 years, and frustration over the haze has grown in Singapore; Indonesia's energy minister had earlier called Singapore's comments on a bilateral gas supply contract 'preachy'. Rain has brought temporary relief, but underground peat fires are still burning, and toxic haze has spread across Southeast Asia, closing schools and causing respiratory illness.
Oct 28, 2026 Morning - Singapore suspends caterer Deli Hub after 53 fall ill with gastroenteritis at two MOE kindergartens
Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency, food agency and Ministry of Education said in a joint statement on Tuesday, Oct 27, that Deli Hub Catering's food business is suspended with immediate effect until further notice. As of Oct 26, 51 pupils and 2 staff at MOE Kindergarten @ Springdale in Sengkang and MOE Kindergarten @ Gongshang in Tampines had gastroenteritis symptoms after eating food supplied by the company between Oct 21 and 23. They sought medical treatment, self-medicated or recovered on their own, and none were hospitalised. The caterer was hired by KCare, which runs student care at the two kindergartens, and authorities are investigating.
Oct 28, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Singapore looks to tighten haze law after issuing legal notices to 20 companies, says Grace Fu
Singapore this month issued legal notices under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to 10 overseas companies and 10 Singapore-registered companies. Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu said on Oct 27 that the government is studying ways to strengthen the law, or enact a new one if needed, to close enforcement gaps and improve accountability. She said the two main hurdles are gathering evidence and securing cooperation from companies outside Singapore, and that the government is prepared to use broader legal, regulatory and economic levers.
Oct 27, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore woman who filmed abuse of 4-year-old Megan Khung and helped dispose of her body pleads guilty
The Straits Times reported that a 36-year-old woman pleaded guilty on Monday, Oct 26, in the case of 4-year-old Megan Khung. She filmed the girl's mother and the mother's boyfriend abusing the child. She admitted three charges, including conspiring with the two to force the girl to sleep on a balcony without clothes and not seeking medical help after a fatal punch, as well as intentionally disposing of the body and consuming methamphetamine, with three further conspiracy charges to be taken into account at sentencing.
Oct 27, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Singapore widens haze probe, asks 10 locally registered palm oil and forestry firms for land concession records
Singapore's National Environment Agency expanded its investigation into haze from land-clearing fires, issuing notices to 10 Singapore-registered palm oil and forestry-related companies requiring documents on their overseas land concessions, firefighting and fire-prevention measures, and links with related companies. The NEA said the 24-hour PSI across the island on Oct 26 was forecast at 70 to 100, with normal PM2.5 readings and good to moderate air quality.
Oct 26, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore's geothermal potential estimated at over 60 times annual electricity use; Tan See Leng says it will drill deeper
Singapore's Energy Market Authority published results of a non-invasive geophysical survey showing high-temperature geothermal resources several kilometres underground, with estimated potential of more than 60 times the country's annual electricity consumption that could be used for power generation. Minister Tan See Leng said the government will carry out deeper drilling and assessment to judge whether geothermal is a viable option for electricity. Authorities stressed the project is still at the resource-exploration stage and there is no timetable for commercial generation.
Oct 26, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore's People's Action Party leadership renewal moves to next stage, with four spots to be filled by co-option
The Straits Times reported that leadership renewal in Singapore's ruling People's Action Party is entering its next stage, with attention on how four vacant seats will be filled by co-option. The report said the appointments affect the line-up of the next Cabinet and grassroots arrangements, and the names and timetable have not been formally announced. Analysts note that co-option has historically been used to bring in professionals and grassroots representatives.
Oct 26, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore researchers develop CIRRHOClear blood test to flag liver cirrhosis risk before symptoms appear
Researchers in Singapore have developed CIRRHOClear, a blood test that uses microRNA biomarkers to detect the risk of liver cirrhosis before symptoms appear. Clinical studies show it identified 89% of cirrhosis cases and ruled out the condition with 95% accuracy. Doctors said early detection can help prevent liver failure and liver cancer and ease bottlenecks in current testing; cirrhosis is a major cause of liver failure and a common form of liver cancer.
Oct 26, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: After Indonesia cuts gas exports to Singapore, PM Lawrence Wong says Singapore expects parties to honour commercial contracts
Indonesia began reducing natural gas exports to Singapore on Saturday, Oct 24; upstream regulator SKK Migas told CNA the cut was to shift more supply to domestic power generation. Singapore's Energy Market Authority said the reduction of 31 million standard cubic feet a day is less than 2% of demand. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at the People's Action Party conference on Sunday, Oct 25, that Singapore expects all parties that signed commercial gas supply contracts to 'honour their commitments', and that Singapore's gas importers would take necessary steps to protect their rights and interests under the contracts.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: PM Lawrence Wong tells PAP conference government will tackle living costs and jobs this term; CEC slate adds 3 new faces
At the biennial People's Action Party conference at the Singapore Expo on Sunday, Oct 25, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong told about 3,000 members that in the coming years the government would continue to ease cost-of-living pressures, help Singaporeans secure better jobs and strengthen support across life stages from education to retirement, including for those who hit setbacks. He noted that after the National Day Rally package for families with children in August, some had asked what support other groups would receive. The Straits Times reported that the recommended slate of 19 for the Central Executive Committee election that day included three new faces: the transport minister, the acting manpower minister and the acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs, two of whom first entered parliament only at last year's general election — named in the paper as Jeffrey Siow and Jasmin Lau among the new ministers.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Singapore haze — hourly PM2.5 back to normal, but 24-hour PSI still unhealthy at 107–132 in most regions
Singapore was under haze from the evening of Saturday, Oct 24, with elevated hourly PM2.5 readings. At 10am on Sunday, Oct 25, PM2.5 across the five regions had fallen to a normal 31–48 (0–55 normal; 56–150 elevated). The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index remained in the 'unhealthy' range of 107–132 in all regions except the south, which was at 100 ('good to moderate'). PM2.5 is measured hourly and reflects current air quality.
Oct 25, 2026 Afternoon - Personal data of 110,000 members of Singapore's Alliance Medinet breached; Income Insurance and Singlife customers affected
Alliance Healthcare Group, parent of Singapore healthcare services provider Alliance Medinet, told the stock exchange on Oct 24 that a third party gained unauthorised access to its member database, possibly exposing the names, identity card numbers and contact details of about 110,000 members, plus bank account details of seven members and a medical diagnosis of one. Income Insurance and Singlife said some customers were affected via Alliance Medinet, that their own systems showed no sign of intrusion and that no medical data was affected. The group said the incident was contained and it had hired cybersecurity experts.
Oct 25, 2026 Morning - Singapore's ruling PAP elects new Central Executive Committee; PM Lawrence Wong looks to team with 'experience and fresh perspectives'
Singapore's ruling People's Action Party holds its biennial party conference on Oct 25 to elect its top decision-making body, the Central Executive Committee. Prime Minister and party secretary-general Lawrence Wong said in a social media video on Oct 24 that he looked forward to working with a team combining experience and fresh perspectives, his first comment on the possible make-up of the new leadership. More than 2,000 party cadres usually elect 12 members, two runners-up are co-opted, and up to four more can be added to a maximum of 18.
Oct 25, 2026 Morning - Singapore's first app store audit by IMDA flags 65 harmful apps, including AI 'nudification' tools
Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) published its first app store audit, which found 65 harmful apps among 7,000 reviewed between April and December 2025, including AI tools generating non-consensual nude images and murder-themed gambling games with cash payouts. Another 24 apps with sexual, crime and drug, or school firearms content were not rated 18+ as store rules require. After IMDA's notice, the app stores of Apple, Google, Huawei, Samsung and Microsoft removed the 65 apps and corrected the 24 ratings.
Oct 25, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Singapore haze worsens overnight, with 24-hour PSI reaching unhealthy 117-150 and the west hit hardest
Data from Singapore's National Environment Agency showed the island-wide 24-hour PSI at 117 to 150 at 11am on Oct 24, in the unhealthy range, with the highest readings in the west. The agency forecast a PSI of 90 to 140 for the day, with possible improvement on Sunday. The Straits Times said it was the first time air quality had returned to the unhealthy range since Oct 5.
Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon - About 240 migrant workers in Singapore owed up to 2 months' pay; NTUC and Manpower Ministry arrange housing and help recover wages
A senior official of Singapore's National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said on Oct 23 that nearly 240 foreign workers in the processing industry had gone up to two months without pay. NTUC is working with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to arrange shared housing and job matching and to help recover wages including overtime pay, and about 90 workers are receiving daily meals. The Migrant Workers' Centre and MOM have met 230 of the workers, and the authorities will provide financial help where needed.
Oct 24, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore's NEA issues legal notices under haze law to 10 Singapore-based firms including Asia Pulp & Paper and Wilmar
Singapore's National Environment Agency said on the evening of Oct 23 that it had issued legal notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to 10 more Singapore-registered companies, requiring documents and information related to fires in Indonesia; they include Asia Pulp & Paper and its China arm, Bumitama Agri, Golden Agri International, First Resources, Indofood Agri Resources, Kencana Agri, TSH Global Plantation, TSH Oversea and Wilmar International. The companies are in oil palm or forestry and own, directly or through affiliates, land concessions in Indonesia, and NEA asked them to explain their links with Singapore and Indonesian affiliates and the locations of the concessions. Singapore will also form a panel of experts to help the investigation.
Oct 24, 2026 Morning - Singapore HDB resale prices dip 0.1% in third quarter as volume jumps 19.5%; private home prices rise 1.4%
Data from Singapore's Housing and Development Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority showed HDB resale prices fell 0.1% in the third quarter of 2026, a third straight quarterly decline, while resale transactions rose 19.5% to 7,645, the most since the third quarter of 2024. The private home price index rose 1.4%, the fastest in nearly two years, but private transactions fell 16.3% to 5,146 units and developers sold 1,183 new homes excluding executive condominiums, down 44.7%. A record 596 HDB flats resold for at least S$1 million, according to ERA.
Oct 23, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore launches S$143 million industrial decarbonisation initiative; manufacturing-related emissions about 65% of national total
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong announced on Oct 23 a S$143 million (about $112 million) initiative to develop industrial decarbonisation technologies, part of a S$800 million decarbonisation grand challenge; industry including its electricity use accounts for about 65% of Singapore's emissions. Up to S$100 million goes to company-led research under the DRIVE programme, open for applications now, and S$65 million to five low-carbon energy research projects, while a S$62 million testbed on Jurong Island has IHI, Amogy and Metha8 as first users. Keppel Energy, Sembcorp Utilities and Tuas Power Generation were approved to import biomethane.
Oct 23, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore begins second round of haze mask distribution on Oct 23; Singaporeans aged 60 and above can collect two N95 masks
The Straits Times reported that Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu announced on Oct 22 that the second round of haze mask distribution would begin on Oct 23, with Singaporeans aged 60 and above eligible for two N95 masks each, compared with 67 and above in the first round; CHAS Orange and Blue card holders and Medical Fee Exemption Card holders are also eligible, collecting at community clubs and dedicated vending machines. About 22% of eligible residents have collected masks so far, and the government said stocks remain and it is helping retailers restock.
Oct 23, 2026 Morning - Sentence: Singapore parents jailed 16 years and 15 years 3 months over fatal abuse of 8-month-old son
Singapore couple Neo Jia Ming, 27, and Chloe Gan Ci Xuan, 23, were sentenced in the High Court on Oct 21 over the death of their eldest son Trevor Neo, who died at about eight months after prolonged abuse; in his last seven months he was shaken, smothered and slapped to stop crying. Straits Times reported the father received 16 years' jail and the mother 15 years and 3 months. On Oct 12 each pleaded guilty to three abuse-related charges, and the father also admitted domestic-violence charges for repeatedly assaulting his wife. Justice Hoo Sheau Peng noted the couple had family support and a domestic helper, and that their text messages treated the abuse lightly.
Oct 21, 2026 Afternoon - Singapore's west and central PSI still 'unhealthy'; Indonesia says haze has hit 2,604 domestic flights since August
National Environment Agency data showed the 24-hour PSI at 5 am on Oct 21 at 134 in the west and 117 in central Singapore, in the 'unhealthy' band (101–200), with the east at 98, south 93 and north 83 ('moderate'); 24-hour PM2.5 was 87 µg/m³ in the west and 71 in the centre. Indonesia's transport ministry said on Oct 20 that forest-fire haze affected 2,604 domestic flights from Aug 11 to Oct 19, with 1,420 cancelled or rescheduled and 1,129 delayed. Twelve return flights between Singapore and Pontianak in West Kalimantan were cancelled in September, and two Singapore–Palembang flights were cancelled on Oct 15.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - Singtel fined S$1 million over three-day mobile outage in March that hit 720,000 users
Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority said on Oct 20 it fined Singtel S$1 million over major mobile network outages on March 16, 18 and 19 that affected 720,000 users and disrupted online payments, ride-hailing and food delivery. The investigation found the March 16 failure began when a chiller system at an exchange failed after a vendor did not reopen a manual valve controlling water flow after routine maintenance, and Singtel lacked proactive monitoring, so equipment overheated and shut down; traffic then shifted to another exchange, where a software bug caused further problems. Singtel was also fined S$1 million in December 2025 over a fixed-line outage that hit 500,000 users for more than four hours.
Oct 21, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Singapore air 'unhealthy' in four regions; western 24-hour PSI hits 130
The Straits Times reported Singapore's noon 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index on Oct 20: north 89 (moderate), south and east both 102, central 119 and west 130, with four of five regions in the 'unhealthy' band (101–200). Hourly PM2.5 in the west reached 101 micrograms per cubic metre. Air had briefly improved on Oct 19, with three regions still moderate until 10 am on Oct 20; the current haze spell has kept most days unhealthy or very unhealthy since early October. The National Environment Agency had already issued preventive haze notices to several Indonesian companies.
Oct 20, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Singapore NEA issues haze notices to three more Indonesian firms; Shanmugam vows 'every legal lever'
Singapore's National Environment Agency on Oct 19 issued preventive-measure notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to three more Indonesian companies — Buana Megatama Jaya, Mananjung Hayak and Baratama Putra Perkasa — taking the total to 10, citing indications that smoke from fires on their concession land in Kalimantan reached Singapore; the notices require them to deploy firefighters, stop burning and submit fire-prevention plans. Nine of the 10 are pulp plantations and four are linked to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP). Senior Minister Shanmugam said Singapore would use every legal and regulatory lever against haze-linked firms, amending or enacting laws urgently if needed; the 24-hour PSI in the west was 122 at 5 am on Oct 20, the highest of all regions.
Oct 20, 2026 Morning - Follow-up: Singapore air improves as three regions' PSI returns to 'moderate' for first time in nine days
Haze from Indonesian forest fires had kept Singapore's air 'unhealthy' for days. CNA reported that on the morning of Oct 19, 24-hour PSI in the north, south and east fell into the 'moderate' range, first in the north at 1 am — the first moderate readings anywhere since Oct 9; by noon PSI ranged from 85 in the north to 122 in the west, still 'unhealthy' in the west. Hourly PM2.5 across five regions was in the normal range at noon. NEA had forecast overnight on Oct 18 that Oct 19's 24-hour PSI would still be 101–190 unhealthy. New BNPB chief Kristomei Sianturi said on Oct 18 dry-ice cloud seeding tried twice in South Sumatra was 'fairly effective' and expansion to more fire-hit areas is being considered.
Oct 19, 2026 Afternoon - Follow-up: Singapore NEA forecasts unhealthy PSI of 101–190 on Oct 19 as haze persists
Singapore's National Environment Agency forecast the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index at 101 to 190, in the 'unhealthy' range, for Oct 19. It said rain and southerly winds may reduce haze from Kalimantan, though smoke from Sumatra could still drift in; Singapore's air has been unhealthy since Oct 9, peaking at 230 in the west. Malaysia's Firefly extended its suspension of Subang–Seletar flights to Oct 19, the 10th straight day.
Oct 19, 2026 Morning