Johor firefighters continue battle with Pengerang peat fire as haze wanes in Singapore
A peat fire in Pengerang, Johor, raging over five days since Jan 23, has forced 153 residents to evacuate their homes due to thick smoke and air pollution. The fire, spanning 99 hectares, is difficult to extinguish due to underground smouldering, dry weather and strong winds, with 52 per cent reportedly under control.
As of Jan 28, air quality in Singapore was in the “normal” band, the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) website showed. Earlier, NEA had noted in a Jan 24 statement that the “faint burnt smell” reported by Singapore residents in the eastern part of the island was “likely due to a hot spot and smoke plume in Johor.”
Registrations for Thaipusam 2026 participation reopen after devotees’ feedback: MOS Dinesh
In an Instagram post on Jan 29, Minister of State Dinesh Vasu Dash announced that devotees who are keen to carry Paal Kudams will be allowed to register their interest for selected timeslots from 8am on Jan 30 to 12pm on Jan 31 at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.
This comes after a joint statement on Jan 27 by the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, and the Hindu Endowments Board, which said that the number of devotees registered for the Feb 1 festival has reached the limit at which the two temples can manage safely. Devotees who have yet to register were previously advised to consider fulfilling their vows at other temples that are also observing Thaipusam.
PropertyLimBrothers CEO Melvin Lim, vice-president Grayce Tan resign following online rumours
Two senior executives at PropertyLimBrothers, a prominent real estate agency here, have resigned “with immediate effect” on Jan 28, with vice-president of operations Marc Chan appointed interim chief executive. The company had completed an internal review following recent events and declined to comment on rumours or speculation.
Nipah virus: Singapore airports to screen visitors from affected places; no cases detected here
Temperature screening will be set up at airports in Singapore for flights arriving from areas affected by the Nipah virus. The virus, which has no approved vaccine or known cure, was detected in two people in West Bengal, India, earlier in January, with one of them reported to be in critical condition.
Surveillance of migrant workers arriving from South Asia will also be enhanced, said the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) on Jan 28, as it announced stepped-up measures to monitor the spread of the virus. The agency added that no cases of the virus have been detected here.
More young adults, teens in Singapore being diagnosed with cancer
Data from the latest Singapore Cancer Registry annual report showed that for the period between 2019 and 2023, there were 4,995 cancer diagnoses for those under 40 – a 34 per cent increase from the years between 2003 and 2007, when the number stood at 3,729. Between 1968 and 1972, the earliest period on record in the report, the number of cancer diagnoses for people under 40 was just 1,710.
The increased cancer rate is due to the rise in ultra-processed foods, obesity, sedentary lifestyles and alterations to the gut microbiome. Doctors noted that regular physical activity and avoiding excess weight are among the strongest protective factors against cancer.
Singapore dollar hits highest against US dollar in over 11 years
The Singapore dollar climbed to its strongest level since October 2014 versus the US currency. It gained 0.4 per cent to 1.2678 per US dollar on Jan 26 as the greenback came under renewed pressure on speculation about potential US involvement in Japanese foreign exchange intervention.
The Japanese currency surged as much as 1.2 per cent versus the US dollar. Other Asian currencies also benefited from the weaker US dollar, with the Malaysian ringgit rising to the strongest level since 2018, and the South Korean won climbing to its highest level in about three weeks.
FairPrice freezes prices of chilled pork, popular seafood and vegetable ahead of CNY
To help households manage festive costs ahead of the Chinese New Year, FairPrice Group (FPG) will freeze the prices of all its chilled pork products, as well as popular seafood and vegetable items. FPG said on Jan 29 that this will apply to the more than 160 FairPrice supermarkets islandwide from Jan 29 to March 3.
This price freeze follows FPG’s recently launched FairPrice return vouchers scheme. Customers could receive a S$6 FairPrice return voucher with every S$60 spent using the government-issued CDC vouchers in a single transaction at any FairPrice store from Jan 2 to 11. The return voucher is valid until Feb 27.
S’pore must do more integration as immigration crucial for economy amid low birth rate: Jeffrey Siow
Singapore needs to better integrate foreigners to stay open to immigration, which is crucial for the country’s economy and society to remain dynamic, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow. This need for immigration comes amid concerning demographic realities such as the Republic’s “abysmal” total fertility rate, which hit a historic low of 0.97 in 2024, he said.
“But immigration can only go as far as integration allows, and we can only stay open and welcoming to newcomers if we are able to integrate them well,” added Mr Siow, who was speaking on a panel at the Institute of Policy Studies’ Singapore Perspectives conference on Jan 26.
Micron to invest $30.5 billion in Singapore to boost chip production, creating 1,600 jobs
Memory chip giant Micron Technology is building a US$24 billion (S$30.5 billion) plant here to ramp up its production of semiconductors as booming artificial intelligence (AI) demand causes an unprecedented shortage of hardware powering data centres.
Over a 10-year investment, the new plant, located within the American company’s existing manufacturing complex in Woodlands, will provide an additional 65,000 sq m of cleanroom space when it becomes operational in the second half of 2028. It will create around 1,600 jobs with roles across engineering and operations.
Singapore to recognise medical degrees from 8 more overseas schools from Feb 1
Aspiring doctors can study at another eight overseas institutions that will be added to the list of recognised universities for medicine in Singapore. This includes the Manipal Academy of Higher Education’s Kasturba Medical College in Karnataka, India. The Ministry of Health and Singapore Medical Council said the newly approved schools will help Singapore better meet the growing demand for doctors amid an ageing population.
