Singapore in 2 Minutes for the Week of Feb 27

Deliveroo to wind down operations in Singapore; final day of service on March 4

All employees at its Singapore office will be affected by the move, though it did not say how many would be impacted. A Business Times report in end-2022 stated that the company has about 80 staff here, with about 10,000 delivery riders who were active at least once in the past month.

“We have concluded that the level of investment required is not aligned with our long-term strategy. We regularly review operational performance to ensure we are investing where we see the clearest path to sustainable scale and long-term leadership,” a company spokesperson said.

Jail for man who came to Singapore and tried to deposit fake $10k note in bank account

An Indonesian man who received a counterfeit Singapore $10,000 note from his girlfriend came to Singapore and tried to deposit it in his unsuspecting uncle’s bank account. Aurick Kenji Almira Valeryan, 22, did this despite suspecting that the money was fake and was caught after a bank officer examined the note.

On Feb 25, he was sentenced to seven months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to one count of using the counterfeit note as genuine currency.

About 90% drop in fresh grads applying for Singapore industry traineeships

There has been a 90 per cent drop in applications for a graduate traineeship programme, funded by the government, since it was launched in October 2025. A significant number of applicants had declined traineeship offers as they had found full-time employment or decided to pursue other opportunities, said Manpower Minister Tan See Leng.

The Graduate Industry Traineeships were rolled out by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) to help fresh graduates across sectors gain hands-on and structured working experience.

ST Education Forum 2026 to explore AI’s role in universities 

The Straits Times Education Forum 2026, held on April 1, will tackle issues of AI in higher education and explore its impact on learning, assessments, and graduate readiness.

The forum will have a panel discussion with Minister Desmond Lee, OpenAI’s Raghav Gupta, and SMU Provost Alan Chan, to discuss how AI is transforming Singaporean universities. Registration is free, and sign-ups are now open and will close on March 26 at 11.59pm.

Shanmugam and Tan See Leng in High Court hearing over defamation suit against TOC

The chief editor of The Online Citizen (TOC), Terry Xu, failed to turn up for a High Court hearing on Feb 26, held to determine the amount of damages over defamation suits filed by the two Cabinet ministers. Xu, who had earlier failed to file a defence in the defamation suits over a Bloomberg article published by TOC on property transactions in December 2024, did not have a legal representative in court.

In his opening statement, Senior Counsel Davinder Singh, who is acting for both ministers, noted that the effect of Mr Xu’s failure to file a defence is that the facts in the ministers’ statements of claim are taken to be admitted by the defendant.

Qantas to start first cabin crew base in SG from September, plans a 650 crew in 5 years

Qantas will launch a new cabin crew base in Singapore from September, aiming for 650 staff in five years to boost efficiency. Some staff will be recruited from its Australian-headquartered low-cost subsidiary Jetstar Airways, which will close its Singapore base to “streamline its low-cost operating model”.

Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace said the new Singapore cabin crew base will allow it to operate its growing international network more efficiently and respond faster to flight disruptions.

MOE to raise spending to $556m over next five years to boost social science and humanities research

MOE will invest S$556 million over five years in social sciences and humanities research, a 20 per cent increase from previous funding. This funding supports research addressing Singapore’s challenges like ageing and AI, aiming for real-world impact and strengthening community trust.

The investment will grow Singapore’s world-class researcher talent pool through fellowships, encouraging overseas PhDs to return and contribute to national challenges.

Almost 24,700 couples in Singapore said ‘I do’ in 2025, lowest since 2020

Singapore recorded 24,687 marriages in 2025, a 6.2 per cent fall from 2024, marking the third consecutive annual decline and the lowest number since 2020. This significant drop in marriages is projected to worsen Singapore’s ultra-low Total Fertility Rate, which stood at 0.97 in 2024.

Academics attribute this trend to fewer people of marriageable age, economic uncertainties, and individuals taking longer to find the correct spouse, leading to later marriages.

Religious and community leaders critical in setting tone for harmony in SG: Shanmugam

Speaking at the annual Religious Rehabilitation Group break-fast or iftar event at Khadijah Mosque on Feb 23, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam said Singapore remains an oasis of peace because of a focus on certain fundamentals, including racial and religious harmony.

In his speech, the minister noted that people in Singapore listen when religious and community leaders reach out across faiths, speak up for unity and compassion, and serve those in need regardless of their background. He added that this leadership is especially important in today’s digital age, with many young people turning to the online space in their search for identity, community and belonging.

Boy reported missing in Kallang River, with search suspended till morning due to low visibility

A 13-year-old boy has been reported missing in the waters near Kallang MRT station on Feb 25, with search-and-rescue operations suspended till the following morning because of low visibility. The police said they were alerted to a case of suspected drowning at Kallang River at about 4.30pm, with no foul play suspected based on preliminary investigations.

They added that they were searching for the boy, along with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Chinese media outlet Lianhe Zaobao reported that the boy was believed to be fishing when he fell into the water near Block 8B at Upper Boon Keng Road.