Singapore and Australia will accelerate negotiations for an Arrangement on Trade and Essential Supplies under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on economic resilience.This was inked when the two countries upgraded their comprehensive strategic partnership in October 2025.In a joint statement on energy security by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following a phone call on Monday (March 23), the two leaders reaffirmed that the countries' prosperity, security, stability and economic future are intertwined, including with the region.«We share a longstanding and deep relationship grounded in strategic trust, open markets and rules-based trade which underpin the prosperity and security of our people and our region. Reaffirming these shared principles is essential at this time,» they said.

Today, 10 years ago on March 23, 2015 at 3.18am, Lee Kuan Yew passed away at the age of 91 at the Singapore General Hospital. Singapore's first Prime Minister had been battling severe pneumonia for over a month.His death marked the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy that shaped modern Singapore. Singaporeans queuing to pay their final respects to Singapore's first Prime Minister.PHOTO: Screengrab/Instagram/Remembering Lee Kuan Yew A nation in mourningThe announcement was made by then-Prime Minister and Lee's son, Lee Hsien Loong in a televised address at 8am. A week-long period of national mourning was declared from March 23 to 29.Flags across the island were lowered to half-mast, and many events were postponed or cancelled. TV and radio stations paused their usual programming to air special tributes. 

[Daba Finance] Fitch Ratings revised the outlook on Rwanda's long-term foreign-currency sovereign rating to Stable from Negative and affirmed the rating at B+.

[Daba Finance] BGFI Holding Corporation raised 45.32 billion FCFA after closing its initial public offering on the Bourse des Valeurs Mobilières de l'Afrique Centrale, according to the transaction's lead arranger BGFIBourse.

[New Times] Youth have been urged to actively preserve Kinyarwanda and promote its use in daily life as part of efforts to strengthen Rwanda's identity and cultural heritage.

To almost everyone else it is clear that America entered this war with a «flawed strategy,» the article said

The closure of airspace has been extended until 19:00 Moscow time

Military personnel, in particular, believe that a poorly planned operation exposes them to unnecessary danger without any visible strategic benefit

According to a Colombian prisoner of war, he was promised that he would take part in volunteer work during his stay in Ukraine

A couple's crowdfunding campaign has successfully raised $2.4 million for five-month-old baby Ginny, after she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition. A total of $2,446,275.40 was raised, with the help of over 35,000 donors. Her parents, Jenny Mak and Quan, told AsiaOne that they had successfully raised the amount and have started arranging for Ginny to undergo the necessary health tests. They added that Ginny has to clear the tests, scheduled for next week, before the medicine can be ordered and imported — which will take at least two to three weeks. The couple shared the news across social media on Saturday, captioning: «Thank you, every one of you 35,544 donors. Every kind soul in this world. I love all of you and will forever be grateful.» Baby Ginny was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) — a genetic disease that destroys motor neurons and weakens muscles progressively — a few weeks ago. 

A 52-year-old Singaporean man has been charged in court with corruption and money laundering offences linked to renovation projects at the DSO National Laboratories (DSO) on Monday (March 23).Poh Beng San, an assistant manager at DSO, was charged with receiving bribes over a period of more than a decade, from 2013 to 2023.In a statement on Sunday, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) said Poh allegedly obtained benefits from six individuals in exchange for advancing their companies' business interests in DSO-related renovation projects.The alleged bribes included at least $230,000 in cash, a Xiaomi 13 Pro mobile phone worth approximately $1,300, a Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro tablet valued at around $900, and home repair services estimated at $100.

Business and leisure travellers who are making trips to Zhejiang province's capital city of Hangzhou will soon find the journey more straightforward.Starting June 1, Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be launching daily flights between Singapore and Hangzhou, subject to regulatory approvals.If approved, Hangzhou will be SIA's ninth destination in mainland China, where the national carrier and its subsidiary Scoot together serve 22 destinations.Flights will be operated using the Airbus A350-900 medium-haul variant and will be configured with 303 seats across two cabin classes, with 40 of them in Business Class.The inaugural flight, SQ838, is scheduled to depart Singapore at 5.40pm on June 1 and arrive in Hangzhou at 10.50pm the same day. The return flight, SQ839, will depart Hangzhou at 12.10am on June 2 and arrive in Singapore at 5.10am the same day.There is no time difference between Singapore and Hangzhou.SIA's return to Hangzhou after nearly 28 years, combined with Scoot's existing daily service, will give the group double-daily frequencies to Hangzhou.

TVK has announced its candidates for all 30 Puducherry Assembly constituencies, contesting independently. The party has fielded two women candidates and included experienced leaders from other political parties, including former AIADMK and BJP members, to contest the upcoming elections.

Videos posted on TikTok and Instagram showed groups blocking roads and pavements, posing for photos against the walls of a residential property, and even climbing walls to get the optimal angle.

The Government finally admitted that missiles had been fired at Diego Garcia more than 30 hours after the attempted strike - and only after it had been confirmed by US officials.

Quizzed on the whereabouts of the Type 45 Destroyer yesterday, Labour Housing Minister Steve Reed could only say it is 'on its way to the region'.

Carrie Anne Fleming, best known for her role on the fantasy drama Supernatural, has died at 51.

Whether it was a dramatic one-off or a warning, Iran's launch of two missiles across 2,000 miles towards Diego Garcia, Britain's territory, should have been a wake-up call for our government.

The police also said that the identification and arrest of agents and traitors is ongoing

The CentiSpace spacecraft are designed to provide augmentation signal services for global navigation satellite systems from low Earth orbit

Four others were injured

On March 21, Cuba’s national electric power system collapsed

Fire and rescue units evacuated 19 people, including five children

Operational and emergency services are working at the scene, regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz said

Nine residential buildings and five civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged

By 02:00 Moscow time, the precious metal slowed its decline and was trading at $4,504.5 per troy ounce

The UAE Defense Ministry has not yet provided information on the effectiveness of repelling the Iranian attack

Local analysts note that the continuing escalation in the Middle East remains the dominant factor behind the decline in stock prices

Personnel have been evacuated, regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said

SINGAPORE - Mental health support in primary care has expanded here, with the number of general practitioners (GPs) who can access lower-cost psychiatric medications and support networks for managing complex mental health conditions rising to over 630 at the end of 2025.This is up from more than 520 the year before, according to data from the Ministry of Health (MOH).These doctors are part of the Mental Health General Practitioner Partnership (MHGPP) programme, which was launched in 2012 to enable GPs to identify, diagnose and manage patients with more complex mental health conditions.At the same time, 23 out of 28 polyclinics now offer mental health services. MOH expects all polyclinics to offer such services over the next three years, a spokesperson said. It plans to expand the network of polyclinics to 32 by 2030.This growth is part of the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy to make care more accessible in the community.

Indian Railways has boosted Kilometrage Allowance and Allowance in lieu of Kilometrage by 25% for over two lakh running staff, effective January 2024. This decision aligns compensation with the 50% Dearness Allowance hike, addressing long-standing demands for better financial benefits for essential operational personnel.

Government seeks clarity on recovering hefty penalties from carmakers for missing fuel efficiency targets. With stricter norms ahead, the PMO is pushing ministries to define who evaluates, approves, and recovers the dues. Over Rs 8,800 crore in penalties have been levied for past non-compliance, yet no recovery has occurred.

EPFO is developing an auto-settlement facility to disburse unclaimed money from inoperative accounts directly to subscribers. This initiative will initially target Aadhaar-verified accounts with balances of Rs 1,000 or less, aiming to clear idle funds and simplify the withdrawal process for members.

All of Hawaii remains under a flood watch through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.