Vietnam faces Nov 29 US trade deadline; Asia factory growth slows 

Headline news for November 2, 2026: Businesses are divided over possible US tariffs on Vietnam ahead of a November 29 trade-probe deadline. Japan and South Korea report slower factory growth, Asian shares slip, and in Singapore, more than 112,000 people dropped private health insurance riders.  Sy…

Singapore names haze panel; Indonesia names 20 suspects and Israel’s final vote 

Headline news for October 30, 2026: Singapore appoints a seven-member panel, including FTI Consulting and WongPartnership, to examine firms linked to Indonesia’s haze fires, as Indonesian police name 20 suspect companies. Also: Israel’s final election results, China’s party congress date, Malaysia’…

Singapore to Amend Haze Law, Spain Train Crash Kills at Least 68 and Samsung Confirms Record Profit 

Headline news for October 29, 2026: Singapore will table amendments to its haze law when Parliament sits on November third, after ministers met ten firms served notices over the fires. A high-speed train collision in Spain kills at least sixty-eight, and the toll may rise. Samsung confirms record p…

Israel Election Looks Deadlocked, Muse Launches in Singapore and ASEAN Envoy Visits Myanmar 

Headline news for October 28, 2026: Israel’s election appears to have ended in deadlock, exit polls show, with no final result yet. Meta launches its Muse AI agent in Singapore from today. ASEAN’s Myanmar envoy begins a two-day humanitarian mission, and the Fed decision is due early tomorrow Singap…

Indonesia Defends Gas Export Cut, Israel Votes and Korea’s Economy Beats Forecasts 

Headline news for October 27, 2026: Indonesia defends cutting piped gas exports to Singapore by about 8 per cent, saying the cut is within contract limits. Israelis vote in an election with no result yet, and polls show no clear majority. South Korea’s economy grows 1 per cent in the third quarter.…

Europe Protests Spread, Simba Gets IMDA Notice and Lula Wins Fourth Term 

Headline news for October 26, 2026: Protests over living costs spread across Europe, with one hundred and twenty-eight arrested in Barcelona and hundreds briefly detained in Italy. Singapore’s IMDA issues Simba a notice to show cause over alleged spectrum misuse. Serbia’s ruling party concedes defe…

Indonesia Signals Energy Export Review, Tibet Quake Kills at Least 16 and Typhoon Shuts Taiwan’s Market 

Headline news for October 23, 2026: Indonesia’s energy minister says Jakarta will review energy export contracts and could stop supplying countries that disrespect it, without naming any. A magnitude seven earthquake kills at least sixteen people in northern Tibet. Oil holds near a five-month high …

Russia Agrees to Ukraine Peace Talks, US Pulls Diplomats From Saudi Arabia and Singapore Ranks 2nd in the World for Order and Security 

Headline news for October 22, 2026: Russia agrees in principle to resume trilateral peace talks with the US and Ukraine around November 10, releasing American detainee Stephen Hubbard as a goodwill gesture. The US orders diplomats out of Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks kill three and wound eight. Si…

Climate finance: Why the money exists but is not reaching projects

Climate change is hitting closer to home, from rising fuel prices to the return of the haze. But financing the climate transition remains a challenge. In this episode of Lens on Singapore, Claressa Monteiro speaks with Leslie Maasdorp, CEO of British International Investment (BII), about why climat…

Malaysia Deregisters Its Main Opposition, South Korea Exports Surge 105% and Jio Platforms Opens India’s Biggest IPO 

Headline news for October 21, 2026: Malaysia’s Registrar of Societies deregisters Perikatan Nasional; the main opposition coalition as the Melaka state election looms on October 31. PN has filed a High Court challenge and won a stay pending the legal outcome. South Korea’s exports surge 105 per cen…