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Singapore Tonight - Fri 25 Jul 2025
From business to politics, health to technology, we bring you up-to-date with the latest news on Singapore and analyze how these events may affect you tomorrow.
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CNA
7 minutes ago
- CNA
China to offer childcare subsidies in bid to boost birth rate
BEIJING: China's government will offer subsidies to parents to the tune of US$500 per child under the age of three per year, Beijing's state media said on Monday (Jul 28), as the world's second most populous nation faces a looming demographic crisis. The country's population has declined for three consecutive years, with United Nations demography models predicting it could fall from 1.4 billion today to 800 million by 2100. The nationwide subsidies apply retroactively from Jan 1, Beijing's state broadcaster CCTV said, citing a decision by the ruling Communist Party and the State Council, China's cabinet. "This is a major nationwide policy aimed at improving public wellbeing," CCTV said. "It provides direct cash subsidies to families across the country, helping to reduce the burden of raising children," it added. There were just 9.54 million births in China last year, half the number than in 2016, the year it ended its one-child policy, which was in place for more than three decades. The population declined by 1.39 million last year, and China lost its crown as the world's most populous country to India in 2023. Marriage rates are also at record low levels, with many young couples put off having babies by high child-rearing costs and career concerns. "GROUNDWORK FOR THE FUTURE" Analysts warned that the subsidies alone would not reverse China's population decline, nor boost its long-standing domestic spending slump. "The sums involved are too small to have a near-term impact on the birth rate or consumption," Zichun Huang, China economist at Capital Economics, said. "But the policy does mark a major milestone in terms of direct handouts to households and could lay the groundwork for more fiscal transfers in future." Many local governments have already rolled out subsidies to encourage childbirth. In March, Hohhot, the capital of China's northern Inner Mongolia region, began offering residents up to 100,000 yuan (US$14,000) per newborn for couples with three or more children, while first and second children will be eligible for 10,000 and 50,000 yuan subsidies. In Shenyang, in northeastern Liaoning province, local authorities give families who have a third child 500 yuan per month until the child turns three. Hangzhou, in eastern Zhejiang province, offers a one-time payment of 25,000 yuan to couples who have a third child. More than 20 provincial-level administrations in the country now offer childcare subsidies, according to official data. Premier Li Qiang vowed to provide childcare subsidies during the government's annual work report in March. China's shrinking population is also ageing fast, sparking worries about the future of the country's pension system. There were nearly 310 million people aged 60 and over in 2024.
Independent Singapore
18 minutes ago
- Independent Singapore
'When did landlords start controlling our future?'
SINGAPORE: It began as a simple walk past a local coffee shop, something thousands of Singaporeans do daily. But for one Redditor, what she saw gave pause: five kiosks closed forever, including a zi char stall. 'I've never seen a zi char stall close shop before,' she wrote. Curious, she approached the aunties at the drinks stall. The reason for the closing? Over-the-top rental fees. That scene triggered an unfathomable image of something that's been gently tiptoeing up on us — are property-owners, landlords, and the ecosystem around them, gradually eating away at the soul of Singapore's local food landscape? A zi char casualty Zi char stalls — those busy, wok-heated corners of the coffee shop providing everything from sambal kangkong to sweet and sour pork — are a keystone of Singapore's gastronomic culture. Unlike fashionable cafés and snack bars, these stalls depend on constant footfall and unchanging budgets to survive. When one stall closes, it's not just a business loss; it's the termination of a collective local experience. Economics or exploitation? 'Landlords will only reduce rent when they feel the pain of vacancy,' one commenter wrote. 'Otherwise, they'll just keep squeezing. Simple economics.' It's a reasoning entrenched in free-market judgment — owners charge what the market can tolerate, but for many, it feels not so much about economics but more like manipulation or exploitation. Others cited a broader issue — real estate representatives and the commission-based inducement system. One netizen specifically mentioned PropNex, claiming that its supremacy results in a race to the top in rental pricing. 'I know an agent who failed in his MNC career,' the commenter shared. 'Now he owns multiple properties, flips shophouses, and flaunts his S$100K watches on Instagram. Just an average guy with anger issues who got rich gaming the system.' Who's really to blame? The blame game didn't stop at landlords and agents. Another Redditor blamed civil servants for letting HDB coffeehouses be sold at exorbitant prices in the first place, igniting a domino effect. Still, others believed it was a cultural failure: 'Mostly just greedy, want-to-get-rich, self-centered thinking.' And possibly that's the core of the problem. When returns outdo public good, the fatalities aren't just zi char kiosks, but people's small daily luxuries, communal spaces, and people's shared identity. A system under strain This isn't about wistfulness. It's about whether the current system still has space for tiny businesses to flourish. When a modest zi char stall can no longer continue to exist in a neighbourhood coffee shop, it's a threatening sign—not just for vendors, but for everyone. Because if even the wok rulers are conking out and doing the exit, who's next? Maybe it's time people ask not just what is closing, but why, and what kind of Singapore do Singaporeans want to preserve for future generations.
Straits Times
37 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Danish lifestyle brand Flying Tiger Copenhagen opens first Singapore store at Bugis+
Find out what's new on ST website and app. The 157 sq m space is packed with toys, games and gadgets, as well as leisure, home and kitchen products. SINGAPORE – Danish lifestyle brand Flying Tiger Copenhagen, known for its colourful and affordable products for the home and office, has opened its first Singapore store at Bugis+ on July 28. Packed with toys, games and gadgets, as well as leisure, home and kitchen products, the 157 sq m space sits on the mall's second floor. It is similar in spirit to lifestyle retailers such as Australian brand Typo and Chinese label Miniso. A cross between Swedish home retailer Ikea and Japanese consumer store Daiso comes to mind, as Flying Tiger Copenhagen showcases a Scandinavian design sensibility in its everyday products. Most items in the Singapore store are priced under $20. The most expensive is a $45 skateboard, while foam water guns are priced at $2. To celebrate the opening, the brand is hosting an interactive pop-up at the Bugis+ atrium from Aug 1 to 3, featuring mini games, a spin-the-wheel station and prizes up for grabs. The Singapore store is the brand's latest step in its Asia-Pacific expansion, which kicked off with Indonesia and the Philippines in 2023, followed by Australia and Vietnam in 2024. Concurrently, the brand's first Malaysian store opened its doors in Johor Bahru's Aeon Mall Tebrau City on July 28. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' to de-escalate border row Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests Singapore Ong Beng Seng set to plead guilty on Aug 4 in case linked to ex-transport minister Iswaran Asia Gunman kills 5 security guards near Bangkok's Chatuchak market before taking own life Singapore COE quota up 2.6% to 18,701 for August to October Business Resilient economy versus uncertain outlook splits views on Singapore's monetary policy Singapore HPB looking for vaping, smoking counselling services for up to 175 secondary school students Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose The Asia-Pacific stores operate under a franchise model, with Indonesian lifestyle retailer PT Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk (MAP) managing the stores in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The store's range draws from the same product catalogue of its home stores in Denmark, and are made by the same factories, mostly in China. Mr Martin Jermiin, chief executive of Flying Tiger Copenhagen, tells The Straits Times: 'Since joining Flying Tiger Copenhagen as CEO in 2019, I've had the privilege of leading the brand through a transformational phase of global expansion. Singapore represents a pivotal market in our Asian expansion strategy.' The Singapore store is the brand's latest step in its Asia-Pacific expansion. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 'Our mission is 'a richer life doesn't cost a fortune'. We strive to bring a sense of surprise and joy into every store visit by providing our customers with a broad, compelling assortment of everyday essentials combined with ever-evolving, inspirational new offerings,' he adds. The brand began as a flea market stall in the late 1980s, with the first bricks-and-mortar store opening in Copenhagen in 1995, where every item was priced at 10 Danish kroner (S$2). A 10 kroner coin is known as a 'tier' in Denmark – which is similar to the Danish pronunciation of 'tiger'. In this light, the first store took the moniker of 'Tiger', and subsequent stores continued to be known as 'Tiger' until 2016. The name was then officially changed to Flying Tiger Copenhagen, as the Tiger name had not been usable in certain markets. As at 2025, it has more than 1,000 stores in 39 markets. ST highlights selected products that shoppers can find at its Singapore store. Cactus Scissors ($8): What looks like a cactus figurine is actually a functional accessory: a storage stand for a pair of scissors. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 2. Soap bubble machine ($15): This shark-shaped soap bubble machine will be a hit at any playground or birthday party. Bonus: It doubles as a cute piece of home decor. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 3. Seashell soap dispenser ($9): Make hand-washing more fun with this clamshell-shaped soap dispenser in a deep royal blue. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 4. Ombre vase ($3): House your flowers in an equally vivid vessel, which has fluted glass detailing. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 5. Self-care journal ($10): Make self-care a habit with this journal decorated with cherry motifs. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY 6. Cherry cushion ($12): If you have been joining the hordes in accumulating food-themed plush toys, these cherry cushions will be a sweet addition to your collection. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
