Singapore’s English-language daily broadsheet, owned by Singapore Press Holdings
A glacial collapse on 26 August has produced torrent floods that have killed more than 1,395 people and left over 5,600 missing across Nepal and Tibet. Rescue teams have been recovering bodies, searching buried hydropower tunnels and remote villages, and racing to control newly formed barrier lakes that are threatening further flooding and hampering access.
Thailand has cut visa‑free tourist stays from 60 to 30 days for citizens of about 60 countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Japan, and will limit land‑border entries to twice per year. Officials say the move responds to national security, economic and tourism management concerns and will not affect tourists already in the country.
Rescuers are continuing efforts to locate workers trapped inside tunnels at Nepal’s hydropower facilities after floods damaged at least 12 projects. International teams have joined the search as authorities report hundreds missing and dozens dead. Chinese rescue teams are also rebuilding roads at the border to support access.
Singapore launches ReadSG, a gamified reading scheme that rewards 15-minute daily reading with virtual coins and small cash rewards. Experts say the approach may help form a reading habit, though concerns remain about long-term persistence after incentives end.
The haze crisis driven by Indonesian forest and peatland fires has prompted Singapore to consider enforcement under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. Singapore and regional partners are coordinating with Indonesia, with regional leaders promising action to address root causes as air quality remains unhealthy.