Evening Update: Today’s headlines from The Straits Times on Jan 1, 2026

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Tengah, S’pore’s newest HDB town, takes shape

Residents move in, shops open, but daily life in Tengah is still taking shape at Singapore’s newest HDB town.

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Fire breaks out on Our Tampines Hub rooftop on New Year’s Day amid fireworks display

The community centre was among seven heartland countdown sites featuring fireworks that day.

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Several dead as fire ravages bar in Swiss ski resort town Crans Montana: Police

The “fire of undetermined origin” occurred as revellers rang in the new year, police said.

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For Vietnam’s young, favoured Germany vocational path is fraught with greedy middlemen

Social media influencers and other self-professed “experts” and recruiters are fanning unrealistic expectations.

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Bathhouses and beyond: Singapore wellness players usher in a new era of retreats and recovery

Hot pools, ice plunges, saunas and other body treatments are now available in Singapore’s new wellness spaces.

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Spitting, littering offenders in KL face fines up to $630 as city aims to step up enforcement

Enforcement operations will focus on tourist hot spots to curb the disposal of small litter.

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What China’s most famous ‘gaokao factory’ reveals about the limits of its exam-driven education model

The military-style Hengshui model seems to have lost its magic.

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From World Cup minnows to S’pore’s first Winter Olympics alpine skier: Sporting markers to watch in 2026

From athletes chasing firsts on new stages to divisive experiments that could reshape sport, here are the storylines to watch in the sporting world in 2026.

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Back to school? Let’s approach education in a new light – minus the glare

Amid talk of tech and exams, the human side of education fades into the background. This series brings it back into focus.

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More than 60 new cars to watch out for in 2026

Japanese car brands like Toyota and Mazda are finally getting on the EV bandwagon in a big way.

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