Must-reads
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
THE BIG STORY
Putin puts Russia's nuclear forces on high alert
Stakes rose rapidly in Europe's biggest conflict since World War II after President Vladimir Putin put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert, an act that the United States called an unacceptable escalation. Mr Putin's decision came hours after Germany announced a historic shift in its defence policy to send arms to Ukraine.
THE BIG STORY
Russia-China trade could increase amid sanctions
Trade between Russia and China is expected to increase with fresh economic sanctions imposed by major Western countries against Russia for invading Ukraine. Still, experts agreed that even with China's increased purchases, the Russian economy will still be reeling from the economic sanctions.
North Korea fired what could be a ballistic missile yesterday, military officials in South Korea and Japan said, in what would be the first test since the nuclear-armed country conducted a record number of launches last month. The latest launch comes less than two weeks before South Korea holds a presidential election and amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Amid a brain drain and falling birth rates, Taiwan will allow eligible migrant workers in certain sectors and foreigners who graduated from local universities to apply for permanent residency from April, in a bid to boost its workforce. The island hopes to keep 80,000 seasoned migrant workers and 80,000 graduates by 2030.
AXA Singapore will be exiting the motor and commercial insurance business after being acquired by an indirectly owned subsidiary of HSBC earlier this month. According to sources, AXA Insurance's general insurance arm will go into run-off prior to its operations being folded into HSBC's existing HSBC Life Singapore business.
A first-generation Alstom Metropolis train that has plied the North East Line (NEL) since 2003 is back on the tracks again from today, after a three-year pause for upgrading. It was the first of 25 such trains earmarked for mid-life refurbishment, with work done at SBS Transit's train depot in Sengkang.