Affordable housing for Singaporeans, PM Wong vows amid rising property prices; Actor Laurence Pang duped into $35k love scam on Filipino dating site: Singapore live news

Singapore's job market is gearing up for a solid 2025, with strong demand for skilled professionals in sectors like finance, technology, and professional services, according to a recent report by Randstad Singapore.

The report found 49 per cent of employers plan to increase their headcount, signalling optimism about business growth.

However, despite this upbeat hiring outlook, businesses face significant challenges, primarily a shortage of skilled talent in critical areas such as AI, data analytics, and digital infrastructure.

The services sector is expected to be the major driver of job growth in 2025, bolstered by rapid digital transformation and AI adoption.

Randstad Singapore's report noted that companies are now looking for professionals who possess both technical and business skills, particularly in banking, finance, and human resources.

The report also pointed out that the increasing need for tech talent and professionals skilled in digital transformation is reshaping the hiring landscape.

Sales and business development roles top the hiring priorities for employers, with 45 per cent of companies planning to focus on this area. In addition, tech talent remains high on the agenda, with 23 per cent of employers prioritising recruitment in this domain.

Despite these efforts to expand their teams, 66 per cent of employers cited a skills shortage as a major barrier to recruitment.

As competition for talent intensifies, businesses are raising salaries and reallocating budgets to attract the right candidates.

A competitive job market is expected to fuel salary increases, with 43 per cent of companies forecasting a natural salary bump of 3 per cent to 5 per cent for 2025.

Employers are also looking inward, with 30 per cent planning to focus on internal promotions to fill skill gaps.

The combination of internal and external strategies reflects a growing demand for professionals who can navigate the challenges of rapid technological change and economic growth.

Read on Singapore's job market outlook in 2025 here.

A new survey from PwC shows that global CEOs are optimistic about the year ahead, with nearly 60 per cent predicting economic growth in 2025, a significant jump from last year.

With AI driving much of this optimism, 42 per cent of executives expect to expand their workforces, particularly in the tech, pharma, and real estate sectors.

However, risks such as inflation, geopolitical instability, and macroeconomic volatility remain top concerns.

Despite these challenges, nearly two-thirds of CEOs have already begun reinventing their business models, underscoring the urgent need for change to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Read on CEOs optimism about economic growth in 2025 here.

A Singaporean neurosurgeon has lost his wrongful dismissal lawsuit against SingHealth, after the healthcare group terminated his employment for unauthorised access to confidential patient records.

Dr Tan Tung Wee Eddie, who worked as a consultant at the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI), was accused of breaching patient confidentiality in an attempt to expose what he claimed were unethical practices by a fellow neurosurgeon.

In a decision delivered by Justice Chua Lee Ming, the High Court dismissed Tan’s claim for wrongful dismissal, stating that his actions were unjustifiable and driven by a personal vendetta against Dr Chen Min Wei.

Tan had accessed the medical records of over 70 patients without authorisation, all while alleging that Chen was the beneficiary of favouritism in their workplace.

The judge ruled that Tan was not acting as a whistleblower but rather as an individual motivated by "envy" and a desire to harm Chen's career.

The court found that the repeated violations of patient confidentiality were a breach of his contractual obligations, and SingHealth was justified in dismissing him.

Tan had previously complained about Chen's role at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) during the COVID-19 pandemic, when hospital staff were confined to specific facilities due to restrictions.

His accusations of favouritism and unethical practices were investigated, but they were deemed unsubstantiated by a series of internal panels.

Despite this, Tan continued to press his case, ultimately accessing confidential records in a bid to find evidence against Chen.

The court’s decision also addressed Tan’s claim for compensation, which included damages for lost future earnings, estimated at over $4.4 million.

Justice Chua ruled that his career setbacks were self-inflicted due to his own misconduct, further solidifying SingHealth’s position in the dismissal.

In the aftermath of his firing, Tan rejected a police warning related to the data breach, and despite his failed lawsuit, he now faces professional consequences with a formal complaint lodged against him by SingHealth to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC).

Read more about the neurosurgeon's failed lawsuit over his dismissal here.

Instagram has introduced stricter age verification measures in Singapore for users under 18, effective Tuesday (21 Jan).

This follows similar actions in other regions, including the US and the UK, where Instagram began deploying these measures in late 2024.

Singapore's move to introduce social media age limits to protect young users mirrors Australia's recent legislation.

To ensure the safety of young people, Instagram will now ask users suspected of being underage to verify their identity via photo ID or a video selfie.

The move is part of Instagram’s global effort to prevent false age declarations.

The new technology, developed with Yoti, scans users’ facial features to ensure they are not misrepresenting their age.

Teen accounts will also be automatically set to private, with messaging and visibility restricted unless the user can confirm they are over 18.

More on Instagram's tighter privacy and age verification measures for Singapore teens here.

A family on a Qantas Airways flight from Sydney to Singapore was subjected to a terrifying ordeal when they boarded their flight to find vomit-soaked seats and carpeting.

Keira Keegan and her family were horrified to discover that their seats were contaminated from a previous passenger, and the airline’s crew informed them they could not clean the area due to biohazard concerns.

The family had to endure an eight-hour flight in the unsanitary conditions, with no immediate action taken by the airline to address their complaints.

By the end of the flight, the family reported developing gastrointestinal symptoms.

The incident has raised concerns over airline hygiene protocols and passenger safety, especially in the wake of similar biohazard emergencies on other airlines