Former Singapore President criticises Trump’s Gaza proposal; 111 Singaporeans marked for deportation from US: Singapore live news

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Donald Trump’s proposal for the US to take over the Gaza Strip and re-settle Palestinians has sparked global outcry. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Donald Trump’s proposal for the US to take over the Gaza Strip and re-settle Palestinians has sparked global outcry. (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

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Singapore’s first female president Halimah Yacob has taken to Facebook to dismiss US President Donald Trump's controversial plan for the Gaza Strip. Trump had previously proposed for the US to take over the territory and re-settle Palestinians in other countries. Singapore's former President described the idea as “truly horrifying” and a “a clear violation of international laws.”

Recently released data shows there are 111 Singaporeans marked for deportation from the US since November 2024. In total, there are more than 1.4 million foreign nationals who are on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) non-detained docket.

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Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates:

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER8 updates
  • Featured

    E-commerce complaints reached an all-time high in 2024: CASE

    CASE received 4,641 e-commerce related complaints in 2024. (Photo: Getty)
    CASE received 4,641 e-commerce related complaints in 2024. (Photo: Getty)

    The Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) received 4,641 e-commerce related complaints in 2024, an increase of 25% from 3,711 e-commerce complaints in 2023.

    The consumer watchdog noted that this is the highest number recorded since CASE first started tracking e-commerce complaints in 2020. The entertainment industry (13%) led the way with the most number of complaints related to e-commerce last year followed by the F&B industry (9%).

    E-commerce complaints in Singapore reached an all-time high in 2024. (Graphic: CASE)
    E-commerce complaints in Singapore reached an all-time high in 2024. (Graphic: CASE)

    "E-commerce complaints have reached an all-time high, surpassing even the 2020 peak that was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Melvin Yong, president of CASE.

    Yong added that CASE has been working closely with platforms Shopee and Lazada to "put in place an effective dispute resolution framework." He said that complaints involving these platforms have "a high resolution rate of around 90%."

    In an earlier blog post, we reported more 2024 figures from CASE which showed that consumers in Singapore recorded nearly $2 million in prepayment losses last year. You can scroll down to see the story.

  • Featured

    Prepayment losses more than quadruple in 2024 to over $1.9m: CASE

    CASE reported that prepayment losses spiked to over $1.9m in 2024 compared to $476,000 the previous year. (Photo: Getty)
    CASE reported that prepayment losses spiked to over $1.9m in 2024 compared to $476,000 the previous year. (Photo: Getty)

    Consumers in Singapore were hit by over $1.9m in prepayment losses in 2024, according to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). The figure was more than four times the $476,000 amount reported for prepayment losses in 2023.

    The biggest contributors to the spike were the industries of renovation contractors ($728,813), bridal ($284,468), and movers ($134,238) which combined for more than $1.1m of the $1.9m prepayment losses reported by CASE in 2024.

    “CASE is concerned about the sharp rise in prepayment losses, mainly driven by the renovation sector,” said CASE president Melvin Yong.

    The watchdog said that of the 962 complaints received against renovation contractors, approximately 97% were against non-CaseTrust accredited contractors. It added that complaints related to accredited contractors were successfully resolved.

    The prepayment losses figure of over $284,000 for the bridal industry in 2024, was 'largely' due to the closure of Love Nest in April 2024, says CASE

  • Featured

    Former Singapore President criticises Trump’s Gaza proposal

    Singapore's former President Halimah Yacob has dismissed Donald Trump's idea for Gaza as a violation of international laws. (REUTERS/Edgar Su)
    Singapore's former President Halimah Yacob has dismissed Donald Trump's idea for Gaza as a violation of international laws. (REUTERS/Edgar Su)

    Former Singapore President Halimah Yacob has described US President Donald Trump’s proposal for America to take over the Gaza Strip and re-settle Palestinians in other countries as “truly horrifying”.

    Singapore’s first female president made her feelings known about Trump’s controversial idea in a Facebook post on Wednesday (5 February), calling it “a clear violation of international laws.”

    Trump had also expressed his desire to turn the territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East” and for the US to "develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs" and turn it into "something the entire Middle East can be very proud of".

    His comments were met with global outcry including from Singapore’s neighbours Malaysia where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said their stance on this issue was similar to other Islamic nations.

    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has since walked back some elements of Trump's proposal by saying that the idea was for Gazans to leave the territory for an "interim" period of reconstruction and debris-clearing.

  • Investments into Singapore rose to $13.5b in 2024 with 18,700 jobs set to be created

    The investments are set to create around 18,700 jobs in Singapore over the next five years. (Photo: Getty)
    The investments are set to create around 18,700 jobs in Singapore over the next five years. (Photo: Getty)

    Investments into Singapore rose last year to $13.5 billion compared to $12.7 billion in 2023, according to the Economic Development Board (EDB) on 6 February.

    The rise was attributed to investment from sectors such as semiconductors, aerospace and artificial intelligence.

    As a result, EDB expects around 18,700 jobs to be created over the next five years with about two-thirds of those jobs likely to have a gross monthly wage above $5,000.

    The Straits Times noted that when EDB was asked how US trade tariffs will affect investments in Singapore, its managing director Jacqueline Poh said that protectionist policies are on the rise.

    “We’re an open and highly trade dependent economy... So one way or another, if there are pervasive tariff regimes and protectionist policies enacted by various countries in the world, this will have an impact on global growth and trade, and these will have an impact on the general investment climate,” she was quoted by ST as saying.

  • K-pop world holds breath as Blackpink drops teaser for 2025 world tour

    Blackpink are ready to hit the road again together as group for a world tour in 2025. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Coachella)
    Blackpink are ready to hit the road again together as group for a world tour in 2025. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Coachella)

    Blackpink sent K-pop pulses racing in anticipation on Wednesday (5 February) after they dropped a teaser video to announce plans for a world tour this year.

    No dates or venues were made public but the 2025 world tour would be their first since they hit the road for ‘Born Pink’ in 2022.

    Their ‘Born Pink’ tour – often described as the ‘largest world tour in the history of a K-pop girl group’ – kicked off in Seoul in October 2022 and wrapped up almost a year later following 66 concerts in 22 countries. Singapore was fortunate enough to get two shows in May 2023.

    Since then the K-pop supergroup has largely been in the news for the launch of independent projects by Blackpink’s Lisa, Rosé, Jisoo, and Jennie.

    Billboard reported on 6 February that the music video for the Rosé-Bruno Mars smash hit ‘APT.’ had officially reached the one billion views mark on YouTube. It is the fifth fastest music video to reach the milestone, achieving the feat after 105 days.

  • 'She has arrived home safely': Barbie Hsu's family bring her ashes to Taiwan

    Taiwanese singer-actress Barbie Hsu died at the age of 48 from influenza complications in Japan. (Photo by Shang Hongtao/VCG via Getty Images)
    Taiwanese singer-actress Barbie Hsu died at the age of 48 from influenza complications in Japan. (Photo by Shang Hongtao/VCG via Getty Images)

    The ashes of late actress Barbie Hsu have been brought home from Japan to Taiwan by her family.

    Hsu tragically died at the age of 48 from a flu-related illness while on holiday in Japan.

    A statement released by her family read: “Thank you to all media friends for waiting for Shi-yuan to come back in such cold weather. She has arrived home safely. She is believed to be happy and worry-free now in heaven.”

    Hsu began her career at the age of 17, as part of a pop duo with her sister Dee. However, it was on the TV series ‘Meteor Garden’ where her fame peaked to international levels.

    It was Dee who confirmed the shocking news of her sister Barbie's death earlier in the week. “During the Lunar New Year, our family came to Japan for vacation. My dearest sister Barbie has unfortunately left us after getting pneumonia, triggered by influenza," she said in a statement.

    Barbie Hsu leaves behind her husband, South Korean singer DJ Koo, and two children from an earlier marriage.

  • Trump bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s sport at LA 2028 Olympics

    Donald Trump wants to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport at the LA 2028 Olympics. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images)
    Donald Trump wants to ban transgender athletes from women’s sport at the LA 2028 Olympics. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images)

    US President Donald Trump says America will deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to compete at the LA 2028 Olympics.

    The Department of Homeland Security has been instructed to “reject any and all visa applications made by men attempting to fraudulently enter the United States while identifying as women athletes”.

    The development comes as Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday (5 February) that prevents transgender athletes from competing in female categories of sports – but the order mostly covers federally funded sports such as high school, universities and grassroots sports.

    The Trump administration is now attempting to pressure national sporting bodies as well as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to fall in line. “From now on women’s sports will be only for women. We’ve gotten the woke lunacy out of our military and now we’re getting it out of women’s sports,” Trump said.

  • More than 100 Singaporeans marked for deportation from US since Nov 2024

    The non-detained docket refers to individuals not currently being held by ICE but may be detained by other agencies. (Photo: Getty)
    The non-detained docket refers to individuals not currently being held by ICE but may be detained by other agencies. (Photo: Getty)

    Official data shows that 111 Singaporeans have been marked for deportation from the US since November 2024.

    The number is part of the more than 1.4 million foreign nationals who are on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) non-detained docket.

    The non-detained docket is a list of every person the US believes is a removable non-citizen in the country and who is not currently held in detention by ICE but may be detained by other agencies.

    Other Southeast Asian nations with citizens on the non-detained docket include Indonesia (4,276), Philippines (3,772), Cambodia (1,747), Thailand (619), Malaysia (435) and Brunei (4).