Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo says preparation for a crisis, like the global IT outage, begins at peacetime. (SCREENSHOT: Ministry of Communications and Information/YouTube)
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The Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo addressed the global IT outage that happened last Friday (July 19). In a Facebook post on Sunday, Teo said the feelings of vulnerability were "understandable and valid" and added that preparations for such incidents begin at peacetime.
US president Joe Biden has announced that he will drop out of the 2024 presidential race amid speculations about his fitness to run. He shared a letter on his social media accounts saying that this decision was "in the best interest of my party and the country". Biden also endorsed vice-president Kamala Harris and urged Democrats to "come together and beat Trump".
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A TikTok star flew first-class on Singapore Airlines and he was impressed with the luxurious experience. His video went viral with many netizens posting glowing reviews of the national carrier. One even said the national carrier was "the best I've ever flown with".
There's a new wave of trash balloons that flew across the borders of South Korea, prompting the country to warn North Korea of a "fatal price". South Korea also launched “full-scale” loudspeaker broadcasts in response, blaring information that is banned in the north.
'Quiet vacationing' is on the rise for those in remote jobs. However, this is unlike 'quiet quitting' where they gradually put in less effort in their job. Instead, workers who 'quiet vacation' are taking mini-vacations while on the clock. To find out why people 'quiet vacation' instead of taking vacation days, read here.
Singapore makes the list that ranks the most expensive countries to live and work in. The ranking assess countries based on the following criteria: General cost of living, satisfaction with their financial situation and whether their disposable income is enough to lead a comfortable life. To see where Singapore ranks, read on.
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised Singapore's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, calling him "brilliant". He did this while reposting a blog post complimenting the late Lee's foresight with Changi Airport and crafting a magical onboarding experience for visitors.
Brazilian musician, Ayres Sasaki, died from a freak accident during a live performance. The 35-year-old hugged a wet concertgoer that caused a fatal electric shock. Here's more on the investigations and how people are reacting to his death.
Max Verstappen spoke out about Red Bull's strategy calls which put him on the back foot. He was "annoyed" and voiced it out on his radio messages. When it was raised that the messages were possibly disrespectful, he replied, "They can f*** off."
A study analysed the zodiac signs of the top 150 Fortune 500 CEOs in 2024, there are three signs which are the most common among top leaders.
A woman asked for a divorce after her husband was spotted sitting in the car when her son had a medical emergency. While the husband's behaviour is a response to a past trauma, the woman felt that he was "out of his mind to behave like that".
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It was announced on July 22 that East Coast Park will be partially reopened after the oil spill last month. NEA said in a media advisory that the cleaning at areas B and E are completed. Non-contact water sports at those areas can resume but the public is advised against swimming or undertake primary contact water sports.
Popular K-pop girl group Blackpink will be making their comeback in 2025. The news was announced by YG Entertainment's founder and he also shared a little more about their upcoming activities.
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Bryan Lim
Brazilian musician dies after being electrocuted during live performance
Brazilian musician Ayres Sasaki died from a freak accident.
Brazilian musician, Ayres Sasaki, died after a freak accident on stage.
The 35-year-old hugged a wet concertgoer, triggering a nearby cable to jolt, which in turn, caused an electric shock. According to reports, he died almost instantly.
Police are investigating the incident and have gathered statements from witnesses. Authorities have also requested expert reports.
The Solar Hotel, which was where the tragedy occurred, released a statement clarifying that they're co-operating in the investigations.
"Our thoughts and condolences are with Ayres Sasaki's family and friends at this difficult time,” they added.
Here's more on how people are reacting to his shocking death.
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Bryan Lim
East Coast Park reopens in parts after oil spill cleanup
East Coast Park has been partially reopened after cleanup efforts from last month's oil spill. (Photo: Facebook/Grace Fu)
East Coast Park has reopened partially following the cleanup efforts of an oil spill which occurred off southern Singapore.
In a media advisory, the National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that areas B and E will be reopened from July 22. "Non-primary contact water sports, such as kayaking, conducted from both areas can resume," NEA wrote.
However, the public is advised not to swim or undertake primary contact water sports such as wakeboarding and stand-up paddling in the beach waters.
NEA said they'll continue to "monitor beach water quality", adding that water activities can fully resume "only when the water quality returns to normal".
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu echoed similar sentiments when she shared the news in a Facebook post.
She wrote, "The clean-ups at East Coast Park Areas B and E are complete. You can now return for land-based activities! A big thanks to our cleaners and volunteers who joined us in combing these areas last weekend.
"Swimming and water sports will have to wait for the time being, as we will need to ensure water quality has returned to normal and is stable."
The oil then washed up along several beaches, including those on Sentosa, East Coast Park and Labrador Nature Reserve.
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Bryan Lim
Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race, endorses Kamala Harris
US president Joe Biden says he's dropping out of presidential race and endorsed VP Kamala Harris. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley, File)
After much dissension, US president Joe Biden is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed his sitting Vice-President Kamala Harris.
In a letter posted to his social media accounts, Biden wrote, "It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term."
When endorsing Harris in a separate post, Biden added, "Democrats – it’s time to come together and beat Trump."
The announcement came after much speculation about his fitness to run. His disastrous debate with Trump has only added to the fuel, along with multiple visits to the White House from a Parkinson's expert.
Biden has since addressed the visits.
His announcement was also a surprise considering that earlier this month, Biden had said he was "firmly committed" to running.
Preparation for tech outage begins at peacetime, vital to practise and update crisis plans: Josephine Teo
Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo says preparation for a crisis, like the global IT outage, begins at peacetime. (Photo: Reuters)
The global IT outage last Friday (July 22) "left many of us feeling vulnerable and questioning our heavy reliance on technology for everyday activities", said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.
Yet, those feelings are "completely understandable and valid", she added in a Facebook post on July 21.
Since digitalisation is a "mega trend" that we can't shy away from, Teo pointed out that preparation for such incidents often begin at 'peacetime'.
She wrote, "It is precisely when things are going reasonably well that we must take action to fortify our defences.
"It starts with robust testing and putting in the right safeguards so that incidents are prevented in the first place. Testing and red-teaming must be prioritised and conducted across multiple levels so that appropriate safeguards can be put in place."
Teo added that it is vital to update business continuity plans, and not only practise them but stress-testing them through tabletop exercises.
According to Teo, the Singapore organisations affected by the global outage are "almost fully recovered".
For more on Teo's comments about the global IT outage, read here.
Bryan Lim
Blackpink to stage comeback in 2025
Blackpink will be making their comeback next year. (Photo: Yahoo Singapore)
Blinks are definitely not going to want to miss this.
In a video posted on July 20, YG Entertainment's founder announced that the popular K-pop girl group Blackpink will be making their comeback in 2025.
Blackpink made their debut under YG Entertainment in 2016 and took the world by storm. In 2023, they renewed their contract only for group activities but not solo activities.
Woman wants divorce from husband because he sits in car too long
A woman wants a divorce from her husband who spends too long sitting in the car before entering the house. (Photo: Getty)
A woman went on Reddit's infamous confession forum to spill about how she is seeking a divorce from her husband because he sits in the car for too long before entering the house.
For context, the husband said it was due to a "past traumatic experience" where he caught his ex cheating on him when he returned home. Since then, he would spend a few minutes in the car before entering the home.
The woman understands his trauma response but an incident changed her view when her son had a medical emergency. She asked her husband to help take him to the emergency room but spotted him sitting in the car.
"I was stunned when I looked out the window and I saw him sitting outside the house in his car. I was both shocked and angry," she wrote.
After the incident, she asked for a divorce but has been told that she's making a big deal out of it.
Is she taking it too far? Read on to see what her family and husband have said about the divorce.
Joel Balbin
Top zodiac signs of Fortune 500 leaders, revealed
Ever wondered which zodiac signs produce the most CEOs? (Photo: NY Post)
A study analysed the zodiac signs of the top 150 Fortune 500 CEOs in 2024, revealing that Leos, Pisces, and Taurus are the most common among top leaders.
Leos, representing 14%, are known for their leadership and visibility, with notable examples including Satya Nadella and Warren Buffet.
Pisces, making up 12%, are characterized by their intuitive and visionary nature, with Jamie Dimon and Michael Dell as prominent figures.
Taurus CEOs, comprising 10%, are valued for their determination and focus on quality, with leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Davie.
Elon Musk called the late Lee Kuan Yew brilliant while reposting a blog post about his foresight with regard to Changi Airport. (Photo: Reuters)
Singapore's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, may be gone but his legacy still lives on.
In a post on X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk called the late Lee a "brilliant" man when reposting a blog piece that praised his foresight. The blog piece recounted how Lee obsessed over the airport experience and the commute from Changi Airport to the city as it was an important onboarding experience for visitors.
Changi Airport has been named the world's best airport 12 times by London-based research firm Skytrax.
The cheapest and most expensive countries to live and work abroad – where is Singapore?
Singapore is among the most expensive countries to live and work in. Photo: Reuters
When it comes to ranking countries in terms of cost of living, Singapore will make the list. In fact, it constantly tops the list of expensive cities to live in.
However, in a ranking by InterNations, the world's largest expatriate network, Singapore doesn't come in top for once. Yet, it still remains one of the most expensive countries to live and work in.
The list ranks countries according to three criteria: General cost of living, satisfaction with their financial situation and whether their disposable income is enough to lead a comfortable life.
To find out where Singapore ranks among countries like Australia, UK, and Canada, read on.
Bryan Lim
'Quiet vacationing' on the rise with those in remote jobs
'Quiet vacationing' is on the rise with those in remote jobs. Why? (Photo by Angga Budhiyanto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A recent study has revealed that workers in remote jobs have been increasingly 'quiet vacationing'.
This concept has its roots in the corporate buzzword 'quiet quitting' except that workers aren't gradually putting in less effort in their jobs. Instead, they're taking mini-vacations while on the clock and making it seem like they're working.
Data from a poll also indicates that 'quiet vacationing' is trending across all age groups. The poll revealed that almost 1,200 employed workers took a quarter of unauthorised time off from work.
So why are people 'quiet vacationing' instead of using their vacation days? Read to find out.
Bryan Lim
South Korea warns North Korea of 'fatal price' after new wave of trash balloons
A new wave of trash balloons prompts South Korea to warn its neighbours of a "fatal price". (South Korea Defense Ministry via AP)
A new wave of trash-filled balloons flew across the borders of South Korea.
In response, South Korean warned that North Korea will pay a "fatal price" and launched “full-scale” loudspeaker broadcasts.
The speakers blast K-pop songs, news on BTS' Jin being a torchbearer at the Paris Olympics, and the recent defection of a senior North Korean diplomat.
North Korea began floating large balloons carrying waste – including manure – since May and more than 2,000 have landed in South Korea since.
A couple served instant ramen at their wedding reception, leaving guests shocked and hungry. (Photo: Getty Images)
Guests at a wedding were shocked to find a self-serve instant ramen bar instead of the expected formal meal.
Despite the couple's apparent financial stability and the bride being a professional chef, the unusual choice left guests hungry and speculating about the reasons.
Netizens shared their own similar experiences and theories, mixing sympathy with humour.
SIA's 'incredible' first-class experience stuns TikTok star
SIA's first-class experience impressed a TikTok star and his video went viral. (Photo: Yahoo Singapore)
TikTok star @pitor.official was impressed by the experience of travelling first-class on Singapore Airlines.
The journey was documented in a three-minute video which started from a cabin crew ushering him to his seat.
The video showed off the ample legroom of the first-class cabin, along with the sumptuous meal of chicken skewers and salad. The bathroom facilities were also on display, featuring a spacious sink and toilet.
This luxurious experience has gone viral and impressed netizens. Some who had flown with Singapore Airlines before shared their positive reviews saying it was "worth every penny" and calling it "the best I've ever flown with".
Emily Ratajkowski shared a video of herself on Instagram dancing by a pool in Mexico wearing a teeny tiny red hot thong bikini and sipping a piña colada.
Prince Emanuele Filiberto, the grandson of Italy’s last king, has revealed how he hired a prostitute to teach him how to have sex with his first girlfriend.
From trowelled-on make-up to Lauren Sanchez’s lacy white bra (because what could be more appropriate at the swearing in of a president than some deeply tanned cleavage? Then again, given this president…), this was inauguration style as we’ve never seen it.
Princess Charlotte has just been knocked off the best dressed list of celebrity children! Find out who has taken her spot. Also on the list is Harper Beckham, Stormi Webster, Saint West and more.
Carrie Underwood might not be Beyoncé or Garth Brooks in the celebrity superstar ecosystem. Eight years ago, Trump reportedly struggled to enlist stars to be part of the swearing-in and the various glitzy balls that follow. The concurrent protest marches around the nation had more famous entertainers than the swearing-in, which stood in stark contrast to someone like Barack Obama, whose second inaugural ceremony had performances from Beyoncé, James Taylor and Kelly Clarkson and a series of starry onlookers.
