Latest stories

Each briefing links to the original reporting from left, centre and right-leaning outlets.

Politics China and Philippines clash at ASEAN defense meeting over South China Sea
Tensions between China and ASEAN nations over the South China Sea remain high as of late October 2026. At an ASEAN defense ministers' meeting in Cebu, the Philippines…

30 October 2026
Politics US China Taiwan Tensions Persist as Military Postures Shift in 2026
Tensions in the Taiwan Strait remain elevated in October 2026 as both China and the United States adjust their military strategies and diplomatic approaches. China has…

30 October 2026
World Year After Gaza Ceasefire Deal, Implementation Stalls Amid Violations
One year ago in October 2025, the United States brokered a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza war. The deal included two phases: Phase one…

30 October 2026
World Russia intensifies energy strikes; Ukraine evacuates residents from Oleshky town
On October 30th, Russia conducted repeated attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and civilian areas, particularly targeting the Dnipro railway station where at…

30 October 2026
Economy Trump Tariffs Create Global Trade Uncertainty Amid Mixed Economic Signals
President Trump's tariff policies in 2026 continue to reshape global trade patterns with substantial economic consequences. The administration has imposed varying…

30 October 2026
Politics Trump Administration Reports Historic Low Border Crossings Amid Intense Enforcement Backlash
The Trump administration announced record-low border crossings in fiscal year 2026, with a 95 percent decline in southwest border apprehensions compared to the Biden…

30 October 2026
Politics Singapore PAP wins landslide GE2025; Opposition holds seats amid concerns
On May 3rd, 2025, Singapore held its 14th general election. The ruling People's Action Party, led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, won a decisive victory, securing 87…

30 October 2026
Politics Singapore raises salary thresholds for skilled foreign workers amid local job concerns
Singapore's government announced significant changes to its foreign workforce policy in March 2025. Starting September first, the minimum qualifying salary for S Pass…

30 October 2026
Politics Singapore Raises Retirement Age to 64, Increases CPF Contributions Amid Adequacy Debate
Singapore is implementing significant retirement policy changes in 2026, with the statutory retirement age rising from 63 to 64 starting July 1st, and re-employment age…

30 October 2026
Economy Singapore HDB resale prices begin to moderate but affordability challenges persist in 2026
Singapore's public housing affordability landscape shows mixed signals in 2026. HDB resale prices have fallen for three consecutive quarters, dropping 0.4 percent in…

30 October 2026
Economy Nasdaq wavers as Dow and S&P 500 climb; Fed holds rates at 3.75-4%
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday at 3.75 to 4 percent, meeting expectations and prompting modest gains in U.S. stock markets. The S&P 500…

29 October 2026
Economy Chipotle Misses Earnings But Reports Third Quarter of Same-Store Sales Growth
Chipotle Mexican Grill reported mixed third-quarter results on October 28, 2026. The company missed earnings expectations with adjusted earnings of 27 cents per share…

29 October 2026
Economy Nelson Peltz offers $1.4 billion to buy struggling Wendy's chain
Activist investor Nelson Peltz and his Trian Fund Management, working with restaurant operator Flynn Group and two private equity firms, made an unsolicited offer to…

29 October 2026
World Iran rejects Qatar mediation proposals; diplomatic impasse deepens as military threats loom
Qatari mediators presented Iran with a new draft peace proposal on Sunday aimed at ending the eight-month-old war with the United States and Israel. The proposal sets…

29 October 2026
Technology Alphabet Drops 12% on Cash Flow Concerns; Microsoft Rallies; Fed Holds Rates
On Thursday, the stock market experienced a sharp divide following earnings from two tech giants. Microsoft beat Wall Street expectations with revenue of 92.3 billion…

29 October 2026
Politics Flávio Bolsonaro arrives in Miami after Brazil presidential election defeat
Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro landed in Miami on Wednesday after losing Sunday's presidential election to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro left…

29 October 2026
Politics Escalating Incidents Mar South China Sea Tensions as ASEAN-China Code Stalls
Tensions are sharply rising in the South China Sea as China and the Philippines clash repeatedly over disputed maritime territories. Since early October, the two…

29 October 2026
Politics Federal Reserve holds rates steady in split vote amid persistent inflation
The Federal Reserve voted 10 to 2 Wednesday to keep interest rates unchanged at 3.75 percent to 4 percent, pausing after raising rates for the first time in more than…

29 October 2026
Politics Savannah Chrisley's Fiancé Owed $100M+ in Debt Before Trump Commutation
Savannah Chrisley, the reality television personality, announced her engagement and pregnancy with Jason Galanis, a 56-year-old convicted fraudster. According to court…

29 October 2026
World Russia continues attacks as local ceasefire holds in Oleshky
Russia and Ukraine are showing mixed signals on peace as diplomatic efforts intensify. US First Lady Melania Trump brokered a humanitarian ceasefire in the…

29 October 2026
World Gaza ceasefire stalls one year after Trump-brokered deal amid disputes
One year after Israel and Hamas agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in October 2025, negotiations have largely stalled. The agreement had two phases: the first focused on…

29 October 2026
Politics US-China tensions escalate over Taiwan amid military posturing
Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have intensified significantly in October 2026, marked by increased military activity from both China and coordinated US-allied…

29 October 2026
Economy Trump tariffs raise average US rates to 12%, affecting 54% of imports in 2026
President Trump's tariff policies have dramatically reshaped global trade in 2026. Starting with broad tariffs in early 2025, the administration raised average US…

29 October 2026
Politics Trump Administration Reports Historic Decline in Border Crossings and Asylum Claims
The Trump administration has implemented strict immigration enforcement policies resulting in dramatic reductions in border encounters. In fiscal year 2026, southwest…

29 October 2026
Politics Singapore PAP wins landslide election with 65.57% vote share
Singapore held its general election on May 3rd, 2025, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's People's Action Party securing a decisive victory, winning 87 of 97…

29 October 2026
Politics Singapore tightens PMET foreign worker criteria amid local job concerns
Singapore's government has unveiled sweeping changes to its foreign worker policies affecting professionals, managers, executives and technicians—known as PMETs…

29 October 2026
Economy Singapore HDB resale prices stabilize in 2026 amid supply boost
Singapore's public housing affordability presents a mixed picture in 2026. HDB resale prices fell for the first time in nearly seven years, declining 0.3 percent in the…

29 October 2026
Politics Singapore raises retirement age, hikes CPF contributions as adequacy debate persists
Singapore is implementing major changes to its Central Provident Fund retirement system, effective mid-2026. The statutory retirement age rises from 63 to 64, while the…

29 October 2026
Technology Anthropic's IPO contrasts collective governance with Musk's centralized SpaceX leadership model
Anthropic publicly filed for an initial public offering on October 26, 2026, potentially becoming the largest stock market debut in history with a projected valuation…

28 October 2026
Economy Nasdaq extends gains as Anthropic IPO filing revives AI sector optimism
U.S. stock markets extended their gains Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite climbing 1.18 percent to 26,477.81, driven largely by optimism surrounding Anthropic's highly…

28 October 2026