NewsLite

With just about four years to go before the first phase of Singapore’s eighth MRT line — the Cross Island Line (CRL) — commences service in 2030, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has given the public a preview of the CR151 trains to be used on the line.

He posted the photos of the trains on his Facebook yesterday (April 2).

Siow, who is also Senior Minister of State for Finance, was in China for the annual Singapore-Shandong Business Council meeting, which he co-chaired with Shandong Governor Zhou Naixiang.

A total of 10 agreements covering areas of mutual interest such as trade and connectivity, green economy, and modern services, were inked between Singapore and Shandong companies during the meeting.

SINGAPORE - The impact of the Iran war has so far been relatively contained in Singapore, with no emergency measures or work-from-home orders , unlike in many countries around the world.

The Government has yet to dip into its energy stockpiles of liquified natural gas and diesel, which are enough to last for months, although it has warned of a “ bumpier ride ahead ”.

But the conflict, which has driven up energy costs, has seeped into daily life here, prompting the authorities to take action to ease the burden.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on April 2 said some support measures announced at the Budget will be brought forward, to provide earlier relief and cushion the Middle East conflict’s impact on Singapore households and businesses .

Cotton On is giving Singapore customers free matcha at five of its stores this weekend.

This follows recent confusion about whether they were shuttering their local outlets after a Government Gazette was published on March 30, stating that Cotton On Asia was to undergo voluntary liquidation.

The Australian retailer clarified that their stores in Asia are going nowhere, as they were closing an inactive holdings company that did not operate any stores or employ anyone.

"There have been misleading media reports suggesting that Cotton On stores operating in Asia are being closed, this information is incorrect and we have no plans to exit the Asia region," a Cotton On spokesperson said.

DHAKA - Bangladesh has launched fresh measures to curb energy consumption, cutting office hours and trimming public spending as conflict in the Middle East disrupts global fuel markets and strains power supply in the South Asian nation.

Officials said the steps approved by cabinet on Thursday (April 2) aim to stabilise the energy situation in Bangladesh, heavily dependent on fuel imports and battered by price volatility and supply uncertainty from the US‑Israeli war with Iran.

Under the new rules, government offices will run from 9am (11am Singapore time) to 4pm, while markets and shopping centres must shut by 6pm to reduce electricity use.

The government has also ordered cuts in non-essential public expenditure and urged lower power consumption in industry, with curbs on excessive lighting, for example.

K-pop idol Mark Lee is parting ways with NCT following the end of his contract with SM Entertainment.

The company shared the news on Weverse today (April 3): "After a long period of careful and thoughtful discussion with Mark regarding his future activities, we have mutually agreed to conclude his exclusive contract as of April 8.

"Mark will conclude all activities as a member of NCT, including NCT 127 and NCT Dream."

Mark, 26, made his debut with the group back in 2016 and SM Entertainment lauded his "outstanding abilities not only in group promotions but also as a solo artist, showing remarkable activities over the past 10 years".

TOKYO - Microsoft on Friday (April 3) said it will invest 1.6 trillion yen (S$13 billion) in Japan between 2026 and 2029 to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure and strengthen cybersecurity co-operation with the government.

The investment includes the training of one million engineers and developers by 2030, Microsoft said, which was unveiled during a visit to Tokyo by Vice Chair and President Brad Smith. In a statement, the company said the plan aligns with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's goal to boost growth through advanced, strategic technologies while safeguarding national security.

Microsoft will work with domestic firms including SoftBank and Sakura Internet to expand Japan-based AI computing capacity, allowing companies and government agencies to keep sensitive data within the country while accessing Microsoft Azure services, it said. It will also deepen co-operation with Japanese authorities on sharing intelligence related to cyber threats and crime prevention.

Japan's adoption of AI has accelerated since 2024, with around one in five working-age people using generative AI tools, Microsoft said, citing its own data.

The UN Security Council is to vote on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, diplomats said on Friday (April 3), but veto-wielding China made clear its opposition to authorising any use of force.

Two diplomats said the meeting of the Council's 15 members and the vote were set for Saturday morning, rather than Friday as earlier planned. Friday is a UN holiday.

Oil prices have surged since the United States and Israel struck Iran at the end of February, unleashing a conflict that has run for more than a month and effectively closed the key shipping artery.

Diplomats said Bahrain, the current chair of the Security Council, finalised a draft resolution seen by Reuters that would authorise "all defensive means necessary" to protect commercial shipping.

Long queues were reported at Woodlands Checkpoint on Good Friday (April 3) morning as thousands of Malaysians who work here made their way home ahead of the long weekend, which coincides with Qing Ming Festival.

The traditional Chinese festival, also known as tomb sweeping day, falls on Sunday (April 5) this year, and is dedicated to honouring and remembering ancestors and loved ones who have died.

From around midnight, social media was abuzz with commuters sharing scenes of huge crowds waiting for buses to cross the Causeway after they have cleared Singapore's immigration.

Some Malaysians reported taking four hours to complete their journeys from Queen Street bus terminal to across the Causeway. Others showed screenshots of their WhatsApp chats with family members spanning more than an hour as they waited in the bus queues.

BEIJING - Growth in China's services activity slowed in March from February's 33-month high, as softer demand and a decline in overseas orders weighed on momentum, a private-sector survey showed on Friday (April 3).

The RatingDog China General Services purchasing managers' index, compiled by S&P Global, fell to 52.1 in March from 56.7 in February, remaining above the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction.

The reading contrasted with an official survey released earlier this week showing services activity edged up in March, partly because the two surveys cover different samples.

China's economy started the year on a firmer footing with a surge in exports driven by AI-related technology demand, quickening industrial output, and a rebound in retail sales and investment.

TOKYO - Japan's services sector grew at its weakest pace in three months in March, a private survey showed on Friday (April 3), as rising uncertainty over the Middle East war crushed business confidence to its lowest level since the pandemic.

Here are the key details:

• The S&P Global final Japan Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 53.4 in March from a 21-month high of 53.8 in February, but topped the flash reading of 52.8 and marked the 12th month of expansion. Readings above 50.0 indicate growth in activity, while those below point to a contraction.

• Among key sub-indexes, new business rose at the slowest pace since December. New export orders, meanwhile, increased at a faster pace from February.