Singaporeans will head to the polls on May 3, 2025, for a landmark general election that will test Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s leadership amid increasing global economic uncertainty and domestic political shifts. This marks the first election under Wong, who succeeded Lee Hsien Loong, ending decades of leadership under the influential Lee family. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP), in power since 1959, is expected to retain its majority, but with growing opposition strength a

A growing clash between academic independence and federal oversight has erupted into a full-scale standoff after the Trump administration announced a freeze on over $2 billion in federal grants to Harvard University. The decision comes after the Ivy League institution firmly rejected a list of sweeping federal demands, including audits of student viewpoints and the dismantling of diversity and inclusion programs. On Monday night, the administration's Joint Task Force to Combat

A roofing company in northern Washington state became the focal point of a major federal immigration enforcement action this week, resulting in the arrest of 37 individuals. The operation took place in Bellingham, a city situated near the Canadian border, where federal agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) executed a raid at Mt. Baker Roofing’s warehouse early Wednesday morning. The agents, part of ICE’s Home

United States – The U.S. government announced Monday it will initiate a sweeping review of $9 billion in federal funding to Harvard University over allegations of anti-Semitism and campus unrest linked to pro-Palestinian protests. This move marks the latest escalation by President Donald Trump’s administration in its campaign against elite academic institutions that have seen intense student demonstrations related to the Israel-Gaza conflict. The General Services Administration co

The stock market suffered a sharp sell-off on Friday as fears over inflation, declining consumer confidence, and doubts about artificial intelligence investments combined to push major indexes lower. The S&P 500 dropped 2%, making it the second-worst trading day of 2025 for the broad-based index, while the Nasdaq Composite tumbled 2.7%, breaching its lowest point for the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also slumped, losing 1.7% as investors reacted to concerning economic signals.

US President Donald Trump delivered a triumphant address to Congress, emphasizing his administration’s policy shifts in global trade, domestic regulations, and federal restructuring. Within just six weeks of taking office, Trump boasted of achievements that have significantly altered America’s foreign relations, triggered trade disputes, and reduced the size of the federal workforce. His speech was met with a standing ovation from Republican supporters, while Democrats protested s

In response to widespread federal job losses, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has unveiled an initiative aimed at helping displaced federal employees find new opportunities within the state. The governor's executive action, announced Friday, outlines a plan to transition affected workers into state and county positions through job fairs and recruitment websites. Governor Moore made it clear that Maryland would not stand by while its residents face unemploym

The Department of Government Efficiency, known as the DOGE initiative, was introduced to streamline government spending by reducing the number of federal employees and eliminating programs that do not align with President Trump's policies. The initiative was presented as a necessary response to the growing $36 trillion national debt. One of its first major actions was the removal of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, a move that has been met with both support and criticism. While

The article discusses the growing inequality in the workforce, particularly for low-wage service workers who lack access to essential benefits like paid holidays, vacation days, and sick leave. It addresses the issue that many workers in the service industry, often categorized as "low-skilled," are essential to the economy, yet they are largely ignored in policy discussions. Despite fears surrounding AI and automation, many of these jobs—such as those in restaurants, hotels, a

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently responded to a discussion about foreign-born tech workers in the U.S., defending their contribution to the industry. The conversation began when Amjad Masad, CEO of Replit, questioned whether foreign workers were truly displacing qualified Americans in the tech sector. Masad pointed out the large number of unfilled tech jobs, expressing skepticism about claims that foreign workers were taking opportunities from native-born Americans. Musk, who is origina

Strike Overview: Thousands of Amazon warehouse workers across four U.S. states have gone on strike, demanding better pay, improved benefits, and safer working conditions. The strike, organized by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, affects seven Amazon facilities in Skokie, Illinois; New York City; Atlanta; San Francisco; and Southern California. The union claims to represent nearly 10,000 Amazo

The US government is facing a potential shutdown as the Friday night deadline for passing a spending bill approaches. The shutdown, driven by political deadlock, could furlough around 875,000 federal workers while 1.4 million essential workers would continue without pay during the holiday season. Although essential services like air traffic control and law enforcement would remain operational, employees will not be paid immediately, though they typically receive retroactive compensation once

The Biden administration has introduced important modifications to the H-1B visa program, aimed at facilitating the hiring of highly-skilled foreign workers, particularly in the tech sector. These changes are expected to benefit thousands of Indian professionals seeking to work in the United States. The rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), expands the definition of specialty occupations and introduces provisions for nonprofits and governmental research organizations t

Bitcoin reached an all-time high of over $106,000, marking a significant milestone just 10 days after surpassing the $100,000 mark. The cryptocurrency’s surge is fueled by expectations that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates during its upcoming policy meeting. Lower interest rates historically benefit Bitcoin, as they weaken the US dollar and increase the money supply, driving investor interest in digital assets. Bitcoin has risen over 77% in the last year, and its rec

The Supreme Court of India has reprimanded senior bureaucrats in Delhi, including the Chief Secretary, for the delayed payment of dues to construction workers impacted by the city's construction ban aimed at reducing pollution. The court had ordered that workers should be compensated during the ban, which was imposed on November 18, but only partial payment had been made. The government had promised ₹8,000 to over 90,000 workers, but many had only received ₹2,000 as an immediate relie

US President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he had granted a pardon to his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of making false statements on a gun background check and illegally possessing a firearm. Hunter Biden had also pled guilty to federal tax charges, admitting to failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes. President Biden expressed that his decision to pardon his son came after years of what he described as unfair, politically motivated prosecution. Biden stated that he had pr

The 1990 Immigration Act brought significant changes to the H-1B visa program and employment-based green cards, imposing caps of 65,000 and 140,000 annually, respectively. These restrictions were implemented without considering the growing demand for skilled labor fueled by technological advancements. The arbitrary cap on H-1B visas quickly became insufficient as more than 70% of graduate students in tech fields at US universities were international students. In response to the escalat

Benchmark equity indices experienced a decline, snapping a two-day winning streak as market participants adopted a cautious approach ahead of the highly anticipated interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve. This would mark the first rate cut since 2020, following a series of eight consecutive meetings where rates remained unchanged. The India VIX, a measure of market volatility, increased by 6.2%, closing at 13.37. Information technology stocks significantly impacted the indice

The TDP coalition government, which was formed three months ago, is currently facing a significant challenge with the ongoing privatization of the Vizag Steel Plant (VSP). The central government's push for privatization has led to strong opposition from workers' unions, who have intensified their agitation against the move. Despite their relay hunger strikes and protests, the central government remains steadfast in its privatization agenda. In a recent devel