The Straits Times

Calculate your personal inflation rate based on your spending habits. Is it higher or lower than Singapore's October headline inflation rate of 6.7%?

So, if you had picked “overseas holiday” when asked what you do for recreation, you might have a higher personal inflation rate than if you were to choose the other options. “For example, taking public transport instead of private transport may help you save money and is good for the environment,” said Ms Ling. These come on top of a separate cash payout announced in Budget 2022 to help cushion the impact of the upcoming GST increase, under the Assurance Package. While there could be some gradual disinflation in 2023 – or a temporary slowing of the pace of price inflation – Singapore is probably still far from a deflation story, added Ms Ling. In this simplified calculator, different weights are assigned to the selected categories. The Singapore Government has implemented measures to mitigate cost-of-living pressures and provide support for households. Besides the 1 percentage point increase in the GST rate on Jan 1, 2023, other areas that could push prices higher for Singaporeans include salary raises amid the tight labour market, the expansion of the Progressive Wage Model to more sectors, public transport fare increases and high certificate of entitlement prices for vehicles. The Monetary Authority of Singapore has boosted its support for the Singapore dollar to fight inflation by tightening monetary policy five times since October 2021. It gives an estimated perceived personal inflation rate, calculated from the consumer price index (CPI) of a selected basket of goods and services. Electricity and gas inflation also came in lower owing to smaller increases in tariffs. Although inflation may have peaked and price increases have been small for some categories, cost pressures remain. Is it higher or lower than Singapore’s October headline inflation rate of 6.7%?

The digital SAT is adapting to make students' lives easier with free practice tests, shorter test taking time, more chances to take the exam and more.

The digital SAT is designed to improve students test-taking experience and is a valuable tool for any college applicant. Students will be able to use their own laptop or tablet, or a school-issued device for taking the digital SAT. They will still visit an in-person testing site to take the exam and will be monitored by a proctor. Using free, full-length adaptive tests for SAT practice can help students get familiar with the contents of the exam, timing and pacing, and the experience using the app before test day. Students will be able to clearly see how much time is remaining from the built-in timer and be able to flag test questions that may require additional time, among other tools. A graphing calculator will be embedded into the testing app, Bluebook, or students can bring their own. This means more opportunities for students to identify and address any areas for practice and improvement and a greater chance of reaching their desired score. There are now seven chances for international students to take the SAT annually instead of five. The digital exam shaves a full hour off the previous paper-and-pencil version, thanks to the new adaptive methodology, which tracks the types of questions students answer correctly – and incorrectly – and then delivers questions that are more aligned with their knowledge and skills. There will be more opportunities to take the exam. The aim is to provide questions that are appropriate to each student’s performance level and paint a clearer picture of what skills they have mastered in a shorter amount of time. The digital SAT will also be more secure.

Apart from participating in volunteer-led activities for seniors at Lions Befrienders, he also gives back to the community by sharing his life experiences ...

At the Active Ageing Centre he goes to regularly, Mr Mogan plays card games with other service users, takes part in Zumba classes and goes on free educational outings to the National Museum and even to NTUC Fairprice’s Warehouse Hub. At Lions Befrienders, Mr Mogan has learnt to do digital banking, use the Internet and navigate apps. He also accompanies the seniors for grocery shopping once in a while and helps out with activities at the centre. Since its launch in 1995, Lions Befrienders has helped more than 86,000 seniors to enjoy a fulfilling life during their silver years. Instead, he looks forward to sharing the interesting highlights of his day spent at social service agency Lions Befrienders. It was she who had been encouraging him to sign up with the agency’s Active Ageing Centre as she enjoys the activities there.

If Facebook is in peril, Twitter is disintegrating in the anarchy unleashed by its new boss Elon Musk. The Twitter logo is seen in front of a displayed ...

Everybody was revelling in this new wonderland where people felt they had the right to an audience and their appreciation. Terrorists started using social media for recruitment and spreading hate. So, WhatsApp Messages were used to propagate hate and provoke lynching and murder of innocents on any pretext from selling cow meat to lifting children, with impunity. It thus emerged as a most potent tool, both for good and evil. In such an unregulated ionosphere of unlimited ambitions, anything was possible. Social media obliterated all such barriers and constraints. These platforms gave everyone unfettered freedom, without the essential restraint and accountability which had hitherto characterised all public communication. In that ethereal, unregulated world of cryptocurrency sustained only by the limitless greed of a few people to grow rich overnight, dreams were traded at unbelievable prices. The total market cap on cryptocurrencies now stands at US$820 billion, less than 70 per cent of its peak a year ago. Now everyone could reach a massive audience at a low cost, spread across the globe. Of course, Facebook is at no risk of going out of business anytime soon. It has spread enough toxins in society to sustain itself for many years.

Official data showed, however, no new Covid-19 deaths since Dec 4. Read more at straitstimes.com.

“The patients in the video volunteered to sit outside in the sun because it was... a little bit crowded inside,” the staffer said. Managers of five nursing homes told Chinese media in a Thursday report that they were unable to procure antigen tests or medicines due to shortages, and had no emergency plans for a wide-scale outbreak. [ earliest outbreak in Wuhan city,](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/wuhan-grapples-with-mystery-pneumonia) many deaths of Covid-19-positive patients went unreported due to strict national criteria for classifying Covid-19-related deaths, Chinese media reported at the time. State media and Chinese health experts have downplayed the severity of Omicron, with expert Zhong Nanshan recently saying that Covid-19 should be called the “coronavirus cold”. Covid-19 is spreading rapidly across China after three years of strict containment measures ended last week, with health authorities now admitting the true scale of the outbreak is “impossible” to track.

But certain criteria, such as income eligibility, will be adjusted to help those with greater need. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Currently, those whose household income is equal to or less than $7,800 per month, or whose per capita household income is $2,600 a month or less, are eligible for the grant. For example, from January, only those with a household income of $6,000 per month or less – or whose per capita household income is equal to or less than $2,000 a month – before involuntary job loss, no pay leave or income loss will qualify. The grant gives up to $700 per month for three months to those who were retrenched or had their contracts terminated, and $500 a month for three months to those who suffered significant loss of salary or trade income.

SINGAPORE – Young men aged 30 to 40 are needed for Singapore's quest to map the DNA of 100000 Singaporeans as part of research to find new ways of ...

Court calls for reports to assess his suitability for probation and reformative training. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Young offenders given reformative training are detained in a centre to follow a strict regimen that can include foot drills and counselling. He also used what the prosecution described as a “needle-shaped prayer object” to repeatedly poke her body. I will slap you.”

SINGAPORE - The wet weather is set to continue for the rest of December, with moderate to heavy rain in the afternoon expected and the mercury dipping to ...

Cooler temperatures were felt in the first half of December due to the rainy weather. The total rainfall for the month, however, is forecast to be near average over most parts of Singapore. A few wet days could see the temperature dipping to around 23 deg C.

SINGAPORE - A group of 30 smaller countries has welcomed the Group of 20's (G-20) call to improve food security amid the prevailing food crisis by speeding ...

It reiterated that climate change is an existential global issue and called for all countries to work with the G-20 countries to address the challenge together. It also expressed appreciation that G-20 is taking steps to ensure the fund is inclusive of perspectives of low- and middle-income countries and non-G-20 partners like the 3G in its decision making. The 3G also said that it looks forward to the call for G-20 countries to strengthen their 2030 climate action plans to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts, in line with the Paris Agreement.

SINGAPORE - Since getting his first bone scan in August as part of a national study to map the DNA of 100000 Singaporeans, Mr J. K. Saravana, 41, ...

[ national study to map the DNA of 100,000 Singaporeans,](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/dna-of-100000-singaporeans-to-be-mapped-to-further-populations-health) Mr J. Saravana, 41, has made it a habit to clock 2½ hours of exercise daily after learning that he was at risk of hip issues and high cholesterol. [Singapore’s ageing population](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapores-population-ageing-rapidly-184-of-citizens-are-65-years-and-older) has led to an increasing number of people with long-term health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, for example, heart disease, and cancer amid rising healthcare costs.

The Special Assistance Lane is at the departure hall in T1 and both departure and arrival halls in T2. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Superintendent Tan Kah Wee, head of ICA’s New Clearance Concept office, said: “The Special Assistance Lane allows travellers who require wheelchairs and family groups to also enjoy the smooth and seamless convenience of self-clearance using automated lanes. Automated clearance for group travellers will also be extended to eligible foreign visitors from March 2023. Now, such travellers can scan their passports at the new lanes.

SINGAPORE - Once an award-winning news presenter and journalist, Mr Asri Sunawan's world collapsed in 2018 when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral ...

– was launched on Friday, in conjunction with the opening ceremony of the Singapore Malay Book Festival. This year’s festival, organised by social voluntary organisation Majlis Pusat Singapura and held at Wisma Geylang Serai, focuses on children. A children’s book about his experiences – titled My Name Is Riz.

SINGAPORE - African carrier Ethiopian Airlines will resume flights between Singapore and Addis Ababa from Changi Airport from March 25, after a three-year ...

In 2019, Ethiopian Airlines contributed about 69,000 passenger movements to Changi Airport, an increase of 3 per cent from 2018. This means that flights will originate from Addis Ababa and make a transit at Changi Airport before departing for Kuala Lumpur. The town of Axum is where clusters of historical ruins of the Aksumite Empire, such as royal tombs and large obelisks, can be found. This is 82 per cent of Changi’s pre-Covid-19 connectivity. Flights departing from Addis Ababa to Singapore will take about 10½ hours, while those from Singapore to Addis Ababa will take close to nine hours. SINGAPORE - African carrier Ethiopian Airlines will resume flights between Singapore and Addis Ababa from Changi Airport from March 25, after a three-year absence due to the pandemic.

Hanoi says it aims to renovate 60 by 2025, but faces long drawn-out negotiations to convince each and every resident to move. PHOTO: AFP.

BN lost part of its vote bank in Malay-majority seats to PN, while PH gained even more support among non-Malays. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Permatang Pauh, the seat in Penang that she was defending, did not make it to any “hot seats to watch” or “too close to call” lists in news articles or analysts’ reports. No one saw it coming. [her first taste of electoral defeat](https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/malaysia-ge2022-polls-close-parties-await-results-in-tight-race) when she turned 42 on Nov 19.

It was an unprecedented result: a hung Parliament that ended in Malaysia's first unity government led by Pakatan Harapan's Anwar Ibrahim, who will face a ...

The Australian Medical Association said it is dangerous to allow pharmacies to prescribe medicine. Read more at straitstimes.com.