The Straits Times

Digital bank GXS, which is backed by Grab and Singtel, is cutting 82 jobs, or about 10% of its workforce. Staff in Singapore and Malaysia will be impacted by the cuts. https://str.sg/HByW

🎮 Looking for your first job as a fresh grad? Employers notice candidates who are proactive, curious and willing to learn, says Garena’s president Terry Zhao. In the gaming world, this could mean making a simple game yourself, or writing a piece to deconstruct what makes a game fun. More advice for the job hunt: https://str.sg/CERn #stheadstart

⛈️ News for your morning! Singapore Nearly 3 in 5 employers plan to freeze headcount in 2026: SNEF survey READ: https://str.sg/nCuy MOM to scrap Performing Artiste Work Permit scheme due to widespread abuse by syndicates READ: https://str.sg/ubgv Apple Tap to Pay now available on iPhones in Singapore READ: https://str.sg/Kc3b Asia Mahathir lodges police report against Malaysia PM Anwar over US trade deal READ: https://str.sg/rWko Stay in the know: https://str.sg/wyYP

Cyclone Senyar, which formed over the usually calm Malacca Strait last month, was a rare event as rotating storms rarely develop near the equator. Could a similar storm ever hit Singapore? We break down the science behind this unusual cyclone. https://str.sg/n4Q9

Chick-fil-A Singapore’s Bugis+ outlet officially opens on Dec 11. 😋 From a Singapore-shaped light fixture to a community table inspired by the Singapore River, take a first look inside the restaurant and the full menu ahead of opening day. https://str.sg/xGDV

Having a smartphone before age 12 could pose health risks to children, a study found. This includes a higher risk of depression, obesity and insufficient sleep. https://str.sg/yskM (via The New York Times)

Yang Yin saga: The sale of the bungalow and the death of its wealthy owner, Madam Chung Khin Chun, have closed the chapter on one of Singapore’s most intriguing cases of cheating and criminal breach of trust. https://str.sg/rQcz

🎤 K-pop girl group IVE will be back in Singapore for a concert at the Indoor Stadium on May 9: https://str.sg/Nmoc

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has vowed to form an independent committee to investigate the deadly Tai Po blaze that killed at least 151 people. “We have to expose the truth,” he said, after widespread public calls for a transparent process. https://str.sg/oLdFr

At least four 3-room HDB flats resold at prices of at least $900,000 this year, igniting talk of windfall profits for their sellers. However, the majority of such resale flats transacted for an average of about $470,000 in the first 11 month of 2025. Will outlier deals remain an exception? https://str.sg/xKnc

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy Z TriFold, its first multi-folding smartphone. The device, priced at over $3,000, will be available in Singapore from Dec 19. Details: https://str.sg/Noeg

A PhD student who tried to rape his former housemate after she rejected his advances has been sentenced to more than 6 years in jail and 3 strokes of the cane. He trespassed into the woman's condominium unit and was pulled away by her housemate. https://str.sg/ppFT

⛈️ News for your morning! Singapore Public urged to avoid parts of Mountbatten and Bedok areas due to risk of flash floods READ: https://str.sg/F3Zp DBS, OCBC and others owed $306m by S’pore car-sharing service Shariot and related firms READ: https://str.sg/dHAM Actress Zoe Tay’s mother dies at 88 READ: https://str.sg/xkqa Over 52ha of forest, streams to be developed for next phase of Jurong Innovation District READ: https://str.sg/cVmy Stay in the know: https://str.sg/wyYP

We swear it’s not just "rage bait" - the term really is Oxford’s 2025 Word of the Year. How the slang term, which triumphed over “biohack” and “aura farming”, became so popular: https://str.sg/dwUo (via The New York Times) #stheadstart

East Ocean Teochew Restaurant, known for its Teochew-Cantonese cuisine and dimsum, will shut its doors on Dec 28, after 33 years of operations. https://str.sg/zxJS

Take note if you’re heading to town this week. Some roads around The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore will be closed for security reasons during the 12th Singapore–Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat on Dec 4. https://str.sg/CCVK

☔️ Thundery showers are expected on most afternoons in the first 2 weeks of December. Daily temperatures will likely range between 24 deg C and 33 deg C on most days. https://str.sg/ER9z

🎧 Gold has never looked shinier, especially as a safe haven in a volatile world. ✨ But is now the right time to buy, and what should you consider before you decide? We look at how to make good use of the current gold rally in this episode of Headstart On Record. Listen here: https://str.sg/xRuN #stheadstart

From Jan 1, 2026, Singapore motorists can have their fines reduced by $30 if they pay within 14 days, under a new early payment scheme. https://str.sg/hmzp

🚇 Passengers using the Circle Line will face delays of up to 30 minutes from Jan 17 to April 19, 2026 due to tunnel works between Mountbatten, Dakota and Paya Lebar stations.