Singapore removing most COVID-19 restrictions; no Covid tests needed for vaccinated tourists

From 26 April 2022 onwards, Singapore will return to near-normal life as the government announced the relaxation of almost all COVID-19 restrictions – with only mask-wearing in indoor environment and public transport being retained. The Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level, will be lowered from ORANGE to YELLOW, for the first time since 7…

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[ CNA ] Singapore and Vietnam sign 5 agreements, MOUs across defence, trade and social sectors

Singapore and Vietnam signed five agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) on Friday (Feb 25), aimed at strengthening cooperation in defence, the digital economy and intellectual property among other areas. The signing by ministers and senior officials from both countries was witnessed by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc.…

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[ CNA ] RSAF to fly F-16 fighter jets for ‘at least’ another decade, following F-35 developments ‘closely’: Air force chief

“We will continue to operate these (F-16) fighter aircraft for at least another decade and are working towards replacing the F-16s at the end of their operational life,” MG Khong said in written responses to questions posed in conjunction with this year’s Singapore Airshow. MG Khong said the RSAF’s fleet of F-16C/Ds is being upgraded in phases,…

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[ AP ] Indonesia, Singapore sign key defense, extradition treaties

The agreement on defense cooperation — along with separate treaties on extradition and airspace rights — were signed in the presence of Indonesian President Joko Widodo of Indonesia and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The defense cooperation agreement will significantly boost Singapore’s ability to carry out naval and military exercises amid regional tensions over…

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A Case for Increasing Singapore’s Participation in International Peacekeeping

‘Military Operations Other Than War’ (MOOTW), also known as ‘Peace Support Operations’ (PSO)[1] encompasses operations that have been described by the United Nations’ ‘Supplement to an Agenda for Peace’[2] as ‘Instruments for Peace and Security’ that involve elements such as ‘peace-keeping’, ‘post-conflict peace-building’, and ‘preventive diplomacy and peacemaking’[3]. This article aims to argue that Singapore…

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[ Reuters ] Singapore PM backs continued exclusion of Myanmar junta from ASEAN meetings

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a video call on Friday urged the regional group’s new chair, Cambodia, to engage all sides in Myanmar’s conflict, Singapore’s foreign ministry said on Saturday. Lee told his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen that ASEAN should continue inviting a non-political representative from Myanmar to its meetings and any decision to…

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