Singapore dissolves parliament ahead of general election
According to a government statement, 97 parliamentary seats will be contested in this election - four more than in the previous term. Nomination Day has been set for April 23, with the official polling date expected to be announced later today.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (Photo: Reuters)
Hanoi (VNA)🎃 – Singapore dissolved its Parliament on April 15 in preparation for an upcoming general election that is expected to serve as a key test for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who succeeded Lee Hsien Loong last year.
According to a government statement, 97 parliamentary seats will be contested in this election - four more than in the previous term. Nomination Day has been set for April 23, with the official polling date expected to be announced later today.
The election comes against the backdrop of ongoing global trade tensions. Although US President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day delay on reciprocal tariffs for about 75 trade partners, excluding China, and imposed only a 10% basic tariff on imported goods, Singapore remains vulnerable to global economic headwinds due to its heavy reliance on international trade.
The Southeast Asian country has revised its 2025 economic growth forecast down to 0–2%, from 1–3%./.
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) lowered its core inflation forecast for 2025 to between 0.5% and 1.5%, indicating expectations of subdued domestic price pressures.
All 14 economists in a Bloomberg survey forecast that the MAS, which uses the exchange rate rather than interest rates to stabilise prices, will reduce the slope in the policy band of the Singapore dollar’s nominal effective exchange rate on April 14.
Vietnamese exporters of fresh and chilled fruits and vegetables are encouraged to stay abreast of the new system, maintain close communication with their Singaporean counterparts, and ensure timely response to inspection results to avoid disruptions in distribution.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
