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Singapore’s parliament is set to turn its attention on Tuesday to the economic and security consequences of the war involving Iran, with lawmakers filing 62 questions and three ministers due to deliver statements on how the conflict could affect energy supplies, inflation, transport costs and broader national resilience. The questions, lodged by 32 members from both the ruling People’s Action Party and the opposition, underline growing concern in the trade-dependent city-state over the fallout from turmoil in the Middle East.

The scale of parliamentary scrutiny is notable even by Singapore’s standards. According to the order paper for the 7 April sitting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam, and Acting Transport Minister and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow are scheduled to address the chamber. The questions range from the immediate effect of higher oil and gas prices to the security of liquefied natural gas supplies and the government’s plans to shield households and businesses from a prolonged external shock.

At the centre of concern is Singapore’s dependence on imported energy and its exposure to global shipping routes. The order paper shows MPs asking whether damage to Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG facilities could materially affect short- and medium-term supply, whether alternative procurement arrangements would be enough to offset any shortfall, and whether disruption in the Middle East might accelerate efforts to diversify the energy mix, including greater investment in alternatives such as nuclear power. That line of questioning reflects a deeper vulnerability: Singapore generates most of its electricity from natural gas and has little room to escape sudden swings in international fuel markets.

Cost pressures are another major theme. Lawmakers have asked how rising fuel and electricity prices may feed through to household expenditure, transport operators and the wider cost of living. For a government already balancing inflation management with fiscal prudence, the debate offers an opportunity to show whether existing buffers are sufficient or whether targeted support may be needed if the conflict persists. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in a video message on 2 April, had already warned Singaporeans that instability in the Middle East could affect the economy through higher energy prices, supply chain disruption and weaker global confidence, signalling that the government was preparing the public for a potentially difficult external environment.

Singapore’s predicament is shaped by geography as much as policy. The republic sits far from the conflict zone, yet its economy is tied tightly to global trade, imported food and imported fuel. Any threat to Gulf energy production or maritime passage through strategic chokepoints can ripple quickly into Asian benchmark prices, freight costs and business sentiment. Questions filed for parliament suggest MPs are not only concerned about immediate supply disruption, but also about second-round effects on manufacturers, logistics firms, electricity generation and consumers already sensitive to living costs.

The breadth of the questions also points to a broader political calculation. Singapore’s leaders have long framed resilience as a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort, particularly when external shocks threaten domestic stability. The debate now unfolding in parliament is likely to test how far that framework can stretch in the face of a conflict whose trajectory remains uncertain. Opposition members, including Workers’ Party figures, have pressed for details on fuel reserves, assistance for workers dependent on transport and the likely effect on household budgets, while ruling-party MPs have focused heavily on energy security, diversification and inflation spillovers.

Beyond energy, the parliamentary discussion may widen into questions of diplomacy, national security and public confidence. K. Shanmugam’s planned statement suggests the government sees the crisis as more than a commodity shock. Singapore has consistently sought to position itself as stable, rules-based and open to commerce, which means geopolitical conflict in a key producing region carries implications not only for prices but also for investor confidence and regional security calculations. Ministers will face pressure to reassure the public that contingency planning is in place, even as they acknowledge that a small open economy cannot fully insulate itself from a major war-driven disruption.

Anthropic’s Claude Code has come under fresh scrutiny after researchers disclosed a flaw that can neutralise user-set deny rules when a shell command is padded with a long chain of harmless subcommands, raising concerns that a safety feature marketed as a hard stop may fail in exactly the kind of hostile conditions it is meant to resist. The issue centres on Claude Code’s permission system, which lets […]

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 6 April 2026 – SPEED (Sistem Perolehan Elektronik Dinamik), developed and operated by CDC International Sdn Bhd (CDCi), has won three industry awards in recognition of its contribution to digital procurement and enterprise software. The platform received two honours at the Malaysia National Business Awards 2026 and one at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2026, all presented by Asian Business Review. The awards were for Excellence Award – Computer Software, Initiative Award – Digital Transformation Consulting and Enterprise Software – Government Organisation.

IMG 7019

The awards reflect SPEED’s growing role in helping government and institutional organisations modernise procurement through more structured and transparent digital systems, in line with the MADANI agenda’s emphasis on integrity, accountability and good governance. Its adoption by organisations such as FAMA, RISDA, MARA and PERKESO further underscores the platform’s growing relevance across diverse public sector and institutional settings.

SPEED is a digital procurement ecosystem comprising SPEED Procurement, SPEED eWorks and integrated Supplier Management capabilities. Designed to support end-to-end procurement processes within a structured and auditable environment, the platform helps strengthen oversight, supports audit readiness and addresses longstanding procurement challenges such as fragmented systems, manual workflows and limited visibility across supplier engagement.

Through a centralised approach, SPEED enables organisations to manage sourcing, evaluation, contract administration and reporting in a more systematic manner. Its implementation across agencies and institutional bodies has contributed to stronger compliance, improved process efficiency and more consistent governance through standardised workflows and consolidated data management.

The ecosystem further supports wider supplier participation through structured onboarding and profiling, helping to create a fairer and more transparent procurement environment.

Chief Executive Officer of CDC International, Putri Nurul Ida Yahya, said the recognition reflected the growing importance of digital procurement in strengthening governance across organisations.

“SPEED was built to help organisations manage procurement with greater clarity, discipline and accountability. As procurement requirements continue to evolve, our priority is to ensure the platform remains practical, consistent and responsive to those needs,” she said.

She added that CDCi would continue strengthening the platform to meet a wider range of institutional procurement requirements.

These recognitions mark another milestone for SPEED as CDCi continues expanding its role in digital procurement across institutional and public sector environments.

For more information, please visit speed2u.my or contact [email protected] or +603 7885 4111.
Hashtag: #SPEED




The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About SPEED

SPEED (Sistem Perolehan Elektronik Dinamik) is a governance-driven digital procurement platform designed to support the full procurement lifecycle within a secure and scalable environment. Deployed across statutory bodies and institutional organisations in Malaysia, it enables structured procurement execution, policy compliance and audit readiness, while connecting procuring entities to a nationwide supplier ecosystem. SPEED is developed, implemented and operated by CDC International Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian enterprise solutions provider specialising in system-led procurement governance.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai   Alramz Real Estate has moved to deepen its presence in Saudi Arabia’s housing market after signing an agreement with Oud Capital to establish a Shariah-compliant real estate investment fund worth about SAR650 million to develop a 900-unit residential community in Jeddah, in a deal that underlines how listed developers are using capital-market structures to expand amid sustained demand for urban housing. The […]

Scientists in Poland have built an ultrathin optical structure that traps infrared light inside a layer about 40 nanometres thick, a result that pushes light confinement far below the scale long regarded as practical for conventional photonic components. The work, led by researchers at the University of Warsaw with partners at Łódź University of Technology, Warsaw University of Technology and the Polish Academy of Sciences, uses patterned […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai du and Ericsson have completed a 5G standalone proof of concept in the UAE that they say could widen the reach of fixed wireless access for households, using millimetre wave technology to deliver faster home broadband over a broader area than is typically associated with high-band spectrum. The companies said the trial was carried out in residential areas and is intended to support […]

Italy has introduced temporary jet fuel limits at four airports as supply strains tied to the Middle East conflict begin to hit European aviation, raising the prospect of operational disruption just as airlines prepare for heavier spring and summer traffic. Notices to airmen issued for Bologna, Milan Linate, Venice and Treviso said Jet A1 availability from Air BP Italia was limited, with restrictions running between April 2 […]

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Greenlogue/AP Parched hillsides and a sharply weaker winter rain pattern are putting Darjeeling tea under fresh strain, with planters warning that the famed first flush harvest is again under pressure and that the flavour profile underpinning the tea’s global prestige is becoming harder to preserve. Rainfall deficits across eastern and north-eastern parts of the country were severe through early February, and Darjeeling itself was reported to have […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai CASIO has introduced the G-SHOCK GMA-P2126W in the UAE, extending its analogue-digital range with a women-focused model that ties compact proportions and rugged performance to an International Women’s Day campaign centred on confidence, independence and everyday resilience. The launch, handled by CASIO Middle East and Africa, brings to the local market a watch that leans on the familiar 2100-series octagonal design while shifting […]

du said its National Hypercloud has received certification and endorsement from the UAE Cybersecurity Council, a step the company described as making it the first compliant, secure and sovereign cloud infrastructure approved for deployment across both public and private sectors in the UAE. The announcement places the telecom group at the centre of a fast-moving contest over where sensitive data is stored, who controls the infrastructure, and […]

France is preparing targeted support for motorists who rely on their cars for work and daily life after the war involving Iran drove up oil prices and sharpened pressure on household budgets, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu signalling that broad-based fuel subsidies remain off the table even as pump costs climb. Speaking in Bordeaux, Lecornu said ministers had been asked to draw up measures for people who […]

Shiba Inu posted a sharp rebound on 3 April, with market trackers showing the token climbing by roughly 2% on a daily closing basis and by a little over 3% at points during trading, offering traders a tentative sign of technical recovery after weeks of pressure on meme coins. SHIB closed around $0.00000599 on 3 April, up from about $0.00000586 a day earlier, while current live pricing […]

Staycations across the Northern Emirates and quieter destinations beyond Dubai and Abu Dhabi are gaining momentum as UAE residents rethink holiday plans amid flight disruption and wider uncertainty linked to the Iran war. Hotels in Umm Al Quwain, Hatta, Al Ain and parts of Fujairah have reported firmer domestic demand, with some properties saying residents are choosing short road trips over overseas travel during the Eid period […]

A Japanese-owned liquefied natural gas tanker has crossed the Strait of Hormuz, offering the clearest sign yet that tightly controlled commercial traffic may be resuming through one of the world’s most sensitive energy corridors after weeks of disruption linked to the war involving Iran. The vessel, SOHAR LNG, is the first Japan-linked LNG carrier confirmed to have made the passage since the conflict began on 28 February, […]

Oil prices jumped sharply on Thursday after US President Donald Trump said the United States would step up attacks on Iran over the coming weeks, stoking fears that disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz could last longer and tighten supplies of crude and refined fuels across global markets. West Texas Intermediate settled at $111.54 a barrel after surging more than 11%, while Brent closed near $109.03, extending […]

DUBAI, UAE – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 April 2026 – Global brand 1win announced a new partnership with American heavyweight wrestler and Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Gable Steveson, who joins the company as a global ambassador. The collaboration was revealed through posts on the 1win owner’s Telegram channel and the athlete’s own social media accounts. The announcement comes just ahead of Steveson’s next fight, recently confirmed for May 30, 2026, at the Real American Freestyle (RAF09) event.

1Win Ambassador Image

As part of his partnership with 1win, Steveson will have the opportunity to work more closely with his mentor, UFC legend and fellow 1win global ambassador Jon Jones. Jones has already started sharing his experience and holding personal training sessions with the wrestler, and he is also expected to accompany him to key fights. The first joint photos of Steveson and Jones were published on the Telegram channel of the 1win owner.

Gable will also participate in 1win’s online and offline projects, marketing activations, and partner launches on social media. The 1win brand is also expected to be present at public events involving the athlete. Special emphasis will be placed on audience engagement on social media: posts, stories, short videos, and other formats for interacting with fans.

In February 2026, Gable Steveson defeated Hugo Lezama in a Mexico Fight League bout, finishing the fight by technical knockout in the first round. The win marked his third consecutive victory. His next fight is now confirmed for May 30 at Real American Freestyle (RAF09), which will be exclusively streamed on Fox Nation.

The agreement with Gable Steveson continues 1win’s strategy of partnering with high-profile and media-friendly world-class athletes. In particular, at the end of 2025, the company signed a partnership agreement with MMA champion Jon Jones. That same year, 1win also worked with Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez.

Hashtag: #1win

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About 1win

Founded in 2016, 1win is a crypto platform in the global gaming industry. Operating across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, 1win offers a wide range of services adapted to regional audiences. In 2024, 1win partnered with actor Johnny Sins as its brand ambassador. In 2025, MMA legend Jon Jones joined 1win as its global ambassador. American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist Gable Steveson stepped into the 1win global ambassador team earlier this year.

  President Donald Trump on Thursday sharpened his threat against Iran by publicly celebrating the destruction of a major bridge and warning that more infrastructure could be hit unless Tehran accepts a deal, a move that deepened concern over the direction of the conflict and added to volatility across energy and financial markets. In a social media post, Trump said “the biggest bridge in Iran” had come […]

Dubai has moved to shore up business confidence with a fresh set of fee deferrals and administrative easings under a wider AED1 billion support package, as the emirate seeks to protect cash flow, sustain hiring and cushion sectors exposed to regional disruption. The measures, announced this week and effective from 1 April, cover hotels, holiday homes and businesses across the wider economy for periods of three to […]

JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 3 April 2026 – Green SM Indonesia and Bank Central Asia (BCA) today announced the signing of a five-year investment loan agreement with a total value of IDR 600 billion, marking the formalization of a long-term financial partnership between the two parties.

Green SM Indonesia has officially signed a IDR 600 billion investment loan agreement with BCA, strengthening its long-term financial foundation and advancing sustainable urban mobility in Indonesia.
Green SM Indonesia has officially signed a IDR 600 billion investment loan agreement with BCA, strengthening its long-term financial foundation and advancing sustainable urban mobility in Indonesia.

The agreement marks the next phase of cooperation between Green SM Indonesia and BCA, reflecting a shared commitment to supporting sustainable, well-governed business development in Indonesia’s urban mobility sector.

The investment loan facility is intended to support Green SM Indonesia’s operational readiness and service continuity. The facility provides a stable financial structure to underpin the company’s disciplined growth approach and support consistent service delivery across its existing urban operations.

The signing builds on earlier cooperation between the two parties, which began with Green SM’s market launch in Jakarta in December 2024. Since then, BCA and Green SM Indonesia have collaborated on customer-focused programs and initiatives to improve service accessibility and raise awareness of environmentally responsible transportation solutions. The transition from cooperation activities to a formal financing arrangement reflects the maturation of this partnership and BCA’s support in Green SM Indonesia’s operational model and governance standards.

The cooperation also reflects BCA’s broader role in supporting business sectors that are adapting to evolving urban development needs, including shifts toward more efficient and forward-looking mobility solutions.

Representing BCA, Mr. Denny Haryanto, SVP Corporate Banking BCA said: “This agreement reflects our approach to supporting businesses with a long-term outlook. Sustainable transportation is increasingly important to Indonesia’s urban development. Through this cooperation, we support initiatives that align with long-term economic resilience and environmental responsibility.”

Mr. Deny Tjia, Managing Director of Green SM Indonesia, said the agreement reflects trust built through consistent cooperation and shared values. “The investment loan agreement reflects recognition of the disciplined operating model and long-term development orientation that Green SM Indonesia has pursued since its early stages. The facility further strengthens the company’s financial foundation, supporting stable and consistent service delivery across the cities where it operates.”

Since commencing operations, Green SM Indonesia has established a presence in several major urban centers, including Jakarta, Makassar, Bekasi, Surabaya, and Bali. These cities face increasingly complex urban mobility requirements alongside rising expectations for cleaner, more responsible transport solutions. In the Indonesian market, Green SM provides all-electric taxi services that support routine urban travel while reducing emissions and noise. The company’s operating approach emphasizes reliability, professional service standards, and scalability aligned with city-level transport planning.

Through this agreement, Green SM Indonesia and BCA reaffirm their shared view that the transition to sustainable urban mobility requires not only electric vehicle technology but also sound financial structures, responsible governance, and long-term commitment. The investment loan agreement is a practical step to support that transition in Indonesia’s evolving mobility landscape.

Hashtag: #GreenSM

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About GSM & Green SM

GSM (Green Smart Mobility) is the world’s first company to operate an all-electric ride-hailing service across multiple platforms. As a pioneer in sustainable transportation, GSM has built the foundation for a cleaner, smarter, and more responsible mobility model powered entirely by VinFast electric vehicles. GSM is committed to developing a future-ready mobility ecosystem and inspiring greener lifestyles in countries rapidly embracing sustainability.

Green SM is GSM’s official global brand, representing the company’s vision and values in every market it serves. In Southeast Asia, Green SM operates in Indonesia; under the name Xanh SM in Vietnam and Laos; and as Green GSM in the Philippines. Across all markets, the brand offers a refined travel experience with VinFast electric cars, professional drivers, and a service culture centered on safety and care.

Green SM represents progress toward a future where technology, the environment, and humanity advance together in harmony. The brand is committed not only to providing zero-emission transportation but also to fostering an environmentally conscious society in every market it serves.

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai A three-way alliance between the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group and the International Energy Agency has opened a new front in the battle against the widening energy and economic turmoil linked to the war in the Middle East, with the institutions agreeing to form a coordination group to help governments manage price shocks, funding strains and supply disruptions. The move, announced […]

GitHub has been drawn into another cyber threat case after researchers uncovered a multi-stage malware campaign using malicious Windows shortcut files to target users in South Korea, with the code-hosting platform serving as a covert command channel in the infection chain. The operation relied on booby-trapped. LNK files, embedded decoding routines and PowerShell to pull down follow-on payloads, maintain persistence and move stolen data through attacker-controlled infrastructure […]

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai   du Pay and GCash have moved to tighten the UAE-Philippines remittance corridor with a partnership aimed at giving Filipinos in the Emirates faster transfers, broader digital utility and fresh promotional offers in one of the region’s most active migrant payment markets. The tie-up, announced on April 2, is designed to let money sent through du Pay land in GCash wallets within minutes, […]

India has opened talks with leading global producers of nitrogen and phosphatic fertilisers to secure supplies directly, as the war involving Iran continues to disrupt Gulf trade routes, lift freight costs and unsettle prices ahead of the kharif planting cycle. Officials have moved to widen procurement channels after supply risks from the Middle East, a major source of imported urea and diammonium phosphate, sharpened over the past month.

The push reflects both urgency and caution. Government officials have said fertiliser stocks stand at about 18 million tonnes, up from 14.7 million tonnes a year earlier, against expected demand of roughly 39 million tonnes for the coming season. That gives policymakers some room, but not enough to ignore the exposure created by conflict near the Strait of Hormuz and tighter supply from traditional exporters. India has already been seeking larger volumes from Russia, Belarus and Morocco, while also sounding out other producers as insurance against further disruption.

At the heart of the concern is the structure of India’s import dependence. Reuters reported in March that more than 40 per cent of the country’s urea and phosphatic fertiliser needs are tied to the Middle East. Disruption there has a double effect: it threatens cargo availability and also raises the cost of natural gas, a crucial feedstock for nitrogen fertilisers. Domestic production has also come under pressure. Output of urea was reported at about 1.8 million tonnes a month during plant maintenance, below the more usual 2.4 million tonnes, adding to the need for timely imports even as officials insist there is no immediate shortage.

Price risk is now as important as volume risk. Fertiliser prices had already been climbing before the latest procurement outreach, with Reuters reporting that benchmark prices for some products rose to more than $600 a tonne from about $425. Wider market reporting has shown the same direction of travel. ICIS described March conditions as a period of heightened volatility across nitrogen, phosphate and sulphur markets as conflict in the Middle East hit trade flows and sentiment. Reuters and other industry reporting have also pointed to sharp jumps in urea and ammonia prices as shipping through Hormuz became more uncertain.

For the government, the political and economic challenge is to prevent that international surge from reaching farms at full force. Urea continues to be sold at a notified price of ₹242 for a 45-kg bag, while the Department of Fertilizers said in March that the retail price of DAP had been maintained at ₹1,350 for a 50-kg bag for the rabi season through subsidy support. That pricing shield helps farmers, but it also increases the fiscal burden when import costs rise. Industry material published in February said the state still bears about 90 per cent of the cost of urea, underlining how exposed the subsidy bill becomes when global markets tighten.

India has not relied on a single response. Apart from direct talks with overseas suppliers, firms have secured long-term volumes from Russia, including 2.8 million tonnes under reported arrangements, while a global tender for 1.3 million tonnes of urea was issued to reinforce reserves. Officials have also taken steps to support domestic output by prioritising gas allocation to fertiliser plants. The strategy suggests New Delhi is trying to build overlapping buffers rather than betting on a quick stabilisation in Gulf shipping.

The market backdrop gives that strategy added weight. Industry executives and analysts have warned that a prolonged conflict could squeeze farmers globally, alter crop choices and feed through into food inflation. Yara, one of the world’s largest fertiliser companies, has said farmers are being squeezed by the jump in input costs, while broader reporting has shown developing economies to be especially vulnerable because they are more dependent on imported fertilisers and have less room to absorb price shocks. For India, where fertiliser availability is tied directly to crop yields, rural incomes and food-price management, the issue is not only one of trade logistics but of macroeconomic stability.

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