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Each student will be assigned ONE week from Term 1 to Term 3.

Student Posting

1. Identify ONE meaningful current affairs topic from a creditable news source (e.g. CNA, Straits Times, NYT, BBC, Economist).

2. Post the link to the article under the relevant topic.

3. The title of the post should be the title of the news article

4. Include in the post

a. Your name

b. The source of your article

c. The date the article was published

d. A summary of the key idea of the article (in 1-2 sentences)

e. vocabulary words to remember from the article.

5. You will have ONE minute to present the key ideas from the article in class for the week you are in-charge of.

Student Reading

a. All students are to read the relevant news article from the week.

b. Students can comment on the article to offer their views OR to post another article that offers a different view of the topic.

Note:

I have also included an article as example

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Article Title: ‘Hear the bread talk, but the kopitiam’: More than 100 S’pore poems take over MRT trains, stations'

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Article: 1 Nov 2024

Name: Ms. Afiqah

Summary of Article:

In order to promote and encourage Singaporeans to read Singapore Literature, "The Poems on the MRT" campaign was launched in Nov 2024 to include quotes from Singapore poems for commuters to read on the train.

Vocabulary:

1. Lyrical

2. Commuter

3. Controversial

4. Esoteric

5. Reprisal

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Title: Christie’s first AI sale angers some artists

Source: The Straits Times

Date: 23 Feb 2025

Summary:

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Christie’s first AI sale angers some artists

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An online petition calling for the cancellation of the sale has gathered more than 6,400 signatures. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Article Title: "Giving low-income families and their kids a fighting chance to escape the poverty trap"

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Article: 23 Nov 2023

Name: Jerrick Ng

Summary of Article:

The Community Link(ComLink) Scheme will support low-income families in Singapore by offering coordinated assistance. ComLink+ provides additional incentives to encourage families to improve their lives, aiming to boost social mobility and financial stability, as part of the Forward Singapore initiative to reduce poverty in the country.

Vocabulary:

1. Prospects

2. Incarceration

3. Subsidised

4. Comprehensive

5. Incentives

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Title: Decluttering can be stressful; personal values can make it easier

Name: Camelia

Source: Straits Times

Date: 24 Feb 2025

Summary:

How hoarding disorder originates from, and its frequency with those of old age. The clinical studies suggest reasons of hoarding disorder's difficulty to be rid of. Motivational interviewing is a method to ease to organisation of clutter. It involves visualisation and identifies purpose of objects that align to our personal values. Through keeping objects consistency with our personal values, decluttering is possible. Additionally, organising also sparks positive emotions and improve focus on utility value on the things we keep.

Vocabulary Words:

Prevalence - Widespread

Altruism - Quality of people who care about others more than themselves

Eliciting - Draw out something (information, potential)

Frivolity - Lack of seriousness

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Decluttering can be stressful; personal values can make it easier

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Values are subjective, so what people identify as important to keep is also subjective. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title: "I let my kids decide if they take enrichment classes or not. This is why"

My Source: CNA

Date of Publish : 8/2/2025

Summary of the Article:

Academic enrichment classes should be undertaken on a needs basis, while non-academic classes should be on an interest basis.

Vocabulary Words:

Idealisitc

Twaddle

Pegged

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I let my kids decide if they take enrichment classes or not. This is why

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Are extra classes absolutely necessary for our children to enjoy a better tomorrow? Not really, mum-of-five Kelly Ang says.

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title: In Paris, a battle of the buzz: Traditional cafes & bistros vs modern specialty coffee shop

source: channel news asia luxury

date: 9 feb 2025

summary: the existence of culturally historic cafes and bistros are threatened by the surge of coffee shops, due to their aesthetically pleasing interior, latte art and affable atmosphere. However others voice that there is no cultural or historic significance in the coffee from coffee shops and the selection of food is little. Starkly different opinions on coffee shops and cafes yet the common ground is that they are both an important space for community socialization.

vocabulary:

astringent

artisanal

obsolete

parlance

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In Paris, a battle of the buzz: Traditional cafes & bistros vs modern specialty coffee shop

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The city’s traditional cafes and bistros are staking out their cultural territory in an emerging duel against highly caffeinated upstarts serving up latte art.

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the impact of climate change on our planet's animals keith tok

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the impact of climate change on our planet's animals keith tok

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Published: 28 February 2025

Climate change causes, habitat loss as rising temperatures inhibit native animals from living in their habitat, increased natural disasters by a five-fold increase compared to 50 years ago and more conflicts between humans and wildlife as they will be forced to be together in increasingly crowded spaces due to their original habitats being lost so animals may feel threatened and kill people and people may retaliate

Habitat loss: Rising temperatures affect vegetation, food sources, access to water and much more. Ecosystems may become uninhabitable for certain animals, forcing wildlife to migrate outside of their usual patterns in search of food and livable conditions, while causing other animals to die off.

For example, if rates of habitat loss and fragmentation due to human development and global warming continue—combined with deaths from poaching—we could lose Africa’s elephants in the next 40 years.

Natural disasters: Already today we face a five-fold increase, compared to 50 years ago, in climate and weather-related natural disasters such as droughts, wildfires and hurricanes. These disasters cause catastrophic loss of life and habitat for people, pets and wildlife.

Australia’s Black Summer bushfires (2019–20), for example, burned 186,000 square kilometers (72,000 square miles) and are estimated to have killed or displaced three billion koalas, kangaroos and other animals.

Human-wildlife conflict: Climate change intensifies human-wildlife conflict through habitat loss and extreme climate events, forcing people and wildlife to share increasingly crowded spaces. As ecosystems change, people and wildlife roam farther in search of food, water and resources. Human-wildlife conflict often results in devastating impact for the animals affected.

For example, jaguars sometimes prey on domestic animals and disrupt human livelihoods, leading to retaliatory killings that result in the further decline of already-dwindling jaguar populations.

Vocab: Catastrophic, retaliatory, dwindling, five-fold, intensifies

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Humans are not the only species impacted by our planet's climate crisis. The world's wildlife and habitats will also face profound, sometimes catastrophic, change. Increases in temperature could trigger the collapse of fragile ecosystems and huge waves of extinction. The choices we make today have the power to reduce the suffering of people and animals in the future.

Climate change threatens vital biodiversity

The Earth is now about 1.1°C (2°F) warmer than it was in the 1800s. Based on current projections, global temperatures will rise by 2.7°C (4.8°F) by the end of the century. It's impossible to predict exactly how long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns will affect our planet's fragile, deeply entwined ecosystems. Changes in one area influence changes in other areas and animals will feel the impact. Some of the biggest climate-driven threats for wildlife include:

Habitat loss: Rising temperatures affect vegetation, food sources, access to water and much more. Ecosystems may become uninhabitable for certain animals, forcing wildlife to migrate outside of their usual patterns in search of food and livable conditions, while causing other animals to die off.

For example, if rates of habitat loss and fragmentation due to human development and global warming continue-combined with deaths from poaching-we could lose Africa's elephants in the next 40 years.

Natural disasters: Already today we face a five-fold increase, compared to 50 years ago, in climate and weather-related natural disasters such as droughts, wildfires and hurricanes. These disasters cause catastrophic loss of life and habitat for people, pets and wildlife.

Australia's Black Summer bushfires (2019-20), for example, burned 186,000 square kilometers (72,000 square miles) and are estimated to have killed or displaced three billion koalas, kangaroos and other animals.

Human-wildlife conflict: Climate change intensifies human-wildlife conflict through habitat loss and extreme climate events, forcing people and wildlife to share increasingly crowded spaces. As ecosystems change, people and wildlife roam farther in search of food, water and resources. Human-wildlife conflict often results in devastating impact for the animals affected.

For example, jaguars sometimes prey on domestic animals and disrupt human livelihoods, leading to retaliatory killings that result in the further decline of already-dwindling jaguar populations.

Extinction: The combination of challenges could cause many animals to go extinct. The world's most vulnerable animals, including those already near extinction, will likely face the biggest threats.

The North Atlantic right whale, for example, teeters on the brink of extinction, with an estimated 336 individual animals remaining, the lowest count in 20 years. A warming ocean, coupled with a failure to decrease conflicts with humans (vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear), could drive this species to extinction.

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the impact of climate change on our planet's animals

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Humans are not the only species impacted by our planet's climate crisis. The world's wildlife and habitats will also face profound, sometimes catastrophic, change. Increases in temperature could trigger the collapse of fragile ecosystems and huge waves of extinction. The choices we make today have the power to reduce the suffering of people and animals in the future.

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Summary

Singapore has no legal laws on the use of AI. However they do have a series of frameworks that regulates the use of AI and is not legally binding.

These include:

Singapore's National AI Strategy - introduced in 2019 and revised in 2023

Model AI - states that AI usage should be transparent and human centric

Vocabulary

human-centric - prioritise human needs

hallucinations - in the context of AI. it means the AI generated nonsensical or false information

provenance - origin

bespoke - tailored for ...

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This is Part 4 of ‘Regulation of AI – raising the trillion dollar bAIby’

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title:Burning question: What can we expect in a 1.5 deg C world?

source: straits times

date of publish: 9/2/2025

summary:The world has experienced 12 consecutive months of temperatures 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, signaling worsening climate impacts such as wildfires, extreme storms, and biodiversity loss, largely driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Urgent action is needed to reduce emissions and protect ecosystems to prevent irreversible damage.

vocab:

-shrivelling

-ambitious

-recede

-amplified

-increment

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Title: Strong support team and mental health key to overcoming injuries for athletes.

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Publish: 6/11/2024

Summary of Article:

Having a strong support group is a crucial factor that affects athletes' recovery, as they can be vulnerable with their support group about their worries and fears. This is particularly important as it is extremely mentally taxing for athletes when they get injured since it will affect their performance.

Vocabulary Words:

part and parcel of - it is a necessary part of that experience and cannot be avoided

cornerstones - an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based

playing on her mind - continuously worrying about it

resurface - arise or become evident again

mentally taxing - stressful and difficult

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Strong support team and mental health key to overcoming injuries for athletes

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Two-time Olympic fencer Amita Berthier says ‘coming back from injury is definitely very mentally taxing’. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title : tired or overwhelmed due to social media? You're more likely to share misinformation, says study

Source : The straits times

Date of publish : 13/11/2024

Summary of article :

A study by NTU found that individuals who feel mentally exhausted by social media are more likely to believe and spread misinformation. The research highlights the role of emotional fatigue in impairing critical thinking and increasing the risk of misinformation sharing.

Vocabulary words :

Critical thinking - an evaluation and analysis of an issue in order to form judgement

Susceptible - likely or liable to be influence or harmed by a particular thing

Misinformation - false or inaccurate information which is intended to deceive

Cognitive - relating to mental processes such as awareness, perception,reasoning and judgement

Overload - having too much information or responsibility, leading to stress or inefficiency

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Tired or overwhelmed due to social media? You're more likely to share misinformation, says study

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NTU survey of eight countries, including Singapore, also shows narcissistic individuals are more likely to do so. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title: Lauren Greenfield’s materialism chronicles

Source: Economist

Date of publish: 16/8/2018

Summary of Article: While material wealth can be a marker of progress, an excessive focus on acquiring these possessions may undermine both personal fulfilment and social solidarity. We should reconsider how success is defined, and whether a shift towards a more balanced, community-centred values might better serve the society in the long run.

Vocab:

narcissism

Greed

affluence

consumerism

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article title: New laws punishing misuse of Singapore SIM cards to come into effect on Jan 1

source: The Straits Times

date of article: 1 jan 2025

summary: It will be an offence for a person to receive, supply or possess unregistered local SIM cards or those that are registered using someone else’s particulars, if he intends to use the cards to commit or facilitate a crime, or has reasonable grounds to believe that they would be used in that manner.

vocab:

syndicates: a group of individuals or organizations combined to promote a common interest.

fraudulent: the action or quality of cheating, lying, or deceiving someone.

apprehended: arrest

deemed: regard or consider in a specified way.

facilitate: to make something easier

legitimate

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New laws punishing misuse of Singapore SIM cards to come into effect on Jan 1

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Criminal syndicates have turned to local SIM cards to get around measures to block overseas scam calls and SMSes. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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title :Good healthcare with less manpower is possible with new technology: S’pore chief health scientist

source: the straits times

date of publish:15/11/24

summary of article:

singapore is utilising artificial intelligence to obtain better healthcare at a lower manpower or cost. The areas that Singapore is looking at first are those where there is a high disease burden, more people are affected or where interventions could be very effective .

vocabulary words:

phenotyping-The observable characteristics or traits in an individual based on the expression of their genes

proliferation -The observable characteristics or traits in an individual based on the expression of their genes

compliance-the action or fact of complying with a wish or command.

manifest-show (a quality or feeling) by one's acts or appearance; demonstrate.

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Good healthcare with less manpower is possible with new technology: S'pore chief health scientist

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A pilot is in the works to use mobile phones to identify schizophrenia patients at risk of relapse. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title : Tired or overwhelmed due to social media? You're more likely to share misinformation, says study

My source : the straits times

Date of publish : 13/11/2024

Summary of the article :

A study by NTU found that individuals who feel exhausted or overwhelmed by social media are more likely to believe and share misinformation. This is because cognitive fatigue reduces their ability to critically assess information, making them more susceptible to false content.

Vocabulary words :

Cognitive fatigue - metal exhaustion that affects judgement and decision-making

Susceptible - likely to be influenced or affected by something

Discerning - having good judgement and able to distinguish what's true and false

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Tired or overwhelmed due to social media? You're more likely to share misinformation, says study

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NTU survey of eight countries, including Singapore, also shows narcissistic individuals are more likely to do so. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title: $60m top-up to boost S’pore space tech research, bringing total committed to over $200m

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Publish: 27/2/2025

Summary of Article:

Singapore will invest an extra $60 million to boost its space tech industry and research ecosystem, expanding the total amount of government funding to over $200 million, higher than 3 years ago. This is expected to accelerate innovation in satellite technology, enhancing efficiency and sense-making and response in the event of an incident, helping ships to better plan their navigational paths and therefore reduce carbon emission, helping to facilitate the global transition to a low-carbon future.

Vocabulary Words:

Ecosystem - all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment

Precision - the quality of being exact

Accelerate - to happen or make something happen sooner or faster

Enhancing - to improve the quality, amount, or strength of something

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Title: F1 stewards order Verstappen to do 'work of public interest' after swearing at Singapore GP

Source: channelnewsasia (CNA)

Date of Publish: 20 September 2024

Summary of article: Max Verstappen was reprimanded by Formula 1 stewards after he swore during a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen had used inappropriate language when discussing his frustrations about his state of his car, leading to the stewards’ decision to impose the penalty and fines at future incidents like this, aimed at promoting better conduct in the sport.

Vocabulary words:

breach: an act of breaking or failing to observe a law, agreement, or code of conduct.

levied: impose

curb: restrain or keep in check.

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SINGAPORE: Formula One stewards ordered Red Bull's triple world champion Max Verstappen to carry out "work of public interest" after he swore during a Singapore Grand Prix press conference.

The moderator reminded the Red Bull driver about his language at the time during the Thursday (Sep 19) conference organised by the governing FIA.

Stewards summoned Verstappen on Friday for an alleged breach of the international sporting code.

They said in a statement that Verstappen apologised for his behaviour and explained he considered the word used to be "ordinary in speech as he learned it, English not being his native language".

"While the Stewards accept that this may be true, it is important for role models to learn to be mindful when speaking in public forums, in particular when not under any particular pressure," they added.

"The Stewards note that significant fines have been levied for language offensive to or directed at specific groups. This is not the case here.

"But, as this topic has been raised before and is well known by the competitors, the Stewards determined to order a greater penalty than previously."

The work of public interest will be carried out in coordination with the FIA's secretary general for sport at a date to be decided.

Verstappen was describing the state of his car in qualifying for last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix but the incident came after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had urged drivers to watch their language, comparing them to rappers.

F1 drivers are heard over the team radio during the heat of battle by millions of viewers worldwide, with the swearing bleeped out.

"We're not rappers, you know," Ben Sulayem, an Emirati, told motorsport.com in an interview. "They say the F-word how many times per minute?"

Asked about Ben Sulayem's comment, Verstappen said everyone swore and suggested it was a losing battle.

"Even if a five-year-old or six-year-old is watching, I mean, they will eventually swear anyway," he said. "Even if the parents won't, or they will not allow it, when they grow up they will walk around with their friends, and they will be swearing."

The FIA has long sought to curb swearing in press conferences and on air, with Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur and Mercedes' Toto Wolff warned last year for similar use of language at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

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F1 stewards order Verstappen to do 'work of public interest' after swearing at Singapore GP

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SINGAPORE: Formula One stewards ordered Red Bull's triple world champion Max Verstappen to carry out "work of public interest" after he swore during a Singapore Grand Prix press conference. The moderator reminded the Red Bull driver about his language at the time during the Thursday (Sep 19) conference org

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Article title: Arts groups hope more Singaporeans opt to attend live shows, concerts with new SG Culture Pass

Source: CNA

Date of Article: 20 Feb 2025

Summary:

Singaporean arts groups are optimistic about the new SG Culture Pass, which provides Singaporeans aged 18 and above with S$100 in credits to use for cultural performances and museum exhibitions. By offesetting ticket costs, art groups believe that this would encourage greater attendance during live performances, and they hope to re-ignite youths' and children's passion towards the performing arts.

Vocabulary:

1. visceral - based on deep feeling and emotional reactions rather than on reason or thought

2. cathartic - involving the release of strong emotions through a particular activity or experience

3. beset - having a lot of trouble with something, or having to deal with a lot of something that causes problems

4. incentivise - to make someone want to do something

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Arts groups hope more Singaporeans opt to attend live shows, concerts with new SG Culture Pass

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From September this year, Singaporeans aged 18 and above can use S$100 in credits to offset ticket purchases for cultural performances, museum exhibitions and more.

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title:New youth zone designed by the teens set to use it

Source: BBC

Date published: 18 february 2025

Summary: A new youth zone designed by teenagers, aimed to improve the lives of hundreds of young people once it opens in summer. It is a safe place for young people, providing interactions and activities for them

Vocabulary

Adjacent

Executive

Leisure

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Salford: New youth zone designed by the teens set to use it

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It will create up to 70 jobs within the city and provide activities for up to 150 young people.

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Article Title: Trying to reset agenda, British PM Theresa May sets out to tackle social injustice

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Article: Oct 3, 2017

Name: Theresa May

Summary of Article: She will try to tackle social injustice to prove her government leadership after being voted as the new Prime Minister.

Vocabulary words:

extremist

negotiations

ethnicity

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Trying to reset agenda, British PM Theresa May sets out to tackle social injustice

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MANCHESTER (Reuters) - Prime Minister Theresa May set out her quest to tackle social and racial injustice on Tuesday (Oct 3), hoping to shift the focus of her Conservative party’s annual conference away from rifts over Britain’s exit from the European Union and her leadership. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title: Teenagers on What Has Shaped Their Political Beliefs and Values

Source: New York Times

Date: 3 October 2024

Summary of Article:

This article addresses the role of Personal Philosophy in shaping Teenagers’ political beliefs, ahead of the 2024 United States Presidential Election. A few factors that shape teenagers’ personal beliefs and views towards politics include their community (family, neighbours), identity (race, religion, ethnicity), world events, the Political Climate, and life experiences.

Good vocabulary words: Political Sphere, centrist, polarisation, dissent, consensus

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Teenagers on What Has Shaped Their Political Beliefs and Values

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Ahead of the 2024 Election, we invited teens to explore their political identities and tell us how they have come to believe what they believe.

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Article title: US Asians, harassed over coronavirus, push back on streets, social media

Source: straits time

Date of article: 29 may 2020

summary: when the covid 19 broke out from china, the tension between US and china worsened.When China is made the enemy, people who look like Chinese are the enemy. The US economy is tanking, people are dying. US people are angry and fearful and want to take it out on Asian Americans who looked like china even more. thus causing harrasement online and offline.

vocab:

disgruntled

multilingual

emblazoned

starkly

shunning

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US Asians, harassed over coronavirus, push back on streets, social media

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NEW YORK (REUTERS) - A spike in harassment of Asian-Americans since the coronavirus pandemic began has led community activists in the United States to fight back - forming street patrols, rallying on social media, and supporting each other online. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title: It's time to mind the gap in Singapore's rich-poor digital divide: Report

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Publish: 7 June 2021

Summary of Article: There are different areas of dissatisfaction around the use of digital government services between the younger and older age groups and highest-income and lowest-income groups. Despite the government's efforts to close the gap, it may end up causing more dissatisfaction.

Vocabulary words:

revelation - surprising and previously unknown fact that has been disclosed to others

siloed - Something being isolated from others

undermine - lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of something

divide - separated into parts

interventions - the act of taking part in something so as to prevent or alter a result

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It's time to mind the gap in Singapore's rich-poor digital divide: Report

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When it comes to access and satisfaction with digital government services, the country remains largely divided. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Article Title: Budget 2025: $600 SG60 vouchers for citizens aged 21 to 59; $800 for those 60 and above

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Article: 18 Feb 2025

Name: Zhu Yue

Summary of Article: To mark Singapore's 60th year of independence, Singapore's prime minister Lawrence Wong announced on the budget speech on the18th of February that he will be giving out sg60 vouchers as an effort to recognise all the contribution of Singaporeans. Tax paying residents will get a 60 percent rebate on their personal income tax. Sg culture pass credits will be given to every Singaporean aged above 18 year old. Other goodies include a one time rental support for hawkers stalls and a top up in active sg credits for citizens and permernant residents.

Vocabulary words:

slew - a large number or amount or extent

rebate - a partial refund to someone who has paid too much for tax, rent, or a utility

polarised -segregated, divided

steadfast - devoted, faithful

solidarity - having a sense of unity

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Budget 2025: $600 SG60 vouchers for citizens aged 21 to 59; $800 for those 60 and above

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These vouchers are like CDC vouchers, said PM Wong. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title: Religious organisations, schools and hospitals are prepared for terror attacks

Source: The Straits Times

Date of publish: 26 Feb 2025

Summary of Article:

In response to security threats, Singapore's schools, public hospitals, and religious organizations have implemented procedures to handle potential terrorist attacks exemplified by the two recent assaults in the churches of Singapore.

the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) collaborates with these institutions to prevent, detect, and respond to threats. Schools conduct annual lockdown drills and regular exercises with the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Religious organizations also participate in security assessments and crisis preparedness programs. Public hospitals perform readiness exercises with security agencies to secure their facilities during mass casualty incidents. In heightened security situations, the police increase patrols and engage stakeholders to enhance security.

Vocabulary:

lacerations - a deep cut or tear in skin or flesh

grievous - (of something bad) very severe or serious

contingency plan - a plan designed to take account of a possible future event or circumstance

congregants - church member, churchgoer. a religious person who goes to church regularly

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Religious organisations, schools and hospitals are prepared for terror attacks: Sun Xueling

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She said Singapore needs to be prepared that a terrorist attack will succeed. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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1. Title: Remember when social media used to be fun?

Source: Channel News Asia (CNA)

Date of publication: 4/2/2025

Summary:

Social media used to be a platform where one would be able to post about their daily lives and share with others what goes on in their lives. One could be able to post a picture of them and their family at the dinner table having a meal and making silly faces. Social media platforms back then, namely Facebook and Twitter, used to be safe spaces where one would share as they wish and receive likes from their friends and possibly a reshare or two. However, nowadays, social media platforms have morphed into something of a breeding ground of insults from others. One may be criticised for their personal aspects such as appearance and hobby. These insults and online criticisms that are flood the comment section on a social media post are what ruins the warm innocent vibe of using the platforms. These ultimately would result in users having to use online features to tweak their appearance such that it is more pleasing to look at or not post at all due to fear of being slandered.

Vocabulary words from the article:

Cesspool-an underground container for the temporary storage of liquid waste and sewage

State-of-the-art-the most recent stage in the development of a product, incorporating the newest technology, ideas, and features.

erred-fail to adhere to appropriate standards

Note: I only summarised the first section of the article due to the entirety of the article being slightly too long and focusing on a completely different subject in the later paragraphs

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Commentary: Remember when social media used to be fun?

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Heard of “We listen and we don’t judge”? Here’s how this new social media trend is bringing us back to the days when people used such platforms to share and connect, rather than to judge and criticise, says CNA TODAY’s Loraine Lee.

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Title: "Good to be socially aware, but 'make hasty slowly' when changing social norms: Tharman tells youth"

Source: Channel News Asia (CNA)

Published by Renald Loh

22 July 2023 09:03 P.M. (Updated: 23 July 2023 10:59 A.M.)

Summary:

Youth Activism is good that it allows the youth to be more socially aware but should not be used to stop other debates and other opinions from people. They should instead understand each other, work things together and accept differences with one another.

Vocabulary:

Stifle

Social norms

Civic discourse

Common ground

Activist

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Good to be socially aware, but ‘make haste slowly’ when changing social norms: Tharman tells youths

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SINGAPORE: Being “woke” can be a good thing, if it means making people more socially aware of issues. But when it comes to changing social norms, it is better for the country to “make haste slowly” because “you never know what comes the day after”, said

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Singapore to press on with large-scale applied AI push, cross-sector research: Heng SweDAtee Keat

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Title: Singapore to press on with large-scale applied AI push, cross-sector research: Heng Swee Keat

Source: The Straits Times

Date: Feb 27, 2025, 11:15 PM

Summary of the article:

Singapore will apply artificial intelligence (AI) on a large scale in key sectors, as well as launch major research and development (R&D) programmes that drive economic growth in order to secure Singapore’s future amid quickening economic and geopolitical shifts.

Vocabulary words:

1. Enterprise - a project or undertaking, especially a bold or complex one

2. Geopolitical - relating to politics, especially international relations, as influenced by geographical factors.

3. Political Polarisation - it is the divergence of political attitudes away from the center, towards ideological extremes.

4. Metrics - a system or standard of measurement.

5. Headwinds - conditions that impede or inhibit progress / the factors that lead to a decrease in value or growth of the economy or the company

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Singapore to press on with large-scale applied AI push, cross-sector research: Heng Swee Keat

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Both initiatives are among wider efforts to secure the Republic’s future, he added. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Article Title: "World’s biggest luxury spenders are label-loving South Koreans, says Morgan Stanley report"

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Article: 16 March 2022

Summary: South-Koreans are the greatest spenders of luxurious items as some of them,especially the young South-Koreans, are not rich enough to purchase a property due to the surge in the property's prices during pandemic so they chose to use their income to purchase luxurious goods instead to feel happy. Additionally, such trends in South-Korea has became a norm that South-Koreas feel left-out if they are lacking in luxurious items.

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- When Ms Kelly Yoon, a 38-year-old mother from the middle-class enclave of Songdo on the outskirts of Seoul, attended a school event for her nine-year-old daughter, she was stunned by the designer goods on the other mothers.

"I saw all kinds of Chanel bags on my way to the classroom," she said.

"Mothers love Bulgari's Diva's Dream and Van Cleef & Arpels' jewellery collections, and a Moncler winter jacket is actually a 'uniform' for mums here. The most popular car is a Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle."

It is a scene playing out across the country, where a potent mix of status seekers, cashed-up home owners and Yolo-ing (you only live once) millennials has combined to make South Koreans the world's biggest per-capita spenders on luxury brands.

South Koreans' spending on personal luxury goods, from designer handbags to US$2,000 (S$2,600) puffer jackets, rose 24 per cent to 21.8 trillion won (S$23.2 billion) in 2022 - equal to about US$325 for every man, woman and child, according to a Morgan Stanley report published earlier in January.

Helping to fuel the surge was South Korea's runaway housing boom, which saw property prices in some cities double during the pandemic, making home owners feel wealthier.

On the flip side, younger South Koreans despairing they would never get on the property ladder decided instead to spend their income on luxury treats.

The trend mirrors a global upswing in luxury spending, driven in part by growing affluence worldwide, that has helped propel Mr Bernard Arnault, the French tycoon behind luxury-goods powerhouse LVMH, to become the world's richest person.

"Everyone seemed so optimistic about their future during the pandemic," said Dr Lee Wonjae, a sociology professor at Kaist Graduate School of Culture Technology in Daejeon.

"Consumer confidence was so strong because stocks, cryptocurrency and housing prices were rising. Even though some people missed the opportunities, their friends were making money, so they believed everything was going to be like this forever."

Dr Ahn Dong-hyun, an economics professor at Seoul National University, said that millennials have also contributed to the luxury boom.

"They might have given up on buying a house and try to make themselves happy by buying expensive stuff instead."

According to a 2022 report from retail giant Lotte Group's member loyalty unit, purchases of luxury goods by people in their 20s jumped 70 per cent in 2021 compared with 2018, the strongest growth among all age groups.

Ms Christine Lee, a 30-year-old worker who earns about US$24,000 a year at an insurance company, said she bought a 1.6 million won Marni handbag in 2020.

"All my friends have at least one luxury handbag," she said.

"South Korea's Gen Z has a motto: Yolo. We can't buy a house, it's too expensive, so why should we save money for the future?"

Instagram posts bragging about luxury shopping also affected her, Ms Lee said.

South Korea was ranked No. 3 in the world by active social media users, who make up 91.2 per cent of the population, according to a 2022 report from Hootsuite.

The rise of South Korean pop culture, led by boy band BTS and Oscar-winning film Parasite, has prompted top fashion houses and luxury brands to sign South Korean stars as ambassadors.

Celebrities such as Squid Game actress Hoyeon Jung endorse brands including Louis Vuitton and Bentley on Instagram, while the members of girl band Blackpink endorse luxury companies including Chanel, Bulgari, Cartier and Tiffany.

Dior announced in January that it has signed BTS member Jimin as a global ambassador. He was mobbed by fans screaming and chanting his name at a Paris fashion show last week.

The importance of appearance can resonate more with South Korean consumers, with spending on cosmetic surgery appearing to start at a younger age and to be far higher than in most other countries, said Morgan Stanley analysts.

With a population of just 51 million, South Korea is now as important as Japan, which has a population of 125 million, for luxury goods makers. South Korean nationals account for 10 per cent or more of total retail sales by top-end brands such as Prada, Moncler, Bottega Veneta and Burberry Group, the report said.

"As for status, a number of studies have shown that financial success tends to be highly valued in South Korea, so personal luxury goods can be an important tool to create social stratification," said Morgan Stanley.

In China, luxury spending works out to around US$55 per person, the report added.

But some headwinds are coming.

South Korea's household debt is higher than that of Japan, Britain and the United States, and the Bank of Korea has increased its key policy rate to 3.5 per cent from a low of 0.5 per cent in July 2021, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.

Real estate prices in South Korea fell by the most in the world in the third quarter of 2022.

"This kind of a boom won't last forever, and we might be seeing something similar with what happened in the 1990s in Japan", after the so-called Bubble Economy burst, said Dr Lee. BLOOMBERG

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World's biggest luxury spenders are label-loving South Koreans, says Morgan Stanley report

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Both wealthy property owners and young Koreans who are priced out of the property market are contributing to the luxury boom. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Article title: How will climate change affect marine megafuana?

Date published: Summer 2021

Summary of key ideas of the article:

A 2020 WWF study highlights that climate change will significantly impact marine megafauna, affecting species crucial for ecosystems and human communities. Key points include:

Food and Habitat Changes: Ocean predators will struggle as prey species move toward cooler waters, and habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds will be damaged by storms and melting ice.

Shifting Conditions: Changes in water temperature, acidity, and currents could affect species' ability to reproduce and increase disease outbreaks.

Survival Challenges: Some species may not adapt due to obstacles like shipping traffic or land masses, leading to potential extinction for certain species.

Impact on Human Communities: Indigenous peoples who depend on these species for culture and livelihoods will also face disruptions.
e. vocabulary words to remember from the article.

Good vocab:

marine megafauna - Marine megafauna refers to large ocean animals, like whales, sharks, and sea turtles, that play key roles in marine ecosystems

Thwarted – Prevented or hindered from succeeding

Livelihood –a means of securing the neccesities of life.

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How will climate change affect marine megafauna?

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In other words: As ocean temperatures rise and habitats change, will whales, sharks, rays, dolphins, turtles, and other sea creatures adapt or go extinct?

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title : "The Gist 2023: The biggest education stories in S’pore"

source : the straits times

date of publish : Dec 23, 2023

summary of article : In 2023, Singapore's education sector saw significant developments, including the integration of AI tools into classrooms, incidents of pre-school child mismanagement, the launch of the College of Integrative Studies by the Singapore Management University (SMU), the opening of a tuition-free coding school, and Singaporean students excelling in international assessments for mathematics, science, and creative thinking.

vocabulary words :

pervasive

cognitive

obsolescence

overhaul

amid

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ChatGPT and artificial intelligence. Pre-school children mistreated by teachers. A tuition-free coding school. ST highlights five top developments in the education sector in 2023.

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The Gist 2023: The biggest education stories in S'pore

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ST highlights five top developments in the education sector in 2023. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Title : My kids survived PSLE with no tuition, but how much longer can they go without it?

Source : CNA

Date of publish : 22 January 2025

Summary : Tuition should not be about giving kids more work or setting higher expectations; it should be about providing help when they need it from tutors. When a child is already doing well in school, there is no need to enroll them in tuition. It should only be considered when a child requires extra help that parents are unable to provide.

Vocabulary words:

inevitable - unavoidable

succumbed - failed to resist pressure

baulked - hesitated/be unwilling to accept an idea

synonymous - closely associated with

prestigious - have high status

lax - not sufficiently strict, severe, or careful

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My girls baulked at the idea because, in their minds, tuition is synonymous with extra lessons outside of their already long school hours. Indeed, the word "tuition" has a negative connotation in Singapore - it brings to mind parents forcing their children to hit the books because other parents are doing it too.

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Commentary: My kids survived PSLE with no tuition, but how much longer can they go without it?

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As her children embark on secondary school, mum writer Vivian Teo wonders if signing them up for tuition classes will soon become inevitable.

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Article Title: TwoSet Violin briefly back as faux band of classical composers, release farewell music videos

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Article: 9 Dec 2024

Name: Camelia

Summary of Article:

Details and reasonings for the YouTube channel 'TwoSet Violin' for their disbandment. It writes about the creators feelings and experiences which led to the decision, and the public's view on the final judgement. The article also briefs their final project B²TSM where they composed their own music and filmed in various locations, bringing a twist between western classical and pop music

Vocabulary:

1. Calloused: Area of hardened skin

2. Inertia: Natural tendency for an abject resist changes in state of motion

3. Trite: Dull and boring due to overuse

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TwoSet Violin briefly back as faux band of classical composers, release farewell music videos

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Australian violinists and YouTube stars Eddy Chen and Brett Yang announced their split in October. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Article Title: Trump signs orders on AI education, college accreditation

Source: The Straits Times

Date of Article: 24 April 2025

Name: Camelia

Summary of Article:

The article talks about the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, signing an order on Artificial Intelligence (AI) education related to college accreditation. The article then elaborates on the impacts of the orders, which has been initiated as 'AI is the way to the future' Mr Trump said.

Vocabulary:

1. Accreditation: A process of evaluating and verifying that an organisation meets a pre-determined standard

2. Disparate: Not able to be compared

3. Levy: The imposition or a collation of an assessment, such as a tax or tariff

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Trump signs orders on AI education, college accreditation

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The artificial intelligence order cast its proposals as critical to ensuring US dominance in the field. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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The approach flourishes because it caters to a child’s inner life. What does it neglect?

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Are you a dancer? While some of us might answer an adamant "No!" to that question, we were all dancers at some point. In fact, as a three-week-old baby, you were already starting to sync up your movements to the beat of any music you heard. And even if you now identify as a klutz with two left feet, I'll bet you have trouble staying completely still when you hear your favorite tune.

Dancing is in our bones, and it's more than just a fun form of entertainment, explain Julia F. Christensen and her colleagues in a 2017 paper. Cave art seems to suggest that humans were dancing as far back as 70,000 years ago, and it serves important functions for us.

Dance transports us into a state of flow where we forget about our troubles, which is good for regulating our biological systems and nourishing our long-term health. At a deeper level, it's a way of getting in touch with our bodies and our feelings, allowing us to "try on" different emotions and see how they feel.

It turns out dance is a combination of several activities that are each good for us in their own right: exercising, listening to music, and connecting with other people. Remix those into one groovy package, and you've got a behavior that has potent benefits for our mental and physical health.

"Dance is an antidote to stress, a way to combat negative emotions, an elixir for the body, mind, and brain," write Christensen and Dong-Seon Chang-an Argentine tango dancer and swing dancer-in their 2021 book Dancing Is the Best Medicine.

Hopefully, the many benefits of dance will motivate you to get up and move your body, whether it's in a packed salsa club, at the next wedding you attend, or alone in your living room. Here are four reasons why dancing is good for you, according to science.

1. Dance makes us feel good
African dancers at the Kansas City Ballet's KC Dance Day in 2012 (KCBalletMedia / CC BY 2.0).
More than a decade ago, two local government organizations in Lincolnshire, U.K., partnered to create a program called Dance4Life to promote community health and well-being. Ultimately, they set up over 30 dance classes that attracted nearly 2,000 people.

As part of the program, researchers surveyed 330 people after they had taken about 8-10 weeks of dance classes. The majority of participants agreed that the program helped them improve their well-being and energy and make new friends. Many of them appreciated that dance could help them express themselves creatively and stay fit and healthy.

But the benefits of dance seem to go beyond the boost we get from exercising. For example, in a 2004 study, students spent 90 minutes doing African dance, practicing hatha yoga, or listening to a biology lecture. Based on surveys before and after, both yoga and dance helped reduce their stress and negative emotions. But dance also increased students' positive emotions, while yoga didn't have any effect (and learning about biology actually deflated people's good feelings).

A study of 133 college students back in the '80s had similar findings. Here, a single session of dance class gave students a bigger well-being boost compared to a sports class (kayaking, fencing, or basketball) or a regular academic class like biology or literature. Dance made students feel particularly creative, intelligent, healthy, excited, and exhilarated. Compared to practicing sports, the dance students also felt more confident, relaxed, motivated, and energetic.

"Dancing automatically provides me with more strength in all areas of life. I feel my independence and autonomy as well as creativity and security and a strong vitality, love, and gratefulness for all being," said a 25-year-old woman in another study. "I can accept myself better with all my strengths and weaknesses and can be fond of myself without reserve, without much judgment."

Dance has two things going for it that exercise typically doesn't: music and (often) a dance partner. But what if people danced alone or in silence?

In a 2009 study, 22 tango dancers ages 30-56 tried dancing in four different ways: together or alone, with or without music. According to the findings, only regular dancing (with partner and music) boosted people's positive emotions. The researchers collected saliva samples to see what was going on in the dancers' bodies, and found different effects: Music helped reduce cortisol, a hormone involved in our response to stress, while dancing with a partner increased testosterone.

Although you can certainly dance alone, many types of dance will find you in close contact with a partner or dancing in a group-bringing along a whole host of social benefits, too.
Tango dancers in Buenos Aires (Ron Frazier / CC BY 2.0).
2. Dance brings us closer together

At dance events, people often mingle and chat before pairing off and heading to the dance floor. And then they experience another key aspect of dance: physical touch, ranging from holding hands to the full-body embrace of blues or tango.

As a 53-year-old dancer in one study said: "The social interaction satisfies my needs for group togetherness, closeness, and body contact. Even though verbal communication fades into the background during dance, we can cultivate friendships within the dancing community, which, to me, are very positive and important."

Something also happens on a visceral level once we start moving in sync with other people: That physical synchronization can affect how we feel about each other. For example, in a 2016 study, 94 people participated in a "silent disco" where they learned dance routines and danced together wearing headphones with music. While some groups were fully synchronized, grooving with the same moves to the same tunes, other groups learned a different order of moves or danced to different music altogether. Ultimately, people who danced completely in sync felt closer to each other compared to the others.

"Dance may have been an important human behavior evolved to encourage social closeness between strangers," write Bronwyn Tarr and her coauthors.

Dancing can be a way to connect not just with other dancers but with your culture and community. For example, dance is central to the cultural identity of indigenous tribes-and was banned at certain times in history alongside other indigenous cultural practices. Professor Sean Asiqłuq Topkok founded an Inupiaq dance group in Fairbanks, Alaska, to share his tribe's traditions with young people, including values like humility, cooperation, and respect for nature.

"Traditional stories, including those conveyed through drumming and dance, can provide a meaningful educational approach for transmitting cultural knowledge, wellness, and identity to youth and future generations," he writes with coauthor Carie Green in a 2016 book chapter.

Another book chapter from 2019 describes how West African dance to the djembe drum can help African Americans restore a connection to their culture and identity. Dance was also suppressed on slave plantations in the U.S., and reclaiming it alongside a community of other African dancers can help people experience healing amid the current realities of discrimination and racism, argue Ojeya Cruz Banks and Jeanette "Adama Jewel" Jackson.
Square dancers at the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing in 2014 (Daniel Case / CC BY-SA 3.0).
"Regaining cultural fluency in West African dance can be a critical part of cultural, emotional, and spiritual restoration," they write.

3. Dance helps with depression

Inspired by the mental health benefits of dance, a specific form of therapy called dance movement therapy emerged in the mid-1900s. It comes in many forms, but clients often use movement to observe patterns in themselves, act out challenges, and express emotion. Research suggests that dance movement therapy can help with depression, trauma, nervous breakdowns, chronic pain, and more.

Even if you don't do formal dance movement therapy, dancing seems to be good for depression and anxiety all by itself. In a 2012 study, nearly 100 people with depression were split into three groups who learned tango, practiced meditation, or were on a waitlist for six weeks. The classes met for 90 minutes a week. Based on surveys, both tango and meditation helped decrease people's depression compared to the waitlist group, while tango reduced their stress, as well. Afterward, when researchers offered participants a voucher for tango or mindfulness classes, 97% of the participants chose the free dance lessons.

Women are at risk of depression around menopause, so researchers in China invited women ages 44-55 to participate in square dancing classes. ( Square dancing in China is often done in public spaces for exercise, and is different from the American cowboy tradition.) Surveys found that square dancing five times a week for three months helped decrease depression at a vulnerable time of life for these women.

Again, dance seems to help with depression above and beyond just exercising or listening to music. In a 2007 study, 31 psychiatric patients with depression were split into three groups who danced to music, just listened to music, or rode on an exercise bike for three minutes. The first group danced to "Hava Nagila," a joyful, upbeat song that involves holding hands and jumping. (The researchers actually chose this dance because there's evidence that people who are depressed tend to move less vertically.)
Dancing is one of the activities offered to older adults at Adult Day Health Care in Fairfax County, Virginia (Fairfax County / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).
Based on surveys, the dancers increased in motivation, coping, strength, energy, and enjoyment, and felt less anxious, tense, tired, and lifeless after just a few minutes of dancing. They also decreased in depression compared to the music listeners and exercisers.

Many people come to dance when they are experiencing hardships in life. On a night when you feel lonely but can't bring yourself to call a friend, taking a stranger's hand and losing yourself in the music can be appealing. People interviewed for one study saw dance classes as a lifeline, a secure, stable routine that they could cling to when the rest of life was chaotic and hard.

4. Dance helps us stay young

Joyful seniors dancing in their nursing home isn't just a feel-good trope for TV; in fact,
a good deal of studies involve teaching dance to older people. In many ways, dancing is the perfect antidote to the challenges of old age, such as declining health, balance, and social connections. And learning dance seems to be good for keeping the brain sharp.

In a 2007 study, 60 elderly Brazilians took ballroom dance classes for a year. The classes covered a wide range of swing, waltz, salsa, tango, and other styles of music. Based on open-ended questionnaires, people reported that dance improved their balance, flexibility, and coordination, and made them feel playful and relaxed. Not only did dance remind them of their youth, but it also helped them reconnect with Brazilian culture.

Researchers Maristela Moura Silva Lima and Alba Pedreira Vieira observed that the elderly dancers gained a sense of confidence, self-esteem, and elegance over the course of the year. Through dance, "the body may change from being a source of oppression to a source of freedom," they write.

One condition in particular that researchers believe dance can help with is Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder that involves difficulties with movement, such as rigidity and balance problems, and many patients struggle with depression. In a 2014 study, 37 people ages 50-80 (most of whom had Parkinson's or were caregivers for Parkinson's patients) learned dances like the Charleston and the Saturday night fever dance. After 10 weeks of classes, participants were feeling less angry and experiencing more stable moods.

Another small study in 2012 invited a group of people with dementia and their caregivers to participate in 45-minute circle dance classes weekly for 10 weeks. In circle dances, which exist in cultures across the world, people dance individually but hold each other's hands or shoulders. The classes in this study began with a warmup and then covered four or five different dances.

According to surveys of the patients and caregivers, dancing improved their quality of life in terms of health, energy, memory, and relationships. The researchers also observed positive changes in the group. Dancing seemed to help with people's mood and concentration, and encouraged moments of warmth and empathy among the dancers.

For the caregivers, "the group helped them to acknowledge the reality of dementia diagnosis and process their feelings of grief and loss as well as see beyond the diagnosis to the person they cared for," explain Michelle Hamill and her coauthors. "Music, dance, and movement facilitate a (non-verbal) dialogue through which people with dementia and those around them can communicate and connect more effectively."

Unfortunately, many of us feel awkward when we dance; I know I do, even after 16 years of swing dancing. But self-consciousness doesn't have to stop us. In fact, in one study, several people who found out they were supposed to dance opted out of the experiment altogether-and ended up missing out on the emotional benefits, which existed even for participants who felt awkward.

Thankfully, there are endless dance styles to try that can fit your personality, culture, and bodily limitations. Whether you're the first one onto the dance floor or fighting your fears just to stand up, remember: Dancing is your human birthright.

Greater Good wants to know: Do you think this article will influence your opinions or behavior?

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Are you a dancer? While some of us might answer an adamant "No!" to that question, we were all dancers at some point. In fact, as a three-week-old baby, you were already starting to sync up your movements to the beat of any music you heard.

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title: debates on whether social media harms the young are a misdirection

source: the straits times

date of publish: 16 nov 2024

summary of article:

The Australian government is considering banning children under 16 from social media due to the rise in mental health problems. While evidence is often misleading and outdated, growing mental health concerns justify the ban

vocabulary words:

pragmatic: dealing with things sensibly

exploiting: taking advantage of something for personal gain