Public Transport Pay Boost: LTA, NTWU and bus operators will raise starting pay for new local bus captains by S$450 a month (plus a S$2,000 sign-on bonus) from Jan 1, 2027, and will also give a one-time adjustment to current captains to strengthen retention and keep bus connectivity improvements on track. Defence & Investing Outlook: Temasek chairman Teo Chee Hean said the Shangri-La Dialogue this year felt more constructive, while Temasek sees longer-term Middle East second-order effects (including food price pressure) but remains active in the region through portfolio firms. Maritime Decarbonisation Pilot: BHP and Singapore’s GCMD tested a biofuel blend using used cooking oil and animal fat to refuel a BHP-chartered iron-ore carrier in Singapore, aiming to scale practical multi-feedstock bunkering. Fintech Trust Infrastructure: Handshake Finance closed a S$500k pre-seed to build escrow-as-a-service for Singapore’s renovation and interior design market, targeting trust gaps in high-trust services. Quantum Funding: Quobly raised €115m Series A to industrialise silicon-based quantum computers and push its first commercial cloud product to market by end-2026. Payments Interop: Juspay joined Mastercard Engage as a certified Click to Pay partner to help merchants roll out one-click checkout in Asia. Wealth Management Expansion: RBC Wealth Management Asia set up a dedicated Global South Asia team in Singapore with senior hires to grow NRI-focused wealth services. Energy & Shipping Risk Watch: Oil prices rose as Middle East peace talks stalled, keeping markets sensitive to Strait of Hormuz disruption risks.