Health /
Economics (manpower)
Economics (manpower)
On 20 Dec 2024, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced it was revoking the licence of _____________, whose services include teleconsultation, citing “an entrenched culture of disregard for the applicable ethical and clinical standards”.
MaNaDr Clinic
Since August 2024, families under the ComLink+ Progress Package for Pre-school have been able to receive incentives when they enrol their children in pre-school and ensure that the children attend _________.
regularly
From April 2025, a SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme will give temporary financial support to those who have lost their jobs. This underscores the ______________________ that the Government will have Singaporeans’ backs, but each person must make an effort to pull themselves up, said PM Wong at his maiden National Day Rally.
renewed social compact
In 2024, Gen Zs (aged 12-27) and younger millennials (aged 28-43) continued to question and push the boundaries of societal norms and concerns, in Singapore and around the world.
One trend that hit the spotlight, _______________, has seen young people reject the rampant consumerism and materialism that drive modern capitalist culture.
In this lifestyle, people focus less on buying, and more on decluttering and maximising the use of existing possessions.
underconsumption
The UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in November ended with developed nations agreeing to channel US$300 billion (S$406 billion) in yearly climate finance to developing countries by 2035.
This new target amount for climate finance, an increase from the previous US$100 billion, aims to further help poorer and _______-__________ countries limit climate impacts and afford solutions to reduce their carbon emissions.
However, the target was met with criticism by many developing countries, which were expecting richer countries to commit more.
climate-vulnerable
To strengthen care support for the elderly, the enhanced __________________ service will be rolled out islandwide by the end of 2025, offering support for activities such as feeding and housekeeping, as well as a technology-enabled monitoring and response element to detect falls and incidents.
Home Personal Care
Parents with babies aged from two months to 18 months now have another infant-care option, following the launch of ___________________________ since 1 Dec 2024.
It allows parents to choose the number of days a week they need help and opt for more flexible hours, compared with leaving children for a fixed period of time at infant-care centres.
a new home-based childminding pilot programme by the Government
In October 2024, former transport minister S. Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months’ jail over four counts of ________________________________________ and one charge of ___________________________.
obtaining valuable items as a public servant
obstructing the course of justice
In a country where art rarely gets the spotlight, it was an unlikely mural of ______________________________________ which sparked one of Singapore’s most controversial public art debates.
On June 27, The Straits Times reported that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) had ordered the cigarette on the 297 South Bridge Road mural to be removed.
After the report, artists, tour guides, history buffs, advocacy organisations and the online commentariat spilt much ink over whether the unauthorised mural should be removed or remain unchanged.
a young samsui woman with a cigarette in hand
About a quarter of Singapore’s sea-based fish farms exited the market in 2024, while at least two vegetable farms scrapped their plans to produce here.
These developments raise concerns about whether the Republic can keep up with its 30 by 30 goal – _________________________________________________________________.
With worsening climate impacts and geopolitical circumstances that can threaten food supply, local farms are important for Singapore – which imports ____________________________ of its food – to safeguard its food security.
to produce 30 per cent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030,
more than 90 per cent
MOH announced the Nutri-Grade labelling requirements will be extended to four other products – pre-packed salt, _____________________, _______________ and ___________ – in a bid to cut down on the salt and saturated fat that people consume and reduce the risk of health issues such as heart attack and stroke.
This follows the successful use of such labels on pre-packaged and freshly prepared beverages, grading them from A to D, with D being the least healthy choice.
sauces and seasonings, instant noodles, cooking oil
From Jan 2, 2025, officers from a 24-hour emergency response team will be given the power to issue emergency orders at the scene of high-risk domestic violence cases, which will immediately stop abusers from committing further violence.
The Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team (Dvert), which comprises MSF staff trained in areas such as social work and psychology, responds to high-risk domestic violence cases together with the police.
Dvert officers can issue emergency orders, which may include one or more of the following orders:
Stay Away Order,
No Contact Order
Singapore’s __________________________________ (FICA) came into full force on Dec 29, 2023, and was invoked by the authorities three times in 2024.
In one instance, FICA was invoked to block a network of 95 accounts that published coordinated posts spreading allegations that Singapore _________________________________.
Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act
was being controlled by China
Singaporean Marvel character Sofia Yong, or ______, garnered plenty of online discussion after the announcement of her character on Aug 9. She first appeared as an unnamed character in the Aug 7 issue of the rebooted Uncanny X-Men series.
Written by American comic writer Gail Simone and illustrated by American comic artist David Marquez, Jitter can fully take on any skill or talent for one minute by _____________. However, if she over-exerts herself, she fails. To pace herself, Jitter keeps a stopwatch with her at all times, according to the Marvel character card.
Jitter,
concentrating
Singapore had its worst oil spill in a decade after 400 tonnes of oil leaked into Singapore’s waters when a dredging boat hit a stationary bunker vessel on June 14.
Oil slicks spread to _________________ areas along Singapore’s southern coast, including the Southern Islands, Sentosa, _______________________ and _______________, despite efforts to contain the spill.
biodiversity-rich,
Labrador Nature Reserve,
East Coast Park
On 21 Dec 2024, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Singapore was watching four diseases as part of pandemic preparedness efforts – _____________, ________, ____ clade I, and a mystery disease in Congo, which its Health Ministry has since identified as a severe form of _______.
H5N1 bird flu, Covid-19, mpox, malaria
Adults with disabilities will also receive support to live independently in the community in the coming years, alongside care and coaching services to meet their needs.
Up to 250 individuals will join a pilot called the Enabled Living Programme from 2025 to 2028, where they will live in a cluster of Housing Board rental flats or be supported in their own homes.
Help could include _________________________, care support for _______________________ and on-site monitoring, depending on their needs.
coaching in social skills,
daily living activities
With the passing of the ______________________ on 7 Jan 2025, the police will be able to control the bank accounts of such victims to prevent them from transferring money to scammers.
The new law will give the police powers to issue __________________ (ROs) to banks, which will then restrict the banking transactions of an individual’s accounts. These include money transfers, the use of ATM facilities and all credit facilities, affecting even PayNow and in-person, over-the-counter transactions.
It is the police who have the final say on whether an RO is issued. This is done after consulting the scam victim and his family members.
Protection from Scams Bill,
restriction orders
In a time when human beings can do most things on their smartphones, getting their attention takes a lot of work. This is probably why immersive experiences have continued to ramp up in the last year – and why Singapore has continued to lap them up.
_________________________________________ at Gardens by the Bay, for instance, has attracted more than 750,000 visitors since opening in July.
Impressions Of Monet: The Experience
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will unveil its next Draft Master Plan in 2025 to guide Singapore’s development over the next 10 to 15 years. URA had been engaging the public on its plans since 2023.
In 2024, it launched competitions to get the public’s ideas for redevelopment plans for the former ________________ and Jurong Hill Park, the former Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, Raffles Place Park and a part of the Rail Corridor site under a Queensway viaduct.
It also held a series of roving exhibitions to get the public’s suggestions for its upcoming __________ Master Plan, which will be incorporated into the Draft Master Plan.
Jurong Bird Park,
Recreation
Parliament on 8 Jan 2025 passed legislation to protect workers against discrimination after extensive debate and calls for more groups of workers to be included. While Members of Parliament (MPs) unanimously supported the Workplace Fairness Bill, they asked why it only covers “protected characteristics” listed in the legislation and not all forms of discrimination.
MPs pointed out that the clause on gender includes discrimination due to marital status, _________ or __________ responsibilities, but discrimination because of sexual orientation and _______________ are not.
There were also questions as to why the Bill excludes discrimination _____________ - when a worker is discriminated against because of his or her connection to someone. An example is when he or she faces discrimination because of the spouse’s race.
There were also calls for those with less visible disabilities, such as ____________________, to be protected by the law.
pregnancy,
caregiving
gender identity,
by association,
learning disabilities
More students will get to attend _________________ at _______________, with the nationwide roll-out of the Performing Arts-Based Learning scheme for secondary schools, following a successful pilot. The scheme will be progressively rolled out to all secondary schools from 2024 to 2027.
In 2023, the _______________________ was piloted in selected Progressive Wage Model sectors. Under this programme, the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning certifies companies that have established workplace learning systems and skills development plans for their staff.
live music performances, professional concert venues
Workplace Skills Recognition Programme
In April 2024, a centralised digital platform that enables banks to voluntarily share information with one another about suspicious customers was launched.
Called Cosmic, which stands for Collaborative Sharing of Money Laundering/Terrorism Financing Information and Cases, the platform aims to tackle three key financial crime risks in commercial banking.
These are the abuse of shell companies, the misuse of trade finance for illicit purposes and financing that supports the proliferation of _____________________________.
weapons of mass destruction
In successive months, _______________ exited after nearly five decades of operations; SingLit bastion _____________ posted notice that it will shut its bricks-and-mortar store Epigram Coffee Bookshop; and the landmark Thambi Magazine Store in _______________ shuttered.
It is a familiar story by now, with the culprits – __________, poor readership and readers’ shift from physical books – painfully clear. Yet, an extra hint of desperation could be detected when the book community pointed an accusatory finger at an unexpected contributor to the demise of bookshops.
Could the ubiquitous and well-stocked ________________ be eating into booksellers’ profits? Would readers otherwise buy books if hard copies and e-books were not so readily available?
Times Bookstores,
Epigram Books,
Holland Village,
high rents,
National Library
Tighter rules around the use of personal mobility aids will take effect by the end of 2025, amid increasing public concern over the misuse of such devices by ____-_____________.
These stricter rules include a lower speed limit of 6kmh, down from 10kmh; restrictions on the size of the devices; and a new requirement for their use to be confined to those certified to have walking difficulties or relevant medical needs.
To improve safety on public paths, LTA has also said it will turn footpaths situated next to more than 200km of ______________________ into __________-__________, with the conversion starting progressively from the last quarter of 2024. Bicycles and non-motorised personal mobility devices, such as kick scooters, will be banned from these paths. Enforcement will start on July 1, 2025.
able-bodied people
dedicated cycling lanes
pedestrian-only paths