Singapore

Zurich and Singapore are the most expensive cities in the world ahead of New York amid the ever-rising cost of living, according to rankings published Thursday by The Economist magazine.

The British weekly estimated that prices have increased an average of 7.4 percent over the past year in 173 major cities, a slight slowdown compared to a record 8.1 percent inflation in 2022.

Top Chinese and Russian officials warned Monday that foreign forces were seeking to sow turmoil in Asia and beyond as they opened an international defence conference in Beijing.

Beijing has billed this week's Xiangshan Forum as its answer to Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue and says that representatives of 90 countries are taking part, including Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

JAKARTA - Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic met with the FMs of Singapore and Cambodia, Vivian Balakrishnan and Sok Chenda Sophea, on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN summit in Jakarta on Monday to discuss cooperation and advancement of relations.

Ten foreigners accused of involvement in a major money laundering operation in Singapore were again remanded to custody on Wednesday, with new charges slapped on eight, as the city-state widens the net in one of its highest-profile crime cases.

Japan suffered a trade deficit last month as exports sank for the first time in more than two years, dragged down by a slowdown overseas.

Japan's trade deficit totaled 78.7 billion yen ($539 million), the Finance Ministry said yesterday, the first trade deficit for the world's third largest economy in two months.

Türkiye's flag carrier plans to expand its international connectivity by launching flights to Detroit, Osaka and Australia, Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines (THY) chairman of the board and executive committee, has said.

Slovenian passport holders can travel visa-free to 183 destinations around the globe, which ranks the country 9th on the latest Global Passport Power Rank.

Slovenia has climbed a spot for the second year in a row and is now tied with Latvia and Slovakia on the list, which is compiled by Henley & Partners, a London-based consultancy.

Turkish Airlines is working to attract more tourists from 10 Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan, China, Singapore and Malaysia to help give a boost to Türkiye's tourism revenues, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee Ahmet Bolat has said.

Bulgaria climbed to 13th place for 2023 in the authoritative ranking of the London-based private consulting firm "Henley & Partners" for the most attractive passports in the world.

The Turkish passport advanced three positions in the most recent Henley Passport Index quarterly update, taking up position 50 among the "world's most powerful passports."

The Henley Passport Index, which is updated globally every three months, announced the new ranking of the world's most powerful passports.