The Electric Shift: A Deeper Dive into Singapore’s Political-Automotive Crossroads The numbers hit my inbox, and even after 15 years covering the intricate dance of politics and policy in this region, they still made me pause. “Nearly half of Cat A COEs go to EVs, which account for 43% of new sales so far in 2025.” And not just Cat A; “The share of EVs among Category B COE registrations also rose to 39.8 per cent.” ...
The Unspoken Rules of Power: Derby Day’s Sartorial Statements as Political Commentary Having covered politics for over a decade and a half, I’ve learned that understanding the unspoken rules is often more telling than analysing the legislation itself. Whether it’s the subtle nods in a diplomatic meeting or the quiet power plays behind a budget allocation, much of what truly shapes our political landscape operates beneath the surface. This year, observing the sartorial choices at Derby Day, I found myself drawing unexpected parallels to the very dynamics I dissect in the halls of power. It’s not just about fashion; it’s about interpretation, adherence, and the subtle art of “cracking the code”—a skill as vital in Canberra or Singapore as it is at Flemington. ...
The Unseen Scorecard: When World-Class Cricket Meets Political Undercurrents Watching the build-up to an Australia vs. India T20 clash at the MCG, particularly one drawing 90,000 passionate fans, it’s easy to get swept away by the roar of the crowd, the skill on display, and the sheer spectacle of it all. But for those of us who’ve spent decades sifting through the layers of public life, like myself with 15+ years in political journalism, even an event as seemingly ‘apolitical’ as a cricket match reveals deeper currents. It’s not just a game; it’s a potent display of soft power, a test of civic infrastructure, and, as tragically highlighted this week, a stark reminder of the human element embedded within even the most commercialized sports. ...
When Family Legacy Meets Public Perception: A Political Lens on Legal Professions I’ve been covering politics for well over 15 years, watching the machinery of government, the ebb and flow of public opinion, and the subtle dance between policy and societal values. My beat has taken me from the corridors of power in Canberra to the bustling financial hubs of Singapore, and if there’s one constant, it’s the perennial tension between merit and legacy, transparency and tradition. So, when I saw the news — ST/Statista 2026 listing top-rated lawyers, and then the accompanying tidbit about a daughter deferring her law studies for two years to work in her dad’s newly spotlighted firm — my political journalist’s antenna immediately twitched. ...
Brazil’s Unfolding Tragedy: When “War” Becomes Policy The news out of Rio this week hit hard, even for someone who’s spent the better part of two decades sifting through the complexities of political violence and policy failures. At least 64 reported dead in what’s being described as Rio’s deadliest ever day of violence, as police and special forces stormed favelas near the international airport. The images, the sheer scale of the casualties – it’s a stark reminder that in some parts of the world, the lines between crime fighting and outright conflict have blurred to a terrifying degree. ...
As a political journalist who has been poring over parliamentary debates, policy papers, and election campaigns for more than 15 years, you start to develop a sixth sense for when a seemingly isolated incident is actually a tremor indicating deeper structural faults. The news out of Queensland about State High students being taught the wrong topic for their ancient history exam, and crucially, that this wasn’t the first time the education department had been warned about similar issues at a Brisbane school in August – that’s not just an education mishap. It’s a significant flag waving in the wind of governance and government policy. ...
Do Populists Always Crash the Economy? Lessons from Argentina and Beyond Cambio, cambio. Under the blazing sun, the cries of the arbolitos echo along Florida Street in Buenos Aires, a familiar and almost poetic testament to a nation’s enduring economic anxieties. As Argentina grapples with the fallout from Javier Milei’s radical reforms, a crucial question hangs in the global political air: Do populist leaders inevitably crash their economies? It’s a question I’ve been covering for 15 years in political journalism, and frankly, the answer is rarely simple, but the stakes are always incredibly high. ...
The Upset: A Political Lesson in Resilience and Shifting Tides As someone who’s spent the better part of fifteen years immersed in the often-unpredictable theatre of political news and governance, I’ve learned that few things are truly settled. Just when you think a narrative is cemented, a policy trajectory irreversible, or a political career undisputed, the unexpected strikes. It’s a phenomenon that played out vividly in the recent heavyweight bout between Fabio Wardley and Joseph Parker, a dramatic upset that echoes the sudden turnarounds we frequently witness in the political arena. ...
The USS Gerald R. Ford in the Caribbean: A Disquieting Escalation Well, if you’ve been following the political news as closely as I have for the past decade and a half, you’ll know that few things are truly surprising in Washington these days. But even with that perspective, the recent announcement from the Pentagon—deploying the USS Gerald R. Ford, our most advanced aircraft carrier, to the Caribbean—feels like a significant, even jarring, political development. This isn’t just another naval exercise; it’s a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s war against drug cartels, bringing with it the capacity for direct strikes against targets on land. ...
A Diplomatic Quake: US Sanctions on Colombia’s President Petro Alright, let’s talk about the latest bombshell out of Washington and Bogotá. The news hitting the wires about the US Treasury sanctioning Colombian President Gustavo Petro is, frankly, a head-scratcher for anyone who’s been covering international politics for a while. Having covered political news and foreign policy for over 15 years, I can tell you this isn’t just another diplomatic spat; it’s a significant regulatory change and, potentially, a new inflection point in US-Latin American relations. ...