Yah Lah But

In response to recent rumours of a Southeast-Asia exclusivity deal, STB and the Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth (MCCY) clarified that a grant had been provided to help bring Taylor Swift’s concert to Singapore, but did not confirm if the deal was indeed exclusive. Will this news cause bad blood with Swifties in our neighbouring countries? Elsewhere, the fallout over football star Messi’s no-show on the pitch in Hong Kong continues. Most recently, a pair of friendly matches in China featuring Argentina’s football team were cancelled, and Messi had to post another video on Weibo explaining his absence. Will this messy issue ever be resolved?

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Did Taylor Swift and STB Strike Deal for Exclusivity?

• STB gave grant for Taylor Swift's Singapore concerts, other government bodies 'worked directly' with promoter AEG
• Airfares, hotel bookings surge in March 2024 as fans flock to S’pore for Taylor Swift shows
• Singapore sought exclusivity deal over Taylor Swift concerts in south-east Asia, Thai PM alleges
• S'pore govt clarifies Taylor Swift sponsor rumour, says it worked directly with organisers due to 'significant demand'
• Jewel Changi Airport to host Taylor Swift sing-along on 1 Mar that'll 'make the whole place shimmer'
• From Coldplay to Taylor Swift, Singapore’s Concert Dominance Explained | TIME
• The Economy (Taylor’s Version) | Washington Post
• Taylor Swift Is Making An Insane Amount Of Money Every Night On The Eras Tour | Forbes

Messi’s China Backlash Continues

• Lionel Messi defends HK absence as China backlash continues
• Beijing has no plans to hold matches in which Lionel Messi will participate: local football association | Global Times

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• Comment by fujishiba
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• Zuckerberg left hanging at UFC
• How A24 took over Hollywood

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For the first “instalment” of the Forward SG social compact, DPM Lawrence Wong delivered Budget 2024, which leaned in on preparing workers for uncertain times ahead, and providing relief for those affected by ongoing retrenchments. In what’s becoming an annual tradition, we invited Reggie, boss of personal finance network The Financial Coconut (TFC) into our studio to help us read the tea leaves about the budget, and what the mainstream media missed.

(00:00) A Message From Folklory
(02:14) Intro
(12:10) Budget 2024
(01:11:58) One Shiok Thing

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• FULL SEGMENT — Rock and Reigns lay the SmackDown on the WWE Universe: SmackDown, Feb. 16, 2024
• Sora AI
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This past week, NCMP and PSP leader Leong Mun Wai was issued a POFMA for publishing false information about an elderly West Coast couple who were allegedly facing financial difficulties. Was there any merit to this POFMA? Elsewhere, PUB called out water purifier firm Sterra for its “misleading” advertisements that made dubious claims about the cleanliness of Singapore tap water. Was this a POFMA-able event?

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Leong Mun Wai issued POFMA

• Pofma order issued to Leong Mun Wai, The Online Citizen, Gutzy Asia over falsehoods on lack of financial aid for West Coast residents - TODAY
• Corrections regarding falsehoods in Mr Leong Mun Wai social media posts (12 Feb 2024) and republished by The Online Citizen and Gutzy Asia
• FB Post by Leong Mun Wai

PUB Calls Out Sterra for “Misleading” Ad

• Singapore’s tap water safe to drink, no need for further filtering devices: PUB
• Water purifier firm Sterra "reviewing marketing procedures" after criticism over its advertisement

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• Immortalised in Wax: Yip Pin Xiu's Wax Figure [Behind The Scene🎬] - Madame Tussauds Singapore
• Zuckerberg says Quest 3 is ‘the better product’ vs. Apple’s Vision Pro

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The police announced that they are looking into 2 events related to the Israel-Hamas war that took place in Singapore over the last couple of weeks, including a march to deliver letters to the Istana. In light of how the rest of the world is reacting to the Middle East conflict, were these events really out of line? Elsewhere, Singaporean actress Caitanya Tan is starring in the new Ubisoft video game, Skull and Bones, but rather than celebrating the fact, people have pounced on her character’s Singapore accent instead. Why the hate for Singlish?

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Police Investigate Events Related to Israel-Hamas War

• Police investigate 2 events related to Israel-Hamas war, warn against protesting at Singapore Airshow
• SPF | Media Reply For Events – Letters For Palestine: With Love, From Singapore, Steadfast For Palestine, And The Singapore Airshow 2024
• [2023] Police, NParks will reject applications to hold public events relating to Israel-Hamas war
• [2023] How Watermelon Became a Symbol of Palestinian Solidarity
• Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at the Singapore Airshow

Ubisoft Video Game Features Singapore Accent

• Clip of Singaporean Character in Skull and Bones Gameplay
• Caitanya’s Video Explaining Her Voiceover
• Definition and Examples of Acrolects

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• SubReddit Thread on SG Reserves
• Comment by piercemcclane1965

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• Ted Lasso - Official Trailer
• Love Deadline | Official Trailer | Netflix

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This week, PM Lee and members of the Opposition were engaged in a marathon debate about Singapore’s reserves, with PSP putting forward a motion to use more of the national reserves for the needs of the current generation of Singaporeans. Who made the better points in the debate? Elsewhere, Mr Coconut is currently caught in a bitter dispute with an ex-employee, who alleged on social media that she was unfairly terminated by the company due to her pregnancy. Mr Coconut then published the results of their internal investigations, which included CCTV footage of the employee watching TV on the job, as well as other details about her work performance. Who’s in the wrong here?

(00:00) Intro
(05:27) Parliament Debates on Singapore’s Reserves
(38:06) Mr Coconut Shows Receipts in Employee Dispute
(58:05) One Shiok Comment
(01:01:04) One Shiok Thing

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Parliament Debates on Singapore’s Reserves

• PSP's motion on reserves passes after PAP's amendments, WP & PSP rejects amended motion
• Parliament votes for amended motion on national reserves, rejects PSP motion to review fiscal policies
• Opposition MPs debate reserves accumulation and use: 6 key issues and the Govt’s response
• PM Lee calls on opposition to be 'upfront' about stance on Singapore's reserves and take ideas to ballot box

Mr Coconut Shows Receipts in Employee Dispute

• Mr Coconut brings tea & receipts: Woman fired for reasons other than pregnancy, watched movie on phone at work
• Mr Coconut employee alleges unfair dismissal due to pregnancy, company releases findings pointing to her poor performance

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• Comment by nyetkatt
• Reddit thread by TrueNeighborhood3540

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• High Performance Podcast
• Steven Tyler, Slash, and Train “Dream On” at the Howard Stern Birthday Bash (2014)

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The 2023 suicide case of police officer Uvaraja Gopal and related discrimination allegations were addressed by Minister Shanmugam in Parliament this week, prompting a question by NCMP Leong Mun Wai about whether the case warranted a Committee of Inquiry. Does his point have any merit? Elsewhere, NTU announced that it will be imposing a fee on tourist groups coming to their campus in response to an influx of visitors in recent months. Will this really help to mitigate the issues of security, privacy and overcrowding?

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Does Police Officer Suicide Deserve Inquiry

• Police officer suicide: Workplace racism allegations in SPF will be investigated as disciplinary breaches, says Shanmugam - CNA
• Internal investigation, not inquiry committee, held for SPF officer's death to protect morale: Shanmugam
• Cop who made discrimination allegations faced 3 investigations at time of death: Shanmugam | The Straits Times
• SPF went to ‘considerable lengths’ to help late sergeant Uvaraja Gopal through health, family issues: Shanmugam - CNA
• [2007] Second reading speech on Inquiries Bill by DPM Prof S Jayakumar

NTU is Now a Tourist Attraction?

• NTU imposes fee on tourists amid influx to university campuses which students say is disrupting classes, crowding canteens

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• Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee and Jessica Wongso | Official Trailer | Netflix
• Miley Cyrus at the Grammys 2024

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Last week, a Singaporean businessman, Phillip Chan, became the first person to be designated a “politically significant person” under the recently implemented foreign interference law. Is this a valid use of this law? Elsewhere, Hong Kong football fans were left raging when Lionel Messi sat out of an exhibition match between Inter Miami and a local team due to injury. Is the fans’ anger valid?

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Foreign Interference Law Invoked Against Businessman

• Singaporean businessman the first person to be served 'notice of intended designation' under foreign interference law
• Who is Philip Chan, the man against whom S’pore has invoked its foreign interference law?
• The case of Philip Chan: Beijing steps up efforts to co-opt diaspora to ‘tell the China story well’
• [Dec 2023] Anti-foreign interference law to come into full force on Dec 29 after provisions on local proxies take effect - TODAY
• [Sep 2022] Maruah, Think Centre criticise draft foreign interference law, raise concern about uncertainty over their activities - TODAY

Hong Kong Left Outraged by Messi

• Messi sits out Hong Kong friendly; government may cut support funding
• Tatler XFEST - Hong Kong Team vs Inter Miami CF | February 4, 2024
• Lionel Messi angers Hong Kong after sitting out match

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• the thing no one will say about Apple Vision Pro - by Casey Neistat

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TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi was grilled by US senators on his personal ties to China; one senator even asked pointedly about the status of his Singapore citizenship. Some decried the line of questioning as “racist”, but was it really? Elsewhere, the Singapore Repertory Theatre recently announced that it is changing its name to Singapore Theatre Company, to the consternation of some in the local theatre community. Was it just much ado about nothing, or is there more to this disquiet?

(00:00) Intro
(04:53) TikTok CEO’s Ties to China Questioned
(28:19) Theatre Company’s New Name “Disrespectful”?
(49:39) One Shiok Comment
(52:53) One Shiok Thing

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TikTok CEO’s Ties to China Questioned

• Cotton defends pressing TikTok CEO on ties to Chinese Communist Party
• TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is Singaporean, not Chinese. Somebody please convince Senator Tom Cotton
• Accusations, tears and rants: 5 takeaways from today’s tech CEO hearing | CNN Business
• Video of Tom Cotton in Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
• Kids aren’t safe on social media, lawmakers say. Tech CEOs are back in DC this week to pledge (again) that they’ll handle it
• Tech CEOs told ‘you have blood on your hands’ at US Senate child safety hearing, International - THE BUSINESS TIMES
• [2017] Opinion | What Singapore is saying by expelling China hand Huang Jing
• [2020] How a Singaporean man went from NUS PhD student to working for Chinese intelligence in the US - CNA

Theatre Company’s New Name “Disrespectful”?

• ‘No company can be Singapore Theatre Company’: SRT’s rebrand draws flak from theatre community
• Singapore Repertory Theatre changes name to Singapore Theatre Company

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• Comment by SnooDingos316
• Comments on TikTok video 

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• I'm A Virgo - Official Trailer
• Jim Cornette on the Vince McMahon scandal

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Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and for Health Dr Janil Puthucheary said that young LGBTQ people should “stand up for what you believe in” in Singapore instead of leaving the country, in response to a question from Pink Dot SG spokesperson Clement Tan at a conference. Why was this response not particularly well-received by online commentators? Elsewhere, some migrant workers were treated by a soup kitchen to free Coldplay concert tickets, which caused a few doubters to question the point of the action. Why the hate?

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anil Puthucheary Tells LGBTQ Youths to “Stay”

• ‘Stay... stand up for what you believe in’: Janil Puthucheary tells LGBTQ youths thinking of leaving Singapore
• Program for IPS Event - Singapore Youth Perspectives 2024
• Women aged 21 to 49 more likely than male peers to accept being single, married without children: IPS poll
• Youths in Singapore more likely to report higher levels of social isolation and loneliness: IPS poll
• Video of Q&A by Clement Tan with Dr Janil

Should Migrant Workers Get Free Coldplay Tickets?

• #trending: S’pore migrant workers get free Coldplay concert tickets, but some question if they'd enjoy the show

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• Wet balls tested at the FIH #Hockey5s World Cup
• True Detective - Season 1: Trailer

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The fallout from the revelation of the CEO’s fake credentials at the AI startup Vizzio continues, with an interim CEO being appointed to take over. But who were the real victims in this web of half-truths and lies? Elsewhere, TODAY journalists uncovered that some massage parlours were accepting payments in CDC vouchers for “special services” of a sexual nature. Is this a big enough problem that will force authorities to clamp down on the use of CDC vouchers?

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Vizzio CEO’s Fake Degree Fallout

• Vizzio CEO’s fabricated credentials, inflated client list haunt start-up
• Vizzio board backs CEO despite sham doctorate, Lee admits 'grave misjudgment'
• Kai-Fu Lee quit Vizzio's board days before founder's sham degree exposed
• Vizzio founder, CEO steps down amid controversy
• Woman jailed for getting jobs with forged NTU degree, says she faced economic and parental pressure

CDC Vouchers Used at Massage Parlours

• Happy spending? Some heartland massage parlours tout illicit services payable with CDC vouchers

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• Korea Republic 3 - 3 Malaysia
• Why Ip Man's Insane Fight Scenes Feel So Real

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