News

Singapore Airlines calls for travel bubble talks

Published

5 years ago

June 28, 2021

Singapore’s national carrier is pushing for talks with Australian officials, so it can learn how a travel bubble will work.

The leaders of Singapore and Australia held face to face talks earlier this month, promising to work towards establishing two-way quarantine free travel.

Following the meeting, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong revealed the leaders “discussed how two-way travel between Singapore and Australia can eventually resume in a safe and calibrated manner when both sides are ready.”

His Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, added that “there is nothing impeding us getting on with the job of putting systems in place that will enable such a bubble to emerge between Singapore and Australia.”

Singapore Airlines has signalled that there hasn’t been enough urgency in putting those systems in place.

The carrier want to know more about the likely framework for quarantine-free travel, including the requirements for travellers.

Louis Arul, Singapore Airlines’ regional vice-president for Australia and the south-west Pacific, says the airline wants to start a discussion about the operational measures that will be necessary for a travel bubble.

The airline is pushing for talks with Australian officials, so it’s able to figure out how it will make two-way quarantine-free travel work.

He admits that the airline is no longer working towards a timeline on when the bubble will open, instead emphasising that how the bubble will work, will determine the start-date.

“It’s not just the airline, it’s the ground-handling agents, the airports, border force and so on,” he told The Australian.

“Everybody needs to sit down and discuss how we want to manage operations in such a situation.”

One-way quarantine free travel is already in place, for Australians travelling to Singapore.

The city-state allows travellers from Australia to bypass quarantine and simply take a COVID-19 test on arrival, and self-isolate in a hotel room until they receive a negative result.

Singapore Airlines continues to operate commercial flights in and out of Australia, but very few passengers are onboard. The flight are only financially viable due to the amount of cargo being carried.

News

Big Tech earnings spark investor unease over AI spending

Investors monitor Big Tech’s AI investments, with Meta thriving while Microsoft and Tesla face uncertainty over growth and returns.

Published

3 days ago

January 30, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Investors monitor Big Tech’s AI investments, with Meta thriving while Microsoft and Tesla face uncertainty over growth and returns.

Investors are reacting sharply to Big Tech earnings this week, sending a clear signal that massive spending must translate into real growth. Markets are becoming less forgiving as companies pour billions into artificial intelligence, data centres and future tech while returns remain uncertain.

Meta has delivered a standout performance, posting a 24 percent jump in revenue for the December quarter, fuelled by AI-powered advertising. The company is doubling down on its strategy, with aggressive investment in AI and infrastructure expected to drive a further 33 percent growth this quarter.

Microsoft and Tesla tell a more cautious story. Microsoft reported only modest growth in its Azure cloud business, raising questions about its exposure to OpenAI, while Tesla plans to double spending on AI and autonomous driving. Analysts warn of a widening gap between bold AI ambitions and what investors expect in returns.

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News

Federal Reserve holds interest rates amid economic uncertainty

Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, balancing inflation and jobs, as some governors advocate for a cut. #FederalReserve #InterestRates #Economy

Published

4 days ago

January 29, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, balancing inflation and jobs, as some governors advocate for a cut.

The Federal Reserve has opted to keep interest rates unchanged, marking the first pause since July. Officials are showing little urgency to resume cuts, even after previous rate reductions.

Two Fed governors opposed the decision, calling for a quarter-point cut, highlighting ongoing debates within the rate-setting committee, which includes both appointed governors and regional bank presidents.

Concerns over the job market and persistent inflation continue to weigh heavily on the Fed’s policy decisions, leaving economists and investors closely watching the next moves.

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#FederalReserve #InterestRates #Economy

News

Trump warns Iran as U.S. naval forces approach amid rising tensions

Trump urges Iran to resume nuclear talks or face stronger U.S. military response amid economic struggles and tensions rise.

Published

4 days ago

January 29, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Trump urges Iran to resume nuclear talks or face stronger U.S. military response amid economic struggles and rising tensions.

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Iran to return to nuclear negotiations, warning that failure to do so could result in a far more severe military response. Posting on Truth Social, Trump signalled a hardening stance as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to rise.

Trump confirmed that a U.S. naval strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln is moving towards Iran, as protests grow inside the country over alleged government repression.

The show of force comes amid heightened regional instability and mounting pressure on the Iranian leadership.

#Trump #Iran #USForeignPolicy