The Straits Times

From Nov 1, foreign visitors to Japan will have to pay 10% tax up front when shopping at tax-free stores and claim refunds at the airport upon departure. https://str.sg/y8EK

GovTech has retrenched 38 employees in its 2nd of 3 rounds of layoffs. The agency said it expects a total of 7% to 9% of its workforce to be affected over the next 2 years. https://str.sg/zQpG

No more chores when staying at Airbnbs. 🙌 From Nov 20, hosts can no longer make guests wash dishes, strip beds, or remove rubbish when checking out under a new policy. https://str.sg/K69f

Lee Biscuits, the maker of Marie biscuits, soda crackers and lemon sandwich biscuits, is shutting down its factory in Johor by the end of October. The 92-year-old company is reportedly exiting snack manufacturing to focus on core holdings, including rubber and…

Don’t come begging when you need something, but when there is another issue that can actually be discussed, behave like a relative who has no manners. Indonesia could stop exporting energy to countries that “disrespect” it, warned a senior minister. https://st…

🎧 Why can’t Singapore’s anti-haze law get Indonesian firms to stop the fires? Scott Tan, a partner at Rajah & Tann, and Audrey Tan, an ST assistant news editor, discuss the law and how Singapore can tackle its current haze crisis in this episode of The Usual P…

✈️ Singapore Airlines’ in-flight entertainment system will be getting a major upgrade next year, featuring larger screens, Bluetooth pairing and a redesigned interface. https://str.sg/feJd

Haze update: Blue skies ahead? Air quality in Singapore is back in the "good to moderate" range, after 18 days of bad air. https://str.sg/pvbk