#171 He Has Enough CPF for a BTO Flat.Why Could S$2,000 Still Cost His Family a Home?  一个家 • 2,000新元 • 四次求助
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#171 He Has Enough CPF for a BTO Flat.Why Could S$2,000 Still Cost His Family a Home? 一个家 • 2,000新元 • 四次求助

中文版在下方 A reader’s journey through HDB, MND, e2i, SkillsFuture and Singapore’s public-private ecosystem asks a simple question: when help is advertised, can citizens see how decisions are made—and does anyone own the outcome? By Mar Vin Foo | 24 August 2026 The National Day Rally promised to help families thrive. The next morning, one family…

Are We Ready for a New World? | Reflections from the 7th Annual GEX Conference 2026 #167
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Are We Ready for a New World? | Reflections from the 7th Annual GEX Conference 2026 #167

Are We Ready for a New World? | Reflections from the 7th Annual GEX Conference 2026 #167 It was a privilege to attend Dr Patrick Liew’s 7th Annual GEX Conference 2026, where diplomats, economists and business leaders shared their perspectives on navigating an increasingly uncertain world. A key takeaway was that today’s geopolitical landscape bears…

#144 Asia-Pacific Theatre of War III: Two Boys in The Temple of Heaven 《亚太战争剧场 III:天坛里的两个男孩》
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#144 Asia-Pacific Theatre of War III: Two Boys in The Temple of Heaven 《亚太战争剧场 III:天坛里的两个男孩》

This is not a boy band fan article; neither is this new Indiana Jones movie. This is a geopolitical inflection during a time of turmoil where things either can go well or completely south. I. The Korean Peninsula — The Most Dangerous Trigger Point in Asia In my earlier article, “Asia Pacific Theatre of War…

#143 Smaller Nations, Superpower Pressure, and the Grey Zone of Survival 小国、生存压力,与大国夹缝中的灰色地带
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#143 Smaller Nations, Superpower Pressure, and the Grey Zone of Survival 小国、生存压力,与大国夹缝中的灰色地带

One of the least discussed realities in geopolitics is that smaller nations rarely operate in a perfectly clean environment. Publicly, international relations are framed around diplomacy, trade agreements, defence partnerships, and mutual prosperity. But beneath official frameworks often exists another layer: Influence operations. Intelligence bargaining. Unofficial intermediaries. Economic pressure. Elite networks. Strategic kompromat. Underground financial…

#142 Comfort, Vice, and the Burden of Judgment: The Women We Failed to See (With Testimonies) 慰安妇、风月与偏见:我们未曾真正看见的女性(附幸存者证词)
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#142 Comfort, Vice, and the Burden of Judgment: The Women We Failed to See (With Testimonies) 慰安妇、风月与偏见:我们未曾真正看见的女性(附幸存者证词)

In every society, there exists a quiet hypocrisy. We condemn the women. But we rarely interrogate the systems—and the men—that created their circumstances. The Historical Wound We Still Avoid The system of World War II comfort women system remains one of Asia’s deepest unresolved scars. Across Korea, China, and Southeast Asia: But statistics do not…

#102 Leadership Lessons from King David: Courage, Contradictions, and the Making of a Modern Leader 大多数领导者的故事始于权力。
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#102 Leadership Lessons from King David: Courage, Contradictions, and the Making of a Modern Leader 大多数领导者的故事始于权力。

Most leadership stories begin with power. King David’s began with a forgotten shepherd boy — the youngest, the smallest, the one nobody paid attention to. And perhaps that’s why his leadership still resonates today. Because true leadership does not start from titles, offices, or armies. It begins in the quiet space where a person decides:…

#94 Forgotten Histories, Modern Blind Spots: From the Barbary Slave Trade to Today’s “Red-washing” in Healthcare 被遗忘的历史与现代的盲点:从巴巴里奴隶贸易到当今医疗体系中的「红漂(Red-washing)」
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#94 Forgotten Histories, Modern Blind Spots: From the Barbary Slave Trade to Today’s “Red-washing” in Healthcare 被遗忘的历史与现代的盲点:从巴巴里奴隶贸易到当今医疗体系中的「红漂(Red-washing)」

🕊 Newsletter #94 Forgotten Histories, Modern Blind Spots: From the Barbary Slave Trade to Today’s “Red-washing” in Healthcare Between the 16th and 19th centuries, a lesser-known chapter of human history unfolded across the Mediterranean. While Europe was shaping the modern world through exploration and innovation, an estimated 1.2 to 2.5 million Christian men, women, and…